Welcome everyone to this special meeting of the common council for May 27th.

Time is now 631.

We'll begin with the public participation portion of the meeting.

Is anybody calling in online?

Yes, Your Honor.

Alderman McNamara.

Here.

Alder Woman Scott.

Here.

Alderman Simpson.

Present.

Alderman Smedley.

Alderman Malinowski.

Alderman Gibson.

Alder Woman Delarnia.

Alderman Santiago.

Alder Woman Barbosa.

Alder Woman Vargas.

Alder Woman Maldonado.

Alderman Centenno.

Alder Woman Ortiz Luna.

Alderman Barrero.

Fourteen present.

Your Honor.

Will you please read into the Honor?

I'd like to make a motion to waive the reading of the warrant.

Okay.

Second.

Thank you.

That was second by Alderwoman Luna.

Okay.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed nay.

Motion carries.

Alderman Santiago for item number one.

Thank you, Honor.

I make a motion to accept item number one.

This is to accept the reports of the committees on planning zoning and housing regarding Mayor's proposed general fund budget for fiscal year 2026 and 2027.

Special revenue funds enterprise funds budgets for fiscal year 2026 and 27.

Budget appropriations for capital improvement programs for fiscal year twenty twenty-six to twenty twenty-seven.

That's low sips.

Okay.

Any comments?

Seeing that.

And it was seconded by Alderman Barbosa.

Okay, seeing no comments.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Alderman Santiago for item number two.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I make a motion to accept item number two.

Second by Alder Woman Barbosa.

This is to accept the reports of the committee on administrative finance and law and public service regarding mayor's proposed general funds budget for fiscal year 2026 to 27.

Special Revenue Funds and Enterprise Funds Budget for fiscal year 2026 to 2027.

Okay, seeing none.

All those in favor say aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Alderman Santiago for item number three.

Thank you, Honor.

Make a motion to accept and adopt item number three.

Second by Alderman.

This is to act upon a resolution regarding the general fund budget for fiscal year 2026-27.

Your Honor, I'd like to make a motion.

Second by Alderwoman Barbosa.

For the amendment.

Okay, so it might correct for the council.

I'm sorry I didn't hear you.

Am I correct?

Yes, you should state what the amendment is.

All right.

Is to decrease the use of funding balance by two million three hundred and eleven dollars and three three hundred and eighty-nine.

Increase in the transfer to the medical self-insurance fund by one million two hundred and eighty-nine thousand seven hundred and thirteen dollars.

Increase in the BOE non-operating grant to $13,292,000.

Second by all the one barbosa.

These changes take full advantage of the additional state funding secured by the mayor's mayor Sanchez and the new brand delegates to provide an additional $13.3 million for education in addition to the one million in the mayor's proposed budget.

These changes also fully fund the Willow Street project, maintains our rainy day fund and begins to pay down the deficit in the workmen's comp funds and our urge adoption.

Any comments on the amendment?

Councilman.

Thank you, Your Honor.

When we entered this budget cycle, I committed to fully funding education, and I believe even with these amendments, there is a path forward for that.

Um the superintendent brought us an updated ask after the very extremely hard work that I'm sure you and our state delegation did in getting that 13.3 million.

So the Board of Ed's new ask was five million six hundred seventy-nine thousand four hundred and ninety dollars.

And if the current budget as proposed by uh our city leadership here passes, we're we have to find another essentially one point six million.

On top of that, I committed to fully funding the library.

So in total, this budget process kind of left me with having to find seven million six hundred and sixty-five thousand one hundred and forty five dollars.

And during our discussion with the superintendent uh during our joint meeting here, uh it was revealed that uh while I committed to providing a budget that was level services that considered level services, that was not what the superintendent was actually offering, so even with the discount of the dollar amount, 110,000, which is what he cited as part of the kindergarten services that will not be at um north end elementary this coming school year, without cutting anything, with the it the uh revelation that we have saved about four hundred and twenty-five to four hundred and fifty thousand dollars because of insurance negotiations, um I think we can do it, and I would just like to lay out how for just a couple minutes.

