this government meeting is brought to you by eastw works and our local cable subscribers good evening welcome to the samton city council meeting for Wednesday June 5th the meeting tonight is being recorded and broadcast by edia on chatter channel 193 and live streaming on their web page is media.org cons consors and participant in this meeting are gathering hybrid on the order extended until March 2025 which allow us to do so I remind both the members of the city council and the public participating remote remain mute on the recognized by the city council president also for the member of the public please remove your camera for the duration of this meeting unless you are participating on the public speak time of the public hearing thank you this meeting is now called to order Maran Connie dham Salem Derby Omar Gomez JP Kinski Tom PE here Brad Riley here Tamara Smith here JT Terrell Owen zarett pres please send for the and a moment of [Music] silence to the FL the United States of America to the for stands indivisible with liberty and justice for all thank you right now we have the presentation for the with the people team before we start I just want to let the representative from the senator vas to go to the butum and say a few words from in behalf of the senator hi good afternoon uh my name is Mark Messer I'm here from Senator V's office and uh the senator did get caught up in Boston this afternoon so he apologizes that he couldn't make it um I know that over the last several years uh Senator vus has really gotten to know Kelly Brown and this class in particular very well uh so he's you know extremely disappointed he wasn't able to make it tonight um but you know he he just you know essentially wanted to say you know congratulations you know for all the hard work that you guys put in over the course of the year every time he visits the class it's stunning how engaged and excited they are about the subject matter and ultimately the end result that you know was put out at the uh the hearing rooms during the competition um yeah we go to a lot of classrooms over the uh you know the the district that we cover and this one it's like when we see it on the calendar Circle it because it's going to be it's going to be a fun time it's going to be engaging and uh you know it's it's just really awesome stuff so um we also have citations from the uh State Senate official citations but they got caught up in a traffic jam uh they're on the turn bike right now uh so hopefully they get here by the you know the time uh you folks are dismissed if not I'd be happy to run them over to the class before school's out so again just on behalf of Senator vas congratulations and you know keep it up and if there's anything we can ever help with just feel free to reach out all right thanks thank you we have someone representing uh representative Curry yes we we're going to do that all together but you can say something to them first sure sure well first of all say I'm not the public speaker so kudos to you um I am here on behalf of Representative Carrie am I speaking well enough into this um similar to Senator veis uh he is caught up in Boston um but I will let you know when I joined representative car's team we the people was one of the first things we talked about um as a native to East Hampton rep Cary is so proud and as I said one of the first things he said to me um I feel that we need students like you to be Advocates and Future Leaders so thank you very much um and then I do have some official citations for the teachers and students from the House of Representatives that you would do all together because we have some and the mayor have some too so we're going to do all three thank you very much congratulations thank you mayor do you want to say something um um in the interest of of time um I just one thank you so much all of you for choosing to take this on um it's daunting when the last six years before you um they won the states so Kudos it's it's stunning um I do have a proclamation to enter into the public record in the interest of time I'll just submit it to the clerk so it's on the the website um but thank you uh you know as high school students you have so many choices and uh to represent your city and town and to master this material is just fabulous stunning thank you thank you mayor the vice president uh Derby and I will go into the podium but before that I'm going to make a few comments um the first one is thank you thank you for representing Ison the way that you guys did um all the credits to you guys but all the credits to Miss Brown too uh leading a team is not easy I I I know as a former coach it's not that easy and dealing with that many people um thank you thank you for everything you've been doing foron thank you for everything you've been doing Forton high and thank you for everything you've been doing for this kids I think what you're doing is amazing and uh we are we are in a better place Inon today because of you and of course the students um you guys are super smart and our future is looking good I hope one day see those faces in this area including the mayor's office um again congratulations what you guys been doing every year is amazing so now uh the council vice president me the mayor and someone from the van car's office we going to uh give you some stuff we turn this I think we should have the same list I don't think we do yes I think we have an order too okay and here I'll give you mayor and you want to here yeah you guys that way we can put through here I'm going to do my best with your name so I apologize ahead of time if I mess them up I'll do my best so let's uh the first student that we're going to recognize is Addison bar [Applause] [Laughter] there okay and the second student that we're going to recognize is Samuel bar congratulations congratulations thank you congratulations uh Ella Belcher [Applause] Timmy uh Christopher Gallagher congratulations congratulations yes uh Finn Garvey [Applause] conations Jinta [Applause] Kim Eva kulan here um Al Alana Aliana Morales Ethan [Applause] malali don't worry about it conratulations uh Devon O'Brien [Applause] and Gracie Gracie papadelis here no [Applause] okay uh y Patel congratulations thank you congratulations thank you congratulations uh Roman Powers Mor [Applause] happy [Music] birthday Veronica Raposa congratulations ver uh okay zamari Salado [Applause] Haley [Applause] Civ congratulations all and Sophie slag hecki [Applause] uh McKenna sleep uh Jackson [Applause] Scott uh Elizabeth capos congratulations congratulations conratulations mayori [Applause] [Music] Gupta the teachers you have the mentor first uh oh do we have mentors here tonight none of them senior award KN okay so we have some for the mentor okay so for the teachers uh Taylor dadon congratul and of course once again Kelly [Applause] Brown congratulations than you so congratulations that's thanks again thank you thank you everybody Miss Brown do you want to take a picture before we keep going that be really cool bring it bring yes than I love yes can you please sorry can you please he anywhere you guys want let's go behind us especially these guys I mean we can see that you can down they sit down they can be that's what we doing yes smile guys wa are we heavy on one side we very come on guys we know the drill thank you thank you thank you and happy birthday thank [Applause] you so we the people have two options or you guys can stay and see how the Govern uh local government works or you can um go home whatever you guys decide we okay with it budget guys stay no I'm just waiting for them to see what they're going to do you guys you guys can leave that's fine yes see you all right I going to take a motion to all right let's continue the meeting I will take a motion to approve the minute so moved I have a motion and a second to approve the minute um any further discussion see none those are in favor any against extension motion passes Poli speak time this is the opportunity for the public to address anything to the Cil regarding any topic no listed of the public hearing is anyone for the public that want to say something to the council please go to the podium I will give you three minutes please uh stay your name and address for the record and please address your comments to the council thank you hello can you hear me yes okay my name is alen Coen I have a studio at Cottage Street in East Hampton and I'm here to speak on behalf of the newly formed one Cottage Street tenants Association uh our purpose in being here is to make sure that each of you is aware of what's happening at when Cottage Street home to Riverside Industries and 102 tenants about 80 of whom are artists we're very concerned that the huge rent increase abruptly announced is a bad Omen for the city as its revitalization and dynamic cultural climate require affordable spaces for artists and creative Pursuits our landlord Riverside Industries has set a a rate of $15 a square foot beginning September 1st the amount of the increase means that many of us some of whom have had their studios here for 30 plus years will need to leave the building the rent increase for many of us is between 25% and 150% of our current rate the increase being proposed is a flat increase for all whether we have been here for four months or 4 years whether we have 400 square ft or 4,000 square ft Carter Street Studios and Riverside Industries have coexisted in Harmony and mutual support since 1976 when the building was donated to Riverside artists have contributed a great deal to Riverside volunteered with their clients run workshops and we were instrumental in establishing the Riverside arts program we strongly support the programs which Riverside operates and differentiate the service Prov the service provider from the landlord our goal is to meet with the board and the CEO to see how we can work together we have sent two letters to the members of the board requesting the opportunity to meet today we've had no response one Cottage Street was the first converted Mill building in Western Massachusetts to foster a creative Community our Open Studios have been running for 40 years and attract thousands of people at East Hampton each year on a personal note I find the situation especially painful 25 years ago I was hired as the Grand's coordinator for the city of East Hampton in 2005 I along with several others established East Hampton City Arts as an organization bringing together artists local businesses and the municipal government in 2009 the bearfest which I see you have behind you solidify the reputation of East Hampton as a community where artists could thrive there's no doubt that Cottage Street artists were instrumental in starting East Hampton City arts and establishing the C Cottage Street Cultural District we are having a community meeting on June 25th in Oldtown Hall to make sure that everyone the community is aware what's going on we want to protect our workspaces and we want to help assure that the Arts will continue to thrive in East Hampton thank you very much can I distribute something to you just keep to and she will pass it to us thank you thank you fix the podium hello my name is Daniel kelm I'm a tenant at one Cottage Street Ellen has given you the facts I've been encouraged to make a personal plea we're all people all the tenants at one Cottage Street and my plea to you is that this rent increase is having a catastrophic effect on my health I'm a 72y old artist I have a uh stage four terminal cancer diagnosis my plans had been to finish the work that I have in the studio and then move out on my own schedule this rent increase is uh disrup ing that very very strongly and as I said it's having a adverse effect on my health and I really encourage any help that we can get in bringing Riverside Industries to the table all we do we just want to talk with them and as Ellen said we've been denied that we sat with them while they explained things to us gathered information but we haven't been given the same uh courtesy in response and I really uh would just ask whatever help you can give us just so that we can sit down and have a conversation with Riverside industry so that we can all uh come to an agreement so far we've been shut out of uh any negotiations so please my personal plea is please help us get a meeting with Riverside Industries it would mean a lot to us thank you very much thank you you anyone [Music] else anyone participating remote I see none I will take a motion to open the public hearing so moved second I have a motion and a second to open the public hearing any further discussion see none those in favor any against abstention motion passes cons Peak thank you Mr President we have a bunch of stuff to go through uh but the start uh we've got the budget uh so uh where do we start uh we met uh over the last uh month or so uh multiple times to go over uh the budget uh item by item uh we ultimately vote uh 3 to0 to approve the bu budget as written um all of those uh meetings are of course available and you know online whatnot uh there there are just a couple things I wanted to say about this budget uh that I think make it a little bit interesting and unique before we we jump into everything just some some findings um uh the first thing I would say is that this uh budget is is kind of interesting and that this is probably going to be the first year we enter into in a while where uh Co funds whether that's arpa or Esser funds are not a major factor in how we fund our operations um and this is relevant because uh I think we we've all noted that there's been pretty substantial free cash uh surpluses over the last few years um and I think that's led to an idea that's what we're going to experience going forward and and to some extent it might be you know there there there has been a lot of growth in East Hampton we haven't seen the Slowdown that some some of us worried that we would uh when Co hit so uh it could be that we have another great year but this is just an uncertain year we've sort of we had the preco experience where things were what they were and then when Co hit we sort of settled into there's this sort of way of running things that involve uh a lot of federal funds and that we're now sort of on the other end of that um so there is a good deal of uncertainty there of just what does uh a city's fiscal outlook look like without those funds in this sort of new reality um another thing I would say uh it's not a budget that has a lot of new things in it uh the one one area where we see uh a a pretty substantial increase is uh in the school budget and that is largely to absorb some Esser funded positions that were mostly around uh social and behavioral Wellness uh those were positions that we hoped we could have uh you know transitioned off of as we got you back to normal but like that it just that hasn't that's not the opinion of really anyone in the schools that we're in a position to to walk away from uh to to go back to sort of our our previous levels of Staffing there so there was a need to absorb those positions and as a result uh along with a handful of other structural things um the that that budget has increased uh somewhat significantly with the idea that that's not necessarily going to be a thing that we can expect every year going forward um other than that most of the increases that we have seen from prior years uh are mostly contractual uh they either uh pay plan increases that we voted into existence or their Union agreements that we have to honor there is not a lot of places where anything increased because we are bringing in a flashy new program or beefing up staff uh to to a particular area or or really anything like that so again it's coming into something with a with a bit of uncertainty still feeling some of the Ripple effects from the last few years um I thought that it was overall um a thoughtful budget uh we uh custor denim asked uh most if not all of the department heads if they thought that it was fair and they all indicated in their own ways that uh yes it it was it sort of got me thinking a little bit about what is what is fair even mean in these cases if you think about like what's what is the price that's like the appropriate amount to reward a teacher for educating a child how do you even put a number on that it's tough but it is I think we um we keeping the lights on we're not laying anybody off and we're moving into a a year that uh there is a lot of uncertainty uh so that is uh roughly uh what I have to say about this sort of as a Prelude uh unless there's any questions I think we can just get we can go to section by section allow the counil make questions by sections Y and the public so uh that's just for anyone who this this their first time that's how we go we go Section by section um and uh if there's anyone has any questions we can we'll basically have a SE separate public hearing for each of these sections uh so uh I think we'll start with section one General government which is presented at 3,579 7357 yes can you explain to the public and to the everybody who's watching what is the general General uh government yeah so General government has the mayor's office the city council city clerk uh treasur and collector planning department just uh most of the first floor of City Hall and and the Bas City Hall there the the general non-public safety non-education non-public Works uh a lot of those services are within within General uh government uh we are by the way we're funding General government with um uh 52952 348 from water sewer Enterprise 7,500 from the parking fund uh uh in addition to the 3 million I talked about uh $57,000 from Cannabis stabilization and $1,800,000 from General stabilization which uh for those of you who don't remember we put some money in general stabilization early in the pandemic with the idea that there was going to kind of be sort of a bump as these things came out so that's what this is it was something we anticipated we V voted into existence it could have manifested in a few different ways but just given the situation that's how it ended up anyone any cons have any questions or comments before I go to the public cons yeah I would if if it's possible for the mayor or the auditor um i' just like to um chairman Peak just describe the general General stabilization and the $1.8 million if you could provide an explanation of that as well as the impact of that what that mean what does 1.8 million mean to East Hampton moving forward um sure so the one way to look at it is the one8 million you know actually could you say your question one more time sure yep so we are or you have yeah right uh pulled 1.8 million out of the general stabilization okay um to fund the budget can you please help the public understand what does that mean and what does that mean in the future right like sure um in Lay terms and then I will defer to the auditor if she has any additional uh comments um the 1.8 million was is was um a pre-planned loan we start the fiscal year in deficit $1.8 million did we know we would have a gap we did do we feel good about future revenues we do but the reality is we start in the hole like a checkbook um and what we had done leading up to this fiscal year um was to uh leverage arpa money into government services basically anything you normally see in the budget um and that money that we would have paid for that government service out of Revenue we put into a savings account revenue account um and whatnot so it it's a really great way to fill a gap but it's a gap nonetheless and the great way is novel where the arpa money is not available to do that anymore um and we are basically putting forward the pre-planned loan um and also you're looking at a pretty high annual increase in the budget um over 9% um because we are prepaying now our expenditures going forward so 1.8 fills in a gap we planned it that the no matter what the level of stabilization The General Capital um any of those counts those amounts um they truly are spoken for with also the uh recommended percent by the state of what we should just have for things we have no idea what are coming um to the plan over the last three fiscal years was to be you know really what um assertive or I would say um mount an assault against um inflation uh to then get to this year have the Gap and increase mostly with CBA agreements and whatnot and be ready for those increases so we can stay the course for the next five years um but we do I mean it everything I said but the the one thing is you know we plan to take out a mortgage on the city and that mortgage is 1.8 and we got to pay it back um so I I that's kind of the lay language and and technical I I defer to um the auditor Hal do you have anything to add yes um City auditor pel um I when we prepare the budget we have to present our mayor has to present a Balan budget which means estimated Revenue equals to estimated um expenditures when I did the calculation um from five categories which will go over during the revenue um Revenue budget uh there was a gap of $1.8 million it's all estimated we don't know what's going to come next year and there was a gap so there are two options you cut the budget somehow or create the revenue from last three years we've been putting money aside because we've been supplementing expenditures through arpa or cares or FEMA money we had x amount of uh free cash which with mayor's approval we were put and and city council's um um approval we were putting it into the stabilization account to use it during these kind of rainy days and that's where we this General stabilization 1.8 million is coming from does that help thank you any other councilor have any questions Council Kinski thank you Mr President I don't know if the mayor or uh M Patel is better to answer the question uh if you could tell the public how much money went into the general stabilization over the last three years of covid monies let's say or non-co money anything that went into General stabilization so we built up how much money and and mhm we're expending 1.8 now where does that leave us in general stabilization and I'm not sure we've really painted a picture of what the future holds except maybe the revenue could be higher than it projected mayor um so we're we're actually we have another appropriation but before you uh this evening to put $750,000 into capital and another 450 or so into General um recommended percent by the state and each in in general stabilization is between like three and 5% of