[00:00:02]
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
[CALL TO ORDER]
THE TIME IS 6:50 P.M.THIS WILL BEGIN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
LET'S SEE HERE. TODAY IS AUGUST 21ST, 2023.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH A ROLL CALL MYSELF.
[WORK SESSION AGENDA]
THIS WILL BEGIN OUR WORK SESSION AGENDA.WE WILL BEGIN WITH AGENDA ITEM 2023 004 FISCAL YEAR 23 THROUGH 24.
AS YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE TRY TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE AN UNDER CONTROL AND THA THERE IS THERE'S BUDGET TO GO AROUND AND SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDING THAT THE CITY REQUIRES TO CARRY OUT WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS TASKED US TO DO AND WHAT THE CITIZENS EXPECT.
THIS EVENING WE HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS FOR YOU.
HE'S GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HIS VISION AND GOALS FOR THIS YEAR AND HOW HE'S PLANNED HIS FY 24.
WE ALSO HAVE POLICE OR FIRE CHIEF TOM HARVEY WITH US, AND HE'S GOING TO DO THE SAME.
AND THEN WE HAVE MR. MATT AND HE'S GOING TO COVER ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE UNDER HIM IN PUBLIC WORKS AND WATER AND SEWER.
SO WITH THAT, I BELIEVE MR. CHIEF WATERS WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN.
MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO YOU ALL TONIGHT AND KIND OF GIVE YOU ALL A BRIEF INSIGHT ON WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS TIME GOES. SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
I RAN A PRELIMINARY RUN EARLIER AND I WAS SITTING AT ABOUT 25 TO 30 MINUTES.
I REALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH OF Y'ALL'S TIME.
SO WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF SCRAPE THE SURFACE, IF YOU WILL.
SO IF YOU CAN HIT OUR NEXT SLIDE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT IS OUR MISSION STATEMENT THAT'S THERE IN THE MIDDLE.
WE CAN GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT WITH THAT, WE ENDED UP CREATING OUR VISION STATEMENT.
AND SO THE VISION STATEMENT IS GOING TO BE AT THE VERY TOP.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THE MISSION STATEMENT WAS CREATED IN 2013.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE HITTING AT ABOUT OUR TEN YARD MARK, TEN YEAR MARK.
SO CURRENTLY THIS IS OUR ORG CHART.
WE HAVE 33 AUTHORIZED SWORN OFFICERS WITHIN OUR ORG CHART AND TWO CIVILIANS.
I DO HAVE TWO CONTINGENT JOB OFFERS THAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
SO WE ENDED UP MOVING SOME OFFICERS AROUND.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE FIVE OFFICERS ON EACH SHIFT NOW.
SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT SEGWAY INTO MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR PROJECTED CITY GROWTH.
ANOTHER THING, WHENEVER I TOOK OVER, WE HAD ROUGHLY ONE AND A HALF DETECTIVES WITHIN CID.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK UP UNDERNEATH THE SUBSECTION OF CID, YOU WILL SEE FIVE.
YES, FIVE DETECTIVES AND ONE CRIMINAL ANALYST THAT'S THERE.
AND THEN WE HAVE LIEUTENANT THAT'S OVER THAT.
SO WE NEED TO HELP OR START HELPING CATCH UP ON CASES, RATHER.
SO WE HAD TO END UP BACKFILLING SOME OF THE CID POSITIONS AND MOVING SOME OTHER POSITIONS AROUND.
SO WE ALSO ENDED UP IMPLEMENTING A FRONT DESK OFFICER.
[00:05:04]
SO THAT HELPS TAKE WALK IN REPORTS AND THEN ALSO HELPS OUT WITH BUILDING SECURITY.AND THEN ALSO WE'RE ABLE TO FINALLY FILL THAT THIRD SRO OFFICER POSITION.
I HAVE TALKED WITH MR. MCINTYRE IN THE LAST PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN PROVIDING A MID-YEAR BUDGET ALLOWS IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE ADDITIONAL OR POTENTIALLY ADDING ADDITIONAL SRO OFFICERS.
THAT WOULD BE ABOUT THE END OF SUMMER TIME.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST, SO THAT WHOLE TIME FRAME, IF WE WERE TO HIRE AN SRO IN OCTOBER TIME FRAME, THEY WOULD BE IN TRAINING FOR THE MOST PART OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND A SCHOOL WOULD NEVER SEE THEM.
IF WE TRY TO LOOK AT MID-YEAR HIRES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD PUT THEM PAST OR I'M SORRY, THAT WOULD PUT THEM IN INTO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND GOING THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND THEN THEY WOULD ACTUALLY START SCHOOL YEAR, AUGUST TIME FRAME.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR RIGHT NOW.
BUT I DO WANT TO KIND OF BRING THAT UP ON THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYBODY'S MINDS.
SO AGAIN, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.
SO THIS IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THIS COMING YEAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE SIX RED SPOTS THAT ARE THERE.
SO OUR ANALYSIS OF THE PD, WE DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED TO START A LOOK AT SPECIALTY POSITIONS.
BUT OUR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, THEY'RE CLIMBING THROUGH THE ROOF.
SO WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT A TRAFFIC UNIT THIS YEAR AND THEN ALSO A K-9 UNIT.
DIFFERENT UTILIZATIONS FOR THE K-9 THAT CAN BE USED.
SO I DO THINK THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE GREAT IMPLEMENTATIONS WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
WE ARE ALSO ADDING AND CONTINUING TO ADD TO OUR PATROL FLEET OR I'M SORRY, OUR PATROL STAFF, RATHER.
SO SPAN OF CONTROL FOR ME, I USUALLY TRY TO RUN 1 TO 4.
SO FOR EVERY THREE OFFICERS, I'LL REQUEST ONE SERGEANT.
MY MAX ON THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABOUT 6 TO 7 BEFORE WE START REDLINING.
AND SO HERE BEFORE TOO MUCH LONGER HERE IN THE NEXT FUTURE BUDGET YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO START LOOKING AT DOING DOUBLE SUPERVISORS ON EACH SHIFT TO KIND OF HELP, I GUESS, HELP OUT THE OFFICERS.
BUT THAT'S GOING TO END UP COMING WITH DISTRICTS AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
ONE THING ALSO AS WELL, YOU'LL SEE UP UNDERNEATH THE CD DIVISION IS A RECORDS CLERK.
WE HAVE A ROOM THAT'S JUST FULL OF RECORDS ALL THE WAY FROM THE 80S, 70S, 80S, 90S, 2000.
THE CID SERGEANT THAT YOU SEE, THAT IS NOT AN ADDITION, THAT IS JUST A PROMOTION FROM WITHIN CID.
SO AS I TOLD YOU, I LOOK AT 1 TO 4 FOR SUPERVISORY RATES.
