The Folsom City Council met on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at 6:30 PM in City Hall. The meeting included commendations for youth athletes and community leaders, public comments on various topics, discussion on the future of the steam train at Lions Park, and a preliminary budget workshop highlighting a projected structural deficit of $4.6 million by FY 2029. The council provided direction to maintain a similar general fund allocation (51% public safety) and indicated willingness to explore using reserve funds for one-time capital needs.
Consent Calendar (Items 3-12): Items 3,4,6,7,8,9,10,12 were approved as a block. Item 5 (credit card acceptance) and item 11 (appointment to L&L District) were pulled for separate votes. Both passed unanimously after brief discussion. For item 11, Deborah Grassell spoke in support of Mary Johnson's appointment.
Item 13 – Future Steam Train Operations: Staff presented four options: (1) city purchase and operation, (2) city purchase with RFP for operator, (3) decline purchase and solicit new concessionaire, (4) decline and convert to other use. The current concessionaire, Terry Gold, offered to sell the railway to the city for $375,000 with a payment plan. An RMI evaluation noted safety concerns with the steam engine. Council consensus was to let the private market determine the sale, with the city continuing a land lease to a new operator. No formal vote was taken; direction was given to staff.
Item 14 – FY 2024-25 Preliminary Budget Workshop: Department heads presented requests totaling millions in new spending. Key requests included:
City Manager Elaine Anderson presented the fiscal outlook: sales tax growth down to 2.3%, property tax growth at 7%, structural deficit of $4.6M by FY 2029, reserves at 21.4% (unassigned). She asked council for direction on the general fund allocation pie (currently 51% public safety). Council discussed: Councilmember Rohrbough wanted more time to review audit numbers and consider using excess reserves for one-time capital needs. Councilmember Aquino, Chalamcherla, and Kozlowski favored maintaining the current pie allocation. The consensus was to keep a similar distribution (51% public safety) and to further discuss using reserves for capital projects. No formal motion was made; direction was given to staff to proceed with that framework.
We will reconvene the special meeting. Mr. City Attorney, is there any final action to report out? No final action tonight, Madam Vass Mayor. Okay, then we will adjourn the special meeting and call to order the regular meeting of the Folsom City Council on Tuesday, February 13th, 2024. Would the clerk please call the roll? Council members Rodriguez here. Roarbach. Here. A keynote. Here. And Kozlowski is absent. Okay, if you'd all please remove your hats and rise and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. Congratulations to the play of the United States of America. One nation under God. Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, would the clerk or do we have any agenda updates? Good evening, Madam Vice Mayor. We have additional information trust medal for item 11 on Tana's agenda. A callpiece has been previously called the two U, and it is also available on the table in the back. Okay, thank you. Um would the clerk please call the first item? Okay, that takes to your first scheduled presentation item this evening. This is item number one, a resolution of commendation honoring the Folsom Junior Bulldogs for earning the 2023 Excellence in Academics and Athletics Award. If you're out there in the hallway, bring them on in. Yeah, let me read this to you first. And here I thought all of you were here for the budget presentation later tonight. Okay, uh this is always one of our favorite meetings of the year. It is my pleasure to issue a resolution of commendation uh honoring the Folsom Junior Bulldogs for earning the 2023 Excellence in Academics and Athletics Award. Whereas the Folsom Junior Bulldogs is an official youth football and cheer association in Folsom, and whereas the Folsom Junior Bulldogs organization is committed to both academic and athletic excellence. And whereas members of the Folsom Junior Bulldog Football and Cheer teams maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better during the football and cheer season. And whereas this level of academic achievement merits recognition from the board of directors of Folsom Youth Football in Cheer and the City of Folsom. So therefore, on behalf of our mayor, Michael Kozlowski and the Folsom City Council and the Folsom community, we here do by extend commendations in the highest regard to the members of the Folsom Junior Bulldogs, who earn the Excellence in Academics and Athletics Award 2023 and encourage our continued scholastic excellence in the future. Commended this 13th day of February 2024. So before we get started with having these young folks come here, I just want to take just a minute to address all of you uh young student athletes because I want to congratulate you, but I want to thank you for being such outstanding uh individuals and citizens, not only on the field, but in the classroom as well. When you wear that sweatshirt or that jersey and it says Folsom on it, that means something to all of us. It means you're not only representing your family and yourselves and your team, but you're representing the city of Folsom and all 85,000 residents. So thank you for doing such a good job of that, okay? Okay, the kids are gonna announce themselves. So first up. My name is Isaac Kozlovic, and I'm in fourth grade and I play for the Folsom Junior Pee-wees. I'm Lucas Collier, I'm in fifth grade and I play for the Folsom Junior Pee Wee. My name is Zachariah Kozovic. I'm in fourth grade and I play for the Folsom Junior Bulldog Peewees. My name's Noah Wilson. Folsom Junior Bulldogs, and I'm in fourth grade. My name's Miracle. What did you cheer for? The Folsom Bulldog mascots. Yes, you did.