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All right. I will call the budget hearing. 00:00:04
And budget work session to order and thank you everybody for being here and thank you. 00:00:07
Understanding when I was out earlier. Is Councilman Thomas on with us, Julie? Do we know or is he? He's not going to be on for 00:00:13
this one, OK? 00:00:16
So I'm going to try to walk through briefly. Hopefully everybody's had a chance to look at the document, but I'll walk through 00:00:49
briefly. 00:00:51
So just to pop up the budget goals for this year, obviously to continue to to provide the services with sustainable revenues, find 00:00:58
sources for those revenue for those. 00:01:03
For supporting those programs, continuing to efficiently effectively deliver those services to implement the job classification 00:01:10
compensation plan that was done last fall. And again to look for for other ways to fund our programs which we we've done a pretty 00:01:15
good job at I think. 00:01:20
This is really tiny, but there's no easy way to get up there unless we had a larger screen. 00:01:26
But basically we're looking at a recommended $2.85 million budget with revenue obviously a balanced budget. 00:01:33
There are some pieces of that we'll talk about as we get through it, but 2.85 million, that's about a 6.9% increase, about 00:01:41
$184,000 increase in the budget from over last year. 00:01:46
So on the revenue side, this is just a pie chart sort of show you, I think it's always for me, I'm very visual person. I always 00:01:52
like to say, OK, well what's the big chunks? 00:01:55
So on the revenue side, the three largest pieces or the property taxes at 24%, the local option sales tax at 33% and then our 00:01:59
insurance premium tax at 9% is a big difference between those two and the third one. 00:02:05
But those are the chunks. That's sort of where we get the majority of our revenues. 00:02:12
Those revenues, the two largest ones as I mentioned, our local option sales tax right now under our agreement with the county, we 00:02:18
received 7.77% of that. 00:02:22
Projecting that does that is a little different than what you guys have seen lately because we were getting 8.678.637 percent I 00:02:27
think prior to this calendar year. 00:02:32
So I'm projecting about almost 80,000 based on a 6% growth over that time frame. 00:02:38
And I think that's it's actually more like 10%, but I'm pretty conservative about it estimating that I want to be over it. So I'm 00:02:44
estimate about 6% even though we're showing about 10% month over month. 00:02:49
On property taxes, there we are estimated we do have a net digest of 230 million, that's an 18% increase over 2022 property 00:02:55
values. 00:02:59
We are recommending a property tax increase of .84 mills to go from 2.081 to 2.921 and that is needed specifically to pay this to 00:03:04
service the debt for the 100 acre Thomas family farm property that the city is looking to purchase for conservation purposes. 00:03:13
Just a little brief snapshot of what it looks like what our neighbors look like for the services that they they deliver in the the 00:03:26
mileage they obtain. We are fourth in line I think after just after Bishop has been the the lowest with the increase will be just 00:03:33
ahead of Bogart course I don't know what Bogart's is going to be this year's there's maybe going up to I have no idea. But if you 00:03:40
look at the rest if you look at the pure median is 3.2 we're you know significantly under that even with the 2.92 so. 00:03:47
And just as a reminder. 00:03:56
A lot of people understand how that's figured. But if your property is worth, and we'll talk about this a little bit in the next 00:03:58
meeting when we do the hearing for the mileage rate increase. But if your property is worth $100,000, you're assessed at 40%. So 00:04:05
$40,000 would be how you would then you would then take the mileage rate of 2.081. 00:04:11
For every $1000, so be 2.081 * 40 because there's four $41,000 increments in that 40,000, so you come up with that. That's how you 00:04:18
come up with it. So you're not and and and you figure in the homestead exemption if you're a residential property and I think here 00:04:23
in Oconee it's still $5000. 00:04:29
So it'd be 35,000 at the 2.081. In our case it would be 2.921 for the increase. 00:04:34
And we'll talk about that a little bit more like I said during the and we could talk about this. 00:04:41
During this meeting, if you want, but I can bring that information up. On the expense side, I think it's again important we are 00:04:44
funding 19 full-time equivalents plus one full time that we're recommending this year for our judicial assistant who's been 00:04:49
working part time. 00:04:53
Quite a lot of services for our little city handle all the alcohol business, license, permits, building permits and inspections. 00:05:00
The liaison, we don't actually do those inspections. We do issue the permits, but we have a partnership with Bureau Veritas to do 00:05:04
that for us. 00:05:09
Co compliance, financial management, garbage and leaf and limb. Those services again are contracted out. 00:05:15
Just the management of the government is handled through through our expense expenditures, legal services, police services, 00:05:20
Municipal Court operations, parks plans, review and zoning. 00:05:25
Professional engineering, which is contracted out in our public works, a lot of stuff. For 2.8 million, I think we're doing really 00:05:30
well. 00:05:33
And I think we we we deliver a good, a good value for the just a point on that. It's important to note providing a wide range of 00:05:37
services is what makes us eligible for the lost funds. So not all the community, not all the municipalities in Oconee County get. 00:05:43
A percentage of the lost funds because they don't provide enough defined services. So there's certain services that are defined by 00:05:50
the state that you have to provide if you want to be eligible for the local option sales tax funds. 00:05:55
So that's that's another advantage to doing things. And Sharon, I know that although it's just a partial fund, we may want to add 00:06:01
note that we do support library services on this chart in the future because I think that's one of those categories that. 00:06:07
Is also required as a part of the lost. 00:06:13
And because we do support them with significant funding, we could add that in the future. I missed that earlier. So and and I 00:06:17
think again it's important, we don't actually physically have to provide the services. We just have to work with someone to 00:06:21
provide those services to our citizens. 00:06:26
So just like I talked about garbage and engineering, even our legal. 00:06:31
On capital side, since this is a capital and operating budget, on the capital side typically capital is anything $5000 value or 00:06:37
more typically something that's going to have a long life. You know, we think about vehicles, buildings, that kind of thing. 00:06:43
Are replacement of the two crown. 00:07:26
But we do have to use that money within a certain amount of time and then our balance of funds is only 59,000. So you'll see that 00:08:00
we have 318,000 and some change if we use that 59 will have 258. And I feel pretty confident if you looked at the spreadsheet, you 00:08:05
know we were still doing good. I think every year we'll re-evaluate, decide if we need to contribute or we don't need to 00:08:11
contribute. You know a lot of things will be it'll just go, we'll just go year by year on that. 00:08:16
On on the expenditure side, just point out that 46% of our budget is police services and garbage. On the police side, we do have a 00:08:24
decrease in police that they worked really hard to try. 00:08:30
To just get down to the bare bones of what they really needed. 00:08:35
There it does provide for some funding. Initially asked for 20,000 for Part 2 part time. We're asking for only 10,000 for two-part 00:08:40