SO I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF THEM.
BUT GOING INTO THE 23-24 BUDGET, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE AUTHORIZED FOR.
YES, MA'AM. SIR, I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE YOU MOVE FORWARD.
YOU'VE GOT RIZZO UNDER WARRANTS.
AND KID, IS SHE GOING TO BE FLEX ON THAT? YES, MA'AM. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE IS STILL PAID THROUGH THE COURTS.
AND SO SHE'S A PART TIME BAILIFF.
SO SHE DOES STILL HELP OUT WITHIN THE COURTS, BUT SHE'S ALSO BEING UTILIZED WITHIN KD AS WELL.
SO SHE'S RUNNING KIND OF A DUAL TASK ROLE.
AND THEN I DO EVENTUALLY SEE THAT KIND OF MOVING HER FULL TIME INTO CID.
OKAY. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
AND JUST FOR MY EDUCATION, I GUESS.
ARE THOSE COME OUT OF YOUR BUDGET OR IS THAT COME OUT OF THE ISD BUDGET? SO BOTH YES, SIR.
SO IT'S A HALFWAY PAID FOR POSITION.
[00:10:01]
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE WERE TO START A FULL YEAR, YOU KNOW, OCTOBER 1ST, RIGHT, IT WOULD BE HALFWAY PAID FOR BY THE SCHOOL AND HALFWAY PAID FOR BY THE CITY.SO THE FURTHER WE GET ALONG WITHIN THE YEAR.
SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A MID-YEAR.
AND THEN THE CITY'S FUTURE PROJECTION GROWTH, OUR PROJECTION GROWTH IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET ON SOME SORT OF TIMETABLE AND TIMELINE ON THE INCREASE OF NOT ONLY OFFICERS WITHIN PATROL, BUT, YOU KNOW, BEEFING UP OUR SPECIALTY POSITIONS LIKE CDD AND SRO AND THINGS ALONG THOSE NATURE.
SO I DO KNOW THAT'S ONE THING THAT ME AND MR. BORG AND MS. PRIGMORE HAVE WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH.
I KNOW THE COMMUNICATION IS FLOWING, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY HELPFUL BECAUSE WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, IN 2028, THIS IS JUST STRAIGHT PROJECTION. BUT WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE CITY IS LOOKING TO DOUBLE IN SIZE.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M RUNNING 33 AUTHORIZED SWORN POSITIONS.
I'LL BE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY 66.
I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE.
RIGHT. THAT'S AVERAGING ABOUT SIX TO 7 TO 8 OFFICERS A YEAR.
AND SO SOME OTHER THINGS AND IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS KIND OF GOING INTO IT, BUT WITHIN PATROL.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS AND ALL THAT.
SO YOU SEE THE TEN VEHICLES WITHIN THE CURRENT BUDGET THIS THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO START LOOKING AT TOO AS WELL.
EACH YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START GETTING A ALLOTMENT OF VEHICLES THAT'S GOING TO COME IN.
OUR VEHICLES THAT ARE BEING ORDERED IS TAKEN ANYWHERE FROM A YEAR TO A YEAR AND A HALF TO COME IN.
SO OUR LAST VEHICLES THAT WE HAD IS FROM 21 BUDGET YEAR.
RIGHT NOW, I HAVE, I THINK, EIGHT VEHICLES THAT ARE DOWN THAT IT'S IN THE SHOP DUE TO EITHER THE AGE, THE MILES OR THE WEAR AND TEAR BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET A RELIEF ON THE VEHICLES UNTIL WE START GETTING ADDITIONAL VEHICLES IN.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, THREE, IF NOT FOUR YEARS, PROBABLY GETTING AT ABOUT TEN TO MORE VEHICLES A YEAR OFF THE LEASE ONLY BECAUSE IT'S TAKEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF TO GET IN.
SO AT ANY GIVEN TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CALL ON MR. BOARD AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ORDER TEN VEHICLES.
AND HOWEVER WE END UP DOING THAT WITH CITY COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END UP COMING IN.
SO UNIFORMS, OF COURSE, ADDING MORE PEOPLE, THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN OFFSET SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR ALL THE SERGEANTS, COMMAND BOARDS, ACTIVE SHOOTERS, TOOLS, ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES. JUST HIRING AN OFFICER TAKES ABOUT $12,000 EACH.
OFFICER BETWEEN THE RADIOS, TASERS, WEAPONS, ONE OTHER OR TWO OTHER ADDITIONAL HIGH PRICE ITEMS WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IS GOING TO BE THE CANINE POSITION, THE CANINE, THE TRAINER POSITION AND THE VEHICLE AS WELL.
THE CANINE POSITION WILL HAVE ITS OWN VEHICLE.
SO THAT IS A PLUS FOR THE OFFICERS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO END UP LOOKING AT PAYING FOR THE OFFICERS WHO FTO.
THAT'S A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER.
SO WITHIN THE PRINCETON POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE LOOKING AT A BASIC POLICE OFFICER I'M SORRY, THIS IS STATEWIDE, A BASIC POLICE OFFICER, INTERMEDIATE POLICE OFFICER, ADVANCED POLICE OFFICER AND MASTER.
SO WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT PROFICIENCIES WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO END UP PAYING FOR THEIR CERTIFICATE PAY ON THOSE PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATES AS WELL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE OFFICERS ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR, TOO.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE WANT TO START DOING A LITTLE BIT MORE IN-HOUSE TRAINING.
WE DO A LOT OF IN-HOUSE TRAINING RIGHT NOW.
WE TEACH APPROXIMATELY 9 TO 11 IN-HOUSE TRAINING COURSES RIGHT NOW.
BUT SOME OF THOSE IN-HOUSE TRAINING COURSES WE HAVE TO SEND OFFICERS OFF TO TRAIN THE TRAINER.
AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE HIGH PROFILE CLASS.
[00:15:06]
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MORE BIG TICKET ITEMS ON PATROL IF WE CAN.AMBER, I'M SORRY. I KNOW I PROBABLY TAKING UP A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
SO. SID SO THIS IS THE AREA THAT WE ENDED UP KIND OF SPRUCING UP A LOT OF THESE AREAS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR OR A LOT OF THESE ITEMS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS HELPING OUT EITHER WITH TRAINING OUR FORENSIC UNIT, WHICH IF YOU HADN'T HAD TIME TO COME TO THE PRINCETON POLICE DEPARTMENT, I URGE YOU PLEASE COME SEE US.
GREG KEY IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THEM.
BUT SO EVERYTHING FROM TRAINING TO TOOLS AND THEN JUST GOING OUT DOING CRIME SCENE, THESE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT THE CID NEEDS. AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR INCREASE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN NORMAL.
