2026-09-28 - Budget Review Committee

00:06Go.

00:07Okay. [clears throat]

00:10I'd like to call the budget review

00:12committee to order. It's September 28th,

00:142026.

00:15We're in the almatic chamber and the

00:19notice the meeting has been noticed in

00:21two places including the city's website

00:23in its accordance with RSA 91-822.

00:29>> [clears throat]

00:30>> Uh we'll start by taking the attendance.

00:34Alge Michael O'Brien Senior is present.

00:38Automan Lodge Osha Kelly

00:41>> here.

00:43>> Alderman Lodge Alicia Greg

00:45>> here.

00:46>> Alman Derek Thibo

00:48>> here.

00:50>> Alderman Paula Johnson

00:52>> present.

00:53>> Alman T Senate

00:57>> I'm here. I'm participating remotely due

00:59to child care constraints. I'm alone in

01:02this room and I can hear everybody in

01:03the chamber.

01:05>> And Alderman Richard A. Da

01:07>> present.

01:09[clears throat]

01:09>> You have one, two, [cough] three, four,

01:11five, seven members present.

01:13>> We have a bunch of distinguished guests.

01:15>> Yes, we do. Uh I don't see unless she's

01:18hiding.

01:19>> Don's not here yet.

01:20>> Don Enright. Okay, we're expecting her.

01:23Okay. Uh

01:24>> oh, we also have Ruan. Oh, alderman

01:28revan. Thank you.

01:32I love this TV blocking part of my view.

01:35>> I know.

01:36>> Uh, sorry, Alderman. Okay. Uh, we're

01:41expecting Don Enright, CFO. Are we

01:44expecting at least a photo?

01:47>> No.

01:48>> No. Okay.

01:50Um,

01:52Dave Buchcher

01:54of Wastewater. Are we expecting him?

01:59Don't know. I'll keep it open. Um, Mario

02:03Andre, superintendent of the schools.

02:05>> He's not here yet.

02:06>> Okay, we're expecting him.

02:08>> Sean Smith.

02:08>> Sean Smith from Nashville School

02:11Department. Dan Hudson, city engineer.

02:13Jeff Laflur of uh the landfill. And

02:18Brian Caret of uh parks and recreation.

02:23and

02:24>> you're missing.

02:25>> Okay. Sorry about that.

02:29All right. And Matt Sullivan is on Zoom.

02:41All right.

02:44First item on the agenda is public

02:45comment. Is there anybody wishes to

02:47comment on anything on tonight's agenda?

02:51Seeing none

02:54communications.

02:56>> We have one from Lisa photo, director of

02:58public works. Reason referral from the

03:01board of alderman.

03:03>> There being no objection, I'll accept

03:04the communication. Place it on file.

03:07Unfinished business.

03:08>> There is none. New business resolutions.

03:12>> Before us tonight is R-26-057,

03:17approving the borrowing of an additional

03:19$345,000

03:22from the Clean Water State Revolving

03:24Fund for the Four Hills Landfill PF uh

03:29PIFA beach [clears throat] removal and

03:32destruction of the pilot test project.

03:36>> Okay. I would like to make a motion to

03:39recommend final passage.

03:40>> So the motion is to recommend final

03:42passage. We had an explanation during

03:45the public hearing from Jeff Lafleur.

03:47Are there any additional questions for

03:50Jeff?

03:52No.

03:53All right. Any questions at all on this?

03:58All in favor signify by saying I'm

04:00sorry. Roll call.

04:02>> Yes.

04:03>> Call the roll.

04:03>> Yes, I will. Alman O'Brien votes yay.

04:07Odin alive Kelly.

04:10>> Yes.

04:11>> Alman Elage Greg.

04:14>> Yes.

04:15>> Altman Tibo.

04:16>> Yeah.

04:17>> Altman Johnson.

04:18>> Yes.

04:18>> Altman Senate.

04:20>> Yes.

04:21>> Alman Dow.

04:22>> Yes.

04:23>> Motion carries.