The mayor's budget assumes that we are going to sit at a ninety-seven percent collection rate, which isn't bad, but actually, your honor, would there be somebody from finance to help me with the number here?

Um, I appreciate the help here.

Thank you.

So the um through your honor.

Thank you.

Okay, so in our general fund, there's a revenue line labeled current taxes.

Correct.

And just to spare a whole decimal, I'm gonna round it to 148 million dollars.

Does this represent the ninety-seven percent of revenues we anticipate to collect, or is this the one hundred percent of revenues that were owed?

It's the ninety-seven percent that we expect to collect.

Okay.

So if we take that number here, and let me just take an open book test if I can.

We have a hundred and forty-eight million, two hundred and seventy thousand, seven hundred and sixty-eight dollars.

We divide that by ninety-seven to get one percent of that, right?

That number comes out to over a million and a half dollars, and this is money we could use for public education.

Really for anything we want, but I'm gonna highlight education here, without raising taxes by doing just simply a better job of collecting the money the city is already owed, and is planning on being owed.

Increasing that one percent, does that affect the motor vehicle supplemental list?

No.

No.

Okay, so that's sixteen thousand.

I I now have to make up here.

But because of the four fifty, we have plenty to play with.

Point of information, if I if I could ask uh Miss Goldberry, uh, in your experience, uh, as a finance financial official here at City Hall, uh what has been the highest rate of uh collection?

Uh and uh I know I'm putting you on the spot, but uh uh the 97% figure I assume is based on past precedent.

Yes, based on historical data.

So 97% is a pretty good number.

In terms of performance in terms of uh uh almost almost a hundred percent uh collection rate, allowing for three percent for uh various uncollected taxes.

Correct.

So it has it ever been at ninety-eight percent or ninety-nine percent indirectly?

I'd have to go back and look.

Yeah, but typically it's been 97%, my record.

Correct.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

This is true, uh 97% is not bad.

Municipalities, however, are graded on how well we collect taxes, um, and ninety-eight percent puts us in the next, I'm gonna call it uh tier, right?

This helps with our bonding.

I think this could help with our credit rating because if we're collecting the revenues that we are already owed, we're demonstrating a stronger ability to pay back any debt obligations.

So that can not only help with education, but capital improvement projects.

Um electrical permits, we have a proposed budget of a hundred and fifty thousand, but the past three previous years have been either in that ballpark or much higher, correct?

This is on general fund page eighty under building and code enforcement.

Which one did you say?

Sorry.

Uh electrical permits, item description uh four three zero one, it looks like.

So historically it's been higher than a hundred and fifty thousand.

You see, and so if we revert back to the Board of Finance and Taxation Recommendation as well as the department ask, this is a hundred thousand dollars.

Um in terms of plumbing permits, I'm looking at a proposed budget of forty-five, and the same deal, uh, replenishing that to the BFT and department asks, adds uh thirty thousand dollars in revenue for us.

Same thing for certificate of occupancy, starting at twenty-five, restoring it by fifty, that's fifty thousand.

Right.

By now, at this point in the budget, we have fully funded the library and we have a few million more to go for education.

But I'm looking at sprinklers budgeted for ten thousand, matching it with the BFT and department ask up to twenty thousand for education.

I'm seeing sanitation residential listed at two fifty.

I'd like to throw an extra ten on there just because it's not too different from the mirror's proposed, but also it would be like if you were to rank them in previous years' spending, this next year would be the second uh lowest amount we're actually anticipating compared to what we actually got in terms of off-track betting.

I'm seeing a listed budget of $50,000.

Uh having a $20,000 replenishment would uh result in the lowest amount received since 2022 by sixteen thousand dollars.

So even with that increase, I would bet there's a surplus waiting to happen there.

And now we get to the town aid, which is the substance of this amendment, right?

If we take three and a half million dollars from that, we still have over 1.1 million to do kind of whatever we want with, more or less within whatever parameters the governor and the legislature said.

And by still reducing our reliance on the fund balance in the form of a $1.5 million increase, this still reduces our reliance on drawing from our savings by 44% compared to last year.

That's still a massive savings.

In addition to that, interest income on page 78, 4563.