AND THEN ONE OTHER LITTLE UPKEEP ITEM IS YOU'LL SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM IS CREATING A RECORDS ROOM.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOME RECORD FILING CABINETS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THERE IS A SPOT IN THE ADMIN HALLWAY.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING THAT WE END UP CREATING A WALL THERE TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE OUR IN HOUSE FILE.
ARTICLE FALLS IN A PERSONNEL FILES WITHIN THE NOOK.
AS YOU SEE, WE ALREADY INCREASED ONE SRO THIS YEAR.
AND SO HOPEFULLY HERE PRETTY SOON WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT THE SROS, THEY ARE DUE THEY ARE DUE TO ATTEND REQUIRED TRAINING BETWEEN HASBRO AND HASBRO.
SO BETWEEN BREACHING TOOLS AND ACTIVE SHOOTER TOOLS, EVEN ALL THE WAY UP TO THE POINT OF UPGRADING THE DRUG KITS TO BE ABLE TO TEST FOR LIQUID THC AND KNOW THE DIFFERENCE OF VARIANCES IN BETWEEN.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MAIN ITEMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WITHIN THE SRO OFFICER PROGRAM.
WHENEVER WE GO OUT TO COFFEE WITH A COP OR ANY OF THESE OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE ATTEND, WE WANT TO TRY TO I DON'T WANT TO SAY TRINKETS, BUT GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. A LITTLE BIT OF STUFF TO KIND OF REMEMBER US BY, WHETHER IT BE CHALLENGED COINS, BRACELETS OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES JUST MAKE US SEEM JUST THAT MUCH MORE APPROACHABLE. AND AS FAR AS OVERALL BUDGET, THAT IS IT.
I HOPE IT'S QUICK. IN THE SPECIALIZED TRAINING THAT YOU INDICATED, THE DIFFERENT TRAININGS THAT YOU'RE PROMOTING, DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE OR ARE YOU INTENDING TO INCLUDE OFFICERS THAT ARE SPECIALLY TRAINED IN LIKE THE FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER ORDINANCES? THE FEDERAL LAW. I'M SORRY. MOTOR CARRIER, YOU KNOW.
ALL RIGHT. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT JUST WITH YOUR EXPERTISE, I'M NOT QUESTIONING, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK WE COULD CONSIDER SEEING ALL THE NEW TRUCKS AND ALL THAT'S COMING DOWN OUR ROADS? YES, SIR, 100%.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE LOOKED INTO.
I KNOW WHENEVER I LOOKED INTO IT IN THE PAST, IT REQUIRED THE CITY TO BE OVER 100,000 PEOPLE, POPULATION AND OR AN MOU THAT WAS GOING TO END UP BEING WITH THE COUNTY, THAT WE WERE GOING TO END UP TAKING OVER SOME OF THE CMV ISSUES AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
I HAD A QUESTION. THIS IS PROBABLY FOR MR. BORG. I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED GOING PAPERLESS.
WHERE ARE WE ON THAT PROCESS? BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR QUITE A WHILE.
SO WHERE DO WE ACTUALLY STAND AND WHAT IS THAT TIMEFRAME LOOK LIKE? SO I'M SORRY, DID YOU WANT TO TALK OR.
NO, I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE PD STANDPOINT.
SO IT'S ROUGHLY GOING TO COST US ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO $80,000 TO OBTAIN THE CLOUD.
AND THEN THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO STORE THE MAJORITY OF ALL OUR ALL OF OUR STUFF.
AND SO ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE THAT RECORDS CLERK, THAT RECORDS CLERK IS GOING TO COME IN AND JUST START HOPEFULLY JUST KNOCKING THROUGH THOSE BOXES, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S GOING TO BE HICCUPS HERE AND THERE AS THEY GO ALONG, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MAIN THING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO END UP BEING FOCUSED ON.
SO OUR FIRST STEP IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT GRANT AND THAT CLOUD.
AND SO THAT SHOULD BE COMING FROM I ASKED HER TODAY ABOUT OUR TIMEFRAME.
OKAY. FROM THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION STANDPOINT, THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS ALREADY PAPERLESS
[00:20:04]
AND AS FAR AS THE ADMINISTRATION, WE'VE BUDGETED THE WE'VE DONE SOME PRELIMINARY NUMBERS FOR A COMPANY TO COME IN AND SCAN THAT STUFF IN SO THAT WE'RE GETTING ALL OUR STUFF IN.AND SO THAT'S BUDGETED THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT COMPLETELY THIS YEAR.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE THE SCANNERS AND THE SOFTWARE FOR IT, CORRECT? FOR THE FOR YES.
THE ANSWER IS YES, WE HAVE THAT.
OKAY. YEAH. OKAY, GENTLEMEN, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DON'T. GREAT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU, CHIEF. OH, AND REAL QUICK, BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
I KNOW JUST FOR THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT POPS UP EVERY BUDGET CYCLE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GUYS OUT THERE AND WE HAVE PATROL AND WE'VE HAD A HARD TIME FILLING THOSE POSITIONS.
AND YOU KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK.
AND NOT ONLY DID YOU FILL THEM, YOU EXCEEDED IT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I KNOW ALL OF US ARE JUST EXTREMELY PLEASED.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME FOR REGARDING THAT REPORT? IF NOT, NONE OTHER.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT BECAUSE I'M NEARLY COMPUTER ILLITERATE, BUT THE CLOUD AND EVERYONE'S TALKS ABOUT SAVING IT INTO THE CLOUD.
WHERE DOES IT GO? DOES IT EVER GO DOWN? DOES IT IS IT IN ONE PLACE? IS IT ON THE ELECTRONIC HIGHWAY OR SOMETHING? IT'S IN THE CLOUD. IT'S IN THE CLOUD.
I MEAN, IS THERE A CHANCE FOR.
FOR GETTING HACKED? SO REFERENCE THE CLOUD.
SO WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR RECORDS ARE JUST MAINTAINED.
THAT'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION CENTER.
I MEAN, OUR SYSTEM, AS YOU KNOW.
SO THERE IS A PORTION OF THE CLOUD THAT HAS TO MEET ALL THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO REALLY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CLOUD IS JUST A ROOM OFF IN SOME BANK VAULT.
THAT'S SOMEWHERE THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY PURCHASING.
IS IT IN SOME BUILDING THAT THERE ACTUALLY HAS LIKE A MAINFRAME.
NO, YOUR ARE IN THE AREA BUT THE TOMMY GO TO.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH THE AREA, BUT JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE ISLAND OUTLET MALLS AND SOUTH OF THE NEW PELOTON BUILDING, THERE'S THIS GIANT BUILDING WITH, LIKE, A TEN FOOT FENCE AROUND IT.
AND THAT IS WHERE THE CLOUD SERVERS ARE HOSTED.
THERE'S SEVERAL OF THEM SCATTERED OUT ALL AROUND THE NATION.