04:27Also before us this evening is R-26

04:33relative to the fiscal year 2026

04:35transfer of $150,000 from department 191

04:40school account 71221

04:44computer equipment to fund

04:47uh 1 uh 1,000 department 20 uh 2110

04:55Pool service fund account 4910

04:590 transfer from general fund for the

05:02purpose of funding fiscal year 26

05:06expenditures in the food service special

05:08revenue fund. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to

05:10make a motion to recommend final

05:12passage.

05:13>> Okay. The motion is to recommend final

05:15passage. I did have She's not here yet.

05:18I did have a discussion with

05:21Crystal. Looks like director Cummings

05:24wants to uh

05:26>> uh certainly Tim Cummings, director of

05:28administrative services. I think you

05:30were just gonna say what I'm about to

05:32relay, which was

05:34>> u u I believe Crystal Deg Grrey uh from

05:37from the schools was planning to be here

05:39this evening and I think she's making

05:40her way over uh to speak to this

05:43particular uh piece of legislation. I

05:45know there was a board of education

05:46meeting I believe happening uh

05:48relatively around the same time. So, um

05:51I will try to pinch hit as best as

05:53possible and certainly uh she can when

05:55she arrives she can answer any

05:57questions. Uh so this uh piece of

05:59legislation I I would suggest is a

06:01rather uh uh mundane uh piece of

06:04legislation housekeeping. It is

06:06essentially uh transferring some monies

06:08from the general fund school budget to a

06:11special revenue uh fund uh to to true it

06:15up where uh some of the revenues uh did

06:19not come in as as projected and there

06:21was more expenses than revenue. And so

06:23to to start this year off in goodstead,

06:25we're looking to move $150,000 from from

06:28the school's budget uh to to this uh

06:31particular um special revenue fund. Yes,

06:35it was FY26

06:37funds. There was money left over in that

06:39particular account. They're transferring

06:41it to another account that was um over

06:44spent.

06:46Uh Alderman Tibo,

06:48>> thank you. I mean, I never like uh

06:50voting on something when someone's not

06:51here to talk to it. Um and I know it's

06:54somewhat mundane because it's just and I

06:56I signed off. I endorsed it, so I'm okay

06:59with doing that. The question I would

07:01have is, are we going to have problems

07:02with food service money next year? Like

07:04are is there a reason why we're not

07:08I guess making that amount of money or

07:11like do we have to readjust budgets for

07:14previous years? Like why are we taking

07:15money for I understand

07:17>> taking one where we have too much

07:18putting it in place that needs it

07:20>> what's going to happen next year. I'm

07:21more worried about like is food service

07:23not getting the right amount of money

07:25every year

07:26>> if if director Cummings.

07:28>> Thank you. I think that's a great

07:29question and I'll leave it to the

07:30schools to answer specifically, but I

07:33think you've illustrated a an excellent

07:35point, one that we all should be

07:36concerned with. Um, I believe that this

07:39was a hot button issue a couple years

07:40ago and they did increase um the the

07:44cost of of of uh the increase uh the the

07:48monies uh for the revenue to come into

07:50that fund uh because they saw costs

07:52increasing. Um, I think it would be fair

07:55to say we're probably at that point

07:56again where we're going to need to to

07:58revisit it. Uh, certainly this is a

08:00policy decision of the of the board of

08:02education and I know it's uh something

08:04that's on the short list for both

08:06Crystal and Mario to address.

08:08>> So, the point is very well taken.

08:10>> Yes.

08:12>> On the other side of that is

08:15>> why are we over in the computer

08:18>> or the computer

08:20equipment?

08:21Like why do we have extra money on that

08:23one? I I guess you can't answer it. So I

08:25mean I don't know. Yeah,

08:26>> I can wait till we can just just approve

08:28it and I'll ask the questions when the

08:30board of alder meets. I guess you know.

08:32>> Yeah, we can do that. We can hold go to

08:36the next one and see who shows up. If

08:37not, then we'll address them.

08:40[clears throat]

08:40>> Speak of the devil. Look at who's

08:42walking through the door right now.

