* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
           
          [1. ROLL CALL BY THE CITY CLERK]
          [00:00:12]
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION OF UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MARCEL. 
          IF WE COULD HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. 
          HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO. 
          HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS HERE. 
          VICE MAYOR NIELSEN. 
          HERE. 
          MAYOR PINEDA HERE. 
          AND COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE WILL BE APPEARING ELECTRONICALLY ONLINE. 
          UM, BUT SHE'S NOT ON THE CALL AT THE MOMENT. 
          WE'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT I'LL NOTE HER ARRIVAL IN THE MINUTES AND I'LL ANNOUNCE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MARCELLA. 
          [2. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES]
AT THIS TIME WE HAVE, UH, UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES. 
          WE HAVE TWO BLUE CARDS. 
          ARE THERE ANY OTHERS, MARCELLA, BESIDES THESE TWO? MARCELLA. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          WE HAVE ONLY RECEIVED THE TWO REQUESTS TO SPEAK. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, FIRST UP WE HAVE MARIA ALVARADO AND MAYOR. 
          THIS PE THE SPEAKERS WILL COME TO THIS PODIUM HERE. 
          OKAY. 
          GOT IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES. 
          MY NAME IS MARIA ADO. 
          I'M A RESIDENT OF AVONDALE AND I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT, UM, SOME REALLY NEAT THINGS THAT HAPPENED ON FRIDAY NIGHT, BUT, UH, I WON'T JUST LIMITED TO SAYING THAT WE WERE INVADED BY GRASSHOPPERS, THAT IT WAS MADE IT VERY HARD TO TALK TO PEOPLE, BUT THEY WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. 
          AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE GRASSHOPPER INVASION. 
          I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, AS FAR AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, TRAINING AND ATTENDING NATIONAL CONFERENCES ARE VERY CRITICAL FOR FAIR, ETHICAL, AND PROPER RE REPRESENTATION. 
          SO I DO BELIEVE THAT ANYTIME SOMEONE IS ELECTED TO, UM, AN OFFICIAL POSITION, THAT I THINK THAT ANY TRAINING THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS, IT IS ALWAYS, IT ALWAYS PAYS OFF. 
          NOT ONLY INFORMATION, BUT YOU DO A LOT OF NETWORKING AND YOU ALSO REPRESENT THE CITY OF AVONDALE. 
          AND, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THAT IS MONEY WELL INVESTED. 
          SO I WOULD BE AGAINST ANY KIND OF CUT FROM TRAINING AND FROM ATTENDING WORKSHOPS AND NETWORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE NATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT UP WE HAVE THERESA DESANTE. 
          HOLD ON. 
          UNTIL NEXT. 
          OKAY, THEN 
          [3. CONSENT AGENDA]
AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE. 
          CONSENT AGENDA. 
          ARE THERE ANY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WISH TO HAVE AN ITEM REMOVED? FOR REMOVED OR FOR DISCUSSION OR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? SEE, AND THEN CAN I GET A MOTION? MOTION? OKAY. 
          WE GOT A COUNCIL. 
          WE GOT COUNCIL MEMBER SOY WITH A MOTION. 
          I'LL MAKE A SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          WE GOT VICE MAYOR NIELSEN WITH A SECOND. 
          CAN WE PLEASE VOTE? AND I'LL DO A VOICE VOTE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI AYE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA AYE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO AYE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS AYE. 
          VICE MAYOR NIELSEN. 
          AYE. 
          MAYOR PINEDA. 
          AYE. 
          AND, UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE YET? NO, SHE'S STILL TRYING TO GET ON THE CALL. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          [a. General Obligation (G.O.) Bonds Presentation]
SO MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RON. 
          THANK YOU, MR. COUNSEL. 
          UP FIRST, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. 
          I'LL LET RENEE INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS, OUR FINANCE AND BUDGET DIRECTOR. 
          GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TONIGHT. 
          UM, WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS OUR GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND. 
          UM, WE HAVE WITH US MR. PAUL BEN, HIS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF HIGH GROUND STRATEGIES. 
          HE'S WITH US TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE CITY'S NOVEMBER 20, 25 OBLIGATION BOND ELECTION. 
          AND SO, AT THIS TIME, UM, I WILL BE TURNING IT OVER TO PAUL AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO PAUL, I JUST WANNA TEST, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE'S AUDIO COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES. 
          CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          [00:05:02]
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. 
          MY NAME IS PAUL BENS. 
          I'M THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY AT HIGH GROUND PUBLIC AFFAIRS. 
          UH, WE DID HELP WITH THE, UH, BOND EFFORT LAST YEAR IN 2025. 
          I'M HERE TO JUST GIVE A LITTLE QUICK RECAP ABOUT THAT BEFORE TURNING IT BACK OVER TO RENEE. 
          UH, A COUPLE THINGS TO NOTE. 
          NUMBER ONE, UH, THE TURNOUT FOR THE ELECTION AND THE 2025 CYCLE WAS ABOUT 16.7% OF YOUR REGISTERED VOTERS. 
          THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 7,772 FOLKS THAT SHOWED UP AND, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE ELECTION. 
          UH, WHAT IS INTERESTING IS THAT OVER 7,000 PEOPLE VOTED, BUT ACTUALLY ON BOTH OF THE AVONDALE QUESTIONS, THERE WAS AN UNDER VOTE, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S FOLKS THAT SHOWED UP TO VOTE FOR OTHER ITEMS THAT DIDN'T ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THAT PORTION OF THE BALLOT. 
          SO I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT JUST IN A MINUTE. 
          UM, 17 PER, ALMOST 17% VOTER TURNOUT REPRESENTS, AS I SAID, ABOUT 7,000 FOLKS. 
          IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT, SAY, UH, THE MIDTERM CYCLE THAT WE'RE IN NOW, THE GUBER, THE GUBERNATORIAL CYCLE, WHICH WE TALK ABOUT, WE'D BE LOOKING AT VOTER TURNOUT SOMEWHERE IN THE 60 TO 65% RANGE. 
          SO THREE TO FOUR TIMES AS MANY FOLKS WE WOULD ANTICIPATE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN THAT, UH, 28 TO ABOUT 30,000 OR SO VOTERS THAT SHOW UP IN AN, IN A IN A GUBERNATORIAL YEAR, PRESIDENTIAL YEARS ARE EVEN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT. 
          WE JUST  TURN OUT IN A 70% RANGE. 
          UM, SO WHAT WE, IN LOOKING AT WHAT 2025 LOOKED LIKE, UH, ON THE RIGHT COLUMN THERE IS WHAT WE ANTICIPATED TURNOUT TO LOOK LIKE FOR THE VARIOUS AGE GROUPS. 
          UH, WHEN IT'S A OFF CYCLE OR 2025 ELECTION, UH, WE EXPECT A MUCH OLDER ELECTORATE. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ANTICIPATED ABOUT 70% OR SO OF THE VOTERS TO BE OVER THE AGE OF 50 WITH ABOUT 40% OVER THE AGE OF 65. 
          WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE. 
          UH, THAT WAS WHAT WE MODELED IN OUR POLLING. 
          IT WAS ABOUT 28% OVER THE AGE OF 50 TO 64, AND THEN ANOTHER 38%, UM, OVER THE AGE OF 65. 
          IN ADDITION, WE DO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOUR REGISTRATION'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, YOUR PARTICIPATION IS, IS WHAT WE LOOK AT AND BASE A LOT OF OUR INFORMATION ON. 
          PARTICIPATION IN THIS CASE WAS ABOUT 47% DEMOCRAT, ABOUT 29% REPUBLICAN, ABOUT 21% UNAFFILIATED. 
          THAT'S WHAT P AND D STANDS FOR. 
          PARTY NOT DECLARED. 
          AND THEN ANY OTHER PARTY, SO NO LABELS, WHICH IS NOW THE ARIZONA INDEPENDENT PARTY, THE GREEN PARTY LIBERTARIAN, AND OTHERS MADE UP ABOUT 3.9%. 
          WE ANTICIPATED ABOUT THREE. 
          SO, UM, IT WAS CLOSER TO, WE HAD SAID THE, THE UNAFFILIATED WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER BASED ON HISTORIC PARTICIPATION. 
          IT WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN USUAL. 
          UH, WE ALSO SAW THAT 8 5 2 8 5 3 2 3 WITH 8 5 3 4 OH WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER. 
          BUT ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE, UH, ANTICIPATING WHAT WE MODELED OUR TURNOUT TO LOOK LIKE AS WE WENT THROUGH THE ELECTION AND WE WERE PRETTY SPOT ON. 
          THAT'S WHY OUR DATA WAS PRETTY REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE SAW ACTUALLY IN THE, IN THE TURNOUT RESULT. 
          OUR, IN FACT, OUR POLLING ENDED UP BEING VERY CLOSE TO WHAT THE FINAL RESULT LOOKED LIKE. 
          UH, FROM THE PROP 4 0 4 OF THE PARKS ISSUE THAT DID PASS, UH, WHAT WE SAW IS THAT IT WON BY ABOUT 275 VOTES WITH A 400, OR SORRY, PARDON ME, A 295 PERSON UNDER VOTE. 
          THAT MEANS 295 PEOPLE VOTED FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE BALLOT, BUT DID NOT MAKE IT TO THAT PORTION. 
          UM, I GAVE YOU SORT OF A MAP HERE TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE, SORT OF THE BREAKDOWN HERE. 
          AND WE HAVE A VERSION THAT HAS PERCENTAGES ON IT THAT DIDN'T TRANSLATE IN THIS VERSION. 
          BUT THE, WHAT YOU'LL NOTE IS IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER IN PARTICULAR IS, SO GREEN MEANS PASSAGE. 
          THE DARKER THE GREEN, THE MORE IT PASSED. 
          AND I'M SURE YOU, THERE'S HANDOUTS THAT YOU CAN, UH, GET THE VERSION OF THIS. 
          AND THEN THE RED IS WHERE LIGHT RED IS WHERE IT FAILED NARROWLY. 
          AND THEN THE DARK RED IS WHERE, UH, WE SAW IT DID NOT PASS. 
          AND THE BIG AREA THAT WE SEE HERE IS THAT'S THE DEVONSHIRE PRECINCT. 
          AND ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT WAS ACTUALLY A HOTBED FOR ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WAS NOT RELATED TO OUR BONDS TO 4 0 4 AND 4 0 5. 
          IN FACT, THAT WAS, UH, ONE OF THE LOCAL ISSUES THAT WAS IN THAT AREA HAD A HEAVY NO CAMPAIGN THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF. 
          AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY SAW IS THAT NO CAMPAIGN FOR THAT ISSUE IMPACTED BASICALLY EVERY OTHER ISSUE ON THE BALLOT. 
          I'VE LOOKED THROUGH THE, THE DATA REPORTS FOR PROPOSITION 4 0 9, WHICH WAS THE COUNTYWIDE HEALTHCARE ISSUE. 
          I ALSO LOOKED AT 4 0 3 AND 4 0 6, WHICH ARE THE TWO WEST MEC, UH, JOINT TECHNICAL EDUCATION ISSUES THAT WERE ALSO ON THE BALLOT. 
          ALL FIVE SIX OF THOSE ITEMS BASICALLY FAILED IN THAT, IN THAT AREA. 
          NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER, UH, ISSUES THAT WERE LOCALLY JUST TO THAT AREA. 
          SO THE IMPACT OF THAT NO CAMPAIGN, UH, DEFINITELY OVERALL IMPACTED THE, THE RESULTS OF THIS. 
          AND THAT'S SORT OF WHERE THAT DEEP RED CONCENTRATED AREA, THE REST OF THE CITY, YOU CAN SEE THERE WAS ONLY BASICALLY TWO PRECINCTS, UH, WHERE THE ISSUE DID NOT PASS. 
          SO THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS. 
          UH, IN AN OFF CYCLE ELECTION WITH LOWER TURNOUT, WE DID SEE A POSITIVE THERE. 
          MOVING ON TO PROPOSITION 4 0 5, UH, YOU SEE A SIMILAR RESULT 
          [00:10:01]
WITH, BUT IN THIS CASE, WHAT WE ACTUALLY SAW IS A 523 PERSON UNDER VOTE. 
          THAT MEANS 523 PEOPLE GOT A BALLOT, VOTED FOR SOMETHING ELSE, AND DID NOT VOTE ON THIS ISSUE. 
          PROPOSITION 4 0 5 FAILED BY 13 VOTES. 
          NOW, I WAS TOLD TO, TO DO THE MATH ON THIS, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY EVEN A LITTLE MORE HEARTBREAKING THAN THAT BECAUSE IF SEVEN PEOPLE HAD CHANGED THEIR VOTE FROM NO TO YES, IT WOULD'VE PASSED. 
          SO IT'S NOT 13 PEOPLE I KNOW. 
          I KNOW WE'RE ALL, OH, IT'S 13. 
          IF 13 MORE PEOPLE, ACTUALLY SEVEN PEOPLE, BUT FROM NO, FROM NO TO YES, IT WOULD'VE PASSED. 
          SO IT WAS A VERY NARROW MARGIN. 
          UH, THE CITY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH THE PUBLIC OUTREACH WITH THE INFORMATION, AND UNFORTUNATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, WE SAW A NET LOSS IN THE DEVIN SHIRE DISTRICT ALONE OF ABOUT, UM, 218 VOTES. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE THE, THAT'S WHERE THE DIFFERENCE WAS REALLY MADE. 
          IT WAS IN THAT GENERAL AREA, UH, WITH THAT NO CAMPAIGN. 
          SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE SAW, BASED ON WHAT WE EXPECTED THIS TO BE, IT WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT WE ANTICIPATED WITH THE UNANTICIPATED RESULT, THAT THERE WAS A PRETTY HEALTHY NO CAMPAIGN NOT RELATED TO THE BONDS THAT SWEPT SOME OTHER THINGS UP, INCLUDING PROPOSITION 4 0 5. 
          AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL HAPPILY TURN IT OVER TO RENEE. 
          SO MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF GOING OUT FOR A BOND. 
          SO AT THIS POINT, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MAYOR, TO COVER THE THINGS ON, DO WE WANT TO GO OUT BACK OUT TO THE VOTERS IN A FUTURE ELECTION? UM, AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, DO DOES COUNCIL WISH TO ESTABLISH ANOTHER BOND COMMITTEE? AND IF THAT IS ALSO THE CASE, WOULD WE JUST STICK TO A PUBLIC SAFETY QUESTION OR EXPAND QUESTIONS? SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. 
          YEP. 
          THANK YOU, PAUL. 
          THANK YOU, RENEE. 
          UM, I'LL LOOK FOR COUNSEL TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK. 
          UM, I'LL JUST QUICKLY, UH, BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE GOES, UM, I WOULD DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK OUT FOR BOND, UH, BASED UPON, UH, THE RESEARCH THAT YOU DID, PAUL, THE NUMBERS THAT YOU PROVIDED, I THINK IT WAS VERY WATERED DOWN. 
          YOU STATED AS TO, UH, WHAT YOU BELIEVE THAT TO BE IN TERMS OF THE OTHER HIGH, UM, OR I SHOULD SAY, UM, CONTENTIOUS BONDS THAT WERE OUT THERE, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM. 
          AND SO I THINK WE WERE FIGHTING UPSTREAM. 
          UH, WITH THAT, MY OPINION, AND WE WILL HEAR WHAT COUNCIL HAS TO SAY, IS THAT WE DO GO OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
          WE WILL DETERMINE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF TIME. 
          UH, BUT WHAT, AND, AND, AND, AND BY THE WAY, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, I BELIEVE IF WE USE, HAVE THE ONE QUESTION WE MIGHT HAVE, AND YOU'RE THE PROFESSIONAL ON THIS, BUT THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A BETTER CHANCE IF WE GO OUT WITH THE ONE QUESTION. 
          UM, BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW QUICK WE CAN DO IT, BUT I WOULD SAY WE GO OUT SOONER THAN LATER. 
          UH, BUT I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO COUNSEL AND SEEING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE'S ONLINE, I'M GONNA GO TO HER FIRST. 
          HI, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY. 
          CAN HEAR YOU MM-HMM . 
          UM, SO I, I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I CLARIFY. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          UM, HE, HE DID SAY THE IT PASSED IT, IT FAILED BY 13 VOTES. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. 
          SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF WE GO RIGHT BACK OUT. 
          DOES IT BEHOOVE US TO CHANGE THE NAME OR CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT WAS OFFERED BEFORE? UM, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE A BOND, A NEW BOND COMMITTEE WOULD COST MONEY. 
          UM, AND I DO KNOW HAVING ANOTHER ELECTION, UM, IN AN OFF CYCLE YEAR, UM, WOULD COST MONEY. 
          UM, SO EVEN HAVING THAT ELECTION LAST YEAR PROBABLY COST US MONEY. 
          SO I GUESS I REALLY WANNA KNOW WHAT'S THE COST OF GOING RIGHT BACK OUT BECAUSE WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE BUDGET AND WHAT'S THE COST OF HAVING ANOTHER BOND COMMITTEE. 
          UM, AND IS THERE A COST TO CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT HOW IT WAS OFFERED BEFORE MR. MAYOR, CAN WE LET PAUL, UH, ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS? IF HE WANTS TO TAKE A STAB REALLY ABOUT, UH, WHETHER THE, THIS NOVEMBER IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT, IF YOU RECOMMEND GOING BACK OUT FOR OR HA CREATING A COMMITTEE AGAIN. 
          UM, AND JUST SOME THOUGHTS ON NEXT STEPS. 
          SURE. 
          UH, IT'S ALWAYS A, A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO, TO SORT OF SEE SOMETHING GET SO CLOSE AND, AND NOT SUCCEED. 
          THERE'S CLEARLY A LOT OF VOTER ATTITUDES IN SUPPORT OF THESE TYPES OF ISSUES. 
          UH, EVERY ELECTION'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. 
          I, I NEVER SHY AWAY FROM A CITIZENS COMMITTEE. 
          I THINK HAVING CITIZEN BUY-IN REALLY LOOKING AT THINGS IS ALWAYS A POSITIVE. 
          IT GIVES YOU PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS ON THE TOPIC. 
          IT GIVES YOU CHAMPIONS TO GO OUT AND, AND, AND DISCUSS THE ISSUE. 
          AND 
          [00:15:01]
QUITE FRANKLY, 2026, THERE WILL BE OTHER ITEMS ON THE BALLOT. 
          WE'RE HEARING FROM THE LEGISLATURE THAT THEY COULD BE PUTTING UP TO SEVEN MORE ITEMS ON THE BALLOT. 
          THEY'VE ALREADY PLACED TWO. 
          SO THERE'S UP TO SEVEN MORE FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE ON THERE. 
          UH, SO WE WILL SEE SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO COMPETE WITH, UH, WHERE ALSO IT WILL BE IN THE GUBERNATORIAL CYCLE, WHICH MEANS, OR MORE EYEBALLS. 
          THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT MEANS IT WILL BE A YOUNGER ELECTORATE. 
          IT WILL BE MORE VOTERS. 
          IT WILL BE, AS I SAID, THE THREE TO FOUR TIMES, AT LEAST AS MANY PEOPLE VOTING IN THE ELECTION. 
          WHEN IN A RACE LIKE THIS WHERE EVERY VOTE COUNTS, SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE THERE. 
          UM, BUT YOU ALSO, YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TO DO ANOTHER FULL PUBLIC AWARENESS EFFORT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE MAKE IT. 
          WE SAW WITH ONLY FOUR OR FIVE ITEMS ON THE BALLOT IN MOST PLACES, WE DID SEE SOME FALL OFF. 
          UH, SO WE'D WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THAT. 
          BUT, UM, I THINK DOING A CITIZENS PROCESS, BUILDING CHAMPIONS, HAVING PEOPLE LOOK AT THE ITEMS, UM, IS CERTAINLY A, A WORTHY EXERCISE WHETHER YOU DECIDE TO DO IT NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. 
          I, I THINK PUBLIC SAFETY'S ALWAYS IN NEED, ESPECIALLY WITH A GROWING COMMUNITY LIKE THIS. 
          I ALSO WONDER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SORT OF THE SOUTHERN NUMBER, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE SAW IS THAT IN THAT LOWER AREA THERE, IF I CAN GO BACK REAL QUICK, THAT LOWEST DISTRICT, THOSE LOW TWO ONES ARE BOTH LIGHT GREEN ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, AND THEY WERE GOING TO GET THE JOINT POLICE AND FIRE FACILITY MM-HMM . 
          UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WAS PROPERLY, UH, MADE AWARE FOR THOSE FOLKS. 
          I THINK WE DID A LOT OF EFFORTS TO MAKE THEM AWARE, BUT HAVING THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WAS WHAT WAS IN THERE FOR THEM, I, I WOULD'VE BET THAT, THAT THERE'D BE DARKER GREEN IN THOSE AREAS. 
          IT CERTAINLY DID NOT TRANSLATE. 
          THAT'S SOME, CERTAINLY SOMETHING I WOULD LOOK AT AS WELL. 
          AND, AND I THINK THAT HE, UH, SORRY. 
          I MEAN, I KNOW THAT MAYBE COUNCILOR WHITE HAS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, BUT IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, WHETHER IT BE A BETTER COMMUNICATION, BETTER CAMPAIGN BETWEEN THE DEVONSHIRE AREA AND EVEN TO THE SOUTHERN END, WHERE THIS, WHERE A PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY WOULD GO, THAT THOSE VARIABLES ALONE MAY GET IT OVER THE HUMP, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, DID YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP TO YOUR QUESTION? WELL, IT, IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, WHATEVER WE DO IS GOING TO BE AN EXPENSE, AND AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH A BUDGET CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CUTTING BACK A LOT, UM, YEAH, I, I DO SEE THE BENEFIT, BUT I, I'M JUST CONCERNED, UH, MAYBE MARCELLO KNOWS THE ANSWER, HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO RUN THIS IF IT RUNS NOT IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE? I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT WILL IT COST. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL FOR THIS PAST BOND ELECTION. 
          IT WAS AROUND 80,000. 
          UM, JUST FOR THE BOND QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE WOULD GET THAT FROM. 
          UM, BUT IF THAT IS A LINE ITEM THAT CAN BE PUT IN THE BUDGET, UM, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO CONSIDER FOR, UH, THIS YEAR. 
          I THINK IT'S CHEAPER. 
          AM I CORRECT, MARCEL? IF WE RUN IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH NOVEMBER'S ELECTION? IT, UM, SO THE ELECTION IS SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, LESS EXPENSIVE IF YOU HAVE IT ON AN, ON AN ELECTION THAT MARICOPA COUNTY IS ALREADY HOLDING. 
          UM, WE WOULD SPEND AROUND 30,000 THAT WE'RE ALREADY SPENDING, UM, IF WE ARE HOLDING OUR CANDIDATE ELECTION. 
          SO IT WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL TO ADD IT TO THE BALLOT. 
          UM, WE WOULD HAVE A COST FOR THE PUBLICITY PAMPHLET, BECAUSE THAT IS A PRINTING, AND WE DON'T PRINT PUBLICITY PAMPHLETS FOR, UM, CANDIDATE ELECTIONS. 
          SO IF WE WERE TO HAVE A RUNOFF ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, MARICOPA COUNTY WOULD NOT CHARGE US TO ADD A QUESTION. 
          UM, BUT WE WOULD DO THE COST OF, UM, PUBLICITY PAMPHLETS. 
          AND AGAIN, IF WE DON'T HAVE A RUNOFF ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, THEN WE WOULD PAY THE PRICE OF HOLDING THE ELECTION, UM, WHEN IT WASN'T NEEDED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, RON. 
          UH, MARCELLA, UH, TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE'S QUESTION, UM, SHE SEEMED, UH, OPEN TO, UH, DOING A CITIZEN COMMITTEE AGAIN. 
          UM, THIS IS A MUCH TIGHTER TURNAROUND TIME. 
          UH, WOULD, IF WE DID A CITIZENS COMMITTEE, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO MAKE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION? THANK YOU, RON. 
          THAT WAS A, A QUESTION FOR ME. 
          YES. 
          OH, SO FOR, IF WE WERE TO DO A NOVEMBER ELECTION, UM, LET ME JUST PULL UP. 
          WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE ELECTION. 
          LET'S SEE. 
          I, I WOULD SAY WE COULD DO A CITIZEN ACA, A CITIZEN BOND, UM, BOARD, BUT IT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLY TIGHT TIMEFRAME. 
          UM, FOR THE LAST BOND WE CREATED THE, WE ESTABLISHED THE COMMITTEE IN OF SEPTEMBER FOR NOT THE IMMEDIATE NOVEMBER, BUT THE FOLLOWING NOVEMBER TIMEFRAME. 
          SO IT WAS A YEAR AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS. 
          UM, WE COULD ALWAYS ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE 
          [00:20:01]
AT OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND GET IT STARTED VERY QUICKLY. 
          BUT THE RECRUITMENT ON IT ALONE USUALLY WILL TAKE A COUPLE MONTHS. 
          SO, UM, IT'S, ANYTHING IS DOABLE, BUT IT WOULDN'T HAVE THE DEPTH OF MEETINGS AS WE HAD THE PREVIOUS, UM, BOND COMMITTEE. 
          THANK YOU, MARCELLA, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, COUNCIL. 
          MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU, MARIO. 
          YEP. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO THE NEED DOESN'T GO AWAY. 
          WE NEED IT. 
          I FEEL LIKE WE NEED IT. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO IT IN NOVEMBER. 
          DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A BOND COMMITTEE FOR IT? IF IT'S THE SAME BOND THAT'S COMING FORWARD? UH, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER SLO, THE ONE CONCERN I HAVE, AND THIS WILL WE'LL TAKE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, IS ADVOCATES, UM, I'M WORRIED ABOUT HAVING, UM, ADVOCATES TO, UM, UH, CAMPAIGN FOR THE, UM, BOND, UH, WHICH IS OFTEN THE ROLE OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE IN ADDITION TO, UH, PRESENTING TO COUNCIL THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT GOES ON, UH, THE BOND QUESTION. 
          UM, THEY ALSO THEN CAN GO OUT AND EDUCATE AND CAMPAIGN WHERE, AS, YOU KNOW, RES UH, EMPLOYEES CAN'T MM-HMM . 
          SO THAT'S THE ONE PIECE I WORRY ABOUT. 
          BUT, UM, JUST BECAUSE IN YOUR INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED, YOU SAID THAT, UM, SEVERAL FACTORS. 
          I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE WERE, THERE WAS ONE BOND IN PARTICULAR THAT I WAS NOT A FAN OF THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE. 
          AND I THINK THERE WAS TOO MANY BONDS ON THERE THAT BY THE TIME YOU REACHED THE BOTTOM, YOU'RE LIKE, I REALLY DON'T CARE, HONESTLY, ABOUT IT. 
          BUT, UM, I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THEN, OUR COMMUNITY, FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I HEARD, NONE OF THOSE FOLKS WERE OUT THERE ADVOCATING FOR THAT. 
          IT WAS ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WERE OUT THERE ADVOCATING FOR THAT. 
          SO MAYBE WITH BETTER ADVOCACY FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WERE OUT THERE AND MORE TRACTION FOR THEM TO GO OUT THERE WITH MORE CLARITY, WE MIGHT DO BETTER, ESPECIALLY WHILE IT'S STILL FRESH IN PEOPLE'S MIND. 
          MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL PES, I, I AGREE. 
          THE ASSOCIATIONS ARE READY. 
          UM, THEY, THEY SAID THEY WOULD, UH, DO WHATEVER NEEDED TO BE DONE, UM, TO GET THAT, TO GET THAT DONE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          UM, I AGREE WITH, WITH SOLORIO. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY WANNA GO OUT AND DO BECAUSE LIKE SHE SAID, NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE. 
          THERE'S STILL THE NEED THERE, AND I BELIEVE IN STRIKING WHEN THE IRON'S STILL HOT. 
          SO WE, PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF IT RIGHT NOW, AND IF WE CAN KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING AND GET IT ON THE BALLOT, HONESTLY, I THINK THAT IF WE REACH OUT AND CONNECT TO THE HOAS, TO THE FOLKS DOWN IN ALAMAR TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS FOR THEIR BENEFIT, IT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT WE CAN GAIN SOME TRACTION DOWN THERE. 
          MR. MAYOR, BEFORE YOU GO ON, I ONE, UH, IF PAUL COULD ANSWER ONE MORE QUESTION FOR COUNSEL'S CONSIDERATION. 
          YOU MENTIONED IT, THERE'S ALREADY TWO STATE, UH, QUESTIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE ON THE BALLOT. 
          ONE OF OUR PROBLEMS WAS THE DROP OFF RATE OF PEOPLE, AND WE WERE AT THE END. 
          WILL WE BE AT THE END OF THREE OR FOUR PAGES AGAIN, UH, THIS NOVEMBER? UH, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR, UH, TAKE ON THE, UH, FUTURE? THAT'S THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION. 
          I MEAN, THE, IT'S CERTAINLY THERE'S A DIFFERENT STRATEGY INVOLVED. 
          UH, WE KNOW ONE THING, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THAT WE KNOW WE WILL BE DEALING WITH THE SHORT LANGUAGE. 
          UH, UNFORTUNATELY THE RECORDER, YOU PROVIDE THEM WITH THE LONG FORM LANGUAGE, THE SUCCINCT LANGUAGE, AND THEN THE SHORT FORM LANGUAGE. 
          OUR RECORDER, DESPITE ONLY HAVING A FEW THINGS ON THE BALLOT, CHOSE TO GO ONLY WITH THE SHORT FORM LANGUAGE, WHICH WAS, SHALL THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THIS NUMBER OF AMOUNT BONDS TO BE PAID FOR BACK BY PROPERTY, SECONDARY PROPERTY TAXES. 
          WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THE ADDITIONAL DETAIL THAT WE WORKED VERY HARD TO GIVE THEM TO, TO SORT OF EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IT. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO IT, IT IS THE SHORT FORM LANGUAGE. 
          SO THAT JUST MAKES SOME OF THAT OTHER EFFORT MORE IMPORTANT. 
          BUT YES, I THINK ULTIMATELY THERE'S TWO THINGS TO THINK ABOUT. 
          IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A TWO PAGE BALLOT. 
          AGAIN, HOPEFULLY NOT THREE, BUT IT WILL BE TWO. 
          IT WILL BE PROBABLY, UM, I, I DEFER TO MARCEL, BUT I, I BELIEVE IT'D BE AFTER THE JUDGES ONCE AGAIN, JUST LIKE WE SAW IN THE PAST. 
          THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS THE OTHER AREAS THAT, WHERE THERE WAS SOME CONTROVERSY, ARE THEY GOING TO GO OUT AGAIN IN, IN LIGHT OF THEIR FAILURE? BECAUSE IF THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, NOT RELATED TO YOU, JUST UNDERSTANDING NEARBY WHAT ELSE MIGHT BE ON THE BALLOT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU, PAUL. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          UM, IT'S NOT A SECRET. 
          I'M NOT A HUGE ON BONDS, AND, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE, UM, ON THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GET TO CHOOSE WHAT WE SPEND OUR MONEY ON. 
          WITH THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WENT OUT, YOU SAID IT WAS 46.7% DEMOCRAT, 28.6 REPUBLICAN. 
          I THINK THAT WAS A HUGE FACTOR IN PUBLIC SAFETY ITSELF BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY 
          [00:25:01]
AT THE MOMENT AND ALL OF THE PUBLIC, EVERYTHING, ALL THE ATTACKS ON POLICE AND FIRE. 
          BUT IF YOU DO PUT IT IN THE NOVEMBER, I THINK THE OUTCOME WOULD BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE OUTCOMES DURING THE BIGGER ELECTIONS AND NOT THE SPECIAL ELECTIONS ARE VERY, JUST DRAMATICALLY THE OPPOSITE. 
          UM, SO I THINK PUTTING IT ON THERE WOULD BE A, A BETTER CHANCE FOR THE BOND TO GO THROUGH. 
          AND ALSO, I DON'T, I AGREE WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANOTHER COMMITTEE IF THEY'RE NOT ADVOCATING FOR IT. 
          BECAUSE IF THAT'S THEIR JOB AND THEY'RE NOT DOING IT, WE COULD, THEY COULD, WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO DO IT, WE COULD USE THEM AGAIN, BUT AS THE ASSOCIATIONS, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT REALLY WANT THIS. 
          THEY SHOULD BE PUSHING IT IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S THEIR GOAL. 
          SO THAT'S JUST 'CAUSE I WANT IT TO COST LESS. 
          IF WE'RE GONNA DO IT, LESS MONEY IS BETTER. 
          MM-HMM . 
          NICE. 
          MARY NIELSEN, THAT YOU GONNA SAY MAYBE FROM THE LAYMAN, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. 
          IT'S THE LAST PAGE. 
          LAST THING, THEY DIDN'T EVEN TURN THE PAGE OVER. 
          THE PEOPLE THAT ASKED ME SAID, WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT? WHETHER IT WAS A SHORT FORM OR WHATEVER IT WAS, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SAY IT WAS FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF ARIZONA. 
          I'D SOUND, UH, OF AVONDALE. 
          SO I THINK IF WE DO THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME WORDS THAT PEOPLE HAVE SIMPLE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS, RATHER THAN TRYING TO CONVOLUTE IT WITH THAT MANY BIG WORDS. 
          IF IT'S JUST A, A FIRE AND, AND, AND POLICE IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA, WE NEED IT SOUTHERN ARIZONA WHERE, AND SOUTHERN AVONDALE. 
          AND THAT IT, IT'S NEEDED FOR THAT AREA AND THE GROWTH DOWN THERE. 
          JUST MAKE IT SIMPLE. 
          WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE IT ALL THE WAY. 
          SO WE DO NEED IT, WHETHER WE GO OUT NOW, WHATEVER, I'M IN AGREEANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, THE FUNDING OF BEING LESS. 
          NOW, I DO KNOW THAT A COUPLE OF THE SCHOOL BOARDS WILL BE ON THIS BALLOT AS WELL AS WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US ABOUT LEGISLATORS. 
          SO WE JUST NEED TO BE STRATEGIC IN WHATEVER WE DO, BUT ADDRESS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE READING IT RATHER THAN COMING TO US AND SAY WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND PAUL, WHAT'S THE, ASIDE FROM COSTS, WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OR THE DRAWBACK OF ESTABLISHING A NEW COMMITTEE? UH, CERTAINLY IF YOU'RE GOING TO EXPLORE OTHER ITEMS, UH, TO, TO LOOK AT THAT, IT, IT CREATES THAT BUY-IN THAT PUBLIC PROCESS THAT YOU, YOU VETTED IT AND HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE, HAVE LOOKED THIS THROUGH AND, AND MADE THE RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          YOUR ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE LAST TIME WAS A VERY VALUABLE PROCESS TO GO THROUGH, I THINK. 
          UM, THEY REALLY LOOKED THROUGH THE ITEMS, UNDERSTOOD SORT OF THE NEEDS AND THE CHALLENGES, UM, YOU KNOW, AND CAME BACK WITH A VERY GOOD RECOMMENDATION. 
          AND IT FELT LIKE THEY HAD DONE A REALLY GOOD AMOUNT OF VETTING. 
          SO THAT'S ALWAYS THE BENEFIT OF A, OF A CITIZEN'S PROCESS. 
          IF YOU COME BACK WITH THE EXACT SAME THING. 
          THE THING I WOULD WARN IS, LIKE, AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SORO SAID IT IS, THE NEEDS ARE STILL THERE. 
          SO INSTEAD OF SAYING WE'RE DOING THIS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IT'S, WE STILL HAVE NEEDS AND WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS OF A GROWING COMMUNITY. 
          THAT'S HOW I, I WOULD DEFINITELY FRAME IT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, WELL, SORRY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS. 
          PAUL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND I WANNA THANK THE BOND MEMBERS FOR WHAT THEY DID. 
          UM, SO MY ANSWERS ARE YES, GO BACK OUT IN THE FUTURE, NO, TO ANOTHER BOND COMMITTEE. 
          I THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT THAT THE HANDOUTS WERE EXCELLENT, AND I LIVED NEAR THAT AREA AND THERE WERE NO SIGNS EVERYWHERE. 
          SO I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT THIS FAILED UP THERE. 
          AND I THINK WITH SOME EDUCATION IN THAT AREA SPECIFICALLY, WE WOULD BE FINE, UM, AND KEEP IT FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          SO DID YOU GET WHAT YOU NEEDED? YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU, PAUL. 
          APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION. 
          THANK YOU, RENEE. 
          OKAY, 
          [b. Council Budget Discussion]
ONTO ITEM FOUR. 
          B, RON. 
          YEP. 
          MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, THE, THE MOMENT EVERYBODY'S BEEN WAITING FOR, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UH, RENEE WEATHER LIST, YOUR FINANCIAL BUDGET DIRECTOR WILL KICK US OFF AND WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE HELPING. 
          ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          UM, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE FISCAL 2027 BUDGET. 
          SO, UM, WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN PRIOR YEARS, ABOUT GETTING TO YEARS WHERE THE REVENUE HAS FALLEN OFF. 
          WE'VE LOST OUR RESIDENTIAL RENTAL SALES TAX. 
          WE'RE SEEING THAT IN OUR TRENDS. 
          AND SO TONIGHT WE HAVE, UM, COMPILED A DRAFT BUDGET AND WE'LL BE NEEDING SOME DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, UM, ON SOME THINGS. 
          SO WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE, THE FIRST, THE PRIORITIES AND UM, THEN LOOK AT, UM, SOME ASSUMPTIONS. 
          SO IN THOSE ASSUMPTIONS, WE'RE GONNA GET INTO SOME DETAILS ABOUT HOW WE BUILT OUR FORECAST, OUR FIVE YEAR FORECAST, THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, IMPACTS ON THE REVENUE AND OUR EXPENSES, SOME OF THE PRESSURES THAT WE HAVE, UM, AND THEN COVER SOME OF THE DETAILS INSIDE OF THIS DRAFT BUDGET, UM, FOR COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT WHAT OUR COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS ARE DOING. 
          AND HAVE A CIP UPDATE. 
          SO FIRST OFF, UM, STARTING WITH THE FISCAL 27 BUDGET IS, UM, LOOKING AT, THESE ARE OUR CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN OUTCOME AREAS, 
          [00:30:01]
UM, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PROSPERITY AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING, RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION, CONNECTED AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY AND INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT. 
          SO BEYOND JUST THE STRATEGIC PLAN OUTCOME AREAS, IF YOU RECALL IN OUR FISCAL 26, BUDGET COUNCIL ALSO HAD SOME BUDGET PRIORITIES. 
          SO WITHIN OUR 26 BUDGET, WE HAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BEING VERY HIGH PRIORITY, PARKS AND REC, PUBLIC SAFETY, AGAIN, CONNECTED COMMUNI COMMUNITIES. 
          SERVICES WERE A PRIORITY. 
          WE WANTED TO MAINTAIN SERVICES AND THEN FOCUSING ON PERSONNEL TO RETAIN, UM, EXISTING PERSONNEL. 
          SO JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE STILL ALIGN WITH, UM, COUNCIL'S BUDGET PRIORITIES AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. 
          SO LET'S JUST KIND OF DIVE INTO OUR FORECAST. 
          SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR FORECAST ASSUMPTIONS ON THE REVENUE SIDE, SO WE ARE SAYING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY STRUCTURAL CHANGES FACTORED INTO THIS FIVE YEAR FORECAST. 
          SO THAT MEANS IF YOU HAVE LISTENED TO, UM, POTENTIAL BILLS, AND OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THERE'S BEEN, WE LOST OUR RESIDENTIAL RENTAL, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. 
          THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FOOD, SALES TAX, ET CETERA. 
          IN OUR FORECAST, WE HAVE NO ASSUMPTION OF OF LOSING ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUES LIKE THAT. 
          WHAT WE ARE AWARE OF, HOWEVER, IS IF YOU LOOK AT OUR STATE SHARED REVENUE, WE ARE PLANNING TO LOSE SOME RECURRING REVENUE. 
          UM, THE FIRST IS DUE TO THE INCORPORATION OF SAN TAN VALLEY. 
          SO THIS IS ONE MORE CITY TAKING MONEY OUT OF THE SAME POT OF REVENUE, WHICH MEANS ALL THE OTHER CITIES RECEIVE A LITTLE BIT LESS. 
          SO WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF SAN TAN VALLEY INCORPORATING HAVE ON THE CITY OF AVONDALE? WELL, IT MEANS OUR GENERAL FUND IS LOSING 670, UH, $667,000 OF REVENUE IN ONE YEAR. 
          SAME IMPACT ON OUR HERF FUNDING. 
          WE WILL BE LOSING APPROXIMATELY $143,000. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS WHAT THOSE KIND OF NUMBERS WILL SIZE, UM, UM, UP TO, UM, THREE TO $4 MILLION OVER A FIVE-YEAR FORECAST. 
          THE SECOND IS AN ANTICIPATED LOSS OF REVENUE FOR TAX CONFORMITY. 
          SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, UM, FEDERAL TAX INCENTIVES AS PART OF HCR ONE WHERE YOUR FEDERAL TAXABLE INCOME MAY BE REDUCED. 
          SO IN ORDER FOR THE STATE TO APPLY THE SAME DEFINITION OF TAXABLE INCOME, 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW STATE TAXABLE INCOME IS EQUAL TO YOUR FEDERAL TAXABLE INCOME. 
          SO THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO MAKE CHANGES IN ORDER FOR ALL OF THESE NEW TAX INCENTIVES TO APPLY TO THE STATE THAT IS BEING, BEING, UM, DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW, IF WE, IF THE STATE CHOOSES TO GO TO FULL CONFORMITY AND ALIGN WITH THE FEDERAL WAGES, THEN PER THE JLBC, UM, THE CITY OF AVONDALE WOULD LOSE AS MUCH AS 1.2 MILLION. 
          SO DEPENDING ON THE RANGE, J BBC'S ESTIMATES WERE FROM $600,000 TO $1.2 MILLION OF REVENUE LOSS. 
          FOR OUR PURPOSE IN OUR FORECAST, WE CURRENTLY HAVE $880,000. 
          SO IF WE LEARN THERE'S, UM, A FULL CONFORMITY AND WE DO LOSE $1.2 MILLION, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE TABLE AND LOOK AT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR, UM, FIVE YEAR FORECAST OF THE GENERAL FUND ON SINGLE FAMILY HOME PERMITTED. 
          IF YOU LOOK BACKWARDS IN TIME, WE TYPICALLY ARE, ARE CONSERVATIVE IN THAT WE WOULD RUN THIS BETWEEN 200 AND 500 PERMITS PER YEAR. 
          WE HAVE LOOKED AT OUR TRENDS AND SEEN THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY BEATEN THOSE ESTIMATES AND WE UPPED THOSE LITTLE BIT TO 300 TO 600 PER YEAR. 
          NOW, COUNCIL HAS HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION. 
          WE HAD DISCUSSION BACK IN THE NOVEMBER, UM, BUDGET RETREAT ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES AND THE PROPERTY TAX RATE. 
          UM, SO WE HEARD COUNCIL'S WISH, WE'VE BUILT THIS BUDGET, THIS DRAFT BUDGET, WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WILL NOT BE INCREASING THE 2% ALLOWABLE INCREASE IN FY 27 ONLY. 
          NOW, IF YOU RECALL LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION OF SETTING THE TAX RATE, THE ONE YEAR OF 2%, UM, INCREASE AMOUNTED TO ABOUT $83,000. 
          BUT WHEN YOU FACTOR THAT OVER FIVE YEARS, THAT NUMBER GROWS TO ALMOST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. 
          SO FOR RIGHT NOW IN OUR FIVE YEAR FORECAST, WE HAVE NOT INCREASED FOR JUST ONE YEAR. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE CONTRACTING SALES TAX REVENUE. 
          SO CONTRACTING IS A CYCLICAL REVENUE. 
          WE DON'T LIKE TO, ALTHOUGH WE MAY BE HITTING OR BEATING OUR BUDGET NOW, WE DON'T LIKE TO DEPEND ON THOSE MONIES GOING FORWARD. 
          UM, SO WE ARE CONSERVATIVE AND WE DO RETURN OUR FUTURE BUDGETS BACK DOWN, UM, TO MORE CONSERVATIVE LEVELS. 
          NOW, JUST LOOKING AT SALES TAX REVENUE AS 
          [00:35:01]
A WHOLE, SALES TAX REVENUE IS OUR LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE IN THE CITY. 
          OVER 10 YEARS OF HISTORY SHOWS THAT OUR SALES TAX HAS GROWN ON AVERAGE 7%. 
          BUT IF YOU LOOK THERE ON THE SLIDE, WE HAVE FISCAL 27 PROJECTED TO GROW, ONLY 2%, 28 AT 3%, 29 AT 4%. 
          AND THEN THE OUTER YEARS OF THAT FIVE YEAR FORECAST, WE HAVE IT RETURNING BACK TO, UM, A MORE HISTORICAL TREND. 
          SO A COUPLE THINGS. 
          UM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME REVENUE THAT WE KNOW ARE COMING ONLINE, BEING THE DATA CENTER. 
          DATA CENTERS, ONCE THEY'RE UP ONLINE, THEY'RE GONNA BE GENERATING SOME MORE SALES TAX REVENUE FOR US. 
          SO WE DO FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE IN RAISING THOSE OUTER YEARS BACK UP TO OUR HISTORICAL TREND. 
          NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF OUR FORECAST, SO WE HAVE SOME COMPENSATION INCREASES INCLUDED. 
          SO FOR THE GENERAL STAFF, WE HAVE, UM, MACOLA AND MERIT TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 1.1 MILLION AND 700,000. 
          AND THEN COUNCIL HAS ALREADY SEEN AND APPROVED SOME ADJUSTMENTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THAT INCLUDED THE PD AS WELL AS A NEW STEP PROGRAM. 
          AND THE FIRE MOU. 
          SO THOSE SALARY ADJUSTMENTS ALONE RUN ABOUT $2.2 MILLION. 
          INFLATION IS FACTORED IN TO THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST. 
          WE HAVE IT CURRENTLY SET AT 3% PER YEAR. 
          AND THEN WE'VE ALREADY, UM, HAD SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SOUTHERN AVONDALE PUBLIC SAFETY STATION. 
          WE HAVE THE HIRING OF THAT STAFF TO BEGIN IN FISCAL 28 THAT IS FACTORED INTO OUR FIVE-YEAR FORECAST. 
          AND THEN I WILL NOTE THAT THIS YEAR WE ARE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM PRIOR YEAR IN OUR MEDICAL EXPENSES TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $4.3 MILLION. 
          AND THAT IS BEING DRIVEN BY INFLATION. 
          UM, THAT WHICH IS ALMOST 17% FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          AND HIGH DOLLAR CLAIMS INSIDE OF OUR PLAN, UM, THAT WE'RE SELF-FUNDED. 
          AND THIS WILL BE DISCUSSED LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, THE TRANSIT COSTS. 
          SO WE'VE SEEN TRANSIT COSTS INCREASES, UM, EVERY SINGLE YEAR. 
          WE'VE HAD TO SUBSIDIZE SOME OF THOSE TRANSIT COSTS COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT AS WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU IN A MINUTE, THE GENERAL FUND IS REALLY TIGHT. 
          SO NOW WE ARE MOVING THOSE INCREASES INTO DEDICATED SALES TAX. 
          UM, SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN OUR FORECAST. 
          SO THROUGH THE PROCESS, AS DEPARTMENTS PREPARED THEIR BUDGETS, WE COME TOGETHER AND REVIEW THEM. 
          UM, DEPARTMENTS HAVE REALLOCATED $3.7 MILLION. 
          THAT MEANS IN BASELINE BUDGETS THAT HAVE TAKEN $3.7 MILLION OUT OF THINGS IN ORDER TO REALLOCATE IT BACK INTO THE BUDGET FOR NEW PRIORITIES AND NEW REQUESTS. 
          UM, IF YOU RECALL, WE DID THIS BACK IN, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS 25. 
          WE HAD DONE THE SAME THING. 
          AND SO IT'S JUST A REALLOCATION OF EXISTING BUDGET. 
          IN ADDITION, OUR CAPITAL CONTINGENCY, UM, HAS BEEN ABOUT $5 MILLION. 
          NOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SET ASIDE IT, AT FIRST IT WAS DRIVEN DUE TO SIGNIFICANT INFLATION INCREASES, BUT IT HAS HELPED US MANAGE COST WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS ALONG THE WAY. 
          WELL, YOU'LL FIND THAT IN OUR, IN OUR FIFTH YEAR OF THAT FIVE YEAR FORECAST, WE ARE HAVING TO REDUCE THAT DOWN TO $4 MILLION. 
          AND WE'VE ALSO HAD TO TAKE SOME MONEY OUT OF SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS BEING OUR VEHICLE REPLACEMENT AS WELL AS ASSET REPLACEMENT. 
          SO THIS IS, IN TOTAL OVER FIVE YEARS, WE'VE TAKEN A TOTAL OF 3 MILLION OUT OF VEHICLE REPLACEMENT AND 2 MILLION OUT OF ASSET REPLACEMENT. 
          NOW WE JUST FINISHED A PRESENTATION ABOUT GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. 
          I DO WANT TO PUT THIS ON THE RADAR OF COUNCIL THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ISSUE BONDS THIS YEAR. 
          UM, THE FIRST THAT WE'RE PLANNING IS TO, UM, COME BEFORE COUNCIL ON JUNE 1ST BECAUSE WE HAVE THE PARKS GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, WHICH WE HAVE AUTHOR AUTHORIZATION, UM, UP TO $68 MILLION. 
          WE PLAN TO MAKE THE FIRST ISSUANCE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, UM, IN FISCAL 27 AND EVERY, UH, TWO YEARS THEREABOUT. 
          UM, SO WE WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL TO MAKE THAT FIRST ISSUANCE. 
          SO WE WOULD NEED COUNCIL'S APPROVAL, UM, ON JUNE 1ST, AND THEN THE PLAN WOULD BE TO THEN CLOSE THOSE BOND SALES THE WEEK OF JULY 6TH. 
          SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE OUR BOND PROCEEDS AND BEGIN SPENDING THOSE DOLLARS ON THOSE BOND PROJECTS. 
          SO WHEN WE COME ON JUNE 1ST, YOU'LL GET MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN, IN THAT, UM, ISSUANCE. 
          SO SAME THING FOR ENTERPRISE. 
          WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT LATER TONIGHT, BUT WE NEED TO FINANCE, UH, A COUPLE PROJECTS. 
          THE FIRST IS FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN EXPANSION, AS WELL 
          [00:40:01]
AS, UM, FOR THE PFAS TREATMENT AND BARTLETT DAM. 
          SO WITH THESE, WE NEED TO ISSUE THOSE A LITTLE BIT SOONER. 
          SO WE DO PLAN TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL ON MAY 4TH TO GET APPROVAL FOR THE FIRST ISSUANCE, UM, IN THE WATER AND WASTEWATER AREAS AND PLAN TO CLOSE THOSE BONDS ON JUNE 8TH. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, THE A-M-R-C-F-D. 
          UM, THIS YEAR, AAM, RCFD WILL ALSO BE ISSUING APPROXIMATELY $3.4 MILLION OF BONDS. 
          UM, AND WE WILL RETURN TO THE CFD BOARD FOR THAT APPROVAL ON JUNE 1ST AND LOOK TO CLOSE THOSE BOND SALES. 
          UH, ALSO ON THE WEEK OF JULY 6TH. 
          SO NOW IN LOOKING AT OUR FIVE YEAR FORECAST, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS OUR GENERAL FUND ONGOING REVENUE AND ONGOING EXPENSES. 
          SO THE REVENUE IN BLUE, THE EXPENSES IN ORANGE. 
          SO THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME WHERE YOU'VE, WHERE YOU HAVE SEEN OUR EXPENDITURES START OUT PACING OUR REVENUE. 
          SO GOING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, WE LOST OUR RESIDENTIAL RENTAL JANUARY OF 25, AND YOU SEE THAT FLATTEN OUT WHERE OUR FORECASTED REVENUE IS AT 116.5 GOING UP TO ONE 19, YOU'RE SEEING THAT 2% GROWTH VERY MINIMAL, AND THEN 3% IN FISCAL 28, 4% IN 29. 
          AND THEN YOU START SEEING THAT LINE UPTICK A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          'CAUSE WE'RE BACK AT OUR HISTORICAL RATES OF 7%. 
          SO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS WE HAVE A STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BUDGET OF ONGOING REVENUE AND EXPENSES IN FISCAL 27, AND THEN NOT AGAIN UNTIL FISCAL 31. 
          SO A COUPLE THINGS TO NOTE HERE. 
          WE, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, SOUTHERN AVONDALE STAFF BEING HIRED IN FISCAL 28. 
          THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE SOME, SOME EXPENDITURES, UM, AND SORRY, AND THOSE, UM, EXPENDITURES FOR COMPENSATION. 
          AND YOU'LL ALSO SEE, UM, THE IMPACTS OF FUTURE HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE ESCALATING IN FUTURE YEARS AS WELL. 
          NOW, ON THE ONE TIME REVENUE AND EXPENSE SIDE, UM, YOU SEE THIS, UM, EXPENDITURE OUT SEATING REVENUES BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING DOWN ON RESERVES FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
          SO THIS IS ASSUMING THAT WE WILL COMPLETE ALL OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS IN 26. 
          BUT WHEN YOU PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, WHERE DOES OUR FUND BALANCE, UM, ABOVE STABILIZATION IN CAPITAL RESERVE? THAT MEANS WE SET ASIDE THAT 35%, UM, IN OUR FINANCIAL POLICY FOR STABILIZATION, AS WELL AS THAT 5 MILLION AND, AND 4 MILLION OUT IN 31 FOR THAT CAPITAL CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT. 
          WE SET THAT MONEY ASIDE. 
          WHAT DO WE HAVE LEFT? WELL, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BALANCE HERE OF FUND BALANCE IS PAYING FOR THOSE YEARS WHERE OUR EXPENDITURES ARE OUTPACING REVENUE. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 2031, WE HAVE A BALANCE OF LESS THAN $1 MILLION. 
          SO AS WE TALK THROUGH THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO GET MADE FOR THIS FISCAL 27 BUDGET, ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT THAT $1 MILLION IN, IN 2031 IS REALLY ONE TIME DOLLARS. 
          SO THAT MEANS IF THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT TO OUR FISCAL 27 BUDGET FOR AN ONGOING EXPENSE THAT WOULD OCCUR IN EVERY SINGLE YEAR, THEN $1 TODAY IS $5 OFF THAT TOTAL. 
          SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IF WE MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS, UM, TO THIS DRAFT BUDGET. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER, UM, PROJECTED FUND BALANCES. 
          SO THE FIRST IS PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX. 
          SO IN PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX, UM, THIS, THE MAJORITY OF THIS MONEY GOES TOWARDS POLICE AND AND FIRE SALARIES. 
          AND BECAUSE WE HAVE ONGOING EXPENSES BUILT INTO THAT FUND, WE HAVE SET, UM, A MINIMUM RESERVE REQUIREMENT ON THIS FUND. 
          SO OUR PROJECTED BALANCE IN FISCAL 2031 IS 2.8, WHICH MEETS THAT MINIMUM BALANCE REQUIREMENT AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS ON DEDICATED SALES TAX. 
          OUR PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF 2031 IS $12.8 MILLION, WHEREAS OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT IS ONLY 800,000. 
          OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE FEWER ONGOING EXPENSES BEING CHARGED TO THAT FUNDING SOURCE. 
          SO THAT REQUIREMENT IS LOW. 
          HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE, THAT CASH THAT WE HAVE BUILT UP IN THERE, THAT 12.8 MILLION AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS, WE WANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE SOME OTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BONDING IN, IN ENTERPRISE FOR WASTEWATER, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE, UM, THE DEBT SERVICE IS GOING TO BE FUNDED OUT OF DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES BASED ON GROWTH AS WELL AS THE, THE, THE WATER RATES. 
          SO IF OUR GROWTH PROJECTIONS ARE NOT, ARE NOT MEETING WHAT WE HAVE WHEN WE BOND, THEN WE NEED TO HAVE SOME, A BACKUP PLAN TO BE ABLE TO PAY THAT DEBT SERVICE. 
          THIS IS A FUNDING SOURCE THAT WE COULD GO TO. 
          THE OTHER THING IS WE HAVE, UM, A LARGE PROJECT 
          [00:45:01]
FOR THE LOWER BUCKEYE WIDENING WHERE IT, THERE'S GRANT FUNDED, BUT AGAIN, A GRANT IS A STATIC DOLLAR AMOUNT, AND IF PRICES CHANGE OR, OR THINGS GO UP, WE ALSO NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE TO CASH. 
          UM, THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO, UM, TO LOOK AT THAT 12 MILLION. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE THE HERF FUND HIGHWAY USER REVENUE, WHERE OUR PROJECTED, UM, BALANCE IS 700,000. 
          AND CURRENTLY WE DO NOT HAVE A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT, UM, ON THIS FUNDING SOURCE. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DRAFT BUDGET, UM, AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 7.5 FTES, ADDITIONAL FTES BUILT IN. 
          BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MIDDLE OF THIS PAGE, UNDER PARKS LIFEGUARD, TEMPORARY TO PART-TIME, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TAKING TEMPORARY POSITIONS, WHICH ARE ALREADY BUILT INTO THE BUDGET ALREADY BEING EXPENSE, AND WE'RE JUST TURNING 'EM INTO FTE. 
          SO IT'S A COST NEUTRAL CHANGE, BUT WE ARE ADDING FTES FOR THAT. 
          AND THEN FOUR MORE FTES ARE IN PUBLIC WORKS, AND THOSE ARE BUILT INTO THE RATE MODELS FOR THE GROWTH AND, AND BUILT INTO, UM, THE RATES. 
          SO REALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 0.5 PARK SPECIALIST BEING BUILT INTO THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL 27. 
          NOW, WHAT IS INCLUDED RIGHT NOW IN THIS DRAFT BUDGET AS FAR AS THE SUPPLEMENTALS, UM, AND THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED. 
          SO IN LOOKING AT GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE SOME, UH, SMALL AMOUNT OF EXPENSES IN CITY ADMIN FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AND THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. 
          WE HAVE SOME LEGAL SERVICES, RESEARCH AND CITY PROSECUTORS. 
          NOW, THESE AREN'T NECESSARILY NEW EXPENDITURES, BUT THEY MAY BE ONE-TIME EXPENDITURES THAT HAVE TO BE REQUESTED EVERY SINGLE YEAR. 
          UH, IN THE CITY AUDITOR, WE HAVE A CONSULTANT ASSISTED AUDITS. 
          SO ONE THING TO NOTE HERE, WHICH WE WILL ALSO DISCUSS LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, IS THE REQUEST CAME IN AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          WE HAVE APPROVED 60 IN THE DRAFT BUDGET. 
          UM, AT THIS POINT WE HAVE SOME, UM, MAINTENANCE DOLLARS FOR INCREASING F FREQUENCY AS WELL AS SOME OVERTIME IN FACILITIES AND SOME SOFTWARE AND CONTRACTED SERVICES AND FINANCE. 
          THE BIG DOLLARS HERE IS IN HUMAN RESOURCES. 
          SO IN THERE WE HAVE $1.5 MILLION INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET TO REPLACE OUR HRAS PAYROLL SYSTEM. 
          SO $1 MILLION OF ONE-TIME IMPLEMENTATION AND HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OF ONGOING EXPENSES. 
          NOW THAT PROCESS IS CURRENTLY BEING VETTED BY, UM, THE COMMITTEE, AND ONCE WE GET TO THE POINT OF HAVING A MORE REFINED PRICE, THEN WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADJUST THAT. 
          WE JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE ON THE FINAL PRICING. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. 
          SO THIS IS WHERE ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE RESIDE, AND THIS IS THE STANDARD INFLATIONARY EXPENSES, UM, THAT WILL BE INCREASING NEXT YEAR. 
          MOVING ON TO PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          UM, IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THE NEW TRAINING CENTER, WHICH HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED AND WE'LL GO ONLINE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND THERE ARE COSTS, OPERATIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          UM, WE DO PLAN ON CHARGING OTHER AGENCIES TO UTILIZE THAT AND, AND THAT WILL COME LATER ON IN THE PROCESS. 
          UM, WE HAVE OVERTIME, SO WE'RE TRYING TO RIGHTSIZE THE DEPARTMENT'S OVERTIME. 
          IF YOU LOOK AT PRIOR YEARS, WE'VE HAD TO BRING BUDGET TRANSFERS TO COUNCIL IN THE SPRING BECAUSE, UM, WE'VE BEEN, UH, UNDER BUDGET IN THE OVERTIME. 
          SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN FUTURE YEARS. 
          AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR, OUR, UM, VACANCIES, OUR, OUR, UH, VACANCY SAVINGS FOR PAYROLL AS A CITY WE HAVE COME DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. 
          A LOT OF IT WAS WE USED TO HAVE A LOT MORE VACANT POSITIONS IN THE PAST. 
          WE HAD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF VACANCY SAVINGS THAT HAS DECREASED AS POSITIONS HAVE BEEN FILLED. 
          AND SO SOME THINGS THAT WE USED TO PAY FOR AND AFFORD OUT OF VACANCY SAVINGS, WE DON'T HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THIS BEING THE VACATION SELL BACK. 
          THAT'S PER THE, UM, NEW FIRE MOU THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED. 
          SO THAT IS NOW BEING BUDGETED AS A LINE ITEM. 
          ON THE POLICE SIDE, WE HAVE SOME EXPENSES. 
          THE FIRST BEING FOR THE SOUTHWEST FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER LEASE. 
          THIS IS CURRENTLY BEING NEGOTIATED AND WE'LL SEE AN INCREASE, UM, IN THOSE COSTS AS WELL AS THE CAD OR COMPUTER AID DISPATCH MOBILE APP, WHICH WILL EXPAND OUR CURRENT SYSTEM. 
          SO IT ALLOWS OFFICERS TO ACCESS THE INFORMATION FROM THEIR CELL PHONES. 
          WE HAVE SOME REDACTION SOFTWARE AS WELL AS, UM, NEW OFFICER EQUIPMENT. 
          AND WE ALSO HAVE THE DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM INCLUDED. 
          BUT I WILL NOTE THAT THIS IS CURRENTLY BEING FUNDED BY HOLDING A VACANCY OPEN TO AFFORD THAT PROGRAM IN 50, UM, IN 2027. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, THE LICENSE PLATE READER CAMERAS. 
          UM, SO THIS WOULD ADD 58 CAMERAS TO OUR EXISTING 15 CAMERA INVENTORY. 
          AND THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SOLVING, UH, MULTIPLE CRIMES 
          [00:50:01]
IN OUR CITY, AND THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING FUNDED OUT OF OUR RICO FUNDS, UM, FOR TWO YEARS NOW ONTO COMMUNITY SERVICE. 
          THE FIRST IS IN NEIGHBORHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES, UM, CONTRIBUTIONS ASSISTANCE, THAT'S A ONE TIME, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST, BUT IT IS STILL FUNDED AT THE $200,000 LEVEL THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN PRIOR YEARS. 
          SAME THING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY HOME BUYER PROGRAM THAT IS CURRENTLY BUDGETED, UM, AT THE LEVEL IT WAS PRIOR, IN PRIOR YEARS. 
          NOW BRIDGE HOUSING IS NEW AND WE WILL SEE SOME OPERATIONAL COSTS COMING ONLINE FOR BRIDGE HOUSING THAT IS INCLUDED, AS WELL AS SOME EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FUNDING, WHICH ACTUALLY FUNDS SOME ABBVIE TEMPS AND SOME STEAM ENRICHMENT IN PARKS. 
          WE HAVE SOME LIBRARY MATERIALS AND, UM, HAVE FUNDED, UH, THE CONCERT ARD AND EVENT SERIES, AS WELL AS, UM, THINGS LIKE THE FUNDING FOR THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 
          UM, AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE EVENT SERIES HERE IN A LITTLE BIT. 
          WE HAVE, UM, SOME MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT EVENT SOFTWARE, AS WELL AS SOME IRRIGATION REPAIR COSTS. 
          AND THEN IN PUBLIC WORKS WE HAVE SOME WE WE RIDE AND BUS SHELTER CLEANING. 
          MOVING ON TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, WE HAVE SOME EXISTING OUR EXISTING PERMITTING SOFTWARE. 
          WE HAVE MONIES IN THE, THE CURRENT DRAFT BUDGET FOR SUPPORT FOR THAT SOFTWARE AS WELL AS OUR TEXT MESSAGING SERVICE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE HAVE, UM, OF THAT 1.4. 
          1.3 IS TO FUND OUR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND. 
          SO IN THERE IT INCLUDES SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT AND, UM, LAND IMPROVEMENT COSTS FOR WESTERN AVENUE PROPERTIES, AS WELL AS SOME DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE. 
          WE ALSO FUNDED SOME MEMBERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS, WHICH WILL BE COVERED LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION. 
          IN ENGINEERING, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO FUND SOME, UM, EXTERNAL CONTRACTED CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS AND IN IT, AGAIN, PROVIDING THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR OUR PERMITTING SOFTWARE SYSTEM. 
          AND THEN IN PUBLIC WORKS, YOU'RE SEEING THESE COSTS ARE, UH, INCREASES TO OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR FLEET STREETS SOLID WASTE. 
          AND THEN THAT LAST LINE OF WATER PURCHASE AND OPERATIONS, THAT IS JUST INFLATIONARY COSTS. 
          THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY NEW RIGHTS, UM, FOR WATER. 
          SO IF YOU PULL TOGETHER OUR FISCAL 2027, UM, OPERATING BUDGET, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW? UH, 37% IS ATTRIBUTED TO GENERAL GOVERNMENT, 32% TO PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, UTILITIES, ET CETERA. 
          SO AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO COVER SOME BUDGET REDUCTIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS, UM, FISCAL 27 DRAFT BUDGET. 
          AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO RON. 
          THANK YOU, RENEE. 
          UH, IF IT PLEASES MAYOR AND COUNCIL, DO WE WANNA, THAT WAS A LOT OF STUFF. 
          DO WE WANNA TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND YOU GUYS ASK QUESTIONS? DO YOU WANNA GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE SLIDES OR DO YOU WANNA GO THROUGH THE CUTS AND THEN START TALKING ABOUT SOME STUFF? WHAT'S THAT? TAKE A FIVE MINUTE. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU GUYS WANNA TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AS WELL? YES SIR. 
          FIVE MINUTE BREAK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEP. 
          DID COUNSEL WANNA TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WAS PRESENTED SO FAR OR DO WE WANNA WAIT? I SEE ONE HAND TO YOUR RIGHT. 
          OKAY, WE'LL START OFF WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO TAKING NOTES. 
          LEMME SEE HERE. 
          BACK MAYBE NOPE. 
          ON THE, UM, SOUTHWEST ADVOCACY CENTER LEASE, WHO HELPS PAY FOR THAT? I KNOW SEVERAL CITIES USE IT. 
          DO THEY SHARE, DO THEY DIVVY THE COST? UH, MR. MAYOR COUNCIL EQUALLY. 
          OKAY, SO IT'S DIVIDED BY FOUR. 
          OKAY. 
          AND WE'RE ACTUALLY ADDING A FIFTH CITY. 
          OKAY. 
          THEY WON'T PICK UP A FIFTH, THEY WON'T PICK UP A WHOLE PERCENT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA HELP PAY FOR SOME OF THE BILL AS THEY JOIN. 
          OKAY. 
          WHEN WE MOVE TO THE NEW FACILITY. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT'S WHAT I HAD. 
          OKAY. 
          ANYBODY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, WHITE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OVER WHAT WAS PRESENTED EARLIER HERE? I THINK WE'LL ADDRESS IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          I, I WAS JUST CONCERNED, UM, ABOUT THE, WELL, ACTUALLY, UM, THE IT EXPENSES FOR HR, I WAS WONDERING WHY THAT'S NOT CONSIDERED A PART OF IT SINCE ITS TECHNOLOGY WE'RE PURCHASING. 
          THAT WAS ONE QUESTION. 
          UM, AND IT'S OVER 1.6 MILLION. 
          SO I, I I WANTED TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND, IS THAT ACTUALLY TECH COSTS OR IS THAT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR HR? AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UM, THE AUDIT CUT BACK BECAUSE WE SEEM TO BE USING THOSE SERVICES FULL. 
          [00:55:02]
MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          SO FIRST TO THE, UM, UH, NEW, UH, UH, PAYROLL SYSTEM, UH, IT'S 1.5, ABOUT A MILLION OF THAT IS FOR IMPLEMENTATION. 
          THIS IS A, UH, UH, UH, SYSTEM WIDE UPGRADE, UH, REPLACING A DP PLUS A COUPLE OTHER SYSTEMS. UM, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT, AND TO, I BELIEVE COUNCIL THAT WE PAY EMPLOYEES PER, UH, CORRECT 100% OF THE TIME. 
          AS COUNCIL KNOWS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE HAD TO SETTLE A FEW THINGS AND, AND, AND, UH, PAY SOME OUTSTANDING PAYCHECKS. 
          AND WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, A BETTER SYSTEM, BETTER SUITED TO PUBLIC SECTOR PAY MIGHT, UH, DO US ASSIST US A LOT BETTER IN MAKING SURE EMPLOYEES GET PAID CORRECTLY. 
          SO AGAIN, ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, IT'S IMPLEMENTATION ONETIME COST. 
          UM, AND THAT'S A TECHNICAL SUPPORT, THAT'S IMPLEMENTATION COST, THAT'S TRAINING COSTS, THAT'S THE WHOLE, UH, GAMUT OF WHEN YOU ROLL OUT A BRAND NEW ENTERPRISE SYSTEM. 
          AND THEN THE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IS ONGOING IS, WHICH IS A GOING RATE FOR A ENTERPRISE, UH, SYSTEM. 
          UM, WE BUDGET, UH, MOST OF THE IT EQUIPMENT STUFF IN IT, BUT WE HOLD THE DEPARTMENTS ACCOUNTABLE. 
          HR AND FINANCE ARE LEADING THE PROJECT WITH SIGNIFICANT INPUT FROM, UH, THE IT TEAM, UH, AND OTHERS, UH, INVOLVED IN, IN THE PROCESS. 
          AND THEN, WE'LL, YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          WE'LL GET TO THE AUDIT, UH, IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. 
          YEP. 
          I GOT ONE MORE VICE MAYOR NELSON. 
          JUST FURTHER ON THAT 1.5 MILLION OR WHATEVER THAT REPLACED, UM, IN MY MIND IT REPLACES A DP. 
          SO WE BRING IT IN-HOUSE, IT BECOMES PART OF IN-HOUSE. 
          DO WE PAY PEOPLE TO OVERSEE A DP OR SOMETHING? IS THERE AN EXPENDITURE, A MONTHLY WHATEVER? SO DOES THAT NOW BECOME A SAVINGS? KIND OF WHATEVER. 
          I WISH, UH, MR. MAYOR BY MAYOR, UH, THAT WAS MY QUESTION WAS I WAS HOPING THAT, UM, BUT NO, THIS IS, UH, A NEW COST. 
          IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT WE'LL END THOSE CONTRACTS, BUT THOSE ALL COST MONEY AS WELL. 
          THERE. 
          THERE'S NOTHING FREE. 
          UH, BUT THESE WILL BE THE NEW, NEW ONGOING COSTS. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND I'M NOT SURE IF COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE WAS DONE WITH HER QUESTION, SO WELL, I THOUGHT I HEARD HER SAY THANK YOU, BUT I'M, I'M STILL HERE. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          I WAS DONE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. 
          ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, MOVE ON. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. MARY. 
          NOW GOING ON TO, UH, SOME, UH, ITEMS THAT WERE REDUCED. 
          I HAD A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE TRANSPARENT IN SOME OF THESE THINGS, SO I'LL GO THROUGH THEM. 
          UM, IN OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, REMEMBER EACH DEPARTMENT WAS ASKED TO CUT 3%, AND SO WE WENT TO THE 3%. 
          MOST OF OURS IS, UM, MOST CUTS ARE ADMINISTRATIVE TRAINING, TRAVEL ADMIN, EFFICIENCIES, ROTATING, WHO GOES TO CONFERENCES, COMING BACK AND DOING TRAINING IN-HOUSE. 
          UH, WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE. 
          UM, THE CITY CLERK IS SWITCHING, AND THIS ISN'T ALL THE LIST. 
          LIKE I SAID, THERE'S 3.7. 
          THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, UM, IS, UH, SWITCHING TO ONSITE STORAGE INSTEAD OF PAYING TO STORE RECORDS OFFSITE, THEY'VE ALSO BEEN DOING A, UH, PROJECT TO, UH, UH, DESTROY, UH, ACCORDING TO THE STATE, UH, LAW, UH, APPROPRIATE, UH, RECORDS, UH, FOLLOWING THE, UM, THE SCHEDULE, UH, MARKETING IS RECOMMENDING A FEW CUTS. 
          UM, THE CITY PAGE ISN'T AS, UM, POPULAR AS IT USED TO BE. 
