Special Committee Ways and Means | Regular Meeting | May 12th, 2026 | 5:30pm
Call to Order and Roll Call
The Special Committee on Ways and Means is called to order, and the clerk conducts a roll call to establish a quorum. The committee members also discuss the order of the departments to be reviewed during the meeting.
Public Property Department Budget Discussion
The committee reviews the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget for the Public Property Department, including discussions on staffing changes and vehicle fleet management. Members ask questions regarding the status of Camp Cronin, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and capital maintenance projects.
Sustainability Department Budget Discussion
The committee discusses the proposed budget for the Sustainability Department, highlighting energy operations and the implementation of the climate justice plan. Discussions focus on solar energy initiatives, stormwater management, and the department's success in reducing overall utility costs.
Department of Human Services Budget Discussion
The committee examines the proposed budget for the Department of Human Services, focusing on housing stabilization, eviction defense, and senior services. Members debate the structure of a new municipal rental assistance program and coordinate outreach efforts for unhoused residents.
Adjournment
The committee votes to continue items one through five on the agenda to a future meeting. A motion to adjourn is made and seconded, concluding the evening's proceedings.
Unknown
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Hi. Good evening. This is calling to order a committee special committee on ways and means. It is 05:31. City Clerks, can we take roll call, please?
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Chair Sanchez. Present. Vice Chairman Taylor. Yes. Councillor Antoine is absent.
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Councilwoman Graves absent. Councilwoman Peterson, here we have three present and two absent. We have a form. Awesome. Thank you.
Unknown
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I just wanna recognize that councilman Vargas is here with us. We have a law department. We have clerk department, a lot of from administration. So noted. How do you wanna do the?
Unknown
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Yeah. And then if it's okay, I'd like to start with public property since they've kind of been there a few nights already and then move on to sustainability and housing and human services. Yeah. That works. That sounds good.
Unknown
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I feel like sustainability is something here. They have. They've been here too. Yes. For good stuff.
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Laura Spearnstein, chief financial officer. Sarah Silverberg, finance director. Office, finance director and budget officer. Sustainability department. So this time, I'll take a motion to entertain I'll take motion to entertain exhibit 16 onto the record.
Unknown
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At this time, I'll take a motion to waive the reading, and I I have moved one through six. Motion made by one through five, actually. The property is considered a revenue generating department. They generate revenue from building fees as well as insurance proceeds from claims filed on the. The fiscal year twenty twenty seven budget represents a 5,000 increase over the fiscal year twenty twenty six budget, which is supported by the historical trends.
Unknown
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And I was in remise in letting you know that their budget begins on page two sixty three in their. So if you feel specific. Fiscal year twenty twenty seven total proposed budget for the public property department is $89,990,580. This represents $300,692 increase over the fiscal year twenty twenty six budget of $8,689,828. Total salaries of fiscal twenty twenty six were budgeted at $1,794,798.
Unknown
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There are several changes to the budget this year that we are requesting. The first adjustment will be for cost of living increases for eligible employees as well as debt increases for nonpaying for union employees. Mhmm. There is a request to defund the 400 public property position and fund it with the manager of facilities position at a minimum cost of $12,193 Additionally, there is a request for three custodial laborers, one of which is for the telecommunications department for a cost of $145,165. And finally, there is a request for two new maintenance people for a total of $100,003.1847 dollars.
Unknown
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Yeah. From budgetary perspective. So the position that is transferring from telecoms, is that gonna be reflected in their budget? Yeah. It was already reduced.
Unknown
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In telecoms budget, you'll see a reduction for that FTE. Oh, that's amazing. Mhmm. Certainly. And I will say that the custodial staff is also tied to the purchase of $4.44.
Unknown
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We are currently paying paying on properties and convenience of that building, and so the city will need to absorb those costs when that purchase goes to that. What's the what's the cost? That's insane. We are gonna be I don't have the fiscal note in front of me, but it was a savings when we invested in investing in building versus. Mhmm.