08:43>> Look at that. What timing. So, uh, if

08:46you want to just give her a minute to

08:47get situated, we can either maybe table

08:49this or, uh, or if I think she wants to

08:52answer. Okay. Yeah. Food service.

08:54>> All right. Sorry about that.

08:57>> Good evening.

08:57>> There were two questions that came up.

08:59One was, why is food service overspent

09:03and the other is why is the computer

09:06count under spent?

09:09>> Sure. All right. Good evening. For the

09:12record, Crystal Deg Grrey, chief

09:13operating officer. Sorry, we had a board

09:15of ed meeting, so I uh scooted over as

09:18quick as possible. Apologize for that.

09:21Uh so, two questions to answer. So, why

09:24is food service uh over this year? Um a

09:27couple things. Uh we are down in free

09:30and reduced lunch applications. Uh

09:33unfortunately that will not only impact

09:36the food service budget but that will

09:38impact at some point our adequacy aid.

09:41Uh in addition to that uh probably not a

09:45surprise to anybody but I know my

09:47grocery bills are higher. So uh the line

09:50item in here being food service

09:53programs. The cost of food is higher. We

09:56actually saw that the year prior uh in

09:592025 and then 2026 as well. In addition,

10:03we do have more employees who are

10:06benefit eligible in food service now

10:10taking benefits. Um, so a couple things

10:14I guess I would share is I've

10:16strategized with the food service

10:18director. Uh we've had several

10:20conversations related to how do we make

10:23sure we're not in this position

10:25yearover-year

10:26or what could we potentially do uh to

10:30hopefully not be in this position every

10:32single year. We will go ahead and

10:34reclassify a couple of the positions to

10:38make them not benefit eligible um

10:41because obviously the cost of benefits

10:43are a lot higher than what they used to

10:45be. Um, in addition to that, again,

10:49revenue. We didn't get as much revenue

10:51in as what we anticipated. Again, it's

10:54because of those free and reduced lunch

10:56applications. [cough]

10:57We're down about uh 240 reduced lunch

11:01applications from prior year. I think to

11:04answer the second question, if I recall

11:07correctly, is why is computer supplies

11:10down?

11:10>> Equipment.

11:11>> Equipment. Thank you. Sorry about that.

11:13Uh why is computer equipment lower? Uh

11:16my understanding in working with Miss

11:19Enright, I was looking to see if she was

11:21here this evening. Uh we have some money

11:24left over in various categories. Uh my

11:28understanding was it was easier to move

11:31everything into computer equipment so

11:34that we could do a one-time transfer of

11:37150,000. Uh so there were various lines

11:40that we had a little bit of money left

11:42over in.

11:42>> Follow up.

11:43>> Follow up a little bit.

11:44>> Yeah. So on the I understand computer

11:47stuff that's fine. Um on the food

11:50service. So

11:53is that I mean obviously we didn't just

11:54find out groceries are high. We we've

11:56known that now for a little while that

11:58it keeps going up. So

12:00>> was that anticipated in the past budget

12:02that we just did or was this the the

12:05cure for this budget and then we have to

12:08figure out next year is that that going

12:10to go up in next year's budget I assume.

12:12>> Yep. So in full if I may. Sorry. Good.

12:14>> Uh so in full transparency, we had

12:18watched this throughout 2026. We had

12:20worked with uh the city um and brought

12:23it forward that it depended on where

12:26that revenue hit. Were we going to be

12:29under by 150? Were we going to be under

12:31by 200,000?

12:33What did that look like throughout the

12:35year? Um we are not the only ones of

12:39course in the state that are facing

12:40this. uh most of the school districts

12:42around us saw anywhere between a 3 to 5%

12:46that they had to go ahead and actually

12:48cover in their operating budget. I think

12:51year over year we've never almost I

12:54don't want to say set aside money but

12:56we've never planned for food service

12:59being over because food service is

13:02supposed to be a self- sustaining fund

13:05right so the revenue coming in really

13:07should be offset by the expenditures

13:10again food is up benefits we have more

13:13people taking benefits

13:15>> [clears throat]

13:15>> um so in the 27 budget if we had to we

13:21could go ahead and help a little bit. We

13:23should look in the 28 budget to go ahead

13:26and probably set some funds aside if

13:29this continues to be a progression.