your total budget we well above that and then the capital were well above recommended levels um and we were mindful like I uh it's a it's a little bit of a mind twisting Point counselor because you think wait you start in a deficit but now on J on June 5th we're asking to put this money into a stabilization account and it's about revenues and cash flow um and whatnot but the capital request like today and the high amount we have is is all accounted for because of local match so we have we'll have a couple of local matches for big grants um coming to First reading will be next um meeting and it's almost like we knew this was coming so we've been stashing that money away um and and honest you know so the um amount seem they're historically big um but we're also doing historically big things um and the general stabilization I think we I certainly learned um between March 17th of 2020 and um I would say maybe even continuing now with covid that you don't know what's going to come up and and we've seen that where I look at your mask like that mask used to cost 75 cents and if you can get that quality V mask for under $2 great I mean that that's a perfect example so our both accounts are higher um and we continue to put money in uh and we also we wait until like the auditor can speak to what we've put in but the requests we have today to put into that General stabilization account um and capital stabilization she did the math on that literally three hours ago because we wanted to see what Revenue had come in we wanted our estimate to be buttoned down as much as possible so then I would would look at the projects um and see what was going to come in when to figure out what we could afford to put in um and uh yeah so I could if that makes sense and I'm I'm trying to pull up the history of what of what we put in the auditor might have it Hal yes so you're muted sorry okay I got it um do you want me to break it down by fisal year I can give you from since 2020 to 2023 what we contributed and what's on your table with an aggregate figure I don't know about the rest of the counselors but that's fine you hear that no I didn't sorry get figures fine 2223 222 3 would be I have to take 24 out real quick it is we put from 2020 to 2023 uh we have put $3.4 milon 60,000 in there thank you most welcome any other cons have any questions cons so just real quick so Madame mayor you said that this is a mortgage right so the intent then is to try to put that 1 Point 8 million back in and and how would that happen um within what is your goal for for making that happen right there's obviously revenues but are there other ways and how would that impact our city departments um so one strategy to pay that first of all increasing revenues um we did a thorough look through all of the fines um and permit fees across the city and brought some of them up to um comparable figures for the communities around us um some had not been um adjusted for decades uh as well uh there were some uh fees that were added that our city had never done but are as uh practice done and I behind me the assessor did something very similar where there's a $25 fee for Butters a list um with the assurance that it's the the right um circumstance of of Butters the other is um grants so a lot of the capital items if you look at the grants that we've gotten over the last three years A lot of them are ambulances brush trucks hoses and to be able to take those items off of Capital One we don't have to save um uh for them we can use um uh we can use our capital stabilization account to do the local match um that takes some pressure off of repairs um takes some pressure off of um our fuel um and and things like that so it's pennies the the other thing too I I I have to say that um is in important um and certainly the the treasur can can speak to how many times she's done it um you know city is not a money-making entity but a wonderful tool we have or is a set of very there there's a set of very very conservative guidelines that allows us to invest money so when our stabilization account is Big there's a there's a reason why I'm asking for it and one of them is we know we have expenses coming and we deal in straight figures we don't count interest interest but we can use it um and that starts filling it in as as well um I would also um just add quickly around the the amounts of of both Revenue General um stabilization and and certainly cap capital um those amounts won't necessarily whatever decision um is made after um won't be as big because we now have local matches and major capital projects that will um end in 2032 so we're good like you know we got through the 1.2 for Union Street we we didn't have to bond for that we're looking for solutions for stuff that has to go on Park and wreck and whatnot and working um on working with that so that that's kind of the overall but it is drips and drabs like every single you know Penny I mean and and waiting until 3 hours ago to to see our actual revenues compared to our estimates like those are the pennies that count and how uh our treasur Jessica manages the money and gets the best interest rate we possibly can where we're allowed to by state and those how that's invested I'll just um is very regulated this is not you know just I don't know bit no bitco coin no no Bitcoin so very conservative thank you mayor no Bitcoin any other question from the consors anyone from the public um consor s so just to kind of tie up some of the concepts that were here that was thinking um based on what the chair said and what the counselor asked and some of the comments you made mayor do so um the future is always unpredictable and as soon as we vote on fiscal year 25 we already start thinking about fiscal year 26 but do you feel that th this I think this is more of a general question um but do you feel that the budget as presented is stable going forward as we start looking at the next year and anticipated Revenue plus up to 2.5 and with as the chair described it keeping the lights on you know we're not making there's no luxury items here going looking at the next year and the year after based on what we're doing here is it a lack of a better term safe stable predictable as unpredictable as life is yeah I would say that this year's expense budget is probably the best expense budget I've put forward as a mayor um I think it's realistic I think we are able we're compensating our employees um uh better and and they deserve better and we've we've made the cut against inflation um so we're starting from a good ground and we can now predict out uh the organization of different uh groups employees groups that are now negotiating for the first time as a union um is you know there's a predictability in it you know people get oh they want okay that's negotiation but the really you know the the key here is you're you're locking in expense payroll that's our biggest expense that's like 70% of our budget and to know from this point to that point this is what it's going to cost is gold um and the you know we've um we've taken into account some of the saving measures like um more efficient vehicles and whatnot so yes that that reduces the amount of fuel it does not make up the difference of the cost of fuel so we're you know when we're talking and we're looking at expenses we're not saying okay we have now just flipped four cars more efficient therefore we're taking 2% off of gas well we're doing in said is this is the amount of gas yes we're going to shave some money off of it and and but we know that there's not there's not a big win yet it's a slow process so I feel I feel good um about the expense budget the revenue um there are some weird dips that we're watching one of them is water um so water is more expensive but really more important to this budget is that we're more efficient with water with toilets and the shower heads and whatnot also drought so people are using less money but then there will be times any day now where we'll go into a drought and we do not have control over that and water usage is shut and the and our drought measurement is not Northampton or Hadley it's actually chicke for where our Wastewater goes so you know those revenues are extremely you know there they're important um but we've we've kind of like gone up the middle and um we still have uh stabilization money if if we need to um I guess the public outward you know message is you know I am and I I think I can speak for people in in City Hall and uh this the school um I'm super proud nobody lost their job everybody got a raise we've got fantastic health benefits and yeah it's not a luxury budget you know no one's getting a Mercedes Sprinter and and if some city did that's great that's like I'm not no no shade um it's not that's not who we are never have been right I mean we're Scrappy and you know we're we're going to twist or turn our own wrench uh before we bring in somebody else to do it and and that so it it's it's fantastic but there no hidden buckets of money no you know uh yeah thank you any other councelors before the public no anyone from the public have any questions comments concerns anyone participating remote I didn't see anyone I only I want to make a comment I know the for this section we're taking 1.8 million ion from General stabilization but in our package today that we're going to review it uh the finance committee and then the following meeting at the full Council uh if we approve it uh the finance committee and then our next meeting we're putting back 550,000 to that account so in reality we're taking 1.25 um in that particular account that's not that's my comment um before I will take the motion for the section one anyone else have final comments or questions from the cons cons PE yeah I'll just say and I want to keep this high level I don't want to get too In The Weeds about this but uh just because we could be here all night uh but there's I've been on the council long enough and and many of you have been here with me to know that the city has a tendency to budget very conservatively and then draw in even before Co large amounts of free cash and one of the reasons I feel comfortable with the idea of putting some money towards stabilization is because we have a long history of gaining fairly substantial surpluses now will that happen this year it remains to be seen like I said we are entering into a new era but just given the the way that the these things are set up and the way that our budgets tend to be quite pessimistic in their Baseline Revenue numbers I feel like it's not unrealistic I mean we we go into each year when you you hear people talk and they say they'll say yeah we're probably going to come back to you for an appropriation for this this and this if those things come up that assumes that we're going to have that money in free cash for an appropriation because this has been the history and that's one of the reasons why this was something that I was personally comfortable with is because of just I I have a maybe slightly more optimistic view of where uh our Revenue will ultimately end up I understand there's reasons why the city does it the way they do and I'm not necessarily calling that into question I just think we need to take like here's the official number and then there is I think a commonly held understanding that what our official Revenue forecasts say are often a little bit different than what the actuals are so just I want to throw that out there as well I that as one of the reasons why this didn't personally concern uh me that much and if anyone wants to talk about that and my general views on on budget forecasting we can do that at some other time because that's not really what this item is about take the motion I move the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of 3,579 7357 for the various departments listed under section one General government and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee Water and Sewer Enterprise $529,500 2348 parking fund $7,500 cannabis stabilization $57,000 General stabilization $1,800,000 I have a motion on a second to approve the one gener government for amount of 3,579 $173 57 any further discussion see none those for in favor I any against exstension motion passes cons PE all right section two we've got Public Safety so this is fire police dispatch uh not a lot of major changes here uh there uh was a a a neg I think there's a renegotiated police contract and so there's a lot of the Personnel increases that we're seeing along with increases and incentives and things like that are really contractually uh negotiated things that we sort of are bound to honor I didn't see uh very much at all among these departments uh that was um that seemed to discretionary uh or that seemed like a big increase uh in in in one thing or another so uh there there was a little bit so anyway um I it's it came out in total to 8,451 2421 and uh yeah not a lot of big changes here thank you well before taking question for the consors we have the fire chief and sure I see the police chief I don't know if any other the chief want to add something before we take questions no any councelors have any questions or concerns or comments about police safety no uh Chief a birie you want to say something before good evening everyone um nothing really to add it's a very conservative um um budget um certainly for the police department and dispatch uh we two are relying on uh several grants uh to help uh augment our our departments uh and Staffing um is no longer an issue uh for the police department my two recruits graduated from the academy uh so they're they're filling beats that otherwise would it be they're gone unfilled or uh used overtime so we're very happy about that um but yeah the the budget's very conservative through all my departments thank you Chief anyone from the public have any questions comments concerns anyone participating remote see go Peak I thank you Mr President I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of 8,451 2421 for the various departments listed under Section two Public Safety and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee second I have a motion second for section two police safety for the amount of 8,451 242 with1 cents any further discussion see none those one in favor any against exstension motion passes cons Peak thank you than you uh so section three is schools uh I touched on this uh a little bit uh I don't have much more to contribute I'm sure our our school uh folks would be able to if anyone has any specific questions but yes it was uh pretty much a level service budget with the increase the percent increase seemed higher but a lot of that was absorbing uh positions that were previously funded uh under Esser grants and so that's about it thank you any consor have any questions cons s and then cons u a quick comment and then a question um I mean if you look at our budget for the public uh this is the largest amount that's appropriate 20 plus million dollar and it's the way it should be right all of our money going to educating our children um I just wanted for the public I thought was important if the chair could clarify um the what exactly or approximately that percent increase was this year to accommodate those um items that were previously funded otherwise and also just for the sake of um um uh both clarification and the Public's understanding where the how that funding might Trail off next year so in other words my understanding is if you can clarify this too there was a a an increase this year to again to cover arpa and Esser funded um positions and it seems like a large increase but we won't see that in future years that will be much smaller or at least projected much smaller in 26 and 27 is that correct so when it comes to the numbers I would need Nick to clarify but I can give you a little bit of yes uh the just for for the Public's benefit yeah there's there was positions I think particularly around uh Behavior avoral Health positions uh that were funded under Esser to help with sort of you know emotional and behavioral support for kids going through that hard time a lot of kids had a very hard time coming back as I'm sure anyone with kids uh has uh or if you know anyone without kids with kids like I'm sure you've heard about this um so the idea is that we're not ready to the the idea is that those positions will eventually uh will return to like a staffing Baseline similar to where we were before but this was not the year to do it will next year be the year to do it probably will have to be to some extent but maybe there will be a conversation there that's sort of for another like I'm not going to sit here and be like if they don't cut all those positions in next fiscal year I'm going to whatever like we'll we'll figure that out uh as it comes but the idea is that the goal I I I I believe is to eventually bring that uh that Department to to sort of more of of a a level like it was before or in any case Envision like a more sustainable uh future but in in the meantime there was a need that kind of had to be met uh and unfortunately we no longer had the federal funds to make it happen if you'd like to add you know expand on that either you would like to expand upon that at all uh that would be great but uh um if if I may counselor just to um the conversation around schools um in large part with um encouragement from the city council and past chairs um some very similar my big picture was if this is the year you need to right side staff and folks from Esser and there were a couple of of you know if this is the year do it now cuz we're going to start with a mortgage so let's start with a mortgage this year in this fiscal year um very impressive of of what Nick and and superintendent binda and the administration um total FTE reduction in this budget is16 entire budget um so we we did as we knew that Federal funding was going away this was the year to front loaded will this increase be seen again no and and there shouldn't be the need we've right sized the budget we caught up with inflation with and and FTE um and that was totally the work of the the school administration and principles and administration and I'll can answer the I don't I don't know how they did it but they did it great job thank you um as has been said a couple of times that can you please just introduce yourself for the record oh sure uh I'm Nick berer the Director of Business Services for the East Hampton Public Schools sorry um the you know as has been stated a couple of times this evening the the largest um you know Factor here for the increase is uh the fact that the covid relief funding is going to be depleted um all those funds have to be obligated by September 30th 2024 uh they'll be gone before that um they'll end of the summer basically the last payroll they'll they'll be spent so we won't have a problem meeting that deadline for sure um now we found ourselves in a place when I got here two years ago there is I believe about 14.0 FTE funded with the eser grant money uh we worked really hard for this current Year's budget to you know move things around to the point where we got it down to about 7.0 FTE um knowing we are going to hit today um and you know really trying to ease that cliff into more of a a hill if you will um but you know as we had our our budget development process with our administrative team you know just looking at the needs of of students that are are still there um I think when all this money came down the pipeline in the early days of the pandemic the thought was you know we're going to rec recover from this somewhat quickly we need help to do it obviously but as time goes on it's become more and more evident that the recovery I mean you've all heard of long covid um that this is the long recovery um at least in the education World um so some of the positions that we you know hope to keep um definitely involve the social emotional realm but there was also a special ed teacher in there there was an English learner teacher in there so you know teacher support staff you know to support kids that fall into selected populations um whose numbers we've seen increase over the years uh even though our enrollments declined over the years the the needs are still there the percentages of selected populations that you can find on the Desi website are increasing and that tells us that this was not the year to uh essentially Sunset some of those positions so uh our mon if you will going into this budget process was you know we really want to keep a level service budget here to continue to support students um you know as they recover from the uh the impacts of the pandemic um some other driving factors are the the cost of um particularly special education Transportation um obviously a regular Ed Transportation contract is is large but if you look at it percent increase wise compared to what new contracts are looking like across the state we're in good shape and we got a 3% increase there next year I see on the list serve I mean people are getting 10 12 for one year I mean I I don't know how those municipalities and towns are going to pay for that so we're we're lucky in that sense in terms of our big bus contract but um special ed is is pricey and you know we have 10 IND District Vans three prek vans and several vans that go to auto District placements so that you know that adds up quite a bit um AO District uh special education tuition as well we got hit with that very large this year um to the point where we were able to apply for and successfully receive extraordinary relief through the circuit breaker program um which is basically you can get refunded for Extraordinary cost in the current year rather than waiting for reimbursement next year um we were able to get $379,000 um from that program this year has to um be spent by June 30th of this year which we'll have no problem doing um the good news with that though is all of that spending counts towards our circuit breaker reimbursement for next year it's like the only time you can double dip in finance it's it's wonderful um and the state will tell you the same thing I'm not speaking out of turn here um so I I guess where I'm going with that is you know trying to keep all of these positions um and you know keep our increase as you know small as we possibly could not that 99.78% is small I certainly would not consider that small but um from where we started to where we got um we did look at other funding sources um particularly circuit breaker and and