Meeting Events

Meeting: s2lngaw_ynq.finance_committee_of_the_whole_11-12-24_part_2

Meeting date: 2024-11-12

Meeting type: committee_of_the_whole

This is a deterministic derived artifact, not official meeting minutes. Related records may be grouped for review while complete machine provenance remains in the JSON artifact.

Decisions and Votes

• Adjournment vote
  • Summary: The motion to adjourn was voted upon with an affirmative outcome.
  • Evidence: “All in favor? Aye.”

Procedural Actions

• Roll Call Confirmation for Presence

  • Summary: A roll call was taken confirming presence: Klemm, Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, and Sellers.
  • Evidence: “Klemm, Monroe is absent, Simmons, Parker. Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, and we have a quorum. OK, we’re going to resume where we left off.”
  • Source timestamp: 00:45

• Adjournment

  • Summary: A motion was made by Sellers and seconded by Parker for adjournment.
  • Evidence: “Thank you, item 12 is adjournment. We’ve got nothing further. I have a motion by Sellers, second by Parker.”
  • Source timestamp: 23:29

Financial and Contract Events

• Capital Equipment Fund Transfer In Change

  • Summary: The transfer in amount changed from $726,000 to $196,000.
  • Evidence: “The transfer in, we had a little change on that from $726,000 to $196,000.”
  • Source timestamp: 04:35

• Contracted Infrastructure Repair and Maintenance Reduction

  • Summary: The budgeted amount for Contracted Infrastructure Repair and Maintenance was reduced from 150 to 300 (implied currency unit, likely thousands of dollars).
  • Evidence: “And under Contracted Infrastructure Repair and Maintenance, we reduced that from 150 to 300.”
  • Source timestamp: 06:39

• Water Fund Revenue Changes

  • Summary: The Water Fund revenue increased from five million to nine million due to included grant revenue and expected settlement funds for perfluoronate compound lawsuits, estimating about $800,000 total ($400k in water and $400k in sewer).
  • Evidence: “Revenue, we included some of the grant revenue that increased that from five million to nine million. In addition, we were we’re expected to see some of the settlement law, the perfluoronate compound lawsuits this year, so we included that. We basically were estimating about 800,000 total. We put 400 in water and 400 in sewer. That’s item 4661, other revenue.”
  • Source timestamp: 09:41

• Water Fund Interest Income

  • Summary: Interest income is expected to be higher than initially thought after reviewing everything.
  • Evidence: “Then under interest income, after reviewing everything looks like we will end up receiving more interest income than we had initially thought.”
  • Source timestamp: 09:41

• Water Fund Expenses Adjustments

  • Summary: Payroll and withholdings were cleaned up to be as close as possible. Contracted equipment, repair and maintenance decreased from 120 down to 50.
  • Evidence: “Under expenses, we just cleaned up all the payroll and all the withholdings and and made everything as close as we possibly could get there. Under contracted equipment, repair and maintenance, we went from 120 down to 50, and that’s basically going to pay for our pressure tank over at Burchard Hill this year when we paint the Burchard tank.”
  • Source timestamp: 09:41

• Water Fund Contracted Infrastructure Repair and Maintenance

  • Summary: Contracted infrastructure, repair and maintenance was reduced from $3.4 million to $1.9 million for the lead services program.
  • Evidence: “Contracted infrastructure, repair and maintenance, you’ll see there. It was at $3.4 million. It’s $1.9. That’s lead services program. I believe that’s three. So that is budgeted for the lead service line program.”
  • Source timestamp: 11:10

• Wastewater Revenue Settlement Funds

  • Summary: Another $400,000 is anticipated revenue from the Forever Chemical settlement for wastewater.
  • Evidence: “For the revenue, again, you’ll see another $400,000 there, as we’re anticipating about $800,000 coming in from the Forever Chemical settlement.”
  • Source timestamp: 13:31

