As much as requirements.

Okay, Council, it is 6 p.m.

on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, and I will call this regular meeting of the Barrie City Council to order.

First item on the agenda is adjustments to an approval of the agenda.

Any adjustments?

I believe, Mr.

Manager, you do need two executive sessions.

One was warned under litigation.

You also have requested one under personnel correct.

Yes, thank you, Mayor.

Okay.

Anything else from the council?

No.

Okay.

Then a motion to approve the agenda as presented would be in order.

So moved.

Thank you.

Moved and seconded.

Any discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed.

Thank you very much.

Council, next item is visitors and communications.

Anyone wishing to address the council regarding an item that is not on the agenda?

Okay.

Seeing and hearing no uh no one.

Council, I do have one item I'd like to present to the council.

Um I emailed it to you uh this afternoon.

This is a letter that I would like to send.

I will be sending on behalf of myself.

However, I would like to send it on behalf of myself and the Barrie City Council.

I provided all of you with a copy of that letter.

Uh it has to do with the um the governor's recent statement in the wake of what I consider to be unnecessary and tragic deaths of American citizens in Minnesota.

Uh if there's no objection from the council, I'm going to ask that the record be read at the letter be read into the uh record.

And also I will be sending that letter on the council's behalf and my myself as well.

So if you wouldn't mind, ma'am, reading that into the record.

Okay, and this is to the honorable Philip B.

Scott, Governor of Vermont.

Dear Governor Scott, I write on behalf of myself and the Barrie City Council to thank you for your statement in the wake of the of the unnecessary and tragic deaths of American citizens in Minnesota.

The City of Barrie joins you in demanding that all immigration and customs enforcement activity be paused, de-escalated and refocused on truly criminal illegal immigrants.

We also agree that absent immediate and decisive executive branch action to this end.

The legislative and judicial branches of the government need to exercise their constitutional responsibility and authority.

In closing, thank you for your courageous and thoughtful leadership.

We stand with you.

Thank you.

If you can keep that for the record, and if you wouldn't mind mailing that for me, that would be appreciated.

Thank you for your indulgence, counsel.

Uh so uh moving on.

Is there anyone else under visitors and communications before I move on?

Okay.

We'll move on to the consent agenda, council.

Uh item 4A is the approval of the minutes for the meeting of 1626 and the special meeting of 1726.

Uh the I don't believe there are any clerk's office licenses and permits.

Actually, you have a oh, you have a load of them.

I have load.

Okay.

I'm gonna ask you to read those into the record if you don't mind.

Certainly.

Um under entertainment licenses, we have the Barrie Partnership, Ladder One Grill, American Legion Post 10, Gusto's Mulligan's Pub, Vermont Granite Museum, Summer Street Tavern, the old Labor Hall, Barrie Opera House in the Barrie Lodge Elks uh 1535.

Fireworks, we have the Barrie Partnership.

Vehicle for Hire, we have Payless Taxi.

Driver for hire, we have Dale Q for Payless Taxi.

Waste disposal, we have Myers Red Camp Family, Casella's Waste System, MK Trucking, LLC, and under food vendors, we have ResMe Energy, Rise Up Bakery, and Cornerstone Burger Company.

Thank you very much.

Uh and also, Council, under item 4C, we're authorizing the manager to uh execute contracts.

The manager has one contract with White and Burke.

You were provided with a copy of that.

So a motion would be in order.

So moved.

And a second, please.

Second.

Thank you very much.

It's moved and seconded.

Discussion.

Oh, I'm sorry, Council Spaldy.

Yes, I um emailed the clerk with um the minutes had um.

We need to change the language for authorizing the execution of the 143 North Main Street purchase and sale documents because that that was the original language, which was for Steve McKenzie, and then it included others.

And so I think she was changing that in the I did.

Yeah, so I just want to make sure that people know that.

Perfect.

Uh and relative to the White and Burke contract, Council, as I read through the contract, there was a bonus provision in the contract that had to do with you know assess value if the city of Barrie, because of Whitenberg's work is um is successful, uh there was a bonus provision that we would award in the contract.

Uh the contract was well done.

It's fair.

I I don't mean at all to impugn, uh and Stephanie's on the call on the uh meeting with us now to impute the work of Whitenberg.

They have done some incredible work for the city, but I'm cheap, okay.

And I do this a lot.

So I I would just like the manager, I spoke briefly with the manager about I'd like the manager to uh speak with uh Ms.

Clark and see if we couldn't perhaps because we are paying an hourly rate, and then in addition, we would pay this kind of you know bonus commission if we were very successful, uh and I hope we are, but I'd like the manager to have a further discussion with Stephanie regarding the bonus provision of the contract and seeing if we couldn't get some sort of reduction uh relative to the hourly rate that we've paid them.

As far as I'm concerned, if if the manager is satisfied, I I would support um authorizing him to execute the contract as presented, but if you don't ask and you don't work, you don't get so if that's okay with the council, we we could pass it in that fashion.

Yes, mayor.

Oh, sorry.

Oh I'm I might be saying what you were when I read through the contract, it sounded like the um hourly weight would rate would be credited against the bonus.

Yes, and so I was I was gonna mention I was texting with Stephanie.

There's a provision in one of the appendices uh after the the the rate is scheduled and that that it is it is offset.

So I was talking, so Stephanie pointed me in the right direction.

Um so we should be wish we should be good.

I'll I'll work with Stephanie to make sure it's it's clear and we're we're we're on uh good standing with it.

Okay, as I read through it, that's what I read into it.

And Stephanie, uh I apologize, like I said, I don't mean at all to impugn your work.

You've done some great work for the city, but it it I was just left a little unclear about the actual formula.

It's in a different section, so it's it's yeah, it's fine.

But we should be okay.

It's one of the bullets, but um, yeah, you're a negotiator, Tom.

I respect that.

That's why we work well together.

So all good.

All right.

Yes.

I have a question about that same um section.

It talks about the um that the um it's gonna be based on the taxable value as set forth in the grand list of the city of Barrie is equal or greater to 200 percent of the fit FY26 taxable value.

Well, FY26 is now now.

So it's this year's yes, before we are reassessed.

That is correct.

Okay, I just wanted to clarify that.

Thank you.

Yeah, okay.

Great.

Yeah, so that's why I just wanted to be clear on those points.

As I read through them, I had the same.

So but I'm also confident that Nicholas can take it from here.

Okay.

So any further discussion on the consent agenda, council.

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye, aye.

And those approved approved, those opposed.

You know, I feel like it's been about two months since I've since I presided over a meeting.

I think I'm off my game.

It might be the pass.

I might still be getting.

And thank you for the red light and blue.

Don't give it up.

We got one undefeated.

We got one more.

Yep.

Okay.

So council, we have uh 4A, approved the city warrants.

We'll be approving the week of 128-26, and we'll be ratifying the weeks of 1146 and 121 26.

Motion would be in order.

So moved.

Thank you.

And a second, please.

Moved and seconded.

Any discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented.

Please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed, thank you very much.

I'm abstaining.

Oh, I'm sorry, your abstention is noted.

See, I'm off my game.

Uh Ms.

City Clerk.

Uh I just have one quick um piece of advice for you.

With the elections coming up, I want you to think ahead about absentee ballots.

Um, considering Monday's weather, that could again happen on election day.

Um, so the sooner you get your request for absentee ballots, um, we can get them out to you sooner.

And um, I would definitely take at least a week's prior to the election date to get them in the mail.

Great.

Thank you.

Any questions for the city clerk?

I have one, Mr.

Max.

Yes, of course.

When should folks expect to receive ballots for both the two elections that are coming up?

They're still being printed, actually.

L.

Brown has them.

I mean, I assume that much.

Yep, but time frame.

I'm hoping what's today?

I'm hoping the first week in February, we will have him in our hands, and then we immediately get out all the absentee ballots.

Awesome.

And Byrne Rose, did you have a question for the clerk?

Um yes, and just uh some information that I read uh in the newspaper about the changing of the postal uh postmark.

And that uh if that goes forward when you drop your letter off at the post office or your if you mail your ballot and it goes into the post office, the postmark won't be for that day, it will be for the following day because it will be sent through Springfield and it will delay it.

So uh people need to get their uh ballots in the mail if they're mailing them even an extra day earlier because uh the postmarks are no longer gonna be on uh mail going out that day that you mail it from your mailbox.

Okay, may I just speak about that?

Um please do.

We have never accepted postmark ballots.

The ballots have to be in our hands at 7 p.m.

on election day.

Oh, okay.

Thank you for clarifying that.

Okay.

Um I also have an observation.

It's um also true though that if you s if you put something in the mail in Barrie, it still goes to Springfield or somewhere else to be processed and come back to Barrie.

So you still do need to allow extra time.

Um I mean, my advice if you are walking to the post office in Barrie City to mail a ballot cross the street to City Hall and bring it into our office and just save that whole piece.

And if you're not mailing it at the post office, the clerk always has a drop box for you.

The drop box.

So even if you're available.

And and look, there are members of uh the Board of Civil Authority, Justices of the Peace and the City Council.

Look, I'll pick up a ballot.

If if and I've done that before for neighbors when they're you know they're not able to get around and you know, it's not a big deal.

But the main thing is we get the ballots to you in plenty of time.

Um so just you know, please make you know, we want you to be heard, so just get your make arrangements in plenty of time.

It's it's a little different with the post office.

They're they're struggling.

We all know them.

I love our carrier.

I don't know what Karen and I would do without him.

He's wonderful, he's cheerful, but you know, they're like so many businesses, they're just understaffed.

So just allow a little extra time this year and we'll we'll all be fine.

Can I ask a question?

Um, this isn't about ballots, but would the postmark um does that count for tax like paying your taxes and the postmark does count so for paying taxes?

Water bills, water bills, taxes.

That's important to know for those things.

Correct.

Okay, yes.

So maybe not for ballots, but for all the other things it is important.

Right.

Okay.

Thanks.

Yeah.

Little tip though, you can actually go to the counter and you can hand it to the folks at the counter, and they will hand stamp it and they will give you they will give you a what's called a certificate of mailing.

So they'll literally stamp a little piece of paper saying you mailed this on this day.

Yeah, but if you're gonna do that at the Barry City Post Office to show this point, walk across the seat.

It's uh a little bit of adjustment, but the main thing is just hey, try to be early.

Yeah, you know, and and you'll be okay.

Um question um I had Cheryl was first of all, thank you.

I know you've been because we'll we're having some work done uh at the auditorium.

I know you've been trying to make arrangements for alternate polling places, and one of the solutions you came up with, I don't necessarily disagree with it, was um for uh some of the elections is a second floor at alumni hall.

Correct.

And the only observate observation I want to make is the elevator is slow, and those stairs scare the hell out of me.

No, they do for you know, for some citizens who aren't quite as ambulatory.

I I I don't know if there's any other arrangements.

Um I I do have what I have it reserved is both the Washington room in alumni hall and the BOR.

The BOR would be fine for possibly the May and the August or temperature-wise, but the ice will be in in November, so we would not be able to use that site.

Right.

Um Vermont elections.

Could we use the basement?

That would be a Tom question.

The entire building is going to be under construction, whether it's storing the you know the equipment that people are using.

So just a thaw.

I mean, it was just an object.

We are definitely using these really hard.

We did a great job.

For the very uh unified union in the C V C C We're definitely using the basement for that one, but as of April 1st, we really don't have access to the auditorium until possibly November.

They're shooting for November 1st as a you know really hopeful date.

Right.

So by then, Tom, wouldn't you think that he probably given the date of the election if they're shooting for November 1st for a completion date?

I mean, I can't imagine on November 1st under any circumstances, it would be full of contractors' tools.

And you know, by that by that point, they're winding down.

And I'm just waiting here to get the construction schedule or I say.

Okay, like I said, just an observation.

Those stairs are you know really steep, and you know the elevator is not it's not the Marriott.

So how many square feet really do you need?

2,000 2500?

It's still this construction.

Any of the entrances.

Okay.

Just something to keep in mind.

But you did a great job.

I appreciate the work you put into it.

But like I said, that was my only reservation that I wanted to expect to express, rather.

Um else, counsel for the city clerk.

Then we'll move on to the liquor and cannabis control boards, I believe you have we have one.

Umside uh consumption permit, and it has been vetted through both the fire marshal and the uh chief of police.

Motion would be in order.

So moved.

Thank you.

And a second, thank you for your second.

Is there any discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed.

Thank you very much.

Liquor and Cannabis Control Board is adjourned.

Mr.

Manager, thank you, Mayor.

Uh, appreciate it.

Um couple updates for the council today.

Uh, one is that the budget survey closes tomorrow.

Uh, you know, disappointing.

We only have 136 responses so far, which is way down from last year.

Um, so unless there's uh a bunch of people who've been waiting for tonight's meeting to do theirs, we're probably not gonna meet the target.

Um we are planning to it'll close down tomorrow at noon.

Uh we'll shut it down, take it off the website, and um we will have results for you at the next council meeting.

So um that will be one of the the data points we'll have for you next week.

Uh number two on the recreation side, uh we plan to start skate rentals at the BOR this Sunday.

Um as I mentioned, uh Michelle was able to uh work to get a uh donation of 10 brand new skates.

Uh they're adjustable size skates, so they're really good for the for the for the building.

Um we have a range of children's sizes right now to start.

Uh it'll be three dollars for uh per rental.

Uh and we are also uh just as a reminder, accepting donations of gently used skates to add to the inventory.

We'd like to get to 20, 30 pairs of skates in a range of sizes.

Um so if people do have uh I dropped off my donations today, my my kids outgrown skates, and so if you uh if you have those lying around, they're in good shape.

Uh we'd be glad to use them at the BOR for people who who are looking to skate and don't have any.

Uh CDBG DR round two update.

Um, we um you may have seen in the paper this weekend the round two hearing notice was published.

Um we noticed two ten million dollar projects.

I've as I've mentioned we're not planning to apply for two 10 million dollar projects, but um we are hedging our bets and not uh negotiating against ourselves like we did in the first round.

So the the 10 million dollar uh notice in the paper allows us to basically apply for anything up to 10 million dollars without any sort of penalty or or or risk.

Um we expect um you know the projects to be roughly in the same ballpark total that they were last time, which was eight million dollars total.

Um now it'll be of course two projects instead of one as we've split out the um the acquisitions from the elevations and buyouts.

Um we are um anxious to get started on the actual application.

We are still waiting.

Um there's a a really uh one of the one of the property owners in the north end who owns several of the properties has a little uh concern about some of the provisions regarding elevations and resale of the buildings if they accept a grant.

So we're waiting for answers from ACCD before that person decides whether they want to be part of the application or not.

Uh and so we really can't get started until um that person has their answer, and we're waiting for that uh from ACCD.

So that said, um, you know, we feel really good about it.

We uh we had um the narratives were written for these grants last time, right?

The narrative really won't change much.

Uh and so uh the feedback we got was that um there were concerns about the acquisitions not having developers, which I've mentioned to you before.

Uh they had some questions about some of the budget provisions and the elevations and buyouts, but other than that, the narratives we feel really good about um where those are.

So we don't expect a huge left once we have sort of the inputs about who's in and who's out.

Um and then just finally um just kudos to the public works department.

Uh a lot of snow fell the last couple days.

Um, and I think they did a really good job.

I I I gauge these things by how many calls I get, and I didn't get many.

Um and so uh I think for the most part they just did terrific work uh with really difficult storm conditions.

Um they've been out uh quite a bit in the last uh you know, last several days.

Um and I think the the streets are looking, you know, looked in really good shape from from what I've been able to observe.

Um we have been uh like other communities that you may have seen this in the press.

Uh I think Burgen's and others were reporting uh shortages of salt.

I mentioned to you last meeting we had the same thing.

Um but we've been getting really creative and aggressive in terms of uh getting uh other sources of salt in.

So we haven't really run into issues.

We've been just okay.

We're obviously interested in stockpiling as our supplier uh gets their supply their stock back up.

Uh and then finally, just to remind uh just uh a heads up, and this will be going out on regroup uh tomorrow.

Um I'm sorry, on Thursday.

Uh we will have a parking ban Thursday night uh into Friday.

Uh I don't think there's much snow forecast that night, but we are planning to do snow removal.

So this is again one of those examples where you can't always go by the forecast about a uh parking ban because we will have a parking ban when uh we're not expecting much snow.

So um we will issue that.

The messages have been scheduled, they'll go out on regroup uh on Thursday and just encourage uh people.

I think we've gotten a lot the the lot better since I mentioned from earlier in the season we're towing fewer people, which again that's that's what we we don't want to be towing people.

We want to be clearing roads, and um, and so that's uh we're happy with that.

I I've I've heard I also gauge that by the number of complaints I get from both public works and police and residents, and the calls there have all gone down too.

Um so yeah, that's it for me.

Thank you.

Questions anything.

So it's just to emphasize, folks, it's really important when we're trying to clear snow.

We can when we're plowing and we don't want to tow someone, if it's not a major problem, we can go around.