school choice um to offset some things so that we could continue to maintain the level of staff and support that we have going into next year um and then I guess the other the other piece of it too is personnality increases which um at you know at this time are somewhat unknown as we're currently negotiating with the bargaining units um so that was a a factor too in terms of this increase I hope that answered the question perhaps long-winded I'll try to be better if there's any more any cons have any other questions cons not a question just comments um just want to reiterate your comments like this isn't a oneyear fix right our kids are in recovery from covid for I think many years to come and so I think that that's something that we have to prepare ourselves for um as an educator you know we're and I work in higher education like we're talking multiple years that we're going to be dealing with kind of the impact of of Co on the development of of college students right and so I can only imagine kind of the impact that we're talking about um K through 12 and and whatnot so certainly appreciate the work that you both have done in terms of trying to kind of write the situation for for our children in this community and and recognize that more has to more is coming right and so I want to be supportive thank you celor any other counselors I have a few the first one is uh I'm pretty sure I hear the we are cutting probably one position um there was a vacant uh well a position that's been vacant for several months I believe early November hasn't been filled um the students that were uh part of that individual's case load have been reallocated and you know things have been functioning you know so we we just decided to not fill it so nobody individually will be that's where I'm going so basically that is we cut in that position but necessarily we're laying of a a person yeah no no people are impacted by that no and the other question that I have is you mentioned that we are in the middle of negotiations I'm not going to ask the details because that's not appropriate but I will ask if this budget include any money any percentage for the potentially increase on those uh the new contract with the with the teachers I mean it includes the you know some money for personnel increases um you know the the battle one fights when you know trying to prepare a budget when you're in the middle of this process is you know unless you've settled a contract prior to the budget being done you can never really know uh what you're going to end up you know settling at um that there's certainly money in there to um you know go towards various proposals that the bargaining units are are giving us um you know and we've you know been going back and forth for several you know meetings now um I certainly can't predict if we're going to you know what we're going to settle at um you know but I really you know I took a look at at things like step increases which would happen regardless if the contract is settled or not you know there's certain um staff members that would move up a step um you know because if the contract's not done by the end of the year it's you know it's pretty much State put you're following the same contract and those step increases would would happen regard list um you know so I looked at what that was going to cost and you know kind of how many folks were were able to move upsteps and you know if that's a little bit you know smaller number of people than last year some of that money can be put towards uh you know Personnel increase costs but you know what we budgeted you know to do all of this was you know as I said it's a tough battle because you have to keep the budget as you know in line with what what a you know a city can afford and and you know what a school committee is willing to to vote on you know while having something there because you know you can't just level fund that because there there will be some sort of cost of living adjustment um you know that said um every time we meet I look at different scenarios and you know based on proposals we get and and counter offers that we would then go back to to the units with to see what that would all cost um you know in the end I mean will we settle at the exact you know amount that's in there if I break it down by what's in that account I mean probably not that would I think I'd be like a budgeting wizard if that you know I got to that exact number but between the time a budget passes and the time we you know actually settle things will happen they'll be res designations there'll be new hires that make a different amount of money than the predecessor did and you know so sometimes you can free up funds that way you know every now and then movement occurs I could have a student move out of District who requires a you know heavy amount of support and then all of a sudden that funding so you know I do like once the budget passes it's it's a living document in my mind it it's you know it's never never going to play out exactly as you planned it except if you're looking at a one off salary like mine I mean you know what's there is what's going to be made and that's that you know um but everything else I take a look at you know we have a savings here okay that can be applied to Personnel increase oh no we have a liability here we just had somebody move in that's going to require some more support so I you know I really treat it as a living document um and and you know certainly we'll we'll use anything we can to you know um negotiate the the best contract that we can thank you yep any consult before I go to the public no anyone from the public have any questions comments concerns anyone participating remote any know thank you C PE I move that the city raise an appropriate the sum of 20 million 675,000 58 for the various departments listed under Section 3 schools and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee second second I have a motion and a second to approve the section three schools for 20, 675,000 wor 58 any further discussion saying none those are in favor I any against exstension motion passes cons PE uh next up we've got uh section four Public Works uh it's 2.2 uh million dollar about 20% of that coming from water sewer Enterprise which is pretty standard uh again there wasn't a lot of pretty particularly dramatic uh changes uh from this to this budget from uh what we have seen over the last few fiscal years uh there's obviously um you know the this is this is one part of what what we consider Public Works is is really appears in the budget uh both uh in public works and then separately in Enterprise um but uh this is uh just where it was uh like the last few years we saw uh there's some items that had to increase around the cost of fuel cost of uh asphalt cost of various uh chemicals but uh you know other than that there wasn't really any major operational changes I feel like I'm going to be saying that on pretty much all of these so uh if uh maybe I'll just say that's the case for just about everything we're going to talk about unless I say otherwise um but yeah that's uh Public Works um Mr nman do you want to add something before I open it to the consors uh good evening everyone Greg nutman director of Public Works um no I don't have much to add I mean uh councelor Peak basically covered it it's it's basically all operational um if anyone has any specific questions I am here and uh we do the best I can to get you an answer thank you any coun have any questions or comments see none anyone from the public have any questions or comments concerns anyone participating remote see on consle Peak I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of 2,256 9992 uh for the uh various departments listed under section 4 public works and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee uh sewer Enterprise $544,000 sale of lots $7,500 second I have a motion on a second to approve section four public works for 22569 92 any further discussion see none those will in favor any against extension motion passes cons PE next up we've got Human Services uh so this includes uh uh our health department our Council and aging our uh veteran service um the in the cases of the health department and the Council on Aging there there uh these are departments that are in a bit of a uh of a flux that might honestly be worth a a conversation outside of specifically the budget uh because uh I don't think that the amounts that were budgeted for this were at all inappropriate there is some interesting like not as in I'm against it but in the like there's just a lot of this stuff is regionalizing in some ways so we're having to there's changes from previous years that have not really to do with the level of service that is being provided to people but just like the way that these departments are structured and the ways that we uh collaborate with uh other communities a lot of that is things that are happening you know Statewide uh for reasons that have a lot to do with what the state government wants to see so there's uh it's not really a matter of of the budget it's just operational but I learned a lot of interesting things uh through uh that process uh other than that uh it again beyond that fairly standard uh most of the increases that we saw were uh personnel and a lot of that was uh pay plan increases that we voted into existence so we shouldn't be surprised by uh so yes that's all I have on Human Services thank you any cons have any questions or comments I didn't see none I um Emily do you want to add something or we're good oh she's gone no you lost your network connection Oh No Sa this wait one second it's us um oh God just one second I don't know if there we go okay just to test it hey lindsy can you hear us just one second because something media left the the meeting let take um 5 minutes break until we figure it out kidding thank you for staying with us look like uh everything's working back again uh we are still in section five Human Services Emily do you want to ask something this may C is the COA part of the yes okay Cindy you're muted can't hear um did you just ask me to chime if you are part of section five Human Services sure okay there's a delay so just checking um the Council on Aging budget um as the counselor said there's no major changes to it um one positive change is that funding from the state is increasing um slowly over time as the population of older adults goes up and also the amount per older adult um increased in recent Years and may increase again waiting to hear what the um final state budget will be on that um which would be another $4,000 for the Council on Aging uh to help us keep P Pace with increased costs and services so we're grateful that um the finance committee took aose close look at our budget and I'm I can address any questions if anybody has any any c have any questions comments concerns see none anyone for the public anyone participating remote see thank you Cindy um consor Peak thank you Mr President uh I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $834,000 79 for the various departments listed under Section Five Human Services and that the amounts uh listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee second I have a motion a second for uh to approve the section 5 Human Services for $834 320 with. 79 any further discussion see none those one in favor any against abstention motion passes cons Peak uh okay next up we've got cultur and Recreation so here we have libraries Park Department uh and uh again there's not really a lot here that has dramatically changed so uh if any of the department heads want to chime in they they can but I I there wasn't much uh other than some small operational uh increases and just you know salaries and whatnot uh thank you Kya do you want to add something no I didn't see Mr Mason on the call I don't know if the mayor want to add something in behalf of the park and wreck creational um there were slight changes in the the budget as far as how we're looking at operations um and what work has been done by the park employees and the commission as far as what um the park should be in the the view of our residents um on June 20th uh great example is the pool project uh non tuck pool has been totally rehabilitated um and a lot of the comment when you go it's it's um very reflective of what the community wanted to see Ada accessibility 100% around the whole um uh pool and shade uh and also uh if you attend and I strongly encourage you to do it's amazing um you'll see storyboards of what's next for the park and uh the parks um a forward vision of how it's not just a recreational resource um but also living up to being a resource for the community as a cooling place for instance and and you'll see a lot of work around that um but the the budget not not big changes um we will um and just to outside of the uh expense budget um we are diligently working on a replacement for the workshed um that uh is is um in just horrible place um we have to find bonding not being the best part time for us to bond was a part of it but also it was design um and what we were going to do and what the the capacity of that building had to be the same with the tobacco shed that that we use so um just met with director Mason and there'll be some changes in money used differently in accounts um for work to continue without having to be in that place um and we're looking for a temporary solution come winter uh because the I mean the the the workshed and uh the tobacco shed are no really longer usable usable um so that's kind of the overs again this is a great example of taking maintenance expense on older properties um older uh vehicles or whatnot uh out of your operating budget and we're using Capital money to buy better equipment more efficient um and and dwellings out of capital and planning for them rather than seeing them in operational line items thank you and I know um last year do you make a commitment with the library to increase the percentage of of the approvation that the city will give it to them can we see are we seeing that as a reflect in this budget for that uh increase in in the percentage Yeah so um I made a commitment in um every budget that I proposed while I was mayor there would be a 10% a rolling compounding 10% increase on the library's budget so in this budget you see 10% increase that is compounded by the 10% I asked for last year which was approved by this Council and we asked for that again um and that is for operations and expansion of programs um big year for the library where um they are getting ready to move into some of their new space uh donated building that the city has supported with um $510,000 to basically operate the library and do programming in both spaces while they do a capital campaign to do over um the new building and they needed that space to to do that and it fit within the the Cannabis guidelines as far as education the program that they they do and that they will do um so it gives them breath so I want to be really clear is that there's the Cannabis operational um money uh that gives them the breath uh in their operational budget to actually start to move over um to a newer space and then there is the rolling 10% and um so you won't be surprised uh next year I will ask for another 10% on the 10% on the 10% thank you any consors have any questions comments concerns consor denim uh just a comments um first I just want to say you know thank you to these um departments the library um Parks you know Etc I think it's I'm I'm reading a book right now it's called the anxious generation and uh I I can't emphasize enough how important um it is to provide opportunities um to get our our children out of the way of computers phones internet social media Etc and I was really uh moved by a comment that a a father had made um um in in regards to the conversation about the skate park around um he was he was uh thrilled that his um child was interested in skateboarding uh because he had no interest in competitive sport um and I think that we need to be really focusing more on the parks and the library right in terms of being able to provide activity that is not centered around competitive Sports and so to be able to create those experiences um in those places and spaces to be able to help nurture and educate our our young people and I mentioned this in our meeting that I think it would be really valuable um one of the biggest things that um I I hear from uh residents is is wanting the park to be open year round um and I think that there's just a variety of different ways that we could use that space uh year round including having a dog park right where you have residents who are purchasing passes right to be able to park up there because they're needing a space for their animal to kind of run around and so certainly hoping that as we move forward there is opportunity to be able to um you know find funding to be able to support those employees to to be employed year round that I think that would just be a real benefit to our residents all of our residents but in particular really thinking about our future right and the needs of our young people but certainly shout out thanks to the parks uh Department as well as the library to be able to provide those spaces to to nurture the development of not just our residents but also our young people thank you any other counselors no Kia I just want to say thank you both to you Madame mayor and to the council for supporting integrating the library um more fully into City operations and working with us to allow us to expand our programs and these 10% increases may seem like a lot but honestly they're bringing us closer to the state averages which we have historically been far below and I think it's really wonderful that current government has recognized this and recognized the importance of the library and as someone who also doesn't really feel deeply about competitive sports but loves the programming that we do at the library and in many of the things that happen in the Parks I'm grateful that there's room for everyone in this city to enjoy so many different things and that we can help provide that thank you Gia anyone else from the public anyone participating remote see none Peak I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate uh the sum of $772,500 for the various departments listed under Section six culture cultural and Recreation and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee second I have Mo second to approve section six cultural and Recreation for of the amount of $772,500 any further discussion see none those one in favor any against exensions motion passes cons Peak uh next up is section seven debt and interest it's 5.1 million and we have to pay it second are we get in trouble Madame mayor or Jessica you want to add something about this and it's we know that we have to pay right that I think that's simple we we have to pay our bills but for the benefit of the public um how we can uh describe this [Music] section um yeah so uh debt and and interest um is the debt the debt that has intentionally been taken on by the city um for various projects uh whether that be some big projects like Mountain View School um and smaller projects like some stuff that we did for HVAC in the building um and there is interest that's attached to them um I hesitate to jump into this but I think the public would find it fascinating and I'm kind of looking at the treasur so so the very interesting thing about a lot of tax exempt Municipal debt is you just pay the interest you don't pay the principal I was I did not know that um that said it makes an interesting investment tool and hedge against increasing expenses that you can structure that debt and you can structure that debt in a way where your interest or flat principal payments actually benefit the city of what we spend in our cash flow to keep more money into our account that we can get interest on and then get a good interest rate that we're paying out and um we've been pretty successful in doing that um and this past year we've been very successful doing that um you know the the treator is mindful we've looked at restructuring debt waiting um and and whatnot and also making um uh pauses so the pause uh in the Mountain View school debt that we have now uh we paid forward flat principal and interest uh the in on a very assertive uh level and in 2029 there will be a little break in that debt and that is a great time under Financial policies to then incur a couple more million dollars in debt for something like for for maintenance that should not be deferred whether that's a roof or um that's a highway shed or um you know something hopefully hopefully nothing on the schools um we're in good shape there but but that's it's it's a very planned um uh tool that we use not only to obviously improve the city but also to keep us level uh as far as risk management so would be fair to say that the three biggest dep that we have is the two school and the police safety yes yes and we'll do a little more um uh borrowing to close out the school project you know so we have short-term debt right now and we'll roll that into a a more typical looking Bond um just because long-term you know eventually will be the best way to go right now it's kind of half and half but we have um you know we'll look we'll look to that thank you any conselor have any questions comments cons denim just want to thank your Finance team this isn't easy right and I think you're trying to do right by residents in terms of you know there's a lot of concern around raising rates and higher taxes and I know that that that's a a heavy burden that you carry when you think about the impact on residents so just want to appreciate the work that you all do um and um yeah so that's all I want to say yeah I can't agree more and come back from a conference with fiscal tools or things the city could do and uh the auditor and the treasurer kind of hold their breath and say okay what are we doing now um and we make it work I mean they're both very flexible and very good at their jobs and um are also the first ones to say no mayor that's ridiculous you should not do that we're not doing that so thank you any other conselor for the public anyone from the public I have any questions comments concerns anyone participating [Music] remote I move the city raise and appropriate the sum of 5,180 676 34 for the various departments listed under Section 7 debt and interest and that the amount requested