I will go ahead and call the February 9th Finance Committee meeting to order at 602.

First order of business is the review and approval of the February 9, 2026 Finance Committee meeting without objection, I will move approval.

I guess.

Without objection, they're approved.

Great.

Moving on to the next item.

A Lakewood Host Community Cannabis Fund.

We talked about it a little bit on at the full council meeting, I believe, a couple weeks ago, where the City of Lakewood has received finally after a little bit of a delay.

And so we sought to enact basically to put those funds aside into a fund that can be created under our codified ordinances.

So this ordinance before us is to establish the fund and set out the purpose of the fund.

I believe in some of my conversations with Director Mahoney, there will need to be further appropriation ordinance that will allocate those funds, which is separate from the establishment of the fund.

Would you uh walk us through that, Director Mahoney, kind of the difference between those things and what is necessary to follow?

Sure.

So this ordinance would just create the fund and like Councilman Baker said, the anticipated uses of the money, but it doesn't establish the ability to actually spend the money.

So we would have to do an amended appropriation ordinance, which I said once this passes, I can gladly uh get that going.

Uh and Director Money, and uh we talked about this before, but I would like to just confirm on the record of for the committee is that uh as far as the way this ordinance is drafted and the establishment of the fund, do you think it's appropriate?

It it is, but um I will have to send it down to Columbus for them to um to authorize it.

They always have to have their stamp on it.

So is that does that tip process-wise, is that typically happen after the ordinance that creates the after it's passed, yes.

Right.

Thank you.

Doesn't really make sense because it's passed.

Uh sometimes state government doesn't make sense.

Um I don't see a problem with it though.

Great, thank you.

Um the other thing is is um, you know, we in in the draft ordinance uh there's the the authorized expenditures are highlighted.

Uh so that's was you know our best guess as as the kind of how to bucket those funds.

Now, as with anything else, we can transfer funds but between funds, you know, uh through a higher level, but this kind of essentially parks it there until it's appropriated through an operating or capital budget.

Um it kind of segregates the funds as opposed to the general fund, whereas the larger bucket that we spend funds from as a city.

So is there any discussion amongst the committee members about um the authorized expenditures uh conspiration street big?

Thank you.

Um first of all, thank you to uh to both you and Council President Keppel for this work.

This is fantastic.

And Director Mahoney, thank you for um weighing in on the appropriateness of this.

Um I would like to see um health added to the safety here.

Um I I I'd like it to say to use only for the expense of public health and safety related issues within the city of Lakewood, including complete streets, comma, 88 transition plan implementations, comma, and the Lakewood Community Health Needs Assessment.

Um because I I do think in and then going on um and other capital improvements related to accessibility, equity, and wellness.

I think that that to put safety in there without putting health.

I think we miss some opportunities there, especially when we're looking at funding from a drug and possibly some some mental health needs for a community that may not be covered under safety.

It's a really good point.

Um other comments from members of the committee?

Mr.

Chair?

Yes.

If I could just add to that, I think that's a great point, and that's actually why I'm Director Barry here as well.

Due to the recent cuts at the county, that is impacting our human services budget.

We are okay for this year, but in future years, assuming those cuts continue, we may not.

So I would advocate for human services in general.

And then Director Barry's here if you have any specific questions related to how those cuts are affecting the city.

Thank you.

Now the the I guess that's a question I have about fund establishment is that right now it seems to be limited to capital.

So but but you can have funds that are that can be used for capital or operating, right?

Just a purpose.

That's correct.

You can spend capital funds out of any fund.

As long as it meets the purpose of the fund?

That's correct, yeah.

So then I think there in order to I think right now it's as drafted, it seems to be limited to capital.

Um that's where we may be able to broaden it.

You know, so I think that that what I'm hearing is there is some interplay in how we would like to potentially change the authorized expenditures.