There's about 425,000 that we did not originally budget for that came into these accounts.

This is surplus.

This is fantastic.

This is a source of education funding.

And I had a whole list of cuts that I was going to waive, but I was informed that on top of all of this, there's about $450,000 waiting to be saved.

So counteracting all of those cuts.

There's still $56,000 left over.

I think we can fund education, albeit just for this year, to the point where our community asked for it.

And I don't think I have ever encountered that in my life in New Britain.

I'm just curious to see what my colleagues here think about any of these numbers.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Point of order, Mr.

River, your Honor.

Could you frame that?

Are you framing it in a form of amendment, Alderman?

And what is that amendment specifically?

And how do we get to those?

Is there anything in the budget to establish how Ms.

Goldsbury gets to uh ninety-eight or ninety-nine percent?

Can you be more specific about your amendment so we can consider it?

Oh, absolutely.

So I'll start at the current tax rate then.

And somebody, if you have your calculator out, correct me if I'm wrong here.

So we start with the mayor's proposed budget of a hundred and forty-eight million, two hundred and seventy thousand, seven hundred and sixty-eight dollars.

We divide that by ninety-seven to find that one percent increase.

That amount comes out to one million five hundred and twenty-eight thousand five hundred and sixty-four dollars and sixty-two cents.

There's a crazy decimal after it, but it rounds up from sixty-one to sixty-two.

Um that you can allocate one million one hundred and sixty-five thousand nine hundred and seventy-two dollars and sixty-two cents to the Board of Education.

Um, this is year-over-year funding, so we can throw that back in the MBR and replenish that, as well as fully fund the library's ask of three hundred and thirty-nine thousand four hundred and sixty-four dollars.

Um, so we have to go back and account for the motor vehicle supplemental, which is sixteen thousand, taken from the fifty-six left over at the end.

That leaves us with forty thousand two hundred and seventy-five.

We'll put that on for later.

Electrical permits listed in the general fund.

Oh, go ahead.

So, your amendment.

Sorry.

Your amendment is to change from 97 to 98, the collection rate in the proposed budget.

Is that your amendment?

Uh, it's part of it.

The other is uh a different estimate in revenue adjustments based on actual spending and the asks that were made by both departments and the Board of Finance and taxation.

So this isn't inflating a revenue beyond a reasonable DAO.

And it's because of this new hunt new four hundred and fifty thousand, we don't actually have to make cuts, at least according to this amendment.

So I can throw half of this out, we can still fully fund education.

I'm just looking for more specificity on the amendment you're proposing.

And I think part of it is changing the collection rate.

Part of it, yes.

And then uh just upping the estimate.

And these are estimates, by the way.

This budget.

All budgets are estimates.

Correct.

So it could be up, it could be down.

Right.

That doesn't change with any budget though.

But to me, uh a lot of time and effort's been put into this budget by the Board of Finance and Taxation.

By the mayor's office, by us considering it.

And holding hearings on it.

And uh it is a uh a stable flat budget.

Uh to find all the services the city offers, and uh I I would just urge you to um be more specific on what what your amendment is.

Can you be specific as to the specificities you need?

Because I did address those.

Well, why don't you proceed?

We'll listen and then we'll determine what to do about it.

Thank you.

So again, electrical permits, budgeted at 150, up that by a hundred thousand.

That is item four three oh one on page eighty on plumbing permits.

We start at 45, up it by 30, back to the original ask, by the way.

On also page 80, but it's uh 430 item description 4302, certificates of occupancy, start at 25, you add 50 back to the ask, also on page 80, but it is item description four three zero three sprinklers, you start at ten thousand, add twenty thousand, that is also on page eighty, item uh four three zero four, sanitarian residential, budgeted for two hundred and fifty thousand, only add ten thousand and you come out with the median revenue estimate for the past four years.

Um that's on page 79, 4446, off-track betting, budgeted for 50,000, add 20,000 on page seventy-eight, item 4210, uh and then we come to the town aid.

So if this amendment passes, we can do the what is the number here uh four six seven one six eight nine.

Sorry, give me one second here.

Mr.

Mayor, can I just a point of order?