or the amount list the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report un L amended be considered specific appropriation with the following amounts to be transferred or raised as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee uh water sewer Enterprise $3,462 18 Deb exclusion taxation to be reduced by reserves for amortization $3,310 tax rate stabilization $600,000 can you please just read it from this one oh um HVAC debt premium 177,000 uh $71 34 uh debt exclusion Maple School K through 8 premium $3,287 71 second yeah that section seven right my copy uh this is the most there the most updated one and that's came from Halle today and ha can give us an explanation um yeah ha can you please for the counil can you explain why some numbers change yes I can um City auditor hael um we did a bar um ban for this year um that went through the treasurer's office and we incur some premium when we did this trade that premium is allowed under Mass General law to be used to to pay the debt that's why it is we are using that Revenue to offset the debt amount so we are not going to raise an appropriate that much amount thank you hael do we have a second yeah I did a second all right sorry I have a motion and a second for the section 7 Deb and interest for 5,180 676 Cent with 34 cents any further discussion seeing none those want in favor I any against abstention motion passes consol Peak uh next up we have section N9 Community preservation uh section eight section oh yeah we skipped over Section 8 I'm sorry Section 8 unclassified employee benefits uh so yeah this is where uh you know the the payroll for the various departments is in their things with health and dental and uh various post-employment benefits uh are all fall under here uh they come out to 11.4 million uh and uh there isn't a whole lot of change changes uh in them other than that these things continue to get a little bit more expensive over time so I don't know if Emily wants to add anything but Emil you want to add something yeah um happy to add you so yeah no major changes this year it's really just health insurance increases um we had about a 8% health insurance increase this year which was pretty standard across the board otherwise everything remains pretty consistent with insurance contract increases so thank you any counselors have any questions comment concerns I just have only one question is this benefit include the employees from the school yes it does this includes both City and School Employees and actually Library employees as well so that means that it will be fair to say that we support the school with more money they we can see in the section from the schools absolutely because not only does the health insurance come out of this budget also the Workers Compensation Insurance the school liability insurance um the education like for committees and everything like that all of that comes out of this budget as well thank you any other consors cons linski just a question you were asking who was included in the employee benefits and I presume that this is the section that includes the retirees yes Emily yes this includes the retirees as well both teacher retirees and City retirees perfect thank you any other counselor anyone from the public anyone participating remote Peak I move that the city raise and appropriate the sum of 11,437 25269 for the various departments listed under Section 8 employee benefits and the amount uh listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations uh with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and finance committee Water and Sewer Enterprise 671 $92.99 second I have a motion and a second to approve the Section 8 unclassified employes benefits for the amount of 11,437 [Music] 25269 any further discussion seeing none those for in favor any against exstension motion passes cons Peak all right next we have Community preservation uh on the CPA it's pretty pretty much the standard thing there's uh we appropriate a certain amount that you we expect to be raised and then uh the there's an anticipated uh State match but you never really know exactly what it is at the time that you do this I will say that the CPA um is sort of in a somewhat unprecedented place in that uh usual like there's we don't currently have any money uh which is not because a lot of that has to do with a mixture like good things there's a lot of good applications that are coming up and also a lot of expensive applications because construction is very expensive so particularly around affordable housing but also things like Old Town Hall you know the work that's being uh you know planned there these things are very expensive uh the CPA has uh voted to uh set aside funds in the coming years to to deal with to to do some of those projects which again reduces like the amount they actually have to play with so um it's uh it's definitely uh a a tight year uh for the CPA I also think that there's more communities come online the state isn't really kept up with uh that so there's like the match is is quite a bit lower than or is expected this year to be quite a bit lower than what it has been in some future years so tough situation all around but I have no doubt all this money will be spent well and uh we will ensure that because we have to sign off on it and I will add for the benefit of the public in June 20th we're going to um open the pool in our city and I remember the park and R came to the conso requesting CPA money and we use a lot of money to for to that project I think that will fair to say that too um any other conselor have any question conselor sah so um of this 800 ,000 plus is a certain amount is already spoken for due to prior commitments how much is that to or if you don't know then I can look it up don't want be on spot I don't have it on on hand but uh less than half but not none okay um good answer yeah okay any other counselor anyone from the public have any questions comments concerns anyone participating remote [Music] uh I move to the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $84,000 for the various departments listed under section 9 Community preservation and the amounts uh listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations with the total amount to be raised and appropriated from the community preservation fund as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee second I have a motion on a seconds to approve section n Community preservation of the amount of some amount of $84,000 any further discussion see none those one in favor any against exstension motion passes cons Peak uh next up we have Enterprise um this is our the theit we collect you know and then spend on uh uh water and sewer treatment uh particularly uh so again uh here we saw the same thing that I sort of mentioned at DPW with staff level staff levels are pretty much the same uh increases are mostly contractual um we did see uh some items just around things like treatment chemicals and whatnot that uh did go up uh there's some of that stuff is just out of our control it's just a tough market for a lot of the intermediate inputs that go into allowing us to have a clean and healthy and functional City so uh but other than that not a whole lot to report um so any consel have any questions [Music] comments anyone from the public have any questions comments concerns anyone participating remote PE and I move to the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of 3,164 62424 cents for the various Apartments listed under Section 10 Enterprise and the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific Appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee water sewer Enterprise 3,164 62424 second I have a motion on a second to approve the section 10 Enterprise of the amount for the amount of 3 milli1 64,65 with 24 any further discussion seeing none those one in favor any against exension motion passes Conor finally we have the revolving fund cap uh we've been over this uh before but you the this goes to uh fund you know the electricity for the charging stations uh and for the Bike Share uh program uh that we have and this just sets a cap uh for that program at $20,000 for uh this coming fiscal year any Council I have any questions or comment anyone from the public have any questions comments concerns anyone participa in remote see none cons Peak I move to the city council cap the DPW revolving fund spending for electric vehicles charging stations and Bike Share programs at $20,000 for fiscal year 2025 as per mgl chapter 4 for Section uh 53e and a half second I have a motion on a seconds to set up the revolving funds cap any further discussion see none those one in favor any against extension motion passes that's conclude the budget uh for the benefit of the public we just approve the fiscal year 2025 budget for the amount of 15 million 155,000 6667 with [Music] 14 now we go to the transfers and Appropriations consol Peak all right um got a bunch of these too this is the Tom Peak show okay um so uh the first one that we have is $20,000 uh for veterans uh cash benefits um and uh we I went over this one in finance committee um just uh the the veterans department has uh changed a little bit in its structure and uh just some of these things are difficult to forecast and so um for this fiscal year um to make everything right we're going to need uh they're going to need $20,000 right we have um Mr jerck I don't know if you want to add something before I open it to the councelors yeah I mean can you please introduce yourself yes excuse me sorry about that I'm uh Tom Garrick I'm the veterans agent and um basically so the veterans department went from a district to um hiring a full-time veterans agent uh we started with 25 hours and the hours were increased to 34 um so that makes up for part of the money that's being asked for uh as far as the salary the the increase in hours and then some of it was just um because of the uh change from the district to the uh municipal office um the budget wasn't there's no real line items planned for and we're kind of just kind of figuring out uh what the expenditures are this fiscal year and so now we have a better idea of what what to expect going into the next fiscal year thank you any counselors have any questions comments see none anyone from the public have any questions comments anyone participating remote see n cons all right um make this in the form of a motion request is hereby made for the approval of the following appropriation amount requested $20,000 to be transferred from uh veterans cash benefits $220,000 to be transferred to uh vsso salary $115,000 care sold and sale uh $2,800 professional Technical Services $500 education training $100 uh membership and du $600 instate travel uh $11,000 uh the amount requested will be used for the following purpose veterans department needs for the current fiscal year I have for the transfer of $20,000 for for fiscal year 2024 veterans department needs any further discussion see none those all in favor I any against extenstion motion passes consol Peak all right uh the next thing we have is a appropriation of $287,000 uh to cover the matching amounts for three Federal Homeland Security grants uh Chief I don't know if you want to uh sort of go over the details of this Chief Norris good evening Chris Norris fire chief um as was just mentioned this appropriation is going to be the matching amount for three Federal Homeland Security grants um these grants we've certainly been aggressive over the past three and a half four years now uh pursuing um it equates to over $4 million in capital needs that the department has had um specifically for these matching amounts it's going to go towards the matching amount to replace our Brush Truck which is 40 years old now and actually it's a converted vehicle that's being used for purposes it was not designed uh the second project is going to be our self-contained breathing apparatus that are 15 years old and based on National standards can no longer be utilized and also incorporates as part of that project to replace the air filling station for those uh subc contained breathing apparat which is also 40 years old and then the third project is an LED sign as well as the purchase of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors um again over the last four years we really have tried to bolster our public Outreach and education and part of that vision is having this led signed to help promote some of those projects across the city as well um so that's what we're looking at with these projects and again um all of those are on our our Capital um improvements request list uh through the city and I'm happy to answer any questions there may be any cons have any questions I only have one and it's about the LED signed um this money and the grand money will include the installation it does it does yep all right anyone else anyone from the public have any questions concerns anyone remote see thank you Chief thank you cons request is hereby made for the approval of the following appropriation amount requested $287,000 to be transferred from Capital stabilization account to be transferred to fy4 FEMA 21 FPS LED sign Grant $112,000 FY 24 FEMA 22 afg Brush Truck account $115,000 fy22 FEMA 22 afg SCBA uh Grant uh $16,000 the amount requested will be used for the following purpose costs will cover matching amounts for three Federal Homeland Security grants for Capital Improvement projects second I have a second for the supplemental appropriation $287,000 to cover matching amount for three Federal Homeland Security grants any further discussion seeing none those all in favor any against abstention motion passes cons Peak all right um the next up is uh a request uh for uh $29,000 this one sort of tripped us up when we were reading it on first reading uh because of the uh amount uh that was uh because of the the account number but basically uh what's going on here is that the uh there we had this Council had earmarked some funds uh for um uh enhancing the AV Equipment in the uh the public safety complexes uh emergency Operation Center uh and the initial uh thing basically we uh the it uh team had come back and realized uh it was not going to cost as much as uh they thought it was going to cost uh so that money would otherwise just rever to free cash but the IT department is requesting that we uh instead uh transfer that money from that project account into a new account uh that will replace uh most 80% of the desktop computer uh that are within the public safety complex which I understand are uh quite outdated um and uh then uh we'll also just have some funds in that account to help troubleshoot any problems uh that might come up in this first year of operation with the uh emergency uh operations center with its new uh configuration so no didn't see here's there if she wants to add anything but I don't think she's here yes yes this is Karen kamor the director and I'm here to answer any questions but that's exactly what's happening this is reallocating money of an appropriation that was done to upgrade the EOC um the Emergency Operations Center we were able to get a contract with a local electrician and a local AV team so we were able to complete the project under budget and we would like to reallocate those funds to utilize to upgrade other systems that need upgrading in the safety complex um one of them is the computer in the EOC it needs to be a stronger computer that can manage the equipment so we need to replace that computer uh but that was not part of the original appropriation requests we also need to upgrade the um laptops for the ambulances um they need to be touch screen they need to be able to get cellular data so these are going to be very expensive laptops that we need so the laptops can have connectivity with the equipment and with the data when they are on the road um and then use the reminding the remaining part of that um investment for the OC to upgrade the the police equipment the agent computers that need upgrading thank you any con have any questions none anyone for the public have any questions anyone participa participating remote see non Peak I I'll make this in the form of a motion I request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $ 29,185 to be transferred from 0011 14515 84. 2023 $ 29,185 to be transferred to FY 23 Public Safety site improvements $ 29,185 C uh the amount requested will be used for the following purposes to redirect remaining funds for other safety complex it needs second I have a motion on a seconds to the for the supplemental appropiation of 29,185 with5 cents for the public safety complex it needs any further discussion seeing n those put in favor any against exstension motion passes cons Peak thank you Mr President um so this next one is uh $8,000 uh from uh free cash for uh uh various trash uh expenses uh there's a shortfall in the trash disposal budget um so uh yeah that's pretty simp any con have any questions or comments about the appropriation anyone from the public you have any questions comments anyone participating remote see cons Peak request is hereby made for the approval of the following appropriation amount requested $8,000 to be transferred from free cash $88,000 to be transferred to trash Municipal $2,000 trash schools $6,000 the amount requested will be used for the following purpose uh due to cost increases for trash disposal at Municipal School build uh Municipal and school buildings we have experienced a shortfall in the trash disposal budget we requesting $8,000 to fund these expenses for the remainder of FY 2024 second for the supplemental appropriation of $88,000 for fiscal year 2024 TR disposal budget shortfall any further discussion see none those one in favor any against exstension motion passes cons Peak uh thank you Mr President uh so this is one that anyone who's been on this Council I think all of us have experienced a little bit uh is the uh snow and ice removal budget uh this is sort of the only thing that we're allowed to run a deficit on for a while but we need to pay it eventually uh and so when we get our free cash we we pay it uh and as usual it's a ton of money because we live in a place that gets a lot of snow and ice and there was even though we didn't get a ton of snow this year there was a lot of cases where we thought we might so we salted everything and salt is just unbelievably expensive so um that is what this is it happens every year uh and it kind of is what it is any cils have any questions comments anyone from the public have any questions comments concerned anyone participate in remote see on consol Peak all right all right I'll make this in the form of a motion request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $200,000 to be transferred from free cash $200,000 to be transferred to uh snow rentals uh $50,000 snow miscellaneous Services $155,000 small tools $7,000 snow repairs $7,000 School plowing $30,000 snow chemicals $188,000 salt $71,000 uh travel and meals $22,000 the amount requested will be used for the following purpose the Department of Public Works has experiened a shortfall of $200,000 in the snow and ice removal budget for FY 201024 we are requesting the funds to be transferred free cash to cover this deficiency second I have a motion a second for the supplemental approvation of $200,000 for the fiscal year 2024 no an add removal budget shortall and for the discussion um seeing none uh those want in favor I any against exension motion passes cons okay so the next one uh is $60,000 uh from free cash to building operations uh and this is really to cover the costs uh the building operations department has absorbed uh from uh Main maintaining the uh three former elementary schools and the former uh Town lodging facility um and so you know those buildings a lot of that's heat uh a lot of the building have to be heated to keep pipes from freezing uh but also you know some Personnel stuff and what have you so uh this is something that it's unfortunate but you know we have a plan to dispose of the schools and you know there's conversations about uh 75 Oliver Street and just as as those things go on just let's continue to it does cost us money to maintain these things we aren't using so uh but it kind has to be done thank you any conselor have any questions cons sorry just a statement just to underscore what the chair just said that we um approved the RFP and selected a um a developer for the schools a year ago and um I know that we're still in the midst of that process and I'm not debating that because that's not the item in front of us but it this cost money so the sooner that we can um fully divest ourselves of those properties the better and um same thing with Town lodging house these things cost us money when we're not using them um especially that building which is falling apart so um that's this underscores the urgency of finding uses for those buildings that doesn't include the municipality them thank you any other conselor see not anyone from the public have any comments or questions about this appropriation anyone participant in remote see on PE I'll make this request in the form of a motion request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $ 6,642 21 to be transferred from free cash 6,6 $ 64221 to be transferred to building operations uh for the amount request will be used for the following purpose building operations has absorbed maintenance responsibilities for the three former elementary schools and former Town lodging facility at 75 Oliver Street we are requesting These funds to be to cover uh expenses associated uh with the maintenance of these properties for FY 2024 the majority of this funding has gone to minimal heating uh for the former schools in order to keep their fire sprinkler systems active and maintain their current interior condition second I have a motion on a second for the supplemental appropriation of $60,000 642 with 21 for the building operation maintenance expensive for the three school and the town lodging house any further discussion any none those are in favor any against exstension motion comp passes consol Peak okay so the next one we have is a $23,000 appropriation to uh from free cash to Street the streetlight account uh before I get I want to give some context because the next like eight of these are all going to be sort of related to the same basic thing which is that um and and if either the mayor or our DPW director think I got anything wrong then please