          UM, AND SO THEY'RE, UH, OFFERING, UM, THAT UP THE 15,000 THERE. 
          UH, AVONDALE, UH, UH, YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION TRAVEL, UM, WE SPEND ABOUT 18,000 A YEAR. 
          UM, WE'RE OFFERING TO CUT THAT. 
          WE HAD NONE, UH, NO STUDENTS GO THIS YEAR, UM, OF THEIR OWN. 
          IT WAS OFFERED TO THEM, AND WE ENDED UP HAVING NO STUDENTS GO. 
          SO WE FEEL LIKE, UM, THAT, UH, CAN, CAN HAPPEN. 
          WE'RE GONNA TALK MORE ABOUT PARKS, THAT'S WHY THE DOUBLE ASTERISK THERE. 
          UM, BUT BASICALLY THEY'RE MOVING THEIR ONGOING EXPENSES, UH, ABOUT 200,000 ONTO ONE-TIME EXPENSES. 
          AND WE'RE ALSO OFFERING TO CUT, I BELIEVE, ABOUT A A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, IF I REMEMBER THE SLIDE CORRECTLY. 
          THEN IN ADDITION, BETWEEN SOME REDUCING THE OVERSEEING HERE AT CIVIC CENTER AND SOME OTHER PLACES, UH, THE, UH, VIC, UM, ALSO REDUCING SOME OF OUR LAND LANDSCAPING SERVICES, AND THEN REDUCING OUR MOWING AT CRYSTAL GARDENS, THE RESOURCE CENTER AND CITY HALL TO BIWEEKLY. 
          UM, WE BELIEVE WE CAN SAVE, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WELL OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          WE ARE ALSO HOLDING TWO VACANT POSITIONS FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS. 
          UM, ONE IS A SECURITY OFFICER VACANT POSITION, AND THE OTHER IS A SENIOR PLANNER. 
          I'M ASKING THAT WE NOT ELIMINATE THE FTE IF THINGS CHANGE. 
          OUR, OUR, UM, DEVELOPMENT STARTS TO PICK UP OUR, OUR NEED FOR PLANNERS. 
          UH, OR IF WE HAVE TO END UP ADDING ADDITIONAL SECURITY TO ONE OF OUR LOCATIONS, WE'D LIKE THE FLEXIBILITY TO NOT HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR FTE. 
          YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE HAVE TO FIND THE REVENUE, UM, BUT WE'D LIKE TO KEEP THAT IN THERE. 
          AND THEN, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HAS FOUND THAT IT'S BEST TO BRING IN THEIR INSPECTIONS AND PLAN REVIEW IN-HOUSE. 
          WE HAD INCREASED THEIR CONTRACT. 
          UM, THERE SHE IS. 
          I'M TRYING TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH MY DIRECTORS TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT SAYING SOMETHING WRONG. 
          UM, WE BROUGHT 'EM IN-HOUSE. 
          WE FOUND THAT IT'S, UH, MORE EFFECTIVE FOR THOSE TO BE DONE IN-HOUSE VERSUS OUTSOURCING THOSE. 
          [01:00:01]
UH, MOVING ON, UM, UH, KUDOS TO THE FINANCE TEAM. 
          UM, UH, UNDER, WITH PERMISSION FROM COUNSEL, WE ARE NOW, OR WILL SOON BE, UH, PASSING ALONG THE CREDIT CARD FEES, UH, FOR USERS TO THE ACTUAL PEOPLE, UH, USING THEM. 
          THAT'S EXPECTED TO SAVE US ABOUT $200,000 A YEAR THERE. 
          THE FIRE AND MEDICAL, UM, TALKED ABOUT RETURNING THEIR MEDIC TRAINING, THEIR PARAMEDIC TRAINING BACK TO NORMAL LEVELS. 
          SO, UM, EXCEPT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE NORMALLY SEND TWO FIREFIGHTERS TO A PARAMEDIC TRAINING ON DUTY. 
          SO THAT MEANS NOT ONLY DO THEY PAY FOR THE CLASS, BUT THEN WE PAY FOR THE OVERTIME TO BACKFILL THOSE POSITIONS. 
          AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE COST IS. 
          SO FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, WE WERE ABLE TO SEND FOUR. 
          UM, WE'RE JUST NOT IN THAT SITUATION TO HAVE THAT EXTRA MONEY. 
          NOW, UH, SPEAKING WITH, UH, THE CHIEF, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY STAFFED, UH, TO A GOOD LEVEL WITH PARAMEDICS. 
          THE TWO WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE AT THE NEEDED LEVEL TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IN ADDITION, IF THERE'S A YOUNG CHARGER, OR DOESN'T HAVE TO BE YOUNG, I GUESS, IF THERE'S A HARD CHARGER, UM, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR FIREFIGHTERS TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN AND THEN GET TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, UH, THROUGH THE PARAMEDIC PROGRAM. 
          THEY JUST DON'T HAVE, UH, THEY DO IT ON THEIR OWN TIME VERSUS, UH, ON THE CLOCK. 
          AND WE ARE STILL FUNDING THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR OUR, OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES. 
          THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. 
          THEY SUBMITTED ABOUT $380,000, UH, WORTH OF SAVINGS, UH, UH, THROUGH THEIR, UH, LINE ITEMS. I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SLIDES TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM. 
          A LOT OF IT'S 10, 20, $30,000 AT A TIME. 
          BUT ONE OF THE ONES THAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY NEAT WAS, UH, THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, REALLY GOING BACK TO OLD SCHOOL. 
          AND THAT'S MOVING THE COUNCIL LIVE SCREEN FROM SWAG IT, UH, TO YOUTUBE, MICROSOFT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          COUPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, BUT WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT TO A MORE TRADITIONAL, UH, UH, FORMAT, UH, THAT WAY. 
          THE OTHER THING, THEY ALSO HAVE UNDERGONE A, UH, SIGNIFICANT REVIEW OF LICENSES TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, UH, UH, PAYING FOR MICROSOFT LICENSES, UM, ELA LICENSES OR ANY OF THE LICENSE THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY USE, AND WE'RE REMOVING THOSE. 
          THAT SAVES US MONEY. 
          IN ADDITION, THEY'RE FINISHING UP A STUDY ON PRINTERS AND DECIDING, UH, CAN WE DO AWAY WITH SOME OF OUR LEASED, UH, PRINTERS? AND A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY AT CITY HALL, HAVE, UH, REDUCED, UM, SEVERAL PRINTERS, UH, TO SAVE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, PER, UH, PRINTER. 
          SO I'VE BEEN VERY, UH, VERY HAPPY WITH IT, STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE THERE. 
          AGAIN, UH, POLICE, UH, SAVED A LOT OF MONEY. 
          UH, OFFERED UP SOME, UH, RESOURCES. 
          SOME OF IT WAS, UH, MADE SENSE. 
          UH, SINCE WE OPENED THE JAIL SERVICE, WE WERE SENDING LESS PEOPLE OVER TO THE COUNTY OVER TIME. 
          THE 152, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, THAT IS NOT CUTTING THE OVERTIME FOR WORK, FOR, UH, SERVICE CALLS OVER FOR REPORT WRITING OR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          THIS IS JUST MOVING THE, UH, TRAINING SCHEDULE AROUND AND ADJUSTING IT. 
          SO MOST OF THE TRAINING WAS HAPPENING ON THE CLOCK VERSUS, UH, ON THE WEEKENDS OR ON THEIR OFF DAYS WHERE WE HAVE TO PAY OVERTIME. 
          IN ADDITION, THERE'S A PLAN TO DO MORE IN-HOUSE TRAINING VERSUS SENDING PEOPLE OUT. 
          AND SO VERY, UH, COMMON FOR THE PD TO HAVE REGULAR TRAININGS, UH, WHETHER IT'S LEADERSHIP TRAINING OR REGULAR, UM, USE OF FORCE TRAINING OR WHATEVER IT IS TO BRING MORE OF THAT IN-HOUSE VERSUS SENDING PEOPLE OUT PUBLIC WORKS. 
          UM, ALSO OFFERED UP A SIGNIFICANT, UH, AMOUNT OF MONEY, INCLUDING, UM, UH, BETTER MANAGING SUPPLIES AND, UH, UH, WHAT I CALL JUST IN TIME, UH, SUPPLIES SO THEY DON'T KEEP AS MUCH ON HAND AND THEY ORDER IT AS THEY NEED IT. 
          ALSO IMPROVING THE, UM, SECURITY WITH OUR, UH, SECURITY GATE GOT FIXED WITH LOTS OF SIGNS. 
          WE'RE HOPING IT DOESN'T GET, UH, RAN INTO AGAIN. 
          AND SO WE ARE ELIMINATING IN JULY OUR, UH, 24 HOUR, UM, SECURITY SERVICES. 
          ALRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS. 
          AND THIS MAY BE A TIME FOR, UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT PARKS FIRST. 
          UM, FOR PARKS TO, UM, CORRECT ME IF I GET SOMETHING, NOT EXACTLY RIGHT. 
          THIS IS OUR PROPOSED LIST OF EVENTS FOR, UH, 2027. 
          OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS ARE STILL THERE. 
          OUR BIG ONES, TRACE RIOS, UH, KIDS FEST, AVONDALE FIESTA, YOU NAME IT. 
          LIGHT UP THE SKY. 
          UH, 4TH OF JULY. 
          WE'RE ALL PROUD OF, ESPECIALLY GIVEN IT'S AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY. 
          UM, AND, AND ON THE LIST, WE'RE ALSO STILL GONNA DO TWO RUNS. 
          OUR VET RUN, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COLLEGE WILL CONTINUE. 
          AVONDALE DASH 1 5 10 K. 
          WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT TURNOUT THIS LAST CHRISTMAS, SO WE WANNA KEEP THAT ONE GOING. 
          AND THEN THE COMMUNITY EVENTS. 
          I KNOW THAT THESE ARE CLOSE, UH, IMPORTANT TO SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          THE MOVIES AND THE PARKS WILL CONTINUE. 
          UH, WE'LL HAVE TWO OF THOSE, UH, WAVE FEST, UH, OVER AT OUR POOL. 
          WE'LL HAVE, UH, AT LEAST, UH, ONE DAY OF EGG HUNTS. 
          AND THE LIST JUST GOES ON AND ON, UH, INCLUDING A COUPLE OF MERCADO AND MELODIES EVENTS, UM, AND OUR MORE POPULAR EVENTS. 
          SO WHAT I WANNA POINT OUT THOUGH, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE RECOMMENDING, UM, SOME REDUCTIONS. 
          SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING REDUCING THE TRACE RIOS NATURE FESTIVAL DOWN TO ONE DAY. 
          THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST DAY. 
          UM, THIS IS, UH, WILL HELP WE THINK, UH, WITH OUR VENDORS WHO OFTEN HAVE LOW SALES ON THE SECOND DAY. 
          IT'LL ALSO, OF COURSE, REDUCE THE, UH, AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME IT DOES FOR THAT SECOND DAY. 
          WE BELIEVE WE PUT ON A VERY GOOD EVENT, UH, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'RE DOING IT BACK IN OUR OWN BACKYARD. 
          UH, BILLY MOORE, UH, DAY'S FESTIVAL 
          [01:05:01]
IS A ONE DAY REDUCTION WHERE WE WOULD KEEP THE DAY WITH THE, UM, UH, PARADE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND ELIMINATE THE, THE SECOND DAY. 
          THE FESTIVAL, THE, THE RIDES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE STILL CONTINUE AS IS CORRECT. 
          THE CARNIVAL REMAINS. 
          YEAH, THE CARNIVAL REMAINS THE SAME. 
          JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT. 
          ELIMINATING TWO OF THE LESS, UH, SUCCESSFUL RUNS. 
          HOPEFULLY BRING THEM BACK IN THE FUTURE. 
          THE HOOT AND HUSTLE, THE DUCK AND DASH. 
          AND THEN, UM, COMMUNITY IMPACT EVENTS. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, REDUCING OUR EGG, UH, HUNT DOWN TO ONE DAY, ALLOWING THE, UM, HOAS TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY DO, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          UH, STEAM FEST IS A, UH, EXPENSIVE. 
          UM, I DID HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER ATTEND, UH, THIS YEAR, BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD A LOWER ATTENDANCE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AS WE'VE BEEN KEEPING TRACK. 
          AND REMEMBER, UNLESS IT'S PARKS AND REC STAFF, ALL THE OTHER STAFF THAT SUPPORT THESE THINGS, PUBLIC WORKS. 
          I KNOW JOEL'S TEAM AND FACILITIES PUT ON A BIG SHOW AT STEAM FEST. 
          UM, COST A TIME AND A HALF 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT DONE DURING THEIR WORK WEEK. 
          VERY EXPENSIVE. 
          AND THEN, UH, INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY, UH, IS ON THE LIST. 
          AND THEN WE REALLY WANNA DO TWO MERCADO AND MELODIES EVENTS, UM, DO FEWER VERY WELL IS OUR, IS OUR GOAL. 
          SO I DO WANNA PAUSE, MAYOR, IF I CAN, TO MAKE SURE WITH PARKS AND REC. 
          WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE OTHER SLIDES TO GO THROUGH, BUT IS, IS THIS GONNA CAUSE GREAT HEARTBURN FOR ANYBODY FOR THE PARKS AND REC, UH, SUGGESTION REDUCTIONS? I, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY COMMENTS? YEP. 
          AND THEN, SO NOW, NOW WE DO NEED DIRECTION ON COUNCIL. 
          UM, THESE ARE A COUPLE OF REQUESTS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN FY 27 BUDGET. 
          SO THIS REALLY, UH, NEEDS, IF I'M DIRECTED TO PUT THIS BACK IN, WE'LL NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT MONEY'S COMING FROM. 
          UH, BUT THIS IS CURRENTLY NOT IN THE BUDGET. 
          THE FIRST, AS RENEE EXPLAINED, IS THE AUDITORS. 
          WE, UH, HER ASK WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND, AND WE CUT OUT 40,000 TO MAKE OUR, UH, BALANCED, UH, BUDGET. 
          AND THAT, UM, I THINK, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, BARB WAS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF AUDITS DONE BY AN EXTERNAL AUDITOR, WAS ABOUT THE, THE NUMBER THAT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO LESS OF. 
          SHE STILL WILL BE ABLE TO DO SEVERAL AUDITS HERSELF, AND SHE STILL WILL BE ABLE TO HIRE AN OUTSIDE AUDITOR, UM, WITH THE, UH, 60,000, UH, THAT WAS, UH, ALLOTTED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          UM, AND, AND, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILY SERVICES HAD TWO PROGRAMS FOR 70,000 REALLY. 
          UH, ONE OF THEM REPLACES THE, UM, FACADE, UH, PROGRAM THAT WE USED TO HAVE IN OLD TOWN, WHERE WE WOULD GO IN AND FIX THE FRONT OF STORES ON WESTERN. 
          UM, THAT, THAT PROGRAM HAS GONE AWAY. 
          AND THEN ONE IS TO REALLY HELP, UH, RESTAURANTS WITH BRICK AND MORTAR TO GET UP AND STARTED OR HELP THEM IN AN EMERGENCY. 
          NOW THAT DID NOT MAKE THE BUDGET, UM, BUT WE ARE PUTTING IN FOR GRANTS FOR THIS. 
          SO I DO BELIEVE, UH, WE DID NOT GET ON REVA'S LIST, UM, BUT WE DID ARE PUTTING IN FOR THE SENATORS, UH, DIRECT SPENDING, CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING, UH, THROUGH THE SENATOR. 
          SO WE'RE STILL WORKING TO GET THAT MONEY. 
          SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BRING IT BACK THROUGH A GRANT PROGRAM. 
          AND THEN WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR ART CONTEST SCHOLARSHIPS, THIS USED TO BE FUNDED OUT OF THE ART FUND. 
          THE ART FUND IS PAID FOR, UH, BY, UM, DEVELOPERS. 
          SO DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR PROJECT, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO EITHER PUT ART IN OR PAY A, A, A, UM, AN AMOUNT INTO THIS THING. 
          UH, IT, IT WAS, UH, RECOMMENDED THAT THAT'S NOT THE BEST USE OF THOSE FUNDS, UM, FOR THAT CAUSE, FOR THAT REASON. 
          AND SO, UH, WE STARTED USING THE GENERAL FUND MONEY, AND WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE BEST, UM, WAY TO SPEND, UH, GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. 
          SO, I, I'LL TAKE ANOTHER BREATH BEFORE I MOVE ON TO A SLIDE AND, AND TAKE COUNCIL DIRECTIONS ON THESE, UH, FOUR ITEMS. AND BEFORE, UH, ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK. 
          UH, WHERE AND WHEN WOULD WE, UH, BE NOTIFIED OF WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD COME FROM, IF ANY OF THIS WAS ADDED IN? HOW, HOW DO, WHAT DO WE KNOW THAT THE MONEY WOULD BE COMING FROM TO REPLACE IT? WELL, WE'D HAVE TO, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. 
          UH, THERE'S A, A COUPLE IDEAS. 
          I KNOW SOME OF 'EM ARE NOT ON THE TABLE. 
          WE STILL HAVE THE $80,000 IN THE PROPERTY TAX, 2% LEVY THAT COULD BE ADDED. 
          AND I THINK THERE ARE OTHER PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE MAY WANT TO CUT, UM, THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T GOT TO TALK TO TALK ABOUT YET TONIGHT. 
          SO MY GUESS IS, UM, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO EAT INTO THAT 0.9, BUT THAT IS CUTTING IT VERY CLOSE. 
          UM, OR WE FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO, UH, REDUCE, UH, TO ADD THINGS BACK IN. 
          I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS IN THE FUTURE SLIDES THAT MAY, YOU KNOW, BE DEBATABLE WITH COUNCIL. 
          SO, UM, WE'LL KEEP TRACK AND, UM, SEE WHAT IT DOES TO OUR BUDGET. 
          AND REMEMBER, THIS IS A DRAFT BUDGET, SO REALLY ARE SEEKING INPUT FROM COUNCIL. 
          AND, UH, WE'LL BRING BACK A RECOMMENDED BUDGET IN, IN APRIL. 
          SO, BUT, UH, WE, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE US TO, UH, IF WE PUT IN, WE TAKE OUT, IF WE TAKE OUT, WE HAVE A CAPACITY TO PUT BACK IN. 
          GOT IT. 
          OKAY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS. 
          THANK YOU, RON. 
          UM, WHAT IS THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE GRANT PROGRAM? I'M GONNA, WHERE'S JEN? TO MY RIGHT? JEN, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT? 
          [01:10:03]
YOU HAVE TO KEEP HOLDING. 
          CONTINUALLY. 
          HOLD IT. 
          SORRY. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          COUNCIL WEISS. 
          UM, THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE EITHER EXISTING RESTAURANTS OR NEW RESTAURANTS WHO OFTEN HAVE A BARRIER TO ENTER, UM, THIS BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR LOTS OF COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION AND COST OF DOING BUSINESS. 
          SO TO HELP THEM FIND SUCCESS, WE CREATED THIS PROGRAM TO HELP THEM WITH GRANTS UP TO $10,000 PER RESTAURANT CAPPED AT $50,000. 
          WE'VE LOST A COUPLE BUSINESSES IN THE OLD TOWN RECENTLY, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE COSTS HAVE BEEN REALLY, UM, IMPACTFUL. 
          GOOD. 
          OKAY. 
          ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KODI, MAYBE? MS. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I, I, UM, THINK IT'S A PRIORITY FOR US TO, UM, STAY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND SOUND. 
          I THINK, UM, AS IMPORTANT AS MANAGING THE BUDGET IS FOR ALL OF US, HAVING CONSISTENT ONGOING AUDIT PRACTICES IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL. 
          UM, WE'RE ALSO FACING A PEER AUDIT TO BECOME A CERTIFIED AUDIT SHOP. 
          I THINK IT'S UNTIMELY TO CUT OUR AUDITOR'S BUDGET BY 40,000 IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. 
          UM, CONSIDERING, UM, OUR PEER AUDIT MAY NOT HAPPEN IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH MEANS WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO, UM, BE PREPARED TO, UM, RECEIVE PEER AUDITORS. 
          SO, I, I JUST WOULD HATE TO CUT THAT 40,000. 
          I KNOW THERE ARE THREE OF US WHO SERVE FROM COUNCIL ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. 
          UM, I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HEAR THEIR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL, IF POSSIBLE. 
          COUNCILOR SOLORIO, UH, I'M GONNA AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          I KNOW THAT, UM, BARB, THEY'RE ASKING FOR CERTAIN CUTS AND WHATNOT. 
          BUT QUITE HONESTLY, AS A MEMBER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, IT MAKES ME A LITTLE WORRIED THAT WE'RE GONNA CUT $40,000 OUT FOR AN AUDIT. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN SWING IT AND DO THAT, BUT, UM, TRANSPARENCY IS WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND ANY KIND OF AUDIT IS NEEDED. 
          BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. 
          MI MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UH, KNOW THAT THEIR AUDITS WILL STILL OCCUR. 
          WE'RE NOT CUTTING IT TO THE BONE. 
          I THINK IT CUTS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF AUDITS OUT. 
          OF COURSE, THE AUDITOR IS STILL FULLY EMPLOYED AND ENGAGED. 
          SO, AGAIN, I'LL TAKE DIRECTION FROM, FROM COUNSEL ON THIS. 
          UM, BUT IT'S, WE DID NOT ELIMINATE OUR AUDIT PROGRAM WHATSOEVER. 
          UM, WE STILL HAVE, UH, MONEY TO HIRE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT TO DO A COUPLE AUDITS. 
          AND I THINK BASED UPON THE FACT THAT THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION, IF YOU'RE HEARING THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WANNA PUT ANYTHING IN, AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT STANDS WITH THE AUDIT, THE $40,000, UH, WHEN WE COME BACK AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME, YOU'LL THEN SHARE WHERE THAT WILL BE COMING FROM. 
          OR ARE YOU SAYING ONCE TONIGHT WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT MONEY IS IN WHAT, WHAT THEN COMES OUT THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M YOU, NO MATTER ANY OF THE, 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THIS COULD BE IMPORTANT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO BE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WHETHER IT BE AUDITS, WHETHER IT BE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR PARKS, THAT THIS A GIVE AND TAKE AND THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MINDFUL OF THAT. 
          SO I JUST WANNA BE AWARE OF WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM. 
          MR. MAYOR, THAT'S, UH, REALLY A COUNCIL DISCUSSION. 
          I WOULD PREFER FOR COUNCIL. 
          AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE SLIDES TO GO OVER SOME OTHER PROGRAMS, BUT I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, DIRECTION OF WHAT PROGRAM THEY WOULD WANNA GIVE UP. 
          AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT DIRECTION IF THIS IS PUT IN. 
          BUT I'VE ONLY HEARD FROM, I'M LOOKING FOR, UM, A MAJORITY DIRECTION, UM, FOR THIS, UH, UH, DECISION. 
          UM, NOT THAT WE'RE VOTING. 
          WE'RE NOT VOTING, BUT I NEED TO KNOW, UH, TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IMPORTANT. 
          UM, BUT I NEED TO SEE WHAT THE, THE MAJORITY OF COUNT, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WORD. 
          THE CONSENSUS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, CITY ATTORNEY , SHE'S KEEPING ME OUTTA TROUBLE HERE. 
          I NEED TO, I NEED TO GET A CONSENSUS. 
          UH, 'CAUSE THE GOAL IS TO BRING BACK A, A RECOMMENDED BUDGET. 
          SURE. 
          THAT'S VERY CLOSE, UH, TO WHAT COUNCIL HOPES TO ACHIEVE. 
          OKAY. 
          I'LL, I'LL LET THE OTHERS GO. 
          AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, I AGREE WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE AND LAURIA. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, GIVE THE CITY AUDITOR WHAT SHE REQUESTED AND SEE HOW WE CAN COME UP WITH THAT 40 AND SEE WHERE IT COMES FROM. 
          COUNCIL COUNCILOR GARCIA, I BELIEVE IF IT'S, WE'RE STILL GONNA GET THE AUDITS THAT I'M OKAY WITH THIS IN FRONT OF ME. 
          WITH THE $40 BEING REDUC, I'M SORRY, VICE NIELSEN, I'M JUST IMPRESSED THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PIN THESE LITTLE THINGS IN THE WHOLE BUDGET AND THE, OR END UP BEING 450 MILLION, $500 MILLION, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. 
          AND I JUST NEED TO REMIND MYSELF, AND I GUESS EVERYBODY ELSE HERE, THIS IS A ONE YEAR ITEM THAT THESE THINGS ARE PICKED OUT IN, UH, THIS HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP. 
          IF WE 
          [01:15:01]
SEEM TO DETERMINE THAT THAT'S NECESSARY FOR NEXT YEAR, OR WE'RE NOT MISSING IT, OR THE YOUNG PEOPLE GOING BACK TO WASHINGTON AND THEY'RE NOT MISSING IT, OR THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE, THIS IS JUST, AGAIN, THE DISCUSSION TO SAY ONE YEAR WILL DO WITHOUT IT. 
          AND, UH, NEXT YEAR WE PICK IT UP, WILL WE FIND SOME OTHER HELP THAT COMES UP AND, AND, AND HITS US IN THE FACE THAT SAYS, WE REALLY WANT TO DO THIS. 
          SO WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DONE. 
          I WOULD GO AHEAD AND AGREE WITH THE $40,000 FOR THE AUDIT INCLUDED IN THE THINK BEING UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND IF WE CAN THERE, OR EVEN $80,000 IF, UH, IF WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. 
          SO, MR. VICE MAYOR, ONE MORE. 
          SO YOU'RE, YOU WANNA SPLIT THE 40,000 BACK IN? YEAH, THANK YOU. 
          THAT COMES UP TO A HUNDRED. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF, IF WE CAN GET BY WITH 80,000, I KNOW SHE PUT IN THE A HUNDRED. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, ONE AUDIT'S TWO 20,000. 
          I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT AUDITS ARE AS THEY GO OUT. 
          I MEAN, IN THE, IN THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND, IS THAT TWO AUDITS OR 500? DOES THAT MAKE $50,000 A PIECE? DOES IT MAKE 'EM FOUR FOR A HUNDRED? I DON'T, YEAH. 
          THANK, THANK YOU. 
          UH, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, BASED ON WHAT I JUST RECEIVED, WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE 40,000, UM, A HUNDRED THOUSAND IS WHAT SHE WAS GIVEN THIS YEAR TO COMPLETE HER AUDITS. 
          SO IT WOULD BE, UH, A LEVEL OF FUNDING. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          AND AS FOR ME, I MEAN, YOU'VE HEARD, I THINK DIRECTION FROM THE REST OF THE COUNCIL WAS TO MOVE CONSENSUS. 
          YES. 
          CONSENSUS. 
          SORRY, I ALMOST USED THE WORD DIRECTION. 
          WHERE'S NICOLE AT? I'M WAITING FOR THE RULER TO COME. 
          SMACK SMACK IT. 
          UH, I, MYSELF, UH, I'M, I HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION AND I DO SEE THE VALUE OF THE AUDITS. 
          I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH BARBARA AND, UH, AS THE SPOUSE OF SOMEBODY WHO DOES AUDITS FOR A LIVING, I GET THE IMPORTANCE OF THEM PROTECTS US, PROTECTS THE CITY. 
          BUT I'M OF THE OPINION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, IF WE'RE CUTTING THE BUDGET AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS HERE ARE LOOKING FOR REQUESTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FUNDED, UH, THAT WE DON'T FUND ANY OF THEM. 
          THAT'S MY OPINION. 
          BUT I, YOU'VE HEARD THE OTHERS. 
          AND SO, UM, I GUESS WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONSENSUS. 
          AGAIN, MR. MAYOR COUNSEL'S A REMINDER. 
          WE'LL HAVE, UH, UH, AT LEAST TWO MORE, UH, EASY BITES AT THE APPLE. 
          UH, WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET AND, UM, THE TENTATIVE BUDGET BEFORE YOU APPROVE THE FINAL BUDGET. 
          SO YOU GOT REALLY TWO MORE GOOD CHANCES TO MAKE CHANGES AND TECHNICALLY YOU COULD MAKE CHANGES AT THE LAST BUDGET. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEP. 
          UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE? ALRIGHT, MOVING ON FOR SOME MORE DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL. 
          NICOLE DID SAY, MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD THAT YOU CAN GIVE DIRECTION, COUNSEL CAN GIVE DIRECTION AND I CAN GET CONSENSUS. 
          AND, AND RON, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO HIT EACH ITEM ONE BY ONE SO THAT WE DON'T MUDDY ANY OF THE WATERS. 
          YES, SIR. 
          SO THE FIRST, UH, ITEM UP FOR DISCUSSION THEN IS CITY COUNCIL DISCRETIONARY SPENDING A REDUCTION OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT'S A, UH, GOES FROM 9,000 DOWN TO 8,000, UH, PER YEAR. 
          MOVING FORWARD. 
          REMEMBER ABOUT, UM, TWO YEARS AGO, MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO, WE HAD IT AT 7,000. 
          UH, WE UPPED IT LAST YEAR TO 9,000. 
          UM, AND THEN, UM, BASED ON INPUT FROM THE MAYOR, UH, WE HAVE REDUCED IT. 
          SO WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE THAT TOTAL OF $7,000, UH, IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. 
          UM, YES. 
          AND SO, UM, IF COUNCIL DIRECTS US, WE'LL WE'LL ADD THAT BACK TO THE LIST OF THE THINGS WE'RE ADDING BACK IN. 
          SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND KICK THIS OFF. 
          ORIGINALLY, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT THE 3% WOULD BE MORE IN LINE WITH 1700. 
          SO I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT IT'S, UH, A REDUCTION OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          AND, UM, QUITE HONESTLY, IF YOU GO BACK TO PAGE OR TO SLIDE 30, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT SLIDE 37, 38, I COULDN'T LOOK ANY OF THE DIRECTORS OR DEPARTMENTS IN THE FACE AND SAY, THANK YOU GUYS FOR SHAVING DOWN YOUR BUDGETS. 
          BUT FOR US, NO, THANK YOU. 
          WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE BUDGET THE WAY WE HAVE IT. 
          SO THE WAY I SAW IT WAS WE NEED TO EAT THESE BUDGET CUTS JUST AS WELL. 
          UH, AGAIN, THINKING THAT IT WAS 1700, BUT LEARNING THAT IT'S ONLY A THOUSAND, I CAN'T SEE HOW ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT. 
          UH, THAT WE WOULD ALSO REDUCE OUR BUDGET JUST AS YOU'VE BEEN ASKED TO REDUCE YOURS. 
          BUT I'M ONE MEMBER OF COUNCIL, SO I'LL ALLOW THE OTHERS TO SPEAK ON THEIR OWN BEHALF. 
          MR. MAYOR, CAN I CLARIFY THOUGH, BEFORE WE GO ON? WE DID CUT OTHER FUNDS OUT OF YOUR YEAH, I SAW THAT SOME OF THE I FOOD AND OTHER, YEAH, WE, WE REDUCED THE STATE OF THE CITY BY A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS MM-HMM . 
          AND WE DID SOME OTHER MINOR LITTLE THINGS. 
          UH, WE DID DO THAT, BUT SPECIFICALLY FROM OUR DISCRETIONARY ACCOUNTS, THAT THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 17. 
          YES. 
          BUT IT'S A, BUT IT'S A THOUSAND. 
          SO, UH, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNSEL AND, UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE CONSENSUS IS IN TERMS OF DIRECTION. 
          UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS HAS HER HAND UP. 
          I, I JUST WANNA SHOW RESPECT IF SHE WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING. 
          WELL, WE'LL GO WITH YOU FIRST. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, WELL, I'M IN A VERY DIFFICULT, UH, DIFFERENT SITUATION. 
          FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AS MEMBERS OF COUNCIL FOR APPOINTING ME TO SERVE, UM, IN THE TRANSIT SPACE, WHICH HAS ALLOWED ME TO PARTICIPATE, UM, ON THE BOARD 
          [01:20:01]
OF DIRECTORS FOR VALLEY METRO, AS WELL AS THE MARICOPA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION POLICY COMMITTEE. 
          I SERVE ON THE LEAGUE OF ARIZONA CITIES AND TOWNS IN THEIR TRANSIT SPACE, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES. 
          UM, LET THE PUBLIC RECORDS SHOW THAT I COVERED MY OWN HOTEL EXPENSES AND MY OWN AIR TRAVEL TO ATTEND THE LAST CONFERENCE. 
          SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE CITY COVERING THE REGISTRATION, BUT I HAVE OUTSPENT MY BUDGET SERVING THE CITY OF AVONDALE, AND NOW I'M SPENDING MY PERSONAL MONEY, AND THAT IS WITH THE $9,000. 
          SO I HAVE FRAMED SOME ARTWORK, I GUESS IN MY ROOM. 
          A PIECE OF THE CONSTITUTION IS IN MY OFFICE THAT WAS PAID FOR WITH MY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS. 
          UM, BUT I HAVE GIVEN OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO SUPPORT CITY THINGS. 
          UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T MIND MAKING CHARITABLE DONATIONS TO THE SOUTHWEST FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER AS A BOARD MEMBER. 
          I'VE DONATED CHARITABLE FUNDS TO, UM, AVONDALE FIREFIGHTERS AND TO SEPARATE POLICE CAUSES. 
          UM, BUT I THINK WHEN WE START LOOKING AT CUTTING BACK OUR FUNDING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ONLY GET ABOUT $12,000 AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          SO TO START HAVING TO PAY FOR ALL OF MY EXPENSES IN MARCH, AND I AM IN THIS ROLE THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, I JUST FIND THAT IT'S A LOT TO ASK. 
          UM, KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M TAKING MONEY FROM MY FAMILY AND I'M A RETIRED PERSON. 
          SO EVEN THOUGH I RETIRED YOUNGER THAN THE AVERAGE BEAR, UM, THE REALITY IS I HAD TO COVER MY OWN FLIGHT AND I HAD TO COVER MY HOTEL EXPENSES WITH THINGS THAT COULD BE USED FOR MY FAMILY. 
          AND THAT'S A LOT TO ASK, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE COUNCIL'S ASKING ME TO SERVE WITH HONOR IN THESE SPACES. 
          AND, AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO EXTENDED MORE OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THEN OUR LINES OF BUSINESS, OUR DEPARTMENTS WERE ABLE TO APPLY FOR GRANTS. 
          AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE SET ME OUT TO DO HAS BROUGHT MILLIONS, UPWARDS OF $25 MILLION BACK TO THE CITY IN GRANT FUNDING, TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING. 
          SO IN A SITUATION WHERE I KNOW THAT YOU APPOINTED ME AT THIS TIME TO DO THIS WORK, AND WE HAVE REAL RESULTS IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE COMING BACK TO THE CITY, I WOULD HAVE TO RESPECTFULLY DECLINE TAKING ANY REDUCTION. 
          'CAUSE I'M ALREADY PAYING OUT OF MY POCKET TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF AVONDALE. 
          AND I'M HONORED TO DO IT, BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ROYCE. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU, RON. 
          UM, I THINK, WELL, NOT ALL OF US ARE ON DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, SO MAYBE THERE IS SOME KIND OF A THING WE CAN LOOK AT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVING AND NEEDING TO TRAVEL FOR THE CITY. 
          UM, I HAVE NO PROBLEM LOWERING MY DISCRETIONARY FUND. 
          UM, POLICE AND FIRE MAKING CUTS TO THEIR TRAINING AND TRAVEL. 
          THE CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM IS MAKING CUTS TO TRAINING AND TRAVEL FIRE IS MAKING CUTS TO THEIR TRAINING AND TRAVEL. 
          SO FROM MY STANDPOINT, I WILL BE WELL WITHIN MY BUDGET, BUT I AM ALSO NOT ON OTHER COMMITTEES. 
          SO MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS WHO ARE, WHO ARE SERVING IN, IN OTHER AREAS. 
          BUT I'M FINE WITH MINE BEING CUT. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE FOR SERVING IN THE CAPACITY THAT YOU DO. 
          I DO KNOW THAT IT PULLS YOU AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBERS SOLORIO, UM, SERVE AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN A LOT OF US DO ON THIS COUNCIL. 
          AND I KNOW THAT IT TAKES YOUR TIME, IT TAKES MONEY FOR TRAVEL, FOR HOTEL. 
          UM, I DON'T USE ALL MY DISCRETIONARY MONEY HOWEVER, BUT IF ONE PERSON ON THIS COUNCIL NEEDS THAT AND WE HAVE TO VOTE AS A WHOLE TO REDUCE, OR JUST TO LEAVE IT AT IS, I WANTED JUST TO LEAVE IT AS IS SO THAT SHE CAN CONTINUE SERVING IN THE CAPACITY THAT SHE HAS BECAUSE SHE TRULY HAS MADE AN IMPACT. 