time positions. That really helps especially when we have people out on training because we are trying to make sure all of our 00:08:45
officers are are qualified and and trained. Obviously people are out sick or on vacation. We make sure we have coverage on garbage 00:08:50
leaf and limb. We are currently in a three-year contract of A of a essentially A5 year. We have a three-year with two one year 00:08:55
extensions. 00:09:00
During the the period of that three years there have been increases in the in the contractors budget or expenses, fuel landfill 00:09:06
disposal fees have gone up $20 a ton. That's a significant because obviously it's all based on how much you know they're picking 00:09:11
up. 00:09:15
Personnel costs have gone up like we've seen here as well, so they're asking for a fee, a fee increase of $3.18 a unit. So it's 00:09:21
going to go from 1982 to 23. 00:09:25
And just as a comparison, I live you know and outside of an area where I don't get service and it cost me about $300.00 a year to 00:09:31
have just garbage, doesn't even include leaf and limb. So it's a good value. You know we know from having done the gone out forbid 00:09:37
that there aren't many companies that are going to provide this type of level of service. Really fortunate to have a small company 00:09:43
locally that can do that. So that's that's important to note. 00:09:48
By budget, by category. It's important to note that the majority of what we do around here is people driven. We do have some 00:09:55
supplies and things, but a large portion of our budget is driven by, you know, people and I think that's always important to to 00:10:01
remember so valuable resource for the city. 00:10:07
Some major changes that we're recommending or changes in the budget that weren't in last year, about 67,000 in the pay adjustment. 00:10:14
For the employee that the pay study that was done that has been five years since the last one was done, that was something I 00:10:21
believe Councilwoman Campbell had pushed for back in 2018. And so we're at that point where we need to be looking at that and 00:10:27
obviously everybody's looking at increased costs and personnel right now. 00:10:32
Again, Garbage Leaf and Limb would go at 56,000 downtown development. We have an increase of about 57 that does up our six. We had 00:10:38
a budget in FY23 for only six months of a downtown development director. She will now be on board for for 12 months. So that's 00:10:44
part of it. We also have moved. 00:10:49
We also moved to that budget, even though it's not technical, I guess I could have gotten not technically an increase. We moved to 00:10:56
her budget, all the all the Christmas tree festivities, etcetera, because those are things that we can find through the hotel, 00:11:01
motel taxes, you know, in encourage people to come here, visitors to to come and whatnot. And then there's training for the DDA 00:11:05
board that has to be. 00:11:10
Paid for. 00:11:15
On the Parkside, it's 186,000 majority of that is to pay for the debts what we anticipate will be debt service on that, on that 00:11:16
additional green space purchase. 00:11:21
And then just maintaining the playground of possibilities Rocket Field which is being renovated and even Hair Shoals and we are 00:11:27
today I got the information from Trove. They do want to donate those parcels. So that will be another property that will have to 00:11:33
maintain and then Waters walk when they finish will have to fold that in as well so. 00:11:38
So those are those are some additional. 00:11:45
Property liability insurance with lawsuits and with cost of exposures with vehicle. 00:11:49
Incidents and things like that, we're seeing a $14,000 increase in our property and liability insurance. 00:11:56
On the financial software, we are looking at 14,000 for an annual subscription fee may not be quite that much if if if this moves 00:12:01
forward and we're able to trigger everything before the end of fiscal year. You guys did give us a budget amendment for about 00:12:06
45,000. So we could potentially pay some of that and and only have to pay the difference it may be 4 or $5000 in the in the next 00:12:11
year's budget. 00:12:16
I'll go back and make sure I figure that out. For the final meeting. On the election side, we do have an election. 00:12:22
It will be held at the government administration building for the county, the new building, but we do have to have that and 00:12:28
they're anticipating about $14,000. 00:12:33
For that election. 00:12:38
So the city election would be. 00:12:39
At the new administrative yeah well the the sorry the advance election. I'm sorry make that clear. The advanced. Yes sorry the the 00:12:41
advanced vote in three weeks advance voting which is what caught the majority that cost is. 00:12:47
Will be held at the county, but the actual day of election will be here in City Hall. Yes, thank you for that correction. 00:12:53
And then I mentioned earlier the judicial assistant, we did budget about 17,000 in this year's budget for a part-time judicial 00:12:58
assistant, but will be you know asking for that to be a full time. And it's really important. There's lots of specific policies 00:13:04
with handling criminal information, access to databases, FBI and otherwise that you know you have to have somebody that knows what 00:13:10
they're doing. Lauren who is currently that part time person does have is post certified, very aware of of all those sensitivities 00:13:15
and. 00:13:21
Lee keeps taking on additional jobs. So we have leaves our Municipal Court clerk, she's also our finance director and she's also 00:13:28
our terminal area coordinator and she could use some assistance on that is we need backup. We need some succession plans anyway 00:13:32
so. 00:13:36
So. 00:13:42
Is a budget nutshell. I didn't 15. I thought it'd take me 20. 00:13:43
So questions or comments or whatever. So first of all, I want to say how utterly I impress. 00:13:48
With the presentation of. 00:13:56
As I went through. 00:14:00
You know, I I had some initial questions, but as I looked through all of it, they're answered. I mean, I have some things that I 00:14:02
would like to discuss about the budget, but I appreciate the fact that you have such a clear narrative, you have the charts. 00:14:09
Then you have big picture, just numbers and then you go, I mean every, every, I mean it is detailed as detailed can be. And so I 00:14:16
just want to thank you for your work. 00:14:21
Whoever. I know Brian worked really hard on this, Julie. Yeah, I mean incredibly hard and all the department heads for all of your 00:14:27
level of detail in it. I know that as a city we want to be transparent and you could not have a more transparent budget than this 00:14:33
and also transparent in a way that is accessible. 00:14:40
To just about anybody and all of the different ways you communicate it. 00:14:46
Thank you. I mean this. I cannot imagine the work that went into this and I so appreciate it. 00:14:51
So thank you all very very much. 00:14:58
I have other questions. Any other? Any other general general comments before Christine Councilwoman Tucker gets into her 00:15:04
questions? 00:15:07
I'll echo what Councilman Tucker said. You know, I mean, I do work with Sharon on this and look at it in detail, but the. 00:15:12
In Lee and Sharon just do a wonderful job. 00:15:19
Preparing this based on. 00:15:22
Most importantly, I think based on the guidance that we provide at our strategic planning session, which comes from our citizens 00:15:25
and is citizen driven. 00:15:28
So in addition to the nuts and bolts of keeping a city running and keeping our citizens safe. 00:15:33
Keeping, keeping the city looking great, Toby and taking care of our public works and Kate taking care of our downtown. 00:15:39
There's all the other things that we've spent a whole day on Priorit. 00:15:45
