The council’s decision to authorize leasing a vehicle for the LAID Task Force emerged as a focus of the meeting. Police Chief John Davis detailed the financial logistics surrounding the lease, which will be supported by state funding beginning in 2026. The task force is set to receive $7,800 annually, partially allocated to offset vehicle expenses. A lease quote secured from Enterprise would cost $6,293 annually, with the remaining funds covering most of the insurance premium. Chief Davis emphasized that the only additional requirement for the vehicle would be a radio, which the department already owns, thus avoiding further expenses.

The lease plan aims to replace a 12-year-old city-owned vehicle, currently in need of $2,000 in air conditioning repairs to remain functional. The estimated resale value of the vehicle in 2026, if repaired, is around $8,000. Chief Davis proposed a motion to authorize staff to proceed with the lease in 2026, which met with no objections, and the council approved the motion.

Another issue addressed was the compensation for downtown snow removal, a task now handled by park maintenance staff instead of external contractors. The council had previously approved this operational shift, prompting union representatives to request a formal MOA to clarify compensation terms. The agreement specifies pay rates and ensures equitable compensation for the additional responsibilities, with the MOA retroactive to November 1st and continuing through the current contract period or until a new contract is established.

Council members raised concerns about differentiating the pay structure for downtown snow removal compared to other snow removal tasks. It was clarified that the MOA addresses the unique requirements of downtown operations. Questions about financial implications and cost allocation led to assurances that a new pay code would accurately track these costs. The council member sought clarity on whether overtime costs would be fully assigned to the special service district. The response confirmed that the overtime would be tracked and allocated appropriately, especially during snow events. Ultimately, a motion to approve the MOA was made and seconded, with the understanding that overtime would be properly assessed.

The council also discussed the need for a temporary transit operations specialist position, emphasizing its role in documenting performance deficiencies identified by a third-party contractor and covering workload during the transit coordinator’s anticipated absence in January. The position, limited to 67 working days, would use the full-time wage grid, with a reevaluation of division and workload needs after presenting a proposed in-house business model for council consideration.

Further discussions involved hiring a temporary part-time employee to aid the transit division due to increased workload from new federal and state grant requirements. This initiative, not initially on the Transportation Advisory Committee agenda, was expedited due to staff falling behind in reporting. The temporary role, aimed at ensuring grant compliance, would not expand services but is fully grant-funded. Concerns about staffing growth were raised, highlighting the drastic change from one person managing operations to potentially needing more. The motion to authorize the temporary hire passed unanimously.

Revisions to the contribution policy 2003-01 concerning payments in lieu of taxes were also addressed. The Public Utilities Commission had approved a transition from a per-kilowatt-hour contribution to a percentage of electric utility revenues. The phased increase would reach 5% by 2028, aligning contributions with utility revenues for predictability. A council member expressed disappointment that contributions would not align with the national median of 5.2%, but there was optimism for future studies leading to improved alignment.