          I KNOW THAT SHE'S GONE, SHE'S ADVOCATED AND SHE'S BROUGHT MONEY BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, I DON'T REALLY USE MY DISCRETIONARY FUND. 
          UM, SO I'M OKAY WITH LOWERING IT. 
          AND I AGREE, LIKE IF EVERYONE'S CUTTING, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CUT HOURS. 
          AND THAT INCLUDES SACRIFICING NOT GOING TO THE CONFERENCE, MAYBE DOING IT OVER YOUTUBE OR WHATEVER VIDEO THEY HAVE TO OFFER. 
          AND THAT'S A CHOICE THAT PEOPLE MAKE, UH, TO JOIN THOSE COMMITTEES AND TO SERVE IN THOSE THINGS. 
          AND WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL FOR IT. 
          BUT YOU COULD ALSO NOT GO TO EACH EVENT IF NECESSARY, IF THAT SAVES US THE CITY MONEY. 
          UM, AND THE DISCRETIONARY FUND'S, NOT LIKE PUBLIC. 
          LIKE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE SPEND THEIR MONEY ON. 
          SO IF, IF WE MADE IT PUBLIC, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE 
          [01:25:01]
EASIER TO SEE LIKE WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING, WHERE IT'S SPENDING AND HOW IT'S GOING. 
          'CAUSE I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SERVE NATIONALLY AND DO ALL THOSE THINGS. 
          BUT BEING IN THE COMMUNITY HERE, THERE'S SO MUCH TRAINING IN ARIZONA ALREADY THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO BE TRAVELING EVERY MONTH FOR A NEW, A NEW KIND OF TRAINING THAT WE COULD DO HERE IN ARIZONA. 
          VICE MAYOR NIELSEN. 
          RON, IS THAT $7,000? I MEAN, IF WE'RE NINE AND JUST TRACK ONE, DOES THAT COME TO EIGHT OR IS THAT, IS THAT NUMBER SUPPOSED TO BE SEVEN? WHAT'S THE NUMBER SUPPOSED TO BE THERE? MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, THE 7,000 IS HOW MUCH IT WOULD REDUCE THE BUDGET BY SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR A THOUSAND. 
          OKAY. 
          SEVEN COUNCILS A THOUSAND, PLEASE. 
          YES. 
          IT'S NOT EQUAL TO YOUR FUND. 
          I'VE HAD DISCRETIONARY FUNDS AND I'VE TRAVELED AND I'VE DONE THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          I THINK I GET THE MORE BANG FOR MY BUCKS, KEEPING IT RIGHT HERE AT HOME. 
          I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES AND IF I GET EMOTIONAL, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. 
          AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE COME UP AND TOLD ME, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. 
          YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP ME GET THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME OR WHATEVER. 
          I'VE BEEN ABLE ALWAYS TO CARRY SOMETHING OVER FOR THE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND IF GLORIA OR MAX OR WHOEVER IT MIGHT NEED BE, NEED SOME OF MY FUNDS, I WOULD BE WILLING TO TRANSFER SOME OF THAT TO THEM. 
          I THINK WE NEED TO REDUCE IT AS, UH, JEANETTE SAID, AND I CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE GRACIOUS WITH MY FUNDS IF THAT WOULD NEED BE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IT HERE WHERE THESE GOOD PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY NEED IT ON A DAILY BASIS BETWEEN ALL THE NONPROFITS, UH, TINA AND I KICK IN OUR LITTLE BIT EACH, UH, INTERFAITH ONE LIKE THAT. 
          WE'RE COVERING ALL THE EXPENSES THERE. 
          AND SO I I, YES, WE GOT A GOOD, EACH ONE OF US, WE GOT A LITTLE BIT IN THERE. 
          I'M ALRIGHT WITH DOING WHAT'S BEEN SUGGESTED HERE, TAKING THE THOUSAND DOLLARS OFF AND IF, IF MAX OR ANYBODY ELSE NEEDS SOME GET AHOLD OF ME AND I'LL TRANSFER IT THE OTHER WAY. 
          SO I SOUNDS LIKE, OH, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO. 
          UM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          I'LL BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU. 
          SOME OF THE TRAINING IS NOT INVOLVED IN ARIZONA. 
          IT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST IN ARIZONA. 
          I KNOW THAT, UM, LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY TWO YEARS AGO, I MADE A COMMITMENT TO RUN FOR A BOARD OF DIRECTORS POSITION ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. 
          THAT'S NOT CHEAP. 
          WE HAVE TO GO TO THREE OF THOSE CONFERENCES A YEAR. 
          I HAD THE SUPPORT OF OUR CITY, THEN I ALSO HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE STATE LEAGUE. 
          IT IS A STATE LEAGUE TRAINING THAT INVOLVES THAT COMMITMENT. 
          YOU HAVE TO GET, LET ME PHRASE IT, BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST DO IT IN ARIZONA OR ON YOUTUBE. 
          WE HAVE TO GET THE STATE LEAGUE'S PERMISSION. 
          THEY DON'T GIVE PERMISSION TO EVERYBODY. 
          MY FIRST YEAR, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO GET THE STATE LEAGUE'S PERMISSION TO DO THAT AND GO FORTH, BUT IT IS ALSO A PROCESS. 
          THEY GO AND THEY LOOK INTO YOUR CITY. 
          YOU RECEIVE THREE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION. 
          ONE FROM, YOU CAN GET IT FROM WHATEVER. 
          I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE IT FROM CURRENT MAYOR, PAST MAYOR AND PRIOR MAYOR. 
          SO THIS IS A COMMITMENT THAT I GAVE FOR TWO YEARS. 
          IT'S NOT CHEAP. 
          TRAVEL IS NOT CHEAP AT ALL WHATSOEVER. 
          IT IS THREE CONFERENCES A YEAR. 
          IT IS A REGULAR CONFERENCE THAT'S NORMALLY THREE DAYS. 
          THAT IS NOW FIVE DAYS. 
          I USE MY VACATION TO ATTEND THIS. 
          SO THAT IS MY, OF MY DECISION TO DO SO. 
          BUT IT IS ALSO GETTING WHAT I RECEIVED WAS THE GO AHEAD FROM US IN THE CITY AT THE TIME, KNOWING THAT IT WAS THREE CONFERENCES A YEAR. 
          AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, COMMITTING TO THOSE THINGS COM GETTING ALL THE PERMISSIONS TO DO SO. 
          'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE HERE FOR THE TRAINING. 
          IT'S ALSO GETTING, WE WENT OUT OF OUR WAY TO GET A DUAL LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM TWO SENATORS AS THIS IS NOT ONLY REPRESENTING AVONDALE, IT'S ALSO REPRESENTING THE STATE AND PUTTING US AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T HAD REPRESENTATION HERE AT THIS CITY SINCE MARIE LOPEZ ROGERS WAS ON THE BOARD. 
          IT IS VERY HARD TO GET ON THE BOARD. 
          YOU CAN ASK ANYONE. 
          I KNOW THAT WE NOT ONLY SPEAK FOR PEOPLE HERE, WE, WE GET AVONDALE TO THE FRONT OF THE WAY WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO VOICE OUR OPINIONS, BUT IT'S ALSO ON A STATE LEVEL, IT IS AN HONOR. 
          I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN I WENT BACK AND THEY SAID, WHAT DID YOUR CITY SAY? I'M LIKE, WELL, I DISCUSSED IT AT THE END OF THE FIVE MINUTES AND THAT WAS IT. 
          BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS CHEAP. 
          AGAIN, I, I GET IT. 
          WE DO IT TO OURSELVES. 
          WE SIGNED UP FOR IT, BUT IT'S A TWO YEAR COMMITMENT THAT I GAVE. 
          SO, I MEAN, WHILE WE CAN CUT BACK ON A FEW THINGS, THERE ARE THINGS THAT I'M LOOKING ON HERE THAT'S COMING UP NEXT THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS TO BE LOOKED AT, TO, INTO, AND IT HASN'T UNTIL NOW. 
          SO THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M AT. 
          WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE CHOOSE NOT TO. 
          THAT IS IN YOUR OWN RIGHT TO CHOOSE NOT TO. 
          THERE IS THINGS THAT WE ARE INVOLVED WITH HERE AS WELL LOCALLY. 
          AND LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE SAID SOME OF THOSE GRANTS, THEY'RE NOT JUST HANDED OUT LOCALLY. 
          YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THE ADVOCACY. 
          YOU HAVE TO GO UP TO CAPITOL HILL TO ASK FOR THESE THINGS. 
          SOME OF 'EM ARE PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS, SOME OF 'EM ARE NEEDS. 
          RA WAS APPOINTED TO 
          [01:30:01]
THE MILITARY COMMUNITIES COUNCIL. 
          WE WENT AND ASKED ON BEHALF OF LUKE AIR FORCE BASE. 
          THESE ARE NOT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE DONE HERE LOCALLY. 
          IT MATTERS TO SERVE NATIONALLY. 
          NOT EVERYBODY HAS TO, BUT SOME OF US CHOOSE TO. 
          BASEBALL'S WHAT I HEARD, THREE ARE IN SUPPORT. 
          FOUR NOT, SO THEY'RE REDUCED TO A THOUSAND. 
          SO I THINK YOU  WELL, MAYOR, I HAVE THIS MAYOR. 
          YEP. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          UH, YEAH, I, MY QUESTION IS THIS, I I I, I DON'T THINK THE DISCRETIONARY FUND IS REALLY THE CONCERN. 
          I REALLY WANNA RESTRUCTURE HOW WE LOOK AT OUR SPENDING. 
          UM, AND, UH, THERE WAS A EMAIL THAT WAS SENT OUT BY, UM, OUR SENIOR MANAGEMENT ANALYST, ANISA ROMO, BECAUSE OTHER CITIES JUST DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. 
          UM, THEY HAVE SEPARATE TRAVEL FUNDS IN SOME CITIES AND A SMALLER DISCRETIONARY ACCOUNT BECAUSE FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, THE MAJORITY OF COUNCILS NOT SPENDING ALL OF THEIR DISCRETIONARY FUNDS. 
          AND I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS OUT OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDS AT THIS MOMENT. 
          AND SO THIS DISCRETIONARY FUND THING, MAYBE WE GOT IT WRONG, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A TRAVEL BUDGET AND A SEPARATE DISCRETIONARY FUND. 
          UM, I'M, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT THE REMOVAL OF THE THOUSAND, SAVING THE CITY A TOTAL OF $7,000 IS NOT A PERCENTAGE OF VALUE TO THE CITY. 
          IT'S, IT'S SEVEN GRAND, UM, WHICH I'M SURE ALL OF US ON COUNCIL HAVE, RIGHT? UM, SO IT'S NOT A BIG, BIG DEAL. 
          BUT I GUESS MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE SPENDING. 
          IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE JUST CHECK MARKING, LET'S TAKE A THOUSAND AWAY. 
          BUT I THINK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TO TRAVEL OR WHO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO TRAVEL, SO AGAIN, I'M HUMBLY APPOINTED BY ALL OF YOU. 
          I THINK THAT WE NEED TO RE-LOOK AT IT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR SOME PEOPLE TO HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER. 
          AND FOR ME TO BE SPENDING MY MONEY, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. 
          SO MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCRETIONARY BUDGET AND TRAVEL FUNDS. 
          AND IF YOU DON'T SEE THE NEED TO TRAVEL, THEN THERE'S NO MONEY LOST THERE AND YOUR DISCRETIONARY FUNDS CAN BE LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY. 
          I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO FIND INNOVATION IN EVERY, EVERY STRETCH OF THE MEANS. 
          AND THE PEOPLE, PEOPLE TAKE A THOUSAND AWAY, THEY'LL STILL HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER IF THEY DON'T TRAVEL VERSUS PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL. 
          SO I I, I WOULD LIKE TO CHALLENGE US JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TO LOOK AT HOW OUR DISCRETIONARY FUNDING IS SET UP AND MAYBE WE REIMAGINE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR MONEY AS WE GET IT FOR COUNCIL, BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG EXPENSE FOR SOME. 
          AND FOR THOSE WHO DON'T TRAVEL, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE MONEY ROLL EVERY YEAR. 
          I, IF I MAY REALLY QUICKLY, UH, RON, UM, THIS IS A DISCRETIONARY ACCOUNT THAT I KNOW I'VE HAD SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, AND IT'S UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO USE IT AS A FEE SEE FIT. 
          WHAT I'M HEARING SO FAR IS SOME TRAVEL. 
          SO THE DISCRETIONARY ACCOUNT BECOMES THEIR TRAVEL FUND. 
          SOME DON'T SPEND IT THERE. 
          LIKE FOR MYSELF, I DONATE IT TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AS LONG AS THEY GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO I DON'T TRAVEL, UM, PER SE. 
          I DON'T GET ON A PLANE OR ANY OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. 
          I THINK I, I'VE BEEN TO THE, THE LEAGUE OF CITIES TWICE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL. 
          SO OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, TWO TIMES WHERE I'VE ACTUALLY PAID TO ATTEND. 
          SO I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY, WHETHER IT'S A TRAVEL OR WHETHER WE'RE, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS AND DONATING TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          IT'S ONE DISCRETIONARY ACCOUNT. 
          HOW WE CHOOSE TO SPEND THEM, I BELIEVE IS IS KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT AT THIS POINT WHERE THE DISCUSSION CENTERS AROUND. 
          SO I, I DON'T REALLY SEE THE NEED TO ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO TRAVEL OR TO SPEND NO, NO, NOT, THAT WASN'T WHAT I WAS, I'M SORRY, I, I HAVEN'T FINISHED. 
          BUT I THINK THAT AS FAR AS THE OVERALL REDUCTION IS CONCERNED, WE'RE REDUCING THE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING IN TOTAL BY A THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE IN, IN MY OPINION, MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN HELP, UH, MOVE THE ITEM ALONG AND, AND BECAUSE I DID HEAR A COUPLE THINGS, UH, I GOT CONSENSUS ON WHAT TO DO WITH THE ITEM, BUT I ALSO HEARD SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, SHARING. 
          SURE. 
          AND IT IS THEIR DISCRETIONARY FUND. 
          SO I THINK, UH, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT I THINK WILL MAKE, UM, PARTIES HAPPY AND STILL HAVE THE UH, THOUSAND DOLLAR REDUCTION. 
          BUT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF NICOLE, IF THAT, IF THAT INVOLVES YOUR OFFICE OR NOT, BUT FINDING THE MECHANISM TO ALLOW ONE COUNCIL MEMBER TO, TO, TO, UH, I GOT IT. 
          MR. MAYOR. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OH, SORRY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, UM, JUST TO STATE, I GET WHAT YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE WAS SAYING, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE RECEIVED THIS EMAIL WHERE IT SAYS LIKE, AND WE'RE NOT AS BIG AS GLENDALE. 
          SO I'M TRYING TO FIND LIKE THE CLOSEST ONE, LIKE IN GOODYEAR, THEY HAVE A DISCRETIONARY AMOUNT OF 5,000 PER COUNCIL MEMBER, 7,500 FOR MAYOR. 
          BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A TRAVEL ACCOUNT THAT'S 
          [01:35:01]
USED FOR BOTH DISCRETIONARY AND TRAVEL. 
          SO GOODYEAR PICKS UP THEIR TRAVEL, WHEREAS LIKE BUCKEYE WOULD BE THE NEXT ONE, 5,000 PER COUNCIL MEMBER, 7,500 FOR MAYOR. 
          THERE WAS NO INFORMATION YET FOR THE COUNCIL TRAVEL. 
          AND, AND THEN TOLLESON, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER RECEIVES $9,000. 
          THE MAYOR RECEIVES $15,000. 
          ALL THIS IS ALL INCLUSIVE OF TRAVEL, WHICH IS THE, THE NOTES THAT YOU COULD USE TO, THROUGH DONATIONS OR WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE TO DO WITH IT. 
          UM, I DON'T, I'LL GO ON THE RECORD AND SAY I DON'T FULLY USE MY MONEY BECAUSE I'M FORTUNATE IN THE FACT THAT I DO WORK IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY. 
          SO I SAVE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY WHERE WE CAN. 
          UM, SO I'VE NOT RAN OUT OF MY MONEY, BUT I KNOW THAT THE WAY IT'S LOOKING, TRAVEL'S GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE AND WE DON'T GO TO EVERY SINGLE THING. 
          WE MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, I PAID FOR MYSELF TO NOT COMMUTE BACK AND FORTH, BUT THAT'S BETWEEN US, YOU KNOW, BUT ON MY OWN FROM THE STATE CONFERENCE THAT WE HAVE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO ATTEND. 
          I KNOW, I JUST HAVE A, YOU KNOW, JUST A, I GUESS IT'D BE A DUTY TO ATTEND THREE OF 'EM, BUT I'VE NEVER RUN OUT OF MONEY. 
          'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, I AM FORTUNATE AND I'VE ALSO EXTENDED THAT TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AS WELL, TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM A DISCOUNT ON TRAVEL FOR HOTEL ROOMS. YOU HAVE YOUR DIRECTION, RON? I DO. 
          MR. MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, NEXT UP WAS A REQUEST TO ADD THE GREATER PHOENIX EQUALITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR SEVEN 50, UH, ANNUAL. 
          THIS IS NOT A, IT'S A BUDGET DISCUSSION BECAUSE, UM, COUNCIL NEVER GETS TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT SPENDING ON THEIR PRIORITIES. 
          AND SO AGAIN, I DO THINK WE CAN AFFORD THE SEVEN 50. 
          IT'S NOT CURRENTLY IN THE BUDGET. 
          UM, BUT THIS IS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT PROMOTES EQUALITY, EQUITABLE BUSINESS OP, UH, COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LG LGBTQ PLUS, UH, BUSINESSES IN THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA. 
          AND SO I WANTED TO, UH, GET, UH, SOME CONSENSUS ON WHETHER COUNCIL WANTS TO SUPPORT THIS, UH, AS A, AS A COUNCIL. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? THAT, OR COUNCIL MEMBER? WHITE. 
          OKAY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          WEISS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? ARE YOU OKAY LEAVING THAT IN THE BUDGET, MR. MAYOR? IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THE, OH, SORRY. 
          IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET. 
          SO I, OR MAKING THE PURCHASE. 
          CORRECT. 
          ARE YOU OKAY MAKING THE PURCHASE? YEAH, I MEAN, FOR ME IT'S $750, BUT, UM, IT, AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHO'S, WHO'S ASKING TO HAVE IT ADDED? I KNOW THAT THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. 
          SO MY ONLY QUESTION IS, IS IF WE ADD ONE, ARE WE GONNA CONTINUE TO ADD MULTIPLE ONES? AND THEN WHO'S ATTENDING? SO I GUESS IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW ARE WE GONNA STAFF IT AND ARE WE GONNA JUST OPEN THE DOOR TO KEEP ADDING MORE AND MORE CHAMBERS? UH, MR. MAYOR COUNCIL, I CAN'T ANSWER ALL THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          IT WOULD REALLY WOULD BE UP TO COUNCIL IF THEY WANTED TO ADD OTHER CHAMBERS. 
          THERE ARE MANY OTHER, UH, CHAMBERS. 
          UM, BUT IF COUNCIL DIRECTED US TO ATTEND IT, WE WOULD FIND A WAY TO, UH, ATTEND IT AND SUPPORT IT, UH, BEST WE CAN. 
          BUT, UM, IT WOULD BE, UH, ANOTHER MEETING FOR, FOR MY TEAM. 
          BUT IF, IF THIS IS REALLY A, A POLICY DECISION FROM COUNCIL, NOT, NOT FOR, WE'LL, WE'LL DO AS COUNCIL DIRECTS ON THIS. 
          OKAY. 
          COUNCIL, MR. RIO, THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT WHEN IT WAS ASKED IF WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT WAS FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE MEMBERS OF THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE PAST. 
          WE DON'T HAVE LIKE THE, UM, SPECIAL LANGUAGE THAT LIKE TOLLESON AND TEMPE AND TUCSON DO THAT PROVIDES FAIRNESS AND INCLUSIVITY. 
          THIS, THE WAY IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME WAS TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THIS SO THAT WE ARE L-G-B-T-Q FRIENDLY, UH, TOWARDS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. 
          UM, IT WASN'T FOR ONE PERSON OR ANOTHER, IT WAS JUST PUTTING OUT THERE. 
          SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THAT OTHER LANGUAGE, LIKE I SAID, PR FROM LIKE THAT OTHER CITIES MAY HAVE. 
          THAT'S INCLUSIVITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI. 
          SO THIS IS JUST AN ANNUAL, SO SEVEN 50 FOR THE FIRST YEAR TO SEE KIND OF, SO DO THEY, I GUESS WHAT DO WE GET FOR THE SEVEN 50? I'M JUST CURIOUS. 
          WE, AS MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN, AS COUNCIL SAID, IT SHOWS OUR SUPPORT. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, TO BE INCLUSIVE, UH, UH, FOR OUR BUSINESSES RUN BY MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. 
          IT, UH, MAY GIVE THEM ACCESS TO SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, SUPPORT FROM THEIR CHAMBER. 
          AND OF COURSE THEIR CHAMBER ACTIVELY, UH, PROMOTES, UM, THEIR BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO I'M OKAY WITH THE SEVEN 50 COUNCILOR MOORE GARCIA. 
          NO, IT'S A NO FOR ME. 
          UM, ONE, WE ALREADY ARE IN A CHAMBER AND IT'S ALL INCLUSIVE. 
          IT INCLUDES EVERYBODY. 
          WE DON'T 
          [01:40:01]
DISCRIMINATE. 
          UH, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE. 
          AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED SPECIAL LANGUAGE. 
          UM, NO, NO, THANK YOU. 
          VICE MAYOR NIELSEN. 
          AND I AGREE WITH JEANETTE. 
          IF WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COMMON NEXT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN MAYBE DO THERE. 
          WE, I WOULD KNOW ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE OKAY. 
          LINE WITH WHAT JEANETTE SAID THERE, BUT IT AS IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, I, UM, KNOW I AM TRYING TO BE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, BUT SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE. 
          AND I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GREATER PHOENIX EQUALITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          AND PAYING A $750 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP IS SOMETHING I COULD PAY OUT OF MY POCKET. 
          AND IF WE DON'T DO IT AS A CITY, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SUPPORTING THOSE BUSINESSES AND DIRECTING THEM TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT WE'RE A PART OF. 
          AND AS WE TRANSITION INTO THAT DISCUSSION, POSSIBLY GIVING SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, THE TEN THREE MEMBERSHIPS WE GET. 
          MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN ADD? SURE. 
          UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          UM, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THERE ARE SINGLE ELECTED, UM, MEMBERSHIPS. 
          UM, THIS WAS AN ASK, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, WHICH IS WHY I BROUGHT IT TO THIS DISCUSSION. 
          BUT YEAH, AT A LOWER RATE, EVEN THAN THE SEVEN 50 INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN BECOME A MEMBER. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION AND I THINK WE SHOULD SUPPORT THEM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I, I TEND TO AGREE WITH VICE MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCILMAN GARCIA IN THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE THAT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO BELONG TO AS A CITY. 
          UH, BUT I'VE NEVER MOVED FORWARD IN, IN SEARCHING OUT MEMBERSHIP, UH, JUST BECAUSE WE BELONG TO A CHAMBER AS IT STANDS. 
          SO, UH, I, FOR THE, THE, THE REASONS LISTED BY OTHER MEMBERS AS WANTING TO BE A PART OF THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I GET IT. 
          THERE'S NO PROBLEM. 
          IT'S JUST FOR ME, THERE'S ABOUT TWO OTHER CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE I'D LOVE TO JOIN, BUT THEN WE'D JUST BE ADDING TO THE, TO THE PRICE TAG. 
          SO FOR ME, IT'S A, IT'S A, NO, BUT I BELIEVE THERE WERE FOUR. 
          AM I CORRECT? SHE WAS ANNOUNCED. 
          OH, I WASN'T SO SORRY. 
          SORRY, MAYOR. 
          SORRY, RON. 
          I WASN'T, MY, MY QUESTION IS WHO'S GOING TO GO, WHO'S STAFFING IT? AND THEN THERE WAS A REALLY GREAT COMMENT THAT GOT BROUGHT UP THAT THE COMMERCE, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND I LOVED WHAT MAX JUST SAID, GIVING SOME OF THOSE MEMBERSHIPS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO THOSE BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, TO, YOU KNOW, TO, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THAT THE CHAMBER IS INCLUSIVE. 
          BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PROBABLY GO DOWN, UM, A SLIPPERY, NOT A SLIPPERY SLOPE, BUT YOU, IF YOU BRING IN ONE CHAMBER AND YOU BRING IN ANOTHER CHAMBER, LIKE AT WHAT POINT DO WE STOP? AND WHO'S STAFFING HIM? THAT'S MY, MY QUESTION. 
          UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS, I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE OF STAFFING FOR THIS ONE. 
          UM, I DON'T EXPECT ANY REAL TIME, UM, BY OUR STAFF. 
          IT'S REALLY A SYMBOL OF EQUALITY, OF INCLUSION, UM, MORE THAN A STAFF ISSUE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, THE NEXT, UH, ITEM IS THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BUT I'D LIKE TO SKIP THAT ONE 'CAUSE I'VE GOT A COUPLE SLIDES ON THAT ONE. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, BUT DO KNOW THAT 40,000 IS IN THE CURRENT DRAFT BUDGET, ALSO IN THE CURRENT DRAFT BUDGET IS NASCAR SPONSORSHIP AT $25,000. 
          THIS INCLUDES, UM, BOTH RACES. 
          IT INCLUDES SOME LOG LOGO PLACEMENTS, SOME ADS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES AND ENTRANCES AND PARKING TICKETS, UH, FOR, UH, ELECTED LEADERS AND OTHERS. 
          UH, FOR THE TWO RACES, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. 
          UH, BEFORE I GOT HERE, AND I THINK EVEN THE FIRST YEAR I WAS HERE, UH, OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PROVIDED ADMISSIONS INTO THE SUITE UP ON THE TOP FLOOR. 
          AND IT WAS INCLUDED AS PART OF OUR CHAMBER, UH, CONTRACT. 
          UH, THEY ENDED THAT WITH US. 
          WE MUTUALLY AGREED TO END THAT, UH, ARRANGEMENT. 
          IT WAS GETTING TWO COSTLY. 
          THE, THE SUITE IS VERY EXPENSIVE. 
          THE FOLLOWING YEAR WE USED GEG. 
          AND SO GECK DID THE SAME THING. 
          WE BROUGHT IN SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES. 
          I THINK IT WAS JEN, SHE WAS BRAND NEW TO THE CITY. 
          SHE WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME. 
          IT'S WHERE WE LEARNED WE WERE THE CENTER OF IT ALL. 
          SHE REALLY CAME UP WITH THAT LOGO. 
          WE CREATED SOME STUFF, HAD A GREAT TIME, BUT GECK HAS DECIDED NOT TO AGAIN, PARTNER WITH US. 
          AND SO THIS YEAR WE KIND SCRAMBLED AT THE LAST MINUTE TO, UH, CREATE SOME SPONSORSHIPS OUT OF NON ASSIGNED DOLLARS PER SE. 
          UH, AND SO I'D REALLY NOT LIKE TO DO IT HAPHAZARD LED. 
          I'D LIKE TO HAVE A PLAN AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF COUNCIL AS A WHOLE STILL WANTS TO CONTINUE THIS LEVEL OF SUPPORT, UH, FOR, FOR NASCAR COURSE. 
          THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL THE OTHER WAYS WE SUPPORT. 
          WE HAVE TOURISM DOLLARS SET ASIDE, WHERE WE ADVERTISE THE EVENTS. 
          THIS IS REALLY ABOUT ACTUAL EVENTS. 
          THE DAY OF THE TWO RACES THAT WE'LL STILL, UH, UH, NIKKI AND TEAM AND, UH, LY WILL ALL DO THE REGULAR GREAT STUFF THAT THEY DO, UM, WITH OUR HOTELS AND ALL THE 
          [01:45:01]
OTHER STUFF. 
          THIS IS REALLY ABOUT ACCESS AND ADVERTISING ON SITE DURING THE RACES, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S 25,000. 
          THIS IS ONE AREA THAT IS IN THE BUDGET THAT IF WE TOOK OUT WOULD CREATE A LITTLE SPACE FOR THE 40,000 UH, DOLLARS. 
          BUT THAT'S UP TO COUNCIL. 
          I'LL, I'LL TAKE DIRECTION OR QUESTIONS. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, SO THIS IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH NASCAR, CORRECT? WE'VE SPOKEN TO THEM ABOUT THE SPONSORSHIP AT 25,000. 
          MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER ASTORIA. 
          CORRECT. 
          IT IS A SPONSORSHIP THROUGH NASCAR AND PHOENIX RACEWAY. 
          OKAY. 
          PERSONALLY, I WOULD LET IT GO. 
          WE HAVE PLENTY OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. 
          AND COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE SERVES ON THE NASCAR ACCELERATOR PROGRAM, WHICH ALREADY REPRESENTS US. 
          THAT'S JUST ME. 
          YOU COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU, RON. 
          UM, I HAVE TO AGREE. 
          I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RACE TRACK THROUGH OUR, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, WHICH I THINK WE DO. 
          WE PAINT, YOU KNOW, OUR TRIGGERED, UM, CROSSWALKS. 
          I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE WE SUPPORT IT. 
          I THINK WE CAN SKIP THE, THE RACES THEMSELVES AND THE PARKING TICKETS. 
          YEAH, I AGREE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, I, I AM A VOLUNTEER. 
          I WILL REPRESENT THE CITY TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, EVEN FOR ME TO BE AN ACCELERATOR THAT COSTS MONEY. 
          I THINK THAT COSTS $2,500. 
          SO, UM, YEAH, PULLING OFF, UH, $25,000, UM, 10 TIMES WHAT I WOULD HAVE TO SPEND, UM, AS AN ACCELERATOR. 
          SO YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN BACK OUT OF THAT GRACIOUSLY. 
          UM, BUT I WOULD STILL BE SPENDING MONEY TO BE AN ACCELERATOR OR ASKING THE CITY TO SPONSOR ME TO BE AN ACCELERATOR. 
          SO, UM, THAT'S JUST, UH, PUT THAT OUT THERE. 
          BUT $25,000 IS VERY EXPENSIVE. 
          UM, AND MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, DOES THAT MEAN, MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION. 
          DOES THAT MEAN WE DON'T GET A TABLE OR WE HAVE TO FIND MONEY TO GO TO THEIR IGNITION LUNCHEON IF THEY HAVE STUFF LIKE THAT? RON? HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? WE HAVE A, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I, UH, UH, MR. MAYOR AND, AND COUNCIL. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, NO, THAT, THAT'S A SEPARATE, UH, FUND A DIFFERENT PROJECT THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE THROUGH OUR TOURISM DOLLARS AND, AND OTHER, UH, FUNDS. 
          THIS IS DIRECTLY FOR SUPPORTING THE TWO RACES. 
          UM, WE DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO SPONSOR YOU IN, IN THE ACCELERATOR, BUT DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT, WE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS. 
          BUT THIS IS, WE'VE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, FIND OURSELVES STRUGGLING ON HOW TO GET TO THE RACE. 
          AND WE'VE ALWAYS HAD TO SPEND EXTRA MONEY, UH, YOU KNOW, AND SO I JUST NEED TO GET DIRECTION. 
          DO I HAVE DIRECT, I, I SOUND LIKE I HAVE DIRECTION NOW TO END THIS PART. 
          YES. 
          OF OUR SPONSORSHIP. 
          THIS POINT. 
          I'M SORRY, I INTERRUPTED. 
          YES, SORRY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO, SO I'M GOOD MR. MAYOR. 
          UNLESS THERE'S SOMEONE WHO HAS STRONG, WELL, WE HAVE, THAT WAS THREE. 
          WELL, I GOT NODS. 
          I GOT EYE CONTACT FROM OTHERS. 
          SO YOU ARE ALL OKAY. 
          I HAVE CONSENSUS. 
          UNLESS THEY FEEL STRONGLY, I'M OKAY WITH NOT INCLUDING IT. 
          YEAH, SAME. 
          OKAY. 
          WHAT'S THE OKAY TO TAKE IT OUTTA THERE AND USE IT SOME OTHER PLACE? SO, UH, WE ARE STILL ABOUT 15,000 IN THE HOLE. 
          UH, BY REMOVING THIS, THAT, UH, REDUCES THE 40,000. 
          SO WE'RE STILL ABOUT 15,000. 
          I'M IN FAVOR OF TAKING THAT AND PUT IT TOWARDS THE 40,000. 
          I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE, I'M NOT A NATIONAL FAN, BUT , UM, MOVING ON, UM, WE ALSO PUT IN THE LITCHFIELD HERITAGE CENTER OF $10,000 SPONSORSHIP. 
          THIS IS, UH, ONE OF OUR, UM, ONLY, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UM, KEEP OUR HISTORY. 
          THEY HAVE A LOT OF OUR PICTURES. 
          THEY HAVE SOME OF OUR ARTIFACTS, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE OUR HISTORY, UH, VERBAL HISTORY. 
          UM, THEY DO A GOOD JOB OF SUPPORTING THE REGION, INCLUDING AVONDALE. 
          UM, WE FOUND MONEY IN OUR TOURISM DOLLARS, UM, UH, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. 
          SO THIS IS IN THE BUDGET, UNLESS COUNCIL FOR SOME REASON, UM, WISHES ME TO TO REMOVE IT. 
          THIS COULD NOT GO TOWARDS, UH, THE AUDIT, UH, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE HAVE A QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I'VE TAKEN A TOUR OF THE HERITAGE CENTER AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS SUPPORT. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD SUPPORT AT A LESSER LEVEL JUST BECAUSE FUNDS ARE TIGHT, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO CONTINUE THE HISTORICAL SUPPORT OF THIS CENTER. 
          THEY DO AMAZING WORK AND FOLKS SHOULD GO TAKE A TOUR IF THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR LOCATION. 
          THANKS MARY SEN, THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO SAY, I WAS AT THE RIBBON CUTTING THE OTHER DAY FOR THE HERITAGE CENTER. 
          THEY'RE GONNA MOVE FROM THEIR LITTLE TINY BOX TO A NEW PLACE UP ON THE HILL AND TALKING WITH THE DIRECTOR THERE. 
          SHE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT EQUIVALENT TO THE HERD MUSEUM DOWNTOWN. 
          I THINK WE NEED TO DO THE $10,000 JUST TO GET IT IN THERE. 
          SHE WAS EXPLAINING HOW 
          [01:50:01]
IT WAS AVONDALE, GOODYEAR, AND LITFIELD THAT STARTED THIS WHOLE THING. 
          AND WITHOUT COLD WATER SPRINGS STAGE COAT CENTER, THAT WOULDN'T BE IN AVONDALE. 
          SO IT'S JUST A MATTER TO GET IT. 
          THEY'VE GOTTA HAVE SOMETHING UPSTAIRS. 
          THEY'RE GONNA HAVE DOWNSTAIRS A PLACE TO HAVE ARCHIVES AND EVERYTHING ELSE WHERE WE CAN HAVE, IF YOU WANTED TO GO STUDY SOME HISTORIES, YOU COULD. 
          I'M IN FAVOR OF THE 10. 
          THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. 
          I, I, I'M GOOD WITH, UH, UM, DIRECTION. 
          OKAY. 
          SO NOW I WANNA TALK ABOUT BRIEFLY, OR, OR AS LONG AS COUNCIL WISHES ABOUT THE CHAMBER CONTRACT. 
          UM, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON CURRENTLY THIS YEAR. 
          UM, OF COURSE, UM, FOR THE $40,000. 
          UM, SO THE COLLABORATIONS ON BRAND STRATEGY EVENT WE HAD IN AUGUST. 
          WE HAD LOTS OF INTRODUCTIONS TO BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. 
          AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG ASKS OF, OF WHEN I WAS HIRED WAS TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SOUTH OF LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD. 
          IT WAS ACTUALLY THROUGH OUR CONTACTS AT THE, UH, CHAMBER THAT WAS ABLE TO GET THIS ACROSS A FINISH LINE. 
          AND YOU WILL SEE ONE, MAYBE TWO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OPEN UP, UH, SOUTH OF, UH, LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD, UH, HERE, UH, IN THE NEXT, UH, 12 MONTHS. 
          UM, THEY HAD, UH, SO FAR 18 HIGHLIGHTED REELS OF AVONDALE BUSINESSES. 
          THEY DID A BUSINESS RESOURCE FAIR ALREADY. 