And so to take all that input and then turn it into something like this in just a few months is really is really impressive. 00:15:49
Grateful to you guys. 00:15:55
A few things that jumped out to me as I looked through it #1 is we do benefit from having and this is my private sector had on. 00:15:58
But you know it's always better to have a diverse revenue stream than having all of your revenue coming from one source and and 00:16:02
that really struck me about our. 00:16:07
About you know one of the strengths that we have is that we have a diverse revenue stream. We don't have a really large source of 00:16:12
revenue that's dominating our. So if we if there is trouble in the economy, if there's if there's a challenge with sales tax, 00:16:18
there's property tax. If there's a challenge with property taxes, there's still sales tax, there's these other revenue streams. 00:16:24
So I think that's very healthy for us. 00:16:31
Umm. 00:16:34
The mileage increases. 00:16:35
What we approximately anticipate to use to pay for the new part, the mileage has not increased. You know, as far back as this went 00:16:37
to 2015, it's only come down or been held flat and I think. 00:16:42
If we really went back, Julie, I can't remember. I would think probably to the Great Recession. 00:16:48
It might be the last time we've we increased the mileage rate if we increased it then. 00:16:53
I think we might have just held it steady. So it's it's been a long time. Nobody is excited about that. But I did note that you 00:16:57
know, for someone with a $300,000 home. 00:17:02
You know that would workout to about $11.45 a month. 00:17:06
And that gives us an opportunity to preserve about 5% of the total green space in Watkinsville, which is a tremendous opportunity, 00:17:10
so. 00:17:13
Thank you all for that and you have to notice the property digest. 00:17:18
Size has doubled since 2017. 00:17:22
And that's, you know, that's and I think. 00:17:25
You know, while we've had growth in Watkinsville, this town still feels it doesn't feel that different than 2017. So I think it's 00:17:29
a real tribute that it's places like Wire Park that have been reused and increased value and structures, not just new structures 00:17:34
that have been built. 00:17:39
Which makes me happy that it's not all new development, but it's. 00:17:44
We're seeing our older buildings being rebuilt, rehabilitated and and finding new uses, which is a real positive for us. So 00:17:48
anyway, thank you for all the work, great job Lee and Sharon on this. 00:17:53
All right. Christine, you. 00:18:00
Questions. I know we have a citizen who's arrived, Mr. Smith. We're going to do council questions first. 00:18:02
Your your question was to her. 00:18:07
I can hear with them, but when you ask him a question, he was sitting back wrong way back. I didn't hear what he said when she 00:18:45
first started. Her microphone was way away from her face. And I have. I either read lips. If somebody looks down, I can't read 00:18:53
lips. I've said this a few years now, but and when when I asked to slow down your conversation, I couldn't hear. 00:19:00
I heard what you said, but I didn't hear his question to you. I heard your answer, but the answer goes so good when I don't hear 00:19:09
the question. So thank you. Thank you. I don't remember the question. Sharon, do you remember what question does anybody remember 00:19:13
my question? 00:19:18
I was making a comment, OK, I think Mr. Smith, I think I was just making a comment about the work that went into the budget. 00:19:23
And I'm happy to. 00:19:30
Repeat the gist. 00:19:32
So this is a work session for me and you guys to talk. Typically we don't allow public comment at this point but that would be up 00:19:39
to the mayor and council to decide at that point. So we'll we'll work through the questions that we have and then time allowing if 00:19:43
we we can do comments or questions and if we need to redo those at the public hearing then we can. But our first priority is to 00:19:48
have Y'all's comments to. 00:19:53
The manager and finance director on the budget. 00:19:59
OK, so. 00:20:02
The transfer in on the screen that's showing right now, the transfer in 44 two, what is that? That's the hotel motel. I wondered 00:20:06
if it was because I didn't see anywhere else. But I just was clarifying that because it's in a separate, it has to be collected in 00:20:12
Fund 275 and then transferred in. It has to, yeah, that's by law. It has to go in separate fund. 00:20:18
So. 00:20:27
I mean, I actually, as I look through it, I don't have that many questions or comments because you guys did such a phenomenal job 00:20:30
in all of this. One thing I noticed. 00:20:35
Is that a lot of the 2020? 00:20:41
Budget for expenses. Our actual expenses were less. 00:20:46
Much of the time, which I think also. 00:20:51
Just I appreciate that you are conservative as you do this to make sure you are not over projecting our revenue and your that that 00:20:55
we should always have a balanced budget. But my question is when that happens which is great, what happens to that money? Is it 00:21:01
like the department has to use it or lose it? Does it just go into the general fund, Does it? 00:21:08
We work for whatever fun, you know, if we need the funds, we spend them. Some cases we anticipate we need money for this and then 00:21:54
something else crops up like a laptop pukes and we need we need to replace and we go, well, we're not gonna be able to we have to 00:21:58
really watch this because we need to buy the laptop or whatever. So but at the end of the year if there's any money left, the 00:22:03
audits all done. Then we do a journal. There's a journal entry and all those funds go back into the general fund and the fund 00:22:07
balance. 00:22:12
Thank you. I do want to make the point, you know when we have the opportunity with the Thomas property. 00:22:18
We did then. 00:22:26
Took a hard look at the budget and my challenge to Sheridan Lee was to keep everything flat as much as we could because we knew 00:22:27
that we were going to have to. We'd likely need a mileage increase to pay for that. And so since we were doing that, we did. And 00:22:33
thank you to the department leads, Todd, Toby and Kate. I mean, we had to get skinnier than the initial recommendations that 00:22:38
everybody was making and so. 00:22:43
Sharon and Lee and then everybody who was leading their own budget was willing to go back and look at their budget and. 00:22:50
Skinny it up a little bit so we could minimize the impact, you know and and really. 00:22:57
The mileage mileage increase to accommodate the just. 00:23:02
Potential debt service. 00:23:07
Any other questions for staff? 00:23:15
OK. I'm not hearing any. 00:23:20
All right. We do have time. So Mr. Smith, if you would like to make your questions, let me just. 00:23:22
Give you the outline. So we have this this is a this is a work session, so if it rolls on a long time we we can shut it down. We 00:23:29
also have a public hearing at our regular meeting. 00:23:34
Tonight too. So you're welcome to come back and make those comments and that setting as well tonight. Or give us those now, 00:23:41
whichever you prefer. 00:23:44
4 minutes is what we have, what we have. Thank you. 00:23:49
Sharon, you set a timer please. 00:23:54
Thank you Mayor and. 00:24:00
Send an open record check today about. 00:24:03
The park. 00:24:08
Make sure that bikes on. 00:24:11
For the most part. 00:24:16
Mr. Smith. Just just. 00:24:19
I pause the timer from it, make sure that Mike is on because we may have people joining us online. All right, I'll resume the 00:24:23
timer. 00:24:25
That's a long time real estate broker. 00:24:34
I've watched real estate. 00:24:38
Being developed. 00:24:40
All around the. 00:24:42
In several states, including here. 00:24:44
The questions I asked were relevant. 00:24:47
Buying real estate? 00:24:52