13:31>> Thank you.

13:32>> Okay, Alvin Johnson.

13:34>> Thank you. Um

13:37would this also be because of the fact

13:40that our student enrollment is

13:42decreasing? So you're not having as many

13:44students purchasing um lunch?

13:47>> Yeah, absolutely. So, um, student

13:49enrollment absolutely has decreased. Uh,

13:52when we look at actually state adequacy

13:54aid, I know that's different than the

13:55food service piece, but state adequacy

13:58aid, we actually saw about 210 students

14:01lower, uh, districtwide. And then again,

14:04we had about 240

14:06uh, free and reduced lunch applications

14:08that were lower.

14:10>> Yes. So, that's about 2 and 10 about 2

14:14and 10, 2 and 4, 240. So together is

14:16about 460 less with um the students

14:20altogether with the applications not

14:22coming in and then students leaving.

14:25>> I so in fairness I don't know that I

14:29would classify it as roughly 450

14:32460 right because you could have a

14:35student that potentially left the

14:36district that also qualified for free

14:38and reduced lunch.

14:39>> Okay. Um, so I I wouldn't go where it's

14:43like a 460 or so. Okay. But yes, because

14:47we saw a reduction. Um, for sure that is

14:50impacting us.

14:52>> One more.

14:53>> Okay. Followup.

14:54>> Yes. Could you email me the list of line

14:56items that were over that you used to

14:58move into the computer items? Line items

15:02with uh CFO Enright.

15:05So I could see a clear picture and then

15:07maybe the rest of the committee too so

15:09we could see which

15:10>> anything like that's requested like that

15:12should go to Donna and Donna goes it to

15:14the entire board.

15:16>> Please. So this way we all can see where

15:18you were over in all those line items

15:20[clears throat] in order to make this

15:21$150,000 work.

15:23>> And just for clarification when you say

15:25over, I think what you're looking for is

15:28an itemized list of what we were under

15:31so that we had money left over and it

15:33was various accounts. It was a little

15:35bit in supplies. It was a little bit in

15:38educational supplies, miscellaneous

15:40supplies, a little bit in computer uh

15:43software, computer equipment. So,

15:45there's definitely going to be some

15:46various lines.

15:47>> Yeah. So, anything that made that

15:49$150,000. Thank you very much.

15:51>> Alderoman Kelly.

15:52>> Uh thank you. Uh, a couple of questions

15:54you may not be able to answer right

15:55away, but in terms of the reimbursement

15:58that we get for free and reduced lunch,

16:01do you feel that the federal

16:02reimbursement rate has kept pace with

16:04inflation?

16:07>> Um, I don't want to be too political,

16:09but I would say in fairness, probably

16:11not. Um we did looking financially we

16:16did uh bring in a little bit more money

16:19in our special functions category which

16:22is like the paying population. Um we

16:26were right about I'm just looking at uh

16:28our special revenue account. We were

16:30just about at target uh related to what

16:33came in from the state revenue. Um,

16:36again, there's so many factors that

16:39determine what we're getting reimbursed

16:42for through food service. I'm not going

16:44to lie, I'm I'm surprised we haven't

16:46been in this boat before, quite frankly,

16:48with it being a self- sustaining fund uh

16:52related to food service. I mean,

16:53everything comes out of there, benefits,

16:56wages. Again, this is your full

16:58population of your food service workers

17:00throughout the school district.

17:02>> Followup.

17:02>> Followup. Um,

17:05at the risk of saying this, as a mom

17:07with two kids, um, how is our lunch rate

17:11for the paying population? Is it on par?

17:13Is it low? Is that something we could

17:15look towards for covering the gap?

