On the agenda

1. 1Call to Order - Roll Call▶ 0:00
2. 2.a

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   Review of Proposed Departmental Budgets for FY2025-2026

   discussed

   City staff presented proposed FY2025-2026 departmental budgets at a work session, covering Public Works (with multiple divisions including supervision, streets/right-of-way, facilities maintenance, grounds, parking garage, stormwater, water production), Economic Development, Finance, Library, Technology Solutions, and Human Resources. Staff emphasized fiscal conservatism, personnel mobilization, and a directive to reduce the overall millage rate. The item was a discussion/review with no formal votes taken.

   • direction:Council directed staff to include pressure cleaning of the seawall along Grand near Cody River Park alongside sidewalk pressure washing. (none)
   • direction:Staff to swap the fluoride containment rehab line item (46399) for check valve #2 and #3 replacements ($80,000 in FY26 and $80,000 in FY27) before the next budget reading. (none)

   📍Claude Pepper Senior Center📍Cody River Park📍Meadows Park📍Orange Lake Fountain🏢Jilly's🏢Kaiser👤Mr. Eichemuller👤Mr. Rivera👤Ms. Vance#City Hall elevator upgrades#EV station software license renewal#FY2025-2026 Budget#Facilities Maintenance Division 106#Grounds Division 110#Impact Fee Analysis#Lead and Copper Study#Millage rate reduction directive#NPDES permit#Parking Garage Division#Pavement Management Plan Cycle 9#Public Works Division 101 (Supervision)#SCADA PLC upgrades#Smart meter water loss and revenue analysis#Stormwater Utility Division 103#Streets and Right-of-Way Division 102#TPO roofing system at Recreation Center#Vision Zero maintenance#Wastewater Treatment Plant oxidation unit conversion#Water Production Division 105

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   [00:00:20] Okay, thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. [00:00:22] The purpose of this work session is to present to Council for our first discussion our budgets [00:00:36] for the fiscal year 25-26, and the budgets specifically that we'll be presenting this [00:00:44] evening are public works, economic development, finance, the library budget, the budget for [00:00:52] technology solutions, as well as the budget for human resources. [00:00:56] I just want to ask one thing before you can start it. [00:01:00] Go ahead. [00:01:01] Can we assign the books that we have now to us, so if we make notes in them, we get our [00:01:05] book back? [00:01:06] We generally take those back. [00:01:08] You can take them back, but can I put notes in the next batch? [00:01:10] But you can take notes in them, yes. [00:01:11] Yeah, that's what I'm saying. [00:01:12] Well, just write your name on it. [00:01:13] Oh, I didn't notice that. [00:01:14] I didn't notice that, sorry. [00:01:15] Well, thank you. [00:01:16] Yeah, but you can write in your books. [00:01:17] That's great. [00:01:18] I saw her hand them out, but I didn't know she was putting them in certain spots. [00:01:26] The approach that we've taken this year in crafting the budget is that we've been as [00:01:34] fiscally conservative as we can be, in lieu of the fact that we still don't know what [00:01:40] all of our sources of revenue will be for the next year. [00:01:45] We've also mobilized our human capital to mobilize optimal results, so you'll note that [00:01:56] we will be proposing, through second reading, a good number of changes in personnel, and [00:02:06] we are also mindful of the directive that you've advanced, that you would like us to [00:02:13] reduce our overall millage rate, so that is a priority for us. [00:02:20] And with that, we can start our budget presentations. [00:02:24] Public Works is our largest department of the city, and they have a good number of divisions [00:02:31] to present to us this evening, so I'd like to start. [00:02:35] And both Mr. Rivera and Mr. Eichemuller will be presenting that budget this evening. [00:02:41] Thank you, Ms. Vance. [00:02:42] In respect of your time, what we're going to do is we're going to take and give you [00:02:48] three of our initiatives that we think are really important for us to accomplish in the [00:02:54] coming year, and then we're going to go ahead and start off with the operating budget. [00:02:58] And when we go through the operating budget, we are not going to call out a $500 increase [00:03:04] or decrease, we're just going to call out the large number, you know, that $1,000, $5,000 [00:03:11] type of amounts that have made an impact on that operating budget, whether it went [00:03:16] up or whether it went down. [00:03:18] So if you turn to page four, we're going to start with public works supervision, and our [00:03:25] initiatives that we have for the upcoming year is to perform smart meter water loss [00:03:29] and revenue analysis. [00:03:32] We want to complete the wastewater treatment plant deficiency analysis, as well as the [00:03:37] wastewater treatment plant oxidation unit conversion. [00:03:40] We want to start that process, the engineering phase of it. [00:03:44] So if we move to page six, you'll see at the top of the page, you have the total personnel [00:03:52] services. [00:03:53] There were no adjustments made in this category by our staff. [00:04:00] That'll come at the next reading. [00:04:03] I'm having trouble finding six. [00:04:09] The page numbers are at the top. [00:04:12] Yeah, it says five, supervision. [00:04:14] And then the next page is six. [00:04:16] Look at the bottom. [00:04:19] No, he's reading off of the agenda. [00:04:21] Oh, yeah, go on the agenda, not in the book. [00:04:24] Page six. [00:04:27] You won't see the same page numbers that he's seeing. [00:04:32] So just follow. [00:04:35] Do you have a binder? [00:04:37] Yeah. [00:04:38] Or you're using a separate binder? [00:04:39] Well, I just put my agenda in here. [00:04:41] So the first page is supervision under the public works tag. [00:04:47] Okay. [00:04:49] So he's just on. [00:04:51] Accomplishments. [00:04:53] Yeah, we've moved on to payroll. [00:04:56] I'm on the payroll. [00:04:57] Is it on his page? [00:04:58] Would that be his page? [00:04:59] Yes. [00:05:00] Yeah. [00:05:01] Are you on page four, Chopper? [00:05:03] Yes. [00:05:04] I'm on public works supervision. [00:05:07] And it's one through five. [00:05:09] Yep. [00:05:10] So then turn to page four. [00:05:12] Page four. [00:05:13] We're missing a page. [00:05:17] He's got it. [00:05:19] No, he's not. [00:05:22] Because he's looking at the agenda. [00:05:24] Page number? [00:05:25] Uh-huh. [00:05:27] This is five. [00:05:29] Four, five. [00:05:31] You're working out of a different book. [00:05:33] I am. [00:05:36] This is the old book with your notes? [00:05:38] Yes. [00:05:39] Okay. [00:05:40] We're working on this one with all of the edits. [00:05:43] You won't put the edits in here. [00:05:44] Okay. [00:05:47] So where is Robert? [00:05:49] He's on page four. [00:05:50] Okay. [00:05:51] Page four. [00:05:52] All right. [00:05:53] I got that one. [00:05:54] Okay. [00:05:55] So. [00:05:56] It really wasn't me, honest. [00:05:58] I know my numbers. [00:06:00] There was no six. [00:06:01] Jeez. [00:06:03] So we're on page four, supervision, division 101. [00:06:09] There were no personnel changes. [00:06:11] This division had a negative 25.37% decrease. [00:06:19] And it was due to professional services. [00:06:23] That is 43,199. [00:06:26] That was a reduction of from 50,000 to 25,000. [00:06:31] It's because we completed our impact fee analysis this year. [00:06:37] The next line item was 44,134. [00:06:41] That's the data lines. [00:06:43] That was due to technology solutions taken and, I guess, [00:06:48] going through and getting better pricing and stuff like that. [00:06:52] So that brought those costs down. [00:06:54] And then if we go to page five, [00:06:59] you will look at the public works supervision capital assets. [00:07:07] It's that last category on the page. [00:07:10] And then if you look at the last one, it's cameras. [00:07:12] We're requesting to install additional cameras on our facility that we have. [00:07:17] And that's in the amount of $5,000. [00:07:20] So any questions? [00:07:31] Not so far. [00:07:33] Okay. [00:07:34] So if we go to page eight, [00:07:36] our next division will be the streets and right-of-way 102. [00:07:52] Yeah, it changes the page number. [00:07:55] He's reading from the agenda. [00:07:58] Page eight. [00:08:00] They don't see that. [00:08:01] They just see streets and right-of-way. [00:08:03] Okay. [00:08:04] So the initiatives that this division has is it wants to continue replacing the [00:08:09] street name blades with the new city brand signs so that they're matching. [00:08:16] We're also going to assist in the identification of roadways for cycle nine [00:08:21] of our pavement management plan. [00:08:24] And then we want to continue our vision zone maintenance and tree canopy [00:08:31] maintenance program that we have. [00:08:34] And then we want to ensure that the staff members complete maintenance of [00:08:37] traffic certifications. [00:08:44] If we go over to the budget line items. [00:08:51] I've got page 10. [00:08:53] I don't know what that is. [00:08:54] Page five, I think. [00:08:55] Okay. [00:08:59] I don't have a digital one. [00:09:06] His notes. [00:09:08] He has notes. [00:09:09] Yeah. [00:09:11] So if we look at this division, there is no personnel changes. [00:09:14] The division itself has a negative 2.33%. [00:09:20] And when we look at the main reduction in the line item, it would be 44331, [00:09:28] the solid waste removal. [00:09:31] That was due to the trash hauler that we have as far as being responsible for [00:09:37] collecting a lot of this division's trash. [00:09:41] So that went down from 18,000 down to 5,000. [00:09:46] We did leave the 5,000 in there, and that's for illegal dumping. [00:09:50] We still have to pay for those tipping fees. [00:09:54] If we go to the next page, we'll look under the capital assets. [00:10:02] We have a payloader that we want to replace. [00:10:08] Or, I'm sorry, we are putting R&R of 50,000. [00:10:14] That will go towards the purchase of it. [00:10:19] And then if we look at the next column, 46431, we have a asphalt hotbox trailer [00:10:25] in the amount of 35,000 that we are requesting. [00:10:35] Our next division that we have is 106. [00:10:37] It is facilities maintenance. [00:10:41] And we are on the initiatives page. [00:10:52] So this division is going to oversee the removal and the installation of a TPO [00:10:57] roofing system at the recreation center. [00:11:01] It's also going to do the conversion of the new LED lighting system in one of [00:11:06] the buildings that we have at our public works complex. [00:11:09] And then we want to initiate the new preventive maintenance plan for all of [00:11:14] the HVAC systems in the Claude Pepper Senior Center. [00:11:24] If we go to the expenditures, again, there is no personnel changes. [00:11:28] This division had a .5 negative reduction in it. [00:11:34] And, again, if we go down to the 44331 solid waste removal, [00:11:40] that was reduced from 30,000 to 25. [00:11:47] Kind of evened out because if we look at 45251, that's janitorial supplies, [00:11:55] that actually was increased by $5,000 from 35,000 to 40. [00:12:00] And that's, for obvious reasons, the cost of the materials that we use. [00:12:06] And so the .5 came from little deductions in the different line items. [00:12:12] So if we go to the next page, if we go to the last column, [00:12:19] you'll see city hall elevator upgrades. [00:12:23] That's for $12,000. [00:12:28] That's directly related to state certification [00:12:31] and the installation of a new door lock monitoring system per code. [00:12:43] Do we have any questions? [00:12:46] No. [00:12:49] The next division that we have is grounds division. [00:12:52] That's 110. [00:12:58] And the initiatives that this division has for it is to pressure wash all the sidewalks [00:13:03] and all of the parks that we have. [00:13:05] We're going to start that process. [00:13:07] Repair and replace playground equipment in all of the parks as needed. [00:13:14] We're going to take and collect a lot of the trash receptacles and benches that you see. [00:13:19] Instead of taking and replacing them, we're going to go ahead [00:13:24] and they're at the state where we can still get them sandblasted and powder coated [00:13:28] and we'll be able to repurpose them. [00:13:30] Just a little flash, a couple neighbors that live on Grand felt that the seawall, [00:13:37] it needs to be pressure cleaned. [00:13:38] Is that going to happen along with the sidewalks? [00:13:41] We can make that happen. [00:13:42] Okay, because you've got to be right there anyhow. [00:13:44] Correct. [00:13:45] Okay, just take a look at it. [00:13:46] I didn't really eyeball it. [00:13:48] It didn't either. [00:13:49] Does it? [00:13:50] Okay. [00:13:53] Along Cody River Park? [00:13:55] Yeah, Cody River Park, yeah. [00:13:58] And then for personnel training, we want to get a lot of the employees limited lawn [00:14:04] and ornamental pesticide licenses. [00:14:09] So if we go over to expenditures, again, there were no changes in personnel. [00:14:15] This division was reduced by 0.42%. [00:14:19] Again, solid waste was reduced. [00:14:29] We had contractual services, which was 43,499. [00:14:35] That was increased. [00:14:38] An example would be Meadows Park. [00:14:40] You know, a lot of these improvements that we're doing, [00:14:43] now we've got to cost to maintain them, increases that. [00:14:47] And so that went up by 5,000. [00:14:51] If we go down to 44,611, that division went up by 5,000. [00:15:00] Includes the Orange Lake Fountain repairs and the splash pad repairs that we have to do. [00:15:09] And then if we look at 45211, that's fuel, that was reduced from $21,000 to $18,000. [00:15:22] The next page, if we look at 45341, that's sod and seed. [00:15:28] That was reduced by $5,000 from $35,000 to $30,000. [00:15:33] And we feel very confident with the artificial turf that we have now, [00:15:36] that's the savings that we had brought to you. [00:15:39] And so we've reduced that. [00:15:41] Our next category that we have is 46431, and that is for the purchase [00:15:50] of a utility vehicle for the grounds people. [00:15:58] The next division that we have is the parking garage. [00:16:05] And the goal that we have other than a couple of complete standard operating procedures [00:16:19] for the facilities, we have taken and identified a program, and now we want to be able [00:16:24] to implement that on a consistent basis. [00:16:27] And then we want to restripe the parking lot surface. [00:16:29] We're going to get a sign on Maine to show where it is? [00:16:36] Oh, we have two signs there. [00:16:37] I haven't seen it yet, then. [00:16:40] You've got to go outside the city to see it. [00:16:42] Oh, okay. [00:16:44] I just thought there would be one on Maine, I just never noticed it. [00:16:49] Yeah, it's right past the, if you're headed eastbound, it's right by Kaiser, [00:16:55] and then westbound, it's right there by Jilly's. [00:17:01] So if we go to expenditures, again, there were no personnel changes. [00:17:06] This division was increased by 8.46%. [00:17:10] It is a new division, so we're trying to get in line, trying to get a trend [00:17:14] as far as seeing what our numbers really are. [00:17:17] We did go out to bid on the security guard people, and so that price was an increase [00:17:24] as well. [00:17:26] This division is supplemented, though, by the hotel as well as Kaiser. [00:17:31] So when you do see the expenditures, just know that there is a methodology in place. [00:17:39] It's per parking space and stuff that they pay us, so it helps supplement [00:17:46] the expenditures here. [00:17:48] And so when we look at the security services, that's line item 43474. [00:17:55] That went up from 80,000 to 85,000. [00:18:01] If you look at the next one, 44134, that's the data line, and that's all