If we're clearing snow, we can't go around.

We got to clear the snow.

So um I hope people pay attention, tell your friends.

Listen, Thursday night, can't bark on the streets.

Burn Rose, did you have a question?

Hi, thank you.

I'm just wondering if uh Nicholas might give information to uh people listening and for the record about the upcoming cold weather shelters through the week.

Sure.

Uh yeah, thanks, Brent.

Uh we are um the uh the warming shelter has been I feel like it's been running for a couple weeks now, but they've they've been up since last Friday, I believe they've been running every night uh and they are extending those hours uh and and days of coverage uh through uh I believe it's Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Uh and so uh we are very grateful.

Um, you know, Tess is doing a great job coordinating this work.

Uh a lot of you know, this is really volunteer run uh operation as well.

Um I did put out a message today uh on regroup and on the on Facebook um that uh they are looking for uh you know, like I said, it's volunteer run, so they they get meals from volunteers.

And so if if anybody's looking to cook a meal for 15, which is 12 guests plus three volunteers, um they're looking for meals on Wednesday and Saturday night.

Uh they're always accepting of snacks um for people who come in and and uh for people who go to the warming shelter.

And if people would like to donate um monetarily, uh they can do so to the Church of the Good Shepherd, which is sort of handling the business end of the shelter.

Um and all of those donations go to things like coffee, uh muffins, uh, you know, breakfast material, breakfast supplies, uh so they they make good use of of what they receive.

So yes, thank you for the reminder, Bern.

Thank you.

Yes.

Would it be possible at a future meeting that we can get an update from Tess on the things that she's working on?

Yeah, of course.

Absolutely.

We'll put that and can't guarantee it'll be on the next meeting.

We're still running additional budget stuff, but but the one after that, absolutely, that'll that'll be the latest date.

I haven't heard much like I hear that she's doing a lot of work.

And I see you know the work that's being done.

So we haven't had as a council really a briefing on anything test related like from Tess.

So it'd just be nice to hear from her to kind of understand that.

Absolutely.

We can do that.

Let's go.

Of course, clarifying question.

Um, I was reading in the paper, I think right before the really cold snap happened this past weekend about um emergency shelters, and I don't remember what paper.

Time Zargus, digger, I don't know.

But it was basically saying that these emergency shelters are being funded by the state.

And I don't understand that to be true.

Is that uh ours certainly isn't?

I know the state does support some community shelters, but ours are um, you know, they're we have some funding from Tessa's grant that we use to support it.

Uh and uh, you know, Tessa's salary, of course, is sort of an in-kind contribution, but that's also state funded.

Um, and we have um you know donations and the food is all donated, uh, the volunteer times all donated.

And the spaces donated and spaces donated by the congregational church.

So that I think was just uh complete misrepresentation of what's happening here in our community.

Yeah, certainly for ours, yeah.

Yeah, speaking for our shelters, yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anything else, council?

Okay, then we will move on to uh new business under I 8A.

Uh we need to approve the request for qualifications for 143 North Main Street uh development.

That RFQ in the proposal was in your packet.

So a motion would be in order if you're inclined to approve that.

So moved.

Thank you.

Second, it's moved and seconded, open for discussion.

Yes.

I have questions about the um in the action item briefing memo, it talks about partnership impossible parking solutions.

Could we talk about that?

And I also have questions about um hospitality uses.

If we could talk about that, please.

Certainly.

Stephanie, do you want to address those?

Sure.

Um, counselors.

Uh so I think the parking solutions, if I'm recalling, what we're saying is that we're happy to work with a developer on figuring out what the parking solution would be for them, depending on the need, the how the usage.

It varies a lot.

If it's you know, senior housing or apartments or hotel, those are all different.

And um TIFF money can be used for parking, whether it's you know, as long as it's a public parking use, and so there may be some way.

A couple years ago, I want to say three years ago, we did a parking study in Barrie that did look at the the inventory post-COVID and was able to look at some of the assets and then you know, suggest some maybe smart metering that you can do, some technology updates you can do that can help direct people to the right uh places to park, and those are TIF eligible expenses.

So if that could help a user um to get the right parking in the right locations, that's what we were kind of talking about.

Okay.

Your other questions, sorry.

Uh hospitality, yeah.

Um that was you know, we're trying to leave the uses open to things that have been talked about in downtown Barrie for a long time.

Housing is the number one, hospitality was the number two.

Um if there's other uses you want us to purposely promote, we can.

Um the point was kind of leave the door open for anything that might come up, but you know, particularly put a focus on those.

Okay, thank you.

That answer your question?

Yep.

Super.

Okay, council.

There was a motion.

There is a second.

Is there any other discussion or questions?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye, aye.

And those opposed, thank you very much.

Thank you for your good work, Stephanie.

We appreciate you.

Stephanie.

You'll see me again soon.

Council, we are at item 8B on the agenda.

Uh 8B Little A is the department head reports, administrative facilities and grounds, recreation and revenue.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I'll invite um Tom, Christina, Janet, uh, Carol, you why don't you come up too and um if you want, Carol, and um and Michelle is online, is joining us online.

So they'll they'll just be here just in case uh if you have questions that way they don't have to migrate up.

Um but I'll plan to walk you through the presentation.

Janet, that's the chair of death.

Yeah, I I'm I'm just saying just watch it.

They they flip backwards.

So thank you all.

Um thank you, counsel, and thank you, and thanks to the department heads for being here.

Um so we have um we want to share uh some information about where we've progressed since our last since our really our baseline meeting on January 6th.

Uh and what we've done after we had that meeting, which was really helpful.

We got some really good direction from you.

Um we met as a as a department head leadership team um in what we call our budget congress.

Um and this is a process I've described where we we all get in the room, we have you know, we take the direction that you give us at that prior meeting, uh, and we we get to work uh finding uh we basically adjust uh expense lines that we know need to be adjusted either upwards or downwards.

We intentionally look for savings and cuts and uh efficiencies.

Um and then if there are things that that we need to add, we do, and and in this case there were um based on on your direction and also on things that we've observed.

So the outcomes of our process were um we identified $323,000 in new non-tax revenues, so that helps, right?

Every dollar that we uh identify that is coming from something other than taxes reduces the tax burden.

Uh and so that's that's a good that's why that's in green.

Green is good.

Um we also found a how 113,000 dollars in savings and cuts, and this is from you know, we're really past the point of service reductions.

We really we've unfortunately cut a lot of things, right?

Because of the the circumstances of our budgets.

There's not a lot left to cut.

So really these represent a lot of re-estimates efficiencies that we're finding that are we can sort of cut on the margins.

There's really no big programs or offices or departments or functions to really get rid of at this point.

We're pretty bare bones.

Uh, and then you know, on the there's a red big red number here because as I mentioned, we also look through the budget and we see wow, that's you know, we were really off last year in estimating X, right?

And so we should really, you know, how is it looking this year?

Oh, it's looking like it's tracking more like last year than the year before.

We should adjust that upwards, right?

So we we we serve no one, uh we we don't serve ourselves, the department, the residents.

If we miss if we underestimate expenses and spending, it doesn't help because we still have to pay for the expenses, right?

So we do make upward adjustments where we need to.

This number here, the 170,000, a big part of that also are the priorities that the council laid out for us, right?

So we have added uh 46 for almost 47,000 to support the the return of the the bees program.

Um and we've added um between we added uh from the baseline budget you saw we added about 49,000 dollars to basically reconstitute the recreation department, right?

We're we're trying to rebuild it.

We we took some big savings there in the last couple years because out of necessity, and now based on the direction we've got, we're we're rebuilding it, and so that's gonna also cost some money.

We also another big chunk of that was um 23,000 for for pothole repair.

I think we all we all lived through last winter.

Um we are living through this winter.

Um these these are these are tough winters.

We're gonna we we made an adjustment in our budget to account for that because it was it's become really really challenging.

So that what was the percentage upward?

Give or take?

Just give or take.

Christina, do you have that handy?

So while Christina finds that um basically when we net that out, you know, we add the we we we added the the non-tax revenues, we add the savings, we deduct the new expenses.

We still came up with 265,000 in what amounts to basically tax relief, right?

Because it's it's non-tax revenues plus tax savings, right?

So that's those are both helpful um numbers, and we end up in that 265 range.

Christina, do you have a number for uh the mayor or we'll come I'm sorry so you she's looking for no worries.

Yeah, I just wondered that 23,000, what the percentage increase was on the hot mix.

All right, yeah.

I'm sorry.

Guys, of course.

On the recreational department, is that for personnel or 48,000?

How do you how do you revamp the for the bees program?

Rec program is a combination of uh it's uh personnel, it's programming, it's basically um building money out for um we were under budgeted, for example, in um lifeguards, um skate guards, um things like that, and then just programming for things like uh summer camp supplies.

So we don't actually have a director.

We do we do.

Michelle, Michelle's the she's the coordinator.

That money's coming out of that right there.

Uh her budget, her salary had been built into the baseline.

This is a this is basically getting us to um rebuilding some of the other aspects of the recreation department that support the work that she does.

We have basically eliminated the entire department.

Okay, because I know we talked about that a couple meetings ago, that's all I was cut of.

Correct.

Thank you.

Thank you, counselor.

35?

Yeah, okay.

Um thank you.

So what we what we're at now is uh, you know, based on those adjustments, a general fund budget of 15 point almost eight million dollars, um, which is uh as you can see the 26 approved uh budget number was 14.7 million dollars.

That is a 7.24 increase in year-to-year expenses.

Now we talked a lot about the last meeting about how difficult it is this year, it's gonna be to talk about a projected tax rate and how we're gonna try to really not do that.

That it's really it's really important this particular year to focus on the expenses because that'll be a better gauge.

One other measure that we think um it's not a projected tax rate number, but it also will give people a good proxy for where we are, is the increase in the amount that needs to be raised by taxes to support the general fund budget, right?

So this is if you if you go to the line by line and it's the first page is the revenue, you'll see the the general taxes line.

That's how much we city staff and ultimately city council would be asking residents to raise to support our budget, right?

There's other things that they'll be asked to raise money for, like they'll be asked to raise money for voter approved assistance.

Um this doesn't include the Washington County tax, which we do have to raise anyway.

Um, but just it's a it's a good proxy, we think, to give you a sense of what our budget is doing, right?

And it's it gives you a sense that if we have to raise 6.6% more in taxes, if generally speaking, the reappraisal, you know, some people will move sort of around the the the average change, it gives people a sense of what might happen to their bills.

So it's a proxy, it's not perfect.

We're not telling people this is how much their bills will go up, but it will hopefully give us some more information as we continue to talk about the budget.

So I want to be very transparent about what that number is.

It's it's it's just to help us have another sort of data point to look at and see what what may be happening.

Um so we you know, we're not at the number you gave us.

You gave us a 5% target.

That said, we're also doing everything you asked us for, which is a bees program and a recreation program, right?

So I think we feel um could there be room to move?

Absolutely.

Um, but also we're at sort of a 7.24% increase in expenses, 6.6 increase in amount of of to be raised by taxes.

We're about a point and a half to two points above where we we all want it to be, um, but we're also doing everything that had been identified as a priority.

Um other question to throw in there.

Um I was pretty adamant about a 150,000 dollar increase in the paving budget.

That would not be reflected in the 6.6 correct.

That would be outside of it.

Okay.

We're trying to that number, that's 6.6.

No, no, I I I get it, and I I appreciate your explanation.

I just want to make sure I fully understand things.

That's all.

Yes.

Um, so tonight um one of the things we like to do is is sort of dive into the the more detailed budgets of the offices.

Um we have a long lineup for you tonight with our partners, so tonight we're trying to take some of the the smaller offices, um, even though these are still big parts of our budget and important services, um, they they tend to be on the smaller size of the numbers.

Um doesn't diminish uh what they do, but but it it'll help us sort of focus on on their functions as well.

So, what we're covering today is what we're broadly calling the administrative offices.

That's that's my budget, the finance department, Janet's office, um, Cheryl's office, right?

So these are um these are pretty simple budgets.

They basically are people and benefits and you know things like that.

There's really not a lot in these.

Um, and so that's that's why it's we'd like to sort of clump them together because they're we we serve very similar functions, right?

We we do different jobs but very similar functions and uh and and uh uh costs.

Um, facilities and recreation we'll cover tonight.

Uh we'll talk and that um that also includes cemeteries, of course, um, and we'll give you um you know, sort of the changes we're proposing on the revenue side.

Uh and then, of course, tonight later to uh you'll hear from the partners as well.

So this is really informational.

This is so so uh council you and and residents can see what the organization looks like.

This is uh basically the the direct reports to me.

Um you see there there's a couple of dotted lines between me and you to the city attorney and the treasurer.

Um I have an executive assistant, all the department heads report to me.

Um Chris reports to me.

Um after the clerk and treasurer position were split up, the delinquent tax collector also reports to me now.

And then we have two positions that are uh currently non-general fund funded, which is the housing and homelessness liaison, that's Tessa's position, and the recreation coordinator, that's Michelle.

So we brought back Michelle's position as the record through temporary ARPA funding.

That's why we're having to rebuild it back into the general fund.

And uh as you've heard, we're we're making a big push in the legislature to extend Tess's grant.

She's done such great work, and anything we get from the legislature would would help offset our expenses as well.

Another visual, this is what our finance department looks like.

Um we have the payroll clerk, the senior accounting clerk, and the HR administrators reporting through Christina.

And after we split the clerk treasure position, the assistant treasurer is also reporting up through her as well.

Uh this is Janet's office.

Um we have Janet, uh, Janet has uh two staff, the assessing clerk and the permit administrator.

We've also had the contract assessors who report to me, but also dotted line to Janet, she's really managing this on a day-to-day basis, and they also have a dotted line to the assessing clerk because they provide that person uh direction as well.

The associate planner position here is listed.

This position has been eliminated.

This was a really difficult loss.

Uh I think last year's budget, um, we've talked a lot about why this was a difficult position to fund.

Um, you know, my my position is um, and I would of course this would be a uh something that would come to the council, but uh I think if we found the right candidate that they walked through the door and they were able to do it for a reasonable price, we would try to find a way to get something somebody in that role, uh, even if it's not funded.

We wouldn't do that, wouldn't do that on our own.

We would come to you, but um we haven't added it back to the budget because it's been so difficult to fund.

But again, if that magical candidate walks through, we would be talking to you about finding a way to get this done if we could.

Uh and this is the clerk's office, uh clerks elected by the voters, uh, and uh there's a city assistant clerk uh reporting to uh Cheryl uh and Cheryl Cheryl shares an office with um with uh the assistant treasurer with some DPW staff, so there's some sort of dotted lines there as well.

Um the general functions of these offices, you know, it's it's these are the administrative functions.

This is the the nitty-gritty work that every company needs that is often not visible but very important.

These are people doing our payroll, our benefits, our insurance, our procurement, or human resources, labor relations, they're paying our bills, um, they're you know making sure we're complying with grants with the state requirements, their processing permits licenses, you know what these folks do.

This is a lot, this is the back office work.

This is a lot of also customer facing work for people coming into the the building and needing uh to either pay taxes, um, or you know, we're collecting fees or whatever, you know, issuing permits, whatever the case may be.

Um, this these are the people who are doing it.

Um these are uh all the budget lines, uh all the budget sections in our budget that relate to these uh offices.

Um so what we've done here is if if you go through the line by line that was in the packet, you will see you can go to the city manager section, you can see the 27 proposed amount and the 26 approved amount.

Now, why is there a 37% increase there?

It's uh that's not my salary.

Uh that is adding tests back in, right?

So Tessa's position is budgeted in my office, and so adding her back now to the general fund generates that increase, right?

So that's why there's a big uh bump right there.

Um you can see that these are you know really a lot of up and down here, nothing too too wild.

Um finance department again.

This is a a big people department.

Um we've had um so that this is you know this is doesn't fluctuate very much.

Um planning and permitting, I think the increase here was due to Janet's has some grants coming up that we budgeted some uh matching funds for.

Um I think that's what most consultant fees for those grants, yeah.

Because there's a lack of grants.

Thank you.

Um and then elections, we we're we're expecting more more elections means more money.

Uh so this is this is a budget that fluctuates every other year.

It tends to go up and down, and so next year unfortunately is an up year.

Um and the legal expenses.

Um we are um we are budgeting, we have fewer uh contracts up for negotiation, so that helps our legal expenses.

Um, and so that that also is sort of a cyclical thing as well.

Uh we haven't been sued very much, which is good.

Uh so legal expenses have been relatively stable.

So this budget again, these are really important functions.

Um overall, you can see the the bottom line percentage in all sort of our administrative functions is 8.39%.

Really, the bulk of that is adding Tesla's position on the general fund side.

What is that dollar amount and percentage look like with and without tests in there?

So I mean I see the adding is you know, it seems like adding 37% or 146,000 dollars.

But I mean, is that if we add Tess's position, are we adding 100 and no?

That's that's because that includes the 146 delta includes the entire um the entire office.

So that includes 126, not 146.

126, thank you.