17:18>> Yeah. Um, so if I understand your

17:21question correctly, are you specifically

17:24asking like what is the population of

17:27free and reduced lunch compared to the

17:29paying population or

17:31>> just what is the rate for I think I

17:33should know this like the cost for lunch

17:36is that

17:36>> oh yeah

17:38>> within industry standard are we low

17:40compared to others? So, every single

17:42year when we do our free and reduced

17:43lunch applications and when we do our

17:45state funding, we actually have to fill

17:47out a chart that says, "Where are your

17:50lunch prices?" So, I should have said

17:52this at the beginning. I apologize. We

17:55actually did an increase to all uh lunch

17:59prices. It was roughly a 20 uh 20 cent

18:02increase last year. So, that was one

18:05thing we had talked about is like the

18:07levers of how to fix this. Is it

18:10increasing food pricing for our families

18:14out there that are paying. We just did

18:16that. We did a pretty substantial

18:18increase to our employees and what

18:22actually employee meals are. So, we did

18:24a pretty big bump to that the year prior

18:27as well. I could get you those specifics

18:29if you're interested. Um, again, in

18:32order to fix this, could we increase

18:34food pricing? Yes. But I don't think at

18:37this point that would be supported.

18:40I have more questions, but I'm gonna

18:42hold. Okay.

18:43>> I'd be happy to have a side conversation

18:45or feel free to reach out.

18:47>> Alderman TBO.

18:48>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, yeah. So, we

18:50had, uh, Alderman Johnson asked you

18:52about how many people, you know, how

18:53many kids were uh, less than we had

18:56before. So, you said about 210. So,

18:58those 210 roughly aren't buying lunch,

19:02>> but they're also not eating lunch. So

19:04that should be a wash unless we're

19:06buying the stuff even though we have So

19:08the fact that we have a reduction in

19:10students I'm hoping that that means

19:12we're buying less less food, right? Or

19:15do we buy everything up front and say oh

19:17hey we have 200 less students so we got

19:19to eat that food not technically but you

19:21know

19:22>> Yeah.

19:22>> or do we not buy it?

19:23>> Yeah we don't buy everything upfront. So

19:26there is definitely a progression of

19:29when we look at the food service menus

19:31what are we purchasing? Um, we are

19:34looking at the food service menus. I

19:36think historically we as a district have

19:38had a lot of ownership per school of

19:41like what does north want to sell versus

19:44Penachuk. So we are putting some more

19:46strict guidelines in place to hopefully

19:48help the food cost piece too. But just

19:51your reference on yes, we're down about

19:53210 kiddos, but we're also down about

19:56240 free and reduced lunch applications.

19:59So again, the free and reduced lunch

20:01applications is actually where we get

20:03that federal and state money back.

20:05>> Just one followup. Thank you. Um this is

20:08going to be a really stupid out there

20:10question, but so say prices of eggs are

20:13are skyrocketing maybe now, but in a

20:16certain period of time, do we say, "All

20:18right, we got to not do eggs this this

20:20semester and focus on, you know, other

20:22foods that are cheaper during that time.

20:25Maybe tomatoes are cheaper or something

20:26else." or is it just like no this is

20:28what our lunch is, this is what our

20:29curriculum says we're going to have and

20:31we're going to buy it no matter what and

20:32it doesn't matter what the cost is.

20:34>> Yeah, so the cost really it's a factor

20:37but it's not a huge factor that the team

20:40does look at because in fairness in

20:43order to get reimbursed for some of this

20:45there are certain portions on that plate

20:48that actually have to qualify in order

20:50for it to be what we call a qualifying

20:52meal. So there has to be like a milk or

20:55cheese product. There's got to be a

20:56fruit or vegetable product. You can't

20:59just serve I know my kids like the the

21:02French toast sticks that they serve. You

21:04can't serve that every single day just

21:07based off of the reimbursement. So,

21:09there's a lot of factors that go into it

21:11for sure.

21:11>> Great.

21:12>> Thank you very much.

21:13>> All set.

21:13>> Yep.

21:14>> Any additional questions?

21:17>> Thank you. All right.

21:19>> Thank you. So the motion on the floor is

21:22to recommend to the full board final

21:25passage of R2605.

21:27Would you please take call the role?

21:30Alternative Ryan Boss.

21:34Automan at large Kelly.

21:36>> Yes.

21:38>> Altman at large Greg.