the way [00:18:07] across the board with all the divisions directly related to IT. [00:18:13] That went down from $6,800 to $4,500. [00:18:24] The data lines are all the software, I guess. [00:18:27] I'm not really sure everything that it entails. [00:18:30] That's for the wireless connection or the data connections, and we do have cameras also [00:18:35] budgeted within this department, but not in that line item. [00:18:42] What would be for the camera communications, it's data lines, yeah. [00:18:49] And so if we look at the line item 45225, software licenses and support, that went from [00:18:58] $6,500 up to $17,650. [00:19:03] That's directly related to the renewal of the EV station. [00:19:07] It's a three-year contract, and obviously we elected to go with the three-year because [00:19:12] if you went with the one-year, it was more expensive over the long haul. [00:19:16] And so that's the reason for that increase. [00:19:23] And then we have Division 103, that's the stormwater utility. [00:19:29] The initiative for this division is to tag and stencil the remaining catch basins in [00:19:36] Section 3. [00:19:39] This is based upon our NPDES permit that we're required to do certain maintenance items for [00:19:45] our stormwater system that we have in place, and one of them is taking and first of all [00:19:50] tagging with their ID and the directions that each one of the pipes go to, and then it also [00:19:57] includes the symbol of no dumping at that public outreach to let people know not to [00:20:04] dump oils and those types of things. [00:20:07] And then also in Section 3, we are going to jet and clean all the storm pipes. [00:20:13] That still doesn't mean that if somebody calls in and there's a pipe that's clogged up in [00:20:19] their area that we don't go over there, we do, but we try to be proactive and we do at [00:20:24] least 10% every year at the different sections that we have in town. [00:20:31] Then we're going to be completing our outfall inspections, which will directly go into the [00:20:37] creation of work orders that will create maintenance activities for the men, so it's another proactive [00:20:43] way and another mandate that we have to do for that NPDES permit. [00:20:48] And then our training that we want to do is we want to get the men certified in MOT, maintenance [00:20:55] of traffic. [00:20:59] If we go to the line items in this division, this division went down 15.04%. [00:21:10] If you look at line item 43199, that was a reduction from 50,000 to 25,000, and that [00:21:20] was directly related to our NPDES water quality report. [00:21:25] And then we had 43433, lawn maintenance, and that went down from 43,000 to 30,000. [00:21:38] A lot of that work is being performed in-house. [00:21:43] And then if we go to the next page, the line item 44331, solid waste removal, again, was [00:21:50] directly related to the waste hauler. [00:21:54] We left our 5,000 in there for the neighborhood cleanup and our solid waste assessment that [00:22:02] we have to pay. [00:22:04] What's that number again? [00:22:07] That is 44331. [00:22:13] And if we go to the next page, the bottom category, trucks and trailers, we have a vacuum [00:22:20] line cleaning truck, R&R. [00:22:25] So we're requesting that we take 120 and put it in, and then in subsequent years we'll [00:22:31] do that purchase to where it doesn't impact the budget in this division as much as it [00:22:37] would purchasing a truck like that. [00:22:41] If we go to the next page, we have heavy equipment. [00:22:52] We have our street sweeper that is in need of replacement. [00:22:57] Typically vehicles this large, we're looking at a 15-year turnover. [00:23:02] This one is between 10 and 11 years, basically because of the harsh environment and activity [00:23:09] that it's performing. [00:23:11] And so we've got 100,000 in there, and we're going to do the lease to purchase over a five-year [00:23:18] time frame. [00:23:20] And then the last item that we have is special purpose equipment. [00:23:24] We have our sandbagger machine where we've got $15,000 we want to acquire it, but we [00:23:30] do have $20,000 that is in R&R from last year. [00:23:35] So the total purchase price of the sandbag machine will be $35,000. [00:23:42] Do we have any questions on any of that? [00:23:51] Get a middle school guy to fill the bags. [00:23:54] Do what? [00:23:55] Get a middle school kid to fill the bags. [00:23:57] Oh. [00:24:00] If you have some that you'd like to volunteer, we'll do that. [00:24:03] They don't want to work. [00:24:04] They'll forget it. [00:24:07] All right. [00:24:09] Moving on to our water and sewer, we'll start with our water production. [00:24:14] That's 105. [00:24:17] And so for the initiatives here, you'll see that they've highlighted the monitoring of [00:24:24] current legislation and the impacts and the rules and regulations that will come down [00:24:28] from there and trying to keep up with those regulations that will be put out by DEP. [00:24:33] Most recently, you'll note that we had the changes with fluoride implementation. [00:24:38] So that was recently removed. [00:24:39] So our guys constantly stay up on that to ensure that we're right on track with what [00:24:44] our permit requires. [00:24:47] Purchase and install a program, SCADA PLCs and components, including relocating all HMI [00:24:53] controllers into a single cabinet. [00:24:55] And this will allow us to monitor and operate our plant remotely if needed. [00:24:59] And purchase a portable intelligent auto flusher to improve the residuals in the distribution [00:25:05] system. [00:25:12] Moving on to our line items, we had an overall reduction of 3.35% in this division. [00:25:23] There were no changes to personnel. [00:25:30] If you go to item 43.499, contractual services, we reduced that by 15,000. [00:25:39] And this is in a large part because we completed our lead and copper study with our consultant. [00:25:49] And we've done a little bit of housekeeping in that area as well. [00:25:54] And then other thing to highlight is our chemicals. [00:25:57] We're going to remain the same at 340,000. [00:26:02] We increased that last year, and the reason for that was the increase in the bleach and [00:26:06] ammonia cost, so that's going to remain the same for right now. [00:26:17] Okay. [00:26:19] For the 46341, we have a few items here with the elevated storage tank and the city well repairs [00:26:28] and ground storage reservoirs. [00:26:31] Those are all R&R, and that's setting aside those funds for the necessary repairs to maintain those [00:26:38] pieces of infrastructure. [00:26:42] Continuing on further, we have the 46399, and you'll see the fluoride containment rehab with the recent [00:26:53] changes pushed out by the state. [00:26:58] That item is going to be changed, and instead we're going to be replacing it with check valve number 2 [00:27:04] and check valve number 3 replacement for the high service pump. [00:27:09] And that will be at an expense of 80,000 for fiscal year 2026 and 80,000 in the following year, 2027. [00:27:18] So those will be some changes that we'll be making along the way. [00:27:22] Before you turn the page again, can you go back to 46399? [00:27:27] That's like 22,000. [00:27:31] Is there something special there? [00:27:36] You're talking? [00:27:38] 46399. [00:27:40] Is that the other grounds and building miscellaneous? [00:27:43] Yes. [00:27:44] Okay, yeah. [00:27:45] If you go down to the expenditure sheet further down there, you'll see in 46399, [00:27:52] they call out those individual expenditures. [00:27:56] That's what I'm talking about, 46399. [00:27:58] Mayor, that's on the second page. [00:28:03] And so then you'll see that further down there in 46399, and that's exactly what I was talking about [00:28:08] with the fluoride containment rehab where we're going to be removing that item and replacing it [00:28:13] with the check valves number two and number three. [00:28:16] Is the check valves listed on here, or are you saying that's going to be? [00:28:19] They're not listed on here, but the fluoride containment rehab, [00:28:22] because fluoride's no longer a thing that we're implementing in the system, [00:28:26] that item's being swapped out for check valves number two and number three. [00:28:29] And those changes will be made. [00:28:31] Before your next reading. [00:28:32] Before the next reading, but I'm going ahead and updating you on that now [00:28:35] so that way we're aware of it in advance. [00:28:37] That was 22, and this over here is 30. [00:28:40] I'm saying that number's changed, so, okay, I understand that. [00:28:42] Correct. [00:28:44] And then you'll see the aerator leak repair for 15,000 [00:28:50] and the replacement of the bulk tank room piping. [00:28:53] Again, some of these are just maintenance for the infrastructure to maintain the facility. [00:29:01] Going further down into 46431 for our capital, [00:29:07] you'll see the purchase for the pressure transducers, bleach and ammonia and transfer pumps. [00:29:13] The new storage shed, again, that's for a resiliency asset. [00:29:17] We're going to be storing some of our chemicals in there [00:29:19] and maintaining that going further on. [00:29:27] For the aerator leak repair, that was on last year's too, [00:29:31] so is that going to be every year, or is that a carryover? [00:29:34] We have multiple aerators out there, [00:29:37] so we do one year over year as a part of our maintenance program [00:29:42] until we've hit a point to where maybe we can do a reset on it [00:29:46] and kind of take a moment, and we don't need to. [00:29:50] It's not a requirement for that infrastructure. [00:30:00] Moving on to the Water and Reclaimed Water Distribution, this is 107. [00:30:10] Some of the initiatives for the following year is to change [00:30:15] out the remaining bulk meters within the Water Distribution Center system. [00:30:19] These are our large reed meters that were initially installed with the old retrofits [00:30:25] and are now due, they've hit their 10-year lifespan and they're due for replacement. [00:30:29] So those guys will be doing that this year. [00:30:32] The identifying areas within the distribution system where SU, [00:30:39] that's subsurface utility engineering, would be required to update our GIS maps [00:30:44] and also ascertain an understanding as to the condition of the pipe in the area. [00:30:49] And establish standard operating procedures and policies in coordination with the lead [00:30:55] and copy regulations coming from the EPA. [00:30:59] Moving on to our line items, there was a reduction, overall reduction in the budget [00:31:15] for this division of 5 percent. [00:31:20] There were no changes to personnel. [00:31:22] Go down to 43,199, that's our professional services. [00:31:33] You'll see a reduction of 25,000 from 75 to 50. [00:31:37] That's in large part because of the SU work from the lead and copper that was required [00:31:45] and we'll maintain some of that to continue on. [00:31:48] If you come down to 44,331, that's solid waste removal. [00:31:56] We reduced significantly there and again, that's in large part due [00:32:00] to the contract we have with J.D. Parker and our removal service. [00:32:04] So all we're paying there is our tipping fees. [00:32:11] Is the cold candy service, the two bowls of candy, one on Nadine's and one on? [00:32:15] No, that is our service for marketing utilities. [00:32:19] I'm just kidding. [00:32:23] So and then. [00:32:25] At least I'm paying attention. [00:32:29] You go to 45,243, that's our computer supplies and we had a reduction there [00:32:36] because we recently purchased tablets over the past couple of years and we've hit that point [00:32:41] to where all of the staff has the tablets necessary [00:32:44] and the laptops necessary to continue moving on. [00:32:46] So we're good there. [00:32:53] If you move on to 45,299, you'll see we've had an increase there of 10,000. [00:33:02] This is for the supplies necessary to continue operations, things like repair bands, [00:33:10] repair sleeves that we'll be doing throughout the system as we maintain it. [00:33:13] Those are just necessary items and the cost of those have gone up. [00:33:26] So if we come on down to the 46,399 for capital maintenance and repairs, that's R&R. [00:33:36] And again, we're just saying that aside year over year. [00:33:39] If you see 46,415, that's the 2011 Ford F650. [00:33:47] If that's on your sheet, that item is going to be removed. [00:33:52] So that's no longer going to be, even though that's 2027 planned out, [00:33:57] that's no longer going to be on the sheet. [00:34:00] 46,416, this is the John Deere Payloader. [00:34:05] We already have 100,000 set aside in R&R. [00:34:08] For the purchase of this, so that'll be contributing to that [00:34:12] and we'll be making that purchase next year. [00:34:18] Further on, 46,431, you'll see the mud pumps and the 2012 mobile display signboard. [00:34:25] We'll be replacing the display signboard and ordering new mud pumps in order to allow these guys [00:34:29] to do their job more effectively. [00:34:31] And the leak detection equipment will help that the staff hone in on further issues [00:34:40] and tighten in our water loss program. [00:34:55] Correct. [00:35:02] Okay. [00:35:11] So cut on over to 109, this is the Public Works Construction Services. [00:35:21] Some of the initiatives they have going forward would be the Railroad Square Improvement Design [00:35:26] and Construction Project, and you have the Grand Boulevard Multi-Use Path Phase 2 [00:35:33] and Phase 3 to go underway, Fire Station 1, Hardscape and Grant work, [00:35:41] the Sims Park Boat Ramp Improvements and Construction Phase. [00:35:46] As you can see, these guys are pretty inundated and continue after it. [00:35:56] Moving on to the line items, this budget increased by 2.89%, no changes to personnel, [00:36:11] but you'll note that the increase came from the lease, and again, [00:36:16] this was in part because of some housekeeping. [00:36:19] We just needed to adjust those numbers to be more accurate, and there was a slight reduction [00:36:25] in fuel for 1,000, and that's in part because the newer vehicles just require less. [00:36:34] And there are no capital requirements for this budget, or requests. [00:36:42] All right, so moving on to the reclaimed water production, some of the initiatives [00:36:49] for this division would be install and remanufacture the breakers out there, [00:36:55] for the Wastewater Treatment Facility, and this will serve as emergency power backup if necessary, [00:37:01] and then install the electric circuit breaker, which is the 800 amp one, [00:37:05] and this will also give us the ability to have backup for five separate operations in the facility. [00:37:19] Moving on to the light items, we've had a reduction in this budget by 10.17%, [00:37:26] and just as a reminder, and we don't have the exact numbers right now, [00:37:30] we'll get those from the true up, but based off of last year, we were looking at 70% of that, [00:37:36] the contribution to this fund will come from Pasco County, and that's based on some [00:37:40] of the formulas and calculations we'll do afterwards. [00:37:43] No changes in personnel, what we do have, would like to highlight is 45,221, this is our chemicals, [00:37:52] we had a pretty significant reduction there of almost 100,000, and that's in part [00:37:57] because we joined a piggyback agreement with Tampa Bay Water, [00:38:00] so we're purchasing our chemicals through there, and we get that at a economy of scale pricing. [00:38:07] Let's go back up to 41,295, you had similar estimates in 24,25, as you do this year, [00:38:15] but the amended budget for 24,25 is, you know, whatever, 60,000, [00:38:23] and that's a pretty significant reduction, and that's based off of last year's budget, [00:38:28] as you do this year, but the amended budget for 24,25 is, you know, whatever, 64,000 dollars less. [00:38:38] I'm sorry, what line item, Mayor? [00:38:40] 41,299, so you