correct me I think I have a handle on this we have a bunch of solar panel facilities that are on city land for a long time the way that that worked is that we just the the there's just really there's cheap electricity as a result of that and because of the the age of those things and the way that the market for solar has has changed over time we are now in a situation where um we receive a bunch of we money through through credits that come to the city at some point but in the meantime those funds are not available for the DPW so there's basically there's money that the DPW used to have the DPW will have that money and the way that I think this current budget is set up the budget we just voted into effect should make that so this isn't a problem that we have in the future but just the way that that transition uh came over with the reallocated solar credits it led to a lot of money that the DPW would have otherwise had but did not have and so there's a lot of bills that we're paying out of free cash right now um because of that thing so a lot of these just say reallocated solar credits that's basically what was happening it's not that we lost the money it's just that the money went to a different account than it otherwise would have gone to which would meant that it wasn't available without appropriation for the DPW did I get that basically right um yes I'm the during Honeywell um looking at doing that we had an opportunity um to ask eversource to take excess solar credits and instead of giving us the credit giving us a check and they said yes so the solar credits which would automatically reduce those Utilities in across the city um and we it was kind of like behind the scenes we never uh there wasn't a a cash flow around it CU there were solo credits um we wanted to get uh the checkin said one to give us more freedom to get more solar on the books um as opportunities arose uh the accounting issue is um the state and the way Municipal Finance Works does not recognize a dollar that's from a solar credit as a solar credit so the check comes in it goes into the general fund the budget then goes into deficit on those line items and we have to then do what we're doing today um there is now a fix um as the councelor um mentioned where we now have a specific account that goes in they're two separate accounts and it tracks the money like they were solar credits so they're that the money we get from solar um and our solar contracts go into the correct accounts we should not not see this next year um working with our external Auditors and our internal team um and a little bit with the state we should be flat we should be good any con have any questions anyone from the public have any questions concerns anyone remote cons Peak I make this request in the form of a motion request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $23,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to streetl the amount requested will be used for the following purpose reallocated solar credits have led to a deficit in the city street light account we are requesting $23,000 to be transferred to cover these expenses for the remainder of FY 2024 second I have a motion and a second for the supplemental appropriation of 23 ,000 to cover the def a deficit in the street light account any further discussion those one in favor any against exstension motion passes consol Peak all right this next one is $147,000 but it's um largely the same thing U just it's the electricity bills for the water department uh that the electricity prices have gone up but also the solar credits weren't there so uh there's a a deficit that we need to make up um that's about it again like I said a bunch of these are basically the same thing any conselor have any questions anyone from the public have any questions any anyone participating remote see go Peak request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $147,000 to be transferred from Enterprise retained earnings to be transferred to water amount requested will be used for the following purpose uh energy electricity prices have increased in FY 2024 and solar credits are no longer being applied to certain city electricity accounts as a result we are requesting $147,000 to be transferred from Enterprise retained earnings to cover this shortfall second I have a motion on a second for the suppl appropriation $147,000 TOA deficit in the city electricity account any further discussion a none those one in favor any against Obion machine passes cons Peak uh this next request is a is a different thing but uh it's a $112,000 request from free cash to building operations um I was informed during the the presentation that uh uh in part because of the expense that uh it undertook and part because I think it's just the right thing to do uh the city is paying to do some preventive maintenance on this building's HVAC system uh and in the course of uh doing that maintenance there was some some minor work that needed uh to come up with just uh keeping it in order and and fixing some small things so uh that's what the $112,000 uh is any con have any questions anyone from the public have any questions comments concerns anyone participa in remote [Music] see make this request in the form of a motion uh request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $122,000 to be transferred from free cash $112,000 to be transferred to building operations $122,000 the amount requested will be used for the following purpose unexpected HVAC system repairs uh were encountered in at City Hall and uh the public safety complex in FY 24 we are requesting $122,000 to fund these expenses second I have a motion and a second for the supplemental appropriation of $112,000 for unexpected HVAC system repair at City Hall and Public Safety complex any further discussion seeing none those for in favor any against extension motion passes Peak uh so this next one uh is uh about uh part of the is it's a $364,000 appropriation from Enterprise retained earnings uh all of it's Wastewater related so the first part is again just the electricity thing uh that's $124,000 of it uh there's then uh $22,000 uh that would be going to pay uh for Professional Services in this case uh sludge disposal and uh $20,000 for uh wastewater treatment plant uh chemicals any cons have any questions consar how much is in Enterprise right now do you have or estate U probably Hal will know that Hal did you hear the question uh no I didn't sorry can you please repeat that Sor uh yes how much how much money do we have in Enterprise right now for this uh to consider this um appropriation so we have um $637,000 as a approved um retained earnings for from 23 thank you can ask ask yes uh does is any of that money we we just made um budget budget decisions from Enterprise is that balance take that into consideration or does that include monies that we're going to utilize for uh the 25 the FY 25 budget uh we do not use any retained earnings or free cash to supplement uh for the following fiscal year budget um this expires on June 30th so whatever is going to be left on June 30th will close for recertification for 2024 free cash okay thank you yeah any other counselors anyone from the public have any questions anyone participating remote see make this request in the form of a motion uh request is hereby made for for approval of the following appropriation amount requested uh $364,000 to be transferred from enterpris retained earnings $364,000 to be transferred to uh Wastewater energy electricity $124,000 Wastewater Professional Services $220,000 wastewater treatment plant chemicals $20,000 the amount requested will be used for the following purpose due to circumstances as out side of our control energy electricity chemical and necessary Professional Service prices sludge disposal have increased in FY 2024 as such we are requesting $364,000 be transferred from Enterprise retained orderings to cover this shortfall second I have a motion on a seconds to approve the supplement approvation of 364,000 for the Water waste treatment plant expenses l dispos disposal electric cost and chemicals any further discussion see none those want in favor I any against abstention motion passes cons Peak okay so this one is uh 4,000 uh dollars uh from free cash to recycling uh one thing the DPW does is uh they will do some Hazardous Waste Recycling uh for people or businesses and uh the prices increased uh and so there is a shortfall uh and they're requesting $4,000 to cover uh this shortfall any cons have any questions see none anyone from the public anyone participate in remote I make this request in the form of a motion request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $4,000 to be transferred from Free Cash 4 ,000 to be transferred to recycling $4,000 the amount requested will be used for the following purpose hazardous waste disposal prices have increased in fy4 uh as a result we are requesting the $44,000 to be transferred from free cash to cover this shortfall second I have a motion and a second to approve the supplementary appropriation of $4,000 to cover the deficit of the waste disposal budget and if forther discussion seeing none those one in favor any against Obion motion passes cons Peak all right the next one is $110,000 from free cash to fuel just as a reminder for anyone who might not know individual departments do not have fuel in their budget there is one fuel account that the DPW overseas that fuels all Municipal vehicles and all municipal buildings so this is the account as I'm sure you all know fuel is expensive uh and uh there is a shortfall so they're requesting These funds to uh make that up any con have any questions anyone from the public have any questions or comments anyone participa in remote see un Peak uh request is here by made for approval the following appropriation this is in the form of a motion uh amount requested $110,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to fuel the amount requested will be used for the following purpose we have experienced a shortfall in the FY 24 budget for fuel for the city vehicle Fe Fleet and heating oil we are requesting $110,000 be transferred from free cash to the city fuel account to finish out the fiscal year this account pays for All City Vehicles not just DBW second I have a motion and a second for the supplemental appropriation of $10,000 to cover the deficit in the city fuel account any further discussion cons Kinski just had a quick question since we were talking about the fuel and the fuel is for the entire city and since we have an Enterprise fund which deals with water and sewer and uh earned Revenue not the general taxation why isn't some of those funds being used for this expense and this is it sounds like this is all coming from free cash and none of it coming from retained earnings well I think I might be able to answer that one it seems I may be feel free to correct me if anyone says wrong when we fund the DPW line item there is um money that comes in there from Enterprise so I think that over the general uh over the course of a regular fiscal year some of that is covered uh by Enterprise uh this is just a matter of this particular appropriation and what funds were available on hand to cover it is that satisfactory yes no halel yes um so what happens at the beginning of the fiscal year and we just voted that Enterprise fund is going to support general fund that's called Enterprise chargeback fuel is part fuel budget is part of the Enterprise charge back so they upfront pay city for the contribution and we pay all the fuel expenses out of general fund but we do not raise an appropriate under General taxation thank you ha y any other conselor those want in favor I any against abstention motion passes Peak all right this next one's from the building inspection department um it uh uh is a $2,240 appropriation from free cash uh to uh cover uh the part-time inspection for uh gas plumbing and wire and the temporary positions uh regular accounts uh and basically uh the what has changed here is that the the service model or the compensation model for uh these part-time inspectors uh changed partway through the fiscal year they previously received a monthly stipend they now receive a $50 uh fee per inspection uh done and so that was a change that was made in the course of the fiscal year uh and the budget uh was not adjusted uh so it it just turned out that the uh under that model the the expenses for the these inspectors uh was a bit higher so in order to to make those accounts whole the building department is requesting the $20,000 any have any questions anyone from the public have any questions or comments anyone participating remote see un cons Peak I'll make this in the form of the motion of a motion request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $2,240 to be transferred from free cash $2,240 to be transferred to part-time inspection gas plumbing and wire $2,400 temporary positions regular $7,810 the amount requested will be used for the following purpose the budget was changed to $50 per inspection from monthly stipend and budget line was not adjusted to reflect this change second I have a motion on a second for the supplement appropriation of $ 20,240 to C ployment inspection budget line item increase any further discussion see none those are in favor any against exstension motion passes cons Peak okay this one is um a little bit trickier but I think we can get through it um so the uh this was one that um well there's there is one one question I'll have I'll just lay out the whole thing uh we were going to uh we there was a request made by us to to establish an opioid uh revolving account uh in uh at the end of our last meeting uh on first reading uh we had some questions about the establishment of that account um because of the lack of oversight that such an account would have there wouldn't be a need for any future this mayor or any future mayor to uh appropriate funds out of it for there there would be no city council oversight um we met uh with the uh mayor and her Finance team in uh Council and uh mayor please feel free to step in if I don't accurately uh portray this position but the the general view was that um the Attorney General does provide a lot of oversight to these funds that there's uh a lot of really specific guidelines about what these funds can be uh used on much of which is dictated by the actual settlements and so the feeling about the uh the the mayor's General position is that the the oversight that we were seeking does exist just not by us by the AG's office um I I had to be honest some concerns about this but my colleagues on the committee felt that that was satisfactory I I did end up abstaining but they voted uh two to zero to both establish the fund and appropriate These funds for it and I respect their positions on that uh so uh I I the one question I have as a as a technical matter is that we would be voting right now to appropriate funds for an account that does not at this moment exist and so I don't know if we legally can do that and then jump to finance or if we've got a or what the situation is so I could use a little bit of guidance there in terms of how we actually handle an appropriation to a non-existent fund that's that's a great question and the answer is and I know when in the public hearing but I will take if I will take as a part of the report of the finance committee that particular item to see what we're going to do with that account before moving the money because again doesn't make any sense moving the money money or approving money to an account that doesn't exist so I prefer to listen I think the mayor want to add something or Jessica you want to add something to the conversation Madame mayor I I um thank you I think the point is moot until we get to finance to explain the oversight Jessica um was just going to explain the reporting and whatnot but it sounds like we should wait until finance and the discussion of the creation of the account it's doing out all right you're up we can Jessica Hebert City Treasurer um the Attorney General when they set up this over the um opioid funding they have a series of reports that we have to do there's a whole list of things that need to that the money needs to be spent on and it's very specific and the reports are required every year there's actually like we have to go through have a committee and everything so even though the city council may not have oversight of it it's very specific what we can spend it and very specific in reporting any consel have any questions about this Riley um and so when I ask this question this is not to assume that you or the mayor would be malfeasant what do the repercussions look like should the city not follow through with that I'm you know as is that to say that the Attorney General's office takes care of all of the punitive measures or or you know can you describe that a little bit more I would assume we have a schedule of the amounts of money that we're set to receive from each settlement um and my assumption would be I haven't looked into what would be the recourse of the state I would assume they would take the money back or stop sending us future payments okay any other conselor conselor thet so does this oversight take place um uh retroactively or is there a process where anytime you want to make you want to spend money from such an account that it has to the the the intention or or what it's being spent on has to be reviewed and stamped by someone who um would be providing oversight for the appropriate use in other words let's just say that you can't buy Park equipment with this I'm just making that up I don't know what you but you say that you want to you're going to spend that money on that and in that in that moment that go that does that go to someone who says no you can't do that so it's a mood issue or is it you did this and you weren't supposed to and so then there's penalties well first I'm pretty sure halel wouldn't allow that but um yeah it would just be I'm yeah I I can't um so as a Treasurer um uh Jessica Jessica tracks each amount of money as it comes in from different settlements and that's tracked also by the AG the use of the funds must be reported and Treasurer reports those out we're already reporting we have used none of this money um for a whole bunch of of of different reasons because of the requirements that we need to use this money um then like any other account or request for money from an account it would go to our auditor who will then say Oh this is the opioid account this is what it can be used okay it meets or or it doesn't meet um the money is appropriated the report continues to the AG and another check to this um is also our external auditor that comes once a year and they go through all of these accounts and we'll look for irregularities or or this is what you reported but the amount you spent is off by $100 or how is this PO they'll ask for like give us random 15 POs to them that that um that attach to this account okay so did they do what they're supposed to was it expended appropriately what was the documentation that it it fit within this category was it approved by um the committee that we need to form and and and stuff like that so you know you've got the incoming check balance you've got the AJ's report you've got uh the auditor internal auditor external auditor and then another look by the AG after like things start to get spending and and we we figure out what our our plan is thank you cons [Music] Kinski I appreciate the explanation however it sounds like we're focusing on what's wrong with what what could be done wrong and we're not going to do anything wrong with the funds it'll all fall within the a you know the Attorney General's purview and we'll we'll do so properly we'll document all the expenses my concern is how much money are we talking about and are they all spent on the same thing let's say for example we're buying food and and we we say well tez we're going to buy all meats and take all the money and buy that item well you could buy vegetables you could buy fruits you could buy a variety of different other things who sets the priorities and I thought that was the council's role was to set help set priorities on how money get spent I mean maybe it's all being spent on one item and and we're going to buy a new building uh might any body under have any questions about what I've just asked because I'd be happy to try to engage on that I can address the amounts that are coming in there's I believe eight settlements right now um I don't have it right on that on my hand um but over the next 10 to 15 years it's approximately a million dollars 1 million there are three other suits that are still outstanding so there still could be some more money coming in so we're talking about 1 million over 15 over 10 to 15 years 10 to 15 years I'm not as concerned as I was I been led to believe that the figures could be I think we were talking about three or four million or maybe more and this could balloon to 8 or 10 million and now all of a sudden the council has no input into how this money is getting being spent or setting the priorities because I still think in general depending on how much the other funds would may be the council has a role in setting priorities May um to its approval process they they do I mean that is the legislative process however this is not a grant it's actually a legal binding settlement that the AG signed and we as a municipality signed and the money a part of that settlement is actually not having city council but it actually being directed by families and folks who are fighting on the front line um tapestry in our area and that's how the settlement was drawn just not by the money but also how it is accounted for um I the um you know that the Attorney General at the time who of the government was like this money is not going to be spent on like uh Proactive or what could be termed as proactive tools like police cars this is harm reduction or whatnot we had no the city had we were part of a huge class action suit it's ongoing um we're looking at a million dollars now it it could go up we don't know I mean we we get um notices about not only amounts changing but suits being settled as well as how it's going to be paid out so it can be paid out of 20 years what what's happening now is that there the settlements for each um uh company seems to be coming like we're going to pay you know most of it in year four through six to be done because