Appraisals. 00:24:55
How did you arrive at? 00:24:57
When when a developer looks at a property, looks at the highest and best use, which what is the highest and best use of this 00:25:01
property is typically in this town. Residential. I doubt you'll ever see commercial or industrial go out there. So residential. 00:25:08
Then you take that property and you analyze it. 00:25:16
You plan it, you engineer it. You find out how many lots you can get on this property. 00:25:19
And then you take that to the market to see what will the lights bring. 00:25:26
And the market says no, we don't have any sewer available to this site. 00:25:32
Do we have sewer available to this site? How many lots can you get on 100 acres? There's a wetlands that goes across the property. 00:25:38
You have about 12 to 14 acres on the right side looking at it. 00:25:43
And then you have to go through the wetland to get to the other side. Now how's the developer going to go from this side to that 00:25:48
side? 00:25:51
To arrive at some indication of whether he's going to buy or she's going to buy the property. 00:25:56
There's a lot of things that come into play and you go to the bank and the bank says, well, let me see your plan, your development 00:26:01
plan, how many lots you're gonna have, what's the absorption rate of the? 00:26:06
As. 00:26:11
Then you do a net net return or internal rent return. I've done in the past. 00:26:12
To see if if. 00:26:18
Cost benefit. 00:26:19
I'm questioning you that because I would like to see some appraisals. Do you have an appraisal? 00:26:21
Where are the market values? What are the lots? I'm selling lots on 441. 00:26:27
Large tracks on 440. 00:26:33
And we'll just like to look to see the answers on these questions. 00:26:36
And more particularly, how does this decision come to bear here? 00:26:40
And why aren't the taxpayers part of the decision to spend four and a half $1,000,000 on a property? 00:26:45
I'm sure the property is beautiful. I've seen it. I've driven past it all my adult life and driving life. 00:26:51
And I'm trying to. I'm trying to. 00:26:58
Or help me decide how this body can make a decision for a population of 2900 people with a budget that used to be 1.7 million as 00:27:01
2.8 million and we're raising the mileage rate .84 mill. 00:27:09
And the and there's nobody in this room to to to listen to this discussion. 00:27:19
And I'm just a little lone wolf out there trying to figure out what's going on. Here is a third generation Watkinsville. So those 00:27:25
are some of my questions. 00:27:28
Going forward, the biggest thing is how does this body make a decision without the taxpayers involvement on such a large purchase 00:27:34
and how is it going to be financing a 90% loan when the market says me recently 65% loan to value? 00:27:41
And seven and 8% interest and we're going for 4%. I need that loan, but thank you for listening to this one on segment of. 00:27:49
Of walking to. 00:27:58
Thank you, Mr. Smith, and we will provide you with. 00:28:06
Response on your open records requests that I think will give you give you additional context to your questions. 00:28:09
All right. Any other? Any other matters for discussion? 00:28:21
So I I do. I mean, although it's not, I don't know that it's really going to be a general budget issue, but since we have time, if 00:28:24
you guys will indulge me. 00:28:29
This might be more of a SP. 00:28:35
Budget item so as we have, as I think all of y'all know. 00:28:37
I. 00:28:43
Have the subcommittee that's looking at the art proposals for where the playground used to be. 00:28:45
And. 00:28:51
So we have some compelling. 00:28:52
Entries. 00:28:55
And we would love to pick all of them, but we don't have enough money. 00:28:58
So I don't know, again, that's not going to necessarily be a part of this, but I'm just wondering at what point can I show you all 00:29:02
those things and I mean what what would be the process for me to try to ask for more money for those? 00:29:09
Well. 00:29:19
There is money in the SPLOST in spots 3-4 Hair Shoals Park specifically, You've only. 00:29:21
Appropriated or designated a certain amount of it for phase one, you know we are. 00:29:26
We have. 00:29:32
I mean, your committee can make a recommendation, you know, to this board. 00:30:04
That's how we would handle it, OK. I mean there are fun, I think there are, there's funds in there. OK, great. And then related to 00:30:10
that in the budget. 00:30:14
Had specifically when they first came, had said they wanted $5000. 00:30:20
To do more of the art boards, Wendy Cooper, the director, has since said that she would rather instead of using the 5000 towards 00:30:26
that, to use the 5000 towards the. 00:30:32
Projects in the park and so I don't know if we need to make note of that, if that needs to be. I'm not sure exactly how I also 00:30:39
support that and from what I hear out and about that would be. 00:30:45
Supported people. 00:30:51
So, so I did speak with the mayor a little bit about this. So when they came forward in March with their request, it was to 00:30:53
replace six of the art boards. 00:30:58
That was the e-mail that we received. I think it's important to maybe so a couple things. Remember SPLOST is capital. We can only 00:31:02
use it on capital. We can't use it for maintenance. 00:31:07
OK. So I think these are this is general fund, so this is operating. 00:31:14
Day-to-day, kind of. 00:31:19
My recommendation would be leave it there, make them use that to to clean and to up to replace. Six of the ones that look really 00:31:21
bad that maybe they can't clean or beyond. 00:31:26
To make sure they maintain them and then I would just suggest to supplement that for the funds that are required for. 00:32:07
Art boards in the park just come forward with a spots request and the designs. Did you get 3 submissions or two? 00:32:14
So we got 3 submissions and one of them would take our entire budget and it is lovely and we've actually reached out to that 00:32:23
artist. 00:32:28
Said we would perhaps like to see this later as the part gets done, maybe in the green that's going to be down, and then the other 00:32:34
two. One of them was two different pieces and so ideally we would love to have three pieces, 1 by 1 artisan, 2 by a different 00:32:41
artist. 00:32:48
So, and I'm not sure now what the total like I'll need to add up and I have them all in Sharon's office. So if you guys want to 00:32:56
kind of look at them and stuff, they're really compelling. I was very excited to see what we got. 00:33:03
Well, great. Well, I think Sharon's right. Let's move that forward under the SWAST umbrella as a capital request and bring it, 00:33:11
bring it forward to share and direct and we'll look at them. 00:33:15
Any further comments or questions regarding the budget? 00:33:23
All right. Just just a reminder of the process because this is a process we started in February with your retreat where you guys 00:33:27
agreed to certain goals and and. 00:33:31
Is what we're talking about right now during this council work session, we have had one of the three hearings that's required for 00:34:08
adopting a new mileage rate because there is an increase in the mileage rate. We'll have the second one at 6:30 this evening and 00:34:14
the third one of that will occur on June 21st. You will also have a second hearing on the budget on the recommended budget that 00:34:20
has been published tonight. You'll have that at 6:30 and another one on the 21st. 00:34:26
It doesn't appear that we need the work session on the 25th, but we do have that scheduled. If if there's a reason to have that, 00:34:33
certainly we will have it. If not, we'll cancel that meeting. 00:34:37
That's the process. 00:34:42
OK. Thanks everybody. Meeting adjourned. Thank you. 00:34:44
Mics are still alive. Give me a minute please. 00:34:49
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Name Document type