          ONE IS SCHEDULED FOR, FOR, UM, CAN'T BE FEBRUARY 2ND. 
          THAT'S PAST TENSE. 
          I THINK WE MISSED THAT ONE, UH, TWO JELLY POPUPS. 
          AND I, I, SOMEONE HAS TRIED TO EXPLAIN THESE THINGS TO ME AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND. 
          JEN, DO YOU MIND TELLING US WHAT A JELLY POPUP IS? YEAH. 
          CITY MANAGER CORBIN. 
          THIS IS A CO-WORKING ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY SET ASIDE HOURS FOR, UH, BUSINESSES TO NETWORK AND INTERACT WITH THE CHAMBER. 
          AWESOME. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE THE, UH, LEADERSHIP CIRCLE LUNCHEON AT OUR AVONDALE CONFERENCE CENTER, OUR CANADIAN CONSULTANT EVENT THAT HAPPENED HERE AT THE AVONDALE CONFERENCE CENTER. 
          WE HAVE, UH, FIVE SPONSORED MEMBERSHIPS OF AVONDALE BUSINESS. 
          FIVE MORE TO GO AVONDALE AS AWARD SPONSOR FOR THE 2025 GALA, FIVE AWARDS FOR AVONDALE BUSINESSES. 
          WE HAD A GREAT SHOWING. 
          AVONDALE IS A PRESENTING SPONSOR AT OUR LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST BOARD AND COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIONS. 
          AND THIS YEAR ALSO, WE HAD THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE LUNCHEON. 
          WE GOT TO MEET WITH A CANADIAN CONSULTANT. 
          WE'RE GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THE TASTE EVENT, UH, COMING UP ANOTHER BUSINESS RESOURCE FAIR, AND OF COURSE, THE WEST VALLEY MANUFACTURING SUMMIT. 
          WE'VE HAD A GREAT YEAR, AND I DO KNOW THAT THE CHAMBER HAS BEEN, UH, UH, TALKED TO PEOPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BROUGHT THIS ISSUE UP WITH ME ABOUT OVERPAYING. 
          UM, I HAD ASKED FOR THIS LAST YEAR TO REALLY LET JEN DIG IN AND MAKE SURE WE WERE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH. 
          WE REALLY BELIEVE THE CHAMBER IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER. 
          THEY HELPED SUPPLEMENT WHERE STAFF, UH, ISN'T ABLE TO GET TO EVERYWHERE. 
          SO, UH, WE DID PUT THE 40,000 IN BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT IS, UM, WHERE WE GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK. 
          BUT I DO WANNA GO THROUGH, THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION AT THE 25,000, UH, THAT'S AS LOW AS WE WOULD RECOMMEND GOING, BUT OF COURSE YOU COULD GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ZERO IF IT, UH, SO PLEASED COUNSEL. 
          UM, THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TITANIUM AND THE PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP, UM, HAS TO DO WITH THE, THE HIGHLIGHTING REELS OF AVONDALE BUSINESSES EACH MONTH AND THE TWO BUSINESS, UH, SERVICES, TWO BUSINESS RESOURCE FAIRS, AND OF COURSE THE QUARTERLY JELLY POPUPS, IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE. 
          AND THEN GOING ON TO A COUPLE OTHER BIG DIFFERENCES, IT'S REALLY ABOUT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS. 
          UH, THIS ONE WAS ABOUT THE, UM, THREE TO FOUR BUSINESS INTRODUCTIONS PER MONTH, UH, THAT WE GET WITH THE TITANIUM, UH, LEVEL. 
          IN ADDITION, WITH THE, UM, CUSTOMIZED ENGAGEMENT, THIS IS REALLY WHERE WE GET OUR MONEY'S WORTH. 
          UH, WITH OUR, UH, $40,000, WE GET 20 TICKETS TO THE ANNUAL MEETING, UH, WHERE WE ARE AWARD SPONSOR, AWARD SPONSORSHIP FOR THE AWARDS GALA, WHERE WE GET TWO TABLES. 
          LAST YEAR WE HAD ONE FULL TABLE FULL OF LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT WERE ABLE TO ATTEND AT NO COST. 
          UH, IT REALLY, UH, THEY REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED THAT, UM, PRESENTING SPONSOR AT THE LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST, UH, FOR 10, UH, TICKETS, 20 TICKETS TO THE CITY TO CITY UPDATE. 
          I THINK, UH, SOME OF YOU JUST CAME BACK FROM THAT 10 MEMBERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS FOR AVONDALE BUSINESSES. 
          UM, AND I BELIEVE IN YOUR MONDAY REPORT WE SENT OUT, UM, A LIST OF WHO'S CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING IN THAT. 
          AND THEN, UH, 20 RIBBON CUTTING GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES. 
          AND, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THAT'S PROBABLY FOR ME, ONE OF THE BEST, UH, BENEFITS BECAUSE IT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING FOR STAFF AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A STAFF MEMBER DEDICATED TO RIBBON CUTTINGS, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT GOING ON. 
          SO, WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO GO OVER ANY OF THOSE LISTS OR GO INTO MORE DETAIL. 
          I, I, I KNOW IT'S GETTING LATE, SO I WANTED TO GO THROUGH FAST, BUT, UH, I JUST NEED, UH, DIRECTION, UH, FROM COUNSEL. 
          I'LL, I'LL JUST GO REALLY QUICKLY. 
          I MEAN, BASED UPON WHAT YOU'VE JUST MENTIONED, AND QUITE HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, I I, I'M AWARE OF, OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE, EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO FOR US, ALMOST QUASI STAFF, SO, SO, SO TO SPEAK. 
          UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO JEN AND EVERYTHING THAT HER AND HER TEAM ARE WORKING ON, AND HOW MUCH WE'RE TRYING TO GROW THIS CITY, THE FACT THAT THE CHAMBER STEPS IN TO ASSIST IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE FACT THAT JEN SEES US AS A, AND, UH, LEADERSHIP SEES US AS A WISE INVESTMENT. 
          ME PERSONALLY, I'M OKAY WITH THE 40,000, BUT WE HAVE THE REST OF COUNCIL TO, TO HEAR FROM. 
          UM, WE'LL START OVER HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI. 
          [01:55:01]
THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU, RON. 
          HOW, HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN TITANIUM MEMBERS AT THE CHAMBER? DO YOU KNOW? UH, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI, WE'VE BEEN A TITANIUM MEMBER FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE. 
          IT MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT NAMES, BUT EARLY ON, REMEMBER WE PAID A BIG, UH, A BIG CHUNK BECAUSE WE GOT THE SUITE. 
          SO WHEN WE DID AWAY WITH THE SUITE, WE ACTUALLY LOWERED IT A LITTLE BIT. 
          I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MANY, HOW MUCH WE LOWERED IT, BUT WE LOWERED IT A LITTLE BIT, UM, WHEN WE DID AWAY WITH THE SUITE. 
          AND THEN I DID HAVE A QUESTION EARLIER, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY DO SOME EVENTS IN OUR CITY, SO THEY USE OUR VISITORS CONFERENCE CENTER. 
          SO THEY DO NOT PAY US A FEE TO USE OUR CENTER. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. 
          MR. MAYOR AND, AND COUNSEL. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          BUT REMEMBER, UH, THAT GOES WITH ANY NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP. 
          SO WHEN WE CO-BRAND, WHEN WE HOST, WHEN WE ARE ONE OF THE, UH, UM, ORGANIZERS, THEN WE DON'T CHARGE OUR NONPROFITS FOR THOSE THINGS. 
          WHEN IT IS TRULY A NONPROFIT OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION'S EVENT, THEN THEY HAVE TO PAY WHATEVER COSTS ARE ASSOCIATED, BUT AS PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP AND A PART OF THE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM. 
          AND THEN IT SAYS HERE ON THE PLATINUM. 
          SO IF WE DID CHOOSE PLATINUM, SO THEY COULD CUSTOMIZE IT SO THEY COULD ACTUALLY, WE COULD PICK AND CHOOSE SOME OF THE BULLET POINTS FROM TITANIUM. 
          OKAY. 
          MR. MAYOR, COUNSEL, THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT. 
          IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY WHAT THAT WOULD BE EXACTLY, BUT WE WOULD, IF, IF COUNSEL SAYS GO TO THE PLATINUM, WE WOULD SEND JEN BACK TO TALK WITH JEFFREY AND WE WOULD FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES WERE MOST IMPORTANT TO US. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, AND THIS IS AN ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M IN FAVOR OF DOING THE, UH, THE PLATINUM FOR A YEAR AND KIND OF SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, OKAY. 
          MEMBER GARCIA, I SEE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT THE CHAMBER HAS DONE. 
          IT'S GREAT TO MEET WITH OTHER CITIES DURING THEIR EVENTS. 
          IT'S GREAT EXPOSURE FOR AVONDALE, ESPECIALLY SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES. 
          THEY SUPPORT A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES. 
          UM, A LOT OF THE RIBBON CUTTINGS ARE AT SMALL BUSINESSES, SO I THINK KEEPING THE TITANIUM AND THAT RELATIONSHIP IS GREAT, GREAT FOR THE CITY. 
          UM, IF WE DID THE PLATINUM, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE WILL END UP ADDING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE, WHICH ENDS UP BEING THE TITANIUM AGAIN. 
          SO I WOULD SAY KEEP WHAT WE HAVE NOW. 
          AND I, AND I THINK THEY'RE ALL INCLUSIVE. 
          SO IT WOULD INCLUDE EVERYBODY AND EVERY BUSINESS IN AVONDALE, , VICE MAYOR NELSON. 
          I'M IN FAVOR OF THE TITANIUM ONE COUNCILOR SOLORIO. 
          UM, LET'S SEE. 
          I WOULD SAY SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT ON A YEARLY BASIS, THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO TRY THE TI UM, THE PLATINUM OTHER CITIES GET THE SAME EXPOSURE. 
          THEY'RE NOT PAYING ALL THAT MONEY. 
          LOOK AT THE CHAMBER'S WEBSITE, LOOK AT THE CHAMBERS. 
          FACEBOOK'S AND SOCIAL MEDIAS AND WHATNOT. 
          GOODYEAR HAS FAR MORE OPENINGS THAN WE DO, AND FAR MORE THINGS. 
          AND THEY'RE PLATINUM. 
          WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE TITANIUM AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND. 
          WE'VE BEEN THE ONLY ONE THAT'S BEEN TITANIUM. 
          I DID CONFIRM THAT WITH THEM. 
          THAT WAS THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF SPONSORSHIP AT THE TIME WHEN WE HAD THE SUITE. 
          WHEN WE GOT DONE WITH THE SUITE, WE STILL KEPT IT. 
          UM, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE GETTING THESE OPPORTUNITIES. 
          PRIORITY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT 25,000 IF WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY IN OTHER AREAS. 
          COOL. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT, WE HAVE TO SPONSOR 20, WE GET WITH THE TITANIUM, WE GET AN AWARD SPONSORED AN ANNUAL MEETING FOR 20 TICKETS, GALA, TWO TABLES. 
          IT'S LIKE WE'RE PAYING TO PLAY. 
          IT'S A PAY TO PLAY GAME. 
          I DON'T LIKE THOSE KIND OF THINGS. 
          BUCKEYE AND GLENDALE HAVE A FAR BETTER CHAMBER. 
          IF WE'RE IN REGARDS TO PAY TO PLAY, UM, THE SPONSORSHIPS FOR AVONDALE BUSINESSES, UM, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE, I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHERE THOSE, HOW LONG WE'VE HAD THOSE AND WHO THEY'VE GONE TO. 
          BECAUSE FROM THE LIST THAT'S ON THERE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, HOW IS THAT, IS IT ONE YEAR THAT THEY'VE BEEN ON THERE? THE PEOPLE, DO WE ROTATE 'EM OUT? DO WE PICK DIFFERENT ONES? LIKE, I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED IN 20 24, 20 25, OR 2023, IF THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. 
          MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, AL THIS WAS AN ADD-ON TO THE CONTRACT LAST YEAR. 
          SO IT'S IN YEAR ONE THAT WE HAD THE FIRST NINE MEMBERS. 
          SO IT IS ON A, UM, ANNUAL BASIS. 
          AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT EVALUATING A NEW SET FOR NEXT YEAR, PROVIDED WHICH, UM, ENGAGEMENT WE PURSUE, AND THEN THE RIBBON CUTTINGS AND GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES AS A PERSON WHO'S BEEN ON THE OTHER END OF THAT, GREAT THAT THEY HELP OUT AND DO THAT. 
          BUT SOMETIMES THEY TAKE OUR TALKING POINTS AND THEY FEEL THE SHOW IS ABOUT THEM. 
          SO I WOULD SAY TRY THE PLATINUM, BUT AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE OUTNUMBERED HERE. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. 
          WE'RE LOOKING TO SAVE MONEY. 
          I DON'T THINK WE NEED THE GALAS AND THE, ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT'S FLUFF. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, WE THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU, RON. 
          THANK YOU JEN. 
          UM, I SUPPORT THE PLATINUM OR THE TITANIUM 
          [02:00:02]
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          I, I DON'T FEEL INCLUDED WHEN I ATTEND THEIR EVENTS. 
          I WILL GO WITH THE CONSENSUS. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU GOT YOUR DIRECTION? YES, I DO. 
          MR. MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, I'M DONE FOR A MINUTE. 
          OKAY. 
          , MR. MAYOR, YOU WANNA TAKE A BREAK? I TOOK WAY TOO LONG. 
          DO WE WANNA TAKE ANOTHER FIVE MINUTE BREAK? SURE. 
          BEFORE WE START, UH, ON THE NEXT SECTION. 
          OKAY. 
          FIVE MINUTE BREAK. 
          I'LL KEEP TIMING. 
          UM, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL. 
          MY PORTION OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION WILL COVER THE RECOMMENDED COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS CHANGES FOR FY 27 WITH THE OVERALL GOAL BEING TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WHILE BALANCING, UH, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. 
          SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, THE, UM, BEFORE YOU IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE RECOMMENDED COMPENSATION INCREASES FOR OUR VARIOUS EMPLOYEE GROUPS, WHICH HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET. 
          SO FOR OUR FIRE, MOU, UM, THEY WILL RECEIVE A 5% STEP MERIT INCREASE, UH, OR 2% ONE-TIME PAYMENT FOR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE AT THE TOP STEP. 
          AND JUST A REMINDER FOR COUNSEL, THEY ALSO, UM, SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED A SIX AND A HALF PERCENT MOU INCREASE TO THE STEP PLAN OVERALL FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY GROUP, WHICH WE'RE KIND OF DEFINING AS OUR OFFICER SERGEANTS AND LIEUTENANTS AND BATTALION CHIEFS, UM, THEY'LL RECEIVE A, A 1%, OR I'M SORRY, A ONE STEP INCREASE RANGING FROM THREE 8.8% TO 5%, KIND OF DEPENDING ON, UM, WHAT GROUP THEY'RE IN. 
          COUNCIL MAY RECALL THAT WE TRANSITIONED OUR LIEUTENANTS AND BATTALION CHIEFS TO A STEP PLAN DURING THOSE, UM, THE MID-YEAR PUBLIC SAFETY ADJUSTMENTS. 
          SO THEY'RE ON A, ON A STEP PLAN GOING INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR. 
          UM, THEY'RE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR A 2% ONE-TIME PAYMENT IF THEY'RE CURRENTLY AT THE TOP STEP AS WELL. 
          UM, THIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT WOULD APPLY TO THE STEP PLAN SCALE FOR OUR GENERAL STAFF. 
          UM, A 2% MERIT INCREASE OR UP TO 2% ONE-TIME PAYMENT AT THE TOP STEP AND, UH, 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT, AT THESE OVERALL, AND, AND I THINK THIS WAS REFERENCED IN A PRIOR SLIDE FOR FY 27, THE, UH, TOTAL COMBINED SALARY COST BUDGETED FOR THE MOU AND FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY GROUP IS ROUGHLY 2.2 MILLION. 
          AND THE TOTAL SALARY COST BUDGETED FOR GENERAL STAFF IS 1.8 MILLION. 
          AND THESE ADJUSTMENTS REFLECT A BALANCED APPROACH TO MAINTAINING COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION AND SUPPORTING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION HERE AT AVONDALE. 
          BEFORE WE RE UH, REVIEW THE PROPOSED HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS FOR FY 27, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT IN HOW WE ARRIVED AT THE RECOMMENDED RATES. 
          SO FOR MEDICAL, UM, HEALTHCARE COSTS CONTINUE TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY. 
          SO THEY'RE DRIVEN BY INCREASED MEDICAL SERVICES, PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS, AND HIGH DOLLAR CLAIMS. UM, BUT THESE INCREASES AREN'T UNIQUE TO AVONDALE. 
          SO RISING HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE HAPPENING NATIONWIDE IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS. 
          UM, ADDITIONALLY, MEDICAL INFLATION CONTINUES TO OUTPACE GENERAL INFLATION, AND THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF TRANSITIONING TO A FOUR-TIER PREMIUM STRUCTURE, WHICH HELPS BETTER ALIGN COSTS WITH THE EMPLOYEE COVERAGE LEVEL THAT, THAT THEY CHOOSE. 
          SO AS A RESULT, MOST PLANS AND TIERS WILL SEE PREMIUM INCREASES IN FY 27. 
          WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DENTAL FOR DENTAL COVERAGE, WE'RE PROPOSING A MINOR RATE INCREASE TO KEEP PACE WITH COST TRENDS. 
          FOR VISION COVERAGE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ONE TIME SUB, UH, CITY SUBSIDY THAT WAS PROVIDED IN FY 26 FOR OUR NEW BUY-UP PLAN OPTION UNDER OUR, OUR NEW, UM, CONTRACTED VENDOR VSP WILL NOT CONTINUE IN FY 27. 
          UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECTED IN, IN THE RATES AS WELL FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT. 
          UM, OPEN ENROLLMENT IS TENDED TO BE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN MID TO LATE APRIL, ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO REVIEW AND SELECT BENEFIT OPTIONS. 
          UM, WE ARE GONNA MAKE IT AN ACTIVE ENROLLMENT SO THAT EMPLOYEES ARE ABLE TO, UM, EVALUATE ANY CHANGES IN THE, IN THE PREMIUMS, UM, IF THERE'S A DESIRE TO, TO MOVE PREMIUMS BASED UPON COST OR WHERE REALLY WHAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR THEMSELVES OR THEIR FAMILY, UM, GIVING THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO THROUGH AN ACTIVE ENROLLMENT PROCESS. 
          WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID IS A PASSIVE ENROLLMENT WHERE SOMEONE MAY, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR CURRENT COVERAGE AND NOT REALLY EVALUATE THOSE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY, UM, INCREASE TO THE PREMIUMS. AND ADDITIONALLY, HUMAN RESOURCES WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT DURING THIS PROCESS. 
          UM, A COMPONENT OF THIS WILL ACTUALLY INCLUDE A PRESENTATION BY OUR VENDOR, BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD, AND OUR BENEFITS CONSULTANT ON OUR VARIOUS MEDICAL PLANS BEFORE WE GET INTO, UM, FY 27. 
          SO THIS SLIDE OUTLINES THE PROPOSED MEDICAL PREMIUM, UH, ADJUSTMENTS FOR FY 27. 
          SO THE HIGHLIGHTED FY 27 COLUMNS SHOW THE PROPOSED RATES ACROSS ALL PLANS AND TIERS, INCLUDING THE PER PAY PERIOD, UH, PREMIUM DOLLAR AMOUNT INCREASES. 
          SO WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING THIS, OUR GOAL IS LONG-TERM PLAN STABILITY. 
          UM, THEREFORE THE ADJUSTMENTS 
          [02:05:01]
REFLECT CURRENT CLAIMS EXPERIENCE AND OVERALL HEALTHCARE COST TRENDS AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED IN FY 27. 
          UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES A THIRD YEAR OF TRANSITIONING TO OUR FOUR TIER PREMIUM STRUCTURE. 
          WE FOUND IN, IN, I KNOW FINANCE RANTS A FEW DIFFERENT MODELS AND LOOKING AT, AT A, A STRUCTURE THAT, UM, THAT WE WOULD INCLUDE FOR, FOR RECOMMENDATION. 
          UM, WE FOUND THAT SHORT TERM SUPPRESSION OF THE PREMIUMS OFTEN LEADS TO LARGER SPIKES LATER, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID WITH THIS PROPOSED STRATEGY. 
          UM, OVERALL WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO BALANCE EMPLOYEE AFFORDABILITY WITH FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND THESE RATES WERE SHARED WITH OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS TRUST BOARD EARLIER, UM, OR LATE LAST WEEK. 
          AND THEY DID, UM, APPROVE RECOMMENDING THESE TO COUNCIL MOVING FORWARD TO OUR DENTAL AND VISION PREMIUMS. SO DENTAL PREMIUMS, WE'LL SEE A MODEST INCREASE OF 5%. 
          THESE ADJUSTMENTS ARE RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO, UH, MEDICAL REFLECTING MORE STABLE AND COST TRENDS. 
          UM, MORE STABLE COST TRENDS IN DENTAL CARE, THE GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN COST, UH, STRONG COVERAGE WHILE ENSURING PLAN SUSTAINABILITY AND VISION RATES REMAIN FLAT. 
          HOWEVER, AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE BUY-UP PLAN OPTION IS NOT, IS NOT BEING SUBSIDIZED IN, UH, IN THE CITY FOR FY 27. 
          SO EMPLOYEES ENROLLED IN THE BUY-UP PLAN MAY NOTICE AN INCREASE AS A RESULT. 
          IT'S A SMALL INCREASE, BUT IT WOULD STILL BE AN INCREASE TO, UH, TO WHAT THEY PAID LAST, UH, OR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. 
          AND EVEN WITH THIS CHANGE, THE PLAN REMAINS COMPETITIVE AND, UM, IS ABLE TO PROVIDE VALUE VALUABLE COVERAGE OPTIONS. 
          JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUY-UP LAST YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE WERE SWITCHING VENDORS, THEY ACTUALLY HAD AN EXPANDED, UM, A BASE TIER AND A BUY-UP TIER. 
          SO FOR THIS FIRST YEAR, WE WANTED TO ENSURE EMPLOYEES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, IF THEY WANTED TO TRY THE BUY-UP PLAN OPTION TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE AND SEE IF THAT MET THEIR NEEDS BEFORE HAVING THE FULL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          SO WE, WE SUBSIDIZED TO KIND OF KEEP THOSE, UM, THOSE COSTS FLAT WITH WHAT THEY HAD PLAYED, UH, OR PAID THE, THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR. 
          SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT, WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. 
          WE'RE JUST, UM, REMOVING THAT SUBSIDY AS WE GO INTO FY 27. 
          AND THEN AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES FOR FY 27. 
          SO LOOKING AHEAD, WE'RE FOCUSING ON ENHANCING EMPLOYEE SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT THROUGH SEVERAL INITIATIVES. 
          UM, ONE IS IMPLEMENTING A EMPLOYEE LEAVE DONATION POLICY TO SUPPORT COLLEAGUES IN NEED. 
          SO ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE ABLE TO DONATE VACATION TIME TO EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE EXHAUSTED LEAVE FOR AN FMLA QUALIFYING SERIOUS HEALTH CONDITION. 
          THE NEXT FEW ITEMS WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. 
          SO WE'RE INCREASING, UM, THE MILITARY LEAVE HOURS FROM 240 HOURS OVER TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS TO UP TO 300 HOURS BASED ON THE EMPLOYEE'S SCHEDULED NUMBER OF HOURS WORKED. 
          UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS A 10 HOUR DAY, THEY WOULD, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD, UH, TRANSITION TO A UP TO 300 HOURS OF, OF MILITARY LEAVE FOR THEM. 
          IF AN EMPLOYEE TRADITIONALLY WORKS AN EIGHT HOUR DAY, IT WOULD BE 240 HOURS. 
          WE POLLED OUR, UH, COMPARATOR AGENCIES HERE LOCALLY, AND IT, IT, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE ON A SIMILAR, UM, SCHEDULE. 
          SO WE FELT THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE COMPETITIVE FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE AND, AND SOUGHT THAT FEEDBACK AND, AND IMPLEMENTED THAT BASED UPON OUR, UH, INPUT FROM OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. 
          ADDITIONALLY, THE, THE CRAIG TIGER ACT PROVIDES PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES EXPOSED TO CERTAIN TRAUMATIC EVENTS, UM, WITH UP TO A MAX TOTAL OF 36 LICENSED COUNSELING VISITS PAID FOR BY THE EMPLOYER. 
          UM, CURRENTLY OUR POLICY COVERS SWORN DETENTION AND DISPATCH STAFF. 
          UM, ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT WE EXPAND THAT TO INCLUDE OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS, OUR ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, OUR PARK RANGERS, AND OUR ID TECHNICIANS, WHICH WE, UH, HAVE AGREED TO DO AND WILL BE MOVING THAT INTO OUR POLICY. 
          AND LASTLY, OUR, UM, IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY SPACE, CURRENTLY, OUR FIRE EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE MOUR MANDATED TO CONTRIBUTE, UM, ONE AND A HALF PERCENT OF THEIR GROSS SALARY EACH PAY PERIOD TO A POST-EMPLOYMENT HEALTH PLAN ACCOUNT, UH, THAT CAN BE USED POST-EMPLOYMENT OR RETIREMENT TO PAY FOR HEALTHCARE PREMIUM SPECIFICALLY. 
          SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE ASSOCIATION IMPLEMENTED FOR THEIR MEMBERS, AND THEY ALL AGREED TO, FROM A MAN, A MANDATORY CONTRIBUTION PERSPECTIVE. 
          WE'VE RECEIVED FEEDBACK, UM, TO EXPAND THIS MANDATED PARTICIPATION TO POSITIONS OF FIRE MARSHAL, BATTALION CHIEFS, ASSISTANT FIRE AND POLICE CHIEFS, AND OUR FIRE AND POLICE CHIEF. 
          SO THINKING ABOUT IF, IF YOU'RE ELEVATING OUT OF JUST USING FIRE FOR AN EXAMPLE, UM, BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT AND THEN YOU PROMOTE OUT AND YOU'RE NO LONGER COVERED BY THE MOU, THIS ALLOWS YOU TO CONTINUE TO COMMIT, UM, THAT ONE AND A HALF PERCENT OF YOUR SALARY UP UNTIL THE POINT THAT YOU ACTUALLY ACHIEVE RETIREMENT AGE. 
          UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S CUTTING OFF AFTER THAT MOU UM, ELIGIBILITY EXISTS, AND SO GOT FEEDBACK FROM BOTH OUR FIRE CHIEFS AND OUR, AND OUR POLICE CHIEFS ABOUT, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY AN EMPLOYEE FUNDED, UM, CONTRIBUTION. 
          AND, AND SO THAT MANDATED PARTICIPATION, THERE WAS AGREEMENT TO EXTEND THAT TO THOSE 
          [02:10:01]
RANKS THAT, THAT I JUST MENTIONED. 
          IN ADDITION, UM, KIND OF GOING BACK INTO MORE THE, THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE POPULATION, UH, EXPANDING ACCESS TO PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS BY EXTENDING THE 20% RESIDENT DISCOUNT TO AVONDALE EMPLOYEES, INCREASING AWARENESS OF DISCOUNTS THROUGH LIFE MART, INCLUDING OUR PET INSURANCE, UH, OPTIONS, GYM MEMBERSHIPS AND CHILDCARE. 
          WE FOUND THAT THERE'S JUST, UM, WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO DO A BETTER JOB OF EDUCATING EMPLOYEES ABOUT SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT EXIST. 
          WE GET LOTS OF QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY ABOUT THESE TYPES OF THINGS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE JUST KEEPING IT AT THE FOREFRONT. 
          IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S SHARED ONCE A YEAR OR WHEN THEY ARE NEW HIRES, UM, THAT WE'RE JUST KEEPING THAT, UM, DYNAMIC AND, AND IN FRONT OF EMPLOYEES ON AN ONGOING BASIS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WHILE HEALTHCARE, HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE RISING, WE'RE EXPANDING PREVENTATIVE WELLNESS INITIATIVES. 
          SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, FREE ONSITE HEALTH SCREENINGS AND PARTNERING WITH BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD TO DO THINGS LIKE CHOLESTEROL READINGS, BMI, BLOOD PRESSURE. 
          WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL OF PARTNERING TO BRING A NUTRITION COUNSELING, UH, RESOURCE ONSITE PERIODICALLY TO MEET WITH EMPLOYEES. 
          UM, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT RESOURCES, MENTAL HEALTH WAS ONE OF THE, THE LARGER, UM, AREAS OF, OF CLAIMS AND, AND, UM, NEEDS FROM OUR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS. 
          SO CONTINUING THAT SUCH AS OUR EAP ONSITE CLASSES AND CONTINUING TO JUST EDUCATE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT EXIST FOR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THAT EAP SPACE. 
          AND JUST CONTINUING TO ENHANCE EMPLOYEE EDUCATION. 
          UM, ULTIMATELY WHAT WE WANT IS TO ENSURE THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE INCREASED HEALTHCARE COSTS, THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO ENSURE THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE INFORMATION AVAILABLE WHEN THERE'S A TIME AND NEED. 
          AND SO, JUST A REALLY SMALL EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WE'VE CREATED A MAGNET THAT EMPLOYEES COULD PUT ON THEIR RE ON THEIR REFRIGERATOR ON SOMEWHERE THAT THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE ON AN ONGOING BASIS. 
          AND IT REALLY HELPS THEM TO KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR THE TYPE OF CARE THAT'S NEEDED. 
          SO WHETHER THEY SHOULD SEEK OUT TELEHEALTH, UM, URGENT CARE, THEIR PCP OR AN ER VISIT, UH, JUST SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF TOP OF MIND AND, AND IN FRONT OF THEM AT ANY POINT IN TIME. 
          UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, IF IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE HANDLED THROUGH A MEANS OF THEM NOT GOING TO AN ER, THE COST OF THAT IS GONNA BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS. 
          AND SO JUST MAKING SURE EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE OF, OF WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE. 
          UM, THERE'S A QR CODE ON THERE TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT. 
          SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO EXPAND UPON IN THE COMING YEAR. 
          SO THIS CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION. 
          I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE. 
          THANK YOU, ANDY. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. 
          UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, ANDY, UH, JUST FOR REFERENCE, I KNOW THAT I HAD TO USE THE TELEMED ONE TIME THAT'S QUITE DIFFERENT THAN FROM WHAT SOME OF LIKE THE PRACTITIONER'S OFFER, SOME OF LIKE THOSE MINUTE CLINICS. 
          COULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET MORE EDUCATION IN REGARDS TO THAT AS WELL AS WHAT IF WE'RE OUT OF TOWN? YES. 
          AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          BECAUSE I KNOW IF WE'RE OUT OF TOWN, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT SEEN THE SAME WAY. 
          SO SOME OPTIONS REGARDING THAT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO ER. 
          YES, ABSOLUTELY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I, UM, WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE CHANGES IN THE BENEFIT PLANS. 
          UM, I THINK THOSE ARE THE SLIDES WITH THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OFFERINGS. 
          SO, UM, WHEN I LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE CHANGE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING UP A LOT FOR FAMILIES. 
          IS THAT BECAUSE WHAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE IS GOING DOWN? UH, NO MA'AM. 
          I, SO, UM, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, UM, ESSENTIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT, SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE AT PLAY. 
          IT'S, IT'S ALSO LOOKING AT THE FUND, OUR SELF-FUNDED PLAN TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, ENOUGH MONEY THERE FOR US TO, UH, RESPOND TO THE CLAIMS, THE TRENDS THAT WE HAVE, UH, COMING FORWARD. 
          AND ADDITIONALLY, IT ALSO HAS AN IMPACT FROM THE TIER. 
          UM, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE TRANSITIONED TO THE FOUR TIER PROGRAM, SO MAKING SURE THAT THE, UM, ALLOCATION OF, UH, HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE APPROPRIATELY DISTRIBUTED, WHERE BEFORE WE ONLY HAD A TWO TIER PLAN. 
          AND SO SOME OF THAT IS ALSO PLAYING INTO THOSE PERCENTAGES IN WHICH, UH, THE INCREASES ARE, ARE COMING UP. 
          SO, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, IF I, IF I CAN ADD, UH, AN EXAMPLE. 
          SO BEFORE YOU HAD EMPLOYEE AND THEN EMPLOYEE FAMILY, SO SOMEONE WITH AN EMPLOYEE AND SPOUSE WAS HAVING TO PAY THE FAMILY RATE, AND SO THEY WERE PAYING A HIGHER, UH, PERCENTAGE OF WHAT THE COST OF THE PLAN, UH, WAS. 
          SO THIS IS, YOU'LL SEE A LOWER INCREASE TO THE SPOUSE AND CHILDREN PLAN, UM, BECAUSE WE OVERPAID FOR YEARS AND WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE IT OUT. 
          AND THEN, UM, THE FAMILIES HAVING TO PAY MORE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, AGAIN, IS THE, ANDY SAID TO MAKE SURE 
          [02:15:01]
THAT EACH TIER IS PAYING FOR ITS USES. 
          UM, THE REAL GOAL HERE, AND THAT I HOPE PEOPLE WILL PAY ATTENTION TO, ONE OF OUR GOALS ALSO IS TO HELP PEOPLE MOVE TO THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE. 
          SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE EMPLOYEE FAMILY, INSTEAD OF HAVING, UM, A $53 INCREASE IF THEY WENT FROM PPO TO THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE, WOULD ACTUALLY SEE $180 REDUCTION, UM, BY JUST MOVING FROM THE PPO PLAN TO THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN, PLUS THAT WE GET THE 57 69. 
          SO PART OF THAT IS STRUCTURING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BASE PLAN IS THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN IS THE MOST AFFORDABLE, AND RENEE'S GOT HER HAND UP TO MAYOR. 
          OKAY, MAYOR RENEE. 
          UM, AND TO ANSWER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WATTS QUESTION, KNOW, THE AMOUNT FOR THE EMPLOYER FOR THE CITY IS PICKING UP IS HIGHER THAN THAT PERCENTAGE YOU'RE SEEING FOR THE EMPLOYEE. 
          SO I I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. 
          I THINK WHAT I'M ALSO NOTICING IS THAT AN, AN EMPLOYEE AND A SPOUSE COSTS MORE THAN AN EMPLOYEE AND THEIR CHILDREN. 
          AM I, IS THAT RIGHT? UH, COUN, UH, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          YES, THAT IS CORRECT. 
          I I CAN JUST ONLY IMAGINE. 
          I I ONLY HAVE ONE SPOUSE, BUT I HAVE THREE KIDS. 
          SO CAN WE, CAN SOMEBODY HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S CHEAPER TO COVER MY KIDS THAN IT IS MY ONE HUSBAND? UH, MR. MAYOR, COUNSEL, THESE ARE ACTUARY NUMBERS PROVIDED BY OUR, UM, CONSULTANTS WHO DO THE MATH, I WOULD ARGUE JUST BY EXAMPLE, IS MY WIFE IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO INSURE. 
          I LOVE HER TO DEATH, BUT SHE'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO INSURE COMPARED TO WHEN I HAD MY, UH, TWO CHILDREN, UH, WHO VERY, VERY RE SPENT MONEY UNLESS THEY WERE INJURED. 
          UM, SO I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH THE AGE AND JUST THE TOTAL COST OF A SPOUSE, UH, BECAUSE IF THEIR SPOUSE, THERE COULD BE THAT THEY'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE CHILDREN PHASE, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. 
          AND SO THEY'RE, THE OLDER WE GET, THE MORE, MORE IT COSTS. 
          UM, BUT THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT DONE BY US. 
          THEY'RE DONE BY, UH, AN ACTUARIAL. 
          UH, BUT RENEE ALSO, MR. MAYOR. 
          YEP. 
          SO SORRY, MAYOR AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          UM, WHEN WE MADE THE INITIAL TRANSITION FROM TWO TIERS TO FOUR TIERS, WE USED THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE RATIOS FROM OUR, UM, OUR CONSULTANT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          AND THEN I JUST LA LAST QUESTION, UM, ABOUT THE CHILDREN. 
          WE, WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE OUR DEPENDENT CHILDREN WHO ARE IN SCHOOL ACTUALLY JUST DEPENDENT CHILDREN ON OUR INSURANCE UP TILL 26, CORRECT? IS THAT STILL CORRECT? MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER BOYT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THAT'S ALL QUESTIONS. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT IT WENT UP BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF HIGH DOLLAR CLAIMS. CAN YOU GIVE EXAMPLE OF WHAT THOSE CLAIMS ARE? YEAH, SO WE'VE HAD, UM, SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT, UM, SORRY, I'M GOING BACK TO MY NOTES HERE. 