• Wastewater Contracted Infrastructure Repair and Maintenance

  • Summary: Sewer lining costs are being moved to capital instead of expense items because the life of the lining is 20-30 years.
  • Evidence: “Skipping down to $6170, contracted infrastructure, repair, and maintenance. This is our sewer lining, and this was reduced, I believe we’re pursuing some sewer lining grants through the EPA. D. A. Is that correct? And it’s moved to capital instead of being in the expense items. So it’s a way of looking at, so it’s fixed infrastructure, the lining, the life of the lining is 20, 30 years, so it really doesn’t belong in the expense item, it belongs in the in the asset side.”
  • Source timestamp: 13:59

• 2025 budget completion

  • Summary: The engineering budget for stormwater was reduced from 150,000 to 50, completing the 2025 budget.
  • Evidence: “So on the 6215, could you add on that? I think it was incorrect. If you noticed the year before, it was probably a key punch error. There we go. So we fixed it. Okay, and then engineering, we originally had 150,000 in there for stormwater and we took that to 50. So that completes the 2025 budget.”
  • Source timestamp: 17:48

Projects

• Wastewater treatment plant upgrades
  • Summary: Installing a chemically enhanced primary treatment to handle inflow and infiltration, including new headworks with pumps, screens, grid screens, and handling equipment, replacing the lab and UV treatment; chlorine disinfection will be removed.
  • Evidence: “Right, so we’re installing a chemically enhanced primary treatment to handle the inflow and infiltration problem. We’re installing new headworks with new pumps, screens, grid screens, and handling equipment there replacing the lab and the UV treatment. We’re getting rid of the chlorine Disinfection and putting in UV treatment at the wastewater treatment plant”
  • Source timestamp: 16:24

Presentations and Reports

• West Avenue TIF Fund Status

  • Summary: The West Avenue TIF fund showed no changes.
  • Evidence: “OK, and we’re starting off here with the West Avenue TIF. Nothing’s really been changed with that. Got no change there.”
  • Source timestamp: 01:32

• Burchard Hills TIF Fund Status

  • Summary: The Burchard Hills TIF fund showed no changes.
  • Evidence: “OK, Burchard Hills TIF, that is Fund 228. Also, no changes there.”
  • Source timestamp: 01:49

• Meadows TIF Fund Status

  • Summary: The Meadows TIF fund showed no changes.
  • Evidence: “Meadows TIF 229, no changes there.”
  • Source timestamp: 02:00

• Drug Forfeiture Fund Status

  • Summary: The Drug Forfeiture Fund showed no changes because it did not change from the first time it was presented.
  • Evidence: “The Drug Forfeiture Fund, no changes on the Drug Forfeiture Fund. Why is there no changes? Because when we first presented it, it did not change from the first time we presented it.”
  • Source timestamp: 02:00

• Tourism Fund Budget Change

  • Summary: The budget for hotel motel tax revenue increased from $240,000 in 2024 to $280,000 for the new year.
  • Evidence: “It did go up, the budget from 2024 was 240,000 for revenue in the hotel motel tax. And we’re budgeting 280 for the new year. 280,000, We just haven’t made any changes since we initially presented it a few months ago.”
  • Source timestamp: 03:09

• 318 Street Improvement Fund Status

  • Summary: The funds for the 1% tax in the 318 Street Improvement Fund have shown no changes since presentation in the capital improvement plan.
  • Evidence: “This is where we’re going to have, this is where the funds for the 1% tax will reside and these funds have been budgeted for road reconstructions next year. There have been no changes since we presented it in the capital improvement plan.”
  • Source timestamp: 04:07

• Capital Equipment Fund Vehicle Purchases

  • Summary: The department will purchase an F-550 truck next year instead of several bits of equipment previously budgeted for. Three police vehicles are also being purchased.
  • Evidence: “Some of those vehicles are for the street department. So we are gonna be purchasing an F-550 truck next year instead of several bits of equipment that we had already put in there. And then also the enterprise leases are paid out of this, as well as police vehicles. So we’re purchasing three police vehicles.”
  • Source timestamp: 04:57