There's an amendment on the floor that in my opinion should be dealt with first, and then if the alderman wants to make amendments from there, but I think it's just gonna be really confusing if we haven't even made the initial amendments.

So I think we've got to deal with the amendment as made by Alderman Santiago, and then the alder person can make his amendments from there.

Okay.

So we'll we will vote on the amendment.

Could I call the question on Alderman Santiago's amendments?

Second by the question that's been called, second by all the woman Barbosa.

On the question, yes.

So we'll vote on the question.

All those in favor say aye.

All those um opposed say nay, motion carries.

Now on the amendment back to the amendment.

So we have the vote on the amendment on the amendment, the Santiago, right?

So now we'll vote on the amendment.

And that is a roll call if I'm not mistaken, right?

With the amendment.

So madam clerk, can you please call the roll?

But did we just vote on it?

That was just to um call the question.

Called the question first.

Now we're on amendment.

And there's a roll call on the amendment.

Macnamir?

On Alderman Santiago's amendments, yes.

Alder Woman Scott.

Yes.

Alderman Simpson.

Yes.

Alderman Smedley.

Yes.

Alderman Malinowski, Alderman's Gibson, Alderwoman Delonia.

Yes.

Alderman Santiago, yes.

Alder Alderwoman Barbosa.

Yes.

Alderwoman Vargas, Alderman.

Uh Alder Woman Maldonado, Alderman Centeno.

Yes.

Alder Woman Ortiz Luna.

Yes.

Alderman Barrero.

Yes.

Fourteen years.

Okay.

Now back.

Discussion as amended.

Right.

Any discussion on the amendment as amended.

Alderman Simpson.

Thank you, Your Honor.

So now that we have accepted that uh amendment, we have the 4.6 million dollars from the discretionary portion of the aid that we just got from the state.

So if you take 3.5 million of that, that leaves us with 1,171,689 left over to still play with.

Let's see.

In addition to that, we can take and still reduce our reliance on our savings by 44% compared to last year.

1,530, 721.38 cents, from the fund balance and attribute it to the Board of Education.

That's on general fund page 78 under interest.

Uh I'm sorry.

This is new.

Moving on to general fund page 78.

Interest income.

We have uh let's see.

This is money that was not budgeted last year.

So I'm looking at compared to last year's numbers.

We have over 425,000 dollars, but I'm only saying to allocate 425,000 according to this, and I'll I'll just reiterate that this money is surplus as of March 31st.

So this money sitting sitting in a savings account, it's accruing interest, and we're gonna have more than that by the end of this fiscal year.

That's on the revenue side.

And if we substitute, I'm gonna say 385,000 of the 450 extra that's coming in.

I think we have yet to actually accept it, but if we budget for it, I think that'll put us at the uh over the hump, so to say, So Alderman, so you're commenting on the amendment that we just voted on, but are you um do you want to submit an amendment?

Is that what you're trying to do here?

For the purposes of the record and to say that I actually did try, I I think the answer to that is yes, and I can get this in writing to the city clerk.

And who's in a second?

Your honor?

Yes, um, so seconded by Alderman Smithley, Alderman Eckhamer.

Yeah, thank you.

I appreciate the research and your deep dive into the budget.

It seems to me that the state aid you've referenced 4.2 million is being applied to other things in the amendments I heard from Alderman Santiago, and I would like nothing better to see a 98% collection rate and increase in permit fees uh uh but I consider it uh highly speculative to substitute one number for another in a budget that takes effect on July 1.

And I think the numbers we have before us are more reliable, so respectfully uh I oppose the amendment offered by Alderman Simpson.

Any other comments?

Okay, so we'll then vote on this amendment.

Um this doesn't need a roll call, right?

No, no, okay.

So all those in favor of Alderman Simpson's amendments say aye.

Aye, all the all those opposed say nay.

No.

Motion does not fail.

Amendment fails.

No, back to any comments on the amendment, the previous, the original amendment.

Alderman Smedman statement.

Thank you, Mayor.

So I appreciate the work and the uh show of the allocation of the the 4.6 million.

Um through you, Mary.