The 126 includes um all the expenses attributed with that office.

Um so it's it's the my the amount my salary goes up, Chris's salary, um the you know our if our supplies budget goes up.

Um so yeah, it's not it's not the one position, it's the bulk of it.

It's probably health injustice.

But the basic question what does her position cost us adding it into the budget?

That's what I'll just ask.

Because I see we have it here as an you know an icon on the side, increase divin driven by adding this position, but we don't see any figures for it.

And I just kind of want to know what the figure is.

Sure, because we're talking about it.

Christina will pull it up for us.

Thank you.

Yeah, no worries.

So I'll keep moving, counselor, but Christina will give me a nice signal when she's got it.

Yes.

Uh back to that uh other slide.

The for general administration, what is that increase for the 6.23%?

Uh that is um we can probably target the big one.

Most of this is probably just inflationary stuff in this budget line.

Um let me see if there's anything that's accepted.

Yeah, that's the big one.

Yeah.

So it's just an increase in fees and increase in fees, yeah.

There's not nothing.

No new ex no new initiative.

It's basically these are all sort of our inflationary uh inflationary costs.

Thank you.

Salary and benefits, uh 92,000.

I'm sorry.

92,000 for salary and benefits.

For Tesis.

And that's I mean, with all the money from the state to help what she does, should that be picked up by the state, not by us.

We would love we would love the state.

That's a lot of money.

Absolutely.

We'd love the state to pick that up.

So that grant expires in April.

Um, so we we will you know, we will fund the position through the end of the fiscal year with vacancy savings.

Um, but uh hopefully the state picks it up um in their budget, or we get some signal that they will, and if we are able to do that, then that becomes money we don't have to pay out of general fund and the state will pay.

That'll reduce our tax uh our amount to be raised.

So that's and that's 92.

That's that's all in, right?

That's that's salary plus pension plus health care plus all the fringe that comes with hiring a position.

So um that would be what's your description?

What's your title is housing and homelessness liaison?

Um moving, so this is now shifting to facilities, grounds and recreation departments.

Um this is uh so facilities and grounds directors, Tom uh and he has reporting up through him, the cemetery's four-person and um three seasonal staff on the cemetery side.

Um, and then the facilities four-person and maintenance staff, uh, five maintenance staff uh reporting up that through through him as well.

Um Michelle is online, she's our recreation coordinator.

Uh as I mentioned, this position currently is ARPA funded.

We are we are adding it back to the general fund, uh, and she has reporting up through her, these are seasonal staff, so BOR staff that should be a skate guard and a cashier, and then all our pool staff, which is our pool director, lifeguards, and um uh and the cashier at the at the pool as well.

Um these, you know, so so together these offices um a lot of visible work as well, right?

They maintain our parks, playgrounds, fields, and green spaces.

That's all the mowing, raking, um, that ha you know, general landscaping care of of all those spaces.

Um Michelle and schedules plans uh and implements all our recreation events, which we've really um you know, really done a lot of this year.

Um we've done, you know, we've we're really taking advantage of the facilities we have.

We're bringing in a lot more people into the into our buildings um with a lot of really creative creative programming.

Um we um this this uh department uh Tom staff uh they basically run uh the recreational facility.

So these are the people driving the Zambones, the people who are tearing up and setting up events at the auditorium, um, and maintaining helping maintain the pool.

Um of course they do all the cemeteries and and burials, and and of course in the summer that includes all the the landscaping work that the seasonal staff does as well.

Ums Shelley in particular is managing all the city rentals, right?

So that's that's uh a portfolio she's taking on um with all the rentals of all our all our spaces.

Uh if you haven't been to alumni hall, I encourage you to be up there.

The the rooms up there have really been transformed.

Um and and then one really important part as well, they do all the clean the cleaning uh custodial work in our buildings, and they conduct routine maintenance and repairs in city buildings.

That's on Tom's side uh as well.

So those are the general functions again, very visible uh jobs as well.

They're uh also really important to our non-tax revenue.

That's really a big part of you know, sort of Tom's portfolio is the people who are renting the BOR, people renting the auditorium and all our spaces.

That's that's a big chunk of of non-tax money we're making.

Bern Roses online has a question.

Bern Rose is online has a question.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Byrne, did you have a question?

Yes, thank you.

Um as we are ramping up the recreation uh which I I really appreciate.

And we're redoing things at the auditorium and the BOR, the whole civic center.

What are what are the plans for lockers and bathrooms?

And while we're planning those for recreation, is there a chance that we might make seasonal lockers available for some of the unhoused people or folks like uh the man I met downtown uh this past week who carried around two sleeping bags with him all day long?

Uh and wished he had a place where he could put them for the day so he would have them again at night.

People that are unhoused are at risk of having their belongings stolen and uh spending some time with the shelter.

I've come to appreciate that some folks are there for perfectly legitimate reasons, and uh our citizens and our community.

So I'm wondering is there some way that lockers and bathrooms for people who might not have those facilities to be able to use uh and save some of our trash, save uh resupplying people, save the river cleanup and and those kinds of things.

So uh I see it as a multifaceted um solution to a problem.

So just wondering if there's any of that in the plans that are possible.

Thank you.

Uh no, that that's something that certainly in our recreation buildings I wouldn't want to uh open up the door to.

Um, you know, our recreation buildings uh cater to a lot of uh children families, and and I think that um sort of opening them up to that way without proper supervision is is a is a risk and a challenge.

It's the same reason we don't have it's the same reason congregate shelters don't accept families because you don't and I'm not trying to cast dispersions, you just don't know who you're letting into the building.

And so um that would be you know something that is a is a separate function from our recreation um department.

Um we that would require again also supervision and staff supervision.

We couldn't leave the building unlocked at all hours.

So it's not really uh a solution uh in the BOR and and uh in the and the auditorium for the reasons I mentioned.

Uh so we'd certainly would partner with anybody else looking to find a way to to assist with that, but certainly the recreation buildings wouldn't be uh location.

Those are rental spaces, right?

So if you're renting the space for a birthday party and there's an unhouse person coming in, that's it's not a good, it's not it's just not a good mix, right?

Even with the best intentions of of what everyone may have, um they are a they are facilities that have a you know a purpose to serve you know those types of events.

Um I think we can certainly work with other partners who may want to help with that, but it certainly wouldn't be something that we'd want to do in our recreational uh spaces.

Thank you.

I I appreciate that and I appreciate the the concerns.

Um I'm just looking for in the community, are there uh places like this?

The churches aren't open all day long.

Uh they have set hours, and I didn't know if within our community uh we can find space uh for just having a shower and access to lockers uh once or twice a day kind of a thing, or even a couple days a week, uh, so that we're taking some of the um things that people use seasonally and putting them uh and and working, like you said, with a partner so that we can uh clean those things and put them away and they don't become trash or end up in the river.

So just a thought.

Yeah, I I would just remind you, Bryn, that these are not seasonal facilities anymore.

The BOR is a year-round facility now with the turf.

Um and the auditorium is well, the auditorium is now gonna undergo major change anyway, but it will also become much more of a year-round facility now with air conditioning.

That was the real barrier to it being much more usable in the summer.

So these are you know, alumni hall, if you look online is is quite often booked, it wouldn't be a place for that anyway.

But these facilities, our goal has been, uh, and we've made investments to make them uh year-round.

And so they're not uh they're they're not as seasonal as as people uh remembering remember them to be.

Thank you.

And and let's just keep our ears and eyes open for other possibilities.

Thanks, Nicholas.

Thank you.

If I could chime in, um I'm the Lisa The Unhoused Community Committee, and we are talking about lockers.

Montpelier had lockers, and they're working, they're talking to the people in Montpelier who are managing managing them in another way, manages lockers right now.

So we're working on that, Byrne.

Um, and we'll keep you posted.

Thank you.

Um thank you.

So the next slide has this similar uh line, you know, the the budget heading breakdown.

These are uh again all of the the categories again.

If you go down the line by line, uh the budget section corresponds to a section of the budget, and you can see um all those that apply to the uh facilities, grounds, um, and cemeteries uh divisions.

Um again, overall here the increase on the bottom line is high, it's 12%, but that's really attributable to that big number on the recreation, which is we are again trying to rebuild something that was eliminated, uh, and and that that costs money, right?

So the the difference here from last year to this year is building in the salary, building and all that programming, so that it's not you know, I think one thing we've learned is that um you you we're gonna get more out of the recreation department if it has something to work with.

A one-person recreation department is can only go so far, right?

So if we have some funding for programming, some funding for supplies, um, we're able to do some of the more um you know creative programming that is actually really engaging people, and and I don't know if you if you've seen pictures just of the theme skates on uh of that we've posted on on our social media.

People are showing up.

We had a hundred people show up for for one of these at the BOR.

That is a really great thing.

Um Michelle's camps last summer were were packed, and right that was an effort to um you know to we we they were cheap because we wanted to sort of build interest in them, but they you know there was interest, and so now um while we can keep them affordable, we know we can also uh cover some more of our expenses by running these camps.

So um that's why there's an increase here, and that was um that's reflected in the priorities we heard.

Um, and and that's really where if you look at these, you know, the the lines here, that's where that's really what's driving this change um at this point.

Um on the cemetery side, I'll just point out um that um we are it's very marginal change.

We're expecting um we're expecting a retirement in that department, so we're gonna go from a very uh you know, uh a very senior staff person with over 40 years experience to somebody with less experience.

So we are you know actively budgeting ahead, right?

Uh the the less senior person is gonna earn less.

And so that's why you see a reduction there.

That's not an indication of um lot uh cut in services.

I've I've already learned that lesson.

Um so uh that's that's the big picture here uh on these departments.

Um what is the cost on the rec department um coordinator?

While you're looking that up, I asked a question.

Is the you have the proposal on the in that green um box to the right about the um retaining money from the Semper Bon annuity and is that money this is the total amount that it would be increasing, but then that would be reduced if we authorize that.

The expense line wouldn't be reduced, but there would be offset revenue on the other side.

And it's the presentation is later right in the yeah but so that that amount still stays the same, but then the taxes wouldn't necessarily need to increase as much because we're using some of that.

Exactly.

So you see that the delta there from the 55 to the 205 is 150 or approximately.

The actual net increase to the property taxes needing to be raised would be offset by 70,000 if the council approves those those two actions we've proposed.

So almost half.

Almost half, yeah.

Yeah.

We're trying to our our goal with that was, and this is this is covered as a separate agenda item later tonight.

But our goal really is um we know it's it's painful and difficult to rebuild something that was cut.

Um, and so our goal is to try to uh find ways to sort of minimize that direct impact on the tax side.

So this these are two funding sources that I think are are really uh aligned with the goal of the recreation department and can sort of help mitigate that direct one year hit.

Uh so next year if we're budgeting this, it's less of a less of a change, right?

91,000 for salary and benefits.

So that's all in, yeah.

Is uh so direct department director, so she's also in charge of marketing because as far as I can see the BR and the auditorium are our biggest bet for Barry for money revenue coming in.

So she's I I know she that she's doing or the person is doing other stuff, which is great, but so she'll also be doing the marketing to fill those spots to get people to rent the BOR, rent the auditorium.

It's uh it's a sort of a mix it that that task is sort of split uh a couple places.

So we have so Michelle does some of that.

Certainly she's getting uh interest from people and she's you know, sort of giving people tours who want to host events there.

Um, and so that's that's certainly part of it.

We also have Jim McWilliams who's who's sort of paid separately.

He's a contractor, he's paid from the Civic Center Improvement Fund.

Um he was the he's the person who sort of brought in all the dasher board ads, all the advertisements in the building.

He also does a lot of that generating of events, so he'll he'll organize the solstice events.

Um so it's really it's really sort of a mixed back.

We get we get cold calls.

Tom and I will get cold calls from people who uh want to host events there, and it becomes sort of a team effort to to make the pitch and make the sell.

So it's it's not solely on Michelle, it's sort of it's more of a team effort, depending on where the the interest is coming from.

So uh moving on to the revenue side.

Um you've seen this slide lots of times, but it's it and it tells such an important picture though.

Um this is adjusted to account for the increases in non-tax revenue that we identified in the budget Congress.

So uh if you looked at the previous uh presentation we did, I believe the local revenue was at 78%.

We're now down to 76%.

That's being raised by by local taxes.

So that's good, right?

We want that number to go down.

Um, and we're the city generated revenue went up.

The federal and state assistance stays constant.

Um but again, this is really important just so we remember that um just like many of our expenses are fixed.

Uh we are also you know heavily dependent on property taxes.

And this this slide, you know, it probably looks different for other communities, um, but for the most part, many many Vermont uh budget presentations.

Their slide would look similar to this.

Like we are all very heavily dependent on um on local uh taxes to fund our budgets.

Um and so moving to the revenue side.

Um, and again, this all these budget sections here correspond with parts of the line by line that you have in the packet.

The general taxes, that's the 6.60% that I mentioned earlier.

Um on the business revenue side, that's staying flat.

Um, so are the pilots.

Um the fees uh are we're per projecting a almost 20% increase.

I'll talk about where some of these changes are coming from on the next slide.

Uh fines and penalties also about a 19% increase.

Uh the reduction from federal and state assistance was um loss of state uh grants from last year.

We went down, I think, from 50 to 20, something like that.

Um rents and leases were projecting a small increase.

Um and then service revenue is a big one, almost uh 10% increase here.

I'll also talk about this on the next slide.

Uh cemetery revenue, um, the increase here is uh primarily the um addition of some money from the uh COSI fund interest that we are recognizing uh this year as well.

Uh and then the miscellaneous revenue.

I think this was interest income, is that right?

Yeah.

So these are I just so those were the that's the big picture on this slide.

This is all the revenue lines.

Um slide uh 16 has sort of the details on on where some of these changes are being driven from.

So the fees um the fees uh went up about 10,000 dollars uh and about uh 80, the biggest chunk of that was 82,000 uh is from increasing rental registry fee from $60 per unit to $100 per unit.

Um that's a change.

I understand that's you know that's something that um that we may hear about.

Um our perspective is that $100 is still pretty much in line.

Um in fact, more affordable than many other communities charge for a rental registry.

Um and so that is our you know, if we increase it by that amount, given the number of units we have, that actually generates quite a quite a bump in revenue for for the city.

Um we're also counting on about $15,000 in parking meter collections.

This isn't tied to any increase in the rates.

This is just basically adjusting for the data we're seeing.

We're seeing higher um collections on the on the meter side.

Um, and then um $13,000 on delinquent tax collector fees.

Um we're counting, you know, with a bigger recreation program, we're counting on more recreation fees coming in, right?

The more we sort of put into it, the more we can get out of it.

Um, and then we have some uh uh public works fees as well uh for permits that we would count on as well for that uh budget section, that revenue section.

On the fines and penalties, um this is also this is connected to the delinquent tax interest being the biggest driver here.

11 of the 11,000 of 13,000 uh is accounted from for that.

Uh service revenue.

I mentioned this was a big one.

Um this is uh for uh we are accounting for 150,000 uh in additional ambulance income.

So this is a big uh uh revenue generator for the city.

Um we have been uh traditionally very, very conservative in uh projecting this, um, but we feel very confident that 150 is still frankly a conservative estimate based on where we've been.

Um so this is something that can help us again.

This is a big number to help us reduce that tax burden, uh, and we feel confident both in reaching it uh and that that it won't leave us in a pinch because we we wouldn't achieve it.

So of the 183 we're projecting in service revenue, uh, which includes things like rentals.

Um, the biggest chunk of it is is from this ambulance uh revenue income.

Uh cemetery, I mentioned uh just a little bit ago.

We're projecting about 14,000 total additional in this section, and most of that the 10,000 comes from um recognizing additional COSI fund interest in addition to the 75,000 we had already assumed in the baseline.

Uh and then the miscellaneous revenue, as I mentioned, was uh $30,000 from uh interest income.

So oh, yes.

Um where is our um local options tax income or revenue, I should say.

That's in the capital local options by our charter is um restricted to streets and capital.

Okay.

Um so that's the revenue side.

Um, and tonight um we're also gonna hear from our partners, um, Alders Library, uh, BADC and Barry Partnership.

Um, and they're you know, this isn't a reflection on on their requests or their value, right?

We we we're basically bringing you, we currently have in the budget their numbers from last year, right?

And again, not a reflection on the value they bring or how worthy their needs are.

Um we just we don't assume we let them come in and make their pitches.

We don't see their pitches until we get them in the packet as well, right?

Um so the only caveat to that, right?

Is of course that um it's not included in the numbers you saw today, right?

So just want to be clear about that as well.

That increases to their budgets also increase the numbers we showed you, but that's that's not again, want to be very, very clear, not a reflection on the merits of their asks because they do some great work.

So um just want to want you to know as you consider it what it what it might mean as well.

Um so I'm happy to answer any more questions.

Um, you know, our plan uh so you know is next week we're meeting again, um, and we'll have the public works department, fire department, and police department here to talk about their budgets as well.

Um we will of course take into account any feedback we get today with our partner organizations um and uh any other feedback you have for us.