FY24 Recommended Budget General Document
All right. I will call the budget hearing. 00:00:04
And budget work session to order and thank you everybody for being here and thank you. 00:00:07
Understanding when I was out earlier. Is Councilman Thomas on with us, Julie? Do we know or is he? He's not going to be on for 00:00:13
this one, OK? 00:00:16
So I'm going to try to walk through briefly. Hopefully everybody's had a chance to look at the document, but I'll walk through 00:00:49
briefly. 00:00:51
So just to pop up the budget goals for this year, obviously to continue to to provide the services with sustainable revenues, find 00:00:58
sources for those revenue for those. 00:01:03
For supporting those programs, continuing to efficiently effectively deliver those services to implement the job classification 00:01:10
compensation plan that was done last fall. And again to look for for other ways to fund our programs which we we've done a pretty 00:01:15
good job at I think. 00:01:20
This is really tiny, but there's no easy way to get up there unless we had a larger screen. 00:01:26
But basically we're looking at a recommended $2.85 million budget with revenue obviously a balanced budget. 00:01:33
There are some pieces of that we'll talk about as we get through it, but 2.85 million, that's about a 6.9% increase, about 00:01:41
$184,000 increase in the budget from over last year. 00:01:46
So on the revenue side, this is just a pie chart sort of show you, I think it's always for me, I'm very visual person. I always 00:01:52
like to say, OK, well what's the big chunks? 00:01:55
So on the revenue side, the three largest pieces or the property taxes at 24%, the local option sales tax at 33% and then our 00:01:59
insurance premium tax at 9% is a big difference between those two and the third one. 00:02:05
But those are the chunks. That's sort of where we get the majority of our revenues. 00:02:12
Those revenues, the two largest ones as I mentioned, our local option sales tax right now under our agreement with the county, we 00:02:18
received 7.77% of that. 00:02:22
Projecting that does that is a little different than what you guys have seen lately because we were getting 8.678.637 percent I 00:02:27
think prior to this calendar year. 00:02:32
So I'm projecting about almost 80,000 based on a 6% growth over that time frame. 00:02:38
And I think that's it's actually more like 10%, but I'm pretty conservative about it estimating that I want to be over it. So I'm 00:02:44
estimate about 6% even though we're showing about 10% month over month. 00:02:49
On property taxes, there we are estimated we do have a net digest of 230 million, that's an 18% increase over 2022 property 00:02:55
values. 00:02:59
We are recommending a property tax increase of .84 mills to go from 2.081 to 2.921 and that is needed specifically to pay this to 00:03:04
service the debt for the 100 acre Thomas family farm property that the city is looking to purchase for conservation purposes. 00:03:13
Just a little brief snapshot of what it looks like what our neighbors look like for the services that they they deliver in the the 00:03:26
mileage they obtain. We are fourth in line I think after just after Bishop has been the the lowest with the increase will be just 00:03:33
ahead of Bogart course I don't know what Bogart's is going to be this year's there's maybe going up to I have no idea. But if you 00:03:40
look at the rest if you look at the pure median is 3.2 we're you know significantly under that even with the 2.92 so. 00:03:47
And just as a reminder. 00:03:56
A lot of people understand how that's figured. But if your property is worth, and we'll talk about this a little bit in the next 00:03:58
meeting when we do the hearing for the mileage rate increase. But if your property is worth $100,000, you're assessed at 40%. So 00:04:05
$40,000 would be how you would then you would then take the mileage rate of 2.081. 00:04:11
For every $1000, so be 2.081 * 40 because there's four $41,000 increments in that 40,000, so you come up with that. That's how you 00:04:18
come up with it. So you're not and and and you figure in the homestead exemption if you're a residential property and I think here 00:04:23
in Oconee it's still $5000. 00:04:29
So it'd be 35,000 at the 2.081. In our case it would be 2.921 for the increase. 00:04:34
And we'll talk about that a little bit more like I said during the and we could talk about this. 00:04:41
During this meeting, if you want, but I can bring that information up. On the expense side, I think it's again important we are 00:04:44
funding 19 full-time equivalents plus one full time that we're recommending this year for our judicial assistant who's been 00:04:49
working part time. 00:04:53
Quite a lot of services for our little city handle all the alcohol business, license, permits, building permits and inspections. 00:05:00
The liaison, we don't actually do those inspections. We do issue the permits, but we have a partnership with Bureau Veritas to do 00:05:04
that for us. 00:05:09
Co compliance, financial management, garbage and leaf and limb. Those services again are contracted out. 00:05:15
Just the management of the government is handled through through our expense expenditures, legal services, police services, 00:05:20
Municipal Court operations, parks plans, review and zoning. 00:05:25
Professional engineering, which is contracted out in our public works, a lot of stuff. For 2.8 million, I think we're doing really 00:05:30
well. 00:05:33
And I think we we we deliver a good, a good value for the just a point on that. It's important to note providing a wide range of 00:05:37
services is what makes us eligible for the lost funds. So not all the community, not all the municipalities in Oconee County get. 00:05:43
A percentage of the lost funds because they don't provide enough defined services. So there's certain services that are defined by 00:05:50
the state that you have to provide if you want to be eligible for the local option sales tax funds. 00:05:55
So that's that's another advantage to doing things. And Sharon, I know that although it's just a partial fund, we may want to add 00:06:01
note that we do support library services on this chart in the future because I think that's one of those categories that. 00:06:07
Is also required as a part of the lost. 00:06:13
And because we do support them with significant funding, we could add that in the future. I missed that earlier. So and and I 00:06:17
think again it's important, we don't actually physically have to provide the services. We just have to work with someone to 00:06:21
provide those services to our citizens. 00:06:26
So just like I talked about garbage and engineering, even our legal. 00:06:31
On capital side, since this is a capital and operating budget, on the capital side typically capital is anything $5000 value or 00:06:37
more typically something that's going to have a long life. You know, we think about vehicles, buildings, that kind of thing. 00:06:43
Are replacement of the two crown. 00:07:26
But we do have to use that money within a certain amount of time and then our balance of funds is only 59,000. So you'll see that 00:08:00
we have 318,000 and some change if we use that 59 will have 258. And I feel pretty confident if you looked at the spreadsheet, you 00:08:05
know we were still doing good. I think every year we'll re-evaluate, decide if we need to contribute or we don't need to 00:08:11
contribute. You know a lot of things will be it'll just go, we'll just go year by year on that. 00:08:16
On on the expenditure side, just point out that 46% of our budget is police services and garbage. On the police side, we do have a 00:08:24
decrease in police that they worked really hard to try. 00:08:30
To just get down to the bare bones of what they really needed. 00:08:35
There it does provide for some funding. Initially asked for 20,000 for Part 2 part time. We're asking for only 10,000 for two-part 00:08:40