Can I have um Amy Goldsbury back up to the podium for just a few questions?

She's on away.

Hi, thank you.

Uh so the 13 uh point two million um that is uh from the the state, is that uh a pass through or is that become part of the ECS funding?

Does it go directly to the board of ed?

No, it it goes to the city, it will be part of the ECS fund.

And then we're putting it in the non-operational fund, not the MBR requirement.

Correct.

Okay.

Um and then uh sidetracking from that, um, just some general questions.

What is the current fund balance right now?

Our current fund balance right now.

I don't know what it is right this second.

Point of information.

Sure.

It's the last audit is on the unassigned 25 million dollars, unassigned 25 and how much is this?

Uh assigned 10 more approximately 10 more million.

Okay.

So roughly 35 million basically.

I agree with about 35 million from our last audit.

Okay.

Do you know what the anticipated surplus will be coming up in September uh for this fiscal year?

Not yet.

We haven't done surplus report yet.

Okay.

Do you recall what it was last year?

At this point in time.

I don't remember a year ago.

Okay.

Does I'm a legitimate question?

Is any council member recall what the surplus was?

Okay.

Alderman, uh we dealt with that last September, previous council, where um there were fund balances including two point seven million dollars for a tax stabilization fund.

And uh and other things, but I I just have to oh I'm supposed to stand up, Mr.

Mayor.

You tell me that.

Will you uh but again uh uh I I don't think we're in a position to be spec speculating without the financial statements complete, which will probably be done for the auditors, I hope in August, since we've recovered from four years of non-compliant audits uh just this past year.

So it's just speculation to ask Ms.

Goldsbury uh what the fund balance is gonna be.

We're we're hoping it'll be uh as high as possible to meet obligations and to apply to other community needs.

Sure.

Thank you.

It just says it's the same to speculate the revenue uh increases that are here is Alderman Simpson also pointed out.

So um any budget is speculation at this point until we have the 97 or 98% collection uh in the city.

So um I I ask those questions because there's been a pattern of a surplus every year that can be applied to the tax stabilization fund or to education.

There was uh um uh extra funding provided to the non-operational account out of that surplus for the last few years as well for the Board of Education.

So um knowing that I would like to propose an amendment um to move uh one million dollars uh to the board of education MBR allocation account ending in 5899 and move 600,000 to the board of ed non-operating allocation account ending in 5811, and the money should be reduced from our fund balance ending in uh four or five seven one.

Thank you.

The amendment was second by uh Alderman Malowski Alderman.

On the motion, I think uh our unassigned fund balance, the other part is spoken for uh a healthy amount of fund balance, a rainy day fund, is between 12 and 50 percent.

And I think with the help of the state this year, I think it was about nine percent, close to 10% in our last budget.

And I think uh uh given our fiscal health and to make use of the unassigned fund balance a last resort because it is a a rainy day fund by any other name.

Um I I uh I appreciate the intent of the amendment, but I'm uh I need to oppose it as well.

Thank you.

Any other comments?

Alderman Smedling?

Uh Alderman Simpson.

Just a quick question.

Um can you just remind me where where the funds are coming from and where they're going?

Sure.

Through you, Mayor.

My my uh suggestion is uh from the rainy day fund or the fund balance um 1.6 total, one million to the MBR, and then 600,000 to the non-operating fund both for the Board of Education.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um I would be very hesitant to put anything from the fund balance into the MBR simply because the fund balance is a one-time revenue.

So if we commit to that million dollars over and over, this is this is just a budgetary flaw.

Uh the amendment that I had proposed earlier would have allocated uh a lot of the permit fees as one time revenues to supplant that.

So we're gonna have this conversation again next year, but on that specific budgetary mechanism, I'd be opposed to it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alderman Smedler?

Thank you, Mayor.

Through you, is there somebody for um who can answer questions related to the building permit um revenue collections?

Building.

Yes.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Um microphone just so the audience microphone so the audience can hear you.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Mr.

Nomack.

Mayor, through you.

Uh the revenues that you collected um for this fiscal year, does that include the revenue collection of the four hundred and fifty six thousand dollars for the building permits for homes elementary school?