          UM, WE HAD ONE WHERE I BELIEVE WE HAD AN, AN EMPLOYER, A DEPENDENT THAT HAD A, UH, LIVER FAILURE AND NEEDED TO HAVE A LIVER TRANSPLANT. 
          UM, WE'VE HAD CANCERS CERTAINLY A NUMBER OF CANCERS THAT, THAT HAVE HIT THE, THE HEALTHCARE, UM, OUR CLAIMS, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ANOTHER, JUST SIGNIFICANT, UM, WHETHER IT'S FOR AN EMPLOYEE OR THEY'RE DEPENDENT, UM, THINGS THAT WOULD REALLY ESSENTIALLY MAKE THEM, UM, IN SOME INSTANCES NOT EVEN ABLE TO CONTINUE IN, IN THEIR, UM, THEIR STATUS WITH US IN, IN THEIR JOB BECAUSE IT'S HAD SUCH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, UH, ON THEM. 
          AND OBVIOUSLY WE, THEY HAVE, WE HELP THEM TRANSITION TO LONG-TERM DISABILITY OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT THEY'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, UM, TO PERFORM THEIR JOB ANYMORE IN SOME INSTANCES. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I KNOW, I MEAN, JUST IN GENERAL AND HOW WELL DO WE DO IN EDUCATING ON LIKE LIVING BETTER TO BE HEALTHIER, RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S REAL, SO IMPORTANT. 
          AND I KNOW WE'RE SURROUNDED BY MEXICAN FOOD, WHICH I LOVE, AND IT IS THE BEST, RIGHT? WE HAVE SUCH GOOD FOOD HERE IN AVONDALE. 
          SO, UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, WE HAVE THE PARK RIGHT THERE THAT PEOPLE COULD GO WALKING DURING THEIR LUNCH AND STUFF. 
          HOW OFTEN DO WE GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY JUST TO GET OUTSIDE AND WALK AND DO THOSE THINGS JUST LIKE AFTER LUNCH OR MAYBE YOU GUYS HAVE LIKE A WALKING THING BEFORE WORK TOGETHER JUST TO, UM, PUSH THAT, YOU KNOW, A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE. 
          MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, I CAN ACTUALLY TELL YOU THAT WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY, UM, EMBRACED IMPLEMENTING A WELLNESS CULTURE HERE OVER THE LAST, UM, THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. 
          UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, I'LL JUST GIVE AN EXAMPLE. 
          WE HAVE, UM, ONCE A MONTH HERE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS DOING, UH, WHAT'S CALLED AVONDALE IN MOTION, WHERE WE CAN COME INTO THE 
          [02:20:01]
COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND HAVE ONE OF OUR LEADERS LEAD A, A STRETCHING EXERCISE FOR FIVE TO 10 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES TO GET THEM UP AND AROUND. 
          SO MANY OF US ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER SITTING DOWN ALL DAY. 
          UM, WE ROUTINELY HAVE, UM, EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHO GO ON WALKS DURING THEIR BREAKS. 
          A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT AS IT GETS HOTTER, BUT DOING THINGS LIKE THAT ARE WITHIN THE BUILDING. 
          UM, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT, AS I MENTIONED IN MY, IN MY LAST SLIDE, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, OTHER OPTIONS FOR US TO ENHANCE OUR WELLNESS INITIATIVES. 
          SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, EVEN IN OUR SMALL FITNESS ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR, IS REPLACING OUR TREADMILLS IN THERE. 
          SO WE HAVE SOME THAT, UM, WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE OUT OF COMMISSION OR, OR GETTING OLD IN AGE. 
          SO REPLACING THOSE WITH, UH, WITH NEW ONES. 
          WE HAVE WELLNESS ROOMS THAT WE'VE STARTED TO, UM, TO INCORPORATE TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF BREAK AWAY FROM, UM, FROM THEIR DAY TO DAY OR EVEN FROM A BREAK ROOM WHERE MAYBE OTHERS MIGHT BE IN THERE AND THEY HAVE A QUIET SPACE THAT THEY CAN BE ALONE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. 
          UM, WE HAVE A SOUND MACHINE AND, AND THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO KIND OF JUST TAKE A BREAK AND THEN, AND THEN REENGAGE, UM, ONCE THAT THAT TIME PASSES. 
          BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT. 
          WE, WE SEEK INPUT FROM OUR BENEFITS COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL ON PRIORITIES. 
          SO THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ARE MEANINGFUL TO EMPLOYEES, UM, AND NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE THINK WOULD BE GOOD AND, AND THERE'S NO ACTION TAKEN, UM, FROM AN ENGAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE. 
          AWESOME. 
          WELL, NO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO AND POURING INTO OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WAY IS SO IMPORTANT. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT OFTEN, UM, BUT EVEN THE EMPLOYEES MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE LIKE OFFSITE. 
          UM, SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. 
          UH, RON, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, I WANTED TO ALSO SHARE, UM, UH, ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE. 
          WE'VE BEEN DOING THOSE WELLNESS SCREENINGS WITH THYROID CHECKS AND BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS AND GLUCOSE CHECKS, AND YOU NAME IT, FOR YEARS. 
          AND I KNOW PERSONALLY OF ONE EMPLOYEE WHO CAUGHT A CANCER EARLY AND REDUCED MONEY. 
          SO WE'VE ACTUALLY SAVED THE CITY, UH, MONEY IN THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS BY DOING THOSE EARLY PROGRAMS. SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT WHILE I THINK THE EXERCISING WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS, I THINK HISTORICALLY AS FAR AS THE, UH, WELLNESS CHECKS, WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THAT. 
          IN ADDITION, UM, I KNOW THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS IMPLEMENTED OVER THE LAST LITTLE BIT SOME MENTAL HEALTH, UM, UH, PROGRAMS, UH, TO ENCOURAGE, UH, UH, WELLNESS IN MENTAL HEALTH OVER THERE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          SO, UM, AND OUR GYMS AT THE FIRE STATION ARE ALL IN GOOD SHAPE. 
          UH, THEY'RE NICE , VICE MAYOR NIELSEN. 
          ANDY, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          MAYBE LOGISTICS RIGHT NOW, IF WE GO TO OPEN EMPLOYMENT, WE SIGN ON TO A DP AND WE DO WHATEVER WE NEED IN THERE, THIS NEW SOFTWARE THAT WE'RE GONNA GET FOR NEXT YEAR IS THAT WE ENTRYWAY INTO THAT. 
          HOW WILL WE DO OPEN ENROLLMENT NEXT TIME WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DO OPEN ENROLLMENT? ABSOLUTELY. 
          SO, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UM, THIS YEAR'S OPEN ENROLLMENT WILL CONTINUE ON IN A DP. 
          SO IT'D BE NO, NO CHANGE THAN IN PRIOR YEARS. 
          OUR NEW SYSTEM, UH, ONCE IMPLEMENTED, WE'LL HAVE A DIFFERENT PLATFORM. 
          WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF, UH, OF TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO ENSURE EMPLOYEES AND, UH, OTHER, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT, THAT YOU ALL NEED IN ORDER TO, TO ENROLL. 
          UM, IT'LL LOOK TOTALLY DIFFERENT. 
          IT'LL BE A DIFFERENT SYSTEM ALTOGETHER. 
          UH, THE TIMING OF IT, AGAIN, LOOKING AT WHEN WE ACTUALLY GO LIVE WITH IT, WE MAY HAVE ONE MORE YEAR IN A DP DEPENDING ON THAT, ON THAT TIMELINE AND, AND IMPLEMENTATION. 
          BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY, UH, COMMUNICATE AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, 'CAUSE IT'LL BE NEW FOR EVERYBODY. 
          SO ENSURING THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES NECESSARY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL RIO, UM, WHO DO WE KNOW WHO THE NEW COMPANY IS THAT WILL TAKE OVER FOR THAT? MAYOR, VICE MAYOR? WE HAVE A, A, WE HAVE ONE, A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT, BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING FORMAL YET AS FAR AS, UH, AN AGREEMENT SIGNED OR A CONTRACT, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. 
          AND WAS IT EVER SAID WHY WE ARE GETTING AWAY FROM A DP? I MAY HAVE MISSED THAT. 
          YEAH, SO, UM, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, UH, LOOKING AT ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD AT, AT LEAST OVER, UM, I THINK SINCE THE TIME, UH, CITY MANAGER CORBIN'S BEEN HERE AND, AND MYSELF, WE'VE HAD SOME INSTANCES OF, UH, HAVING SOME PAYROLL ISSUES OR PAYROLL CHALLENGES, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD TO HAVE SOME, UH, CLAIMS PAID OUT ON, UM, WHERE LOOKING AT, UH, POTENTIALLY A DP BEING SET UP IN SUCH A WAY, OR THE SYSTEM BEING SET UP IN SUCH A WAY THAT, UM, WASN'T ACCOMMODATING IN, IN THAT, IN THAT SENSE. 
          SO REQUIRING US TO REALLY KIND OF TAKE A DEEP DIVE, NOT ONLY ON THE PAYROLL SIDE, BUT ALSO ON THE HR SIDE. 
          WHAT I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY EVALUATION OF IT IS, UM, OUR NEEDS ARE EXPANDING BECAUSE WE'RE A GROWING CITY AND WE HAVE A, A GROWING WORKFORCE AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER SYSTEM WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE IS 
          [02:25:01]
ALLOWING US TO BE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AND ABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH THAT. 
          UM, A LOT OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY IN PLACE ARE MANUAL AND RELY ON A LOT OF, UM, MANUAL INTERVENTION, WHICH CREATES THAT, UM, THAT RISK OF, OF HAVING ERRORS MADE. 
          AND SO THOSE ARE SOME KEY FACTORS FOR US. 
          AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME MODULES FOR, UH, WORKFORCE AND O OVERALL THAT JUST DON'T EXIST TODAY. 
          OKAY. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, ANDY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE JAMES, MELANIE, OUR CITY PROJECTS ADMINISTRATOR TO COVER OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR OF CITY COUNCIL. 
          UM, I'M GONNA COVER THE SAME BASIC PRESENTATION I'VE GIVEN YOU THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M NOT GONNA COVERT EVERY SINGLE PROJECT. 
          UM, BUT CERTAINLY IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP ME IF I CAN'T ANSWER IT. 
          WE HAVE THE DIRECTORS AVAILABLE, UM, WHO CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          UH, SO AS ALWAYS, WE'D LIKE TO START WITH WINS. 
          WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF PROJECTS DONE THIS YEAR. 
          COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS RIGHT THERE. 
          THE TOP PHOTO IS CIVIC CENTER PARK, IO COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA JUST MENTIONED IT, SEEING THAT STAFF ARE WALKING AROUND THERE EVERY DAY I LEAVE HERE, I SEE RESIDENTS OUT THERE. 
          UM, SO THAT'S A PRETTY AWESOME, UM, ADD TO OUR CAMPUS. 
          AND THEN THE, THE BOTTOM PHOTO ISN'T OF CONSTRUCTION, IT'S THE NATURE FEST BEING HELD IN THE FRESHLY REMODELED BASIN MERIDIAN, UM, AREA. 
          AND THEN I WANT TO TOUCH ON HERE, THE FIRE TRAINING TOWER IS OUR NEXT PROJECT THAT'S WRAPPING UP. 
          JUST A REMINDER, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR CALENDAR INVITE, WE ARE DOING RIBBON CUTTING ON APRIL 27TH. 
          SO PLEASE, PLEASE ATTEND. 
          WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OUR PROJECTS AND SPEND TO DATE. 
          WE GOT A LITTLE OVER $42 MILLION HERE. 
          UH, ONE THING I DO, OR A COUPLE THINGS I WANNA HIGHLIGHT ON THIS CHART, OBVIOUSLY WE INVEST A LOT IN PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          SO THAT'S THAT BIG, THAT YELLOW, THAT'S THE FIRE TRAINING SITE, THAT'S THE CANINE FACILITY, THAT'S POLICE COMMS. UM, AND THEN YOU SEE ALSO THE ASSET REPLACEMENT IN BLUE. 
          IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE LARGER THAN A NUMBER YOU SEE, UM, LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION. 
          THE REASON IS THERE WAS CARRYOVER FROM ASSET REPLACEMENT. 
          SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT REAL DEFERENCE. 
          AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT, UM, MS. WE HAS TOUCHED ON THAT WE'VE KIND OF PULLED BACK A LITTLE BIT OF ASSET REPLACEMENT JUST TO MAKE THE BOOKS BALANCE. 
          AND THEN OBVIOUSLY OUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN PARKS AND RECREATION, YOU CONTINUE TO SEE THESE, UM, UP BE A LARGE SECTION OF OUR SPENDING IN THE CIP THAT IS NOT CHANGING AS YOU'LL SEE IN MY CO SLIDES. 
          ALRIGHT, SO PROGRAM TO BE COMPLETED AGAIN IN FY 28. 
          AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON HERE, UM, BUT I DO WANNA TOUCH ON DONATELLA PARK. 
          WE JUST HAD THE RIBBON CUTTING ON THAT IN FEBRUARY. 
          THAT'S THE FIRST NEW PARK IN NORTH OF I 10 SINCE UM, FRIENDSHIP WENT IN. 
          SO IT'S A BIG ADD TO THE, THE COMMUNITY UP THERE. 
          UM, THE SIGNAL AT AVONDALE BOULEVARD AND MIAMI, THIS IS TO SUPPORT THE FRIES COMING IN DOWN THERE, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE ALMAR AREA, UH, OLD TOWN PLAZA. 
          UM, TAKING A VACANT PART OF PARCEL OF LAND ON WESTERN AVENUE AND REALLY CREATING A GATEWAY INTO OLD TOWN. 
          UH, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IS WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSE WITH OUR PARKS AND RECREATION TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROJECT IS COMPLETE PRIOR TO BILLY MOORE DAYS. 
          UM, AND THEN THE SIGNAL AT A HUNDRED 11TH AND THOMAS. 
          'CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ON THAT. 
          WE MET WITH BOTH THE HOAS ON IT, AND I'M PROBABLY GONNA SAY THIS WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE WE'RE REMODELING. 
          WE'RE DOING SOME LANDSCAPING ON THE SOUTH SIDE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE NORTH SIDE. 
          THEY ASKED US NOT TO DO ANYTHING. 
          UM, BUT THAT PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD. 
          IT'LL BE COMPLETE, UH, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PROJECTS. 
          SO SEVERAL OF THESE, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO YOU NOW IT SEEMS LIKE FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE. 
          UM, BUT THESE ARE SOME MASSIVE PROJECTS THAT TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET DONE RIGHT. 
          UM, BUT A COUPLE ON HERE THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AS WELL AWARE OF HOLLY ACRES WATERLINE REPLACEMENT. 
          IN YEARS PAST WE'VE HAD A WATERLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT AND EVERY YEAR WE KIND OF ADDED MORE MONEY TO IT. 
          BUT REALLY IT WAS HOLLY ACRES. 
          UM, IT'S A LARGE SUBDIVISION, UM, THAT HAS VERY AGED EQUIPMENT. 
          UH, SO THAT'S ALLOWING US TO GO THROUGH AND REPLACE ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND THEN ALSO BRINGS SOME SERVICES OUT OF THE ALLEYWAYS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO STAFF. 
          UM, I ALSO WANT TO TOUCH ON THE SOUTHERN AVONDALE FIRE POLICE STATION. 
          UM, SO I, I'M SHOWING THERE $25 MILLION AND I ALSO HAVE A LITTLE BULLET POINT THERE. 
          AND THE REASON IS WE HAVE PROGRAMMED THIS FOR THAT FUTURE BOND FUNDING. 
          SO IF THAT, IF THE DIRECTION WAS NOT TO GO FORWARD WITH TRYING TO DO ANOTHER BOND OFFERING, UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS PROJECT MOVE FORWARD. 
          UM, AND THEN THE LAST ONE I WANNA TOUCH ON, OH, A FREE TO TRAIL LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD CROSS. 
          AND WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW WE ALIGN PROJECTS WITH EACH OTHER. 
          SO THIS IS JUST A GREAT EXAMPLE. 
          THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN PUSHED KIND OF OUT TO FY 30. 
          SO WHAT THIS IS DOING IS CREATING MORE OF A TRAIL ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE AWA FREE TRAIL 
          [02:30:01]
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FESTIVAL. 
          BUT WE'RE EXPANDING LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. 
          SO WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS BUILD A BRAND NEW ROAD AND THEN HAVE PEOPLE CROSSING A CONSTRUCTION SITE OR WORSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND REDO A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE JUST PUT IN. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA TIME THIS SO THAT IT'S DONE RIGHT AFTER WE'VE OPENED LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER. 
          WE SHALL HAVE THIS CROSSING AND, AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT SAFELY ACROSS. 
          ALRIGHT, SO NEW PROJECTS FOR FFY SEVEN TO FY 32. 
          UM, AND, AND I KNOW IT'S, IT'S 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, BUT I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN YEAR SIX. 
          SO BEAR WITH ME. 
          UM, THE FIRST TWO BULLET POINTS HERE ARE THE SAME THAT I TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR. 
          UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY HAVE A CASH FLOW APPROACH. 
          UM, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE APPROPRIATE FUNDS IN THE YEAR WE THINK WE'RE GONNA SPEND THEM, RIGHT? SO IN YEARS PAST WE'VE APPROPRIATED ALL THE MONIES IN YEAR ONE THINKING, OH, IT'S GONNA BE A $20 MILLION PROJECT. 
          AND THEN WE DON'T SPEND THAT MONEY. 
          AND THEN THAT THE, THE, THE, THE HIGH PEAK THAT MISS WEATHERLY HAS TO SHOW EVERY COUNCIL MEETING, IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER. 
          SO BY SPREADING IT OUT, WE, WE AREN'T DOING THAT AND IT MAKES BUDGETING EASIER, IT MAKES HOW WE PLAN OUT EASIER. 
          AND THEN WE'RE ALSO CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT WORKFLOW AND ADJACENT ACTIVITIES. 
          SO LIKE I JUST SAID, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE KNOW AND OTHER PROJECTS ARE COMING UP, WE KNOW AND DEVELOPERS ARE COMING IN. 
          SO WE'RE ASKING TO MOVE PROJECTS AROUND TO WORK OUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY. 
          THE SECOND THING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN YEARS PAST IS THE MEASURED APPROACH. 
          UM, SO WE'RE PHASING PROJECTS, SO I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE PROJECTS LATER ON THAT RATHER THAN COME FORWARD WITH A VERY VAGUE SCOPE AND TRYING TO GUESS AT THE OVERALL DOLLAR AMOUNT, WE'RE ASKING FOR SMALLER BITES OF THE PIE. 
          SO WE CAN DO STUDIES, WE CAN DO DESIGN, AND THEN GET THE APPROPRIATE COST SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK TO YOU. 
          UM, AND THEN IF WE, THAT DOES HAPPEN, IF A PROJECT IS UNFUNDED, WE'RE NOT LOSING TRACK OF IT, WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRACK IT. 
          IT'S JUST, IT'S SHOWING UP AS UNFUNDED. 
          UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE BIG THING THAT'S CHANGING OUR CIP MOVING FORWARD IS THE BOND FUNDING. 
          UM, AND I DO APOLOGIZE HERE, I'M SHOWING 63 MILLION. 
          IT'S $68 MILLION. 
          UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THERE. 
          AND THEN THE, THE IMPACT ON THAT, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS WITH WHAT MS. LES HAS SHOWN AND WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR SOME MORE ON THE, THE, THE WATER WASTEWATER SIDE. 
          VERY, VERY LITTLE. 
          UM, NEW PROJECTS COMING ON THOSE SIDES FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. 
          SO I'M ACTUALLY NOT EVEN GONNA ANY OF THOSE PROJECTS. 
          IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AND YOU SEE IT IN YOUR SPREADSHEET, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. 
          ALRIGHT, SO GOING RIGHT INTO IT. 
          PARKS, BOND PROJECTS, THESE ARE THE NEW PROJECTS, RIGHT? SO THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE TALKED TO, THE BOND COMMITTEE THAT WE GOT THEIR BUY-IN ON. 
          SEEING SOME OF THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECTS. 
          AGAIN, I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT JUST A COUPLE OF THESE FESTIVAL FIELDS, PARK SHADE, UM, EXPANSION. 
          THIS IS REALLY OVER THE SPLASH PAD AND OVER THE SPECTATOR AREA FOR LITTLE LEAGUE. 
          UM, SO IT'S TO GIVE THEM MORE OF THAT SHADE THAT WE KNOW IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. 
          UM, AND SPECIFICALLY HIT THOSE TWO AREAS. 
          UM, ANOTHER ONE IN HERE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAT WE DIDN'T, WE KIND OF TOUCHED ON WITH THE, THE BOND COMMITTEE. 
          AND I THINK WE TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT WITH COUNCIL, BUT WE DIDN'T GET INTO A LOT OF DETAILS. 
          THIS IDEA OF LAND, RIGHT? SO WE PUT LANGUAGE IN THE BOND ALLOWING US TO PURCHASE LAND. 
          WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO GROW PARK ACREAGE. 
          WE KNOW WE HAVE A NEED FOR IT THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION MASTER, OR SORRY, THE PARKS MASTER PLAN AND THE STUDIES THAT THEY HAVE DONE. 
          SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE KIND OF SETTING A PLACEHOLDER. 
          THIS GIVES US THAT PERMISSION FROM COUNSEL TO GO AHEAD AND START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS. 
          WE'LL STILL FOLLOW ALL THE LEGAL STEPS. 
          IF WE GET ANY FURTHER ALONG, WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNSEL AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE INVOLVED. 
          BUT AGAIN, IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THOSE BASE CONVERSATIONS. 
          UM, AND THEN, UH, ANOTHER ONE I WANNA TOUCH ON HERE REAL QUICK. 
          THE TRAILHEAD AVENUE BOULEVARD AND BASE MERIDIAN NORTH. 
          THIS IS INTERESTING. 
          IT CAME UP FROM THE CITY OF PHOENIX. 
          THEY ACTUALLY HAD A PLAN, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND THEY BUILT THE 99TH AVENUE TREATMENT PLANT. 
          UM, THIS IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN WHAT YOU THINK A TRAILHEAD WOULD BE BECAUSE THEY HAVE FEDERAL GRANT CAPACITY. 
          UM, THIS WILL BE A MULTI-STAGE PARTNER, UM, PROJECT. 
          UH, THE CITY OF PHOENIX WILL PROVIDE THE GRANT, UM, FUNDING FOR US. 
          LIKE THEY'LL, THEY'LL WORK WITH THE FEDS TO GET THE DOLLARS. 
          IT WILL BE BUILT ON A ARMY, OR SORRY, THE, UH, MARICOPA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT LAND. 
          WE WILL PAY A MATCH IN THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS WOULD ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT IT. 
          UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. 
          SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF IT. 
          AND THEN AGAIN, LAS VEGAS PARK, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR COUNCIL. 
          WE KNOW IT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE COMMUNITY DOWN THERE IN LASS. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS AGAIN THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT THAT, THAT ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM OF LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD WINDING, WE WANT TO GET MORE DESIGN DONE BEFORE WE START DESIGN ON THIS PARK. 
          JUST BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE DESIGN OF THE ROAD WILL AFFECT THE PARK. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S BEING PHASED IN WHERE IT IS. 
          AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE ONES WHERE I SAID, HEY, BEAR WITH ME ON THE 32. 
          'CAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA SAY IT'LL BE DONE IN 31 WHEN WE'RE ACTUALLY PROGRAMMING IT TO BE COMPLETED IN 32. 
          SO FUNDING OVER TWO YEARS, 31 AND 32. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          AND THEN SOME ONGOING, UM, PROJECTS. 
          SO AGAIN, THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, BUT PERHAPS WE'RE, UM, WE'RE SIMPLY TAKING SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN GENERAL FUND AND 
          [02:35:01]
CONVERTING IT INTO MORE OF THE BOND DOLLARS. 
          SO THE BRIDGE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE BRIDGE, UM, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROGRAMMED TO BE A GENERAL FUND PROJECT AND WE PULLED IT BACK. 
          WE TRIED DOING A GRANT, DIDN'T WORK. 
          SO THIS WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING THROUGH THE BOND. 
          UM, AND THEN THE TRAILHEAD, AFRI AND MC 85, I SAY ONGOING, THIS IS A, A COUNCIL APPROVED US PURCHASING LAND. 
          SO THE COUNTY THAT LAND CELL JUST COMPLETED AND CLOSED THE OTHER DAY. 
          SO WE'LL HAVE FUNDING TO DO DESIGN IN A COUPLE YEARS. 
          THIS WILL ALSO TIE IN WITH THAT MC 85 BUCKEYE ROAD PROJECT. 
          SO EVERYTHING HAS TO WORK TOGETHER AS WE TIME THESE PROJECTS. 
          SO WE DON'T WANT TO BUILD A TRAILHEAD BEFORE WE HAVE A TRAIL, RIGHT? SO THE TRAIL HAS TO COME FIRST, THEN WE BUILD A TRAILHEAD. 
          SO THERE IS A PATTERN OF SEQUENCING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE'RE ASKING FOR THESE PROJECTS IN THE ORDER IN WHICH WE'RE ASKING FOR THEM. 
          ALL RIGHT? AND THEN TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, UH, CITY PARKING LOTS RESURFACING. 
          THAT'S RIGHT OUT HERE ON THE NORTH PARKING LOT CIVIC CENTER, IT'S UH, MAIN PD THE ROOSEVELT HALF STREET IMPROVEMENTS. 
          THIS IS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO NBC SUITES. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA EXPAND ROOSEVELT FROM AVONDALE BOULEVARD, UH, OVER TO B EMBASSY SUITES. 
          UM, SO IT'S A FULL STREET SECTION THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. 
          UM, THE TWO PROJECTS THERE AT INTERSECTION AT VAN BUR AND, AND DYSERT AND THE DYSERT ROAD IMPROVEMENTS. 
          I ATTEND RANCHO SANTA FE. 
          AGAIN, I'VE GOT THOSE LITTLE STARS ON THERE, THE ASTERISKS ON THERE BECAUSE THOSE ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE VERY COMPLICATED SCOPES. 
          AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR INITIAL FUNDING FOR DESIGN AND SOME RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION. 
          AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK IN FUTURE YEARS FUNDING AVAILABILITY, UM, TO, TO REQUEST, UM, TO CONSTRUCT THEM. 
          AND THEN ALSO TWO STARS ON THE LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD WIDENING. 
          HUNDRED SEVENTH AVENUE TO RICHFIELD, UH, SORRY, HUNDRED SEVENTH AVENUE TO LITCHFIELD ROAD. 
          UM, THE WAY THIS WORKS OUT, THIS IS AN ADOT PROJECT. 
          WE'LL BE BRINGING AN IGA TO YOU VERY SOON TO START DESIGN ON IT. 
          THE WAY THE ADOT WORKS IS WE PREPAY FOR EVERYTHING. 
          SO WHEN WE BRING THAT IGA TO YOU TO ASK TO DO DESIGN AND, AND RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION, WE NOW HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT BEFORE ANY OF THAT CAN ACTUALLY GET STARTED. 
          ONCE THE DESIGN GETS DONE, THEY WILL TAKE OUR COST ESTIMATE AND THEY WILL BILL US FOR THE FULL COST OF CONSTRUCTION AT THAT DAY BEFORE IT GETS BID, BEFORE IT GETS AWARDED EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          NOW, IF IT GETS AWARDED AND IT'S A LOT HIGHER, WE CAN, WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE DO AT THAT POINT AND WITH ADOT. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE IN THE FUNDING IT CALLS FOR FUNDING IN LIKE 28, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT GONNA HAVE THE ROAD DONE IN 2030. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR, UM, FOR EVERYBODY. 
          AND THEN VAN BUREN WHITENING, HUNDRED SEVENTH AVENUE TO AVONDALE BOULEVARD. 
          THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN IN THE MAG TIP FOR A LONG TIME. 
          WE'RE STARTING TO SEE IT ROLL INTO THE CURRENT PATTERN. 
          AND SO ONCE IT STARTS PULLING UP, THERE'S FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT US, BUT THAT WOULD BE RIGHT NOW WHAT WE BELIEVE OUR MATCH WOULD BE FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT. 
          UM, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THOSE COSTS THOUGH IN THE, OUT OF THE FIVE YEARS. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, ASSET AND VEHICLE REPLACEMENT. 
          UM, THESE NUMBERS ARE LARGELY UNCHANGED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF IT. 
          IT WAS ABLE TO TO TO, TO MAKE A LOT OF THEIR PURCHASES AND THIS YEAR AND THEIR NEED WAS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN IT WAS PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE DECREASE YOU SEE THERE. 
          OVERALL, YOU SEE, UM, UH, UH, ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS SPREAD BETWEEN THE REST OF 'EM. 
          SO WE'RE TAKING THAT BIG HIT THIS FIRST YEAR AND THEN SPREADING IT OUT THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEARS OF THE FIVE YEAR CIP. 
          AND LAST YEAR WHEN I SHOWED YOU THIS, I ALSO HAD A, A FIRE APPARATUS ON HERE. 
          UM, BUT IT'S GETTING A LITTLE COMPLICATED, SO I JUST WANTED TO COVER THAT REAL QUICK AND, AND COVER THE INVESTMENT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GET TO AS FAST AS THEY CAN. 
          UM, SO YOU SEE SEVERAL PROJECTS LISTED HERE, AND AGAIN, TO HELP WITH ANY CONFUSION AND S 0 0 1 3, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PROJECT, IT DOESN'T SAY FIRE APPARATUS, IT SAYS SOUTHERN DALE PUBLIC SAFETY FIRE STATION. 
          WE INCLUDED THE APPARATUS IN WITH THE TRUCK, SO THAT'S WHERE I WANTED TO CALL THAT OUT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS CLEAR TO EVERYBODY THAT TRUCK'S ALREADY BEEN PURCHASED, IT'S ALREADY COMING ONLINE. 
          UM, AS IS THE OTHER GROWTH, UH, 0 3 9 9. 
          THE OTHER ONE I WANTED TO CALL IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT WEIRD. 
          SO WE HAVE ALL THESE PROJECTS ARE S 0 3 0 2. 
          UM, OUR BUDGET TEAM USES A SINGLE PROJECT FOR FUTURE YEARS. 
          SO YEARS TWO THROUGH FIVE OF THE CIP. 
          AND THEN AS PROJECTS COME INTO THE CURRENT YEAR, IT GETS A, AN ACTUAL PROJECT NUMBER RIGHT NOW THAT'S SHOWING UP AS THE AUTO 1 1 1, UM, IN THERE. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE THAT STAR FOR THE ESTIMATED THAT'S REALLY 'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF GUESSING IT WHEN THESE EQUIPMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE AND WHILE THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE TO BE IN SERVICE. 
          RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING ANYWHERE FROM TWO YEARS TO 30 MONTHS CHIEF, IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH. 
          SO, UM, THAT COULD CHANGE, THAT COULD GO LESS THAT GO FORWARD. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PLAN AHEAD RIGHT NOW IS TWO YEARS BEFORE WE BELIEVE WE NEED IT. 
          AND, UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH, JAMES. 
          ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER? WHITE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK 
          [02:40:01]
YOU, MAYOR. 
          I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE, UM, EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT SLIDE. 
          I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. 
          THAT'S A NEW ENGINE IT LOOKS LIKE EVERY OTHER YEAR OR A NEW ENGINE TO FULLY HAVE THE NEW FIRE STATION HAVE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF APPARATUS. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. 
          SO, UH, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, VICE MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          YEAH, SO THE S 0 1 1 3, THAT WAS THE NEW FIRE TRUCK FOR FIRE STATION 1 76. 
          UM, WHAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER? THE FIRE STATION NUMBER FOR THE SOUTHERN AVENUE FIRE STATION. 
          MOST OF WHAT YOU'RE ALSO, YOU'RE SEEING HERE ARE REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT. 
          THIS IS PART OF OUR ASME REP ASSET REPLACEMENT. 
          I THREW IN THERE THE SEO 3, 3, 9. 
          THAT WAS A GROWTH ENGINE. 
          JUST TO LIKE, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE OVERALL INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY MAKING, UM, AND FIRE APPARATUS. 
          IS IT A STATUS OF GOOD REPAIR THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR APPARATUS ARE IN, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE TO KIND OF PLAN THIS REPLACEMENT CYCLE? UH, MR. MAYOR? COUNSEL? YE YES. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          UM, WHEN I WAS HIRED, UH, UH, ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO, THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, UM, WE WERE DEFICIENT IN OUR FIRE APPARATUSES. 
          WE, UM, WERE LIMPING ALONG TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULDN'T SEND APPARATUSES OUT STATE. 
          WE HAD SOME BREAKDOWNS. 
          UH, WE WERE ON THE VERGE OF BORROWING APPARATUSES FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 
          SO THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGERS EVEN BEFORE ME BEGAN THE INVESTMENT, GIVEN THE TURNAROUND TIME. 
          AND WE'VE CONTINUED WITH THAT INVESTMENT. 
          IN ADDITION, WE'VE ADDED TWO EMPLOYEES, ONE EMPLOYEE WHO MANAGES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ASSETS, INCLUDING FIRE ENGINES AND ANOTHER ONE THAT HELPS MAINTAIN THOSE HEAVY ENGINES TO REALLY INVEST. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. 
          AND SO YES, WE ARE BRINGING UP OUR STANDARD, UM, IN OUR FIRE ENGINES AND WE HAVE THEM ON THIS ASSET REPLACEMENT. 
          WE DON'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY REPLACE THEM THOUGH WHEN IT COMES TIME TO ORDER THEM. 
          WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A NEED. 
          WE HAVE INVENTORY, WE WATCH THE MILES, WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPENT ON THE, TO FIX AN APPARATUS. 
          SO WE'LL MAKE DECISIONS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE ON WHEN AND HOW AND WHICH ENGINE EXACTLY. 
          BUT THIS IS A GOOD SCHEDULE. 
          WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE COULD AFFORD THE FIRE SERVICE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. 
          WE DID NOT WANNA GO BACK TO DAYS OF OLD. 
          I I AM VERY EXCITED AND I'M THANKFUL THAT WE'RE PLANNING THESE INVESTMENTS INTO PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, WITHOUT A BOND. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NO OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH JAMES. 
          MR. MAYOR, WHILE, WHILE RENEE'S COMING UP, I DO WANNA MENTION, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY BOND. 
          SO AS THE COMMUNITY'S LISTENING, AS YOU NOTICE THAT WAS $10 MILLION THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN THE GENERAL FUND. 
          WE CURRENTLY DON'T EVEN HAVE A LOT OF GENERAL FUND PROJECTS. 
          A LOT OF IT'S THE PARKS PROJECTS OR UTILITY PROJECTS. 
          IT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THAT I, IF IT FAILS AND WE CONTINUE, WHICH WE'LL NEED TO WITH THE BUILDING OF, OF 1 76, THE SUBSTATION, WE WILL HAVE TO BE VERY CREATIVE TO FIND THAT. 
          AS YOU SEE, WE ONLY HAVE 0.9 AND SO THAT WOULD PUT US 9 MILLION IN THE HOLE IF WE HAD TO USE THE GENERAL FUND. 
          UH, WE WOULD BE IN A, IN A VERY DIFFERENT DISCUSSION TODAY HAD WE NOT MOVED. 
          WE TRIED TO PUT IT INTO THE GENERAL FUND WHEN WE STARTED THE BUDGET PROCESS TO SEE IF WE COULD AFFORD IT. 
          UM, AND IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A STRUGGLE IF WE, IF WE WERE UNABLE TO GET A BOND, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, TO HAVE AND TO KEEP THAT SCHEDULE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE'RE NOT WORRYING ABOUT THIS LAST MINUTE AND TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH, RON, RENEE, AND MAYOR, AND, AND VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND ALSO ANOTHER PROJECT THAT, THAT, UH, MR. MEESE HAS PRESENTED, WHICH WAS HOLLY A IS ALSO A PROJECT THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO DEBT FINANCE, AND WE'LL SEE THAT, UM, LATER ON TONIGHT. 
          SO, AS, UM, MR. CORBIN MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE, AT THE END OF OUR FIVE YEAR FORECAST, JUST THAT $900,000. 
          I THINK WE'VE TOUCHED ON, UM, THE DECISIONS AND SOME, SOME DIRECTIONS I SHOULD SAY THAT, THAT WERE GIVEN TONIGHT. 
          UH, SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UM, WE ARE WRAPPING UP TO RECEIVE ANY OTHER, UM, DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL AS WE BUILD THIS BUDGET. 