OKAY. SO DESIRES GO TO A PARTICULAR ONE OR IS THERE A BACKUP SYSTEM IN CASE SOMETHING HITS THAT BUILDING? THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO COMMUNICATE BETWEEN EACH OTHER.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING AT.
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO PURCHASE IT, YES.
STEVE HARVEY. I'VE ALREADY KNOWN ALL THAT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO.
SPEAK IN REGARDS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET THIS EVENING.
BEFORE I START, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER, DEREK BORG, AND ESPECIALLY KAREN PRIGMORE, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK AND ASSISTANCE AND PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING SHE DID FOR US.
AND THEN YOU CAN ANSWER I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AT THE END.
BUT BEGINNING WITH THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS THIS YEAR SOMEWHAT IN LINE WITH WHAT THE COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WERE LAST YEAR WHEN WE SET THOSE ASIDE AND TO STAY IN LINE WITH THOSE, NUMBER ONE, WE WANTED TO INCREASE THE WORKFORCE QUALITY AND COMPETENCY AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN LINE WITH THE EMPLOYEES.
[00:25:05]
BENEFITS AND WORKING CONDITIONS.THAT MEANS PROVIDING THE CITIZENS THE BEST WE CAN AFFORD.
BY FOCUSING ON EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, WE WANT TO IMPROVE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AND WORKING CONDITIONS BY KEEPING ABREAST OF MARKET EVALUATIONS, PREPARING THEM FOR PROMOTION AND EVALUATING PROGRAMS, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT GET US THERE.
WE WANT TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THE CITIZEN BY EXPANDING OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PROGRAMS. EVALUATE THE COMMUNITY RISK AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, PUBLIC CONTACT, AND THROUGH OUR PREVENTION OFFICE EFFORTS.
PUBLIC EDUCATOR IS KIND OF ON THE HORIZON FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO ASSIST IN MEETING WITH THE SCHOOLS, MEETING WITH HOAS, GETTING OUT THERE AND ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC ON A COMMUNITY EFFORT THAT WOULD PROBABLY START AS A PART TIME POSITION.
BUT WE HAVE THAT ON THE HORIZON FOR THIS YEAR IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
OBVIOUSLY PROMPT PROFESSIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE.
WE ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EVALUATE OUR OPERATIONS AND POLICIES SO WE CAN REDUCE OUR RESPONSE TIMES AND MEET PUBLIC NEEDS FOR THAT COMPASSIONATE AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.
CONSIDERING THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR FAST GROWING CITY IMPLEMENT DEPARTMENT AND PROGRAM MODELS, WHICH HAS A FOCUS ON ALL ASPECTS FROM CITIZEN SERVICE TO EMPLOYEE WELFARE, UTILIZATION OF INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES, FEDERAL GRANTS, STATE GRANTS.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE WORKFORCE WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SO WE BUILD A STRONG TEAM.
OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART YOU CAN SEE ON THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS YOU HAVE THERE, ALONG WITH WHAT HOW OUR BUDGET IS BROKE DOWN SALARIES RELATED TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN.
I'LL ADDRESS THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE NEXT THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE BUDGET IMPACTS FOR FY 24.
BEGINNING WITH THE EXPANSION OF INFRASTRUCTURE, APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING STATION FOUR STATION TO THE FOUR STATION ONLINE.
BRINGING THAT STATION ONLINE, OF COURSE, IS GOING TO IMPACT OUR SUPPLY NEEDS, OUR STAFFING NEEDS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WITH MANDATES ON PPE AND SCBAS RELATED TO CANCER PREVENTION AND NEWER SCBAS THAT HAVE BEEN MANDATED BY THE STATE, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT REPLACING THOSE AND ENHANCING THOSE WITHIN THIS BUDGET EXPANSION OF THE WORKFORCE THROUGH HIRING AND PROMOTIONS.
WE PLAN ON IMPLEMENTING A BATTALION CHIEF POSITION THIS YEAR.
IT'LL INITIALLY START OUT AS AN 8 TO 5 POSITION IN WHICH WILL HELP WITH THE DOMINO EFFECT OF HIRING 24 OUR BATTALION CHIEFS AND SUBSEQUENTLY PROMOTING THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT UP BEHIND HIM TO HELP US WITH THAT MID-LEVEL MANAGER RELATED TO SHIFT OPERATIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE FILLING ONE POSITION THAT'S CURRENTLY VACANT AND A PART TIME OPERATIONS ROLE.
AND THEN WE HAVE SEVEN NEW HIRES THAT WILL BRING ON THIS YEAR THAT WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS WHERE OUR NEED RIGHT NOW IS ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE BASED ON THAT FOUR STATION OPENING.
THERE ARE SOME KEY POSITIONS WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IF WE CAN FUND THEM.
WE'VE BEEN VERY CREATIVE IN HOW WE'VE BROUGHT IN OUR PROMOTIONS THIS YEAR.
ONE WOULD BE A RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST, AGAIN, THE PUBLIC EDUCATOR, AND THEN DOWN THE ROAD, PROBABLY IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, AN ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST TO ALSO ASSIST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE.
[00:30:01]
OUR MAINTENANCE COSTS THIS YEAR WENT THROUGH THE ROOF.UPGRADES IN TECHNOLOGY AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THAT HAS TO DO WITH PROGRAM UPDATES FOR CURRENT SOFTWARE PLATFORMS. WE USE OUT THERE FOR REPORT WRITING AND FOR DOCUMENTATION AND INVENTORIES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR EQUIPMENT AND APPARATUS TESTING THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THOSE ARE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AND ALSO INCREASE IN COST ANNUALLY.
AND THEN FINALLY, THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE HEALTH, WELLNESS AND SAFETY OF OUR PERSONNEL RELATES TO TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS, THE FITNESS WELLNESS TESTING THAT WE DO ON ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS REQUIRED EACH YEAR.
WE WANT TO TRY TO BE MINDFUL OF THE WORKLOAD THAT WE'RE PLACING.
THE FIREFIGHTERS UNDER THIS YEAR WILL BE WORKING THIN, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPREAD THAT WORKLOAD OUT, THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THEM, KEEPING THEM SAFE WHILE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE IS PROBABLY.
WHAT THIS IS DESIGNED TO DO IS JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE OUR BUDGET LIES AS FAR AS SALARIES AND BENEFITS COMPARED TO WHAT OUR KNOW IS FIRE DEPARTMENTS, A DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
WE RELY ON TEAMS OF INDIVIDUALS TO PERFORM TASKS.
IF WE HAVE A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH MULTIPLE CARS OR A STRUCTURE FIRE, WHICH TAKES MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS TO WORK IN, OR EVEN A SIMPLE CARDIAC ARREST MAY TAKE 3 OR 4 INDIVIDUALS TO WORK THAT PATIENT BEFORE THE HOSPITAL AND SOMETIMES ON THE WAY.