What was the what was the first revenue you said?

I just missed the word.

Uh for homes elementary school.

It was that part of the building permits.

Uh, that's what the school district paid to the city for building permits.

Yes.

So it's included in your revenue collection.

Yes.

What was the estimated amount for the building permits for Smith Elementary School that will be included in this fiscal year's budget?

I believe it was around 400,000.

Less than homes.

I just I don't have that exact number, but from my memory, it was about 454.

Okay.

I do I I'm not challenging you, Mr.

No Mike.

I do believe it is substantially higher than that because the building is three times the size of homes elementary school.

Are you talking about just the building permit or all permits?

All permits for okay, then yes, it is.

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah, substantially higher.

So I I raise this point of information because essentially what happens is the school district um and its contractors are required to apply for permits.

Uh and the the portion of the money that the school district has to pay out of the project is the city paying the city, right?

So we bond for a project, the school district has to then cut a check to the city for those permits.

So that is double dipping revenue essentially.

So my suggestion would be to look at that uh as well as Alderman Simpson's proposal to then just deduct the money from our general fund because that's where it's gonna go back to anyways.

Any other comments?

Alderman McMarr.

I just I again I I'm not gonna use the word speculation again, but and those are probably solid numbers since uh that's your job, I guess, uh at the board of education.

Um, but uh I I uh I I must say uh uh changing this uh budget as proposed uh uh pulls apart a well thought out plan to maintain the mill rate as is and uh I'm sure our chief chief building inspector will do his darndest to increase those fees, even though he's been short staffed for about uh I'm no no more jobs for you, but you know, you know, okay.

Um again, I think I think we need to think of the budget in uh uh for sustainability, and not only think about this year but the following years in terms of this.

There's money in this budget to pay some of the reval that's coming up in a year and a half, two years where we're gonna have to deal with assessments again.

So everything uh holds together for me as is uh obviously estimates can be higher or lower, and those adjustments can be made down the road as you suggested.

But again, I I must say uh uh I uh if that is an amendment you made, I uh I I uh would like the original amendments to prevail.

Thank you.

Alderman Simpson.

Thank you.

Just to tag on to your point, Alderman McNamara.

If we were to take 1.6 million from the fund balance and put it in the non-operating fund, while the board of ed couldn't use that specifically for things like teachers' salaries, your honor, I believe that line item budget would still just be in your hands.

So if you so chose to, you could just release the funds after they're appropriated.

And then the board of ed, if they're wise in my opinion, would use the non-operating funds they already have, bump those to the side and free up money on their end.

So I I think I would support uh a transfer to the non-operating fund simply because it's coming from a one-time revenue.

And to his point on sustainability, he's right.

Revals are coming in 2027, they're gonna take effect what, 2028.

So using the one-time revenue here, I believe is okay because it's going to be one time, and then apparently we're gonna have a sustainable funding mechanism going forward.

Thank you.

Alderman Smithley.

Thank you.

Uh through you uh to Alderman McMahon.

I I I don't disagree with you, Alderman, but um there was a serious request from our school district after uh a very serious uh public campaign for what is needed for the school district to operate um and to continue the services that are offered.

So um I also hear what Alderman Simpson said.

Uh so what I would like to do is withdraw my original amendment uh and allocate the 1.6 um to the non-operational fund versus the MBR.

So uh I would withdraw my original amendment and make an a motion to amend to allocate one point six million to the non-operational account ending in five eight one one and uh reduce the fund balance account for five seven one by the one point six million.

Um thank you.

Second by Alden and Monofsky.

If I may if somebody else wants to comment.

Um so I I would also agree that uh moving the money to that non-operational account mayor gives you the ability and gives the council the ability to consider using the surplus that will come uh in the next few months and say okay, yep, there's actually surplus there, we can actually back up the 1.6 million out of the general fund so that it's not a one-time hit to the budget that would possibly affect or to the account that would possibly affect the credit rating.

Um not to mention our kids need it, I'm not gonna lie.

Thank you.

Alderman McNamara.

Alderman Santiago.

Thank you, Honor.

Um, obviously we all know that that um we need to find money for these kids for the kids.