had an estimate of 271, but then your amended was down to 206, now it's back up to... [00:38:54] The exempt salary has moved into the full-time salary for the budget year, the exempt salary. [00:39:02] Okay, okay, all right, okay, thank you. [00:39:06] What about standby time, 41527? [00:39:13] We increased... [00:39:14] Not a whole lot, but is that for, what exactly is standby time, on call? [00:39:21] Standby is on call, correct. [00:39:23] Okay. [00:39:35] If we move on to the capital assets, you'll see some of the significant purchases there in 46,399, [00:39:45] the sand filter rehabilitation for 449,900 dollars. [00:39:54] This is just a part of the maintenance necessary to maintain that facility and maintain operations on site. [00:40:01] The high service VFD for 24,000, the remanufactured breakers, again, that I spoke from on the initiatives, [00:40:10] this allows us that backup power to the system and gives us a little bit of further resiliency on that facility. [00:40:19] You'll see the capital equipment repairs and the equipment upgrades, that's just R&R for our year-over-year. [00:40:26] Are you looking to get kind of a description on those projects? [00:40:30] No, I think there's a footnote one and a footnote two. [00:40:34] I didn't make it. [00:40:35] It's a quantity. [00:40:36] Oh, oh, I'm sorry. [00:40:37] Yeah. [00:40:38] So, that's just the, that's what we're looking for. [00:40:42] Okay, thank you. [00:40:43] Thank you. [00:40:44] Thank you. [00:40:45] Thank you. [00:40:46] Thank you. [00:40:47] Thank you. [00:40:48] Thank you. [00:40:49] Thank you. [00:40:50] Thank you. [00:40:51] Thank you. [00:40:52] Thank you. [00:40:53] Thank you. [00:40:54] So, that's just the number. [00:40:56] Our guys will list the number. [00:40:59] We have two different sand filters out there. [00:41:01] We'll have four clarifiers, four aerators. [00:41:03] So, they list that number on there to say, hey, this is number one, this is number two, so we understand which one's being applied to. [00:41:09] So, if you see this, again, called out, you know, in later budgets, that little note there will indicate which one they're swapping out. [00:41:18] You know, there's no questions, because, again, we'll have, you know, the oxidation ditches will get rehabbed, you know, each year. [00:41:24] But we'll be doing one through four, and those will be spread out across those four years, so that way it clarifies that confusion. [00:41:30] So, it's not saying, all right, we're doing the oxidation ditch, well, didn't we just do it last year? [00:41:34] No, we did one last year. [00:41:36] This year we'll do three, and maybe we'll do two the following year. [00:41:39] I'm going to throw that question back at you. [00:41:42] Last year we did the sand filter one, and then this year it's listed as one again. [00:41:46] So, can you explain that a little bit? [00:41:48] How many sand filters are there? [00:41:50] It has to be an error. [00:41:52] It wasn't changed. [00:41:54] That would just be a note error. [00:41:56] We'll go back and change it, so that when we present again, we'll talk about it. [00:42:06] Other than that, that makes sense. [00:42:09] Okay, cool, all right. [00:42:15] Any other questions on this division? [00:42:21] Okay, moving on to 112. [00:42:23] This is our water pollution control. [00:42:25] Again, this is out at the wastewater treatment facility. [00:42:29] Some of the big initiatives for the following year is going to be the rehabilitation of aeration tank number three. [00:42:35] That's one of our oxidation ditches. [00:42:37] Again, that's just necessary maintenance that we try to space out throughout the years. [00:42:44] Making sure that we are meeting the reduction in our total nitrogen, [00:42:49] and that's required by the Wekiwetchi Basin Management Action Plan. [00:42:54] That's a part of the DEP extension 2028. [00:42:58] And the clamp press reconditioning. [00:43:03] That's just another maintenance item that is critical to the operation of those facilities out there. [00:43:16] Moving on to the line items. [00:43:20] We had a reduction in this budget by 0.78%. [00:43:28] And again, this particular budget is contributed by Pasco County, [00:43:32] and I think our estimates from last year were 47 to 49%. [00:43:36] Again, we'll get those numbers more accurately once we get our true up at the end of the year. [00:43:45] Go to 43,129. [00:43:48] That's engineering services. [00:43:50] We reduced that by 20,000. [00:43:54] And again, that's because we completed the study for the triber tank conversion to the oxidation ditch. [00:44:00] So that was completed this past year. [00:44:03] And the professional services reduced by 20,000. [00:44:07] We had a new position that we started previous year, [00:44:10] and that was the SCADA coordinator. [00:44:12] Having him in place enables us the ability to reduce the budget for our SCADA services significantly. [00:44:17] So that's where that came from. [00:44:24] If you come down to the 44,331, that's solid waste removal. [00:44:30] Again, that reduction in the budget is we're just paying for the tipping fees now [00:44:35] that we have J.D. Parker in place doing the hauling services. [00:44:42] The reduction in 44,351, that's the water and sewer city. [00:44:48] Again, that's just based on the trending rates that we saw. [00:44:53] Thank you. [00:45:00] For line item 44-611, you'll see the maintenance buildings and grounds, that went up $20,000 and that's in large part because of the increase in demand and increase in the cost for some of the pumps and filters that we use throughout the facility. [00:45:28] We also increased 45-211, that's our fuel, and again that's a bit of housekeeping and we based that on the trends that we were seeing with our expenditures there. [00:45:41] Lastly, you'll see in this section the 45-289, that's automotive parts, that went up $10,000. [00:45:54] We have a fifth wheel out there that helps haul the sludge trailer and moves it from where it receives the sludge out to the front for our contractor. [00:46:05] And so that fifth wheel tractor trailer is in due of some servicing and some new parts. [00:46:12] Moving on to our capital, you'll see 46-299, the admin building roof repairs and the admin building foundation repairs. [00:46:34] The roof is about 30 years old out there and is in need of replacement. [00:46:39] It's hit its total lifespan and the foundation repairs, we've just noticed some settling out there and it just needs some addressing. [00:46:47] And so not critical, but something that needs to be taken care of. [00:46:51] Come to 46-399, the aeration tank rehabilitation for $750,000. [00:47:01] Again, we call that out, that's the oxidation ditch and we try to do those year over year to make sure that we're getting those done. [00:47:08] Clarify our main gearbox, the clamp press reconditioning and highlight that item. [00:47:17] So that one should be $360,000 for year one and that's the first clamp press reconditioning. [00:47:26] And then for fiscal year 2027, we should have that called out again at $360,000, that's for the second clamp press that we'll be doing. [00:47:33] $380,000, I'm sorry. [00:47:36] I have a handwritten note that's pretty awful. [00:47:41] You'll see the clarifier rake and plow rehab, that would be a part of our clarifier project where we kind of revamp those year over year. [00:47:51] And you'll see the sludge thickener rake and plow rehab, the aeration VFD for $62,720. [00:48:01] And again, these are all items that are required maintenance for that facility to ensure that we're keeping up with DEP permits and that we're maintaining operations. [00:48:11] And once more, I'll highlight that Pasco County does contribute a significant portion to this fund. [00:48:19] The capital equipment, again, is repairs that's R&R and same thing with the Mack truck tractor trailer. [00:48:26] We're going to start setting aside money in R&R so that way we can go ahead and replace that in the years to come. [00:48:45] All right, moving on to Division 113, this is our public works sewer collection. [00:48:51] Some of the initiatives for this division for the upcoming fiscal year would be complete the elevating of lift station panels to prevent water inundation. [00:49:02] Again, this is a part of our resiliency efforts to ensure that our lift stations stay functional and operational even after the storm. [00:49:09] It saves us from having to go out there and do costly repairs. [00:49:13] Complete repair of broken cleanouts through our smoke testing studies and to continue the installation of manhole pans. [00:49:20] And this is to prevent inflow and infiltration into our system so we have those heavy rain inundation events. [00:49:26] We're not getting a bunch of rainwater into our sewer system that we're then having to try and treat. [00:49:31] All right, moving on to the line items here, we had a reduction in this division of 3.76%. [00:49:49] You'll see if you come down to the 44331, that's the solid waste removal. [00:49:55] I kind of feel like I'm repeating it over and over, but again, this is in large part because of our services provided by J.D. Parker per our contract with them. [00:50:02] And all we're paying at this point is the tipping fees. [00:50:14] 45243, that item there for computer supplies. [00:50:18] You'll see a reduction in that one, and again, this is to prevent water inundation. [00:50:23] You'll see a reduction in that one, and again, this is because we finalized the purchasing of our tablets for these folks [00:50:28] and getting them the laptops necessary to work out in the field. [00:50:42] 45211, our fuel. [00:50:45] We had a reduction of 5,000 in our fuel. [00:50:49] And that's in large part just because as we're updating our fleet through Enterprise, [00:50:54] our vehicles are just requiring less as we move along. [00:51:07] You go to 45341, sod and seed. [00:51:11] We had a reduction there of 1,000, and that's just looking at kind of the trends that we had going forward. [00:51:20] Coming down to our capital assets, you'll see our R&R there, 46399 for equipment repairs. [00:51:35] Some of the things to highlight for this division would be the 46415. [00:51:41] That's the jet trailer, FMC, and that's to essentially push a line in and just jet out the lines of clean air. [00:51:49] Clean out the utility lines throughout the system to ensure better maintenance and longer-lasting operations. [00:51:56] Come down to 46416. [00:51:59] Those two items there would be the mobile generator and the stationary generator. [00:52:04] This allows us to maintain our lift station functionality in the event should we get a hurricane again like Milton [00:52:10] where it comes through and knocks out power everywhere. [00:52:13] We have the ability to implement those generators in place. [00:52:16] We have the mobile one where we can get it out to areas that would need it immediately, [00:52:19] and then we'll have a standby one and a selected generator in an area that we've noted has concern. [00:52:30] We have 46431, the bypass enclosed pump. [00:52:35] This is a quiet bypass pump for, again, this is a part of our resiliency. [00:52:40] Should a lift station pump go down for whatever the reason may be, this is a quiet pump. [00:52:45] It's encased in kind of this sound-deafening material to allow for the function of that lift station to continue on [00:52:52] even in the event that something has gone down. [00:52:57] All right, moving on to the inventory scanner. [00:53:16] All right, 46431, that's our inventory scanning system. [00:53:21] That's just the implementation within our fleet warehouse as the warehouse is brought online [00:53:26] and we move into that new facility, we'll have something in there that will go ahead [00:53:31] and allow us to be able to scan items in and out of the warehouse. [00:53:42] Yeah, the mobile one would be something on a trailer that we could take out to... [00:53:50] The stationary would be one that would remain at a lift station, so it would be selected. [00:53:56] That would be through LMS, through the LMS mitigation grants. [00:54:01] Those are going to be for some separate lift stations. [00:54:06] We kind of pick them based on what do they serve, so we have our master lift station. [00:54:11] That one serves the entirety of the community, and we've selected some other ones based on their location [00:54:16] and their proximity to areas that we've seen regularly have issues, whether it's power outages or inundation. [00:54:21] All right, I promise we're almost done. [00:54:32] Yeah, we're moving on to, this is our fleet folks at the central garage. [00:54:41] And so some of the initiatives for this division would be to update the list of stock parts [00:54:47] kept for the current cars as we're moving on through our enterprise. [00:54:54] We need to make sure that we maintain that stock for the newer vehicles. [00:54:59] They get a little more complicated with some of the ECUs and those components. [00:55:04] Implementation of inventory scanning system for auto parts. [00:55:09] And for the staff, we're going to continue on with the ASE certification of all fleet staff, [00:55:15] and the NIMS training certification for the fleet supervisor and the staff out there. [00:55:30] So as we move on to the line items, this budget had a reduction of .43%. [00:55:37] No changes to personnel. [00:55:45] So come down to .4344. [00:55:50] We reduced the wrecker services. [00:55:55] This is in large part because of our enterprise fleet maintenance or fleet management program. [00:56:00] So as we get these newer vehicles, we found that we just didn't need the wrecker services as much. [00:56:06] We had an increase in .4121. [00:56:13] That's our telephone and local. [00:56:18] That's in part because the guys are getting a new interfacing tablet to use as they're working around the vehicles, [00:56:24] these newer vehicles. [00:56:36] I'm moving. [00:56:42] I'm moving. [00:57:03] We don't do that as part of the budget. [00:57:11] No, we do that for the whole staff in one part of the budget. [00:57:29] All right, so moving on to the capital assets, .46431. [00:57:35] You'll see the purchase of a new wheel alignment system. [00:57:40] The tire change and service machine, this one's going to be for our large vehicle and equipment. [00:57:46] And the tire wheel and balancer, again, that'll be for our large vehicles and equipment. [00:57:52] And the heated spray parts wash cabinet, that's just to clean up almost if you think, [00:57:58] I think kind of old school on it where I'm thinking of cleaning out carburetors and that would be one of the applications for it. [00:58:03] For this, it would be the same kind of thing, only nobody uses carburetors anymore. [00:58:11] Are there any questions on this division? [00:58:21] Thank you, gentlemen. [00:58:26] We can move on to economic development if you're prepared to do so. [00:58:31] And I will have the pleasure of representing the economic development budget this year. [00:58:41] Since I've been handling some of the economic development responsibilities over the course of the last six months. [00:58:48] Have you had any success looking for somebody? [00:58:54] Are we looking for somebody? [00:58:59] Yeah, we have been recruiting for over six months. [00:59:04] And we have had some interesting competencies in the candidates that have been advanced. [00:59:10] So far, but my position has been that I'm not willing to settle for a candidate that doesn't have all of the core competencies that we need to continue to advance the city. [00:59:24] And so we haven't found a candidate that completely fits the bill. [00:59:30] And so we have not extended an offer to any of the candidates that have been considered to date. [00:59:40] I am, though, pleased to at least report to you that over the course of the last week, [00:59:48] I've had an opportunity to interview a candidate that did very well. [00:59:55] And who will be invited for a second interview. [01:00:00] One that I interviewed early on and had some conflicts