they know they're settled but the oversight of the money is very specific to the lawsuit settlement um and and it it and it does not really take into account Municipal structure I mean the when you really look at it the mayor doesn't have it's it's yeah it it this is supposed to go through a you know treasur auditor administrate a mayor kind of convenes tables and and County um and individual um individual municipality Community groups but very specifically this is supposed to be um directed by the community most affected to harm um reduction prevention and whatnot and I they meant to cut us out honestly I I don't they truly that that is the settlement a big part of the settlement um yeah I don't thank you and based on the bulletin that we have from the uh DLS and coming from the governor after she signed this agreement in the third paragraph basically said that the um cities and municipalities are going to use this money just for the purpose identify in set settlement agreements so basically the agreement that the State signed in the city they include in the settlement basically that's that where we can use the money we can use the money for anything else that is not related to that settlement um yes based on this yes and and so this is a really unique um fund like this doesn't happen a lot and both the Department of Revenue and the department of local Services waited a long time to figure this out um and that's the biggest reason why we didn't touch the money it just like it came in and we're just letting it sit until we get clarification um and DLS is recommending that um but because it took so long it's because it intentionally steps aside from local government um that said it was also a big part of the settlement because money is going directly to municipal alties and for those on the front lines directly affected that was huge like I lost somebody in this community and I want to see the money come to our community yeah um you said something mayor really interesting there and I was just hoping you could elaborate on it about that there's going to be a Comm like a committee established and that that committee like just in terms of like I know that that the uses there's going to there's there's a set of uses that are permitted but within those uses there is some discretion is the committee going to be the one steering the overall strategy about how these funds get used or yes um you know I the way that we read it right so there have been some Regional surveys taken um Hampshire hope I'm I'm trying to think of the um a larger Regional Public Health agencies about what are your needs what do you you know what would you do with this what wouldn't you do this who do you think you'd partner with but that's really that survey is done to give an overall perspective of what people are seeing um and needing and not just municipalities but providers like tapestry learn to cope are you know weighing in what we're hoping to get out of that is some kind of a structure or what makes sense for East Hampton and the the important balance in this and what I really like of the the settlement is that community group um they do give direction on who like a parent an educator or or whatnot we're waiting for something from the regional is um selection like really basic operational like okay so we know like we need a community board and and to to um decide how best to use this on a very personal local level well H how do you how do you go from 16,000 to like that committee and what and even like who who sits on it which city counselor if there's a city counselor who has a you know a head of Public Health or you know yeah um that said time's ticking I mean we're we're very we're all conscious of time is ticking and the need is now um so that you know um yeah I don't have I there's a committee we know what the committee has to do and we are really waiting for public health and the results of the survey to figure it out of of what the forward how do we select those people um or how does the state like you know it it it's really it's really exciting to have money directly on our streets to fight and prevent and support people in this crisis that really were all affected by but how to do it fairly equitably and you know what you know and and what you don't know and if you're not on the streets or or or not doing the treatment like we don't have that knowledge we need to get it into this committee to then address it for East Hampton and work with communities around us um so if ask a follow-up question yes and so in terms of the composition of that Comm would that be like a municipal multi-member body like any of the other committees that we have here in city government like would the council be confirming those appointments cuz if so I'm fine with this yeah I I honest I don't know the answer that question I I don't I'd have to read the settlement and yeah I I don't know I I don't know if it's a it's a body that reports up to uh uh the AG's committee they they have a committee and a division that deals with this um and are we just the fiscal conduits I'm I'm not sure and I'm I'm sure there's an answer to be had I'm not saying it's nebulous I just don't have it Con Riley um so I just you know as I'm listening to some of the questions that are being asked um you know I think some of the questions are kind of pointed and they seem like they're coming from a place of control um and oversight but I what I'm hearing as a through line is that we all really deeply care about this issue and it's it's these are questions about Justice and equity um and so I you know I think that's where this is coming from that you know we all want to ensure that what we put in place will actually fulfill its obligation um particularly I I know myself and I'm sure others um on this Council um have friends or family members who have either passed away from um opioid addictions or continue to suffer from them so this is this is a a deeply held feeling about holding people accountable for uh injustices that have happened against innocent people so I just want to you know kind of contextualize that I don't I don't think anybody here is necessarily saying no on principle alone just that we want to understand the the broader picture so you know maybe if I had a request um is that once this process uh is underway that we do our part um as the center of government to really give light to this work and to be able to talk about it publicly and to share updates um so that way it you know the mechanisms in place of course it will be decentralized up towards the state level but I think that's what we're really looking for is to hear the stories to make sure that this work is being done so um I'm I'm comfortable moving forward with this um with the request that we stay actively engaged and and stay close to this issue um because it's so important so thank you you cons kiski thank you Mr President um I'm concerned because we don't haven't decided how much money we're really talking about we know there's a million now but there are eight other settlements that's nebulous and no one's fault for it being NE it's just nebulous uh who's going to be on the committee to resolve this what the process will be for the committee to be established what then I'm going to call it for lack of a better word oversight let's say I mean I really see the council's role in government as being the place where the people go because they find one of us or many few of us to talk to and say hey we're not happy with the way something is being handled whatever that issue is whether it be trees and and and plantings or we don't know where the next issue is coming from but this is a very serious issue and how we spend funds and what strategies we do to address the expenditure of the funds I think are very important and I think the council can I have something represent in representing the people has a role in this so I'm reluctant to move forward s go I just want a clarification I I agree with what my well I understand what my colleague is saying but my understanding of of the way that this is structured is it has a very definitive legal framework and so even if we were to deliberate here and say well no we'd like X Y and Z and we'd like to say that we want oversight and we want a city council we want city of council approval it doesn't matter because the laws governing how these um these uh opio settlement accounts are are U directed and operated are very clear and so I I agree we're used to the we're used to a certain way that things work in terms of um Financial Appropriations but in this case what we're really being asked is to just opt into um a legal decision without the ability to change it which is and so to me that's really the question do we want to opt into this and be able to receive these funds and then and then uh utilize those funds as directed by a legal framework and decision or do we want to not opt in and not be able to have access to those funds and then so that's that's really that to that I don't think even if we wanted to sit down and say oh we want we want to change this and this we can't so I think that's the question and I think that uh and and I and I for One support it because I'd rather be able to have these funds and Trust in the process that's been outlined um than not so it seems like a yes or no to me and I'm saying yes thank you councelor C denam so just to to clarify so this this account has to be established in order to receive the funds we have received the funds right now they are in the general fund so this what I kind of wanted to add was the request to set up the special Revenue fund the reason that it took so long to request it is because the state needed to go through how best to go about using these funds so with the special Revenue fund that allows us to use it more quick quickly than having to come and ask the city council every time we need to use the money so so if there wasn't this account it would sit in the general fund was just a free cash and you would come and you would ask us and to me that seems like there's more opportunity to use it for funds that aren't necessarily outlined in the what the state what the AG's office has outlined correct right so in in my opinion it seems like with this account we are doing our due diligence to make sure that those funds are actually going towards communities that have been impacted or the individuals who have been impacted by this tragedy of of of what has been kind of the the epidemic of of opioids right a part of I think the inspiration of how the settlement came to be um was what didn't happen under two major lawsuit settlements tobacco and um in Massachusetts it was called the rosd case $25 million to help um students who were stuck in a system that did not have appropriate psychiatric and behavioral supports um and that money did not go to the intended um and a part of that is it comes into the general fund it's not spent it sweeps into free cash and then free cash you know you you know you can use it like what physical Dollar in free cash is an opioid dollar um you know it's kind of the very intentional structure from the from the actually in the other um check here is the judge in Ohio who signed off on all these cases they our attorneys have to report back municipality by municipality what we did how we did and did we follow the settlement Jessica you want to add something else I think don't okay before Halle any other counil have any questions coun Peak I just want to make sure that I clarify sort of where where my concerns are and where they aren't here these Federal lawsuits there's municipalities and and counties and States all across the country that were party to them some of those government bodies not in not any in Massachusetts that I'm aware of but in other places have used these funds to purchase weapons and equipment for police to use on these people right to use on people who are addicted to drugs and I'm not making a big anti- police statement here I'm just saying that this has been a thing that has happened in our history that we have a problem like this and we say we need to get these people to help and what we actually by help is buying a new German Shepherd to sick on them that's an actual thing that's happening and that judge in Ohio like this is the same fund these are the same these are the same funds so that judge in Ohio is apparently okay with that because that's these this is These funds are being used by that there are like there are Appropriations from these opioid settlements that are going to fund among other things law enforcement they're being used to fund lassos that you can shoot at people's legs as they try and run and these are like whatever law enforcement needs these things but I don't this is not the purpose of these funds the AG has come up with a list of guidelines and well I haven't ex exhaustively read them yet my I do trust you when you say that's not what we're doing here but since other states have done those things it stands for reason that a different AG might change course and what is allowed and so all I'm really asking it doesn't have to be us I just want to understand before these funds are spent and I agree that there are people out there right now who need these f funds right now I'd love to get the you know help to them as quickly as possible I just need to understand the pro like I want to vote Yes for this I need to make this clear I need to understand the process with which decisions will be made about how these funds are allocated is it you that makes those decisions like if we if we create this fund tonight and put the and put this uh $59,000 into that account what happens then like how like I I understand there's guidelines being set on what's a permissible use by the AG but out of all of the universe of permissible uses how are we prioritizing how are we strategizing how are we making these decisions it doesn't have to be us I just want to know that there's some there's a thought there's there's there's some sort of of process there that I I can count on because you know of like we're going to have future may like I don't the next mayor might suck you know like there's we don't know who the next may like we don't know who's going to be in in these positions going forward so I just like I I I I just I this is where my concern comes from and all I need is just a sense of like okay we send this $59,000 there who makes the next call on how th those money is spent and who like how how does that is it that there's a it sounds like there's a committee there but I don't exactly understand that can any of this money be spent before that committee is figured out like how is like I just don't I feel like I don't understand something important and I really don't want a situation where we're suddenly eight years down the line and eight years in two or three administrations down the line and it turns out that these funds have been spent in a way that wasn't proper that wasn't strategic or that wasn't really meeting Community needs and that we had zero ability to weigh in on the process um so I mean the next step really is is on the council to create this are you okay having this money every year for the next eight years sweep into free cash and and I trust the East Hampton voters um even though they did elect me I I do we're we're a smart Bunch um but I do I mean you know so I understand there's nebula but I don't know how long it will take to put this committee together we're looking at that as fast as we possibly can right now we want to make sure the money is in a place that the state is strongly recommending this is how you treat this money as far as like a mayor or myself or a future mayor deciding um where it goes it's um it's not like a general fund where I'm I'm saying hey this is my budget and um you know I want to spend an extra $100,000 on everybody getting a new computer like the it there is a process that's commit based we don't know a lot about it but I do know that every year we have got to detail that to the AG and to the you know and to our um our external Auditors and I guarantee these this will be a focus of external audits of like you got this money where did it go how'd you spend it and and maybe even to the point of why aren't you spending it but I think first it's it's follow the dollars and we need help on the admin side of it to follow those dollars um and to get them we don't want them to sweep thank you Halle thank you um I'm going to start with overall when this whole thing started we started receiving money back in 2023 there was no regulation set up by do or GLS so accountants and Auditors across the state were given an option it's a general fund money you have to put it in there some accountants decided to set up special revenue account some communities decided to put into the stabilization account the vgs didn't come back with a guidance till December of 2023 at that point they said that if you have set up a stabilization account you have to put it into the special revenue account or if it's part of the free cash then you can open a uh special revenue account and move all that money and centralize all that money at one place why do they say that the reason they say it is there is a stricter regulation for State reporting which Jessica does um as a treasurer for city of eastampton uh we have to keep that money separate from general fund or any others like a stabilization fund so we can put all the money at one place spend everything out of that one account and use those uh debits and credits to to report to the state at the end of the fiscal year as I said the state took almost a year and a half to decide how they want to guide accountants and auditor across the state they have not put a regulation out yet but it is soon coming that there will be a requirement for a specific audit just like we have a specific requirement for oura audit we get the funds from from the city uh from the state and federal and it's a onetime funding car fima was the same story and there will be guidance on a specific audit requirements and that will be probably a section on the audit report but State have not decided that yet so if we put this money into general fund and have it closed to free cash it is practically impossible to do the required State reporting that does that does that make sense how this whole thing is coming yes the the decision needs to be made like how are we going to control this but there is a specific regulations which we have to follow and that regulation is not just only be tested or checked for every city and town by AG's office it will be also controlled by the external Auditors and if there if we do something crazy it will be as an audit finding thank you ha uh cons Derby so I guess first question is the pressing nature of this I feel like we're going in circles and it's like after 9:00 um I don't want to be here all night so is this something that we could continue and look at at the next meeting or is this something that needs to be done before the next meeting it needs to I'm I'll uh it needs to be done by the end of the fiscal year or the money sweeps into into free cash by June 30th if it sweeps into free cash can we take it out of free cash and put it into the special um I I yeah ha would know the exact okay so that's my first piece of my question can do you want to uh the answer first for that question so the this mayor is correct this has to be adopted before June 30th because as I said um state has sent the guidance that means if we don't adopt this we are not following State guidance and that might be a subject to I don't know how audit is going to be because as I said audit uh state has not sent the guidelines for the audit at this point they might be working I might find out more next week at my conference uh but the uh DLS has issued op settlement receipt bulletin to possibility as if you put it as a free cash then you move go to the city council ask for appropriation put it into the special Revenue if your community has established a stabilization account close that stabilization account create this special revenue account and put it into that special revenue account so yes it has to be done before June 30th and uh the consequence of not doing it is we are not following the St state regulation from the audit standpoint of view thereby so I guess so I have Bolton 2023 D7 in front of me um and one of the things that I I find interesting it says um and so this would be from the I guess the paragraph after the italicized emphasis added piece which is May place and may is underlined May Place said funds into a special Revenue fund and then it says the proceeds can then expended without further appropriation at the direction of the chief executive officer for only for the purpose identified and settlement agreements so I mean I mean this has May underlined that doesn't seem like that is a if May is underlined it doesn't seem like it's a requirement before the end of the fiscal year I mean that's just my interpretation you may do that or you may not and and um so yes is that a correct interpretation or am I off uh yes but um it could be an audit finding so what you're reading is DLS and what a municipality regardless of it um May do with the money and how it may treat it um but when we get to an audit or the audit um specifically on this account it could be a finding because we're not following best practice and our tracking is off and I I don't say that as a that that's just how it stand um somewhat like cannabis not every municipality um created a cannabis stabilization account it they flowed through free cash um they they could have they may create an account those who did not ended up with findings because the money it was you know it was hard to track it according to especially when you got into HDA so this is a little more restrictive um but that that may is so operationally it's a May audit wise lawsuit wise it could be a it on the audit side it's going to be a f it's going to be some level of finding I don't want to say and it's going to ruin our financial status but we're not following the best practice to track the money and the auditor kind of like cash reconciliation like this is how it has to be do you have to do it no you don't have to do it that way but and I think the the last piece of that I think is the part that makes me feel comfortable with this doing this which is let me let me grab it really quick sure which is this part