Um the thing about it is is that we're playing hand shifting here with this money.

Because again, in the day we don't know what the city's capability.

We had a COVID, we had pandemic, and we didn't have the funds to support that.

As we know that our our telemark why we're putting money into um telemarketing and I mean uh telecommunications and uh hardware is because we're we're behind.

So we keep pretending that we have money coming in when we don't really have money coming in.

I mean, I've seen it before where, you know, uh our streets are still not paved, our sidewalks are still not paved.

We got all these things that we're talking about, assuming we keep assuming.

We gotta look at the facts right now.

At this point of time, we gotta think that the state gave us 3.3 million dollars, and that the that the mayor actually put a million into the MDR, which means it's guaranteed money for this year.

We don't know what's gonna happen another year from now.

And again, I would support it if I knew it was guaranteed.

That's my thing, and I've always been that way.

I've been very fiscal about my responsibilities, and I'm gonna be to the front.

I would if there was the money I could say, hey, move it over.

I would absolutely support it.

But at this time right now that what we're still going through managing, looking through our finances as it is now, I would think that we want to be more stable about and more fiscally responsible about what we have going on than try to assume that we're gonna have money coming in because again, you've been short staffed many years, and I know you've been you know, bust you yourself been out there hands on the boot, boots on the ground, doing the things you had to do, and I've seen it, I've seen many of our police officers, our firefighters, our all our workers been really out here doing their thing, and the schools and the teachers.

They've been doing their thing, however, we don't have that money.

As much as everyone assumed that we have it, it's not there.

Until we keep assuming that, you know, even the point of us, uh, you know, the uh the licenses and and register, you know, those things.

I work in the in that field, and I see it where it comes in goals depending on on what we have for infrastructure or we got for for uh you know home improvements or things like that.

We don't know what everybody feels like, because again, at this point of time you see, like even now we're uh we're we don't even have land.

We're short, we're we're land poor.

So for us to think about building more things when we don't have it at this point of time.

I think we should need to be a little bit more responsible, take a look at what we got for now, and then be happy that we actually have something that came in from the state side that our mayor and the state delegates work their butts off to get.

So at this point, I will support the amendment I have and the budget that the mayor has for a hundred percent.

Everything else after that, I'm sorry to say I need to see some more proof because again, and then I didn't even get the the amendments from him or you that says hey, by the way, that we're getting you got mine, right?

It's on your desk, you got yours on your desk.

I didn't get none of those to say it.

Let me take a look at it.

I know it's on your desk now.

I was as my I got it today too.

So that being honest, I'll be fair.

All the amendments were done today.

So we got them, but we all got it on our desk.

But I need I didn't get either one of those two from you guys.

So uh, you know, I'll give my seat.

Alderman, all the woman Luna.

Your Honor, make a motion to call a question.

So I can't, question has been called seconded by Alderwoman, to vote on the amendment on his amendment.

Okay, so there's gonna be a roll call on his amendment.

Smedley.

Call the question, I'm sorry, call the question.

Okay.

Madam Clerk.

This is on the call for the question.

Uh Alderman McNamara.

Uh yes to uh act on Alderman Smithley's amendment.

No, no, we call it question.

It's called the question.

Yes, here I go again.

Uh yes to call the question.

Alder Woman Scott.

Yes.

Alderman Simpson.

Nay, for the fact that our community asked.

Alderman Smithley.

No.

Alderman Malinowski.

Alderman Gibson.

Alder Woman Delernia.

No.

Alderman Santiago.

Yes.

Alder Woman Barbosa.

Yes.

Alder Woman Vargas.

Yes.

Alder Woman Maldonado.

Aldermans Nintendo.

Yes.

Alder Woman Ortiz Luna.

Yeah.

Alderman Barrero.

No, we have nine to five, sir.

Your Honor.

On amendment.

Yes, have it.

Um now we uh we will go back to the mic.

Now we will go back to voting on Consulman Smedley's amendment, original amendment.

Um does it have to be a roll call or does it?

Doesn't have to be a roll call.

Okay.

Okay, so now it's a roll call.

Uh Madam Clerk.