with the potential of moving, who [01:00:06] has reconnected with me and said that has changed for them and they now are in a better [01:00:13] position in that respect. [01:00:15] So there's at least some good conversation going on with a couple of them in the potential [01:00:20] that maybe we will be able to make an appointment and get a qualified person in that chair who [01:00:26] I can feel confident in directing. [01:00:29] It's been real important for somebody in that position to have done what you and other ones [01:00:36] have done downtown. [01:00:39] It's critical to the organization which is one of the reasons that I haven't wanted to [01:00:46] assign someone a department head level responsibility that isn't capable of handling it and I think [01:00:54] it is worth the extra time to wait for someone that's qualified to fill the shoes. [01:00:58] 100%. [01:00:59] You don't want to do their job for them, you want them to assist you. [01:01:06] Right. [01:01:07] Good. [01:01:08] So I hope we're on to something good and I'll continue to report to you and let you know [01:01:12] and I have good news to share. [01:01:13] We'll see him in his office one day. [01:01:20] In terms of the economic development department, it's sometimes difficult to divide the responsibilities [01:01:29] of economic development from the community redevelopment agency because they're so intertwined [01:01:36] and the community redevelopment agency scope really represents almost the whole city. [01:01:46] But we do so for purposes of budgeting and I can tell you that some of the specific initiatives [01:01:57] that the economic development department will be responsible for over the course of the [01:02:03] next fiscal year will relate specifically to the disposition of real property. [01:02:08] We've assembled some very nice and critical parcels of property within the city that [01:02:16] will be very important in respect to not only the redevelopment of the city but the future [01:02:25] of the CRA in that we do have a CRA that sunsets in 2049. [01:02:32] These parcels of property should be a source of revenue beyond that. [01:02:40] That's the goal and the end game that it needs to be because we won't have a source of revenue [01:02:47] to sustain the CRA past 2049. [01:02:51] The state has made it very clear to us that they do not plan to allow us to continue to [01:02:58] play that economic development game and they traditionally have not set forth any other [01:03:05] tools for economic development. [01:03:08] So this is self-sustaining and we really need to posture ourselves to survive on our own. [01:03:18] In that respect, those properties are the former county health building at Main and Bank. [01:03:32] It is the former SunTrust Truist Bank property at US Highway 19 River Road and the Main Street [01:03:43] Assemblage. [01:03:45] It is also the River Road Main Street Assemblage along River Road spanning to the former Montemayor [01:03:55] property and it is also our Riverside Inn Assemblage that Pasco County has agreed to [01:04:04] work with us on. [01:04:05] That will certainly be paramount among the responsibilities of that department and the [01:04:12] department director or pseudo the city manager if in fact that position is not filled in [01:04:19] the short term. [01:04:21] We will also continue to work on a comprehensive marketing plan. [01:04:26] The city has achieved much over the course of time in correcting some of the misstatements [01:04:36] that were commonly said about the city but we need to say more about who we are and what [01:04:42] we want people to say about the city of New Port Richey. [01:04:46] That's going to take a pretty aggressive marketing campaign to make sure that the correct message [01:04:52] is being disseminated about the city. [01:04:56] Also we will continue to support our existing businesses both in terms of retention and [01:05:01] expansion and we will continue to recruit the right businesses to the city and assist [01:05:08] every business we can to either expand or to invest in the city and we will also be [01:05:19] working on the Town and Country Villas project so that the infrastructure gets put in place [01:05:27] and we can see the redevelopment of that newly annexed part of the city and annex the additional [01:05:35] enclaves of the city that need to be taken in. [01:05:40] With that being said, I'm prepared to present the economic development budget to you which [01:05:49] has 2.25 positions in it. [01:05:55] Actually there are three positions but we only pay for 2.25 positions out of the budget [01:06:03] because a portion of the funding is paid for out of the CRA, a portion of it is paid for [01:06:09] out of general fund dollars but we fund an economic development director, we fund an [01:06:15] administrative executive assistant and a marketing specialist all out of this budget [01:06:26] along with some assistance as indicated through the CRA fund. [01:06:30] The budget for personnel services is consistent with the budget amount as was indicated in [01:06:45] the 24-25 fiscal year. [01:06:51] There were just a few changes. [01:06:55] It had to do largely with bringing more of the marketing specialist into the budget. [01:07:02] In the previous year, the marketing specialist was attributed more to the CRA. [01:07:07] There's been CRA legislation which requires that we spend less money on marketing with [01:07:14] CRA dollars so we brought more of that in. [01:07:18] In terms of professional services, as we move into the operating portion of the budget, [01:07:24] I've increased the budget by $5,000. [01:07:27] The reason that I've done so is to reflect the fact that we will be doing some marketing [01:07:37] and some entertainment at Cavalier Square in conjunction with the redevelopment of [01:07:44] Railroad Square, again, not something that CRA are embracing these days so we're going [01:07:53] to keep it in the economic development budget at this time. [01:07:59] Ads and marketing, we brought that down to $40,000. [01:08:02] I think that's an appropriate number for some of the plans that we have for the upcoming [01:08:09] year. [01:08:12] All of the other spending items are consistent with the operating costs of the previous year. [01:08:22] In fact, the budget total is in the amount of $302,010, which is less than the amended [01:08:35] budget for the 24-25 fiscal year by $80. [01:08:43] I'm proud to report. [01:08:46] With that being said, I'm prepared to respond to any questions that you may have of me. [01:08:54] If you don't have any, then we will move on to the finance department, who will represent [01:09:02] her two divisions to you. [01:09:06] Ms. Dunn, you're up. [01:09:11] Good evening. [01:09:13] The finance department, of course, is broken out between the accounting and budgeting and [01:09:20] the billing and collections division. [01:09:23] To start, we'll start with the accounting and budgeting division. [01:09:26] The initiatives or the goals that we have scoped for fiscal year 26, we plan to implement [01:09:34] an accounts receivable collection initiative. [01:09:37] This will improve the collection rates on our outstanding receivables. [01:09:40] It is something we have needed to focus on and plan to put more time and attention into [01:09:46] this coming fiscal year. [01:09:48] We've also identified a scanning project. [01:09:51] It's a small scanning project, but it's to scan the permanent documents that we are required [01:09:56] to keep on site, which will improve the accessibility and preserve those documents and enhance the [01:10:03] disaster recovery efforts. [01:10:06] The finance department's responsibility mostly does provide support to all city departments. [01:10:13] The departments, in connection with the IT department, have identified improvements to [01:10:19] their systems or their ERPs or processes in the coming fiscal year. [01:10:24] The finance department will be providing a good amount of support to those departments [01:10:29] when they are ready to make those improvements, those changes. [01:10:36] Going to the next page, we did have a change in personnel. [01:10:43] We removed the financial procurement analyst position and have combined it with the senior [01:10:49] accountant position and also dispersed responsibilities amongst the department. [01:10:54] So there was a cost savings in this department. [01:11:02] The savings, you'll see, is in the regular exempt salaries. [01:11:07] However, due to staffing changes, we did have an employee leave and another was promoted [01:11:12] into the department. [01:11:14] So the health insurance changes, due to the staffing changes, did really offsets one another. [01:11:24] In your budget, I will point out that there was no travel and training budgeted for the [01:11:29] coming fiscal year, but that is an error. [01:11:31] The same amount will be budgeted for the next fiscal year. [01:11:34] You'll see that change in the proposed budget in the next few weeks. [01:11:42] We did have a small decrease in the software licenses and support, and that's due to negotiating [01:11:49] a reduced annual subscription with Gravity directly with them, rather than going through [01:11:56] a third-party provider for the software. [01:12:06] We don't have any capital expenditures budgeted for the next fiscal year. [01:12:12] So the overall savings within the Accounting and Budgeting Department division is 1%. [01:12:17] And then moving along to the Billing and Collection Division. [01:12:23] I have a question. [01:12:26] That position you combined, is that a purchasing agent? [01:12:30] What does actually that person do, the one that you combined with someone else? [01:12:35] The position was scoped for assisting with the budgeting process and also purchasing [01:12:47] with the departments and assisting with RFPs. [01:12:53] But we've identified through a review of our ERP that we have a module that's available [01:13:03] to us in Tyler-Munis that is not being utilized. [01:13:08] So through next year, we'll put more implementation and time into understanding that module. [01:13:16] And there may not be a need for a full position. [01:13:20] It just struck me as a lot of cities have a purchasing agent, and all of a sudden you're [01:13:26] taking, in my opinion, the wording, I'm not saying job, but the wording, that that might [01:13:31] be a purchasing agent for all nine departments or whatever. [01:13:35] Do we have that? [01:13:36] We do not. [01:13:37] It's decentralized, but we're not prepared to bring in a full-time staff member in that [01:13:43] capacity without understanding the capabilities of Tyler-Munis. [01:13:47] It's just not cost-effective to do that. [01:13:51] Any other questions? [01:13:54] No, that was my question. [01:13:57] Okay. [01:13:58] So moving on to billing and collections, we've identified a few projects for the coming year. [01:14:05] And of course, accounting and budgeting does provide support to the billing and collection [01:14:10] a significant amount of support when it does come to implementation of several of these items. [01:14:16] The first item, which you'll see rolling over from the previous fiscal year, is the [01:14:21] single sign-on utility portal. [01:14:23] There was a delay with this project due to the closeout of the meter project. [01:14:29] And we've identified, and actually in the last few weeks, that the one provider that [01:14:37] we thought was only compatible with our system, there could be other providers. [01:14:42] So we're looking at other providers as well. [01:14:44] It is a significant amount of money to implement and for the annual subscription. [01:14:51] So we want to be sure that we are putting into place a service that provides the best [01:14:57] for our utility customers. [01:15:00] and we don't have to make that change if we found another product that's better. [01:15:03] So, but that implementation will be coming in the early part of fiscal year 26. [01:15:23] It will be light work. [01:15:24] I'm not exactly sure how the implementation will be. [01:15:27] Each service is different. [01:15:30] But it is a single sign-on, so it allows them to sign on and access the link to pay their [01:15:36] bill or also review their account, their usage. [01:15:41] They can set, they'll have the ability to set alerts if they have excess usage or a [01:15:50] leak or just any sort of type of detection that they feel might be out of normal usage [01:15:56] for their property. [01:16:21] If it did, correct, because it's paid through the same portal currently, through Invoice [01:16:25] Cloud. [01:16:30] Now the single sign-on only supports utilities. [01:16:32] It does not support any other type of online payment. [01:16:35] Correct, that would be a different portal through the city's website. [01:16:44] Also in this department, we've scoped a project to also scan the permanent records with the [01:16:52] software, well with Tyler Munis, we do scan in these documents, but every application [01:16:59] is a permanent record and we have all of those records in storage currently. [01:17:04] So the idea is to scan all of those applications prior to onboarding with Tyler into a readable [01:17:12] format but also to preserve them and save them in case of disaster. [01:17:22] We've also, with the assistance of the Public Works Department, we've established an End-of-Meter [01:17:29] Life Program and that identifies meters on an annual basis that will need to be changed [01:17:36] out in the coming year because they've reached their end of life and we have meters now that [01:17:39] have reached their end of life from the original meter program that was completed in 2015. [01:17:48] Those meters had a life of 10 years. [01:17:51] The meters that are being installed, that were installed recently, have a 20-year life. [01:18:00] We've also included a review of the Water Ordinance and this will ensure that the alignment, [01:18:11] our Water Ordinance, aligns with the current laws and the industry's best practices and [01:18:15] community needs. [01:18:17] The last review of the Water Ordinance was back in 2014. [01:18:25] And we are also improving the City's revenue collection by reviewing these receivable balances [01:18:31] that have been long-standing balances and making a better effort to collect on those [01:18:38] balances. [01:18:39] Now, I will say, and I know this is trash, this is not water, but I have purposely left [01:18:50] my trash bill unpaid until the August 14th date to see if anyone would reach out to me [01:18:55] or anything. [01:18:56] I ended up getting something out of my door, did you guys end up doing phone calls or anything [01:19:00] like that? [01:19:01] Just out of curiosity, since trash might be moving away, how does that work with water? [01:19:06] If someone's delinquent on their water bill, obviously it eventually gets turned off, but [01:19:10] before that, do they get a notice other than, because some people pay by phone, so they [01:19:15] don't, they won't see a system where it says you have past due balances? [01:19:22] Folks that don't receive a paper bill, they do receive it through an electronic means, [01:19:27] so they have it set up through their email. [01:19:29] So a bill is always delivered in some manner, whatever manner they've requested, but we [01:19:36] do not make phone calls specifically to collect on outstanding balances on any accounts. [01:19:41] Our communications are through the bill and also through the shutoff notices or the door [01:19:49] hangers. [01:19:50] Alright, and so let me, I want to look specifically at that question, let me back up and just [01:19:51] make it more broad. [01:19:52] What is the current delinquency tracking and outreach system right now, and what do you [01:19:53] mean by enhancing it? [01:19:54] What is that going to look like in the coming years? [01:20:05] Currently, we have a collection company, and for utility accounts, because the balances [01:20:11] overall individually are relatively small, the collections, there aren't many companies [01:20:17] that do assist with this type of collection. [01:20:23] We provide them a file, they provide a certain amount of notices and attempts to contact [01:20:28] the customer, and the customers are directed to contact us directly and make the payment [01:20:33] directly to us. [01:20:34] We buy credits, and that's how we send them the amount of bills. [01:20:40] So we, like, we've budgeted, I believe, $1,000 for additional credits for the coming year [01:20:47] because we already have a bucket of credits right now with them, and we send, we review [01:20:52] these on about an annual basis and send them annually to the collector, to the debt collector. [01:21:01] Currently, that system is not the most effective, but it's pretty consistent with how other [01:21:06] utilities that have a receivable balance like we do in place, that's currently what they, [01:21:12] kind of, their processes are as well. [01:21:14] But going forward, we will make phone calls and try to reach those customers, whether [01:21:20] it's locating their new residence. [01:21:25] We do have a software that we use to try to locate customers if they've moved. [01:21:34] TLO is a software that we use in-house that will help us locate, maybe, a possible residence. [01:21:42] Sometimes it results in finding deceased parties. [01:21:46] We might be able to find, you know, somebody that's, they're in the care of. [01:21:54] It just depends. [01:21:55] So it's just spending more staff time. [01:21:59] It's really the staff that will be... [01:22:00] It's tough when we have 40, 45% rentals, and people just booking out their bill. [01:22:01] On that topic, and I might send an email follow-up so it's not getting too technical here, I [01:22:02] am curious if there's a way to measure that and to understand the recovery of those delinquencies. [01:22:03] Because I know you guys do a pretty good job tracking delinquencies. [01:22:04] How many of those are recoverable, specifically as it relates to the water? [01:22:25] Yeah. [01:22:26] I'm curious to see what those numbers look like. [01:22:27] I'll send that email, though. [01:22:28] That's great. [01:22:29] We can work on that. [01:22:35] I don't know if I'd like that answer. [01:22:40] Yeah, we've provided delinquency percentages, but we can also look and see on collection [01:22:47] as well. [01:22:50] So with rentals, it is hard because they, once they've moved, a lot of times we're not [01:22:58] sure why they did that. [01:22:59] They just leave the property. [01:23:00] Yeah. [01:23:01] If we can identify it, of course we will put the bill or the account back into the owner's [01:23:07] name. [01:23:08] But at that point, it may have changed hands. [01:23:13] And if the property has changed hands and it was in the renter's name, you can't transfer [01:23:18] a renter's bill to an owner. [01:23:21] That's why I'm supportive of the water bill. [01:23:26] We make every attempt we can to try to recover. [01:23:29] Because that's going to be a fixed figure. [01:23:31] The water bill is a flexible figure. [01:23:33] And if I could, I don't want to be too philosophical here with the conversation, but when you say [01:23:40] we can't, is that prohibited by ordinance, by state statute, not advisable, bad practice? [01:23:46] What is the, if the water is related to the property, right, and the usage of the property, [01:23:54] and a property owner, as the mayor has suggested, may not pay that last bill when they leave, [01:23:59] maybe because they just thought they were paid up or, you know, they did it intentionally. [01:24:03] That is still a service that was provided to someone in our residency. [01:24:10] Is it wrong to say that then the homeowner would be responsible for that, given that [01:24:15] it's their property? [01:24:16] Where do we get in terms of legally, can you do that where you transfer that invoice over [01:24:21] if we change the ordinance? [01:24:23] I mean, you're going to be reviewing the water ordinance, and maybe that's the topic of conversation. [01:24:27] We can give notice to homeowners that, look, you're renting in the city, you're responsible [01:24:34] for making sure the water is on and up to date, even if you have the renter assume responsibility. [01:24:40] Then our ordinance states that the account can be in either the owner or the renter's name. [01:24:46] But Florida statute only allows us, because we have bonds that were issued to expand the plant, [01:24:54] that allows us to place liens on the property that's against the homeowner, but not against the renter. [01:25:00] A renter doesn't have any ownership to the property. [01:25:03] So if the ordinance did state that all utility accounts were to be in the owner's name, [01:25:09] then we could pursue all collectibles. [01:25:12] Everything would be collectible. [01:25:13] Even at the time that the property changes hands, we would collect it either from the previous owner [01:25:18] or the new owner. [01:25:19] It would be collected at closing or at the time that they sign in for service. [01:25:23] So my two follow-up questions, and this is more of a water ordinance, [01:25:27] just to put it on the record so I have it to go back to you to email. [01:25:33] The first one is, you said it's one or the other. [01:25:36] I don't know if the ordinance can be written in such a way where that last one can transfer over [01:25:41] with the bond thing, but I don't know. [01:25:43] You don't have to answer that now. [01:25:44] I just want to get it out there so I'm remembering. [01:25:46] And the other one was what you said about the lien on the property. [01:25:52] My thought with that is if someone has that last bill, right, and they do not pay it, [01:26:00] in my mind, is there no way to do the homeowner's name or household resident [01:26:09] because anyone can go down and pay a water bill. [01:26:12] Like what's preventing me from paying my neighbor's water bill? [01:26:15] Oh, there isn't. [01:26:16] That's what I'm saying. [01:26:17] So the homeowner could just be – I'm not saying we have to threaten them [01:26:20] with a lien on their property, but if they want their account – [01:26:22] when the next tenant moves in and they want their water to be turned on, [01:26:27] the homeowner is going to be compelled to pay if they want to have that property rented out. [01:26:31] So without having necessarily to force a lien on the property, [01:26:34] if you just don't let the water be turned back on, [01:26:36] eventually the homeowner is going to pay the water bill [01:26:39] to be able to turn on their water is my thought. [01:26:42] So I don't know if that means a rewriting ordinance [01:26:44] or if it's just as it's written when the water gets turned off, [01:26:47] if the homeowner wants to be able to rewrite that property and have water, [01:26:50] they're going to have to go pay it eventually on behalf of the renter who skipped out. [01:26:55] We can look into it. [01:26:56] Yeah, and we'll talk to Mr. Driscoll about it as well. [01:27:00] And I'll follow up because I know that's kind of off topic. [01:27:03] Yeah. [01:27:06] Okay, so moving into the expenses. [01:27:11] In this division, you'll also see a change in the personnel. [01:27:16] The billing specialist was a position that was scoped specifically for solid waste. [01:27:20] We were able to disperse those responsibilities throughout the department [01:27:28] and also with myself so that we were able to remove that position from the budget. [01:27:33] Can you put a pair of slacks on the gloves and go around on a truck? [01:27:38] Say that again? [01:27:41] I did not hear that. [01:27:42] No. [01:27:45] Okay. [01:27:48] Don't listen to Chopper. [01:27:53] You will see a slight increase or actually there is an increase in professional services [01:28:01] and that relates to the review of the ordinance and also the scanning project. [01:28:11] And that's the water ordinance. [01:28:12] That's the water ordinance, that's correct. [01:28:15] Did Driscoll not do that? [01:28:17] Is it going to bring someone else in to help? [01:28:19] It's going to outsource. [01:28:22] There were no other significant changes within this department. [01:28:26] You will see that the software, again, did stay the same. [01:28:30] We are requesting the states vertex one, but if there is another software available to us, [01:28:39] we will look at that. [01:28:41] But the implementation of that software is currently scoped to be $39,380 [01:28:47] and then the annual license for the subscription is $63,000. [01:28:52] I don't have any other comments on the department unless you have questions. [01:28:57] Where is the licensing? [01:28:59] It's under software licenses and support under 452.25. [01:29:04] It's budgeted for $63,000. [01:29:18] Thank you. [01:29:19] Okay. [01:29:20] Okay. [01:29:21] If we could have Ms. Bygaard up front to present the library's budget at this time. [01:29:31] Thank you, Crystal. [01:29:38] You're a lot cuter than Robert. [01:29:40] I'm sorry, what? [01:29:41] You're a lot cuter than Robert. [01:29:47] Oh. [01:29:49] Thanks. [01:29:50] I'm just confused. [01:29:56] Good evening, everyone. [01:30:00] Throughout the year, in support of the city's strategic plan, the library works to fulfill [01:30:06] our annual plan of service, and I'd like to share some of our achievements over the past [01:30:12] year. [01:30:13] We've hosted 97,000 in-person visits, a collection consisting of over 85,000 items. [01:30:24] It's been borrowed over 176,000 times. [01:30:29] The library's hosted 953 events last fiscal year, which impacted over 22,000 attendees. [01:30:40] Additionally, in this fiscal year, I wanted to note that the library's unveiled a fully [01:30:49] redesigned website that utilizes the city's new Granicus platform. [01:30:55] It's incredible. [01:30:57] Such a difference, I have to add that. [01:31:01] We've added upgraded and expanded technologies, and we've already experienced 150% increase [01:31:08] in e-card issuance, 120% increase in Freegal, which is downloaded and streamed music, 150% [01:31:20] increase in Hoopla usage. [01:31:22] This is e-books, digital books, and we're thinking that we'll continue to exceed those [01:31:30] amounts in this fiscal year. [01:31:33] Additionally, outreach visits and interactions are on track this year to increase by at least [01:31:42] 25%. [01:31:43] We're already at 25% as compared to this time last year. [01:31:49] I want to note that under the incredible leadership of the city manager and the assistance of [01:31:57] many of you and your volunteerism this year, the library was able to offer critical support [01:32:07] services and guidance with FEMA processes and claims following the hurricanes. [01:32:15] I consider that a huge achievement for our library. [01:32:20] I also wanted to mention our fiscal year 2026 initiatives, which will begin on October 1st, [01:32:30] but we're already working on them. [01:32:32] They include goals that support the community's resiliency, offering more events and classes [01:32:44] that appeal to everyone, being a place for everyone, increasing partnerships, and furthering [01:32:50] outreach opportunities, which include an impactful goal, which is the successful addition and [01:33:01] implementation of the mobile library branch, which we're expecting to arrive any day. [01:33:07] Any day. [01:33:08] Can't wait to get it in full gear. [01:33:15] I also wanted to note that the bookmobile is one of the three main areas that probably [01:33:23] contribute to the most noteworthy changes that you'll see in the library's proposed [01:33:29] budget request that I'm about to make and highlight for you. [01:33:34] The other two areas are replacing aging technology and covering the cost increases that we're [01:33:44] just experiencing in the current economy. [01:33:49] So I'll start with the total personnel services. [01:33:55] As you see, there's a small decrease, but that's mainly just due to right-sizing some [01:34:03] expected amounts in Social Security, FRS, health insurance, and the like. [01:34:09] Overall staffing is currently set to remain the same at a total of 16.5 FTEs. [01:34:20] Next up, line item 43428, Internet Reference Service. [01:34:26] You'll see an increase of $4,850. [01:34:30] This is due to the use of the library's online digital streaming and e-services that I just [01:34:36] mentioned and the achievements. [01:34:40] There's been a tremendous growth in these areas, and of course, our database businesses [01:34:47] know it, and they're also charging us more, unfortunately. [01:34:52] Next, 44011, Travel and Training. [01:34:57] There's a slight increase of $1,400. [01:35:02] That's primarily due to higher mileage reimbursement rates and rising travel-related expenses such [01:35:09] as registration fees for conferences and training opportunities. [01:35:18] Next up, 44134, Data Lines. [01:35:20] You'll see an increase of $4,600. [01:35:26] That's due to the rising service fees for connectivity and the increased cost of maintaining [01:35:33] reliable internet service for the public, hotspot coverage for the public. [01:35:41] Next up, 44211, Postage. [01:35:47] There's an increase of $3,500. [01:35:52] This increase reflects the recent postage increase, and the library uses postage for [01:35:58] things like ILLs, Books by Mail, Flynn-Sharrett, shipping costs for library materials, final [01:36:07] notices which are required through the city ordinance to be sent through the U.S. Postal [01:36:14] Service, as well as all the four editions of the bridge. [01:36:22] The next line item that I want to mention is 44611, Maintenance, Buildings, and Grounds. [01:36:30] There's a small increase there, $1,500. [01:36:33] It's due to the addition of ongoing maintenance and care to keep the facility beautiful, clean, [01:36:39] and operational, especially the terrazzo, which we have learned as it's getting a lot [01:36:46] more use, a lot more fit traffic. [01:36:48] We want to keep it sparkling, and it's on an ongoing basis. [01:36:55] There are additional costs for stripping it, cleaning it, polishing, all of those type [01:37:00] of things. [01:37:01] From time to time, there's some repair with our electrical doors, or the handicap button, [01:37:06] or re-keying a lock, or something of that nature. [01:37:10] That's what those costs are about. [01:37:13] In 44799, Printing and Binding, there's an increase of $8,000. [01:37:24] That's a reflection of the higher production cost, and the regularity for the city's bridge [01:37:31] newsletter, which you'll notice is coming out every single quarter. [01:37:36] These funds are also used for library flyers, signage, specialty jobs such as the story [01:37:42] walk and the James Gray Preserve, and promotional library swag and library cards, but that [01:37:51] is smaller than the bridge. [01:37:55] The next part, 45225, Software Licenses and Support, there's an increase there of $5,700, [01:38:03] and that covers the essential maintenance contracts for our PACs, public access computers, [01:38:15] our copier systems, their licensing, our annual website hosting fee. [01:38:24] It also includes some new technology for the Bookmobile, which also includes an additional [01:38:31] component to the library's ILS system, which is Biblionics Apollo, so it creates almost [01:38:41] another branch that can be used in the catalog system, so those fees are all contained with [01:38:50] that addition. [01:38:52] Next up in line item 45243, Computer Supplies, there's an addition of $6,500. [01:39:01] That's needed to replace seven computers, and the oldest ones will be rotated out when [01:39:08] they're no longer able to receive critical security updates, and that time is quickly [01:39:14] approaching. [01:39:16] Additional funds will be used to purchase new technology for the Bookmobile so that [01:39:21] people can receive a library card, use it to check out materials, make hold reservation [01:39:28] requests, and those type of things. Hopefully even offer one-on-one technology assistance [01:39:36] when