SO OUR MANPOWER NEEDS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
THEY'RE EXTREMELY HIGH JUST BASED ON THOSE GENERAL NEEDS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RED THAT INDICATES WHERE WE'RE AT IN 2023.
WE DID ELIMINATE TWO PART TIME POSITIONS OR WILL IN OCTOBER BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
THE REASON WE DID THAT WAS TO FORCE MORE FUNDING TO THE OPERATIONS SHIFT BASED SIDE.
THEY WERE SIMPLY HOLDING SOME ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES UP THERE AND WE FELT THE NEED MORE EFFECTIVENESS WAS GOING TO BE ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE WHERE WE NEEDED THE STAFFING.
THE YELLOW INDICATES WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN FY 24.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE GREEN IS WHERE WE'D LIKE TO BE.
SOME OF IT RELATED TO NFPA REQUIREMENTS, SOME OF IT JUST RELATED TO WORKLOAD AND TASKING.
BUT RIGHT NOW OUR FOCUS HAS GOT TO BE THE OPERATIONS WITH THE NEW STATION COMING ONLINE.
CHIEF, CAN I INTERRUPT YOU AND ASK A QUESTION.
SURE. ABOUT THE IDEAL SITUATION.
AND RIGHT NOW, YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG THAT MOST OF THE STATIONS, I MEAN, YOU THEY HAVE AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE FULL TIME, 24 TO 48 HOUR MINIMUM STAFFING THAN A DAYTIME PERSON.
OUR MINIMUM STAFFING IS EIGHT FULL TIME PERSONNEL PER DAY.
THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE OUR PART TIME EMPLOYEES.
AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW WITH THREE STATIONS.
SO THAT'S RUNNING A THREE, TWO, TYPICALLY TWO INDIVIDUALS DOWN AT THE BRANCH STATION.
OKAY. SO IF THEY SAY THEY CAUGHT A STRUCTURE FIRE AND IT'S 8:00 AT NIGHT AND THEY'RE AND IT'S RIGHT THERE IN THERE CLOSE TO THEM, WHAT CAN THEY DO WHENEVER THEY GET THERE? THERE'S TWO MAIN APPARATUS.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEY COULD IF THERE'S A RESCUE SITUATION, BUT IF NOT A RESCUE SITUATION, BUT JUST TO BE ABLE TO KNOCK DOWN THE FIRE AND YES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE IN A DEFENSIVE MODE AT THAT POINT, COMMUNICATE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THERE.
IF THERE WAS A RESCUE SITUATION REQUIRING TWO PEOPLE INSTEAD OF JUST ONE TO GO INTO THAT STRUCTURE, WHAT WE WOULD END UP WITH IS NOBODY AT THE PUMP. AND IF THE TRUCK WAS TO BREAK DOWN OR THE TRUCK WAS TO RUN OUT OF WATER, THEN WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE INSIDE PERFORMING A RESCUE WITHOUT ANY PROTECTION.
[00:35:04]
BUT WE HAVE OTHER COMPANIES COMING.IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE TIME LINE.
THEY COULD BE SIX MINUTES AWAY, SEVEN MINUTES AWAY, TEN MINUTES AWAY.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE IT DEPENDS ON TRAFFIC.
IT DEPENDS ON CONSTRUCTION, WHERE IT'S AT, THE ROAD CONDITIONS.
A LOT OF THINGS COME INTO PLAY.
SO REALLY, THE OPTIMUM I MEAN, EVEN RIGHT NOW, WOULD HAVE AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE ON EACH APPARATUS.
YES. AND THAT'S WHAT THAT GREEN REPRESENTS AND THAT'S WHAT THE REGULAR ENGINE.
BUT NOW IF YOU HAVE A TRUCK OR AN AERO APPARATUS SHOULDN'T FOR BE ON THERE.
THAT'S WHAT THE GREEN REPRESENTS.
THAT'S WHAT WOULD BE OPTIMAL, IS THE AERIAL LADDER COMPANIES THAT DO MOST OF THE RESCUE WORK AND HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF BOTH AN ENGINE AND A TRUCK COMPANY WOULD HAVE FOUR AND THE ENGINE COMPANIES WOULD BE STAFFED WITH THREE.
YES, SIR. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE SEVEN NEW HIRES.
HOW ARE THOSE BEING DISPERSED AMONGST THE STATIONS? WELL, WE'LL BE HIRING THEM HOPEFULLY WHEN STATION TWO OPENS RIGHT NOW, PROJECTED PROBABLY THE END OF JANUARY OR SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY, THEY WILL BE COMING ON IN A WHAT WE CALL A 50 HOUR SCHEDULE.
RIGHT NOW, OUR 50 HOUR SCHEDULE IS DAYTIME ONLY.
IT'S SEVEN IN THE MORNING TILL FIVE AT NIGHT TO CARRY THOSE BULK HOURS AND INCREASE OUR STAFFING BY THREE INSTEAD OF PUTTING ONE ON EACH SHIFT AND ONLY INCREASING STAFFING BY ONE. BUT WE'VE BEEN CREATIVE IN DEVELOPING A NEW SCHEDULE WHICH WILL INCREASE OUR STAFFING BY TWO AND USE THOSE 50 HOUR PERSONNEL OVER A 24 HOUR PERIOD CONSISTENTLY ALL THROUGH THE WEEK.
SO IT'S A LITTLE MODIFIED SCHEDULE REQUIRING TO WORK SOME DAY, SEVEN HOURS, SOME DAYS 15 AND THEN OVER THE WEEKENDS, 24 HOURS, WHICH IS GOING TO ALLOW SOME OF OUR FULL TIME PEOPLE TO HAVE SOME TIME OFF ON THE WEEKENDS.
OKAY. THE FINAL SLIDE IS SPECIFIC TO THE OPERATIONS SHIFT STAFFING.
IT SIMPLY SHOWS THE CURRENT STAFFING WHERE WE'RE AT IN OPERATIONS.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS AND THE TRUCKS AT THE STATIONS.
32 IS THAT STAFFING? THAT INCLUDES THE PART TIME AND THE 50 HOUR.
WE HAVE RECEIVED 39 POSITIONS FOR THIS YEAR COMING UP.
WE'RE BEING CREATIVE WITH THAT NUMBER, THOUGH.
AND THEN OF COURSE YOU SEE THE 45 THERE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE IDEAL STAFFING AND SUSTAINABLE WHEN TUS OPENS FOR SOME TIME, ANTICIPATING NOT HAVING A FIST STATION COMING ONLINE FOR 2 TO 3 YEARS BEHIND THAT FOUR STATION.
SO IT WOULD LAST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
SO RIGHT NOW, YOU CURRENTLY STAFFED 32.