          UH, TONIGHT WE WANT TO HEAR BEFORE WE COME BACK IN APRIL TO PRESENT THE CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET. 
          UM, AS RON MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE SHOTS AT THIS. 
          WE WILL COME BACK IN MAY TO PRESENT COUNSEL WITH THE TENTATIVE BUDGET ADOPTION, AND THEN HAVE THE FINAL BUDGET, UM, ADOPTED IN JUNE. 
          SO THIS CONCLUDES THE BUDGET PORTION OF, UM, TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION. 
          SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSEL? OKAY. 
          I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE DIRECTION. 
          THANK YOU, RON. 
          NEXT 
          [c. Utility Rates and Debt Issuance]
ITEM. 
          YEP, MR. MAYOR. 
          UH, THE LAST PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS IN TWO SECTIONS, BUT WE WILL AGAIN 
          [02:45:01]
HAVE, UH, RENEE LES, YOUR FINANCE AND BUDGET DIRECTOR, KICK US OFF FOR UTIL UTILITY RATES AND DEBIT ISSUANCE. 
          ALRIGHT, SO, UM, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT BOND ISSUANCE AND, AND WE HAVE THE NEED FOR SOME PROJECTS INSIDE OF OUR, UM, UTILITY RATES. 
          SO TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THOSE PROJECTS IN WATER AND IN SEWER, AND THE NEED TO DEBT, FINANCE, UM, THE MAJOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE, AND THE IMPACT THAT IT WILL HAVE ON FUTURE RATES. 
          WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY, UM, DECISIONS ON RATES. 
          THIS IS NOT, WHAT THAT IS ABOUT, IS ABOUT HELPING US TO, TO DETERMINE WHAT DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO WITH BUILDING THIS BOND ESTIMATES AND, AND SCENARIOS AND HOW WE BUILD THE BUDGET, UM, GOING FORWARD. 
          SO WITH THAT, WE WILL START WITH WATER AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO KIRK. 
          GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS TO GO OVER SOME OF THE COST DRIVERS TO THE, TO THE WATER UTILITY. 
          SO WHAT, WHAT CAUSES RATES TO BE INCREASED OR EXPENSES TO GO UP? SO FIRST OFF IS GROWTH. 
          GROWTH CREATES REVENUE. 
          WE LOVE ALL THE NEW CUSTOMERS THEY PAY FOR, FOR WHAT THEY USE, BUT GROWTH DOES ADD INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          IT ADDS MORE OPERATIONAL COSTS. 
          WE USE MORE WATER, WE USE MORE CHEMICALS, AND THOSE EXPENSES TO MAINTAIN THOSE THINGS CONTINUE TO ESCALATE YEAR OVER OVER YEAR DUE TO INFLATIONARY PRESSURES. 
          UH, RENEE TOUCHED ON, UH, DURING HER BUDGET, WATER DELIVERY COSTS, OR WE CALLED IT, UM, THE, THE WATER GOING UP. 
          SO WE GET OUR WATER FROM SALT RIVER PROJECT AND CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT. 
          THEY HAVE INCREASING EXPENSES AND THEY PASS THOSE ON TO US. 
          SO WE HAVE TO COVER THOSE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE OTHER COSTS OF OUR OWN THAT CONTINUE TO GO UP WITH INFLATION, ELECTRICITY TO RUN THE PUMPS, TO PRESSURIZE OUR SYSTEMS, UM, CHEMICALS TO TREAT THE WATER. 
          THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT, THAT WE SEE INCREASES YEAR OVER YEAR. 
          ALSO, PERSONNEL EXPENSES. 
          WE SAW THE INFORMATION ON, UM, THE BENEFITS AND THE MERIT RATE INCREASES AND COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS, THOSE GET FACTORED IN. 
          AND THEN RISING CONSTRUCTION COSTS. 
          LUCKILY, CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE KIND OF STABILIZED. 
          THEY WERE INFLATING QUITE A BIT A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT WE STILL SEE SOME REGULAR INFLATION YEAR OVER YEAR IN REGARDS TO DROUGHT. 
          YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN IN THE NEWS THE COLORADO RIVER IS IN BAD SHAPE. 
          UH, I WILL BE BACK HERE NEXT MONTH TO TALK ABOUT THE CITY'S WATER RESOURCES, BUT WE ARE EXPECTING A CUT IN OUR AVONDALE OR OUR, UH, COLORADO RIVER ALLOCATION, AND THAT COULD HAVE SOME IMPACT ON THE EXPENSE OF WATER. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE GONNA, UM, WE HAVE REGULATIONS LIKE PFAS, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO THAT IN MORE DETAIL, BUT THAT CERTAINLY DRIVES COST. 
          I DO WANNA UPDATE SOME ACTIVE PROJECTS. 
          SO, SO, UM, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. 
          WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING FOUR DIFFERENT WELLS. 
          ONE OF THEM IS A, IS A, UH, REPLACEMENT. 
          WELL, THAT'S WELL NUMBER 25. 
          THE OTHER ONES ARE NEW. 
          THE AVERAGE COST FOR A WELL IS ABOUT FOUR TO FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. 
          UM, INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE CITY HAS NOT ADDED A WELL IN NEARLY 12 YEARS. 
          SO WHILE WE'VE CONTINUED TO GROW, WE'VE USED THE SAME AMOUNT OF WELLS. 
          WE NEED TO ADD WELLS IN ORDER TO KEEP UP WITH THE, THE DEMAND, UH, THE CRYSTAL GARDENS, LAKE DREDGING, AND THE RECHARGE BASE AND SEW REMOVAL. 
          THOSE ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE ADDRESSING WATER QUALITY AND OPERATIONS. 
          IF YOU'VE DRIVEN THROUGH CRYSTAL GARDENS, YOU'VE SEEN THE BIG BLADDER IN THE STREET, WE'RE GETTING THE SILT OUT OF THERE, THOSE THAT'LL BE WRAPPING UP. 
          AND THEN OUR RECHARGE BASINS NORTH OF, UH, FRIENDSHIP PARK. 
          WE HAVE TO CLEAR THE SILT OUT OF THOSE SO THAT THE WATER WILL PERCOLATE INTO THE GROUND EFFECTIVELY. 
          AND THEN OLD TOWN, WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS TEAM IN ENGINEERING. 
          WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE STREET WORK. 
          THEY'RE ALSO DOING WATERLINE REPLACEMENTS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. 
          SOME UPCOMING PROJECTS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR CAPITAL, HOLLY ACRES, WATERLINE REPLACEMENTS. 
          JAMES TOUCHED ON THIS. 
          SO THIS IS THE AREA OF SOUTHERN AND EL MIRAGE. 
          THE WATER SYSTEM THERE WAS PURCHASED BY THE RIGBY WATER COMPANY IN 2010. 
          AND, UH, THE LINES ARE AGING, THEY'RE ASBESTOS, CEMENT PIPE, THEY'RE UNDERSIZED. 
          UM, THERE'S NO, UM, FIRE PROTECTION IN THE AREA, NO FIRE HYDRANTS. 
          THE LINES ARE IN THE BACK OF THE HOUSES. 
          WE WANT TO BRING 'EM OUT TO THE STREET, UPSIZE THEM, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PRESSURIZE THE SYSTEM TO THE REST, WHAT WE SEE IN THE REST OF THE CITY. 
          THAT AREA RUNS AT A LOWER WATER PRESSURE BECAUSE WE PUMP IT UP TOO HIGH, THEN WE START GETTING BREAKS. 
          BARTLETT DAM, THIS ONE IS A KIND OF A EVER CHANGING, UM, 
          [02:50:01]
PROJECT. 
          SO WE ARE ONE OF 22 PARTNERS IN THE BARTLETT DAM PROJECT. 
          AND, UH, THE ALLOCATION OF THE WATER FROM THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN KIND OF VACILLATING BACK AND FORTH. 
          UH, SOME OF THE PARTNERS WANT MORE, SOME WANT LESS, BUT WE'VE BEST BASICALLY LANDED ON WHAT THE ALLOCATION FOR AVONDALE WOULD BE, WHICH IS 4,500 ACRE FEET. 
          SO BY COMPARISON, OUR COLORADO RIVER ALLOCATION IS 5,416. 
          SO IT'S VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WE GET IN CIP OR CAP. 
          SO THE BARTLETT DAM PROJECT WILL HELP US TO MAKE UP FOR SHORTFALLS, UH, IN OUR, FROM OUR COLORADO RIVER REDUCTIONS. 
          THE ISSUE WITH THIS PROJECT IS WHAT WAS ONCE ABOUT TWO POINT SOMETHING BILLION IS NOW UP TO 4 BILLION. 
          AND SO THAT NUMBER THAT RENEE MENTIONED, 44.5, THAT MILLION, THAT'S OUR SHARE OF THE PROJECT TO GET THAT 4,500 ACRE FEET. 
          THE GOOD NEWS, I GUESS, IS THAT THAT'S ABOUT $9,900 PER ACRE FOOT FOR THAT WATER. 
          UM, THAT IS STILL CHEAPER THAN A LOT OF OUR OTHER OPTIONS. 
          WE COULD LEASE WATER OR PURCHASE ADDITIONAL WATER RIGHTS FOR A COST OF ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20,000 TO $100,000 PER ACRE FOOT. 
          TODAY, WHEN COLORADO RIVER ALLOCATIONS ARE REDUCED, THOSE EXPENSES ARE LIKELY TO INCREASE. 
          SO WE'RE MAKING BY, BY GETTING INVOLVED IN BARLOW DAM, WE'RE INVESTING NOW FOR SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA COST A WHOLE LOT MORE WAYS DOWN THE ROAD. 
          AND WE MAY NOT EVEN SEE THE NEED FOR THAT WATER FOR 20 YEARS, BUT WE'LL HAVE MADE THE INVESTMENT TODAY WHILE IT'S STILL CHEAPER. 
          AND THE THING ABOUT TRYING TO FIND ADDITIONAL WATER, IT MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE WHEN WE WANT IT, UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE LOOKING FOR WATER. 
          AND THEN THE LAST ITEM THAT'S A MAJOR COST DRIVER HERE, AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE MORE DETAIL, IS PFAS. 
          SO, PFAS, JUST A REMINDER, THAT'S THE FOREVER CHEMICAL. 
          IT'S BEEN STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASE FOR CANCER, INCLUDING KIDNEY, TESTICULAR, BREAST AND BRAIN, AMONG OTHERS IS, UM, THE REGULATORY LIMIT THAT WE'VE SEEN IS STILL IN PLACE. 
          FOUR PARTS PER TRILLION FOR PFOS AND P OA. 
          THERE'S FOUR OTHER, UH, PFAS RELATED COMPOUNDS THAT ARE ALSO BEING REGULATED, BUT NOT TO THE LEVEL OF, OF THE, OF THE TWO PRIMARIES. 
          UH, EPA RECOMMENDED A NEW COMPLIANCE DATE FOR ACHIEVING NO, OR THE ACHIEVING THE REGULATORY LIMIT. 
          UM, BY, BY APRIL OF 2031. 
          IT WAS PREVIOUSLY 2029. 
          AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT APRIL, 2031 DATE HAS NOT BEEN PROMULGATED, MEANING IT IS NOT THE REGULATORY LAW RIGHT NOW, BY TECHNICALITY, THE REGULATORY LAW IS 2029. 
          HOWEVER, UM, I DON'T EXPECT THAT THAT THE EPAS RECOMMENDATION WILL BE IGNORED. 
          I DO BELIEVE IT'LL MOVE TO 2031, BUT THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THERE'LL BE ANY OTHER EXTENSIONS BEYOND 2031 AT THIS TIME. 
          SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, IT'S A PROBLEM FOR US BECAUSE 70% OF OUR CITY'S WATER PRODUCTION CAPACITY EXCEEDS THE PFAS LIMIT. 
          SO WE HAVE 16 WELLS. 
          11 OF OUR 16 WELLS HAVE BFAS IN THEM. 
          THE PROJECT COST. 
          AS YOU DEVELOP THINGS AND YOU, AND YOU START FROM A FEASIBILITY AND YOU START GETTING TO DETAILS, COSTS HAVE A TENDENCY TO GO UP. 
          OUR ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS PROJECT IS $167 MILLION. 
          THAT'S UP FROM 120 MILLION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. 
          UM, IN, IN PRIOR MEETINGS, WE, WE REALLY HAVE REFINED, UH, WHAT, WHAT IS NEEDED, WHAT KIND OF TREATMENT, THE EXTENT OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE THE, THE COST DRIVE. 
          AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE'LL BE ANNUAL OPERATING INCREASES OF APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION A YEAR ONCE THE SYSTEM IS IN PLACE. 
          SO THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. 
          AND YOU'LL SAY, WELL, WHAT OTHER OPTIONS HAVE WE LOOKED AT? AND WE LOOKED AT A LOT WHEN WE DID THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, BUT JUST TO REMIND, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THESE, BUT TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? AND THE EPA SIMPLY STATED THIS, JUST SHUT OFF THE WELLS THAT ARE, THAT HAVE PFAS. 
          WELL, WE'D HAVE TO SHUT OFF OF 11 OF OUR 16 WELLS. 
          WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PROVIDE WATER TO THE CITIES. 
          THAT'S NOT FEASIBLE. 
          YOU CAN CONSTRUCT ADDITIONAL WELLS THAT DON'T HAVE PFAS. 
          WELL, WE DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL WE ACTUALLY GET DOWN THERE AND DRILL A HOLE AND FIND OUT WHAT THE WATER'S LIKE. 
          AND YOU JUST CAN'T LOCATE WELLS JUST ABOUT ANY PLACE. 
          THERE'S A PROCEDURE, HOW THE, HOW THAT WORKS. 
          SO NOT FEASIBLE, BECAUSE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIND A SPOT 
          [02:55:01]
THAT'S PFAS FREE AND OR EVEN BE ABLE TO DRILL THE, WELL CONSTRUCT A SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. 
          SO A LOT OF THE CITIES IN THE VALLEY HAVE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS. 
          SO THEY'RE TREATING WATER THAT'S COMING DOWN THE CANAL OR FROM SALT RIVER PROJECT OR CAP. 
          SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE PFAS PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. 
          BUT FOR US, FOR US TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT TAKES MANY, MANY YEARS, PROBABLY CLOSE TO EIGHT TO 10 YEARS TO DEVELOP A PROJECT LIKE THAT. 
          WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME. 
          IT COSTS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE. 
          WE'RE TALKING FIVE TO SIX TIMES WHAT OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE IS FOR THE TREATMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. 
          AND WHEN THE CANALS DRY UP FOR MAINTENANCE, THOSE PLANTS DON'T WORK. 
          AND YOU HAVE TO REVERT BACK TO THE WELL WATER TO GET WATER TO YOUR CUSTOMERS. 
          AND WE WOULD, THAT'S THE WELLS THAT WE HAVE TO TREAT ANYWAY. 
          SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE FOR US. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, WE COULD LOOK AT CONNECTING TO OTHER CITIES. 
          WE DO HAVE A CONNECTION TO THE CITY OF PHOENIX RIGHT NOW THAT THEY DELIVER A PORTION OF OUR COLORADO RIVER WATER TO US. 
          BUT FOR, UH, PHOENIX OR A A, UH, GOODYEAR OR TOLLESON TO SUPPLY AVONDALE WITH ALL OF ITS WATER NEEDS WOULD NOT BE FEASIBLE FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ISSUES OF THEIR OWN SERVICES THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE. 
          SO TREATMENT FOR US IS REALLY THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND, UM, UH, MOST FEASIBLE OPTION. 
          SO WHERE WE STAND WITH PFAS RIGHT NOW, WE'VE PRETTY MUCH WRAPPED UP OUR, UH, FEASIBILITY STUDIES. 
          SO WE KNOW FOR THE MOST PART WHAT WE NEED. 
          WE DO CONTINUE TO DO SOME SAMPLING. 
          WE ARE INVOLVED IN SOME CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS. 
          WE'VE COLLECTED ABOUT $5 MILLION THROUGH THOSE LAWSUITS. 
          AND JUST TO NOTE, THERE'S ACTUALLY ANOTHER LAWSUIT THAT'S, UM, BEEN BROUGHT BY THE AMERICAN WATER CI WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION AGAINST THE EPA BATTLING THE MCLS AND, AND, AND THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS, THAT LAWSUIT CREATES SOME UNCERTAINTY IN WHAT'S GONNA ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO PFAS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA WATCH THAT CLOSELY. 
          WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING SOME LAND FOR THE ADDITIONAL TREATMENT VESSELS THAT WE NEED AT THESE, AT THESE, UH, AT OUR SITES WHERE WE'RE GONNA DO IT. 
          UM, COUNCILS APPROVE THOSE ACQUISITIONS. 
          WE PURCHASED ONE PARCEL NEAR GARDEN LAKES. 
          WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHERS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. 
          WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SEEKING A PROGRAM MANAGER CONSULTANT. 
          THIS IS A LARGE PROJECT WITH A SHORT TIMELINE, WITH A LOT OF EXPERTISE NEEDED. 
          SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A CONSULTANT TO HELP US OUT WITH THAT. 
          WE PLAN TO START DESIGN ON ALL THESE SITES IN JULY OF 2026 AND CONSTRUCTION IN JANUARY OF 2029. 
          SO WE CAN MEET THAT 2031 DEADLINE. 
          BUT FUNDING IS A CONCERN. 
          THE, UH, TO MEET THE APRIL, 2031 DEADLINE, WE NEED TO FINANCE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY. 
          RENEE IS GONNA SHOW A MODEL WITH RATE INCREASES THAT SHOW THAT COMPLIANCE, AND THEN SHE'S GONNA SHOW ANOTHER MODEL THAT WILL SHOW COMPLIANCE ACHIEVED THREE YEARS LATER THAN THE REGULATION IN 2034 THAT IS NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE REGULATION WE HAVE TODAY. 
          WE COULD HOPE THAT THE, THAT THE REGULATION DATE IS EXTENDED. 
          THAT'S ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT CERTAINTY. 
          UM, I WILL SAY THAT IF WE DO NOT COMPETE COMPLIANCE, THERE ARE SOME RAMIFICATIONS FOR THAT. 
          UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'D BE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW. 
          IT COULD RESULT IN CONSENT DECREES, IT COULD RESULT IN SOME, UM, SOME DIRECTION TO PROVIDE ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES UNTIL WE GET INTO COMPLIANCE. 
          I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE WAY DOWN THE ROAD. 
          UH, BUT I DON'T WANT TO JUST SAY MEETING COM, NOT MEETING COMPLIANCE IS AN OPTION. 
          IT'S AN OPTION FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WE CAN DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST OPTION. 
          SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK OVER TO RENEE TO GO THROUGH THE, UH, RANK INFORMATION. 
          THANK YOU KIRK. 
          OKAY, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          UM, I'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE WATER RATE PROJECTIONS. 
          UM, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW WERE THE LAST RATE INCREASES APPROVED BY COUNCIL. 
          UM, SO THIS IS, UH, FOR A TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER USING 9,000 GALLONS PER MONTH, THE RATE INCREASE SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY OF 27 MEANS THAT THAT CUSTOMER WOULD BE PAYING APPROXIMATELY $42 AND 66 CENTS. 
          SO AS WE LOOK AT WATER RATE PROJECTIONS, WE HAVE SOME GOALS TO KEEP IN MIND. 
          ONE, WE HAVE TO KEEP PACE WITH THE INFLATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF THE WATER SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO, UM, UPDATE OUR EQUIPMENT AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO MAINTAIN FISCAL 
          [03:00:01]
SUSTAINABILITY AND TO, UM, AS KURT MENTIONED, WE HAVE TO INVEST IN THE CITY'S WATER PORTFOLIO. 
          SO WE'VE TALK, WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT, UM, COMPLIANCE AND, AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS RELATED TO THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT. 
          WE WANNA BE TRANSPARENT ON THE PURPOSE OF OUR RATE INCREASES. 
          AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO DISCUSS WITH COUNCIL, UM, ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN OUR CURRENT CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICIES WHEN WE ISSUE DEBT IS THAT WE MUST MEET AN OPERATING DEBT COVERAGE RATIO. 
          NOW, WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THIS A LOT BECAUSE OUR CITY HAS NOT HAD TO ISSUE, UM, THIS SIZE OF DEBT IN OUR UTILITIES, AND SO WE HAVEN'T RUN UP AGAINST IT. 
          BUT NOW, UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT NEEDING TO ISSUE ENOUGH DEBT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE CALCULATING, PROJECTING, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE MEET. 
          SO OUR CURRENT POLICY SAYS THAT WE MUST MAINTAIN OPERATING DEBT COVERAGE RATIO OF AT LEAST 1.5 TIMES THE FUND'S MAXIMUM ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE REQUIREMENT OVER A PROSPECTIVE FIVE YEAR PERIOD. 
          SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, IN THIS CASE, FOR WATER, TAKE YOUR WATER REVENUE LESS YOUR OPERATING EXPENSES, AND THAT BALANCE LEFT OVER NEEDS TO BE ONE AND A HALF TIMES THE AMOUNT WE PAY BACK FOR BONDS, THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT IN A GIVEN YEAR. 
          AND, UM, AS I MENTIONED WITH OUR BO, OUR CURRENT RATIO IS SET AT 1.5. 
          WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE, UM, RATIO, DEBT COVERAGE RATIOS, WHEN YOU HAVE COVENANTS THAT ARE WRITTEN INTO BONDS, YOU'LL TYPICALLY SEE 1.2, MAYBE EVEN UP TO 1.3 TIMES IN THE STANDARD BOND COVENANT. 
          ANYTHING 1.4 ON UP TO 2.0 IS CONSIDERED FAVORABLE FROM A READING AGENCY. 
          AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HIGH RATINGS, UM, IN, IN THE CITY HERE. 
          SO AS WE LOOK AT, UM, WHERE DO WE STAND, WE HAVE THREE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT NEEDING TO FINANCE. 
          SO THE FIRST, WHAT'S MENTIONED, HOLLY ACRES FOR $6 MILLION. 
          THE NEXT ONE IS PFAS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, WITH THE TOTAL ESTIMATE OF OF 167 MILLION. 
          KIRK MENTIONED THE COMPLIANCE DEADLINE OF FISCAL 2031. 
          AND THE LAST IS BARTLETT DAM. 
          SO WHEN WE FIRST COMMITTED TO THIS PROJECT, UM, KIRK MENTIONED IT WENT FROM 2 BILLION TO 4 BILLION. 
          NOW IT STARTED OUT LESS THAN $15 MILLION. 
          IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CURRENT CIP, WE HAVE IT IN THERE AT 15 MILLION. 
          UM, THE CURRENT ESTIMATE IS 44.5. 
          SO WE PROVIDE, UM, WE'RE PROVIDING TONIGHT TWO SCENARIOS. 
          THE FIRST ONE YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS TO BE COMPLIANT BY FISCAL YEAR 2031. 
          SO THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE. 
          WE'LL GO THROUGH. 
          THE TOP THREE LINES ARE THE PROJECTS, HOLLY ACRES, PFAS, AND BARTLETT DAM. 
          IN THE FISCAL YEARS GOING ACROSS FOR HOLLY ACRES, WE WOULD NEED TO COME TO COUNCIL AND REQUEST, UM, APPROVAL TO ISSUE $6 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 27 FOR PFAS. 
          WE WOULD ALSO NEED TO ISSUE BONDS IN FISCAL YEAR 27 FOR 13.5, AND THAT IS TO PAY FOR THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT. 
          THE CONSTRUCTION WOULD THEN, UM, FALL AT WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO PROBABLY BREAK OUR ISSUANCES OUT OVER THREE YEARS, BETWEEN FISCAL 28 THROUGH FISCAL 30. 
          AND THEN THE NEXT PROJECT IS BARTLETT DAM. 
          SO FOR TODAY'S, UM, PROJECTIONS, I LEFT IN THE 15 MILLION THAT IS CURRENTLY SITTING IN RCIP. 
          NOW, AS MENTIONED, THIS, THIS PRICE TAG KEEPS GOING UP. 
          UM, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW IT'S, WE'RE ASSUMING WE WOULD BORROW 15 MILLION FOR BARTLETT DAM. 
          SO THEN WE MOVE TO THE GREEN SECTION. 
          THAT TOP LINE IS WHAT THE WATER RATE INCREASE WOULD NEED TO BE OVER A PRIOR YEAR. 
          SO STARTING IN FISCAL 27, YOU SEE 6.1%. 
          THAT IS WHAT COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED. 
          BUT WITH THOSE ISSUANCES, WE WOULD NEED TO INCREASE THOSE RATES TO 12.5% IN 28, AGAIN, IN 29, 10 0.5% IN 30, THEN DOWN TO EIGHT. 
          AND AT THIS POINT, UNTIL FUTURE PROJECTS ARE IDENTIFIED, WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUTURE, UM, INCREASES SLOTTED BEYOND 32. 
          THE NEXT TWO LINES ARE WATER TREATMENT FEE AND WATER RESOURCE FEE. 
          SO THESE PERCENTAGES DON'T REPRESENT YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASES. 
          THESE ARE ACTUAL PERCENTAGES ON THE BILL, ON THE TOTAL BILL. 
          SO TODAY FOR WATER TREATMENT, IT IS 7.5% OF THE TOTAL WATER BILL IS BEING CHARGED. 
          AND THIS MONEY, THIS REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED IS TO COVER THE PFAS PROJECT. 
          IT'S THE TREATMENT COSTS. 
          SO THAT 7.5% WOULD NEED TO INCREASE TO 
          [03:05:01]
30% IN FISCAL 28 AND REMAIN AT THAT LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE DEBT WE NEED TO ISSUE FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE THE WATER RESOURCE FEE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY 6.2%. 
          SO WATER RESOURCE, WHICH WOULD COVER THE BARTLETT DAM. 
          AT THIS POINT, THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM THAT WATER RESOURCE FEE IS ADEQUATE TO COVER $15 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT. 
          NOW, IF AT SOME POINT THE DECISION IS TO PROCEED WITH THE BARTLETT DAM COMMITMENT OF 44 MILLION, THEN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WE MAY NEED TO COME BACK AND INCREASE THAT WATER RESOURCE FEE. 
          SO WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE CUSTOMER AND A MONTHLY BILL? WELL, WE SHOWED YOU IN FISCAL 27 WITH APPROVED RATE INCREASE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $42 AND 66 CENTS PER MONTH. 
          FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER IN 28, WITH THE RATE INCREASES, THAT NUMBER WOULD GO UP TO 57 53, WHICH IS $14 AND 87 CENTS MORE PER MONTH. 
          AND THE MONTHLY BILL WOULD THEN GO ON UP TO 77 23 IN FUTURE YEARS. 
          NOW, I'VE ALSO CO UH, INCLUDED THAT LAST LINE. 
          SO AGAIN, WE ARE NOW STARTING TO BE IN THE POSITION TO NEED TO ISSUE SIZABLE AMOUNT OF DEBT WHERE WE NEED TO MONITOR AND MAINTAIN A DEBT COVERAGE RATIO OF 1.5 PER OUR FINANCIAL POLICY. 
          SO AT THESE RATES, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE GET DOWN AS LOW AS 1.59 IN FISCAL 29, BUT WE WOULD MEET OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL POLICY. 
          NOW THE SECOND SCENARIO IS MEETING COMPLIANCE BY FISCAL 2034. 
          SO STARTING AT THE TOP WITH THE PROJECTS, WE'RE USING ALL THE SAME PROJECT TOTALS, BUT I WILL NOTE THAT IF WE PUSH CONSTRUCTION OUT SEVERAL YEARS, IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THE COST OF THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL GO UP. 
          BUT WE'RE USING THE SAME PROJECT TOTALS TO DO OUR CALCULATIONS. 
          SO YOU STARTING 27 FROM THE 6.1, WE WOULD NEED TO INCREASE THE WATER RATE TO 10%, THEN 8% FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, AND 7% FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. 
          THE WATER TREATMENT BILL, INSTEAD OF GOING UP TO 30%, WOULD ONLY NEED TO GO UP TO 18%. 
          AND THAT WOULD BE BECAUSE WE WOULD START COLLECTING THAT REVENUE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THOSE ISSUANCES OF THAT CONSTRUCTION. 
          BUT IT WOULD NEED TO REMAIN AT THAT LEVEL. 
          AND THEN THE RESOURCE FEE, AGAIN, WOULD COVER THAT $15 MILLION FOR BARTLETT DAM. 
          SO IN THIS SCENARIO, THE MONTHLY BILL ESTIMATE WOULD GO FROM 42 66 TO 51 27, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $8 AND 61 CENTS PER MONTH. 
          AND THAT MONTHLY BILL WOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE UP TO THAT 68 50 NUMBER. 
          NOW, I WILL POINT OUT IN THIS SCENARIO, DEBT COVERAGE RATIO BEGINS TO FALL. 
          IT FALLS BELOW THAT 1.5 IN FISCAL YEARS 34 AND 35. 
          SO GOING BACK TO WHAT IS THAT RATIO? IT, IT MAINTAINING THOSE EXCESS RESERVES AND IT'S FAVORABLE FOR CREDIT RATINGS, BUT IS IT ALSO UP A POLICY, A CITY POLICY THAT COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE? SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT COUNCIL HAS DISCRETION OVER. 
          UM, WHETHER WE CHOOSE TO KEEP IT AT THE 1.5 OR SOMETHING ELSE, WE WOULDN'T RECOMMEND PROBABLY DROPPING IT BELOW 1.4. 
          UM, BUT IT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE RATES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CHARGED. 
          SO IF WE TAKE THE SCENARIO AND SAY WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE RATIO AT 1.5, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN THIS SCENARIO, THEN THAT MEANS IN FISCAL YEAR 33, WE WOULD NEED TO TACK ON ANOTHER 4%. 
          AND IN 34 THAT WOULD GO UP BY 3%. 
          AND YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE WOULD MAINTAIN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICY DEBT RATIO REQUIREMENT. 
          SO AT THIS POINT, WE NEED COUNCIL'S DIRECTION ON A FEW THINGS. 
          THE FIRST IS YOU'VE SEEN A COUPLE SCENARIOS AND THAT'S JUST BASED ON COMPLIANCE DATE, THE FIRST BEING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED BY THE 2031 COMPLIANCE OR SOMETHING LATER. 
          THE SECOND IS BARTLETT DAM. 
          SO KIRK TALKED ABOUT THE COST OF WATER, THE COST OF WATER INCREASING FUTURE YEARS AND MAYBE NOT BEING AVAILABLE EVEN IN FUTURE YEARS. 
          SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT AS WE LOOK TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR TO COUNCIL TO APPROVE RATES, IS THIS SOMETHING WE START BUILDING, BUILDING TOWARD? NOW WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION IN THE PAST ABOUT SMALLER INCREMENTS OF RATE INCREASES AS OPPOSED TO COMING AND, AND HAVING 
          [03:10:01]
TO INSTITUTE A LARGE ONE. 
          THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD START WHEN WE BRING RATES BACK NEXT YEAR WITH THAT RESOURCE FEE. 
          BUT THAT WOULD ADD ON TO THESE NUMBERS. 
          AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE DEBT COVERAGE RATIO THAT IS IN OUR CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICY. 
          SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE OUR FIRST BOND ISSUANCE, UM, THIS YEAR, AND WE NEED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL ON MAY 4TH FOR THAT APPROVAL TO DO SO. 
          SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION, UM, ON THESE THREE ITEMS FROM COUNCIL. 
          SO WE KNOW HOW TO PREPARE FOR, UH, A BOND PACKAGE, HOW WE TO PREPARE FOR THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD, AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE RATES THAT WE WILL COME BACK IN THE SPRING OF 27, UM, TO PRESENT TO COUNCIL. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU, RENEE. 
          OKAY. 
          DO YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING? OKAY. 
          UH, SO I'LL, I'LL I'LL GO FIRST. 
          UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, BARBARA, COVER YOUR EARS. 
          REMAINING IN COMPLIANCE IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT. 
          UH, BUT BASED UPON WHAT I'VE SEEN ON HERE, WE REALLY HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT, AND, AND I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE ALL SEEN THE NEWS AND, AND READ ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH OTHER, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AS THEY'VE INCREASED THEIR UTILITY RATES TO THE POINT WHERE, UH, IT'S BEEN OUTRAGEOUS IN, IN TERMS OF, OF THE COST TO THE, TO THE RESIDENT. 
          AND, AND I'M, I'M VERY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS, UM, IN TERMS OF INCOME ARE EITHER FIXED INCOME, LOW INCOME, BOTH. 
          AND SO FOR ME, I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, FOR US TO MAYBE USE THAT HYBRID APPROACH OF, OF, UM, THE, UH, SECOND VERSION OF, OF COMPLIANCE BY 2034. 
          BUT WITH MAINTAINING THE DEBT COVERAGE RATIO AT 1.5 IN ADDITION, BASED UPON WHAT KIRK SAID, IS WATER'S ONLY GONNA GET MORE EXPENSIVE AND THE REDUCTIONS ARE GONNA HAPPEN. 
          AT WHAT RATE? WE'RE NOT SURE. 
          SO I THINK IT'S, IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO PLAN NOW FOR THE BARTLETT DAM PROJECT, UH, BEING THAT IT WOULD BE ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PORTFOLIO AND YOU KNOW, FROM, WHAT IS IT? NINE 90, $900 PER ACRE FOOT TO POTENTIALLY 20 TO WHATEVER IT WAS. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR OUR RESIDENTS NOW, WHILE THE UTILITY RATE WOULD INCREASE, AT LEAST WE'RE COVERED IN THAT ASPECT OF BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM ONE, THAT THE INCREASE WOULDN'T BE AS SHARP AS IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE. 
          OOPS, SORRY, IF WE ARE TO BE COMPLIANT BY 2031. 
          BUT ALSO KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE ARE, UH, UNDERSTANDABLY, UM, WHAT'S THE WORD THAT I'M LOOKING FOR HERE? THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT THAT WATER IS A RESOURCE IS, IS BEING CHALLENGED. 
          SO BY PREPARING NOW AND BUDGETING THAT IN THERE NOW, IN THE SHORT TERM, IT'S GONNA STING, BUT IN THE LONG TERM, AVONDALE WILL BE BETTER POSITIONED WHEN ALL OF US ARE NO LONGER ON COUNCIL. 
          SO THOSE ARE MY, MY, UH, 3 CENTS OR, YOU KNOW, RESPONSES TO THE THREE QUESTIONS. 
          BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM, FROM COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR. 
          UM, I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH OUR PFAS COMPLIANCE, UM, AND OUR, UM, BARTLETT DAN BUY-IN. 
          HOWEVER, LOOKING AT THE DEBT COVERAGE RATIO, UM, I, I, I'M, I HAVE NO APPETITE TO ISSUE, UH, ADDITIONAL DEBT. 
          I'M VERY, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GOING BACK OUT TO OUR VOTERS. 
          I THINK WE MIGHT FIND THAT IF WE HAVE TO, UM, GO OUT AND ASK FOR ANOTHER BOND FOR SOMETHING AS VITAL AS WATER AND WE ARE POSSIBLY PUTTING ANOTHER BOND REDO ON THE BALLOT, WE MIGHT GET TWO NOS. 
          UM, 'CAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SEE INCREASED COSTS. 
          SO, UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME THINGS WE HAVE TO DO. 
          WE HAVE TO GET IN COMPLIANCE, WE HAVE TO HAVE WATER. 
          UM, NOT SURE HOW I FEEL ABOUT ISSUING THAT. 
          THANK YOU RON. 
          MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, UM, THESE BONDS DON'T GO BACK OUT TO THE VOTERS. 
          THESE ARE REVENUE BONDS. 
          AND SO THIS IS A COUNCIL DECISION, UH, NOT VOTERS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILOR WHITE, COUNCILOR WEISS. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU RENEE. 
          UM, YOU SAID EXACTLY WHAT I SAID EARLIER TODAY IN OUR MEETING. 
          UM, I AM, I'M SORRY, KIRK, I'M GOING FOR THE 34, 
          [03:15:01]
UM, FORGIVENESS OVER PERMISSION. 
          AND I ALSO AGREE WITH THE SECOND OPTION WHERE WE DO NOT AFFECT OUR DATE, OUR DEBT COVERAGE, UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR THAT MONEY. 
          DO YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO? I WILL GO WITH WHAT SHERRY SAID. 
          COMPLIANT BY 34 COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR. 
          UM, I, THAT OPTION NUMBER TWO IS WHAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE LEANING TOWARDS. 
          SO, UM, BY FISCAL, YES, YEAR 30, 34. 
          AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP OUR, UM, DEBT COVER RATIO AT THE 1.5 COUNCIL MORE GARCIA, I ALSO WOULD SAY 34 AS WELL. 