Unknown
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Their budget has been broken into fixed and discretionary costs. They have quite a few line items. So we've got one slide for services and one versus the five. The first fixed cost is liability insurance. This is property insurance for our bond and collateral.
Unknown
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It is increasing by a little over $11,000 this year based on our estimated projections from the insurance broker. Fees non classified have been decreased by 664,000. Part of that is the reallocation of or I'm sorry, the reduction for the $4.44 maintenance fees. But the bulk of that has been shifted down to private contractors and relates to PRISM streetlight maintenance. And so that is an annual maintenance contract they're required to pay every year.
Unknown
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Additionally, under discretionary line items, we have postage, dues and subscriptions, which are annual music licenses and professional memberships. Tax control is another discretionary cost, and the dues is paid to increase by $20,000 next year and support our historic spending. Taxes are level funded, and there's a property taxes for the growing property down in the southern part of the state. Private contractors consider it a fixed cost, and this together most of their contract services and includes the prison straight light maintenance. Professional buildings have a modest increase of $3,000 for the total of the state of $19.70 to $5,000 And miscellaneous professional services does have an increase of $25,000 is still allowed for additional architect and engineering services for maintenance and non CIP projects.
Unknown
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Site. For secure questions. Oh, okay. Well, what's the project development? The professional development is questions about this for the staff.
Unknown
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I'm not sure. Is that machine questions? Licenses. We just bought a Bobcat, so just to train the guys themselves to flex the training. Other certifications.
Unknown
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Cool. Sounds like you. Of course. Any other questions on services, Okay. Are you guys good?
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Jeff, are you good? Perfect. I like those good. Thank you. Wonderful.
Unknown
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Please hold on a second. Yeah. We going to do question now or? If you have a question on something that like, specific to what we're speaking about, you can ask just so so you don't forget. But if it's kinda more general speaking, we can wait till the job presents in.
Unknown
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Well, then I got one because she vented it. I know it was. No. No. We didn't.
Unknown
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You have it. Don't you question that? That's okay. Right? Of course.
Unknown
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Yeah. The only question I'm gonna ask is the same one probably Oscar wants to ask about the Camp Cronin. Yep. What are we gonna decide? That's a good question.
Unknown
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What's going on with Camp Cronin? We're losing money. That $15,000 paid to Navalanza Town. We're not getting a dime on this one. What what is our plan for?
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Are we gonna sell it? What what what's our plan? Do we have a plan? I think we're in discussion right now with renowned DM. The seller.
Unknown
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Good question. So we're in discussion with them. Yep. Have to do with is there a problem with the property down there? Like They might take over the property.
Unknown
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Okay. I don't know. There's not a problem. Like, we have to remediate something because it's acid oil or something there. No.
Unknown
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No. Okay. But he might be able to take over the property themselves. Take over. Not for free at all.
Unknown
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I hope not. Okay. So That's up in the Yeah. We're good. That's about our.
Unknown
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Right? Just make sure what person is speaking at, man. I'll speak. I don't assume. Just.
Unknown
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Okay. We're fine. So I will take that as a follow-up item. I'm actually not quite sure what the plan is for, but I can report back to the committee based on the feedback I received from the administration. Awesome.
Unknown
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That would be great. So before councilor Peterson speaks, I just wanna rep the directors reflect that councilwoman Joe Davidson have joined us. So noted. Councilwoman Peterson? Just a quick question on Tim Ferdinand since we're on it.
Unknown
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Is it in usable condition? What? The building is gutted. Okay. So it would have to be, you know, built to whatever standard.
Unknown
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Oh, is it is it, like, auctioning right now? It's campground operable. Like, can somebody go in and use it at any given time? Building right now. There is no septic.
Unknown
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There's no water. There's anything like that. The only thing there is is electricity right now. Got it. Okay.