which is um the chief executive officer only for the purpose identified in the settlement agreement like that is pretty clear and it sounds like the auditing is going to be pretty thorough so I'm totally fine with it I just want to get it done if we're going to get it done or not if we're not and and I think that exact words um counselor Derby comes from the experience of the state with cannabis funds and that those what we could spend it on was way too loose as you couple of communities bought four ambulances that sort of thing for cannabis and I I think that directly comes from that before you halel thank you so the this section you're reading um councelor if you read further down you'll see the scenarios put for the cross the state so that's what this this has been a Hot Topic since probably a year and a half at every every conference from the audit Association I go to and do DLS has been talking about this and the scenarios is put in here because that's what they're hearing that we said to you it's a general fund money what are you going to do with it are you putting it the general fund but then local option is you can adopt as a stabilization or Reserve account or a um a special revenue account so that's where these examples are coming from so when they say you may place it they they they're not being specific because they don't know what communities did at the local level that's how I interpreted this and they covered all the sections by listing all these three or four points that either you would have done this this or this you can do if you have a stabilization revoke it if it's part of the free cash um ask for appropriation and moving forwards you can go and um uh put all the revenues directly into this account and as I I'm going to repeat one again from audit standpoint of view it took um do DLS almost a year and a half to get to this decision I would not be surprised in next year or so they come up with a very strict guidance of reporting and practically if you audit standpoint of view I'm not ask take I'm not talking about how we spend and what who's going to make the decision on spending but from audit standpoint of view what's going to happen is if we are receiving let's our 50 uh 2025 B budget is like $57 million we're going to receive let's say $400,000 from opioid that is part of that $57 million Revenue how can you just like pick and choose which portion of that has been spent in which way so so audit standpoint of view it would be a nightmare and that's where these guidance came through the dlsd this does that make sense yeah thank you halel before recognizing conselor why I'm letting this conversation go forward is because by open meeting law if we go to a committee we send back this to a committee only the three members of the committee will have the opportunity to ask questions so I think this is I know it's late but this is um our job right people vote for us to be here and make the questions even if we have to spend hours um again I just want to clarify that if we send this back to the committee only the three members of the committee is going to be the the one allowing making questions so um after saying that Kinski boy I wish we could set it a committee and then have a thorough discussion but uh we'll try to get through it tonight it sounds to me like we'd like to be sure that the public has as much input the public those who are affected those who are concerned those who may feel that the way that the money should be spent according to folks from tapestry or somebody different organization somebody who had a family member who passed away could have ideas about how those funds be spent and be unhappy with the way a single individual or a committee that we don't know how it's going to really get formed or who's going to be on it is involved they'd come to us and we would ask the questions on their behalf the role of a legislative body so my concern is that we have whatever we set up now I've heard the the term special revenue account and revolving account and I'm not sure if there are differences between those two Halo it would be my one one question as to what we set up and given all of that what maximizes the Public's ability to utilize the legislative body on any expenditure from any account that we set up whether it be stabilization whether it be a a reserve a re Reserve account a special revenue account or a revolving account or some other account is that your question that's the question for H thank you for the question I think the question is great I made the same question maybe four hours ago to hael um pel the answer thought about it yes uh so when I was talking with President I we were looking into chap chapter 44 section 53 which talks about all the revolving account special revenue account these terms are coming from schedule a this is one of the state report which I do as a part of my end of the fiscal year um it covers wide range um I'm getting to that page in a second uh because I have to look all the time I I can't remember the sections there oh come on here we go okay so special Revenue includes special Revenue funds can be Federal grant State Grant include City and school um it can receipts reserve for appropriation it can be revolving funds which can be again departmental revolving fund 53e and half any um gifts accounts donation accounts those all fall into special special Revenue funds and those are the funds where money goes in at the end of the fiscal year any unused money rolls over to the next fiscal year it doesn't close on June 30th and that's that's like we're talking about at least 600 to 700 accounts we have in that category thank you Hal yeah can we let another cons and then I'll go back to you um or is the following it was a it was a it was follow okay now it's sorry I just want to give you the opportunity cons rightly um so look I you know I think there's been some questions about how we have proper oversight or what to do if somebody were to manipulate this fund and and not having city council oversight over this fund does not mean that we cannot hold people accountable as Citizens of eastampton we can put a foyer request and get this information from whomever the next mayor is or if the the next Attorney General comes in and decides they're going to curtail processes we can follow up on this stuff just because we're not able to do it as city councilors does not mean that we don't have the ability to do this as citizens of the Commonwealth and and to to put a finer point on this and it's my hope that what I'm about to say reverberates into the near future after uh mayor L Chapelle is gone that if you become the mayor of East Hampton and you think that you're going to abuse these kinds of funds in a way that serves a purpose that does not meet the needs of people who have been impacted by opioids then God have mercy on your soul because the public will hold you accountable and you will be a social Pariah in the Commonwealth this is not a line anybody should ever be considering Crossing to be immoral or unethical about how to use this money so I just say that to say it doesn't have to come to this desk for any one of us to hold these people accountable if they abuse These funds um that that's really all that I have to say this seems like a non-star that we should do this to create the the framework around it that protects the funds and further we do have to have some semblance of trust that the voters will continue to elect attorney generals and that they will continue to elect mayors that will do the right thing in my experiences so far though the mayor was being comical earlier that the people made the right choice in the last election to reelect mayor lelle that was the right thing to do the city is safer now because of that choice and you know we vested all of our support into Mora Healey when she was our attorney general now she's our governor and we have that same vested support in our attorney general so I I don't see what it is that we're picking apart here um we we have all of the power in our hands as citizens of East Hampton to hold people accountable um that's all I have to say thank you cons cons you want to yeah I just wanted to correct the record I apologize for my statement before because I misunderstood that I was under the impression that without setting up this account then we did not have access to these funds I did not understand that this was going into the general fund but regardless of that I feel that uh that the creation of this kind of revolving account is specifically for the concerns that have been expressed here by this body tonight that uh it's it's utterly dangerous to let these trickle into the general fund and it makes it very difficult on an auditor and frankly makes it difficult on us to know which dollars we're spending on what and so by basically accepting accepting these guidelines to put these into a revolving account we know that every single scent of these opioid settlement funds is going into the appropriate place and is being used under the uh legal recommendations that set out so that we don't purchase police cars or we don't purchase other items we it falls completely under and is audited under it has the oversight under all the legal guidelines that were set that Rec that clearly led to the these recommendations so I continue to be in support of that um and um happy to vote whenever you are thank you cons sorry consim yeah I just want to say I'm not going to question the Integrity of our city auditor or our Treasurer I think that they are or the mayor at this point um I think that they are articulating to us there are guidelines out there that they have oversight over and they are kind of the bottom line so to speak in terms of informing us whether or not something was appropriate or not appropriate and I also think that we're making assumptions that this body right is going to be making the best decisions if we keep that in a general fund right like any number of us have have a variety of different agendas that we will impose on um the decisions that we make regarding how funds are spent or how they're appropriated Etc and I think that the that this account is the beginning stage of being able to allow for some sort of oversight to make sure that those funds are are spent accordingly and I have faith in the the mayor to be able to appoint a a fair just uh body to oversee those funds so that they are um spent accordingly based on the guidelines of the AG right so I think that that I am in support of this and and I think that it would be great to be able to vote on it thank you con then I just want to say that I'm I'm ready to take the motion uh I think the the the conversation are being extend I think we're going circles again with with the questions and and comments I just want to take the last U one of the last comments from cons yeah um I'll make the motion even though I still have some questions just out of respect for colleagues I just the one comment I want to make is I just I hear what everyone's saying and I I understand people's positions but there's some comments that have been made that concern me a little bit about like it's not about I would never I think that the people here are great I think they do a good job our job is to be a check on that power if we don't have that then why are we even here if we I mean like why why we could just get rid of a council and just foyer people periodically and then vote them out if they did a bad job I I don't I don't think that that is a a way of thinking that makes a whole lot of sense for a council but I am burning out and I'm sure you all are and it sounds like people have come to so I I'm good to to make I'm going to make this as one motion for the both things if that makes sense Mo for what to establish the account and appropriate the funds no because the funds is a public hearing and then we have to allow people to participate at the public hearing okay so I'm going to just appropriate the funds to a non-existent account let's create the account okay create the we can discuss the $59,000 because we didn't discuss that yet all right so pursuant to the provisions of Massachusetts General Law chapter 44 section 53 Clause 4 approval is hereby given to establish an account for the purposes of receiving funds designated for the opioid settlement second for the approval to establish an opio settlement account any further discussion G kusinski my concern here is not with the people that we have I think we have great people in our auditor our Treasurer and Madame mayor in our mayor please don't mistake my concern because my concern is to protect the Public's right and to have an open process I'm not sure that if we uh set up an account like with the type we're about to set up then the expenditure of these funds will be once twice or always an open process I mean somehow this is all going to happen behind the scenes I'll say behind the scenes because nobody's going to come to the council and say hey I'd like to spend the money in this sort of a way and then that sheds the light of the sun on the way that is to be spent I think that's the appropriate process so I'm reluctant and we'll vote no any other [Music] counselor for those one in favor I any against abstention against no extension motion passes PE and then I'll do the appropriation request is hereby made for the approval of the following appropriation form the motion yet sorry yeah because now we are going to discuss to the public if they're okay of moving this money from free cash to the r account okay we're talking about the thing we've been talking about for the last 15 hours but now we're talking about exactly about money now we're talking about spend sending the money creating the account yes now we're talking about sending the money to the account and not creating the account and uh okay there you go I just want to be clear with the public anyone any other any con have any questions or concerns about this moving this money from free cash to this account anyone from the public have any questions or comments anyone participating remote say on Peak I'll make this in the form of a motion request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $595 12071 to be transferred from free cash $ 59520 71 to be transferred to opioid settlement account recall revolving account the amount requested will use for the following purpose opioid settlement money second have a motion on a seconds for the supplementation 9,520 with. 71 funding for the opio sement revolving account any further discussion con Kinski just to explain my vote I will vote no because I don't believe that the again the best process was to set up the proper account and I would be inconsistent in voting anything else any other councelor for those one in favor I any against abstention obain one one motion passes uh cons okay uh the next two items that we have up are both uh items related to uh covid related things that uh the mayor can probably explain a little bit better but basically we spent covid money and then the guidelines changed and they want money back uh so so mayor it's a very frustrating annoying situation mayor Cana explain um so we bought um vehicles in the beginning of covid under those guidelines the mayor and we're doing the $37,000 one first this it for the vaccine oh the vaccines yes well some okay um so the vaccines um actually is on the back end where FEMA started to dis allow um vaccines as related to covid and we could not get reimbursed for vaccines uh because the emergency was over the money was FEMA FEMA is for emergencies um we did not know that or the rule we're not even sure if that rule existed when we spent the money but the rule is retroactive any counselor have any questions comments any celor that's just very dumb that we can't spend Co money on covid vaccines it's just very very dumb and I need to say that on the record that's all Kinski just a question it seems to me that if we didn't know that this was something you couldn't do and we believed it was Council Peak would say kind of dumb to think that you spend Co money on Co things that there wouldn't be some way to address this on a on the federal level is there any oh it was addressed who who've gone um yeah to fight this or to argue it on other municipalities other groups I went down on the ship like on this myself and several yeah um that and were a couple of other items and there was well um we could have continued to fight it and then we would have forfeited our last reimbursement of this money for things that we could have spent on so and any other conselor before I let Lindy to participate no Lindy sorry I didn't mean to hit that button oh okay thank thank you anyone from the public have any questions comments anyone participating remote see n cons Peak thank you Mr President I'll make this in the form of a motion request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $ 37,5 4067 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to fy21 covid-19 vaccine for the the amount request will be used for the following Purp Pur to cover Grant deficits second I have a motion and a second for the supplement appropriation 30 37540 with 67 to cover fiscal year 2021 covid-19 vaccine Grant deficit any further discussion seeing none those one in favor any against abstention motion passes consol Peak uh this next one's kind of similar uh early on the pandemic uh some funds were used used to purchase uh three vehicles uh for the city which were used to help out with some of the uh covid relief efforts delivering meals and and and things like that and uh these uh vehicles I guess for whatever reason uh were not allowable uh I attempted to say you know on the bright side if we had just if the request had just been made to purchase these vehicles out of free cash we probably would have said yes so I guess in the end it's sort of whatever but uh yeah that the mayor might be able to elaborate a little bit more but again it's it's a similar thing where we uh like we thought that this was an allowable use or the city thought this was an allowable use uh for these funds the purchase was a thing that we did need but now the it we're apparently not going to uh be able to use the funds for this any celor have any questions any clarification from the mayor if anyone need it no anyone from the public have any questions or comments anyone participating remote ha just want to add one thing to this um as an information is uh as for the do guidelines it would we have to till fiscal year 27 so basically by fiscal end of fiscal year 26 we have to make sure that all these deficits are taken care by um any other funding source uh or we have to raise an appropriate on the tax rate recap for fiscal year 27 this is just as an information and that's why I recommend it to Mayor to let's take care of it now when we can and uh we put forward the appropriation thank you Hao anyone else from the public cons I'll make this in the form of the motion request is hereby made for approval the following appropriation amount requested $1,581 6 uh to be transferred from Capital stabilization to be transferred to fy20 co9 FEMA Grant the amount requested will be used for the following purpose to cover Grant deficit second I have a motion on seconds for the supplemental appropriation of $1,581 with 6 for the fiscal year 2020 covid-19 FEMA Grand deficit any further discussion cons Kinski just a point to note I I uh I agree with councelor Peak that we probably would have approved the expense at the time if under a different align item but I also wanted to say to the mayor and to the auditor hey you're on the firing line and you have to make some decisions and Co was a really unusual time for everybody and it didn't go away in 2020 and it lasted and we're still working with the funds so I think we have to stand behind the mayor on this so thank you any other consor for those one in favor I any against exstension passes C Peak all right um the next one we got from a former counselor uh Dan rist uh presented this one at uh uh finance committee uh it's a $9,800 appropriation from Capital stabilization to give a small budget to the ad hoc building committee that's exploring a new Senior Center um so it uh this would be used to help fund uh the development of a report uh for the mayor and the Council on Aging uh so uh that might include some small Consulting fees uh perhaps survey software I did offer to help out with that if uh I can be of help um and uh plus postage printing you know these things for surveying people on what their needs for a SE a senior center would be and and then developing and printing uh said report thank you any con have any questions uh cons denam I just want to thank director Terrell for sticking around this long to talk about this yep any um Cynthia do you want to say something you're muted uh Committee Member Tom Brown might be there in the audience and he could speak about this as well um I just wanted to say that we do have a survey that's almost been developed and would be distributed in September and this work would continue past this current fiscal year so it would be encumbering expenses in fiscal year 25 thank you the same way the consam say thank you to to Cindy I want to say thank you for staying this long with us I don't know if you want to add something I stay this long I better say something right been waiting can you please introduce yourself Tom Brown I'm a I'm the acting chair of the COA board and I serve on the ad hoc building committee um I want to thank the mayor for creating the committee to begin the process of looking at a new Senior Center for eastampton I've been on the board for about 37 years um I've you've heard me say before we're in our fourth location in that time frame and every one of those locations is a form or something that doesn't really fit the needs of a current day Senior Center so um we really the the seniors of East ampton really deserve to have us design and build a facility that is meant to be a senior center and that's what we're in the process of doing and this money and this ad hoc committee gets the ball rolling believe me for a while the ball is going to be rolling uphill uh one of our motos on the committee is this is a marathon not a Sprint this won't happen overnight but at least uh with this at HW committee that the mayor formed we get the ball rolling to eventually get a new senior center in East Hampton thank you thank you mayor um uh thank you Mr President