WE HAVE 32 CURRENTLY STAFFED AND YOU NEED IDEALLY 45 IN OPERATIONS WERE THAT 45 NUMBER COMES IN SIR, IS WHEN WE OPEN STATION TWO.
SO WE DON'T NEED THAT STAFFING RIGHT NOW.
BUT WHEN STATION TWO OPENS, WE HAVE TO STAFF ANOTHER APPARATUS WITH CREWS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I HATE THAT WE COULDN'T GET YOU UP TO THE 42 THAT YOU REQUESTED FOR.
WE'RE BEING VERY CREATIVE AND, YOU KNOW, FISCALLY MINDED TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN STILL STAFF WHAT WE NEED BY ADJUSTING THE HOURS AND WORKING PEOPLE WHERE WE CAN.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU GETTING CREATIVE.
THANK YOU, CHIEF. STANDBY ONE SECOND.
I JUST WANT TO BRING THE COUNCIL UP TO SPEED ON ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE'RE FACING.
AS YOU KNOW, THE STATION FOUR DOWN IN BRANCH IS A TAKEOVER FROM BRANCH FIRE DEPARTMENT.
[00:40:01]
WELL. BRANCH FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.AND IT COVERS ALL OF THE A LOT OF THE COUNTY AREA DOWN THERE AND BRIDGEWATER.
NONE OF THOSE ARE IN THE CITY LIMITS.
SO ONE OF THE STRUGGLES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, I'M WORKING ON WITH THE CHIEF AND WITH IT, WE'LL BE TALKING WITH THE FOLKS DOWN IN THE HOA THERE PRETTY SOON BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY PAYING A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT THAT COVERED THAT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT THEY ENTERED INTO WITH THE BRANCH FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WELL, ONE OF OUR STRUGGLES IS TO MOVE THAT NUMBER ON WHAT THOSE FOLKS PAY DOWN IN THAT AREA, IN THAT MUD DISTRICT, TO ACTUALLY COVER WHAT IS NECESSARY IN THAT DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT RECEIVING ANY REVENUES FROM THAT OTHER THAN WHAT THE COUNTY PROVIDES, WHICH IS VERY INSUFFICIENT.
AND AT THAT TIME, MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN GIVE CHIEF A LITTLE MORE OF WHAT HE NEEDS.
VERY GOOD. ARE WE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION ON THE FOREFRONT WITH THE NEW DEVELOPERS THAT ARE COMING DOWN THERE DOWN IN THE PENINSULA SIDE? YES, THE ALL OF THE MUD DISTRICTS ARE IN THIS CATEGORY OF THE COUNTY'S NOT GOING TO COVER THEM AND THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE'RE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS TRYING TO TRY TO GET THOSE THOSE MUD DISTRICTS ON BOARD AND PAYING A REASONABLE FEE FOR THE FIRE AND EMS SERVICE. WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS NEGOTIATIONS.
DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSIONS ON THE COUNTY LEVEL SINCE THE COUNTY IS AWARE OF ALL THESE MUDS POPPING UP THAT THE COUNTY MIGHT ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE CITIES WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING? YEAH. NO, NO, THE DISCUSSION IS NO, I FIGURED WE'RE ASKING, THOUGH, MAYOR, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHENEVER I WAS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL, WE HAD THE SAME THING WITH SACHSE LARGO'S AND THE CITY OF LUCAS AND WERE THE CITY OF LUCAS FINALLY TOLD THE PEOPLE SACHSE LAGERS THAT THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT NO LONGER RESPOND THERE BECAUSE THEY WERE PAYING A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT AND IT WAS IT TOOK QUITE A WHILE TO GET THAT THEIR AMOUNT UP SO THAT THEY'D ACTUALLY ENTER INTO A CONTRACT.
BUT THE COUNTY IS UNDER OBLIGATION TO PROTECT THE COUNTY AREA DOWN THERE IN THE BRANCH, AND THAT IS WHERE THE FUNDS COME IN FROM THE COUNTY TO THE CITY THAT GO TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BUT AS THE CITY MAYOR OR CITY MANAGER INDICATED, THOSE AREN'T WHAT THE CITIZENS IN PRINCETON ARE PAYING FOR SUBSTANTIALLY LESS.
SO WE'RE OPERATING IN AN AREA DOWN THERE THAT'S PROBABLY TEN, AT LEAST 10 TO 12MI², PROVIDING A SERVICE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY HAD FROM A VOLUNTEER SIDE IN THE WAY OF CERTIFICATIONS, IN THE WAY OF 24 HOUR RESPONSE MEDICAL CAPABILITY.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AND BE COMPENSATED FOR THAT THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFFING IS DOWN THERE FOR THE SAKE OF KEEPING OUR WORKFORCE SAFE, HAVING THE MANPOWER, AS COUNCILMAN DEFFIBAUGH DEFFIBAUGH INDICATED, TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY RESPOND TO AN AREA AND THERE'S A DELAY IN DISPATCHING, THAT THERE'S ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE SAFELY IN A SITUATION WHERE ACTION IS NEEDED RIGHT THEN AND THERE. RIGHT? SO WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE HOA'S DOWN THERE, IS THAT JUST SPECIFIC TO BRIDGEWATER OR WE'LL BE ENTERING INTO DISCUSSIONS WITH BRIDGEWATER.
YES. BUT WE'RE ALSO IN DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME OTHER MUD DISTRICTS THAT ARE ON THE FOREFRONT.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, CHIEF. MR. MAPP WILL HAVE QUITE A FEW DEPARTMENTS UNDER HIM THAT HE CAN DISCUSS FOR YOU.
[00:45:03]
THANKS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.YEAH, I'M GOING TO TRY TO KEEP THIS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS IS OFTEN VIEWED AS A SINGLE DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY FIVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT FUNCTION UNDER THE SAME UMBRELLA NAME.
BUT NOW WE HAVE A FACILITIES DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS OUT OF CITY HALL.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT I PROVIDED, MR. BORG AND THAT WE WORKED ON, REALLY WE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO FEEL THE SQUEEZE OF GROWTH.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYBODY CAN GET EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED.
SO WE REALLY REQUESTED PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT.
THAT WAS THE DRIVING FACTOR BETWEEN ANY BUDGET INCREASES COMING FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
SO MOVING ON TO THE WATER DIVISION, THE WAY I STATED, THIS IS KIND OF APPROXIMATE NUMBERS OF WHAT WE HAVE AND BASED ON PERCENTAGE GROWTH THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING, THAT'S WHAT THE PROJECTED NUMBERS ARE FOR FY 23-24.
SO AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE ABOUT 12,000 WATER CONNECTIONS NEXT YEAR.
ABOUT THIS TIME WE'LL BE LOOKING AT SERVING AROUND 13,500 WATER CONNECTIONS.