time positions. That really helps especially when we have people out on training because we are trying to make sure all of our 00:08:45
officers are are qualified and and trained. Obviously people are out sick or on vacation. We make sure we have coverage on garbage 00:08:50
leaf and limb. We are currently in a three-year contract of A of a essentially A5 year. We have a three-year with two one year 00:08:55
extensions. 00:09:00
During the the period of that three years there have been increases in the in the contractors budget or expenses, fuel landfill 00:09:06
disposal fees have gone up $20 a ton. That's a significant because obviously it's all based on how much you know they're picking 00:09:11
up. 00:09:15
Personnel costs have gone up like we've seen here as well, so they're asking for a fee, a fee increase of $3.18 a unit. So it's 00:09:21
going to go from 1982 to 23. 00:09:25
And just as a comparison, I live you know and outside of an area where I don't get service and it cost me about $300.00 a year to 00:09:31
have just garbage, doesn't even include leaf and limb. So it's a good value. You know we know from having done the gone out forbid 00:09:37
that there aren't many companies that are going to provide this type of level of service. Really fortunate to have a small company 00:09:43
locally that can do that. So that's that's important to note. 00:09:48
By budget, by category. It's important to note that the majority of what we do around here is people driven. We do have some 00:09:55
supplies and things, but a large portion of our budget is driven by, you know, people and I think that's always important to to 00:10:01
remember so valuable resource for the city. 00:10:07
Some major changes that we're recommending or changes in the budget that weren't in last year, about 67,000 in the pay adjustment. 00:10:14
For the employee that the pay study that was done that has been five years since the last one was done, that was something I 00:10:21
believe Councilwoman Campbell had pushed for back in 2018. And so we're at that point where we need to be looking at that and 00:10:27
obviously everybody's looking at increased costs and personnel right now. 00:10:32
Again, Garbage Leaf and Limb would go at 56,000 downtown development. We have an increase of about 57 that does up our six. We had 00:10:38
a budget in FY23 for only six months of a downtown development director. She will now be on board for for 12 months. So that's 00:10:44
part of it. We also have moved. 00:10:49
We also moved to that budget, even though it's not technical, I guess I could have gotten not technically an increase. We moved to 00:10:56
her budget, all the all the Christmas tree festivities, etcetera, because those are things that we can find through the hotel, 00:11:01
motel taxes, you know, in encourage people to come here, visitors to to come and whatnot. And then there's training for the DDA 00:11:05
board that has to be. 00:11:10
Paid for. 00:11:15
On the Parkside, it's 186,000 majority of that is to pay for the debts what we anticipate will be debt service on that, on that 00:11:16
additional green space purchase. 00:11:21
And then just maintaining the playground of possibilities Rocket Field which is being renovated and even Hair Shoals and we are 00:11:27
today I got the information from Trove. They do want to donate those parcels. So that will be another property that will have to 00:11:33
maintain and then Waters walk when they finish will have to fold that in as well so. 00:11:38
So those are those are some additional. 00:11:45
Property liability insurance with lawsuits and with cost of exposures with vehicle. 00:11:49
Incidents and things like that, we're seeing a $14,000 increase in our property and liability insurance. 00:11:56
On the financial software, we are looking at 14,000 for an annual subscription fee may not be quite that much if if if this moves 00:12:01
forward and we're able to trigger everything before the end of fiscal year. You guys did give us a budget amendment for about 00:12:06
45,000. So we could potentially pay some of that and and only have to pay the difference it may be 4 or $5000 in the in the next 00:12:11
year's budget. 00:12:16
I'll go back and make sure I figure that out. For the final meeting. On the election side, we do have an election. 00:12:22
It will be held at the government administration building for the county, the new building, but we do have to have that and 00:12:28
they're anticipating about $14,000. 00:12:33
For that election. 00:12:38
So the city election would be. 00:12:39
At the new administrative yeah well the the sorry the advance election. I'm sorry make that clear. The advanced. Yes sorry the the 00:12:41
advanced vote in three weeks advance voting which is what caught the majority that cost is. 00:12:47
Will be held at the county, but the actual day of election will be here in City Hall. Yes, thank you for that correction. 00:12:53
And then I mentioned earlier the judicial assistant, we did budget about 17,000 in this year's budget for a part-time judicial 00:12:58
assistant, but will be you know asking for that to be a full time. And it's really important. There's lots of specific policies 00:13:04
with handling criminal information, access to databases, FBI and otherwise that you know you have to have somebody that knows what 00:13:10
they're doing. Lauren who is currently that part time person does have is post certified, very aware of of all those sensitivities 00:13:15
and. 00:13:21
Lee keeps taking on additional jobs. So we have leaves our Municipal Court clerk, she's also our finance director and she's also 00:13:28
our terminal area coordinator and she could use some assistance on that is we need backup. We need some succession plans anyway 00:13:32
so. 00:13:36
So. 00:13:42
Is a budget nutshell. I didn't 15. I thought it'd take me 20. 00:13:43
So questions or comments or whatever. So first of all, I want to say how utterly I impress. 00:13:48
With the presentation of. 00:13:56
As I went through. 00:14:00
You know, I I had some initial questions, but as I looked through all of it, they're answered. I mean, I have some things that I 00:14:02
would like to discuss about the budget, but I appreciate the fact that you have such a clear narrative, you have the charts. 00:14:09
Then you have big picture, just numbers and then you go, I mean every, every, I mean it is detailed as detailed can be. And so I 00:14:16
just want to thank you for your work. 00:14:21
Whoever. I know Brian worked really hard on this, Julie. Yeah, I mean incredibly hard and all the department heads for all of your 00:14:27
level of detail in it. I know that as a city we want to be transparent and you could not have a more transparent budget than this 00:14:33
and also transparent in a way that is accessible. 00:14:40
To just about anybody and all of the different ways you communicate it. 00:14:46
Thank you. I mean this. I cannot imagine the work that went into this and I so appreciate it. 00:14:51
So thank you all very very much. 00:14:58
I have other questions. Any other? Any other general general comments before Christine Councilwoman Tucker gets into her 00:15:04
questions? 00:15:07
I'll echo what Councilman Tucker said. You know, I mean, I do work with Sharon on this and look at it in detail, but the. 00:15:12
In Lee and Sharon just do a wonderful job. 00:15:19
Preparing this based on. 00:15:22
Most importantly, I think based on the guidance that we provide at our strategic planning session, which comes from our citizens 00:15:25
and is citizen driven. 00:15:28
So in addition to the nuts and bolts of keeping a city running and keeping our citizens safe. 00:15:33
Keeping, keeping the city looking great, Toby and taking care of our public works and Kate taking care of our downtown. 00:15:39
There's all the other things that we've spent a whole day on Priorit. 00:15:45