we're out on the road. [01:39:45] Next up, I'll mention Library Materials 46612. [01:39:53] Which has an increase of $7,000, and that is an increase that I'm requesting to help [01:40:09] cover the rising cost of books, which they are increasing, as well as our standing orders, [01:40:17] and it will also be used to support the addition of a fresh new opening day collection for [01:40:24] the Elroy Bookmobile. [01:40:26] How are you deciding where this mobile bookmobile is going? [01:40:34] We had an online survey, and we are adding a subpage to the library's website, so we've [01:40:42] already been talking with our community partners, and I've had various conversations with the [01:40:51] Early Learning Coalition of Pasco County to try and set some of our stops up ahead of [01:41:00] time. [01:41:01] So we have quite a few requests right now, and we are doing some mapping, trying to figure [01:41:09] out the schedule in the best way, with the best mileage. [01:41:14] Well, as you know, Mayor, the outlines, the boundaries of the city are pretty complex [01:41:23] in some areas, so there will be times where we will be going slightly outside of the boundaries [01:41:31] of the city, but so many of our schools, our students live here within the city, but they [01:41:42] go to a school right outside of it. [01:41:44] Are we approaching HOAs? [01:41:47] We've not done that yet, because we've had such a huge interest already in the stops. [01:41:55] There's only like four or five major ones in the city that I can think of, so that's [01:42:02] why I'm asking. [01:42:03] Well, we'll be working with the library board and with Andy, and we'll give you a full report [01:42:08] once everything's put together. [01:42:12] If you have suggestions, I'm always open to... [01:42:25] Okay. [01:42:26] Okay. [01:42:27] Thank you. [01:42:28] I appreciate it. [01:42:29] I appreciate it. [01:42:30] I've met with three of them. [01:42:31] Meet the mayor. [01:42:32] Yeah, I just went and talked with the HOAs. [01:42:36] Okay. [01:42:37] And we have quite a few that do meet at the library, too. [01:42:48] So our bookmobile operator has... [01:42:51] I think it's a gem. [01:42:52] I just wonder how we're selling it. [01:42:53] That's my point. [01:42:56] I think that people already know about it, and it's already being requested. [01:43:02] And so, honestly, I don't know that we're going to have to promote it to try and get [01:43:08] more stops for it. [01:43:10] I think the difficulty might be in trying to have enough time to have it go to all the [01:43:16] places that it's being requested. [01:43:19] Have the right books in it for the... [01:43:21] Or the right materials in it for the right neighborhood. [01:43:24] It's going to be a challenging... [01:43:26] And it's a learning challenge, but we're up for it, and we're excited for it. [01:43:32] And we'll be learning... [01:43:34] I think it's going to be a gem. [01:43:35] That's why I say it's going to help sell the library, but not that we don't need... [01:43:38] We really don't need to sell it anyhow. [01:43:40] Everybody knows it's long before the county had one. [01:43:44] But anyhow, I think it's... [01:43:48] I can't imagine. [01:43:49] You're going to need 60 days in a month. [01:43:53] I hope so. [01:43:55] I think it will be a fabulous resource for everyone. [01:44:00] Is Elroy the official name? [01:44:03] It is. [01:44:04] That's the official name, and I am glad to tell you what it stands for. [01:44:08] Of course, you know that it's Dr. Elroy M. Avery. [01:44:12] It's named after Dr. Avery. [01:44:15] But it stands for... [01:44:18] It stands for Expanding Literacy and Reading Opportunities for You. [01:44:29] Mouthful. [01:44:37] And that concludes the rest of my presentation, [01:44:41] unless anyone has any additional comments or questions that I might be able to answer. [01:44:46] The bus passes 45239. [01:44:49] They're reimbursed? [01:44:51] Yes, they are. [01:44:52] And the city receives a 10% revenue for... [01:45:00] Selling them. [01:45:01] And then the SNAP program cost, is that the, when someone shows up with EBT, they get points? [01:45:07] Yes, it is. [01:45:08] Do you expect that to change at all with some of the changes that the federal government's [01:45:11] planning for SNAP? [01:45:12] Is that program going to go down? [01:45:14] If we're going to have to readjust Tuesdays and Tuesdays at all? [01:45:17] Or are they a big part of that program? [01:45:20] That's a great question. [01:45:21] We didn't project anything in the budget, though, to reflect any changes. [01:45:27] Nothing is official yet, but today there is a training right now, and I have a staff [01:45:33] person at that training in Tampa. [01:45:35] So I'm hopeful that that staff person will bring back more information. [01:45:40] I was going to say, because 8,000 doesn't seem like a lot, but that's 8,000 basically [01:45:44] on top of what they already have in terms of fresh food, and whatever programming cost [01:45:49] goes in that, too. [01:45:51] So it benefits a lot of people, despite the low amount that it looks like is there. [01:45:56] So I'm going to, I don't know if that's something you want to keep track of, or maybe I could [01:46:00] just send out an automated email every couple months just to say, hey, how's that program [01:46:04] doing? [01:46:05] Well, we'll know from Andy, and we'll hopefully have better information by the next time we [01:46:10] read the budget. [01:46:11] Okay. [01:46:12] Thank you. [01:46:15] Thank you, Andy. [01:46:16] Anything else? [01:46:17] Thank you. [01:46:19] All right. [01:46:20] Mrs. Mahadio, if we could have you up front to talk about technology solutions, that'd [01:46:25] be great. [01:46:43] You're better looking than Robert, too. [01:46:46] Poor Robert. [01:46:47] Robert, I think you're cute. [01:46:49] That is the mayor's word. [01:46:51] His vocation comes around cute. [01:46:57] Good evening. [01:46:58] Can you guys hear me okay? [01:47:00] Yes. [01:47:01] Okay. [01:47:02] Thank you. [01:47:03] I was going to start out by reading our mission and description for technology solutions. [01:47:06] We may have changed that. [01:47:08] I may have changed it when I came on board, so that would have been after your budget [01:47:12] presentation last year. [01:47:14] So just rereading that, just because, again, a lot of what I've done and what we structured [01:47:20] is around our goals, et cetera. [01:47:23] So our mission is to empower the city of New Port Richey through innovative technology solutions that [01:47:29] enhance productivity, drive efficiency, support the city's strategic plan, and create value [01:47:35] through the services and solutions provided. [01:47:37] We are committed to delivering reliable IT services, fostering collaboration, ensuring [01:47:42] data security while continuously adapting to meet the evolving needs of our community. [01:47:48] And then the description, technology solutions manages and supports all information technology [01:47:53] systems, including hardware, software, and networks, while ensuring, again, data security [01:47:58] and compliance. [01:47:59] The team is committed to fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement [01:48:04] by utilizing ITSM methodologies to adapt quickly to the changing needs of the city. [01:48:11] So with that, one of the things, oh, I go through our accomplishments or goals. [01:48:19] Some of our accomplishments last year that we did or that we completed was that we implemented [01:48:25] a cybersecurity incident response plan and updated our older IT security policies and [01:48:31] drafted missing policies. [01:48:33] We went live with the Granicus website redesign in January and also created an online employment [01:48:39] application, assisted HR with that. [01:48:42] The 911 communications conversion for the police and fire, that was moved over to Pasco [01:48:48] County. [01:48:50] We also implemented Skillsoft online training portal for our IT staff so that they're continuing [01:48:56] to get relevant and IT training on demand. [01:49:01] So we did that. [01:49:03] We also worked with the development team to implement the forerunner software and the [01:49:08] flood management tool. [01:49:10] And also, again, I won't go through all of these, installed new credit card machines [01:49:15] that were compatible with Tyler payments for the finance team and also upgraded the credit [01:49:19] card machines at the rec center. [01:49:22] I won't go through all of those, but that's some of the things that we've done. [01:49:26] Another important thing that we did last year is in terms of, I'll go ahead and go over [01:49:32] to page three. [01:49:35] Are my pages the same? [01:49:37] In terms of the department staffing, one of the things we had last year we were hiring [01:49:44] for, we had an additional technology, like a help desk support technician position, and [01:49:51] then we also had a network administrator position. [01:49:55] We split the network administrator position into a security solution specialist and a [01:50:00] network solution specialist position. [01:50:02] So that way we have somebody who's focused on security and network. [01:50:06] Two different things. [01:50:07] Trying to, you know, find somebody that could do both was just kind of, anyways, didn't [01:50:13] make sense. [01:50:14] So, you know, we split out that position. [01:50:17] And then also in terms of service delivery, taking a look at our current IT manager position [01:50:24] and redrafted that job description into a service delivery manager. [01:50:28] So, again, focusing on service management and all of that. [01:50:32] That is proposed for this year. [01:50:34] So back to our staffing count. [01:50:37] So we had seven, it looks like, employees in 23-24. [01:50:42] It went up to eight in 24-25. [01:50:45] One of the additions in 24-25 was GIS position coming over to IT. [01:50:52] For 25-26, we've proposed to move that position back over to the development department and [01:50:59] then reduce our, we currently have two technology support specialists right now, splitting that [01:51:08] as well into one technology support specialist and another one being a system analyst position [01:51:15] so that, again, we can focus on just supporting the needs of the city. [01:51:20] So just in looking at, you know, what the departments need and what we need to support, [01:51:25] it's kind of, it's what made sense. [01:51:28] With that, so some of our goals align, I mean, our goals align with this. [01:51:34] So one of the initiatives for this year, of course, is to continue to enhance the city's [01:51:39] network infrastructure and expand its cloud footprint to ensure high availability and reliability. [01:51:46] Again, part of that is not having so many hosted servers and eventually moving more [01:51:51] of those services into the cloud. [01:51:54] Creating, like I just mentioned over there, creating a system analyst role to act as a liaison [01:52:00] project manager between IT, our ERP system vendors, departments, and to ensure adoption [01:52:07] and utilization of our ERP investments. [01:52:10] So that's a big priority that we plan to focus on in the upcoming year. [01:52:14] Enhance training for IT staff in the Tyler realm and continue to implement comprehensive [01:52:20] training programs to keep the IT staff ahead of the fast-paced changes in IT, [01:52:25] which, again, is the Skillsoft training that we've implemented. [01:52:29] Create a Tyler ambassador program to increase ERP awareness and understanding across [01:52:34] the departments. [01:52:36] Create a support structure for change management and drive end-user engagement, [01:52:40] again, around our ERP system. [01:52:42] It's a huge investment for the city and IT being able to support that as well better. [01:52:48] One or two. [01:52:50] Go ahead, please. [01:52:52] Will you explain what an ERP system is? [01:52:54] Yep. [01:52:55] It's our enterprise resource program. [01:52:57] So it encompasses finance. [01:53:01] It encompasses billing. [01:53:03] It's everything. [01:53:05] And I say everything. [01:53:08] Inventory. [01:53:09] It's development. [01:53:11] It's the backbone of the city. [01:53:14] It's the technology backbone of the city. [01:53:16] And it's a huge investment. [01:53:18] The base of the pyramid. [01:53:20] Do what? [01:53:21] The base of the pyramid. [01:53:22] Yes, is our ERP system. [01:53:23] Yep. [01:53:24] On the Tyler ambassador program, so that means someone at each department that has a better [01:53:32] understanding of ERP? [01:53:35] What are we referring to when you say Tyler ambassador program? [01:53:37] Tyler ambassador program. [01:53:39] So I think of a Microsoft 365 ambassador. [01:53:42] It's somebody who's promoting the program. [01:53:46] Our experience with Tyler has not been so good with the city. [01:53:50] So promoting Tyler, and I have a program set out, but maybe attending a meeting once a [01:53:57] month, bringing ideas of how their department or how different departments can better use [01:54:02] the system, prioritizing what initiatives we should put in place, also being that go [01:54:08] between maybe that first person that somebody in that department would come to, hey, I have [01:54:12] a question. [01:54:13] Can you show me how to do that? [01:54:14] Instead of having to come to IT all of the time, if that makes sense. [01:54:17] So they'll get the additional training. [01:54:19] So part of that, I hope to send a few of those people to Tyler Connect next year. [01:54:24] And so, yeah, just kind of driving that user adoption. [01:54:27] So they're ambassadors for Tyler. [01:54:30] From Tyler that reach out to us, or does always us go to Tyler? [01:54:34] It seems like, I mean, it's a phenomenal product that we don't utilize as much as we should [01:54:40] or could. [01:54:42] There's so much to it. [01:54:44] It is, and it's highly customizable. [01:54:47] So every city municipality is using it slightly different. [01:54:51] So out of the box, there kind of is no Tyler. [01:54:55] They work with you at implementation to set up, you know, what are your rules for approvals? [01:54:59] What are your rules for permitting? [01:55:01] So it really depends on us to ask the question? [01:55:03] Or to tell them to come to us and help us? [01:55:06] I imagine every tweak and customization, new modules have a cost to them? [01:55:11] It can, and it does, yes. [01:55:14] And that's part of what we're trying to drive with this new position and with the ambassadors [01:55:20] is increasing that knowledge within the city and also documenting it [01:55:24] so that as we have staff turnover, we have those standard operating procedures [01:55:28] so the next person can come in and know how to do things. [01:55:31] Every time I hear Tyler, it's like a growth on our part. [01:55:36] But it's a growth on our part, not them coming and selling us what we need. [01:55:40] They do. [01:55:41] So we purchase pace hours in the past, and we do purchase them annually. [01:55:46] And we've utilized those pace hours to conduct investment assessments [01:55:51] within each department that really utilizes Tyler. [01:55:54] And the investment assessment hits on every module that falls under your department [01:55:59] and allows us to see and allows them to understand what we're utilizing [01:56:03] and if we're utilizing in its full capacity and introduces us to modules, [01:56:08] but on a high level that might be, you know, beneficial for us, [01:56:12] which is how, like, the finance department identified purchasing and contracts, [01:56:18] and there's modules that we just don't utilize and we don't see them. [01:56:21] So we've been able to look high level at those products. [01:56:25] So they have come to us. [01:56:27] It's us going shopping, not them come selling. [01:56:30] They do. [01:56:31] They do touch base with us periodically. [01:56:34] They do. [01:56:35] They don't really come selling. [01:56:37] They just show up once in a