          AND I KNOW THAT THE TALK IS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THE HEADLINES, THERE'S NO WATER. 
          WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET THE WATER FROM? I JUST SAT IN A ROOM WITH THE SALT RIVER PROJECT AS WELL AS EPCOR AND OTHER EXPERTS IN THE AREA. 
          AND THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER AS MUCH AS THE HEADLINES ARE, AND THAT PEOPLE SEEM CONCERNED ABOUT IT. 
          I KNOW THAT ARIZONA LEGISLATORS ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW TO, UM, WITH CALIFORNIA TO GET MORE OF THEIR WATER AND TO HELP PAY FOR ONE OF THEIR PROJECTS SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE WATER FROM THERE. 
          AND THEN WE GET MORE WATER FROM THE COLORADO RIVER. 
          SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT FOR THE BARTLETT DAM, YES, WE NEED WATER, BUT ALSO THE UTILITY COMPANIES ARE NOT AS WORRIED AS THE HEADLINES AND MOST PEOPLE, UH, MAKE IT OUT TO SEEM LIKE. 
          SO I'M JUST INTERESTED IN MAYBE HAVING EXPERTS COME IN AND SPEAK TO US ABOUT THAT WATER ISSUE, UM, FROM ALL PERSPECTIVES. 
          THAT WAY WE GET MULTIPLE DIFFERENT, UM, PERSPECTIVES ON IT AND NOT JUST LIKE THAT, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY MORE WATER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          VICE MAYOR NIELSEN. 
          RENEE, JUST HAVE A QUESTION. 
          AN ESTIMATED MONTHLY BILL AMOUNT, THE LAST LINE RIGHT THERE. 
          NOPE, GO BACK WHERE YOU WERE. 
          SO IF I AM A RESIDENT HERE IN WHATEVER, 2027, MY BILL GOES UP TO $57 AND 53 CENTS. 
          BY THE TIME I'M DONE IN 30 31, MY BILL'S GONNA BE $68 AND 50 CENTS. 
          IF I PUT IT OUT TO 30 34, MY BILL STARTS OUT AT 51, BUT AT THE END, AT THAT TIME, I'M GONNA BE PAYING $73 AND 28 CENTS. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? SO MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, I USED ALL THE ESTIMATES SO THAT 68 50 IS NOT MEETING THE 1.5 FINANCIAL POLICY COMPLIANCE. 
          SO IF, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE WANT TO KEEP THE 1.5, THEN IT WOULD GO UP TO 77 23 IN THE COMPLIANCE OF 2031 AND 73 28 IN COMPLIANCE OF 2034. 
          ALRIGHT, SO IT, IT STARTS OFF LESS AND GOES UP. 
          I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE ONE NOW, BY THE TIME YOU'RE INTO THE FUTURE, YOU'RE LESS, YOUR PAY LESS ON YOUR BILL, MR. MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR. 
          I, I I THINK WE GOT THAT SQUARE. 
          NOT PERFECTLY RIGHT. 
          IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE SCENARIO IN 2031, THE LAST MONTH BILL IS 77 23. 
          WHAT SHE'S TRYING TO SAY IS THE 68 50 IS IF YOU GO TO YEAR 34 AND YOU ALLOW YOUR RATIO TO DROP DOWN TO 1.24. 
          SO WE PUT IT IN THE WRONG, UH, LOCATION. 
          THAT THAT SUMMARY PAGE QUE BACK TO THAT SUMMARY PAGE WITH THE THREE YEAH, IF YOU TO BE COMPLIANT BY 31, THE, THE BILL ENDS, UH, IN, UH, FY 35 AT $77 AND 23 CENTS. 
          IS THERE A HYBRID THAT IF YOU PUT IT TO 30 31 OR 30 32, WE DO NOT KNOW RIGHT NOW WHETHER IT'S GONNA GO TO 30 34. 
          RIGHT? SO MAYOR, VICE COUNSEL AT THIS POINT, THE REGULATION IS ACTUALLY 2029 WITH, UH, A RECOMMENDATION FROM EPA TO 2031. 
          WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER 2031. 
          WE'RE GOING ON A STRING AND A PRAYER THAT BY 30 34 , THEY MAY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. 
          SO I JUST, I JUST LOOKING, LOOKING AT IT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A HYBRID IN BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM? IF WE DO IT TO 30 34, THAT'S THE BEST WAY FINANCIALLY TO LOOK AT IT FOR RESIDENTS OR WHATEVER. 
          BUT THAT'S NOT REALISTIC BECAUSE WE'RE JUST SAYING, OKAY, LET'S PUMP THIS OUT THREE MORE YEARS TO STAY ABOVE OUR ONE AND A HALF PERCENT DEBT RATIO. 
          BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. 
          AND IN THE MEANTIME, IN THOSE THREE YEARS, COULD THERE BE SOME OTHER COMPLICATIONS FROM FEDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD ADD TO THE PRICE ANYWAY? UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          SO THE 2034 BUYS YOU SOME TIME BECAUSE WE'D STILL START DESIGN NEXT YEAR OR NEXT FISCAL YEAR. 
          [03:20:01]
A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN A YEAR AND YOU AREN'T, WE'RE ACTUALLY APPROVING RATES RIGHT NOW. 
          YOU'RE JUST APPROVING ISSUANCE OF THE DEBT. 
          WE'LL BE BACK IN ABOUT A YEAR FROM NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE RATES AND AT THAT POINT WE MIGHT BE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT THE DEBT ACTUAL DEADLINE IS. 
          OKAY. 
          SO JUST KIND OF TO GIVE YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, SCENARIO. 
          I THINK JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE TOO, MAYBE YOU AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT IT, THE TECHNOLOGY TO PULL THIS OUT RIGHT NOW, THE PAS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT PULLS IT OUT AND IT SETS IT RIGHT HERE ON THE SIDE. 
          BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTAIN OR IF THAT BECOMES A HAZARDOUS WASTE NOW OR HOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HANDLE THAT. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSEL. 
          THAT IS TRUE. 
          THEY HAVEN'T TOLD US YET THAT THE BYPRODUCT AFTER WE FILTER THE PFAS OUT, THAT THAT IS A CONTAMINANT WE MAY HAVE TO HAUL TO A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS LANDFILL AND THAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL OPERATING COST. 
          OKAY. 
          I JUST, I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THERE IF IT'S A 2032 OR WHATEVER IS LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AS WELL. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          UH, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR. 
          UM, THE OTHER THING TO NOTE, UM, IS THAT WE'VE USED THE SAME PROJECT COST FROM TODAY IN THIS SCENARIO. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT RATES, IF THOSE, THOSE CONSTRUCTION COSTS WERE TO INCREASE BY THOSE LATER YEARS, THEN THAT RATE WOULD ALSO NEED TO CHANGE AT THAT POINT. 
          SO IF YOU BROUGHT IT IN THIS WAY, AT LEAST THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT INFLATED. 
          THERE'S SOMETHING THAT MAY BE REALISTIC RATHER THAN STICKING 'EM OUT SIX YEARS OUT THERE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE INFLATION RATE IS ON IT, RIGHT? YEAH. 
          SO YOU'RE SHORT EITHER WAY OR , BUT I THINK NOT. 
          AND I THINK, OH, SORRY, I'M GONNA CUT YOU OFF, UH, VICE MAYOR. 
          UM, BUT UM, I THINK TOO, BASED UPON OUR DISCUSSIONS HERE INTERNALLY, THAT AT LEAST WE'RE DEMONSTRATING PROGRESS, THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE NOT JUST WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AT LEAST IN GOOD FAITH. 
          AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE 1.5 THERE, THAT WE STAY WITHIN WHAT OUR POLICY IS THERE AS WELL. 
          AND MAYBE THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED A LITTLE BIT. 
          TAKE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD TAKE IT 32 AND PUT IT IN 28, 29 AND TAKE PART OF THE 80 AND PUT IT IN 40, SPLIT IT OUT MORE YEARS. 
          SO THE RATE DOESN'T GO FROM SEVEN AND A HALF TO 18. 
          BUT IF YOU COULD ELONGATE IT, I MEAN, AND MAKE IT, YES, WE DON'T NEED IT BY 33 TO 34, BUT IF YOU PUT 16, 16, 40 AND 40 TO THE 50, MAYBE THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT IT. 
          AND THAT WAY YOU'RE CATCHING A LITTLE BIT OF IT INSTEAD OF SLAMMING US ALL AT ONE TIME WITH A 18% INCREASE. 
          M MR. MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND, UH, COUNSEL, THERE'S GONNA BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR DISSECTING IT. 
          THIS WHOLE PROCESS REALLY, WE NEEDED A BLUEPRINT TO START. 
          UH, I KNOW THAT, UM, UH, YOUR ENGINEERS WOULD LIKE TO DO MANY HYBRIDS WITH THIS TO BE CLOSER TO COMPLIANT. 
          WE REALLY JUST NEED A DIRECTION TONIGHT ON THE THINGS YOU GAVE US, WHICH IS THE OVERALL PLAN YOU WANNA GO. 
          AND IT SOUNDS LIKE MOST PEOPLE WANNA KEEP THE HIGHER RATIO. 
          UM, BUT YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE, UM, TO, IF YOU NEED TO, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS WHEN WE COME BACK FOR PERMISSION TO ISSUE THE DEBT IN MAY AND THEN GO AGAIN IN APRIL OF NEXT YEAR. 
          WHEN WE DO RATES, JUST KNOW THAT ONCE WE ISSUE THAT DEBT IN MAY, WE'LL HAVE TO RAISE RATES TO COVER THAT DEBT COME THE NEXT YEAR. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE INVOLVING THIS COUNCIL. 
          UM, BECAUSE IT, IT WILL FORCE US 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO REPAY THE LOAN, RIGHT? UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE, ARE FULLY EDUCATED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MARK. 
          THANK YOU RENEE. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          ALRIGHT, AND NOW WE ARE MOVING ON TO SEWER AND I'LL ASK KURT TO COME BACK UP. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AS IF I DIDN'T ALREADY SHARE A BUNCH OF GOOD NEWS. 
          NOW YOU TALK ABOUT THIS. 
          UH, SO SEWER ACTUALLY HAS VERY SIMILAR, UM, COST DRIVERS GROWTH IN INFLATIONARY PRESSURES. 
          I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER THOSE AGAIN, BUT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF ACTIVE PROJECTS. 
          UM, JAMES ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT ONE OF THESE ALREADY, WHICH IS A ER, ROAD SEW REPLACEMENT PHASE TWO. 
          SO THAT'S REPLACING A PORTION OF THE SEWER LINE ON ER ROAD FROM, UM, FROM CORRAL TO LOWER BUCKEYE THIS EVENING. 
          ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA, YOU ACTUALLY APPROVED THE, THE ACQUISITION OF THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. 
          SO, UM, THAT'S A GREAT MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 
          ALSO, WE'VE BEEN DOING OUR LARGE AND SMALL DIAMETER PIPE REPAIRS. 
          SO WE'RE GOING IN AND RELINING SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE SEWER LINES SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO, TO, UM, CONSERVE THE CITY. 
          BUT THE BIG ITEM FOR ON THIS 
          [03:25:01]
TOPIC IS THE WASTEWATER, UH, TREATMENT PLAN EXPANSION, WHAT WE CALL THE PHASE TWO. 
          THIS EXPANDS THE CAPACITY OF OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN FROM 9 MILLION GALLONS A DAY TO 12 MILLION GALLONS A DAY. 
          THERE IS A THIRD EXPANSION OF PHASE THREE, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY TAKE THE CAPACITY UP TO 15 MILLION GALLONS A DAY. 
          RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ANTICIPATING POTENTIALLY THAT WE WOULD'VE TO START DESIGN IN 2034 ON THIS PROJECT, SO ABOUT EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW. 
          BUT AGAIN, IT DEPENDS UPON THE FLOWS. 
          SO TO REMIND EVERYBODY ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIFICS OF THIS PROJECT, AGAIN, I MENTIONED IT'S 9 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY. 
          CURRENTLY WE'LL EXPAND IT TO THREE FOR A NEW TOTAL OF 12 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY CAPACITY. 
          OUR, UM, DRIVERS TO START DESIGNING CONSTRUCTION ARE BASED ON OUR PERMIT AND THE REGULATORY TRIGGERS OF INFLOW. 
          SO WE HAVE TO START DESIGN OF THIS PROJECT WHEN THE FLOW REACHES 80% OF THE CAPACITY. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE 7.2 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY. 
          OUR CURRENT INFLOW IS 7.5 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY. 
          SO WE ARE RIGHT ON TRACK. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THE DESIGN RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK. 
          ONE THING I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE IS THAT WE HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS TO ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S ALREADY IN PROGRESS, UP TO 11 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY OF CAPACITY. 
          SO THE PLAN ONLY SERVES NINE. 
          BUT BECAUSE WE KNOW, UM, THAT DEVELOPMENT TAKES TIME AND IT TAKES TIME TO BUILD A PLANT, WE'RE ALLOWED TO EXCEED THAT WITH OUR COMMITMENTS. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE PLACES LIKE THE SHADOW RIDGE, SUB SUBDIVISION, ANDRADA, ALAMAR, THE FRYS MARKETPLACE, THE DATA CENTERS. 
          WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED SEWERS, SEWER CAPACITY FOR THOSE FACILITIES. 
          WE HAVE NOT MADE COMMITMENTS TO EMBASSY SUITES OR THE AVONDALE TECH CENTER. 
          THOSE ARE YET, THEY HAVEN'T COME TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO TO REVIEW THE PLANS AND MAKE THOSE COMMITMENTS. 
          SO WE WANNA KEEP MAKING THESE COMMITMENTS TO THESE DEVELOPMENTS. 
          WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THIS PROJECT MOVING ALONG. 
          OUR CURRENT STATUS, AGAIN, I MENTIONED WE'RE WORKING TOWARD THE 90% PLAN SET. 
          WE HAVE A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK ON BOARD THAT'S HELPING US WITH OUR ESTIMATING AND OUR SCHEDULING. 
          WE INTEND TO START DOING OUR EARLY PROCUREMENT. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE FOR OUR LONG LEAD ITEMS LIKE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. 
          THAT TAKES A YEAR TO YEAR AND A HALF TO GET TO START THOSE IN APRIL, WELL, IT'S APRIL NEXT MONTH, SO APRIL, MAY. 
          AND THEN WE PLAN TO START BREAKING GROUND ON SITE, MOVING SOME DIRT AS EARLY AS THIS SUMMER 2026. 
          SO JUST A FEW MONTHS FROM NOW. 
          OUR TOTAL PROJECT COST FOR THIS IS $155.8 MILLION. 
          WE ARE ON BUDGET RIGHT NOW. 
          WE'VE SPENT ABOUT $4 MILLION TO DATE. 
          IT'S EXPENSIVE. 
          BUT I WILL JUST SAY THAT THIS IS, UM, REALLY A CULMINATION OF THE SUCCESS OF AVONDALE, THE GROWTH THAT HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS IN THE CITY, ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'VE SEEN. 
          AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF A NECESSARY PART OF SUPPORTING THAT GROWTH. 
          I'LL MENTION THAT THE EFFLUENT THAT COMES FROM THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS CRITICAL TO OUR WATER PORTFOLIO. 
          UM, IF YOU'VE HEARD OTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WATER RESOURCES HERE WE HAVE ON PROJECT SRP, WATER AND OFF PROJECT, UM, WHICH IS SERVED BY OUR, OUR CAP WATER AS WELL AS OUR EFFLUENT. 
          SO THIS WATER IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US OFF PROJECT IN THE EFFECT IN THE EVENT THAT THE COLORADO RIVER ALLOCATION, IT'S REDUCED. 
          SO THAT 3 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY IS ABOUT 3,360 ACRE FEET ANNUALLY. 
          SO AGAIN, COMPARED TO OUR COLORADO RIVER ALLOCATION, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAN HALF OF WHAT WE GET FROM THE COLORADO RIVER. 
          SO I'VE BEEN ASKED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT HAVE WE LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS, SPECIFICALLY AN OPTION UTILIZING THE CITY OF TOLLESON TO TREAT OUR WASTEWATER. 
          AND, UM, WE HAVE, WE'VE EVALUATED IT, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES. 
          I'M GONNA, UH, KIND OF GO OVER SOME, SOME OF THE DETAILS ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD OR WOULD NOT WORK. 
          SO THE CITY OF TOLLESON HAS THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. 
          IT'S LOCATED AT 95TH AVENUE SOUTH OF LOWER BUCKEYE OR SOUTH OF BUCKEYE ROAD, SORRY. 
          AND THEY HAVE EXCESS CAPACITY IN THE ABILITY TO EXPAND THEIR PLANT. 
          WHEN THEY TREAT WASTEWATER. 
          THEY SEND THAT WASTEWATER TO THE PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION. 
          THEY SELL IT TO A PS AND THEY GET ABOUT 240 TO $400 PER ACRE FOOT, DEPENDING UPON, UM, WHAT VOLUME THAT, THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS AND WHAT THEY CAN HAVE. 
          SO THAT'S WAY DIFFERENT THAN THE THE 13 OR 20,000. 
          [03:30:01]
BUT REMEMBER, THIS IS JUST WASTEWATER. 
          THIS IS NOT ANYTHING TO ANY AQUIFER STANDARD OR DRINKING WATER DEBT OR IT'S JUST BASICALLY DIRTY WATER. 
          UM, THE CONCEPT WITH TOLLESON HAS BEEN EVALUATED MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST DECADE AND A HALF, MAYBE EVEN TWO DECADES, EVEN BEFORE OUR CURRENT WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY WAS CONSTRUCTED. 
          BUT MOST RECENTLY, WE REVIEWED THIS IN FALL OF 2022, UM, AS PART OF A SOLUTION TO ASSIST LIBERTY UTIL UTILITIES IN GOODYEAR. 
          THEY WERE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH COMPLIANCE. 
          THEY HAD TO ISSUE SOME NOTICES, UH, TO STOP DEVELOPMENT IN LITCHFIELD PARK AND PART OF GOODYEAR. 
          AND, UM, AVONDALE WAS LOOKED AT A SOLUTION TO HELP SOLVE OR PART OF THE SOLUTION TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH TOLLESON. 
          SO THERE WAS SOME HIGH LEVEL CONCEPTUAL AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT WERE DONE TO SEE IF THAT MADE SENSE. 
          UM, AND ON THE SURFACE YOU WOULD THINK, WELL, THE ADJACENCY OF TOLLESON AND AVONDALE MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. 
          WE'RE JUST RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM EACH OTHER, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY THAT SIMPLE AND, UM, IT'S A COSTLY SOLUTION. 
          AND GIVEN THE TIME CONSIDERATIONS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH MEETING OUR DEADLINES, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR US. 
          AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHY THERE'S REALLY FOUR MAIN ELEMENTS OF CONCERN FOR THIS. 
          SO THE FIRST ONE IS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ENOUGH FLOWS. 
          SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT TOLLESON IS ON THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF, OF AVONDALE, OUR WASTEWATER PLANT IS ON THE SOUTHWESTERN BOUNDARY AND NO PUN INTENDED, ALL THE FLOW TO GET ALL GOES DOWNHILL. 
          SO OUR HIGH, OUR LOWEST AMOUNT OF FLOW IS ACTUALLY NEXT TO TOLLESON, WHERE OUR LINES ARE THE SMALLEST AND THAT'S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS WE HAVE. 
          SO IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS WORTHWHILE, WE HAVE TO GO DEEPER INTO AVONDALE TO PICK UP AN AMOUNT OF FLOW THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. 
          AND WHEN WE STUDIED THAT, THE PLACE TO PICK UP THAT FLOW TWO AND A HALF MILLION GALLONS PER DAY IS BASICALLY AT THE INTERSECTION OF AVONDALE BOULEVARD AND MC 85. 
          BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE'D HAVE TO BUILD A PUMP STATION AND THEN CONSTRUCT A PIPELINE FOUR MILES LONG TO PUMP IT BACK TO 95TH AVENUE AND BUCKEYE ROAD TO THEIR PLANT GOING THROUGH THE ROADWAY, AVOIDING EXISTING UTILITIES. 
          UM, AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE'D HAVE TO OPERATE THAT PUMP STATION IN THAT PIPELINE. 
          SO THERE'S ADDITIONAL COST FOR THAT. 
          SO THAT GETS IT OVER THERE TO THE PLANT. 
          THE SECOND PIECE, AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IS WE WANT THAT EFFLUENT BACK. 
          WE DON'T WANT IT TO GO TO THE NUCLEAR PLANT, WE WANT IT FOR OURSELVES. 
          'CAUSE IT'S CRITICAL FOR OUR PORTFOLIO. 
          SO WE'D HAVE TO BUILD ANOTHER PUMP STATION TO PUMP THE TREATED WATER BACK TO OUR RECHARGE FACILITY NORTH OF FRIENDSHIP PARK. 
          AND THAT'S ABOUT A SIX MILE PIPELINE. 
          UH, AGAIN, RIGHTS AWAY ISSUES, UTILITIES, WE'VE GOTTA GO UNDER A RAILROAD, WE GOTTA GO UNDER A FREEWAY. 
          AND AGAIN, IT ADDS A LOT OF OPERATING COSTS. 
          AFTER WE DO THAT, IF WE LOST THAT EFFLUENT, IF WE HAD, UM, TOLLESON SELL IT OFF AGAIN, WE'D HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO REPLACE THAT. 
          AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT COULD BE 20,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AN ACRE FOOT IF WE COULD EVEN FIND THAT WATER. 
          THE OTHER THING I WANNA MENTION IS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A REACH A, A PIPELINE TO CONVEY OUR EFFLUENT AND IT COMES FROM OUR, OUR CURRENT, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. 
          AND IT GOES UP TO THE PONDS. 
          IT'S ALREADY SIZED FOR THE 15 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY ULTIMATE CAPACITY. 
          SO IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE'VE KIND OF JUST WASTED THAT INVESTMENT THAT WE MADE YEARS AGO TO BUILD THAT PIPELINE. 
          THE THIRD ITEM IS THE EFFLUENT QUALITY. 
          TOLLESON DOESN'T TREAT THE EFFLUENT TO THE QUALITY ACCEPTABLE TO DO AQUIFER RECHARGE, AVONDALE DOES. 
          SO IN ORDER TO USE THAT WATER BACK IN THE RECHARGE FACILITY, WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT FOR ADDITIONAL TREATMENT PROCESSES AT THE TOLLESON PLANT. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST FOR US. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WOULD BE A CUSTOMER TO TALU. 
          AND SO THEY'RE GONNA CHARGE US FOR THE TREATMENT OF THE WASTEWATER AND WE AREN'T GOING TO HAVE ANY CONTROL ON WHAT THOSE RATES ARE. 
          WE CAN NEGOTIATE SOME OF THAT STUFF, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY HAVE COST DRIVERS, JUST LIKE WE HAVE COST DRIVERS AND THOSE GET PASSED ON TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, WE WOULD HAVE REALLY LIMITED AVAILABILITY TO CONTROL THE EFFLUENT QUALITY AND UH, WE REALLY NEED TO GET TO THAT 3 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY. 
          AND THIS SOLUTION ONLY GIVES US TWO AND A HALF. 
          SO WE'RE STILL ABOUT A HALF OF A HALF OR 500,000, UM, GALLONS PER DAY SHORT. 
          WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO CHANGE COURSE. 
          WE'RE ALREADY WELL INTO THIS RIGHT NOW ON OUR CURRENT PLAN. 
          AND ULTIMATELY WE GOTTA EXPAND THE PLANT ANOTHER 
          [03:35:01]
TIME ANYWAY TO 15 MILLION GALLONS A DAY. 
          THE COST ESTIMATE WITH REGARD TO THE TOES TOLLESON SOLUTION BACK IN 2022 WAS ABOUT $160 MILLION. 
          SO ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SPENDING NOW A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE SPENDING NOW ON OUR, ON OUR PLAN, UM, YOU GO ANOTHER FEW YEARS OUT AND WITH SOME REALLY GOOD ESTIMATING, IT COULD BE AS HIGH AS $200 MILLION A DAY FOR LESS CONTROL, UM, LESS CAPACITY AND, AND, UH, A LOT OF OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES. 
          SO WE LOOKED AT IT PRETTY IN DETAIL AS MUCH AS WE CAN, GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE ON TIME, BUT THAT'S THE REASON WHY GOING WITH OUR CURRENT PLAN MAKES THE MOST SENSE. 
          AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO RENEE. 
          THANK YOU KIRK. 
          OKAY. 
          FOR, SO GOING INTO SEWER RATES, AGAIN, THESE ARE COUNCIL APPROVED SEWER RATES. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE IN JANUARY OF 27, THE UM, TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER WOULD BE PAYING $47 AND 21 CENTS FOR THE SEWER PORTION OF THEIR, THEIR BILL. 
          UM, SIMILAR, UH, GOALS WHEN WE'RE SETTING THE RATES AND, UM, WE'VE HEARD, UM, COUNCIL'S DIRECTION ON THE, UH, DEBT COVERAGE RATIO. 
          SO WITH THE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY EXPANSION PHASE TWO, THE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $155.8 MILLION. 
          I WILL NOTE THAT IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR, WE ISSUED 11.2 MILLION OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS THAT WENT TOWARDS THIS PROJECT. 
          SO WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT NEEDING TO FINANCE THE BALANCE OF IT OF 144 MILLION. 
          THE DIFFERENCE WITH THIS PROJECT IS IT'S GONNA BE REPAID 60% THROUGH GROWTH FROM DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES AND 40% THROUGH THE RATES. 
          SO THAT'S 86 AND A QUARTER MILLION OF DEBTS IS PLANNING TO BE REPAID OUTTA DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES AND 57 AND A HALF MILLION TO GO INTO THE RATE. 
          AND THEN AS KIRK MENTIONED, WE WOULD ALSO HAVE, UM, A PHASE THREE IN THE OUTER YEARS. 
          SO WITH THIS, WE PROVIDED, UM, THE SCENARIOS, BUT WE HEARD COUNCIL ON KEEPING THE 1.5. 
          SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOOKING AT, UM, PROJECTED RATE INCREASES WOULD BE IN FISCAL 28, WE WOULD NEED TO INCREASE THE RATE BY 10% AND THEN 2% IN, UM, SUBSEQUENT YEARS. 
          SO THE BILL WOULD GO FROM 47 21 TO 51 92 OR AN INCREASE, UM, PER MONTH OF $4 AND 71 CENTS. 
          AND THIS WOULD MEET OUR CURRENT 1.5, UM, TIMES DEBT COVERAGE RATIO. 
          SO REALLY WITH THIS PROJECT, WE'VE ALREADY HEARD, UM, THE DESIRE OF COUNSEL AND WE WILL BE COMING BACK ON MAY 4TH, UM, LOOKING FOR THE APPROVAL FOR THAT FIRST BOND ISSUANCE. 
          SO THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. 
          WE'LL TAKE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. 
          THANK YOU, KIRK. 
          THANK YOU RENEE. 
          UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SORRY. 
          NO. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY YOU HAVE ANY? THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. 
          I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HAVE IT ON THE RECORD. 
          I DO NOT WANNA RAISE RATES AT ALL. 
          UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY ALTERNATIVES WE COULD DO OR RESEARCH ON HOW TO GET FEDERAL FUNDS OR CHARGING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTAMINATING WATER, UM, EARLIER, I KNOW, UM, THESE ARE JUST WILD THINGS THAT I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW, BUT I REALLY DO NOT WANNA RAISE RATES. 
          UM, IT'S ALREADY HARD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BE PAYING THE RATES. 
          WE JUST RAISED RATES, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WAS ON THE RECORD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. 
          COUNSEL, IF I CAN ADD THAT, UH, WE ENCOURAGE THE ELECTED LEADERS TO REACH OUT TO OUR FEDERALLY ELECTED LEADERS, UM, FOR SOME FEDERAL RELIEF. 
          IT REALLY WILL TAKE SOME FEDERAL ACTION TO INTERVENE IN THE, UM, STANDARDS. 
          UM, MIKE KIRK, MAYBE HE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AT OUR NEXT MEETING IN APRIL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WATER. 
          UM, BUT REALLY ADVOCACY IS WHAT WE REALLY NEED. 
          WE CONTINUE THROUGH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO WORK ON LAWSUITS WHERE WE ARE SUING OR PART OF, UH, LITIGATION WHERE WE HAVE TRIED TO GAIN MONEY. 
          I THINK WE'RE AT 5 MILLION SO FAR, THAT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE ONE 40 WE NEED OR ONE 50, BUT, UH, WE AGREE WITH YOU COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, THAT ANY, ANYTHING WE CAN DO AT THE FEDERAL OR ADVOCACY LEVEL WOULD BE HELPFUL. 
          YOU KNOW, JUST, I JUST, ONE COUPLE OF COMMENTS. 
          ONE IS, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH EASIER IT WOULD'VE BEEN IF WE COULD HAVE JUST CONNECTED TO TOLLESON? BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT GONNA WORK OUT THAT WAY. 
          AND WITH THAT, UH, BEING UNDERSTOOD AND NOT WANTING TO RAISE RATES, I'M, I'M WITH YOU AS WELL. 
          I I HATE TO DO THIS, BUT IN TERMS OF GROWTH AND SEEING WHERE AVONDALE IS HEADED, CONSIDERING WE'RE HITTING THAT NUMBER 
          [03:40:01]
OR GETTING CLOSE TO IT, YOU SAID 7.5 IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW? YES, MA 7.5 AND, AND THAT'S AND REGARDS TO THE COMMITMENTS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMING INTO THE CITY. 
          WE, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. 
          AND I KNOW THAT WHETHER IT'S THROUGH ADVOCACY OF OUR, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL OR ANYTHING ELSE, I'M SURE STAFF WILL BE EXPLORING ALL ANGLES AND OPPORTUNITIES. 
          UH, BUT THIS IS WHAT IS, IS BEFORE US. 
          AND SO, UM, IT'S NOT FUN TO DISCUSS, NOT FUN TO TALK ABOUT, BUT IT'S, IT'S WHERE WE ARE. 
          UH, TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINT KURT, OF THAT, YOU KNOW, AVIL HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GROWING, BUT WITH THAT GROWTH COMES, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES NONETHELESS. 
          SO THANK YOU RENEE FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, ALL UH, ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN PROVIDING ALL THIS INFORMATION. 
          AND KIRK, YOUR TEAM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THAT CONCLUDES THE DISCUSSION OVER THE ITEM FOUR C. 
          ITEM 
          [5. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS FROM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COUNCILMEMBERS]
FIVE IS SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS FROM COUNSEL. 
          DOES ANYBODY WISH TO SHARE COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO? WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL TRIP LAST WEEK TO WASHINGTON DC ADVOCATING FOR THINGS SUCH AS WATER, AS COUNCIL, AS VICE MAYOR PRESENTED TO UM, REPRESENTATIVE ALVA AND UM, IT WAS JUST AN OVERALL GOOD CONFERENCE. 
          A LOT OF THINGS TO BRING BACK HOME AND DIFFERENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. 
          BUT I THINK OVERALL RON'S RIGHT, ADVOCACY WINS. 
          WE DON'T WANNA RAISE RATES, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE WENT FOR ADVOCACY. 
          ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. 
          YES. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH MAYOR. 
          I AM CURRENTLY AT, UM, DELTA DAYS AT THE NATION'S CAPITAL, UM, AND ADVOCATING FOR, UM, ISSUES THAT REALLY IMPACT, UH, FOLKS THAT LOOK LIKE ME. 
          UM, ALSO VERY GRATEFUL THAT UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY LAST WEEK TO HEAR FROM BOTH AMTRAK AND UNION PACIFIC, UM, RAIL, UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SETTING UP A MEETING WITH THEM LOCALLY IN AVONDALE. 
          I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ATTENDED, UM, THE SOUTHWEST FAMILY ADVOCACY GALA AND I WILL LEAVE IT THERE. 
          I THINK ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER WILL PICK UP. 
          THANK YOU. 
          VICE MAYOR NIELSEN. 
          I THINK EACH ONE OF US HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND LISTEN DIFFERENT, UH, ASPECTS OR WHATEVER. 
          I DID DO THE WATER PART OF IT AND WAS QUITE IMPRESSED. 
          WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THE SAME PROBLEM. 
          THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE WORSE THAN WE ARE AND OTHER ONES THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT UH, THE FEDERAL BOYS ARE LOOKING AT SOME OPPORTUNITIES AND SOME BILLS TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL FINANCE. 
          SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S IN THERE. 
          THE OTHER THING I THOUGHT INTERESTING IN THREE OF THE DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS I WENT TO, IT WAS ON CIVILITY. 
          HOW WE CAN GET ALONG BETTER WITH ONE ANOTHER. 
          AND I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMENT TO EACH ABOUT US, HOW WELL WE DO GET ALONG WITH ONE ANOTHER. 
          JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SAID AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOME OF THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES. 
          I FELT LIKE CRYING, JUST SO, SO SAD AS TO WHAT SOME OF THESE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS MIGHT BE DOING. 
          SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU AND WHAT YOU DO TO WORK TOGETHER, WHETHER IT'S THIS, WE WILL OVERCOME THIS , WE DUNNO HOW, BUT UH, JUST APPRECIATE THAT AND ALL OF US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND, AND PARTICIPATE THERE. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, THE STATE OF THE CITY WAS SO WELL DONE. 
          SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO, UM, POURED INTO THAT EVENT. 
          IT WAS SO GOOD. 
          AND TO SEE THE PEOPLE WHO GOT THE AWARDS. 
          UM, IT WAS, THEY WERE REALLY COMMUNITY ORIENTED. 
          AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THAT EVENT. 
          IT WAS WONDERFUL. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I WANTED TO THANK FIRE AND ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO TOOK THEIR DAY OFF TO HAND OUT, UM, FIRE, UM, SMOKE DETECTORS TO, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND MOUNTAIN, MOUNTAIN VIEW. 
          I THINK WE HANDED OUT 600 AND THEY ALSO INCLUDED NARCAN, WHICH WAS GREAT TO SEE. 
          UM, AND THEN STEM FAST, STEAM FASTS, STEAM FEST. 
          UM, I JUST REALLY WANNA THANK ALL THE STAFF FOR BEING THERE AND I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT TAKES A LOT OF OUR STAFF TIME AND WHY THAT NEEDS TO BE CUT. 
          UM, ALSO WENT TO THE SOUTHWEST FAMILY OR, UM, SOUTHWEST LENDING CLOSETS FUNDRAISER THIS WEEKEND, AND THEY RAISED SOME FUNDS. 
          SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY BUSY WEEK, BUT IT'S BEEN A GREAT WEEK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND I'LL JUST WRAP UP WITH, UH, OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT HERE LOCALLY, UH, OUR FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, ALVA GALLEGO AND KELLY HAVE ALL VISITED HERE. 
          I ACTUALLY GOT TO HOST SENATOR KELLY HERE JUST LAST WEEK. 
          AND SO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO ALL THE, ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE WITH ALL OF THE OTHER MAYORS. 
          AND SO IT'S A 
          [03:45:01]
PLEASURE TO HAVE THEIR EAR HERE, UH, LOCAL AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM IN ADDITION. 
          UM, THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE THEY SAY THE SOUND OF FREEDOM, BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU, FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE THERE LUKE DAYS OVER THE WEEKEND, UM, IT WAS HOT. 
          AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. 
          UH, BUT WHO KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE 106 IN MARCH, BUT YET, UM, JUST THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED, UM, AND JUST TO SEE EVERYBODY THERE IN AWE OF ALL OF OUR NATION'S POWER BEING ON FULL DISPLAY WAS SO AWESOME. 
          AND FINALLY, I'LL WRAP UP WITH, UH, AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS MENTIONED BEING AT, UM, THE LENDING CLOSETS GALA, CELEBRATING 25 YEARS. 
          AND IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, UH, IS AN EXCELLENT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES, UH, MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO INDIVIDUALS IN NEED AT NO COST. 
          AND THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO, UH, RAISE MORE MONEY SO THEY CAN BUY MORE EQUIPMENT OR TAKE ON EQUIPMENT. 
          SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I, THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO ASSISTING WITH. 
          AND THAT'S IT. 
          I'M SURE YOU GUYS ALL READY TO GO HOME. 
          SO AT THIS TIME CAN I GET A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I'LL SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          WE'VE GOT A, GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI. 
          ARE WE DOING A VOICE VOTE? MARCELLA. 
          UM, IF ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          A AYE. 
          AND COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? AYE. 
          THANK YOU ANY THANK YOU EVERYBODY. 
          HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. 
          THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. 
          I KNOW.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.