And so to take all that input and then turn it into something like this in just a few months is really is really impressive. 00:15:49
Grateful to you guys. 00:15:55
A few things that jumped out to me as I looked through it #1 is we do benefit from having and this is my private sector had on. 00:15:58
But you know it's always better to have a diverse revenue stream than having all of your revenue coming from one source and and 00:16:02
that really struck me about our. 00:16:07
About you know one of the strengths that we have is that we have a diverse revenue stream. We don't have a really large source of 00:16:12
revenue that's dominating our. So if we if there is trouble in the economy, if there's if there's a challenge with sales tax, 00:16:18
there's property tax. If there's a challenge with property taxes, there's still sales tax, there's these other revenue streams. 00:16:24
So I think that's very healthy for us. 00:16:31
Umm. 00:16:34
The mileage increases. 00:16:35
What we approximately anticipate to use to pay for the new part, the mileage has not increased. You know, as far back as this went 00:16:37
to 2015, it's only come down or been held flat and I think. 00:16:42
If we really went back, Julie, I can't remember. I would think probably to the Great Recession. 00:16:48
It might be the last time we've we increased the mileage rate if we increased it then. 00:16:53
I think we might have just held it steady. So it's it's been a long time. Nobody is excited about that. But I did note that you 00:16:57
know, for someone with a $300,000 home. 00:17:02
You know that would workout to about $11.45 a month. 00:17:06
And that gives us an opportunity to preserve about 5% of the total green space in Watkinsville, which is a tremendous opportunity, 00:17:10
so. 00:17:13
Thank you all for that and you have to notice the property digest. 00:17:18
Size has doubled since 2017. 00:17:22
And that's, you know, that's and I think. 00:17:25
You know, while we've had growth in Watkinsville, this town still feels it doesn't feel that different than 2017. So I think it's 00:17:29
a real tribute that it's places like Wire Park that have been reused and increased value and structures, not just new structures 00:17:34
that have been built. 00:17:39
Which makes me happy that it's not all new development, but it's. 00:17:44
We're seeing our older buildings being rebuilt, rehabilitated and and finding new uses, which is a real positive for us. So 00:17:48
anyway, thank you for all the work, great job Lee and Sharon on this. 00:17:53
All right. Christine, you. 00:18:00
Questions. I know we have a citizen who's arrived, Mr. Smith. We're going to do council questions first. 00:18:02
Your your question was to her. 00:18:07
I can hear with them, but when you ask him a question, he was sitting back wrong way back. I didn't hear what he said when she 00:18:45
first started. Her microphone was way away from her face. And I have. I either read lips. If somebody looks down, I can't read 00:18:53
lips. I've said this a few years now, but and when when I asked to slow down your conversation, I couldn't hear. 00:19:00
I heard what you said, but I didn't hear his question to you. I heard your answer, but the answer goes so good when I don't hear 00:19:09
the question. So thank you. Thank you. I don't remember the question. Sharon, do you remember what question does anybody remember 00:19:13
my question? 00:19:18
I was making a comment, OK, I think Mr. Smith, I think I was just making a comment about the work that went into the budget. 00:19:23
And I'm happy to. 00:19:30
Repeat the gist. 00:19:32
So this is a work session for me and you guys to talk. Typically we don't allow public comment at this point but that would be up 00:19:39
to the mayor and council to decide at that point. So we'll we'll work through the questions that we have and then time allowing if 00:19:43
we we can do comments or questions and if we need to redo those at the public hearing then we can. But our first priority is to 00:19:48
have Y'all's comments to. 00:19:53
The manager and finance director on the budget. 00:19:59
OK, so. 00:20:02
The transfer in on the screen that's showing right now, the transfer in 44 two, what is that? That's the hotel motel. I wondered 00:20:06
if it was because I didn't see anywhere else. But I just was clarifying that because it's in a separate, it has to be collected in 00:20:12
Fund 275 and then transferred in. It has to, yeah, that's by law. It has to go in separate fund. 00:20:18
So. 00:20:27
I mean, I actually, as I look through it, I don't have that many questions or comments because you guys did such a phenomenal job 00:20:30
in all of this. One thing I noticed. 00:20:35
Is that a lot of the 2020? 00:20:41
Budget for expenses. Our actual expenses were less. 00:20:46
Much of the time, which I think also. 00:20:51
Just I appreciate that you are conservative as you do this to make sure you are not over projecting our revenue and your that that 00:20:55
we should always have a balanced budget. But my question is when that happens which is great, what happens to that money? Is it 00:21:01
like the department has to use it or lose it? Does it just go into the general fund, Does it? 00:21:08
We work for whatever fun, you know, if we need the funds, we spend them. Some cases we anticipate we need money for this and then 00:21:54
something else crops up like a laptop pukes and we need we need to replace and we go, well, we're not gonna be able to we have to 00:21:58
really watch this because we need to buy the laptop or whatever. So but at the end of the year if there's any money left, the 00:22:03
audits all done. Then we do a journal. There's a journal entry and all those funds go back into the general fund and the fund 00:22:07
balance. 00:22:12
Thank you. I do want to make the point, you know when we have the opportunity with the Thomas property. 00:22:18
We did then. 00:22:26
Took a hard look at the budget and my challenge to Sheridan Lee was to keep everything flat as much as we could because we knew 00:22:27
that we were going to have to. We'd likely need a mileage increase to pay for that. And so since we were doing that, we did. And 00:22:33
thank you to the department leads, Todd, Toby and Kate. I mean, we had to get skinnier than the initial recommendations that 00:22:38
everybody was making and so. 00:22:43
Sharon and Lee and then everybody who was leading their own budget was willing to go back and look at their budget and. 00:22:50
Skinny it up a little bit so we could minimize the impact, you know and and really. 00:22:57
The mileage mileage increase to accommodate the just. 00:23:02
Potential debt service. 00:23:07
Any other questions for staff? 00:23:15
OK. I'm not hearing any. 00:23:20
All right. We do have time. So Mr. Smith, if you would like to make your questions, let me just. 00:23:22
Give you the outline. So we have this this is a this is a work session, so if it rolls on a long time we we can shut it down. We 00:23:29
also have a public hearing at our regular meeting. 00:23:34
Tonight too. So you're welcome to come back and make those comments and that setting as well tonight. Or give us those now, 00:23:41
whichever you prefer. 00:23:44
4 minutes is what we have, what we have. Thank you. 00:23:49
Sharon, you set a timer please. 00:23:54
Thank you Mayor and. 00:24:00
Send an open record check today about. 00:24:03
The park. 00:24:08
Make sure that bikes on. 00:24:11
For the most part. 00:24:16
Mr. Smith. Just just. 00:24:19
I pause the timer from it, make sure that Mike is on because we may have people joining us online. All right, I'll resume the 00:24:23
timer. 00:24:25
That's a long time real estate broker. 00:24:34
I've watched real estate. 00:24:38
Being developed. 00:24:40
All around the. 00:24:42
In several states, including here. 00:24:44
The questions I asked were relevant. 00:24:47