21:40>> Yes.

21:40>> Altman Tebo.

21:42>> Yes.

21:42>> Altman Johnson.

21:43>> Yes.

21:44>> Alman Senate.

21:46>> Yes.

21:48>> Alman Dow.

21:49>> Yes.

21:50You have uh two

21:54six years.

21:55>> Motion carries.

21:59>> Alvin O'Brien.

22:01>> Yes. Also before us is R26-074

22:07relative to the creation of three new

22:09expendable trust funds and the transfer

22:12of $790,387

22:18from prior escros

22:20into a various expendable trust funds

22:23for the division of public works

22:25infrastructure improvements, park

22:27rehabilitation,

22:29community development infrastructure

22:32improvements, general transportation

22:34improvements, downtown improvements,

22:37waterway and water bodies, and the

22:39school deferred maintenance. Mr.

22:41Chairman, like to make a motion,

22:42recommend final passage.

22:44>> Motion on the floor is to recommend the

22:46full board final passage of R26074.

22:50Director Cummings.

22:51>> Yes. Thank you for the record. Tim

22:52Cummings, director of administrative

22:53[clears throat] services. So, I'm here

22:54this evening to uh give a little bit of

22:57a of an introduction to R26074.

23:00But before I do that, I just want to

23:02note for the record, it's been mentioned

23:03a couple times that uh CFO Enright would

23:05be joining us. I wasn't aware of that to

23:07be the case. Actually, uh it was my

23:09understanding that treasurer collector M

23:12Holland was joining us and she was here

23:14at the start of the the evening, so I'm

23:16not sure if there was a technical issue,

23:17but she's not here now. But I'm I'm here

23:20uh nonetheless to to speak to R26074.

23:25Um and with that being said, when

23:27there's a specific um question about how

23:30the money is going to be used or the

23:31dollar amount, the various uh respective

23:34uh departments and and uh directors or

23:37or municipal staff is here that can

23:40speak to the individual um line. But

23:43essentially to give a quick overview, uh

23:46this uh legislation's before you from uh

23:49our perspective, we're just trying to

23:51get our books in good working order. Uh

23:53a few years back, we had escrowed some

23:55monies, set them aside. Um it's been um

23:59hanging out there for a while on our

24:01books in that type of condition. It's

24:02not necessarily the best practice to do

24:04that. So, we want to uh just get our our

24:07books in order um from from an

24:10accounting perspective. And so, um, we

24:12are asking that these monies that have

24:14been held in this quote unquote escrow,

24:17uh, be transferred into our respective,

24:19um, trust fund, uh, as appropriate to

24:23maintain the monies, um, and and and

24:26house them, uh, more appropriately for

24:28the long term. So, they do get used and

24:31essentially the various um, items are

24:34are outlined in the in the chart in

24:36R26074.