• Fire Improvement Fund Change

  • Summary: A change was made to the Fire improvement fund due to better knowledge of the required amount.
  • Evidence: “Fire improvement fund, a few minor bookkeeping things, We put that in. We have a better idea now of what that should be. And so that’s been added.”
  • Source timestamp: 05:15

• Landfill Closure Fund Budgeting

  • Summary: The landfill closure fund is budgeting $362,155 to add to the road closure or the landfill closure.
  • Evidence: “So we’re budgeting $362,155 to add to the road closure or the landfill closure Miller.”
  • Source timestamp: 06:12

Metrics

• Water Fund Placeholder Revenue

  • Summary: A placeholder of $400,000 was added to account for expected revenue in 2025.
  • Evidence: “You’ve got highlighted the. 400,000.000. Yes. Yeah, the 400,000 that’s. So that we’re putting in as a placeholder what we think we’re going to get for in 25 We’re just trying to account for it a little bit. We think we’ll get something this year, earned 25.”
  • Source timestamp: 11:25

• Water Budget Adjustments (Engineering)

  • Summary: Engineering costs were reduced from $500k to $383,000.
  • Evidence: “Okay. If you will, skip down to 6315. We took engineering from 500 to 383,000, and then we also adjusted fee in lieu of property tax from, I’m sorry, equipment building and plant outside from 35 to 30,000.”
  • Source timestamp: 11:38

• Water Budget Adjustments (Mains and Manholes)

  • Summary: Mains and manholes were reduced from 135 to 85.
  • Evidence: “So we took mains and manholes down from 135 to 85.”
  • Source timestamp: 12:39

• Water Budget Adjustments (Meter Equipment)

  • Summary: Meter equipment was reduced from 60 to 50.
  • Evidence: “And then meter equipment we took from 60 to 50.”
  • Source timestamp: 12:46

• Water Budget Adjustments (Plant Maintenance and Vehicles)

  • Summary: Plant maintenance was reduced by about $5,000, and vehicles were reduced by $2,000.
  • Evidence: “So moving down, plant maintenance, we took that down about 5,000. And then vehicles, we took 2,000 off of that.”
  • Source timestamp: 12:46

• Water Budget Adjustments (Software)

  • Summary: Software costs were reduced from 112 to 56,000 after review.
  • Evidence: “We made a necessary adjustments where we needed to software. We were reviewing some of the software that we needed and we were able to make some changes there. So we went from 112 to 56,000.”
  • Source timestamp: 12:56

• Water Budget Land Acquisition Move

  • Summary: The $100,000 for land and property acquisition was moved from the water budget to the mixed assets category.
  • Evidence: “And the land and property acquisition, you got $100,000, but we moved that from the water budget over to the mixed assets category, so that’s not actually zero, that just got moved to another place in the budget.”
  • Source timestamp: 13:09

• Wastewater Lab Testing Reduction Goal

  • Summary: The goal is to reduce lab testing vendor costs over time due to lead service line replacements.
  • Evidence: “And yeah, lab testing vendors, we’re gonna to do what we can to take a little reduce that somewhat. We’re hoping that we’ll get to a point with the lead services that our lead service line testing will be getting less expensive over time because we’ve replaced so many of them.”
  • Source timestamp: 14:23

Discussion

• Yard Waste Disposal Options

  • Summary: The wood lot on Walnut Road accepts woody yard waste; grass clippings are not taken currently but composting is being worked on.
  • Evidence: “I’m doing the yard waste. I had calls on what do they do with their yard waste? Why isn’t there somewhere for them? There is. I mean the the woody yard waste either goes down to the city yards There’s an impound there or out to the the wood lot On Walnut Road, so it’s right next door to landfill four Now grass clippings we don’t take although we are working on a composting permit so we can kind of generate our own topsoil Hill, and in that case we might we might start accepting grass clippings there because it allows the nitrogen you need mix in with the decomposing leaves to create the proper balance there to create potting soil.”
  • Source timestamp: 07:35