WE HAVE SIX EMPLOYEES CURRENTLY.
ONE OF THOSE IS A WATER QUALITY TECHNICIAN.
SO HE DOES ALL OF OUR FLUSHING, ALL OF OUR WATER QUALITY SAMPLING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THEN WE HAVE TWO UTILITY BILLING METER TECHNICIANS THAT ARE THERE RUNNING THROUGH PROBABLY 3 OR 400 SERVICE ORDERS A MONTH, JUST DISCONNECTS, RECONNECTS, NEW SERVICES, TERMINATING SERVICES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE'RE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL THREE PERSONNEL, TWO OF WHICH WILL BE LINE LOCATORS.
WE CURRENTLY CONTRACT THAT OUT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THAT IN-HOUSE DUE TO SOME ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE CONTRACTOR THAT WE'RE USING AND THE COST WE'RE ABLE TO CANCEL THAT CONTRACT AND COVER THE TWO PERSONNEL WITH EASE.
AND WE WILL BE EXPANDING THE PUMPING CAPABILITIES OF OUR DOGWOOD PUMP STATION.
SO THE WASTEWATER DIVISION, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 12,000 SANITARY SEWER CONNECTIONS AS WELL.
THAT IS COMPRISED OF CUSTOMERS DOWN IN HOLYOKE AS WELL.
ALL OF THE MUD DISTRICTS ARE HANDLED BY OUR TECHNICIANS AS WELL AS NOW SOME AREAS OF LOWRY CROSSING.
SO WE'RE GROWING JUST AS FAST AS THEY ARE.
AND SO THE CONNECTION COUNT IS REALLY ABOUT TO JUMP UP THERE FOR THE WASTEWATER DIVISION.
CURRENTLY, WE MAINTAIN 11 LIFT STATIONS.
WITH MANY MORE ON THE HORIZON.
WE HAVE ABOUT 2100 MANHOLES AND 142 MILES OF SANITARY SEWER MAIN.
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT, LIKE I SAID, BY ABOUT 18 MILES OF WASTEWATER MAIN AND ABOUT 500 ADDITIONAL MANHOLES THAT NEED TO BE INSPECTED AND DOCUMENTED AND MONITORED. OKAY.
MOVING ON TO THE STORMWATER DIVISION.
WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO THIS DIVISION IN THE COMING YEAR.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 420 STORM STRUCTURES THIS COMING YEAR.
WE HAVE 125 MILES CENTERLINE MILES OF STREETS, APPROXIMATELY 275 CURB MILES.
SO AND WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD 25 ADDITIONAL CENTERLINE MILES OF ROADWAY THIS COMING YEAR.
[00:50:04]
THEY ACTUALLY WORK OUT OF ALL DIVISIONS.OKAY. MOVING ON TO A RIGHT OF WAY AND EASEMENTS.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE FORD FIELD MAINTENANCE OR FIELD MAINTENANCE TECHS.
THEY COVER ABOUT 325 ACRES OF BASICALLY MOWING.
TREE MAINTENANCE, CURB LINE MAINTENANCE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
ALL OF OUR UTILITY EASEMENTS ARE INTERCEPTOR WASTEWATER MAINS, AND OUR LARGE TRANSMISSION MAINS FOR OUR WATER SYSTEM ARE REQUIRED BY T-C-E-Q TO BE MOWED AND TO BE ACCESSIBLE AT ALL TIMES. SO THEY MAINTAIN THOSE.
THE ADDITIONAL WATER PUMP STATION AND ADDITIONAL STREET RIGHT OF WAYS.
AND WE WILL BE ADDING ONE FIELD TECHNICIAN TO THAT DIVISION THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE FIVE STREET MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD TWO THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO BE INCORPORATING ALL OF THE NEW CENTERLINE MILES OF STREETS, WHICH INCLUDES SIDEWALKS, SCHOOL ZONES, ANY AND ROADWAYS THAT ARE COMING IN FROM THE COUNTY THIS COMING YEAR AS WELL.
SO THAT'S LIKE I SAID, IT'S AN APPROXIMATE NUMBER AND AN ESTIMATE.
AND WITH THAT, I GUESS I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON THE SIDE THAT YOU WERE JUST ON THE STREET DIVISION, IT SAYS ON HERE ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS WILL BE ADDED. HOW MANY TOO? THANK YOU. AND THEN ALSO THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR.
THAT IS A POSITION WE ARE KEEPING IN 2024, CORRECT? CORRECT. CARLY, IF YOU DOES THE PUBLIC WORKS HAVE ANY LIFT TRUCKS? WE DO NOT CURRENTLY.
WE'RE BASICALLY GETTING RID OF OUR CONTRACTOR THAT WE'VE BEEN USING FOR STREETLIGHT MAINTENANCE BECAUSE OF SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND MATERIAL BACKLOGS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO ANY TIME THAT WE'RE SENDING PERSONNEL OUT TO WORK ON ANY OF THESE THINGS, WE RENT A LIFT.
SO WOULD IT BE I MEAN, WE SEE THIS MORE OFTEN NOW HAVING TO USE A LIFT.
IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE IN THE FUTURE WE NEED TO LOOK AT GETTING SOME TYPE OF A LIFT TRUCK? YES. ESPECIALLY AS WE GROW, WE'LL REACH A CERTAIN POPULATION POINT THAT'LL TRIGGER AN RMA OR MUTUAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH TEXDOT THAT WILL REQUIRE US TO MAINTAIN ALL OF THEIR STREET LIGHTS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AS WELL.
SO THE NEED IS GROWING AS FAR AS BEECHAM IS EXPANDING NOW, CYPRESS BENDS IS EXPANDING.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING FURTHER SOUTH.
WE'LL BE INHERITING MORE AND MORE STREET LIGHTS THAT WILL NEED TO BE MAINTAINED.
OKAY. SO ARE YOU GOING TO LOOK AT THAT, MAYBE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET OR.
WE WE'VE BEEN IN TALKS WITH IT.
WE'RE MOVING MONEY AROUND TO SEE IF WE CAN COVER THE COST OF ONE.
GENTLEMEN, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OF COURSE. I GUESS YOU COULD ALWAYS USE ONE OF THE AERIAL APPARATUS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PURCHASE IT.
I HAD ONE QUESTION JUST FOR CLARITY ON THIS.
CORRECT. IS THAT SALARY THEN CONSIDERED IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, OR IS THAT STILL SPECIFIC TO PUBLIC WORKS? IT'S STILL SPECIFIC TO PUBLIC WORKS, YES.
ANYTHING ELSE, GENTLEMEN? OKAY. THANK YOU.
WELL, WITH THAT MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP BY SAYING THAT THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT THIS IN THIS BUDGET YEAR.