24:38So, uh, I'll leave my comments there. I

24:41did want to give a quick overview on on

24:43the on the legislation. Um the

24:46legislation uh also uh contains the

24:48creation of of three trust funds. These

24:51are trust funds that the city has wanted

24:53to create for a while now and it's

24:55something that we the administration had

24:57been talking about and this was actually

24:58just the impetus to kind of move this

25:00forward. Uh one I'll note is the general

25:03transportation trust fund. Um that is

25:06actually something that we've been

25:08talking about internally for a couple

25:09years now. So, we actually have a good

25:11holding chamber, if you will, for

25:13various monies as a as a repository for

25:16funds as they're coming in and before

25:18they move into the quote unquote project

25:20phase. Um certainly, um uh um we have

25:25projects that we would like to do that

25:26we know that we are should be raising

25:28money for over the years until we

25:30receive various matches. Um and we don't

25:33necessarily create the project until we

25:36receive the matches. So instead of

25:38keeping it in this escrow type condition

25:40or instead of keeping it um on our books

25:43uh through the appropriation that comes

25:45from from the budget, we're we're

25:48suggesting that we have this uh

25:49expendable trust fund and we will uh be

25:52managing it and and actually making sure

25:55that we have the various projects uh

25:58identified and the various dollar

26:00amounts that go with it set aside and

26:02we'll be able to um track it. And so

26:04when we do have uh the respective funds

26:07uh matched from the federal government

26:09or whatever the case may be, we can uh

26:12access it through through the trust fund

26:14and then move it into what we typically

26:15do, which is a project activity. But we

26:17don't typically set up those project

26:19activities until we get the grant

26:21paperwork or the or the various contract

26:24from the federal government or New

26:26Hampshire DOT, whatever the case may be,

26:29uh for for those monies. And so this is

26:31a good way for us to actually

26:33financially house the money or just keep

26:35it on hold until we actually um uh

26:39receive the appropriate funds to be able

26:41to go forward with various projects. So

26:43uh again, I just wanted to use that as

26:44an illustrative example um uh for for

26:49why that that particular expendable

26:50trust fund was created. Again, I'll

26:52leave my comments there. Um, and as I

26:55said, the various uh uh m municipal

26:58staff is either with me uh in in in the

27:00chamber or actually online and they can

27:03speak to whatever specific line item

27:06that may come up if there is a specific

27:07question. Thanks. No,

27:08>> as I understand this, this these funds

27:10already exist. They were put in an

27:12accounts that

27:14I'm not going to say they were

27:15incorrect, but they were not the most

27:18expedient place to put the funding. And

27:20in some cases the funding got forgot

27:23about because it was in this type of

27:25account. Now we want to put it in

27:26expendable trust funds where it can be

27:28used properly with a proper authority

27:32for spending it. But this these funds

27:35already exist. We're not adding any

27:37additional funds. We are doing

27:38expendable trust funds that monies can

27:40be added to later but it's not part of

27:42this legislation.

27:44>> Yes. Uh M. Chairman, everything you said

27:46is absolutely correct. I would just add

27:48one additional detail. uh which is maybe

27:51just a little bit of a clarification to

27:52what you said which is um what we did

27:55was okay for a certain period of time.

27:58Now it's being suggested that it's been

28:01too long of a period and so certainly

28:03you can escrow funds for a while but now

28:05that these escros have been hanging out

28:08there for a little bit and so it's been

28:10suggested that the more appropriate way

28:11to handle it is to just do this transfer

28:14and more importantly to your point all

28:15these funds exist. This is not an

28:17appropriation. We're just transferring

28:19to clean up our books. Thank you.

28:21>> Questions?

28:23All of Senate?

28:26>> I guess I have a couple because the uh

28:28the last exchange actually added one to

28:30me. Um

28:33it it was stated that we're not creating

28:35any new funds, but literally the first

28:37line in the resolution is relative to

28:38the creation of three new expendable

28:40trust funds. Um so I guess I would ask

28:44for clarification on that matter. My

28:47larger question is uh in regard to

28:51general transportation improvements. Uh

28:53this trust fund um just in terms of some

28:57specificity. Is this geared towards what

29:00I'm thinking which is um like city

29:02transit services or would this be

29:04something more broad?

29:06>> Director Gum.

29:07>> Yes. To be clear, we're creating funds

29:09[clears throat] but what we're not doing

29:11is adding additional monies. Raising

29:14money. appropriation is not in this

29:16legislation. All we're doing is

29:17transferring and creating a new fund to

29:21transfer some of the monies into or

29:22putting them into existing uh trust

29:25funds that we already have on on file.

29:28Uh that's to answer the first part of

29:30the of the question. The second question

29:32I would say it's a little bit more

29:33broader. Certainly transit uh is

29:36contemplated but it's general

29:38transportation projects um is is the

29:41thought process for uh this expendable

29:43trust fund. Thank you.

29:45>> So these escore accounts will go away

29:47once we do this transfer.

29:49>> That's correct.

29:50>> So we're actually getting less accounts.

29:53We are forming new escore accounts but

29:56that's for the reasons as stated. Any

29:58followup?