This is a this is a uh uh a living document right now.

We're still you know it's it's adjusting and and moving, and we want it, you know, we want to get it right.

So the only thing I will add before I turn it over, uh, if there are questions is items agenda items C and D tonight uh are to basically give us your green light um to to uh effectuate that Semperbond and Brusa Trust uh allocations that we talked about, right?

So if if you are not comfortable as a council doing that, we need to go back to the drawing board because that that is something that we are uh we are counting on.

In fact, I I should correct the the numbers we showed you tonight don't account for the 10,000 Bruce of Trust.

So in fact, those numbers will that'll help us, right?

Because we're not counting it.

Um so uh but if you say no to that, that's just something we either need to be cognizant of or or go back to the drawing board.

So that's why we've we've put it on as an agenda item so we know and have a little bit of certainty one way or the other um as to whether that will that will be something we can count on this year.

So anything, team?

Good.

Yes.

Did you have a question?

I remember Tom mentioning a while back uh collection of delinquent taxes, and and I saw that you had a line there that could be more aggressive.

I just wondered how that uh happened or changed.

It looks good.

Carol?

It's not a reflection of being more aggressive.

Um we we actually our delinquent collections clerk does an incredible job um of staying on top of collections.

Uh it's just a reflection of uh as Nicholas mentioned with some of the other items, looking at the the trends with where we're collecting what we've collected last year so far this year, um, and making adjustments accordingly.

Okay.

Uh just a couple of questions and kind of an observation.

Um, that's a significant increase in the rental registry fee.

And what I sometimes am concerned about is um when our property taxes go up, generally speaking, um homeowners may get a higher property tax rebate.

Renters generally don't.

Um those uh higher property taxes on commercial properties often are passed through directly to renters.

And it this almost seems like sort of a demo way me because if landlords are simply passing their costs, which is appropriate, on to the renters so that they're not losing money, um this fee could essentially be paid by folks who might be able or who are least likely to afford it.

So that's just an observation.

I've got to think about that one for a while.

Um secondly, Carol, what is the total amount of Semper Bond interest that's recognized in this budget?

Um I'm sorry, the the total amount of Semper Bond interest?

Right now it's uh um it's usually reflected as a level money in money out.

I think we show it as $62,000 and change um received uh from the annuity, and then based on the actions that the council made several years ago, that money is then moved into an annuity fund.

So it comes into the general fund and then is moved out.

And essentially what we're proposing is that it stay in, at least for this year, as part of the rebuilding for the giving my elevator speech now, as part of the rebuilding for the recreation program.

As part of the rebuilding recreation program.

Um it has been talked about in this room by this body that there will very likely be opportunities to grow the recreation program to seek grant funds for the recreation program.

Um we're we recognize that and want to help them get to that point by um helping to the in the rebuilding by taking this 62,000 or whatever we happen to receive this year or next year, um taking that money and using it to support the rebuilding along with 10,000 from the Bruce Trust.

Gotcha.

And COSI interest, what's the total amount of cozy interest included in the budget?

Uh we had it in a couple of different places.

85, 85.

So we have in total between cemetery and general, we have about five million dollars on deposit.

Yes, a little over.

So I don't know where you're keeping your money, but at 4%, which we can certainly achieve.

Um that's significantly more than 75,000, isn't it?

Yeah, uh, I mean, we certainly have more capacity.

We're we're trying, and we haven't tapped into the the cozy capital fund, even the the interest or the growth.

We haven't tapped into that at all.

Right.

Um you know, so but we were also wanting to make sure that we're not spreading ourselves too thin.

We have tapped into the to the COSI hope fund for the um cemetery.

For the cemetery for the digitization project.

Um that was 120,000.

Um we've already moved 75,000 this year because it's already in the FY26 budget for general cemetery um operation support.

And so we're proposing going from that 75,000 that's in this year to 85,000 next year.

It from where things look, you know, we've we've had the uh both COSI funds for about eight, nine months now.

Um there's there's definitely capacity for what we have allocated so far.

Um and that's not touching the principal, as it were, because we know that those are those are separate, have separate allegations.

Restrictions, yes.

Thank you.

And uh lastly we're not looking horrible in in this fiscal year.

Um things don't look horrible.

We we look like we are I want to be careful when I say this because you know it's January, and we just had a major storm that probably sucked up a hundred grand uh in two or three days.

But but we are looking at a surplus, so this budget does not include any carry forward or uh of of any surplus.

I thought there was uh included some eighty-five thousand.

How much?

So, you know, there I guess I'm just saying look, you've done a good job, don't get me wrong, but we didn't quite get there with the six point six.

And um and I'm adamant about the hundred and fifty thousand additional for paving, adamant about it.

It's going to go into this budget, period.

It's well, I'm one vote is seven.

So maybe it is.

It's got one vote.

Um it it isn't just a reminder, it's not reflected in the budget.

It it's it's not reflected in the six point six.

Right.

It's so 150 is gonna drive that six point six.

But it is reflected in the calculations for the tax rate.

Correct.

So I I guess all I'm saying is this is a long way from what we're we've we've got a lot of discussions left.

Yeah.

I think you're absolutely right, Mayor.

And and just one, you know, it's it's it's not um it's not all hope is lost, right?

Like if we if we're successful in advocating for state funding for Tessa's position, which my goodness should be an easy sell based on everything she's done.

That's you know, that's almost 100,000 off right there.

That gets us down to 5.87%.

Right.

We're already we've already cracked the fives.

It's another you know, eighty-five to ninety thousand dollars down from there to get to five, right?

So it's not these aren't um things that we it shouldn't frighten us.

I think we're we're in a that's why we feel confident about it.

I think we we feel good that this budget does the things that the council wanted to do, and it's still within striking range of where the council wanted to be, right?

And and if we get Tessa's position, that is a huge help to get us even closer to where we want, uh, and we can get to that five percent um you know, without hopefully doing something that that's too painful.

So I think we feel we feel good about it for those reasons that um we've started at a point where we are funding, you know.

We we haven't been in a position like that where we've added something so significant in the past in the past couple years, and this year we did, and we're still really close to the target, right?

So, and and we have real good pathways, I think, to to getting there.

Um, so that's why we feel pretty good about it.

Um, that we can, you know, we we can get it to a place that there's there's just much more comfort.

Oh, I you've all done a good job.

I mean we've seen worse, Carol.

We've seen we've been we've been looking, we've looked at much higher numbers much later in the process than we're looking at tonight.

So this is the one thing that I did want to, you know.

But Nicholas talked about the we talked last time we were talking about the budget about how we can't project a tax rate this year because of the um reappraisal.

We don't know what that's going to to do, what those numbers are gonna look like.

But Nicholas and I um talked about it afterwards and said the one thing we can do, because one of the numbers in that formula is the amount to be raised by taxes.

Right.

And the nice thing about looking at that number as opposed to just the expense number is that the amount to be raised by taxes takes into account the change, the increases in revenue, the non-tax revenue that we find out.

It nets things out, and so that's a really good approach to um to give us a truer picture of uh what the impact is going to be.

Perfect.

Council, any other questions before we move on?

Sir.

Okay, well, there's more to come.

Thank you.

Folks, thank you.

Appreciate it very much.

There will be more.

And like I say to everyone, you're all welcome to stay, but I sure understand if you don't.

So I've got to come back to the with that.

You gotta be at work and water early in the morning, Carol.

Don't get too comfortable over there, okay?

All right, just saying.

Hey, who is up next?

I believe is are we going in order as you have it presented on the agenda?

Sure, let's do that.

That's easier.

Come on up.

All right.

Thank you.

How are you?

I wouldn't.

Thanks for having us.

I'm Kristen.

I'm the director of the Aldridge Public Library, and um I'm at the table today with Garrett Grant, assistant director.

Nancy Pope is the chair of the board of trustees.

David Sickle is the uh treasurer for the board.

Uh both Nancy and David sit on the finance committee.

We wrote the budget, worked on the budget, started months ago, and here we are.

Um I see that uh I have a few notes that I just want to start with because Byrne asked some really pivotal questions, and I see that Tess logged on.

Um, but there are showers in Barrie, and we direct people to showers often, and I think you should all know that that a church opened up a shower facility in Barrie.

They'll also you can arrive there, put on a robe, have your clothes cleaned, take a shower, get out of the shower, your clothes are clean.

Um, I think you should know that's going on in Barrie.

That's really really great work that's happening here.

Um, there's a second shower at Vermont Cares.

That shower opens up, I think weekly, and that is about wound care.

Um we do talk about lockers as long as Councillor Spaulding said.

Um we talk about water and garbage and bathrooms, and um I'm happy as the library to play a role in that um and to work with Tess on that.

So um Tess, those questions were asked while you weren't on.

So let's start with the library.

Um we we respect where we're at here, starting at a level funding, but it's not what we requested.

Um for those of you who have read the budget documents, you can see that we did ask for a five percent increase.

Sorry.

My fat checker.

Fact checker.

Um we did ask for an increase.

Uh, I think the slideshow will lay out uh where that increase came from and why we did it.

Um most people in the room know me now.

If you don't know me, um I'm uh pretty passionate about the library.

Um I know there's library users in the room, there's library volunteers in the room, there's library workers in the room, there's uh people on Zoom.

Um, and really tonight I represent all of them, every single patron that walks in the door.

Later on, you'll see in the presentation that was 86,000 plus people last year.

So I represent all of them tonight, and I could wax on all night about how important that library is for this community.

Because this is about me asking you for 5% more and and where that where is that money going and why is it well spent?

So um we are requesting 312,000 in this fiscal year 27 budget.

It is a 5% increase from the fiscal year 26 budget.

It's a dollar and eighty-one cents increase per resident for the library.

3757 total per resident for the library, and uh libraries across the state do an annual report for the Department of Libraries, um, and that data tells us that we are below the median and the average cost of what residents are paying per for libraries in their communities, and we don't say that to you to say we should be getting 40 dollars, right, from residents.

We say that to you to illustrate that we're respectful of where Barrie City is in the tax scheme, where the residents are in the tax scheme, the issues that we face in the city and in the town, and so we we think it's a fair.

We think it's fair and it's what we need to run the library.

Uh we're the fist that that data, so that's really fun data to look at, or maybe it's just fun to Garrett and I.

Nancy likes it too.

Um, but uh that data tells us we're the fifth largest library building by square footage in Vermont, and that doesn't include the square footage of the York branch.

We're one of four libraries in the entire state to operate a branch library.

Our branch library is the York branch in Eastbury, and we serve the sixth largest population in the entire state.

So we're a big library and we're doing big work, um, and that sets the stage uh for other libraries and and and mostly for our community.

So uh where the increase is coming from.

There are other increases within our budget.

We highlighted the largest increases.

Um it is a 4% union negotiated wage.

We have six part-time people, six full-time people for about nine FTEs.

Um we have included some additional staffing hours in the fiscal year 27 budget.

Overhead and maintenance and capital improvements sees an increase.

We are um constantly working on that old beautiful, gorgeous, lovely historic building, trying to provide modern day library services in that gem.

Um we are looking at lighting upgrades, we're looking at potential grants, and so we need to secure matching funds for some potential grants.

Um, and there are HVAC upgrades that up HVAC upgrades that are really uh moving up the priority list and and smacking us in the face.

Um they uh Garrett and I called everybody today.

We called the plumber, we called New England Air, we needed everybody today.

So those are uh serious components of the work that we do and the cost of running a library.

Um health insurance had an increase, not as much as we did last year.

We were happy about that.

There are some increases on our insurance policies.

Um we have a technology increase.

Um that is the beginning of replacing computers in the library, they are aging out.

Um you'll see in a later slide, we had over 5,000 uh people use the public computers in the library.

They're doing a variety of things.

I think I have notes about that in another slide, and we can come back to that.

And again, that's only a phased approach to replacing computers.

Um, although we support that because if we don't phase them now, then we have to replace them all next time too.

Right.

So this is gonna be a limp for us.

We we really do need computers replaced, and our phone system is out of date.

Um, but we're hopeful there's other pockets of money we'll go to, and we'll just start phasing things in, and then and a utility increase that was based on actuals.

So let's see, let me just go over.

Yeah.

Great.

Um, so 86,847 people came in the library last year.

That is a 25% increase from fiscal year 24.

That slide, when I look at that slide, I know that I'm being a good steward of your money.

I'm being a good steward of for the taxpayer, we are doing our job, it is great work.

I am proud of the staff.

That slide tells me a lot of things.

That is a baseline indicator for many libraries.

They were always tell you how many people come in the door.

That's why we have an accurate number.

We have door counters at both doors.

We we tech that statistic often.

And that's a lot of people.

So if you remember last year, I did a little slide on, I think it was Wrigley Field or maybe not Wrigley, maybe Fenway.

And it was this is how many people came in the library last year.

Excuse me.

Well, did St.

Monica's school deem it unsafe for their students to go there this year?

No, St.

Monica's comes often.

So they didn't deem it unsafe for the stewards.

Really?

Correct.

They were just there last week for Lego Club.

We run a special Lego Club for St.

Monica's on Friday afternoons.

They come for library.

We hosted them this summer for their summer schools.

So we've never deemed it unsafe, ever.

Never.

Is there a further question about that or information I should know?

Okay.

So this year, this is the VRR, the BOR filled 52 times.

That's the stat for this year.

Yeah, 52 times.

That's great.

So people are coming in the door.

Why are they coming in the door?

We've increased programming.

We've increased programming and events for all demographics in the community.

That statistic there is a total of 574 library-led programs, which is about 11 per week.

And those are library programs.

Those are programs that the staff coordinates, hosts, plans for markets for.

I heard marketing come out of the discussion today.

Get people in the door, supervise, provide a snack for, all of that happens.

Those are again great numbers.

You know, we can see the teens dip down a little last year.

That was us reorganizing teens and trying to figure out you know, some graduate and move on, and then we bring in the the tweens, right?

We know what the tweens are, those middle schoolers.

I have to take a breath when I say middle schoolers.

Everybody take a breath.

But uh it's working, right?

Again, this slide's like when I see that, I'm like, great work, team, great work to the staff.

You have a you have professional dedicated staff at that library, and it's working.

Um why else are people coming in the door?

Because that's certainly not um 86,000 people.

71 over 71,000 checkouts.

Um, we love that.

I have to tip my hat, right?

That's great.

People in Barry are still reading.

We're buying books that they want to read.

You know, that that in itself is so much information for you, right?

That that's staff information.

We have to make library books checkouttable, we have to catalog them, we have to process them, we have to display them, check them out, check them in, reshelve them, make sure they get shelved right.

You know, we have to be able to find them, right?

It's a ton of work right there, that number.

Uh computer sessions, again, this is why we're we need to fund our technology budget.

People are using the computer for computer sections for uh for computers.

I have a note here, uh, that we do a lot of printing at the library, we do DMV registrations, Amazon returns, job applications, school work, flood recovery, Medicare, Medicaid, um, permitting for the town, right?

Lots and lots of computer sessions.

People stay connected through that library.

Uh the digital database visits, 5171.

Um, again, uh, that's learning new skills, um research.

Those are provided by the state of Vermont, most of those digital databases, and Larry residents and Aldridge patrons have access to those.

And then we hosted, on top of that, 550 community meetings.

And I just want to spend a second again on the community meetings.

Um, that again is about it's over 10 a week.

Um, and that's scheduled meetings.

Garrett reminded me of that today as we were coming over.

That's not people that just walk in the door and are going to tutor or have a client or have something else that they just walk in and sit at a table.

Um, we're open to that and welcome that as well.

But those meetings are where people are learning and growing and sharing and solving and supporting each other in this community.

We have partners in the rooms there.

We are doing Medicaid and Medicare enrollment, river access meetings, housing meetings, student absentee meetings.

Um we we've had uh both Barry City Chief of Police, Barry Town Chief of Police in the building, working with different community groups that we also get to sit at the table at and be partners with uh to continue to make Barry vibrant, healthy, livable, right?

This is this is what's going on in that beauty in that room.

Um we have climate resiliency meetings, um, and we have a lot of Barry history in there.

And I wanted to take a second to note that we currently have on display from the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, the lost ski areas of Barrie.

And if any of you remember skiing on them, come take a look.

It's in the Vermont room.

We have the panel, and we have a fun little thing there for you to do while you come in and see the lost ski areas of Barry.

Great stuff in there.

Um we are probleming problem solving together.

Um, and that's where public libraries can really make a difference for communities.

Um if we go back to that slide just one second, that is Catherine Patterson there, and she is with our uh children's uh circulation assistant, Rain Um Willis.

Rain uh born and raised in Barrie, and um a really uh strong member of our team at the library, and um she is about to hand Catherine Patterson the book that she wrote.

Um so that's a really nice moment there.

Um and then again, there's the Milne community room and full use with some art on the wall.

Um a little bit about a little visual about what we're doing.

Um then um, you know, we also bring in other revenue.

We have to make that budget work, not only with the city and town um appropriations, but with uh our own fundraising and with our own endowments, which if you look in your budget narrative, you can see that's been a large increase over the last few years.