AND WE'LL TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
[00:55:05]
IT'S IMPORTANT TO DIVIDE RESPONSIBILITIES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD COVERAGE AND SUPERVISION OVER ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WAS MADE RECENTLY WAS MR. FORT WAS PROMOTED TO A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY OVER A FEW DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL DIVIDE AND CONQUER THE WORKLOAD. WE FEEL IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH BENEFIT TO THE MANAGEMENT AND HE HAS A VERY GOOD HANDLE ON THE DEPARTMENTS HE WAS GIVEN TO MANAGE OVER. AND WE THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD MOVE.
OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WILL BE RETIRING EARLY THIS YEAR AND THEN WHAT WE WILL BE DOING, WE WILL NOT BE REPLACING THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, BUT WE WILL BE HIRING A DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE TO FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THAT WITHOUT DIVIDING RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO WE FEEL THIS IS GOING TO BE A MUCH MORE FOCUSED APPROACH AND BE A LOT MORE.
FRIENDLY AND FOCUSED ON THE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT.
THIS IS I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS IS A BALANCED BUDGET.
THE GENERAL FUND IS BALANCED AT 22,000,100 AND $668, AND THAT STILL ALLOWS US TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE FROM 0.05354432.440226.
THAT IS A REDUCTION OVERALL IN THE TAX RATE.
ALSO, WE ARE HELPING NOW WITH THE CHANGE IN THE POLICIES FROM LAST YEAR.
WE'RE HELPING NOW WITH THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE BENEFIT THE FOR THE DEPENDENTS AND THAT NOT A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT BUT WE HAVE BUDGETED BUDGETED FOR THAT THIS YEAR THE.
LATER ON THIS EVENING, WE'LL BE ON OUR SHORT COUNCIL MEETING.
WE'LL BE SETTING A PROPOSED DATE FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE THAT WILL BE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S OTHER ASPECTS OF THE BUDGET THAT MISS PRIGMORE AND I CAN DISCUSS.
WE'VE COVERED ALL THE BIG THE BIG DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
I'M CURIOUS WHY PARKS AND REC ISN'T HERE.
THEY TYPICALLY WENT UP 13% IN THEIR BUDGET.
YES, THEY RECEIVED AN INCREASE THAT IS ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THEY NEEDED, WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO MOVE THEM ALONG.
YEAH, THEY'RE NOT HERE THIS EVENING.
WHY ARE THEY NOT HERE THIS EVENING, THOUGH? I MEAN, IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT THEY NEEDED AND WHAT WAS SUPPLIED.
YEAH, WE CAN BRING THEM AT THE NEXT MEETING AND HAVE THEM.
YOU'LL HAVE PARKS AND REC COME AT THE NEXT MEETING.
I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM.
MR. BRYANT WAS OUT LAST WEEK AND SO.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THE BOND ELECTION COMING UP AND PART OF HIS PART OF HIS PRESENTATION, I'M SURE WILL ENTAIL THE NEEDS IF THAT BOND ELECTION PASSES.
CORRECT. THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.
IF WE IF THE BOND PASSES FOR THE LIBRARY, WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH DESIGN AND ULTIMATELY CONSTRUCTION ON REMODELING THE LIBRARY.
AND THAT'LL OFFER A LOT MORE SPACE FOR THE CITIZENS.
WE KNOW IT'S GETTING KIND OF TIGHT OVER THERE.
IF YOU COULD ALSO HAVE MS. TURNER PRESENT AT THE NEXT MEETING AS WELL FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
[01:00:01]
OKAY.AND THEN ON THE COMMUNITY EVENTS SIDE IN PAGE 64 OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, IT'S UP 22%.
IS ALL OF THIS COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND OR SOME OF THAT BEING FUNDED THROUGH CDC AND CDC? A SIGNIFICANT PORTION IS FUNDED THROUGH CDC AND CDC.
THEY BOTH RAISED THEIR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS THIS YEAR.
AND I BELIEVE LET ME SEE HERE.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO KNOW OF THE 22%.
22% INCREASE, HOW MUCH OF THAT IS COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND? HANG ON. LET ME LET ME LOOK HERE.
I CAN FIND THAT ON THE ON THE.
IT'S ON THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER SHEET.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YOU WANT TO COME? I HAVE IT UP HERE.
IS THAT ON THE CDC BUDGET? YEAH. KEEP GOING.
THERE YOU ARE. UM, THEY INCREASE THEIR SLIGHTLY, IF I REMEMBER.
YEAH, THEY DID. FOR MORE DETAIL ON THE EVENTS.
THEY INCREASED THEIRS BY 8000 FOR EVENTS.
AND THE WHAT'S THE TOTAL, THOUGH, IF THEY INCREASED BY 8000, BUT STILL 25, 25,000? 25,000. AND THEN THE CDC.
KAREN THEY HAVE COMMUNITY EVENTS, HAS 50,000 FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENTS, BUT THEY SPLIT THAT BETWEEN SOME PROJECT COSTS, SOME PURCHASES, RIGHT? NO, THAT WAS FOR THIS YEAR.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TRAILER.
SO THAT SO THEY INCREASED IT TO 50,000 FROM 25.
SO. THEY INCREASED THEIR BUDGET.
THEY HAD AN ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 25 THERE.
THEY INCREASED THEIR BUDGET OVER THE YEAR TO 60.
BUT INSTEAD OF STARTING OUT AT A 25 THE CDC THIS YEAR, THEY INCREASED IT TO 50,000.
SO AN INCREASE OF 25,000? YES.
SO GENERAL FUND THEN IS PAYING FOR 80,000 FOR EVENTS.
HANG ON. LET ME GET BACK. 33,000 IS COMING FROM CDC AND CDC COMBINED.
[01:05:12]
IF YOU'LL HAVE STEPHANIE PRESENT AS WELL.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE 80,000 DIFFERENCE IS THERE.
WELL, THEIR PERSONNEL WENT UP FROM 165 TO 258.
AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING AN ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE, RIGHT? OUT 130,000.
NO. ARE YOU LOOKING. YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL BUDGET OF 615,000.
NO, I'M LOOKING AT THE BUDGET OF 165 VERSUS 258.
THE DIFFERENCE ON THAT? YES, THAT'S AN EMPLOYEE.
OH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. SORRY.
THEIR COMMUNITY EVENT BUDGET INCREASED BY 36,000 ROUGHLY.
YEAH. WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY MADE UP, I BELIEVE, OF CDC, EDC CONTRIBUTIONS.
OKAY, WELL, THEN THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS I'M JUST AT THE NEXT MEETING.
GENTLEMEN, ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. IT'S HARD TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
YEAH, THAT'S IT. IF WE COULD HAVE A MOTION, I'LL MAKE IT.
I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE'LL TAKE ABOUT A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND COME BACK FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.