29:59>> Uh yes if I could. Um just in regard to

30:02that um the reason I had asked regarding

30:05the the intent of the general

30:07transportation improvements is that it

30:10states that the um the agent to expend

30:13would be the director of administrative

30:15services. I'm just wondering where the

30:17um the break point from taking that um

30:21from community development to

30:23administrative services is because I

30:25know typically in regard to transmit and

30:28transportation um discussions usually

30:30those are headed up by director Sullivan

30:32[clears throat]

30:34>> if if I may Mr. Chairman.

30:35>> Yes, go ahead. Sullivan's also online

30:37too

30:37>> and it's it's the mayor actually. Um,

30:40and then the backup would be the

30:42director of administrative services. And

30:43it's because it's more generalized. So,

30:45it wouldn't be the director of public

30:47works. It wouldn't be the director of of

30:49of community development. And it

30:52certainly it could be the director of

30:53administrative services. Or

30:54alternatively, sometimes we use the CFO.

30:56Uh, either one of us kind of play that

30:58role uh when when necessary. Um, in in

31:02this particular time, I drew the short

31:04stick, so I was the I was the backup on

31:07on it. Uh, but I see director Sullivan

31:09just turned his screen on and happy to

31:11have him comment for.

31:12>> Director Sullivan, do you want to add

31:14anything?

31:15>> I think director Cummings covered it

31:16adequately. I just wanted to, you know,

31:19state similarly that typically it's

31:21either director of public works or dur

31:23community development director alderman

31:25Senate. And so we we sort of found a

31:27compromise here uh and deviated to the

31:29mayor being the ultimate agent to

31:31expend. That's not to suggest that uh

31:33public works and community development

31:35have fundamentally different priorities,

31:37but there are transportation projects on

31:39either side. Uh and so that's why

31:41ultimately the decision was made to move

31:42in that direction.

31:44>> All said,

31:46>> yes.

31:47>> All right. Other questions?

31:50[cough]

31:51[clears throat]

31:52>> None.

31:54All right. And the motion on the floor

31:57is to recommend to the full board final

32:00passage of R26074.

32:02Would the clerk please call the roleman

32:06at large O'Brien votes? Yes. Alderwoman

32:09Kelly.

32:09>> Yes.

32:11>> Alderman at large Greg.

32:13>> Yes.

32:13>> Alderman Thibo.

32:15>> Yeah.

32:16>> Alderman Johnson.

32:17>> Yes.

32:18>> Alderman Senate.

32:20>> Yes.

32:21>> And Alderman Dow.

32:23>> Yes. You have

32:26seven yays. No, nays.

32:29>> Okay, so the motion carries. Thank you.

32:33>> Mhm.

32:34>> Next item on the agenda. By the way,

32:37thanks guys for coming over. [laughter]

32:40I know you're busy all day and uh but

32:43thanks for being here to answer

32:44questions if they came up.

32:46>> Have a good night.

32:46>> Thank you.

32:47>> Yep.

32:48>> Have a good night.

32:50>> Thanks.

32:51No other meetings of site tonight. Uh

32:54Crystal,

32:56we're good. Thank you.

32:59>> And

33:01Mr. Smith.

33:04Okay. Next item on the agenda,

33:08>> new business ordinances. There are none.

33:10>> Okay.

33:12>> Table in the committee. There is none.

33:15The chair if wants to open up for

33:17general uh discussion. General

33:20discussion. Not public comment yet

33:22amongst the alderman. No. All right.

33:26None. Public comment.

33:29None.

33:31Remarks by alderman.

33:35None.

33:44Alman Senate. Do you have a motion?

33:47>> Yes, Mr. Chairman. I move to adjourn by

33:49roll call.

33:50>> Okay. Would the clerk please call the

33:52role?

33:54>> Alman O'Brien votes yes. All the women

33:57at large Kelly.

33:59>> No.

34:04>> Alman at large Greg.

34:06>> Yes.

34:08>> Alman Tibo.

34:10>> Yeah.

34:11>> Alman Johnson.

34:13>> Yes.

34:14>> Alman Senate. Yes.

34:18>> Alvin Dow.

34:19>> Yes.

34:20>> You have six shs, one nay.

34:22>> Motion carries. We're adjourned at 7:49

34:25p.m. Thank you everyone.