• Disposal of Non-Garbage Household Waste

  • Summary: Non-garbage items from a household can be taken to the transfer station for a tipping fee or nominal fee per day.
  • Evidence: “Davis, what happens to anything else that’s not garbage from your household? Well, you would take it to the transfer station and there would be a tipping fee or some nominal fee per day.”
  • Source timestamp: 09:13

• Disposal of yard waste and household items

  • Summary: Leaves specifically go to the woodlot, which is only open 8 to noon. Other special garbage or waste can be taken to a transfer station for a tipping fee.
  • Evidence: “Now the leaves don’t go to the the city yards they go to the they go to the wood lot brush yes Yes, the brush. If you have brush, you can take it to City Yards or the woodlot, but leaves specifically go to the woodlot. Woodlot. Yes. It’s only open 8 to noon. Yep. Okay. Or any other special garbage or waste that requires not your normal typical household garbage. How does that become stored or disposed of if the landfill is only going to take specifics? Davis, what happens to anything else that’s not garbage from your household? Well, you would take it to the transfer station and there would be a tipping fee or some nominal fee per day.”
  • Source timestamp: 07:41

• Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades

  • Summary: The upgrade involves installing a chemically enhanced primary treatment, new headworks with pumps and screens, and replacing chlorine disinfection with UV treatment at the wastewater treatment plant.
  • Evidence: “Alderman Sanders. Yeah, just a question. I saw the new water plant structure, utility area, chemical area, is that what we’re upgrading? Some some similar with new machines and things like that to work with our waste treatment water. Right, so we’re installing a chemically enhanced primary treatment to handle the inflow and infiltration problem. We’re installing new headworks with new pumps, screens, grid screens, and handling equipment there replacing the lab and the UV treatment. We’re getting rid of the chlorine Disinfection and putting in UV treatment at the wastewater treatment plant that lagoon that’s that’s not in there anymore is it we’re not utilizing that I’m sorry I don’t know I may be saying it wrong aeration tank or no the the I call it the lagoon I don’t know why my call well let’s talk after the meeting well”
  • Source timestamp: 16:09

Public Comment

• Concerns regarding elected officials’ ability to speak and ordinances

  • Summary: An elected official stated that their job is to ask questions and get answers, criticizing limitations on speaking ability when feelings influence decisions. They also criticized outdated ordinances.
  • Evidence: “Good evening. I just want to basically make a comment in regards to issues that are at hand in regards to one’s ability to speak. As an elected official your jobs Jobs is to the citizens of Freeport. It is to ask questions and it is to get answers. Limiting the ability to speak doesn’t get anything done when people allow their feelings to play a part in the decisions regarding the well-being of this entire city.”
  • Source timestamp: 18:48

• Outdated ordinances needing removal

  • Summary: The speaker argued that many ordinances are outdated and should be removed, citing an example of a fine for spitting on the ground.
  • Evidence: “My understanding is this is being based on an ordinance that is as old as dirt and has never been used before We have too many of those ordinances still sitting on the books and they need to be wiped off Including the one if you spit on the ground you get a fine that’s still sitting on the books”
  • Source timestamp: 19:58

• Call for elected officials to engage constituents

  • Summary: The speaker urged aldermen to reach out to their constituents instead of waiting for them to come to meetings, noting that people are dissatisfied with current governance.
  • Evidence: “Your job is to come to us. And I’m really sick of this. You know, I’ve been in city council meetings that have lasted longer than three hours. Oath of Office to serve us, no matter how long it takes for that to come about.”
  • Source timestamp: 20:39

• Request to pass an ordinance against discriminatory practices

  • Summary: The speaker suggested passing an ordinance addressing discriminatory practices on lawns and in other areas within the city.
  • Evidence: “And I would submit that you guys pull together and put an ordinance out that talks about discriminatory practices on lawns and any place else in this city that is offensive to the people of this city.”
  • Source timestamp: 23:04