Um and uh the fundraising is uh this is our biggest fundraiser.

This is the spring fling.

It's a great time.

I want to make sure everybody knows they're invited.

I wanted to get the date out there, so there's a save the date.

Um, because you know that's how it goes.

We'll pick a date, and then everybody else will pick that same date, and then that'll be a mess.

So we're we're we're claiming that date, April 18th.

I'm remembering it as the Saturday after tax day.

Um it's six to nine, it's a great time.

We hope that everyone will come and support the library and uh and and maybe see what's going on in there, check out what's happening.

Um I I do um you we can finish.

Thank you.

Just yeah, thank you.

Um is that you, Nicholas, moving those slides?

Thank you very much.

Thank you for navigating that.

Um I just I do respectfully request that you consider our increase.

Um we we pick up a lot of pieces in Barrie.

Um I think Nicholas um, you know, when he speaks about our merit, he he would tell you that as well.

Um it's without a doubt uh important to this community that we continue to operate um and provide services to people and uh and and continue to do our work.

Uh and I feel like we're getting somewhere.

I feel like what the mayor is saying and what the city manager is saying, um, you know, that uh we're not in the worst position we've ever been, and I think that everybody's working together really well, and we're happy to be here.

And um and I'm happy to take questions.

Do you have a unrented apartment upstairs?

Do I have a lot?

Unrented apartment upstairs in the library that's not being rented.

The Aldridge, the downtown library has no apartment upstairs.

There's no apartments upstairs.

In the downtown library, there is no apartment upstairs.

Um in the York branch, there is some empty space that is not an apartment.

Everything has been removed from that.

There are empty rooms.

Um 2023, your 990 form shows assets of 7,735 and 124 dollars.

Is that current?

You guys have that much money?

Those assets include the buildings.

We have endowments that I believe, and Nancy will get me right on this, are about 4.5.

I don't have the number on top of my head, but the endowment is approximately that.

Yes.

So it is an accurate number.

Total assets $7 million.

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yep.

And you can see in the budget narrative what we're taking this year.

I think it's close to appropriations.

Is that right, Garrett?

Close to the Barry Town appropriations.

Close to the Barry Town appropriations.

Um, so that uh those assets are uh governed by the Board of Trustees.

Uh, and there are policies on that, and the finance committee reviews those assets.

Uh we have uh uh a yearly meeting.

We uh we've had several meetings this year to make sure that we're doing the best we can with those assets.

We um we are and because of that, we're able to take increasingly larger amounts each year to make sure the library continues to run.

I guess my I'm just curious how much of those assets get you know pushed down to the Aldridge Library, funded for you there.

It's I mean your contributions were a million dollars last year, or give or take.

Uh prior year was 1.7 uh 2024 with 695,000.

I'm just thinking there's a lot of money somewhere under the you know, I'm I'm pro-library, don't give me a wrong.

I just think from what I hear, you know, the kids aren't really being service.

It's more about the homeless people going in there and stuff of that nature.

That's actually.

That's well, not now it's all because it's winter, but that's not true.

Kids are served.

Um if you look at the program statistics, there's a children's program almost every day.

Oh, I'm sure there is.

And there's thousands of kids that go to programs.

Thousands?

Yeah, yeah.

Really?

Yeah.

Should come by sometime.

I definitely will.

Uh we I will I will do Sonia, but um the uh the children are served.

I am confident of that.

We have as I the first slide was about increasing staffing.

Um I do want more front desk staff in that building.

I want people to be greeted.

I wanna know where the kids are in that building.

It's a large building.

I spend a lot of time, Garrett and I both spend a lot of time sort of making sure everybody's where they need to be so that we can make sure they're safe and secure.

We're so happy their parents send their kids there.

Um and we will continue to make sure that that happens.

But we are at a point where we need more staff.

We definitely do.

We want to serve, we we we we could do more for everybody.

For everybody, we could do more.

When I got hired for this job, I I told the hiring committee, which included Nancy that you know, I I will make people work, and and now I have and we haven't increased staff in the two years I've been here.

Um, but it's time to do that and and make sure that we continue on that road.

Um I did have a number, because let's let me just just one second make sure that I tell you maybe I don't have that number.

But we could get you, we could do a whole stat thing on programs if if that's information that you would like, Sonia.

Um, when I'm looking at the budget narrative, um it says that this year you're projecting a 22% increase in transfers.

That's for your investment transfers.

So that's a 22% increase from those endowment funds.

So they're pulling more money from the endowment funds so they can continue to fund the library because even with the money that you're getting from the city in the town, it's not enough to balance your budget.

Correct.

That's correct.

Correct.

Um this is a balanced budget that we present to you, and that is uh with a 5% increase from the city appropriations and a 20% increase from the town appropriations.

And and a 22% increase in your transfer from your entire transfer.

And we projected more money from Spring Fling, different avenues where we collect, you know, uh non-taxes is what uh Nicholas looks at in his budget, right?

So those things are like donations, printing fees, you know, those kinds of things.

Yeah.

So the town approved of that increase.

What we go to them next week.

You're in their budget side, just as you are, so we won't know that.

Um so I would just say that I'm in favor of increasing um your request for the simple fact that you're basically providing daytime shelter for our unhoused population.

And um I don't see why we wouldn't do it.

And I understand I'm only one vote, just as the mayor said earlier, he's only one vote.

Um, but I would definitely be in favor of increasing it because I think you do provide a very important service to our community.

So thank you.

We appreciate that.

You know, we we um we do do that.

We coordinate with Tess.

Tess, you know, when when I make a snow day decision, Tessa's the second one I text, right?

Because she needs to do something with her position uh when the library isn't open.

Um I just want to add that we also do senior program during the day, we do after school programming, we do teen programming, we we do teen after hours program, we do tween program on this Friday night.

We have a tween program from 6 p.m.

to 8 30.

So, you know, those are times where different demographics, different populations that are also underserved, right?

I mean, we're underserved.

I I very much am excited that there's a recreation department being built up, but you know, when we when we have to limp that along for you for the last two years, um that's what it looks like for us, right?

After school programming, uh teen night programming.

Uh we we have had a grant uh position in the library for two years in a row.

We were able to secure an artist in residence um in the teen lounge, working with teen with teenagers every week there in that room, constant adult figure, another person on the teens team.

Um so uh yes, we um are a public library where we um we have a code of conduct policy, and we uh make sure that everyone feels welcome in the library, and we do do that work and pick up those pieces um and we do that while um making sure everyone can get in the door.

Yeah.

So Berlin and Orange both on their website, you're the library, but they give zero dollars, correct?

I uh yeah, and you know, I I get that question at Barry Town.

Um, and I I so I thought about it for two years.

This is only my third uh my third go-around here.

Um so for two years I thought about that question, and I've realized like that's great, that's free advertising for us.

They they pay a non-resident fee.

Um they pay they pay a non-resident fee.

If you don't live in Barry City or Barry Town, you pay a non-resident fee.

We last year increased the non-resident fee to be um uh comparable to what the tax is for residents.

So it's 35 for uh non-resident fee and five dollars for each additional family member.

Um, and you saw on that slide that that was about what that is.

Maybe we have to increase it again this year, but that's within our policy and procedures.

Oh, that's good.

I'm glad you're doing that.

Yeah, oh, definitely.

Um, and so I've come to realize that that is uh, you know, we'll take that, we'll take that free advertising, we'll take that non-resident fee income.

Any other questions, God?

Which is unusual when we looked at the report, the annual report.

Most libraries don't charge a non-resident fee, so we're really going after all the money we can.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's true.

We were kind of shocked by that.

So I appreciate you guys asking for more money from Barry Town.

Uh you know, they've kind of essentially been a flat, you know, keep you flat.

Is there a contingency plan in the event that they're not willing to fund the 247 to go against our 312?

I mean, you're looking at almost 560,000.

Um, and what happens if that number for Barrie Town is short?

Like, you know, traditionally they've been flat.

Um so just asking based on past practices from the town.

You know, what is the contingency plan for the library funding if they say they're gonna give you 207,000?

That's gonna leave you 40,000 short for your budget.

Are you gonna then come back potentially to us and say, hey, can you help us out with that as well?

Um lot of questions.

Yeah, a lot of questions.

So um thank you.

Thank you for the questions.

Uh because I I'm really um, uh, but I want to say one or two things first.

One is that um that the 20,000 increase request to Barry Town is from historical documentation of exactly what you're saying, being flatlined while their own budgets increased and their own general fund budget increased for for very all those nominal reasons that we just laid out, right?

Staff, utilities, insurance, like right, all of that happened in Barrytown, and their general fund budget increased, and none of that counted for us, right?

So and it's difficult for me to ask them for 20,000 and still not be getting the same amount of money as a masking from the city.

So that's just a piece I want you to know that I that I wrestle with.

Like it's that it's amazing to me that I'm gonna ask for a $20,000 increase, and it's still not going to be the same amount.

So yeah, right?

I'm right.

Yeah.

Fact checkers.

I brought my fact checkers.

It's a 20% increase, the dollar amount is something different.

40 40,000.

So but the good but the real meat of the question is what are we gonna do?

Yep.

And um the short answer is I'm gonna get up and come to work and keep working for the people of Barry.

And I say that not as a snarky comment, but because that's the truth.

I'm gonna cut get to work and I'm gonna keep working.

Um we will have to have hard discussions about uh services.

Um I don't think, and maybe Nancy wants to answer this part.

I don't imagine us coming back, but I do request that you do the 5% to at least get me started there.

Um and then we see what happens.

Uh uh Nicholas just wrote me a letter of support for a grant we're going for.

You know, we're always actively looking for grants.

Um I always say uh we're we're good applicants and it's a good application.

Like Garrett and I can both write a good grant application, and we have lots of vo board volunteers who read them and and help us with that.

Um but those will be difficult conversations.

Um we have worked in the deficit budget before.

Uh we do have um assets.

Uh there are you know different possibilities and scenarios that we will continue to work through.

Um the community has come forward for us last year when Barry Town didn't.

Um so it is the truth.

We we will get up and go to work and keep working.

Thank you for that.

Any other questions, counsel?

I cut you off.

Okay.

Well, thank you for coming in.

Thank you for um for presenting a reasonable increase because that number it's tough when you've sat here so many years.

Um that number has been a lot higher in the past.

So thank you for a uh respectful uh increase.

Uh it's too early in the process, you know that for me to sit here and say unequivocally, yeah.

Support this.

But I think you know how I feel about libraries and how I feel about reading.

You know, it it was my cornerstone.

We didn't have a lot when I was growing up, but my mom insisted that I read and I read all the time.

And then thankfully, I married a wonderful lady who valued reading as much as I did, and she read to our kids every day, every single day.

And I tell this story a lot.

It's hard for me to not get choked up, but they would be in college and when they weren't feeling good or or something didn't go well, they would cuddle up to Karen on the bed and they'd say, Read to me, mommy.

This six foot two, two hundred and fifty pound, you know, college football player would cuddle up and say, Read to me, mommy.

And uh you know, so I just value it and and I appreciate the work that you do, especially you know, the adults, uh, who cares about them?

But when I look at those graphs with the kids and I see those graphs growing, that is just music to make yours.

So you know how I feel about you.

Uh but uh like I said, it's too early in the process to say I will absolutely support this, but you know how I feel about the work you do, and you know how I feel about our library.

I'll tell you, there have been people that I've interviewed at the firm, and they ask me when when I say, Well, do you have any questions for me?

They say, Well, where's your library?

And I'm like, uh down, you know, center of town, corner of Elm in Maine.

And when I say, Well, why do you ask?

Well, because you may offer me a job.

And if you do, that's one of my decision points.

If I I'm not gonna live in a community where they don't have a strong library.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Yeah, for the record, I use a library quite a bit when I was younger as well.

And when I was in pre-law school, or I came back on weekends, I used a library.

So I'm definitely pro-library.

I just use the library so they can't trace your web address.

You know, didn't know what that was.

So I've just looked at the money of what it was, you know.

Somehow things get into my reach from people out there, and you know, can't always believe everything I that's why I'm making a you know, making this more of a matter.

Yeah, well, I think we've really enjoyed a terrific partnership for you very much for that and the support that comes every year.

So let's keep it going.

Let's work together.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We're all in it together.

Exactly.

Um, to your point of a respectful request, that's because you've been so good to us over the years, and we're able to do that.

So it is mutual, isn't it, Nancy says, and and so we're grateful to you.

Um, and we love it that you love a library and have fond memories.

And um, and and we know we we know what's what's happening in our building, and we know what's what can scare some people.

That's what I want to.

But we have heard nothing from St.

Monica's or St.

Michaels.

They have regularly weekly program for it with us.

Um, and we would know that because that would be a heartbreak for us if they didn't come.

It's great.

Garrett and I can hear them c walking like the whole way.

We love that kids, a whole troop of kids coming to the library.

Um and uh yeah, I don't know what else I was gonna say about that.

But um we're we Garrett and I work in a in an office where the door is always open, we're in the building every day.

That's part of the arrangement with a director and assistant director.

One of us is always there.

Um we are on on top of that building and on top of um of of what we can control and and we're proud of that.

And and we're and we're making it work, which is a little bit of a trick sometimes on a day like today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, council.

Next up is Barrier Development.

Josh, how are you?

Hey, well yourself.

Anyone gonna join you or on your own?

Well, on my own tonight.

Yeah, it looks like they got their back got your back though.

Not really.

But uh he's doing budget stuff in Northfield.

Right.

Um Josh Drome, executive director for Barry Area Development.

Um, and for those of you out there who don't know what BADC does, um, we uh we're a nonprofit that was formed in 1961 and act as the principal economic development um entity for the city and the town.

Um we're focused on promoting economic development, uh attractiveness and vitality of the greater Barry area uh through private sector and municipal investments in retail, commercial, and industrial sectors.

Um I I should classify like this last year has been a year of transition for the organization with a new executive director, myself, uh, who came on board in May after approximately eight or nine months um uh of an absence of uh a full-time executive director.

Um I think um Carl, who's back there for as acting as the interim director to get us uh to where I could come on board.

Um we also have a new new board president, um Steve, he transitioned over into that um position um this year.

Um and so kind of kind of both of us uh new to the organization, uh, but certainly myself not new uh to the community or you know, uh what the history of BADC has been in the community.

Um but this past year has been sort of focused on this transition and re-engaging with the business community, um, establishing relationships, uh, you know, building uh re rebuilding relationships, um, and really focusing on the known projects um that were already sort of in the pipeline and coming up um this past year, um, such as the Prospect Heights project, um, the 143 North Maine project um and the CDBG applications in partnership with the city.

Uh really we wanted to reground in the community and just sort of like um reassess what uh we should be doing um so that we can better plan and implement uh initiatives in the future.

Um and so you know, I would say like I think we had a pretty successful um last year uh and I'm and I'm happy to to be in the community and working with all of you uh on the projects um and with my board um in Barrie.

Um next slide, please.

Right there.

Thanks.

You know, some of the other services that were provided here as I got to go out and meet business owners, property owners, um is sort of like building assessments.

Um somebody would call me up.

Hey, I got this space, it's available, what do you think?

Can you come look at it?

Can and you know, so I I've got a lot of calls.

We toured about 47,500 square feet of of commercial space in the community.

Umperties.

Um and so you know, the questions were always like can we convert this from commercial to residential?

Um what about mitigation?

What do you think?

Um what are the zoning implications?

Um and sort of like that's sort of like that service that we provided to those um business owners and property owners.

Um and certainly like that will continue to happen.

I I enjoy that, and that's part of our of our duty um of our work.

Um I also provided technical assistance, individuals who reached out who might have a business idea, or or an existing business who is looking for support, whether that's like financing or you know, they they want to grow, they want to look at another space to move into.

Um, and so you know, we provided that technical assistance.

Um three individuals had reached out about starting up a business, and three businesses had reached out wanting to talk about space needs, uh business development needs, um, that kind of stuff.

And again, like that level of technical assistance comes naturally for me.

It's what I had done at Community Capital Vermont as a law and officer, and we'll continue to do that.

Um, I think the the biggest sort of initiative that the organization took on was the 143 North Main uh Street Project.

Um Steve and the board worked really hard in fundraising.

Of course, the city took ownership on the 19th.

And I think you know, I was hoping to get a final accounting here.

It should be wrapped up by the end of the week.

But I think we should be able to deliver to the city approximately right around $13,000.

Give or take a thousand dollars once we get a final accounting of some expenses.

But it'll be spread out throughout the year to get mass maximum impact.

Some of the things you know that I need to do better at because I'm not perfect by all means.

And it's social media and technology.

It's just not one of my strong suits.

You know, and so next slide.

Um the things that we're going to be working on over this next year, you know, again, continue the project support.

Prospect Heights want to see that that project to uh implementation and successful implementation in the 143, um, the rest of the tasks that are associated with that project.

Um and any other projects that that come on board that we see are are worth our um you know and being involved in.

Um part of the MIU that I mentioned with a partnership is you know, we are going to be creating a business recruitment package.