Buying real estate? 00:24:52
Appraisals. 00:24:55
How did you arrive at? 00:24:57
When when a developer looks at a property, looks at the highest and best use, which what is the highest and best use of this 00:25:01
property is typically in this town. Residential. I doubt you'll ever see commercial or industrial go out there. So residential. 00:25:08
Then you take that property and you analyze it. 00:25:16
You plan it, you engineer it. You find out how many lots you can get on this property. 00:25:19
And then you take that to the market to see what will the lights bring. 00:25:26
And the market says no, we don't have any sewer available to this site. 00:25:32
Do we have sewer available to this site? How many lots can you get on 100 acres? There's a wetlands that goes across the property. 00:25:38
You have about 12 to 14 acres on the right side looking at it. 00:25:43
And then you have to go through the wetland to get to the other side. Now how's the developer going to go from this side to that 00:25:48
side? 00:25:51
To arrive at some indication of whether he's going to buy or she's going to buy the property. 00:25:56
There's a lot of things that come into play and you go to the bank and the bank says, well, let me see your plan, your development 00:26:01
plan, how many lots you're gonna have, what's the absorption rate of the? 00:26:06
As. 00:26:11
Then you do a net net return or internal rent return. I've done in the past. 00:26:12
To see if if. 00:26:18
Cost benefit. 00:26:19
I'm questioning you that because I would like to see some appraisals. Do you have an appraisal? 00:26:21
Where are the market values? What are the lots? I'm selling lots on 441. 00:26:27
Large tracks on 440. 00:26:33
And we'll just like to look to see the answers on these questions. 00:26:36
And more particularly, how does this decision come to bear here? 00:26:40
And why aren't the taxpayers part of the decision to spend four and a half $1,000,000 on a property? 00:26:45
I'm sure the property is beautiful. I've seen it. I've driven past it all my adult life and driving life. 00:26:51
And I'm trying to. I'm trying to. 00:26:58
Or help me decide how this body can make a decision for a population of 2900 people with a budget that used to be 1.7 million as 00:27:01
2.8 million and we're raising the mileage rate .84 mill. 00:27:09
And the and there's nobody in this room to to to listen to this discussion. 00:27:19
And I'm just a little lone wolf out there trying to figure out what's going on. Here is a third generation Watkinsville. So those 00:27:25
are some of my questions. 00:27:28
Going forward, the biggest thing is how does this body make a decision without the taxpayers involvement on such a large purchase 00:27:34
and how is it going to be financing a 90% loan when the market says me recently 65% loan to value? 00:27:41
And seven and 8% interest and we're going for 4%. I need that loan, but thank you for listening to this one on segment of. 00:27:49
Of walking to. 00:27:58
Thank you, Mr. Smith, and we will provide you with. 00:28:06
Response on your open records requests that I think will give you give you additional context to your questions. 00:28:09
All right. Any other? Any other matters for discussion? 00:28:21
So I I do. I mean, although it's not, I don't know that it's really going to be a general budget issue, but since we have time, if 00:28:24
you guys will indulge me. 00:28:29
This might be more of a SP. 00:28:35
Budget item so as we have, as I think all of y'all know. 00:28:37
I. 00:28:43
Have the subcommittee that's looking at the art proposals for where the playground used to be. 00:28:45
And. 00:28:51
So we have some compelling. 00:28:52
Entries. 00:28:55
And we would love to pick all of them, but we don't have enough money. 00:28:58
So I don't know, again, that's not going to necessarily be a part of this, but I'm just wondering at what point can I show you all 00:29:02
those things and I mean what what would be the process for me to try to ask for more money for those? 00:29:09
Well. 00:29:19
There is money in the SPLOST in spots 3-4 Hair Shoals Park specifically, You've only. 00:29:21
Appropriated or designated a certain amount of it for phase one, you know we are. 00:29:26
We have. 00:29:32
I mean, your committee can make a recommendation, you know, to this board. 00:30:04
That's how we would handle it, OK. I mean there are fun, I think there are, there's funds in there. OK, great. And then related to 00:30:10
that in the budget. 00:30:14
Had specifically when they first came, had said they wanted $5000. 00:30:20
To do more of the art boards, Wendy Cooper, the director, has since said that she would rather instead of using the 5000 towards 00:30:26
that, to use the 5000 towards the. 00:30:32
Projects in the park and so I don't know if we need to make note of that, if that needs to be. I'm not sure exactly how I also 00:30:39
support that and from what I hear out and about that would be. 00:30:45
Supported people. 00:30:51
So, so I did speak with the mayor a little bit about this. So when they came forward in March with their request, it was to 00:30:53
replace six of the art boards. 00:30:58
That was the e-mail that we received. I think it's important to maybe so a couple things. Remember SPLOST is capital. We can only 00:31:02
use it on capital. We can't use it for maintenance. 00:31:07
OK. So I think these are this is general fund, so this is operating. 00:31:14
Day-to-day, kind of. 00:31:19
My recommendation would be leave it there, make them use that to to clean and to up to replace. Six of the ones that look really 00:31:21
bad that maybe they can't clean or beyond. 00:31:26
To make sure they maintain them and then I would just suggest to supplement that for the funds that are required for. 00:32:07
Art boards in the park just come forward with a spots request and the designs. Did you get 3 submissions or two? 00:32:14
So we got 3 submissions and one of them would take our entire budget and it is lovely and we've actually reached out to that 00:32:23
artist. 00:32:28
Said we would perhaps like to see this later as the part gets done, maybe in the green that's going to be down, and then the other 00:32:34
two. One of them was two different pieces and so ideally we would love to have three pieces, 1 by 1 artisan, 2 by a different 00:32:41
artist. 00:32:48
So, and I'm not sure now what the total like I'll need to add up and I have them all in Sharon's office. So if you guys want to 00:32:56
kind of look at them and stuff, they're really compelling. I was very excited to see what we got. 00:33:03
Well, great. Well, I think Sharon's right. Let's move that forward under the SWAST umbrella as a capital request and bring it, 00:33:11
bring it forward to share and direct and we'll look at them. 00:33:15
Any further comments or questions regarding the budget? 00:33:23
All right. Just just a reminder of the process because this is a process we started in February with your retreat where you guys 00:33:27
agreed to certain goals and and. 00:33:31
Is what we're talking about right now during this council work session, we have had one of the three hearings that's required for 00:34:08
adopting a new mileage rate because there is an increase in the mileage rate. We'll have the second one at 6:30 this evening and 00:34:14
the third one of that will occur on June 21st. You will also have a second hearing on the budget on the recommended budget that 00:34:20
has been published tonight. You'll have that at 6:30 and another one on the 21st. 00:34:26
It doesn't appear that we need the work session on the 25th, but we do have that scheduled. If if there's a reason to have that, 00:34:33
certainly we will have it. If not, we'll cancel that meeting. 00:34:37
That's the process. 00:34:42
OK. Thanks everybody. Meeting adjourned. Thank you. 00:34:44
Mics are still alive. Give me a minute please. 00:34:49
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