while. [01:56:39] I mentioned the conference, too. [01:56:41] We have the conference. [01:56:42] And then we have for both EPL, a.k.a. InterGov, [01:56:46] and then also for Munis, the financial side of it, [01:56:49] we have a customer success manager that I'm in contact with all of the time. [01:56:55] So, you know, they do reach out to us. [01:56:58] I think it just seems every time I hear this, it's like, wow, [01:57:02] Tyler's been around 10 years, and how come we haven't used that before, [01:57:06] and how come we haven't used that before? [01:57:08] There's a lot to it. [01:57:09] And we do have an ambitious goal of around 30 items this year to implement [01:57:15] in terms of Tyler, hence the additional position, the ambassadors. [01:57:19] It's a group effort. [01:57:20] It's a big effort. [01:57:22] And so without, I think, dedicated resources, [01:57:24] we would probably still be here next year having this conversation [01:57:27] and the next year. [01:57:29] It's time commitment. [01:57:32] And they, again, we can get support from them. [01:57:34] And a lot of what I'll be asking for when I get into this budget [01:57:37] is professional service hours through them. [01:57:40] So, again, as we train and mature, you know, again, [01:57:44] we won't have to rely on them as much in the next, after two years or so, [01:57:48] is my goal, but for the next two years, [01:57:50] highly relying on them as we are training our staff, [01:57:53] as we're training IT and implementing. [01:57:55] They'll develop more programs they want to sell us if they're good salesmen, [01:58:00] I would say. [01:58:02] If they make sense, but some of them may not make sense. [01:58:07] Back to your presentation. [01:58:09] Back to your presentation. [01:58:10] I was like, where was I? [01:58:11] Okay. [01:58:12] So that was our, again, Tyler Ambassador Program. [01:58:16] And then I think I already said this, [01:58:18] but facilitate the implementation of Tyler initiatives [01:58:20] and modules across departments, [01:58:23] providing the necessary resources to engage with vendor support, [01:58:26] implementation and consulting teams to implement key features within Tyler [01:58:30] that are underutilized. [01:58:34] So, again, so back to the staffing, if you all are on the same page as I am, [01:58:39] in terms of reduction is, again, taking the technology solutions manager [01:58:46] and changing that over to a technology solutions service delivery manager position [01:58:53] and reporting up under that person would be our network specialist [01:58:57] and our help desk support solution manager, or manager, technician, [01:59:02] reporting to service delivery manager, [01:59:05] and then taking the one of our technology support specialists [01:59:10] and moving that into a system analyst role, again, focusing mainly on Tyler, [01:59:15] and then security specialists continuing to report to me [01:59:20] and service delivery manager reporting to me. [01:59:23] So down to six positions essentially. [01:59:27] Any questions about? [01:59:29] Yes. [01:59:30] The GIS here, well, I'm going to ask a specific question [01:59:34] and then I'll move to this and maybe then I'll answer it. [01:59:36] In the goals for the initiatives for last year, one of the GIS goals, [01:59:41] well, there was a lot of them, [01:59:43] it looks like a lot of this was then tucked into one of the existing roles. [01:59:48] Which role is taking more of the GIS out of the technician responsibility? [01:59:53] That role is moving over to development, so out of IT and into development. [01:59:58] Okay. [02:00:00] And for example, ENERGOV permitting GIS data and migration, [02:00:05] the future land use data maintenance, the city web map, [02:00:11] all of that is going to move over to? [02:00:13] Planning, yes. [02:00:14] You can all move over there? [02:00:15] Mm-hmm. [02:00:16] All right. [02:00:16] I don't have anything to share. [02:00:21] Okay, all right. [02:00:22] Okay. [02:00:23] So, on to budget. [02:00:25] So, essentially for personnel and salaries, it, anyways, [02:00:32] when you look at the first one, it looks like my, [02:00:35] I'm increasing not, that's my current salary. [02:00:38] So, I'm not asking for more there. [02:00:39] That's current salary. [02:00:42] But our regular exempt salaries, that's going down, [02:00:45] because again, we're moving the GIS position out of IT [02:00:49] and into development, so that goes [02:00:50] down to cover our service delivery manager position, [02:00:54] which again, we already have. [02:00:56] It's just, it, we've redefined the job and plan to move him [02:01:00] over into that position, if that makes sense to council. [02:01:03] And then our regular full-time wages, [02:01:05] those are our hourly positions, or yeah, hourly positions [02:01:10] that there's a slight increase for that. [02:01:13] But again, when you look at what we were paying in exempt [02:01:17] and then full-time, we're down significantly in that area. [02:01:22] Same with the other departments, [02:01:24] we have standby time, that's on-call. [02:01:27] So, between our four regular full-time employees, [02:01:31] or full-time waged employees, they do get standby time [02:01:35] and rotate on-call every two weeks. [02:01:37] So, that's what that's for. [02:01:39] And then overall, we have reduced our budget from 721 [02:01:45] to 637 for 2526 for personnel services. [02:01:49] Any questions about that area? [02:01:53] Okay. Professional services, we are asking [02:01:58] for an increase in that area. [02:02:00] Again, that is for, when I, Tyler. [02:02:04] So, the additional pace hours [02:02:06] so that we can get additional pace training. [02:02:08] Also, what they call implementation consultant hours. [02:02:11] So, some of the list of the 30 items, [02:02:14] some of the things we plan to do ourselves, some of them we will [02:02:16] need to contract with Tyler to bring [02:02:19] in an implementation consultant [02:02:21] to help implement some of those items. [02:02:23] So, the additional cost is for that. [02:02:25] And then also, a more thorough pen test [02:02:28] from an outside agency just to make sure that we're secure [02:02:32] and operating that we should be from a security standpoint. [02:02:34] So, that's where the increase that comes from. [02:02:40] Another thing to bring, that I want to bring [02:02:42] out is contractual services. [02:02:45] That is going down because we had [02:02:48] between contractual services 43499 [02:02:51] and data lines 44134 for the past year, data lines [02:02:57] and that would, the big part of that is our telephone system. [02:03:01] We pay for the phone system for everybody within the city. [02:03:05] That was put in contractual services last year, [02:03:08] advanced telecom and it should have been in data lines. [02:03:11] So, for this coming year, we've budgeted in data lines [02:03:14] for the actual phone system and taken it [02:03:17] out of contractual services. [02:03:19] Now, still in contractual services, the 63,000, [02:03:23] that is our 1111 backup system. [02:03:25] So, all of our backups and disaster recovery. [02:03:29] So, we have real-time backups for our domain controller [02:03:33] and hosted items in case we needed to spend something [02:03:36] up in the cloud and have access to it immediately. [02:03:38] So, that 63 is still covering the backup systems. [02:03:43] Again, I hope that that, or the goal is to bring that down [02:03:46] as we move more things into the cloud and aren't having [02:03:49] to host servers here in backup as we, you know, off board. [02:03:53] If I get the right word, as we unload, whatever. [02:03:56] As we move to the cloud more, we won't have to have the, [02:03:58] those items here, the backups and stuff here. [02:04:03] Anyways, it's in the cloud, but we won't have [02:04:05] to back these items up. [02:04:07] Travel and training, requested an increase in that line item. [02:04:10] Again, that's to cover the Skillsoft training [02:04:12] that the staff takes on demand. [02:04:15] They are taking those courses monthly. [02:04:17] And then also to hopefully be able [02:04:19] to send an additional person [02:04:21] to the Tyler Connect Conference next year as well. [02:04:24] So, that's what the increase or the ask is for that. [02:04:28] Data lines, already mentioned. [02:04:29] Again, the increase in that is [02:04:30] because we are moving our advanced telecom phone system [02:04:33] out of contractual services and into data lines. [02:04:37] And another increase I'll just highlight is the [02:04:41] AV equipment maintenance. [02:04:43] We've budgeted a little bit more for in here, just for support. [02:04:48] Our equipment's getting a little older. [02:04:50] So, if we have to replace a camera or a microphone, [02:04:53] we have funds in there for that. [02:04:54] And then we're also asking for an assisted listening device. [02:04:58] We don't have that in here. [02:04:59] So, if somebody comes in and is maybe hard of hearing, [02:05:03] we don't have a device to hand somebody [02:05:05] so that they can hear. [02:05:07] So, that's what that assisted device would be. [02:05:09] So, we're asking for that in that budget line item. [02:05:14] We are down in software support and licensing. [02:05:17] I'll mention that. [02:05:19] But that's partly because the Bitdefender, [02:05:25] our security software, our ERP software. [02:05:28] Not ERP, I'm sorry. [02:05:30] Our antivirus malware cybersecurity. [02:05:34] It covers a lot of things. [02:05:35] Thank you. [02:05:37] We paid that for three years. [02:05:38] So, that's around 50, 60,000 a year. [02:05:42] We went ahead and paid for that for three years. [02:05:44] So, that won't come due until then. [02:05:47] So, that's one of the main reasons that that has went down. [02:05:51] We've also renegotiated some prices. [02:05:54] So, that's caused that number to go down. [02:05:56] Some services we've renegotiated and moved [02:05:59] to different platforms, such as. [02:06:02] I won't get into all the details. [02:06:03] Do y'all want to know the details? [02:06:07] Our security awareness training, we've moved that over to. [02:06:11] You know before, you'll start seeing notices [02:06:13] from them a little bit cheaper overall. [02:06:17] And then also, our endpoint management. [02:06:20] We were using about four tools to do the same thing [02:06:24] that one tool could do. [02:06:25] So, by consolidating and moving to a different product, [02:06:28] we were able to eliminate some additional software packages [02:06:31] that we didn't need. [02:06:34] So, that's where that's coming from. [02:06:35] We do just kind of also to give you an idea, IT pays [02:06:39] for the Tyler ERP system out of our budget for the entire city. [02:06:42] So, that's a big chunk plus all of our Microsoft licenses [02:06:46] that comes out of the software budget as well. [02:06:49] So, those are big items that do hit our budget. [02:06:53] Let's see. [02:06:56] And then, I really only have two more items to go through. [02:06:59] So, under capital, 46,399, 14,000. [02:07:04] We did not end up upgrading the audio equipment back there. [02:07:10] We needed to move that rack out of here [02:07:12] and up to the server room. [02:07:13] I think really just due to fire code reasons. [02:07:16] We didn't accomplish that this year. [02:07:19] So, we've moved those funds over to the next year, 26. [02:07:23] And then, we've reduced that cost as well as we've went [02:07:26] out and got quotes from other people [02:07:28] and it came down lower than even what we were looking [02:07:30] for last year, looking to last year. [02:07:32] So, we brought that number down, but that's what that's for. [02:07:34] And then, special purpose equipment, the 10,000, [02:07:37] that is to add additional cameras at the rec center [02:07:41] where we have gaps in coverage and cameras. [02:07:44] So, that's what the ask is for the special purpose equipment. [02:07:48] That the AV rack is now upgrades so that, because last year, [02:07:55] it looks like it was broken down as car [02:07:57] for replacement and relocation. [02:07:59] So, it's upgrades encompassing both of those now? [02:08:04] Let me reword it because I know you don't have the whole budget [02:08:06] here. [02:08:06] You said that the AV was down, the AV last year only has 5,000. [02:08:13] So, I'm just trying to understand what is all the AV involved? [02:08:17] They actually were going to relocate it last year. [02:08:20] They were going to try to accommodate it [02:08:23] in its current space. [02:08:26] Yeah, and the idea came up after that it would be better [02:08:30] if we moved it upstairs [02:08:31] and there's some additional costs associated [02:08:33] with moving it. [02:08:34] Okay. But, looking at the 5,000, [02:08:37] that ended up not being what the PO was. [02:08:39] It was more than 5,000, so. [02:08:41] So, then it was, it came down from whatever amount, never. [02:08:46] Never happened. [02:08:47] Down, so I guess up compared to that, but down compared [02:08:50] to the PO that we actually submitted, yes. [02:08:53] And the carpet replacement, that was completed, so that's done [02:08:56] and it's not included in this year's budget, so. [02:09:00] Any questions? [02:09:01] So, new cameras this year? [02:09:06] Just at rec center. [02:09:08] Recreation and aquatic center. [02:09:10] Okay. [02:09:10] Yeah. Now, we are renewing, so the Verkata cameras, [02:09:14] the Verkata cameras that we have throughout the city, we are up, [02:09:17] finally, those are up for renewal for those licenses [02:09:20] when they were initially purchased two years ago, [02:09:22] three years ago, they had three-year agreements on them [02:09:25] for their licenses. [02:09:27] We will be renewing those this coming year, so. [02:09:29] And the Verkatas are the ones [02:09:31] that are accessible via the cloud, [02:09:33] whereas the SCW stationary cameras we have, [02:09:35] that backs up the DVR and we essentially remote [02:09:38] into those to look at those. [02:09:39] But the Verkata, they're accessible via the cloud. [02:09:42] And so, it's an annual subscription. [02:09:43] It's time to renew that. [02:09:44] And that's in our software budget and spread [02:09:46] across a few other departments' budgets depending [02:09:49] on where they're located. [02:09:53] All right. [02:09:53] Thank you. [02:09:54] All right. [02:09:54] Thanks. Mr. Wetzel, come on up front [02:09:58] for the HR human resources budget, [02:10:01] the final presentation this evening. [02:10:03] Let's pick a booth that's going to be in it. [02:10:08] Oh, not at all. [02:10:09] Not at all. [02:10:10] It's not going to make me work for the HR. [02:10:13] Our perspective here, you know, the delineation has gone [02:10:17] out for the people that have preceded me. [02:10:18] I don't know, so. [02:10:19] No. [02:10:19] You know, we'll have to have a little fun, too. [02:10:26] So, it's all good. [02:10:27] It's all good. [02:10:27] Oh, yeah. There's plenty, plenty of numbers. [02:10:31] Okay. Thank you, Mayor and Council. [02:10:34] Tonight for HR, I'd like to very quickly just start [02:10:37] with some 26 initiatives. [02:10:40] Again, I think it'll predicate a little bit [02:10:42] of our budget going forward here from that standpoint. [02:10:44] So, I'll just highlight very quickly four of them for you. [02:10:47] You know, first off, we started last night, again, [02:10:50] that you folks agreed to with us with one of the contracts [02:10:53] or agreements that came forward. [02:10:55] Here, we're going to be utilizing new brokers [02:10:57] and consultants to implement the new benefit [02:11:00] and risk management strategies, again, in an effort to try [02:11:03] to provide better insurance coverage for both the city [02:11:05] and its employees and their families. [02:11:08] You know, we're going to be seeking cost controls [02:11:10] and potential savings for all the parties here. [02:11:13] We are on schedule here to conduct [02:11:16] and implement a classification [02:11:17] and wage study covering general employees for FY 2026 and 2027. [02:11:24] So, again, that's, again, we're at that three-year mark [02:11:27] and in keeping with the city manager's commitment [02:11:30] to the various groups, it is now time [02:11:33] for the general employees that are going to be coming to, [02:11:34] it'll really be 2026, 2027, but we're going to have [02:11:37] to do it this year in 2026. [02:11:40] One of the things that has been long overdue with, again, [02:11:43] as we're kind of redefining our department and roles [02:11:46] and functions, we will be looking to update [02:11:48] and implement new versions of the city [02:11:50] of New Port Richey's human resource [02:11:51] and risk management policies and procedures. [02:11:54] And, again, the last initiative I'd like to highlight, [02:11:57] and again, something that we started this year [02:11:59] and, again, a commitment coming from, again, the city manager [02:12:02] and all our department heads and everything else is we really [02:12:05] want to enhance employee communication and recognition [02:12:08] to foster stronger engagement and staff retention [02:12:11] by providing employees with a deeper understanding [02:12:14] of the benefits of working for the city. [02:12:17] So, with that, I'm going to shift over here. [02:12:19] Again, from the standpoint of, from the staffing standpoint, [02:12:23] we will continue with four FTEs in the HR department. [02:12:27] Currently, we are definitely looking at [02:12:30] and evaluating the roles and functionality. [02:12:33] So, as our titles, you know, in that department, [02:12:35] we are going to look to probably adjust titles and some change [02:12:38] due to that functionality of what the duties are responsible. [02:12:42] We see a change already in one of the titles. [02:12:45] Yes. So, standpoint, again, we're going to be looking [02:12:47] to do that, but, again, we will stay with that four FTEs [02:12:50] from that standpoint. [02:12:51] One of the things I do want to highlight, again, I'll start [02:12:54] to go through this very quickly, is with regard to respect [02:12:57] to the salary and wages, the salary and wages were updated [02:13:00] and reflective of the actual staffing structure [02:13:03] of the department. [02:13:04] The 2025 salaries that were in there were, [02:13:06] really were not correct for the majority of our folks. [02:13:09] So, really, for the 2026 that's presented now, [02:13:12] those are really the current 2025 numbers that are coming [02:13:17] into 2026. [02:13:18] So, that's why you're going to see a little bit [02:13:19] of a significant increase in salaries from that standpoint. [02:13:23] And also, the assistant director of HR [02:13:26] and city initiative position that we added earlier this year, [02:13:29] which city council approved, we did a kind of reclassification, [02:13:32] flip back from that standpoint. [02:13:34] That salary is now fully incorporated and updated [02:13:38] in the 2026, reflective of what really was 2025 [02:13:42] that salary was going to be. [02:13:44] Okay? So, first off, I'd like to start with account 41-531, [02:13:50] which is education reimbursement, [02:13:53] which has been increased from $8,500 [02:13:57] to $15,000 for next year. [02:13:59] I want to preface that, this year we had to increase [02:14:02] that amount, in 2025 it was originally budgeted for $4,000. [02:14:05] We needed to increase it to $8,500 [02:14:08] because of the participation of employees. [02:14:10] For, really, the previous two years before that, [02:14:13] there was not a lot of participation on the, you know, [02:14:16] employee tuition reimbursement program. [02:14:19] Some of it was COVID, some of it was just, you know, [02:14:21] the after effects along those lines. [02:14:22] But we have seen folks, again, reengaging and participating [02:14:27] in the, you know, tuition reimbursement [02:14:30] or education reimbursement program from that standpoint. [02:14:32] So, again, you know, again, it was necessary [02:14:35] to allocate additional funds for 2024-25, as I just mentioned, [02:14:39] due to that increase in folks applying. [02:14:42] Based on the current enrollment and status of staff [02:14:45] in degree programs, we are expecting the trend [02:14:48] for additional employees seeking additional reimbursement [02:14:50] for degree programs and or developmental advancement [02:14:54] to increase next fiscal year, [02:14:56] thus participating in a slight increase in additional funds. [02:14:58] Now. [02:15:00] From the standpoint of the tuition reimbursement, like I said, we have it at about $8,500. [02:15:04] We raised it about another $1,500, but we also added $5,000 into this account because [02:15:10] we are looking forward to a management development program, again, working with the city manager [02:15:16] to highlight two management individuals with a program that we have kind of agreed to or [02:15:24] are in conjunction with, with the Florida State University and Pasco County. [02:15:28] It's really coming through Pasco County but through Florida State University to offer [02:15:31] courses and programs to help develop management development for some of our folks that are [02:15:38] in management roles. [02:15:39] So, again, that's why you're seeing a little bit of that significant increase up from the [02:15:43] $8,500 up to the $15,000. [02:15:45] Again, $5,000 of that will go towards this program with Pasco County and Florida State [02:15:50] University. [02:15:52] The next account that I'd like to highlight is account 43112, which is Labor Attorney [02:15:58] Services, which we have slightly increased from $15,000 to $16,500. [02:16:05] The slight increase over this year is reflective of the anticipated costs that will be associated [02:16:09] with negotiating three new wage re-opener agreements during fiscal year 25-26. [02:16:16] The wage re-openers will involve the police department, fire department, and the fire [02:16:20] department and the district chiefs. [02:16:22] Now, again, hopefully these will just be wage re-openers, so we hopefully are going to look [02:16:28] to control this cost a little bit, but I hate to say this, it's also going to be reflective [02:16:33] of what we as a city are able to afford and do from the standpoint of our salary increases, [02:16:39] not only for our general employees but overall. [02:16:41] So you know how wage discussions go, sometimes they can be protracted from that standpoint. [02:16:48] We have a slight uptick in that area. [02:16:51] The next account I'd like to highlight is account 43199, Professional Service Miscellaneous. [02:16:58] We've increased this from $60,800 to $75,000. [02:17:02] To be more reflective of trend and need, again, we anticipate additional costs will be incurred [02:17:07] in this line item due to the city seeking to conduct another comprehensive wage study [02:17:13] for our general employees. [02:17:15] I think the original cost three years ago when it was done was around $40,000. [02:17:21] So again, from our projection here a little bit, we're hoping to bring that down a little [02:17:26] bit since a lot of the data has already been from, there's a baseline from where we're [02:17:31] starting and we can hopefully move forward there. [02:17:34] So that's why you're seeing a little bit of that uptick here, again, from the $60,800 [02:17:40] to the $75,000. [02:17:41] Like I said, it's been three years since the last full study for general employees was [02:17:45] conducted. [02:17:46] In addition, we're anticipating some increased costs associated with various services involving [02:17:51] the recruitment of potentially key leadership positions, some benefits and risk analysis [02:17:56] that will go on with some of our insurance plans and stuff along those lines. [02:18:01] Again, if we do have to recruit some of our key leadership positions, there will be candidate [02:18:07] travel, potential moving expenses, and other operational services that come under this [02:18:11] item. [02:18:12] Plus, we also anticipate some additional costs associated with pre-employment background [02:18:17] screenings, physicals, job postings, and the drug tests that we do, as I guess we all kind [02:18:22] of face. [02:18:23] We have our vendors out there and they do increase their costs as well from the standpoint [02:18:27] of just the inflationary standpoint. [02:18:29] So we're trying to anticipate that. [02:18:32] The next item is account 44134, data lines, sort of a housekeeping item here. [02:18:39] That has been increased from $300 to $1,400 to account for and reflect the actual costs [02:18:45] associated with three department cell phones. [02:18:47] That doesn't reflect on my sheet. [02:18:49] Mine goes $300 to $0. [02:18:53] So again, what it's actually doing, I think from 44134? [02:18:57] Yeah. [02:18:59] I have it flip-flopped, because again, we're looking to pull this stuff out, because before [02:19:04] it was in the, I thought it was previously budgeted in 44121, which was a telephone local [02:19:11] rather than a data lines. [02:19:13] What do you have for 44121? [02:19:17] 144, you got the wrong number there. [02:19:21] 44134. [02:19:23] Telephone local, you're saying? [02:19:25] That's 121. [02:19:26] Should it be moved down? [02:19:27] No. [02:19:28] Well, like I said, it was under telephone local, but it's really for the cell phones. [02:19:37] So again, I thought we flip-flopped this here from that standpoint, because it was a data, [02:19:42] because the cell phones are data, rather than that actual telephone line. [02:19:45] So that's in the wrong line, basically. [02:19:47] So from my perspective, when I thought we did this again, I don't mean to cause confusion. [02:19:51] Let's check that. [02:19:52] But all we're really doing is, what was telephone lines, it's cell phones. [02:19:59] And so again, believing that, the thought was from my perspective, again, the thought [02:20:04] when we originally discussed on our side, was to move, it's just really, it's a housekeeping. [02:20:08] It's flip-flopping and putting the, making it cell phones. [02:20:11] I just wanted to catch up. [02:20:12] Okay. [02:20:13] Yeah, so we're just trying to make it a little more modern than the telephone pole. [02:20:16] Climbing up the telephone pole like Green Acres to take care of that. [02:20:21] So the next account I wish to address is account 44966, employee incentives. [02:20:29] Again, asking for a slight increase there from $11,000 to $14,500, [02:20:36] in an effort to enhance the annual incentives that recognize the hard work of our employees [02:20:40] and their commitment to the city. [02:20:42] This account has traditionally been, has included the employee Christmas card gifts. [02:20:47] As I mentioned in one of our initiatives, again, trying to do some of the more, [02:20:50] recognition, trying to give stuff, you know, a little bit more to our employees, [02:20:52] like we just did with the public service employees recognition, stuff along those lines. [02:20:56] So again, looking, you know, to. [02:20:58] Did we counsel to? [02:21:00] Pardon me? [02:21:01] Yeah, yeah. [02:21:02] We'll make sure you invite your chapter. [02:21:04] Is it still a ham gift card? [02:21:06] No. [02:21:07] It's Publix. [02:21:08] I like the ham gift card. [02:21:09] I do too. [02:21:10] We lost out. [02:21:11] Others like Publix better. [02:21:14] But we could take the survey, you know, see what folks like. [02:21:17] I'm a guy for change. [02:21:20] I don't want to be a gift card. [02:21:22] Publix has ham, right? [02:21:23] Right. [02:21:24] It's not Honeywell ham, but. [02:21:27] Anyway. [02:21:29] Just to kind of quickly kind of wrap towards the end here and stuff. [02:21:34] Since we are very early in this process, again, the accounts, 44511, liability insurance, [02:21:42] 44521, building and contents, 44522, pollution insurance, and account 44523, automobile and truck insurance. [02:21:52] A lot of those things, again, we are, again, coming for counsel pretty soon here, is, again, [02:21:58] we'll be hiring a new broker consultant that will be advising and reviewing all of our areas of coverage on the P&C, [02:22:04] on the property and casualty and other things along those lines. [02:22:06] So, again, we don't have some information to put forward, again, to finance just yet. [02:22:11] But, you know, from our perspective, we will, you know, probably be in our interest, again, [02:22:17] to anticipate there will be some sort of increase. [02:22:19] Now, early indications we're getting is that, you know, [02:22:22] that some of the liability insurance stuff along those lines is running conservative. [02:22:27] So it's not skyrocketing from that standpoint. [02:22:30] So hopefully it will be a, you know, I'll say a relatively, if I say normal trend. [02:22:36] Minor. [02:22:37] I don't want to jinx it. [02:22:38] Minor. [02:22:39] Minor. [02:22:40] Thank you. [02:22:41] Thank you, Mayor. [02:22:42] So from that end, you know, just how insurance goes, especially on automobiles, property, [02:22:46] and casualty and stuff along those lines, you know, there's going to probably be some increase there. [02:22:50] And finally, again, as, again, just to begin here and last night, [02:22:56] we've hired a new health insurance broker and consultant to review [02:22:59] and advise the city on all our employee benefit plans for FY25-26. [02:23:04] It's very early here, but we are pushing very heavily here because, again, [02:23:08] open enrollment is around the corner. [02:23:10] We have early indications on a majority of some of the insurance that happens to be with MetLife is remaining flat. [02:23:17] There's one that has increased significantly that we are not happy with. [02:23:21] And, again, our new broker will approach that with them, and that happens to be dental. [02:23:25] Now, the employees pay for themselves, but Ms. Manns and myself, from that early number thrown out, [02:23:32] you know, it's not acceptable. [02:23:34] So, again, we will push our new broker to do that. [02:23:36] And, again, you know how negotiations go. [02:23:39] So it's a throwout, and we will look to control that number from that standpoint. [02:23:45] So, again, we've requested our new broker consultant to review all of our plans and coverage [02:23:49] in an effort to provide the best level of coverage for our employees and their families. [02:23:53] That is our goal out of HR. [02:23:56] While we remain committed to controlling costs, we will continue our fight for the best coverage, best proposals, [02:24:03] and the lowest rates possible without sacrificing the highest level of quality for these plans. [02:24:09] So, again, with that, that concludes kind of the HR overview, and I'll be glad to answer any questions. [02:24:17] Ask him as we went along. [02:24:19] All right, thank you. [02:24:21] Thank you. [02:24:22] Thank you. [02:24:23] Thank you, Ms. Manns. [02:24:28] This will be presented to you on July 29th. [02:24:32] You want these books back, and you've told us today that there's numbers you're going to change. [02:24:38] I put just little marks by certain things. [02:24:41] I don't want the page replaced. [02:24:42] You can add a page to it, though. [02:24:44] That's what will take place. [02:24:46] Okay, all right. [02:24:47] I just wanted to say it out loud. [02:24:48] The next meeting, those budgets will be behind the tabs, and then when we meet again on August 6th [02:24:55] to review what we've already discussed, the new copies will be on top of the existing. [02:25:02] Okay, all right. [02:25:03] I just didn't want to lose any marks. [02:25:04] Yeah, we won't take them out. [02:25:05] Okay, that's all. [02:25:06] I'll wait here. [02:25:10] Thank you. [02:25:11] Thank you. [02:25:12] Great job. [02:25:13] Thank you. [02:25:15] Even Robert? [02:25:17] Especially Robert. [02:25:19] He's talking in class. [02:25:21] He's back there talking in class.

   This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

3. 3Adjournment▶ 2:25:30