Um this will be you know in paper in electronic form.

Um this will sort of encompass like a startup guide for businesses in the community.

Um that's definitely what I heard from some people that were really needed.

They didn't know where to go, uh who to talk to.

Um so I think that'll be really helpful.

Um community profile, right?

You know, so like housing, uh quality of life assets, Millstone Trails.

I know it's not in the city, but it people go to the trails, they come downtown.

So it's like one of those assets that we need to be promoting.

Uh and a market profile, right?

Of the retail environments, commercial spaces that are available, um, because we have quite a few.

Um we are investing in our uh website.

Um it is uh a little old dated right now.

Um and um and so we are uh investing in a new website on a platform where um I can better use the tools that's available.

Um and and this this new website is gonna have a really cool feature where I can plug in commercial properties that are available for rent on the back end in a simple table, Excel file, sort of, and then it pushes that to the front end of the website.

So with pictures and information.

Um so it's really easy to manage because we do have a lot of properties that we want to highlight out there.

Um so I'm really I'm looking forward to that sort of uh functionality of it.

Uh and it'll it'll be a better um representation of the community um because right now I think ours is a little a little uh dated, um stale, and I so I'm looking forward to this on this new website.

Um we're gonna continue to work uh to try to find grant funding uh when you know um projects come up.

Um you know, and I think the city should feel you know uh free to reach out to me and B A DC for any sort of grant writing um if it come you know if it fits in somehow with economic development.

I think we're here as a resource and and happy to help.

Um because I keep keep hearing that um from you guys is like a lack of grant writing, and you know, I'm here willing to help um just give pick up the phone.

Um next slide.

So the budget implications, um, you know, we're asking for uh a modest increase, $4,147 to 65,000, uh which is a 6.8% increase.

Um and I think that is based on um when I look back at the previous fiscal years, um, I think there was a there was a bump in I think FY24, but I think the bump is related to the community fund uh from what I understand.

Um so we really haven't had an increase since FY23 um when you when it when I look at it um and 4,147 dollars uh seems like a modest increase in appropriation, considering the impact with the 143 campaign and the tax revenue that that's that site will generate for the city um in the years to come.

Um and so you know, with that I'm hoping to take any questions you guys might have.

Questions, folks.

Yes.

Um I have a question about the marketing initiative.

Yep.

Um can you tell me what is the goal of that initiative?

Like what are you hoping to achieve?

Yeah, well, I think we're what we're trying to achieve is to highlight the quality of life aspects of the community, business opportunities, right?

Um, and you know, and I don't want to take Tracy Thunder for her part because she's focused on the downtown.

Um so when you when you kind of put it all together, it's like downtown, quality of life assets, business opportunities, right?

So since we work for the city and the town, we're gonna be focusing on the Wilson Industrial Park, you know, Millstone Trails Association, quality of life kind of stuff, uh, labor market kind of kind of data.

Um, and then when you package that with like uh a vibrant downtown, like that's like the whole the whole picture.

So is the goal to try to get more people to move here, open a business here, all of the above.

I think it's just like to get people to realize like Barrie is open for business.

Okay.

You know, the market can support business in Barrie.

And and and just again, just keeping it positive, right?

Like that is gonna do that.

Thanks.

Yeah.

Any other questions, Council?

Well, once again, thank you.

I mean, hey, it's not a five percent increase, but it's six point eight, and as you point out, it's a modest amount.

And you know, uh I don't think I don't want to speak for you, Nicholas, but in terms of the progress we have made, and it's tough out there.

It is competitive.

Uh in terms of competing for the North first the Northern Borders Regional uh grant, uh which we were successful at, and then the CDBGDR, the disaster recovery grant.

We were successful there.

Uh we would not, I I don't think it's unexaggeration, Nicholas, when I say that, we would not have been able to do that work without your help.

We would not have made the deadlines on all of those grants, all of those applications.

You know, 143, you know, 143 North Maine speaks for itself.

I didn't think it could be done.

You know, I didn't think, I mean, someone negotiated two price reductions.

I didn't think that could be done.

Uh and the price was in keeping with a an offer that a previous mayor and council had made years ago.

And all you did is follow through on the promise.

So thank you for that.

Because you know, as I sit here first listening to the library, I I realized how how fortunate the city is to have such strong partners.

Uh, you know, nobody does it alone.

And uh we absolutely would not have had the opportunity, and fully built out prospect heights is gonna generate approximately three hundred and fifty thousand dollars annually in property tax revenue.

So sometimes if people want to question the value of BADC, I can answer that question.

Come to me.

Um, you know, that prospect heights is going to be an annuity that provides revenue to the city of Barrie forever.

So again, we're early in the process.

Anything can happen, but I would be remiss if I simply didn't say thank you, thank you, Carl.

Thank you to all of you representing the organization, uh, all run by volunteers, obviously, with the exception of an executive director.

And thank you for making my taking my phone call a number of months ago when I said, Hey Josh, we got an opening here in Barrie.

What do you say?

Yeah.

Thank you for that.

Uh, you are a quality executive director.

I can't tell you how many people in state government at ACCD and others uh called me to congratulate the city of uh city of they were saying the city of Barrie.badc.

Sorry, guys, on being able to land you as an executive director.

Everybody called me, but the mayor of Montpelier, I'm not quite sure why.

Well, it's a great community.

I'm glad to be here working with all with all of you to uh make it even better.

Great.

Did you have a question?

I just had one final thought.

Um so your budget from 26 to 27 is going down like 22,000.

Yeah.

Um, and you're only asking for a 4100 increase.

What's the discrepancy?

Well, the the budget um for last fiscal year, right?

The one that we're in now, um there was an increase because of the anticipated transition.

Yep, you know, and so I don't Carl and I had a very uh small uh overlaps because it wasn't necessary, right?

Um, and so I think that's where the the discrepancy is.

Okay.

So I mean, like I said in my notes, um that you know, we're all we're making some investments on our website, which is going to, you know, increase our expenses for this fiscal year.

But I can answer that question too, because I'm a CPA and all I do is look at budgets all day.

If you look at uh fiscal year 24, they deficit spent to the tune of 43,000.

Yeah, we're gonna continue.

They would have been bankrupt at that pace in three years.

Yeah.

So they're spending less, but their deficit spending, I mean, basically, they're presenting a sustainable budget as opposed to one that proposes deficit spend by 43,000.

Ideally, we want to get to a point where we're not doing any deficit spending.

That is our goal, right?

Appreciate all the work y'all are doing.

Yeah.

Byrne Rhodes, did you have a question?

Yes, thanks.

Um, as the library is also supported by Barrie Town.

What is the Barrie Town share of BADC?

And I know over the years, the whole development of Will's uh Wilson uh park was I think the result of the work of BADC.

So they've had quite a huge investment in Barrytown.

Is Barrietown holding up their end uh as we move forward?

Yeah, both uh the city and the town um this fiscal year are are contributing equally, and we are going to ask the town next week uh for a similar increase.

Thank you.

I don't think they did that last year.

No, they they actually decreased their appropriation last year.

Thank you.

Any other questions, Council?

All right, once again, thank you for coming in, Josh.

Thank you.

See you tomorrow.

Come on up.

Just watch the chair.

I know I got hi everybody.

Tracy Lewis, uh, executive director of the Barry Partnership, and I'll let these two introduce themselves.

Hi, good evening.

Alicia Calcani, I'm the Barry Partnership Board President.

Shannon Alexander, Marketing Manager.

Thank you.

And I will get into the presentation.

Um, just a couple ribbon cuttings.

Um, this slide and the next slide are the 2025 ribbon cuttings of businesses that have opened, um, some have moved.

Um, and we love to celebrate that excitement here in the city.

Um as the partnership.

Next slide.

Uh this past summer we combined our Berry Farmers Market concerts in the park and food truck night all into one night and Wednesday nights in Courier Park.

Uh after COVID, we had separated uh the farmers market and the concerts and food truck night, um, and we had moved the um farmers market several times.

And I am very happy with how it turned out when we brought it back um to Wednesday nights all together with the next slide.

You can see um the difference of the stats from the farmers market 2024.

We had about 18 vendors.

No, not when I say 18 vendors, that's how many signed up.

They weren't always there every week.

We have some that come weekly, some that come um just sporadically throughout.

Um, our winter market supported the old labor hall.

We have the same offerings, the EBT Farm to Family and Crop Cash.

Um, with our 2024 sales, it was 9,579.

2025 stats, we had 42 vendors sign up, um, combining that market with food truck and the concert was just huge.

The park was just crazy.

Every every week we kept thinking like, okay, what's gonna happen?

Like when is this not gonna feel magical?

And it just felt magical all summer.

Um, and the numbers reflect that 33,794 in sales in the 2025 year.

Um, so we are looking to continue that in 2026.

And um, just a quick note our 2026 winter farmers market has moved to the Barrie Social Club.

We have upped it to two um two nights a month rather than one night a month.

And um last year, I think we had 12 vendors signed up for our winter market.

This year we have 24 as of right now.

Um, two weeks ago was our first market.

We had 13 vendors.

Um, the vendors that have come that have come right along just said um how amazing this is is turning into.

So I'm excited.

We have another farmers market tomorrow night, 3 30 to 6 30 at the Barry Social Club.

So if you're available, stop in.

Next slide.

Uh 2024 stats for uh the concerts.

Um because we joined it with the um farmers market, we had to add a few more weeks, which wasn't a bad thing.

So we supported a few more bands, um, four in total, um, different businesses and um food truck vendors as sponsors every year that list of sponsors change a little.

We have some that are always sponsors, and then we have some that come um come in different every year, which is amazing.

Um I think previously I was always worried about getting sponsors and now even adding that four weeks.

Uh it wasn't a problem finding sponsorship, and then we definitely had more in attendance um weekly on a weekly basis at that event.

Heritage Festival is our next um this past year.

We um part of our vibrancy grant funding, we did do the light show.

Um it was an amazing thing when it did happen.

It there was a little fluke in the starting time, but these are photos that Shannon has taken that just shows the people coming out to the different events here for the Heritage Festival.

And then the next slide.

Um we wanted to get feedback.

Um, and it might be too small for you to see here, but we asked the age group, um, how often do you attend events?

Um, who did you come with today?

Did you visit any restaurants or stores?

Did you spend Monday money?

Would you come back?

Do you feel like these events um support our our business community?

And um for the most part, everything was very positive.

Um they plan to return uh within the next month to do dining and shopping or services.

Um a lot of um the way they hear about it is social media, which is big for one of my slides coming up.

So I I thought it was important to include this um feedback, and I want to plan to do this every year with every event that I do just to get feedback from the community.

Can I ask you question?

I I love this um information, and I was curious where did was this from the Heritage Festival?

Oh, okay, because I didn't I didn't say I was wondering if the leg was every single no, this was just uh right after the Heritage Festival.

So I will be putting it out for more events as as this year goes on.

But this one was specifically for the Heritage.

Okay, thank you.

Next slide.

Next slide, okay.

Um quarterly business socials.

We do them quarterly.

Uh we've been doing them at the social club.

Uh we invite different partners to come in.

Josh has been in to give kind of an economic update.

Um it's just great to talk to them, to talk to business owners.

Uh Maddie from Slowpoke comes in super excited with all kinds of ideas.

So working with um different business owners to bring new ideas to the community is just it's a great event that we put on.

Um, next slide is about our um new resident socials.

We did two of these in 2025, the first one in the spring and the second one in the fall.

This um after the spring one, we worked with um Lovejoy and Nick at the Social Club and added in a few more elements, and um we are gonna be working with um Montpellier Alive to do more of a central Vermont uh resident social here in 2026.

I'll be meeting with them tomorrow actually.

Um we handed out our welcome guide that we have done in the last couple years and keep that updated.

I also hand out a list of of um businesses that are open, restaurants that are open, and then we open it up and if they have questions, or where can we go for this?

Um it's a great, great um event that um I'm really excited to keep putting on.

Hi Beth.

Um next year when you're doing that.

Um, could you invite the council cop to come so that we can connect new residents with the political side of it, Barry?

Definitely.

Can I ask you a question?

How do you um advertise for that?

So we did uh social media post, Love Joy put it on front porch forum, and there was one other thing that she did.

Um I also run a local property management company, and so I put that in all of our new welcome bags and put it out to all of our Barrie residents as well.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

I was wondering if like real estate agents could like it to all real estate agents.

I sent it to the banks.

Um I sent it to lawyers that were that do property.

Um so I I did send it out to quite a few in email.

Um, Reddit was what Lovejoy had put it on.

Um, and then I had signed up into a Facebook group of new red new Central Vermont residents, and so I pushed it in there as well.

Um, and doing that for the second one was a huge bonus.

So we'll be doing that again.

Slide.

Next slide, please.

Sorry.

Yep.

Um, these next few slides are not events that we put on, these are just things that are happening.

It's something that we either get asked to go and take pictures of, or Shannon or I will see something and think it's a great thing to promote.

And so you can go quickly through these.

I think there's four slides.

Well, wait, we don't know exactly how many she took because when she tells someone that she's taking one more, it's usually six.

And then, but she did format and upload 1257 photos to our 2025 album.

Um, and those are things that we um use to promote on our social media in in any of our advertising.

Um I guess better to like to picture that.

It's usually 10 to 20 photos per event, so you can do the math a lot of events.

I'm happy to be at all of them.

She's running sometimes.

Um but I've said it since day one with Shannon coming into my office.

Her pictures are just amazing, and we can't I couldn't imagine doing it without her.

So thank you.

Next slide.

Um I was recognized by the spirit of ADA.

Um, I had been reached out by um higher ability, and it was a win-win.

Um I didn't know that Gavin was uh part of um the ADA, but he was amazing to work with me.

He um came and helped me with the farmers market all summer long, and um just was amazing.

So this was a complete shock to me that I got this because as I said, I didn't even know that that he was a part of this, and um I hope if I can't get Gavin back next year that um I get someone just as good as he does he was.

Next slide.

Halloween and Barry.

Um it just we just more events that bring people into the community, bring people downtown and showing great spirit.

Um again, Shannon's photos.

Um, I do have to say that Barry the Needle won the the contest.

They feel like they never get um top place and they went above and beyond with their KISS costume this year, then they even posed like the album cover, so uh they they definitely won.

Next slide.

Our employee appreciation dinner.

Um, we celebrated 290 people that work here in Barrie, and um this event has gotten a little out of hand.

Um yeah, we're at capacity at the Elks, but we love it, and if I can now sit here and invite everyone at City Council to come in and see how amazing our business community is.

I would really love for you all to come to our our um employee appreciation meeting dinner next year.

It doesn't look like you have room.

We'll have to kick a couple people out or move or maybe go to the auditorium.

We can make room, yeah.

I went, it was a great event.

It was fun, a lot of fun.

Yeah, it's just it's a night out on just a brief history on this event back in I think the 90s, because this was the 27th year.

Back in the 90s, there were a couple businesses, they had like a little merchants committee, and because the businesses were so small, they didn't want to do set standalone Christmas parties, so they decided to get a group of them together and do these.

And um, I say this in my speech, but my very first employee appreciation planning meeting.

Mary Jane was there, and I was asking all kinds of questions, and I said, Well, how many people usually come?

I'm thinking like it's gotta be a huge event.

This sounds fun.

And she's like, about 75, 80.

We're hitting 100.

We're definitely hitting 100.

And she told me to calm down, and uh, we hit 100, we had 11 that year, and each year it has grown.

I think um the people that come just have so much fun, and it's um it's something great that the business owners can provide for their their employees, and the employees get to come and enjoy a night.

They're networking, they're talking, they're having fun.

So it feels like a big extended family reunion, something that has that energy, and there's a lot of people that are like third cousins that don't really know each other, but then they get it's it's really special.

Yeah, so we made it very affordable too over the past few years.

So I I mean that certainly helped my organization be able to invite everyone and not feel that we had to leave people out.

So I think I think that was a huge aspect of it.

So again, um it's usually the first or second week of November.

So I will before deer season.

Right before deer season.

We can't be during deer season, it's gotta be after um Halloween.

But um yes, the invite stands.

So next slide.

The small business Saturday and light up the city.

Um I first want to thank Nicholas um for making a department head day of putting the lights up in City Hall.

I don't know if the department heads want to thank me for that.

Um it was cold.

Um, but those lights in in City Hall during the darkest months are just beautiful.

And um, I think with the lighting at the opera house and having them come to the event was a huge huge thing.

Uh we had Cupid back and you know, music, and it's just a magical evening.

And so, Nicholas, thank you for for doing that.

And um and also the light up process was a little harried, I think, for a moment, right?

You got you got locked out of the building trying to we were keeping that on the gallery.

I thought it was my key wasn't working for that door, and that's the only way into the building.

So, yes, and I had him on speaker, so he was like, I was gonna have to tell you to hold off, and I don't think I would have heard him.

We just would have not had lights, but it was a magical night like it always is, and um just love doing it.

So um thank you again for helping that.

That was great.

Uh next slide is the Mary Berry Holiday Craft Fair.