Unknown
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Thank you. Do we continue? Excellent. Yeah. I'll have some follow-up information on it.
Unknown
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There. So on to slide six. There are quite a few supply line items that have some modest changes based on the trend in trending. As per the trend for my five year new budgeting, we have eliminated the convenience expenses, and we allocated those dollars to more descriptive line items. So it's been personal project of mine.
Unknown
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And we sincerely appreciate it very much, Crystal. Wonderful. I do think it's helpful to to let everybody know what we're spending our dollars on. As you can see, we have some small increases in small tools and shop supplies as well as construction, maintenance, and supplies. Auto parts have been level funded, as has heating fuel.
Unknown
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Housekeeping supplies are increasing by about $10,000 again, for additional spaces that are mainly used to fund cleaning materials. Heat is level funded at $15,000 Motor fuel is seeing a steep increase of $200,000 This is supported by current pricing and in agreement, which we announced for, I believe, this fiscal year. Wonderful. So we have a new provider for those services, and that is our estimated cost for next fiscal year. Electrical supply are also expected to increase by a bit, $41,000 to bring the total budget to $61,000 for this fiscal year.
Unknown
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Uniforms and wearing apparel are increasing to account for the new staff that leave the preps fitness department. They are level funding miscellaneous materials and supplies. However, there is a small increase to the rent to order equipment line item. Maintenance service, again, is additional maintenance costs related to the purchase of one forty four as well as operating maintenance that the government is planning on until you grew up here, which includes window cleaning. I don't know about you, but I was very excited to see city hall cleaning for the first time in ten years.
Unknown
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Mhmm. Additionally, there's a small increase to repairs to audits and tracks of $8,000. Property and maintenance has been well funded, and replaced the buildings has also been well. Super question on this page. What exactly is repairs to auto trucks autos and trucks?
Unknown
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Like, I'm asking because there's a line item for auto parts. So what's the difference between auto parts and repairs to being paid? So because we house the manager the fleet manager in our department, so fleet manager is responsible for the vehicles that get repaired at the repair garage on Dexter Street at DPW. So we we pay for the parts for, you know, for most of those vehicles, especially ours for the fleet for DPW fleet and, like, DIS. Everybody that's got a car, we end up paying for the parts for those cars.
Unknown
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And then as far as the repairs, repair is going to this. Whatever we would have to pay that that, like, oral body, things that we can't really fix. External stuff? Yes. Enough.
Unknown
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Things that we can't fix in house. Yep. That's nice. Just a question. We're all very aware that positive air conditioning has has gone up extremely.
Unknown
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Mhmm. So I'm I'm just making sure that the the line items for auto parts and tires staying the same is sufficient to to the needs of this department. So the I believe the line item that we have for tires, most most of the fleet with our last what do call it? The Master. Master lease, we've gotten we're riding with a newer fleet.
Unknown
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So we feel that the need for tires, you know, for the next probably little while is really. Some not popping tires, but burnouts. Yeah. Are you guys responsible for auto parts and tires for police and fire? No.
Unknown
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They pay they pay their budget through the repair garage for for the fire trucks, police vehicles, things of that nature. We do send vehicles over there for repairs, oil changes, things of that nature. Like, say, public property, DIS, things of that nature. What's what's the actuals so far on auto parts for this fiscal year, miss Rose? The actuals year to date are $3,738.
Unknown
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For auto parts? Correct. Is that is that lagging a little bit on on building? Or It shouldn't be. I mean, to the deputy director's point, we did issue a master lease a couple of years ago.
Unknown
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So the lease in general in public property is newer than it had historically been. So many of those vehicles are less costly to repair and maintain than they have historically been. When we get into some of the other larger departments at DPW next week, for example, you'll see they actually have another allocation for auto parts and tires, and a whole garage department in their budget. Mhmm. So the deputy director's point, the fleet manager is responsible for, you know, managing and making sure that all of our fleet is is maintained.