and um the ad hoc committee that um I'm asking for this funding is exactly that their um the process to get a new Senior Center is um not funded really at all like we did with the school building committee there's a lot of information to gather ad hoc committee is doing that needs a little bit like for mailing or whatnot and then first of the year there the ad hoc committee dissolves and we go into a full public committee very similar to what we did with the school building committee and they have a body of evidence uh a body of material around what is or isn't available what was visited what needs to be followed up to because there will not be a million doll bonding to hire a consultant for that committee it's not how you do it so we we want to do some pre-work and um this will be a capital project that'll come through in the capital Improvement plan um this is the very first step um and will have stuff to report out as well as a public call to serve on the the Senior Center building committee which will be a multi-member uh Committee just you know thank you cons Kinski U mayor you might not want to go go away here just yet uh the question I have is since we're talking about how money gets spent and who's the checks and balances how does this money get spent is it something that obviously goes through your office you have to sign for the auditor has to sign for does it go to the to to the ad hoc committee and then that committee votes to expend the funds and that's how it goes just so I can understand the member of the ad hoc committee um and the director of the senior center would put a request in and say and this is how it's and this is how it's related to the vote um uh that you took to appropriate the money for this purpose um and and a great ex um is the mailing that was my question thank you Council two persons of one no all right any other councelor anyone from the public anyone participa in remote see on cons Peak I'll make this in the form of a motion request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $155,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to planning and Professional Services the amount no you're reading the wrong one wait yeah I am reading the wrong one was so happy when here here 15,000,000 request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $9,800 to be transferred from Capital stabilization to be transferred to ad hoc building committee the amount requested will be used for the following purposes to develop a report for the mayor and the Council on Aging including expenses for consultation for research and facilitation survey software postage printing mailing and meeting supplies uh a motion a second for the supplemental approvation of $9,800 for for the COA at hot committee building expenses and I just want to uh to clarify that we are moving from the capital stabilization $9,800 to the ad hot building committee $9,800 um any further discussion see none for those who want in favor anyone against exstension motion passes cons okay one last one uh this is uh $115,000 appropriation from free cash to planning Professional Services uh and effectively what this is is our our city planner uh left us uh in the spring and uh there were a handful of ongoing projects uh that we had that he had some expert knowledge on so we had agreed to pay a a fee for him to continue as a consultant on those projects to get them to a reasonable uh stopping point and so this is the fee any coun have any questions comments anyone from the public have any questions or comments anyone participating remote have any questions see non consol Peak request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $15,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to planning Professional Services uh the amount requested will be used for the following purpose Consulting work during uh planning director transition second I have a motion on a second for the supplement appropriation of $155,000 for the planning department for cons Consulting Services during director transition you want to clarify again we're moving from free cash the 15,000 to the planning Professional Service the $115,000 any further discussion see none for those for in favor any against abstention motion passes uh public hearings second it I have a motion a second to close the public hearing any further discussion see none for those in favor any against abstention motion passes I will um request 5 minutes break right now is 9:47 we will be reconvene at 9:52 thank you for staying with us until right now communication from elect officials boort and committee um our last meeting we make a motion um related to the library uh the amount was incorrect we vote for $100,000 um the request was 150 so uh if the consuls are okay with it we already vote for it and basically we are not um matching any funds they're going to use their owned funds to match the gr U but we have to revote again um to do a maximum of 150,000 if all the consors are okay I will take the motion from uh cons Derby cons there okay um let me see uh uh where does it start yeah yeah that yeah okay um so this motion is to give permission to the East Hampton Public Library to apply for accept and expend State Grant funds and to approve local funding for the planning and design phase the local funding referred to a maximum of $150,000 would be provided by the East Hampton Public Library from fundraising and or the endowment um this vote will replace the vote uh number two which was approved May 15th 2024 by the city council second I have a motion on seconds to amend the library Grant vote to increase local amount from from 100,000 to $150,000 any further discussion con Den thank you to director Shapiro for sticking with us this evening I agree any other counselors uh for those one in favor I any against abstention motion passes mayor's communication Madame May here oh I had oh sorry uh I I had something to say oh I'm so sorry I didn't see you it's okay but oh right yeah I wanted to say that the high school graduation will be outside on Friday at 6:00 um they were waiting until this afternoon to make a final determination I you that I didn't recognize you I was in a hurry of the moment I to ignore or you but I wasn't was unintentional you're good you're good than you Madame mayor accept it that's it um correspond announcement for the for from the president uh the vice president I do have a request um the mayor sent a letter to one of the member from the zba to be removed by our city Charter section 34 that person have the right to come to the council and basically explain the the decision by the mayor was U not right was incorrect that person uh is using the charter and that that person sent a letter to um th to city clerk we have a few options one of the option is we agree with the mayor because the mayor is the the appointing authority and we not going to take any actions you know what the mayor is the one who appointed the mayor decide uh to remove this person from from the committee uh we can decide to to review it has to be public and we have to notify the mayor that's why it's not on the package because if we decide to say yes that we're going to review it we have to invite this person to our next meeting and we have to notify the mayor to come to our meeting too to let us know why the mayor make that decision um I will defer this to you guys counselors and um we will move one way or the other councelor Riley um so you know I do have a little familiarity with this situation so I I know how I feel about it that said um we have section 3-4 in our Charter for a reason and I think that this person deserves the right to appeal their case um and I I think this is a healthy process for us to be able to go through um so I'm in full support of letting that person uh come and do the process and I think this is good governance in practice any other concerns com aak yeah it's we do have this written in our Charter as a thing that people have the right to do and I not knowing anything about the situation I I don't feel like I'm in a good position to say no to their request um so that that would be my inclination um but just uh yeah cinski uh not knowing anything of about the specifics of this situation I look at the charter and agree that anyone who goes for an appointment and to serve on any of the positions that we have ought to be thinking gez what does the charter say or what are the what's going to happen if and I think it's there and they the person if they weren't willing to go public with the issue wouldn't bring it before the council I would imagine so they must feel that they have something that they want to talk about I'd be inclined to listen and think that the the council ought to do the same I just want to clarify the process if that's okay so what if I'm reading this correctly the individual can appear the mayor has to appear is or should appear based on the charter they State their case the mayor reads then again reads their read their um their reasoning and the council the only action the council can really take is to basically make a statement but it's not binding that's correct and so e regardless the mayor's um the Mayor's Choice the mayor's decision goes into effect either way cor and it's just put us on public record so I think that if an individual wants to to if if they want to basically uh fulfill their rights under what I would consider our constitution then and then I I don't have a problem with that I will take I will take a motion to for our next meeting June 20th uh Mr Matt won from the zba a former member from the CBA and the mayor appear to the council second or I make the motion second I have a motion on a seconds um to um to review the city Charter section 34 uh about Matt won from the zba on June 20th and the city C Chambers any further discussion uh cons because this is non-binding I'm going to abstain because I think there is an element of Saving Face and I'm not going to ask a resident to he request it I I understand that I completely understand that and the mayor has her rationale and uh I think that nothing is going to change and so she has her rationale so I'm just going I'm just I believe that people have the right to do that I also believe in being able to say face so I'm just going to um I'm going to be abstaining thank you cons but for clarification for the public we are doing this because this person requested to come to the council that's what we're doing cons Kinski well I appreciate Council denim's position about saving phas and I agree it's important sometimes people feel that they have to put it out there what their position is what their opinion is and just make sure everybody knows this is why it happened okay so they want to clarify this is the process Let's Do It um those want in favor I against exstension motion passed with one exstension and I will send a notification to to both um to Matt and to the mayor uh Mr Vice President do you have any announcements no thank you report reports from standing committees Finance uh cons Peak thank you Mr President um we are going to meet uh our usual time uh next week at 5:30 this Wednesday yes at 13 I'm pretty sure I don't even know the DAT right now um yeah yeah I think you're right uh so uh yeah um and uh we'll be discussing the three items that appear in new business I'm sorry can you please repeat that what time was it 5:30 5:30 thank you I'm sorry what was the date again I'm pretty sure is the 13 is the no the 12 sorry the 12 that's why I was likeing sorry sorry yeah yeah 13 mine's on the 11 yeah sorry thank you it's the 12 uh do conclude that's concludes thank you councelor Peak Public Safety celor s thank you Mr President we have not met since our last meeting we do have an upcoming public hearing uh regarding uh uh some modifications to section 1-25 parking per on certain streets During certain hours I will not be present that meeting I will review with councelor Derby to present um and um we had a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday the 11th on review we have no active or pending or a potentially pending um item so I've canceled that meeting so there is no meeting no meeting no meeting on the 11th uh we will be reviewing when we will be meeting next um but there's no real business before us other than the uh review of language of traffic rules and orders which I've requested the uh members to start looking over for a thorough discussion thus concludes thank you coun s appointments counc Riley thank you Mr President um the uh appointment committee last met on June 3rd at 6 p.m um so couple uh items to discuss first um so we had before us the reappointment of Steven delier to the licensing board with a term expiration date of June 3rd 2030 um so that's a 6ear term we're moving into the 2030s now so we just appointed St Steven desal to the licensing board last month um the seat was set to expire um I reached out to him he said he was interested in staying on so I felt no need to follow up with him to re askk questions um and the uh committee voted 30 to um to recommend his reappointment so unless there are any questions I move to reappoint Steven desal to the licensing board with a term expiration date of June 3rd 2030 second second I have a motion on a second to reappoint for the reappointment any further discussion seeing none those from in favor any against abstention motion passes all right and then first this is a a little different here um so at our last city council meeting um we did not move uh uh Morin poock as the planning director to committee um and it it was under the understanding that she had withdrawn her application so um to be clear she's still on the agenda um so we do have to take a vote to uh essentially reject her application on the on the fact that she's not going to be applying for the job if we don't vote to reject her after a certain amount of days she automatically becomes the planning director and we don't want that to happen so Derby can we make a motion to remove without prejudice it it will be better if we just rejected okay okay sure so yeah you make Mo yeah okay all right yeah so I I move to um to strike her name from from our agenda without prejudice second I have a motion on a second to remove it with prejudice any further discussion none uh those one in favor I any against exstension Mo passes all right thank you and then uh you know typically I like to really talk about the qualifications of appointees this is just not the night to do it and I apologize because both of our appointees are incredibly talented people so I'm just going to be very brief um so first we had Carol Smith who was before us uh as a mayoral appointee to the charity funds committee with a term expiration date of December 31st 2026 um Carol has academic health and Social Service experiences with pre and post Grant award writing and Reporting um and she's done this work across multiple States having to follow multiple State uh laws and guidelines um she's done so in a variety of healthcare and nonprofit settings and she's now retired and wants to give back to the community we voted 30 to um recommend her to the full Council um and then second we had Paul Davis who was a mayoral appointe to the nanic pond committee with a term expiration date of December 31st 2024 um I'm sure you all saw the the packet that we got um Paul has probably one of the most extensive academic and professional resumés that's ever come before the appointment committee um he has experience in environmental and ecological Sciences a PhD in biological studies dual Masters in uh marine and environmental policy as well as zoology and he also has uh direct experience of doing water quality studies on nanic pond so couldn't ask for a more qualified uh person to serve in that role um and then uh we also had uh Chelsea Bower to the affordable and Fair Housing partnership with a term expiration date of December 31st 2026 um so we could not meet with Chelsea at the uh meeting that we had I did have a conversation with her um so to clarify she's a licensed psychotherapist IST and author with extensive studies in mindfulness-based stress reduction and structures of poverty and the impacts that it has on marginalized people um it's very easy to see how her experiences uh as a professional play into the partnership and then she also has personal lived experiences with housing insecurity and affordability she's since gained uh affordable and secure housing and wants to be able to open those opportunities up to other people within our community same as the others we recommended 30 to appoint her so if there are any questions I'd like to make a motion for all three is that okay yes but before that I want to make a comment um and I know it's late I'm I'm sorry but I have to say that we are lucky the people with disqualifications are willing to be volunteer in our community yeah we are really lucky y the expertise that they have is is incredible and we're being it's really really lucky having them to be part of our committees councelor Riley all right thank you Mr President so I move to appoint Carol Smith to the charity funds committee with a term expiration date of December 31st 2026 Paul Davis to the National oneic Pond committee with a term expiration date of December 31st 2024 and Chelsea balls are to the affordable and Fair Housing partnership with a term expiration date of December 31st 2026 second I have a motion on a second for the three new appointments any further discussion see none those all in favor I any against abstention motion passes all right thank you Mr President and then uh the appointment committee will meet next on June 17th at 6: p.m. in conference room 2 right here behind city council chambers and thus concludes thank you councelor um ordinance councel denim thank you Mr President we last met on June 21st and at that meeting we um approved 3 to Z the the um opt-in specialized um code um and we need to set a in the form of motion we need move to set a public hearing for uh June 20th second I have a motion and a second to schedule a public hearing for June 20th at 6:15 at this Chambers any further discussion see none for those are in favor I any against abstention motion passes um and I need to um extend the um a date I guess yes um for both for both um 60 days both 60 yeah okay I mean this one probably 30 but no that's fine second I have a motion on a second to extend the the two items for 60 days any for the discussion see none those one in favor all any against abstention motion passes great and our next meeting is uh June 11th 5:00 p.m. in conference room uh two and that's everything that our committee has to offer the council today you say 5 p.m. 5:00 P p.m. thank you and we'll be discussing just we'll be discussing the moratorium on sewage sludge fertilizer thank you uh property consel s um no report other than the fact that in anticipation of um new business potentially coming to our committee I've scheduled uh meeting on uh June 11th at 6: PM in room 1 um obviously um we can cancel that if that new business is not moved this concludes thank you councelor uh rules councelor Kinski uh just to report that the uh rules committee will be meeting uh on on June 13th Thursday at 6:30 to discuss rank Choice voting for multi-winner races this concludes two items was that oh never mind never mind okay okay thank you cons Kinski new business uh Mr Vice President thank you Mr President uh we have new business for Maple pep and Center Schools land disposition and development agreement I move that that be sent to property second um I have a motion on seconds to move the maple ping Center School and disposition development agreement to the property committee any further discussion see no for those one in favor any against extension motion passes U we have one mayoral appointment that I will move to send to the appointment committee second I have a motion and a second to move uh Josh Rosen blat U from uh to the Sony Board of appeal with term 1231 2025 to the appointments committee any forther discussion see consy sorry I actually do have a question I do we know that by appointing him does that REM does that remove the opportunity of the person who is going to do the appeal we have more than one space open on zoning board of appeals we don't have the power to re reestablish um the person that the mayor move remov from the committee oh okay okay yep yep understood okay no more questions uh any other counselors for those one in favor I any against abstention motion passes cons all right okay uh so we've got three here I'm just going to read through them uh and I can do these all one right and schedule a public hearing for June 20th so I'm going to make the following three requests in the form of a motion and schedule a public hearing for June 20th at 6:15 in these Chambers okay request is hereby made for the following appropriation amount requested $48,750 to be transferred from Peg access account to be transferred to Peg access account uh the amount requested will be used for the following purpose to give approval to spend from the peg access receipts reserved account for a uh cable related uh for cable related purposes consistent with the franchise agreement uh next one up uh the request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $255,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to Legal the amount requested will be used for the following purposes legal costs build for FY 24 since the appropriation we have incurred 15,000 in Union negotiation fees and have yet to receive bills for March through [Music] June finally a supplemental requ appropriation uh requests hereby made for the following appropriation amount requested $1,300,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to General stabilization $550,000 Capital stabilization $750,000 the amount requested will be used for the following purpose to fund the general stabilization to provide stability in the current environment to fund Capital stabilization to meet Capital needs second I have a motion second to send one transfer at two appropriation to the finance committee and to schedule a public hearing June 20th at 65 and these Chambers any further discussion see none for those those in favor any against extension motion passes I would take a motion to adjourn second have a motion second to adjourn uh um those one in favor any against exension anyone want to stay here motion passes have a wonderful evening thank you everybody who stay with us e