So I took this over, I think this was the fourth year.

We had 110 uh vendors showcased um over 6,500 shopping from around the state.

Um I have I go into a wait list every year.

Um I think last year, I think about 32 percent bumped off of who were coming back.

So I went into that wait list thinking I'm gonna use my entire wait list.

We still have 50 on the wait list.

So um this event is is huge.

People ask me, I just got an email today about it.

Like, can I sign up to be on this craft fair?

So um it was a huge event for the partnership to take on.

I think it was a great thing to continue to have people come and use the facility, and um it also brings them from all around the state.

There was I talked to a couple people, there was one from New Hampshire and one from Mass.

So I think they're here for families for for Thanksgiving, and they do this on an annual basis.

So this is just a great event.

Um Gizmos, pickles were not there.

I'm not look crying, but they were not there.

They've retired.

A lot of the vendors are retiring, but I do have new ones coming in.

So just a great event.

Next slide.

Shop local.

So as Josh mentioned, we are doing a um advertising campaign.

I kind of started it um uh a small one in in November.

So from November 15th through December 15th, I really tried to push an advertising campaign um for shopping local.

Uh it was um we did it in the Times Argus and the world.

Um it was um next slide, and I doubt it'll come through here.

Um this was actually a video, and the next slide was an actual video um of the um ads that were on WCAX.

I then took those ads and put them on Facebook.

Um the first one was talking about the Mary Berry Holiday Craft Fair, shopping local and the Mary Berry Holiday Light U.

And then the second one was more about shopping local this holiday season.

I think our business community has um seen some struggles and and are are worried, and so I thought that this campaign um was um needed this year, and so that's why I did it.

I did just receive the um impressions and and the the numbers from this campaign, and I'm more than welcome to share it with anybody.

Um quite a few impressions.

I don't know that off the top of my head, um, but it was a it was a 30-day um campaign on the CAX.

Um next.

So insights on social media.

I have continually um gone up in numbers, and um, and I think actually in November we hit 8,000.

Um we have the insights that I have, and I didn't put it on a slide.

Um I was looking at it today.

We're we're in the 40 to 60,000 roughly of engagement a month from our social media.

Um, whether Instagram or Facebook and um businesses, I don't share every single one of their posts to the partnership page.

I do try to share everything to the our stories on Instagram and Facebook, and I think it's between 400 and 500 um business um shares a month that I do there.

Um next slide.

The Destination Barrie project, uh, we brought this um to the attention last year.

We're continuing to do the work.

Shannon and I just met with See My Legacy yesterday, yes today.

Yes, yesterday.

Um we are now at the point.

Shannon has taken photos of all of the statues downtown.

Um she's worked up um blurbs up for all the statues and the artists, and so now we want to create a walking tour.

So um we're working with see my legacy.

Um they're gonna help us with this walking tour for um the statues.

We're gonna do one for um millstone trails of um a walking um for that.

This see my legacy website or web management platform, thank you.

Um will also help with sponsorship, um, getting vendors and um finding volunteers.

So we're just in the beginning process of of talking.

We have our on-board boarding um conversation on Friday morning.

Um, but we're hoping to put out the walking tour.

You can go to the next slide, actually, Nicholas.

Um, with um with the see my legacy in in May or June.

Um, so it'll we'll have a landing page.

We're hoping to get uh little plaques that have QR codes that have a little blurb on it, but then they can go right to this through the QR code, go to our our website, and it'll show them different places on the map of where they can go and get that information.

Um so we're not the only downtown organization.

Bellows Falls is has done it already, and there's other other several other designated downtowns are also getting on board with the same platform, and it's it's actually a lot more versatile and expansive than I originally thought.

We had it in mind for this virtual walking tour originally, but then you can also set up temporary campaigns.

So last year Wilkins Harley Davidson did a wing crawl, so we can put up temporary campaigns that give you um different, they can go to any QR code or advertisement and see all of the temporary events happening that we want to upload, and it's really so we can help help support you know the businesses that are doing things here in the community with with this platform.

So uh we when we discussed it, we have unlimited access to as many campaigns as many events that we want to do.

So um we're excited.

Next slide.

Ern, did you have a question?

Yeah, Tracy, are you being able to work with the uh granite museum and uh collaborate with them on this uh destination uh platform?

Yeah, we have a lot of uh collaborators, collaborators that we're planning on working with.

We have a committee for destination berry right now, which is rather small, and as our phases continue, we want to bring in more partners and collaborators because we know the tourism is on everybody's minds, especially after the tour buses, and we're really eager to get everybody on the same page, so we're working together and not doing parallel efforts.

That's terrific.

And uh, you know, the uh bit heart of Barry is now in the library, and I think that's gonna be uh something worthy of stopping by to see.

Yes, I agree, thank you.

Thank you.

So this next page is let me just put up the updated one.

Yeah.

And didn't I did email it out.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hey, how are you?

I'm well, thank you.

I have it.

I have one as well.

Thank you, yes.

That's right.

So um this updated one shows the actuals, and um we can go through it.

I I um the approved from the city was 72100.

Um our our fiscal year is a little different than um the cities.

We go on a January fiscal year.

Um so we've asked for a 3% increase from the city.

Um we're actually asking for a 50% increase from the town of $2,500.

Um, they give us a very minimal uh funding um just because we are the designated downtown.

Um they seem to think that they could um fund us a little bit more last year after last year's presentation.

So um I'm jumping up with a $2,500 ask from them.

Um we uh still have the vibrancy fund coming in, it's $25,000 a year.

What we received in in 2025 was $16,250.

We received another um $1,100 in January, so that's not reflective in there.

So then I um in this, I just combine all of our programs and events um for fundraising, um, for heritage festival, the the craft fair, the concerts, the farmers market, you name it, it's all under programs and events.

Um why my budget amount is different than the actual amount.

I start with a low budget.

I start with uh $32,000 for what I want to fundraise for the Heritage Festival.

If I get that and six exceed that amount, then I add in more things that are coming back out as um events such as street performers, concerts, um you name it.

If if I if I raise more than my anticipated amount, then I I do more advertising, I do more uh street performers, um, I try to just bring more things in.

Um the rest of it is um again, the programs and events is what comes in and what goes out for the fundraising part of what the partnership does.

Um we kind of use the funding for the city as as our bear salary, and then anything else that the partnership does is through um major fundraising.

Um, and so as you can see, a huge portion of our budget is fundraising.

Um what is the rent fluctuating?

Um the rent was um fifty dollars um a month for a storage unit because I don't have the space.

I have a small little office and a lot of partnership things for so um that's what great and I think back to my other slideshow, Nicholas.

So that was pretty much that's it.

I think I I said questions next after I think so.

So in fiscal year 26 for insurance, uh we're liability and worklands comp, you had budgeted 2800, spent 66 in actual, but then in fiscal year 27 proposed.

I didn't change that because I had already sent you the FY27 proposed, so I didn't go so I will be changing that 47 in FY27 proposed to reflect that.

I was rushing to get this out to you this afternoon prior to the meeting.

Um and the correlation between the program and events where you have the approved um the income revenue part, um, looks kind of like it's in correlation with the expenses for the programs and events.

Would that be accurate for your budget?

Because you brought more money in, you then spent more money as well.

Correct, yeah.

You had budgeted for so much, but you brought in X, you know, X amount above that makes sense.

Yes, it does.

And then the office supplies, um, I did need to get a new computer last year, so that was not budgeted because I wasn't planning on that.

Um yeah, I I think yeah, I do have to fix the the insurance, the liability.

Um I think my previous one just had the liability in here and not the workers' comp.

So when I asked the bookkeeper for numbers today, I saw that, and so I put that in to get you the actuals for this evening, and then I can adjust the FY27 after this.

I appreciate you putting this together, and I like to see the correlation between the revenue and the expenditures for the program and events.

Yeah, to see that you're spending out as much as you're taking in and making sure that community vibrancy is happening.

Um I I personally feel like you're doing a really good job with responsibility for your budget, and and this looks really sound and I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Yeah, I feel like if if I get surprised and I get extra funding, it's just fair to give it back in extra entertainment or whatever I can do.

Um whatever the partnership brings in for funds comes goes back definitely to the community.

Yes.

Um quick question about this um budget.

When you're so you for revenue for FY26, you had 217,000 and then your expenses were 229, 925.

How do you cover that difference?

So because I have the so I have um I've had a little excess in there, like a $30,000 buffer.

So then when the 11,000 came through for the vibrancy grant this year, that would cover that.

It was supposed to come in in December and it came in January 11th, I believe.

Okay.

Is the gr are the grants included in this?

Yes, I see that there in there as revenue.

Okay.

So that that eleven that 11,000 that came in in January would have covered substantially covered the different difference.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yep.

Liana, did you have a question?

Yes, thank you.

Uh, this is a a question more for Nicholas.

Can we get a copy of Tracy's presentation and that budget page that you showed available to the public somewhere?

Like I couldn't find it on the website, and um I kind of want to just take a look at it as well.

So we'll post it.

I think uh my only complaint with Tracy's our presentations are too large of a document.

So I'll try to tone down.

That's uh uh you know a good complaint to have, but that's the reason for that.

It was emailed separately to the city council.

Obviously, we can't email it to everyone, but we will post it on the budget website.

Yeah, I was I was like, well, I didn't mind make it to the the thing, and um, so that's the reason.

Sorry.

Any other questions or comments or anything?

Just thank you.

You know, like I said earlier about the two other presentations.

We're we're fortunate to have people like you and people like the folks at the library and people like the folks at BADC uh working hard to make I mean the the farmers market and conscious this year were epic.

Of course, they didn't we didn't get rained on.

So like you know, so uh it I mean those were awesome because we I don't make all of them, I probably make about half, but you know, every time I went this year, it's like why are there so many more people here?

I mean, it just kept growing and growing.

So and you know, it was nice to see.

It was great, and people had a wonderful time.

I mean, the way you've partnered with the with the Barry Social, I mean, that's incredible.

They're doing some great events there, and you're right there with them to promote those events.

I mean, I see them everywhere.

So thank you.

Can I can I make one more comment?

I really loved the I'm really excited to see the data from the QR.

Well, I'm thinking in my head it's a QR code, but the the graphs and the asking people are you gonna come back?

Why did you come here?

Like that kind of thing, because I'm imagining like the Mary Barry Art Craft Festival.

I first of all I drove around for 25 minutes trying to find a parking spot, which I was like, okay, I'm going to find a parking spot because I have people I have to go in and buy things from.

But I that was a testament to the fact that it was very, very busy and very well attended.

But I I'm just curious how many of those people then said, yeah, I went downtown and had lunch, or I went and spent you know, time at the you know the library, whatever, you know, the social club.

I just I'm just curious how we're bringing those other people in, and I think that um could really help to give us that information.

That would be really interesting.

Yeah, and I do have a sign board that I can put out at that event, and then I want to do like little um sheets to hand people as they come in.

Um volunteer for that, I think.

But I'm working on that.

I'm working on that.

No, and one other thing.

Oh, sorry, no, it's cool.

I I appreciate that you're asking those questions, and I'm super excited to see what you get for results and answers.

Um questions that we had as well as a board.

So it's important to ask for feedback.

Yeah.

And one thing that I didn't mention um is that I am on the neighborly berry committee.

I didn't put it on um my presentation.

We've had one official meeting.

And so working with Beth and several community members, and you know, I think that will also help my volunteer um data.

Don't don't get excited yet.

But it has been a great um initiative to be talking on and collaborating with.

So thank you, Beth and Sonia, for bringing that to my attention.

I'd also like to say, just publicly, I wanted to commend you all for all your efforts in the last listening session at the Bray Social Club.

I thought that was a really good joint effort from the council and manager and Mayor Lozon.

And I thought it was a really good show for the community.

I look forward to seeing more things like that in the future.

We should do more often.

Yeah.

And we're and we're happy to.

Yeah, I thought that was great.

I was concerned about the timing and like not getting the word out enough.

And when I walked in, I was shocked but happily shocked.

Like I was it was exciting to see.

So yeah, if I can help assist with that again, please let me know.

Yeah, absolutely.

Any day except Sunday, February 8th.

Do you know why?

Patriots going to be able to do that.

Our vice president is in Patriots form.

Um but yeah.

Well, thank you.

Thank you very much, all of you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Council, moving right along.

Look, like I keep saying, you're all welcome to stay, but why are you saying we get it?

Uh council, we will move right along to authorize the retention of the Semper Bon annuity transfer in the general fund.

You had a memo uh regarding that item in your packet, I think that fully explained it.

If there are no further questions, uh a motion would be in order.

We'll move.

Thank you.

Moved and seconded.

Is there any discussion?

No.

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented.

Please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

And those opposed, thank you very much.

Council item 8D on the stay.

A D on the agenda is to approve the fiscal year 27 allocation of $10,000 from the Bruce Trust to the general fund, and that will be supporting recreation programs.

Again, I believe you had a memo in your package.

To that effect, and you heard a brief explanation this evening.

A motion would be in order.

We'll move.

Thank you.

Moved and seconded.

Is there discussion or questions?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed.

Thank you very much.

Council, we will move on to Karen Treasurer.

Thank you, Carol.

Well, Carol, you gotta get to work in the morning.

I get it.

You gotta drive a waterbury.

Yep.

I'm I'm there.

Uh council.

Uh item 8E on the agenda is our flood resiliency plan update.

It has Councilor Gustin's name on it, but obviously the manager will be pinch hitting in her absence.

Uh let's see.

Maybe let's see if I get it pulled up here.

Why is it not coming up?

All right, it's there.

You got it there.

Let's see if it can come up here now.

There we go.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Um so yeah, this is this is a pretty quick update tonight.

Um we had we knew we had a packed agenda, so we had uh sort of a lighter uh update on the flood resiliency plan.

Um the plan section we're covering tonight is communications upgrades, and um this primarily relates to how we communicate with residents.

Uh and and this has really been a lot about our regroup efforts um and and how we, you know, we this it's good to have this in the plan so we can keep revisiting it, making sure that we are uh providing timely information and and if there's ways we can improve, uh we certainly want to do that.

Um so tonight the update is about um regroup updates and uh specifically.

Um and um but as counselor gustin notes in the presentation, it's the main way we communicate with people now, but we also engage with residents in other ways.

You know, we we talked earlier tonight about the budget survey, which may be an example of how we're not engaging enough since we're getting those few uh responses, but I did have a um thought about the budget survey, and that is if you could send something out on regroup tonight.

Yeah, to tell people that it's closing that might catch.

I'll probably do an early morning one just because if they get if somebody gets a buzz late at night, they um I so I'll probably do it.

Yeah, right.

Um so and then just as a reminder, this you know, this is regroup, it's been a really great tool.

We've been really happy with it.

I think um if you've all gone through the registration process, I think we all know it was a little it was long, but I think we we came up with a really good uh uh uh instructional uh presentation for people to do it.

So I know people are now being able to do it on their own.

We still have updates in in registrations, um, but it is such an easy tool.

I can send messages right from my phone.

Um and so if if I'm not at the office, if it's on a weekend, whatever the case may be, it's really great to just be able to send uh send those out immediately from wherever I may be.

Um so counselor Gustin, the the real purpose of tonight's update for for you, council, is that Counselor Gustin um asked me about working with Chris Kirby, who is our IT support specialist um to do some uh some additional outreach.

Chris is on among the many hats he wears.

He's sort of the the expert on getting people signed up for regroup um because as as you know it, it is a multi-step process, but he's got it down and he can sort of navigate people through it.

Um and we are um so they've talked about how we can target some people who may not be currently receiving regroup uh updates.

Um and I think we've we've you know this this builds on other efforts.

I think Councillor Spaulding had the idea uh of having Chris at the polls.

Uh we're gonna continue that.

That was a really great uh he reached people that way.

Um he he signed people up himself and he gave people information on signing up, and so we know there was an uptick after that, so we know that it worked.

Um so uh one thing that um we've talked about um and I and I and uh Chris and Counselor Gustin have uh worked on is starting to roll out the feature about uh phone calls, right?

So we know that regroup allows for those phone calls to happen.

The reason we haven't made that feature available for people people now is because the way our contract works with regroup, we do pay um by the number of calls that are made above a certain cap.

And so uh I think 250, I believe is the number, 250,000 calls are included, but that's that's like individual calls, right?

So if if we had what we were worried about is if everybody signed up for the call um and we had you know a 2,000 people signed up, we could very quickly reach our cap.

Um so we want to keep the calls limited to Barrie City residents, right?

Right now, we don't anybody can sign up for it now if you live in Berrytown, Orange, wherever, it doesn't cost us a dime.

Um but the calls, since they do have a cost potentially associated with them, we want to make sure those are Barrie City residents who need them.

We don't want to be subsidizing that for somebody out of town, right?

So that's where this idea is coming from of having some more direct engagement with with residents, um, making sure, you know, making sure we are validating residency.

So if we're doing a senior, you know, we're they're attending a senior day uh or programming at the library, that they can advertise it that way, they can make sure it's somebody who lives in Burry City.

If they don't live in Barrie City, that's fine.

We can try to find other ways to get them connected.

Um, but we want to um start making that feature available to people here and people who who could really benefit from it.

So that's one of the main goals of the outreach that that um Councilor Gustin and Chris are working on.

Um just thinking about the library and the non-resident user fee.

Is would that be an option?

You know, if you were able to, you know, um charge something.

It would be tough.

We'd have to invoice people for use of the app.

I think our best bet is to guide them to the notifications portion of it because um it's it'd probably be difficult to track how many calls and when it triggers it.

So I I think we want to be um, you know, the fact that people can sign up now from Barrietown or Montpelier or Berlin uh is really helpful because people work here, they travel through here.

So we want people to have access, but um it when the cost component comes in, we want to make sure that we're we're trying to narrow it to those who live here.

We want to get a phone call.

So it might be yeah, it could be like some I realize okay.

My mom would have to get a phone call.

A senior, yeah.

Yes, but can you but you can still control on your phone?

Like I don't want you to call me.

Correct.

I just text and right now these the app, the the way the app is set up now.

Uh everyone who is signed up today through today, the only way they can get messages from our from us are through an in-app notification, right?

Which is the banner on your phone, uh, and or an email.

You can choose to only get the email, you can choose to only get the in-app notification, you can choose to get both.

Um so the the phone feature would be something that we only have the ability to, you know, Chris would have to go in and basically authorize it himself.

Um and yeah, it would be for someone who maybe doesn't have a cell phone, which is right rare these days anyway, but it possible.

Might be for someone who might have trouble reading the notifications.

Um so we're we're probably talking about a pretty um probably a pretty limited.

A senior who only has a landline.

Correct, correct?

Exactly.

Exactly.

Um so we are um, you know, so that's that's why we're targeting you know the senior days.

I think that's probably our most uh the our demographic who mostly use it.

Um we are also trying to reach more and more people all the time.

I know Chris went to the warming shelter this week.

Um he didn't get any takers on the uh the the on-house population that was there, but he did sign up some of the volunteers.

Um and so that that was good.

Um we like that.

Um we are um you know, more uh whenever there's faith community events, um, faith events, faith community events, we're gonna try to have a presence there.

I know Chris was at a recent service um that he uh that he attended as well, and he tried to get people signed up there.

Um and so really the idea is just get more uptake on this.

It's such a great system.

The people who have used it have been really happy with it.

Um and we really want, you know, the the key take takeaway for you today is we're we're really working hard to roll out um that phone feature because we know it's in our tool belt and we want to use it uh and we feel like we're at a point where we can uh we can start taking advantage of it.

So uh I think that was it.

Question, council?

Um I have a question about I'm wondering.

I I love the idea of phone calls for seniors, and I also think having lived through this with Kevin and his parents, I wonder too, if we could encourage um children to sign up for their parents to get the regroup app because they're they're then they have to call their parents and their parents will be pleased to hear from them.

And it would be like a win-win for everybody.

I like that.

Because then, you know, even if you're not in Barrie, you can sign up for the app and say, Oh, hey, mom, you know, there's a water main break on your street and you you have to boil water or something like that.

You know, like I'm wondering if we could encourage other people from other places to sort of tie into the system to help us.

That's a great idea.

So, how many messages are we sending out monthly?

Um approximately.

It it varies.

We we send out many more this time of year because every parking ban has gets a message, every parking band lift gets a message.

Um, and I um I don't have it readily accessible because the other thing I do is I um I I sort of I delete old messages not to clutter people's inbox, right?

So if if you log into your regroup, I want you to be able to see there's a winter parking ban, but I don't I don't want you to have last Wednesday's parking ban.

I want you to have tonight.

Right, right.

So that's why I don't have it readily accessible.

But I would I would say we're probably sending about uh I would say 15 to 20 messages on a high month.

This is a high month.

Um during the fall summer, they tend to be more limited.

Um but I was I'm just trying to figure out how many how many people if it yeah, on an average of 20, yeah, how many recipients on the telephone call could we support before we go over that?

We 250 that I think we would be very comfortable probably with who we expect in our community to sign up.

That's our worry was really if we if we open it up and everyone has that option, we could quickly run into it.

But I think our capacity, we would probably have uh excess capacity.

So would Chris have to actually approve someone signing up for a telephone message?

Correct.

Holy mackerel though, but if he had like 2,000 people wanting to, I mean, uh make sure you consider that as well.

I I think it's our our guess, you know, our our guess right now is that it's probably a fairly limited um universe.

Um and so we think it's mostly gonna be seniors in the community, and still many seniors are very capable and and and can use it, you know, and use uh some do mobile phones.

So it's I think even within the senior population, it's a subset of that.

Um so I I we're we think we can we can keep it in a sort of uh manageable load.

Um once he sets them up, there's no real maintenance after that.

It's really they're they're already in the system.

So it's really that initial that initial point.

Thank you.

I just had a thought.

You know, I live across the street from Lincoln House.

And did the Lincoln House, you know, the the staff did are they signed up for regroup?

Because it seems to me that that would be a really good thing to have them able to pass those messages on to their residents who may not that's a great question, counselor.

I don't know if they are.

I will um I'll reach out to Jamie to see if uh if she's encouraged people to do it.

Um we have um we we have encouraged, I know Down Street has a lot of has a big presence on regroup, and so I know they're getting messages.

Um but I will I will check with them.

Yeah.

And then and to tag on to that, what about the Barry Housing Authority?

Like, do they have you know, have we like even just outreach to their like you know administrator or the people, property people who are managing the property kind of thing.

Yeah, I think J Jamie would be the person too.

Jamie's the person, yeah.

I'm gonna I'm gonna see if they're signed up because that's that's a good um that's a good suggestion that if if even at least somebody in their system has it, then um at least they're able to disseminate it through.

Maybe they have their own messaging system, I don't know.

But if they get ours, that's an easy copy and paste into theirs.

So they do.

My other question, if you will indulge me, I um it I it sounds like it's just like one level, everything goes out.

It's like it could be an emergency, like you know, we're having a flood, or it could be like, hey, there's this really fun thing that's happening.

There's no in-between.

There's no like you can choose, like I no, because I'm thinking like for phone calls, like they don't necessarily need to know that there's a warming shelter because I'm assuming it's a landline.

Yeah, I think um depending on how much you want to pay.

Right.

So at our current level, we don't have the ability to like distinguish what kind of have people pick and choose and say, I want to I don't want to know about parking bans.

Right.

I don't want to know about you know, I have a home, I don't want to know about the warming shelters.

Well, that's why I'm wondering if like the call part of the case.

I believe there's a feature that we can use.

So to answer your the first part of your question, we designed it when we when we created the settings for when someone signs up.

We very purposefully did it so that you cannot opt out of anything because we want to we want to be certain that when we send it, whether it's the budget survey, which is not life or death, or the boil water advisory, which is more serious, you're getting it.

And and that's that's sort of that.

Um I think on the features when I send out a message, I have an option for how the message is um sent out.

So I believe I would have an ability if someone is only signed up for calls.

If I don't check that box, then if you're only receiving the calls, uh if I say it can should only be sent out through uh uh push notification or or email, only the people who are set up for that will receive it.

So I think there's a way where um you know we can make more judgment calls on that.

Um because that would also reduce your number of calls.

It would reduce the number of calls, and and if you're right, if it's a landline, then it's someone who doesn't need necessarily that warming service.

Um but yeah, generally speaking, um we don't we didn't want to give people too many choices because we want to be sure that when we send something out, um they're gonna get it.

And that's why also we're very um you know, we're we're we're uh judicious with what we send out because we recognize that we don't want to get tuned out, and that's it's very easy to tune.

That's what happened to me with VT Alerts, right?

It's I was getting messages from Lemoyle County that I didn't care about.

So the next time I needed one from here, I was less apt to look at it.

And we want this thing to be when you get it, it's something important, and so you you pay attention to it.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Any other questions, counsel?

Okay, upcoming business, it is going to be the legislature and the budget all day, all night, all the time for the foreseeable future, unless there is something else.

I mean, obviously, we have ongoing business that we'll be putting on the above on the uh agenda.

You'll be getting updates on our uh on the second round of DR uh grants that we'll be applying for.

So most of the things that you know, but like I always say, counsel, if there's something you'd like to see on the agenda, just let me know.

Yes.

Um, are we going to make some kind of response to Danielle to the email that Daniel sent?

Um we're going to be thoughtful in our response.

So, what uh counselor um uh Gartner is referring to is uh Danielle, and I'm gonna butcher her last name, so someone say it for me.

Thank you.

Uh uh had asked the city council to issue an affirmative statement that we would not uh execute a 287 G agreement with uh the Department of Homeland Security.

Um nor would we uh operation uh storm garden uh where we nor would we execute uh an agreement or accept funding with operation uh stone garden.

So we're gonna take our time.

I spoke to the manager about this.

We're gonna take our time on issuing a thoughtful approach.

Uh currently in Vermont, there are no 287G agreements nowhere in the state of Vermont.

There has never been a 287 agreement uh G agreement in the state of Vermont.

If, and this is a really big if because there's no request in front of us, and we're certainly not going to go looking for one, if we wanted to execute it to execute a 287G agreement pursuant to a law that was passed during the last legislative session, we would have to seek the approval of the governor who would consult with the attorney general.

So I I do appreciate best, and actually I was going to respond to her tomorrow morning and just let her know that there's with Operation Stone Garden, there's absolutely more to consider.

The Chittenden County Sheriff's Department participates in that program.

That program is more a grants program.

Uh the Vermont State Police participate in that program.

Uh I believe the Newport Police Department participates in that program.

Uh is it Swanton Police Department or was it the sheriff's department?

Uh one of those.

No, it wouldn't be Swan.

Swanton's not a county.

So there's more to consider in her letter than just a knee-jerk, you know, sure.

We'll we'll so what I asked the manager to do is um is and you probably won't see it until uh the manager is back from his planned trip.

Um, because as I said, it even if we wanted to and there's no request in front of us, and I'm not sure we would I don't doubt we would support it.

It's we can't do it uh without the approval of the governor and the attorney general.

So for that reason, again, I I thought the request was reasonable, but I I just wanted to make sure that we gave a thoughtful response.

So I asked the manager to look into it, would she fail?

Thank you.

Yep, but but you will, yes, of course.

I have a couple questions.

Um I'm wondering I I had this on my uh made a note when I was looking at the agenda, and then Tracy brought it up and Shannon brought it up.

Um I was wondering if we could talk about doing more roundtables, listening sessions, and not just with the business community, but um I had made the suggestion with the nonprofit community, like Down Street, Washington County Mental Health, Tapstone, like all these different nonprofits we have in the area, and how can we be working together?

And then the other one um was with youth.

And I don't remember why I thought about that, but inviting, you know, high school students, even middle school students to come and talk to us to tell us, you know, what what do you think is going well in the city?

What do you wish you could see?

I think it would be a really great thing for them to be able to.

I mean, I'm sure it's a little intimidating to come in here and talk to us about this, but if we had like you know something where they could come in and chat with us, it might be a good way for them to have a conversation.

With food, of course, with food, yes.

Or we could go to them.

Yeah, or we can look at that.

I mean they may have events at the high school uh or the elementary school where it might be more convenient because uh a lot of these, you know, a lot of our younger citizens aren't yet driving.

So they don't necessarily have a way to get here in the evening, or they may have homework, or it may have been a long day at school.

So, you know, for a lot of us, we can we can make ourselves available uh during, you know, it's kind of unique with this council that many of us have impossible schedules but flexible schedules, uh, and we can make ourselves available.

So maybe with the the students you could we could think in that regard if they ever have some sort of assembly or even some civics class going on at school, we could make ourselves available to visit.

I just think it would be really neat to have that conversation with them.

And then my last thing is um when we uh for school board every month we would have committee reports, and I wonder if it would be helpful um because I love hearing from BADC, I love hearing from Barry Partnership and the Alders Library, but we have people on the committee on the council who are liaison to these committees.

And I wonder if like once a quarter we could even just have the liaisons say, this is what that committee's been working on.

This is I want to tell you about this, so it's not just once a year that we're hearing from some of our partners in our committees.

Uh I could go either way on that.

Um years and years ago, uh I asked the committee chairs if they would just submit it's just a brief written report to the council, very brief, like two or three paragraphs uh on a monthly basis.

Most of them were pretty good about doing that.

And the way we left it, if there was something if they read the brief report and a counselor said, you know, I'd like to hear more about that, then I would put them on the agenda.

You know, I I I try to be like all of us do, I try to be respectful of folks of their time.

You know, they're they're serving on the committee.

I don't want to drag them into the council and make them, you know, uh and make them report for for 30 or 45 minutes.

So well, that's why I suggesting the council easy.

What about a well and the council liaison?

I mean, you're all busy too.

Well, no, but we're but we're going to the meetings.

We're going like I talked about the lockers, we're there, and so we could just give an update.

Like, hey, we the last time we met, we talked about the lockers.

We talked about the warming shelter, we talked about, you know, whatever it might be, just so we and what also I think maybe give the people, the other people in the community an opportunity to hear like what the cow pasture committee is doing and what the civic center committee is doing or whatever it might be.

So um I mean the minute.

And we'll we'll we'll figure something out, and maybe we could ask the committee.

We could ask the chairs, would you mind reporting?

And if you don't have the time, we could have the council liaison report instead.

Thank you.

Oh, you're welcome.

Round table.

Let's talk about Spaulding High School.

Uh girls' hockey, I believe they're nine and one.

Um, they've only lost the one game at home.

Um, the boys have not been as lucky, but they've been playing some solid hockey.

Both teams had a win this last Saturday in their doubleheader.

Um they'll be back at the BOR on Saturday.

So we talked about engaging our youth.

Um that's an opportunity.

This doubleheader starts at 3.15 for the girls and 5.15 for the boys.

Um and really, if you're looking for an opportunity to mingle with our young people, um, there are lots of them.

Um, but I really like the discussion about us going to them, um, working in a school.

We need more of our government in schools so they understand a bit more from a personal aspect um as opposed to just the educational book aspect.

Um, so great stuff tonight, and I'll pass it up.

Thank you.

I'll pass.

I'm just wondering if maybe we could have Michelle come in sometime, maybe, maybe after we go through all the budgets.

Yeah, yeah.

Um, she's done some really great things so far.

Yes, and not just with programs, but you know, if you've been to the meetings upstairs in alumni hall, we've got chairs, we've got plants and little tables, and it's phenomenal.

She's done a great job.

I think maybe just have her come in, give us all a little follow-up on what she's been doing.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Anything beats permits.

Following I was gonna to tag on to that.

I did not go, but I drove by the sledding party, and as we were driving by, Kevin said to me, What is happening there?

And I was like, it's a sledding party.

Look, they have like cocoa, and I don't know what else they had, and there was a bunch of people, and it looked like a really great time.

So it was really neat.

So I think that's great.

I would love to hear more about what they're doing.

Absolutely.

We couldn't have an outdoor rink.

That'd be nice.

That's about it.

Well, it's a little damaged right now on the north end, but listen, we you know, hope springs eternal.

Uh council, thank you again uh for indulging me with regard to the letter um to the governor.

It it's been tough.

Because let me say one thing perfectly, let me be perfectly clear.

I when someone burns the American flag, I am incensed.

It disappoints me, it disgusts me.

But I will defend till my last breath their right to do that.

And what is going on in Minneapolis?

I'm not going to go on and on, but it is that it is a failure.

We are putting federal employees in a position they shouldn't be in.

We are putting citizens in a position they shouldn't be in.

A smart person would simply pause, stop, and and let everyone catch their breath.

You know, we've all had to do that at times in our lives.

We have to do that.

We've had to do that as a city when we figure out that something isn't working.

So we stop digging when we're digging ourselves into a deeper hole.

So uh, you know, uh there's better Catholics than me, but uh I pray every night.

That's what a Catholic education will do.

That's what the nuns did to me as I was growing up.

So I do.

I remember people, I remember my kids.

I remember my mom and Kara and her mom and our families, and and and I remember America lately.

I remember America every night.

So thank you again for supporting me on that.

We do need an executive session.

We're gonna be speaking about litigation and personnel.

I do not believe there will be any votes or discussion coming out of that, David.

So would that a motion to motion for findings would be in order?

Thank you.

It's moved and seconded.

All those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed, thank you very much.

Uh need a motion to go into executive session.

So thank you.

And seconded, thank you.

All those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed, thank you very much.

We are in executive session.

In just a moment.

Okay.

Okay, council.

I would entertain a motion to exit executive session.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

Is there any discussion?

I'm sorry, moved by Councillor Hillgartner, seconded by Councillor Bergeron.

All those in favor, the motion is presented.

Please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed, thank you very much.

And a motion to adjourn would be in order.

Made by Councillor Bergeron, seconded by Councillor Hill Gardner.

All those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed, we are adjourned.

Thank you, Council.

Have a good night.

Have a good night.

Thank you.