This is the vote on Alderman Smedley's amendment to the amendment.

Alderman McNamara.

No.

Alderman Sc Alder Woman Scott.

No.

Alderman Simpson.

Your Honor, this is for the amendment to transfer 1.6 from the fund balance that we are from balance to the non-operating balance.

The operating fund.

Yay.

Thank you.

That's the name.

Yay.

Yay, okay.

Alderman Smedley.

Yes.

Alderman Malinowski.

Yes.

Alderman Miss Gibson.

Alder Woman Delernia.

Yes.

Alderman Santiago.

No.

Alderwoman Barbosa.

Alder Woman Vargas.

Alder Woman Maldonado.

Alderman Centenno.

Alder Alderwoman Ortiz Luna.

No.

Alderman Barrero.

No.

Nine to five.

So the amendment fails.

Now we're back to the original amendment.

Your Honor.

Call the question.

Okay.

Question has been called again and second by Alderwoman Barbosa.

Now we will vote on the question.

You can stay there.

Um I will call we don't have to do a roll call on this one.

So all those call the questions.

Um yes on question.

Okay.

Alderman McNamara.

Call a question yes.

Alder Woman Scott.

Yes.

Alder Alderman Simpson.

Yes.

Alderman Smedley.

Alderman Malinowski.

Alderman Gibson.

Alderwoman Delernia.

Alderman Santiago.

Alderwoman Barbosa.

Alder Woman Vargas.

Yes.

Alder Woman Maldonado.

Alderman Centenno.

Alder Woman Ortiz Luna.

Alderman Barrero.

104.

Yes.

Thank you, madam clerk.

Um.

Now we will go back to roll to to vote on the amendment as amended.

Motion as amended, yes.

And there is a roll call.

Good thing you stood there.

I don't think I have any more space but let me see.

Alderman McNamara.

Yes to the original amendments.

Alderwoman Scott.

Yes.

Alderman Simpson.

This is on adopting or just the amendments.

Adopted.

Adopting I committed to a fully funded education system and a fully funded library.

No.

Alderman Smedley.

No.

Alder Miss Malinowski.

No.

Alderman Gibson.

Alderman Delernia.

No.

Alderman Santiago.

Yes.

Alderwoman Barbosa.

Yes.

Alder Woman Vargas.

Alder Woman Maldonado.

Alderman Centenno.

Yes.

Alder Woman Ortiz Luna.

Alderman Barrero.

Yes.

Ted Ten4.

Yes, have it.

Okay.

Motion carries.

No, I agree with you.

I think 95.

Because he vote no.

Alderman Simpson doesn't know.

Oh hold on a second.

My apologies.

95.

Okay.

No number four.

Okay.

Alderman Santiago for item number four.

Thank you.

Make a motion to accept and adopt out of number four.

Second.

Second by Alderwoman Barbosa.

This to act upon the resolution regarding the special revenue funds and enterprise fund budget for fiscal 2026 27.

And your honor I'd like to make a motion to amend the proposed mayor proposed special revenue fund budget as follows.

Decreasing the budget for the VOE medical self-insurance fund to thirty one million eight hundred and fifty nine thousand one hundred and sixty two dollars and decreasing the budget for the city medical self-insurance funds to fifteen million four hundred and fifty thousand nine hundred and forty one dollars increase in the budget for the work workers' comp fund to four million nine hundred and ninety thousand and ninety seven dollars an itemized statement of the line items changed by funds has been approved to all council members has been sent to all council members and clerks is there a second second second by alderwoman luna okay sorry on it's also this uh this changes provide an additional 450 thousand and four hundred thirty dollars in the budget savings to our school district for the fiscal twenty six budget twenty seven I'm sorry to adoption okay any comments on this alderman Scott um I just wanted to go like go back to what um alderman alderman um Santiago was saying about not assuming um my father always said never ever assume and so I am voting yes to this budget um because while it does not raise taxes it provides it still provides services I'm sorry to point over this is different okay this this pertains to the the special fund that would have been from the so we're uh so you would be under under this amendment we're yeah we're discussing the amendment at hand any alderman Simpson thank you this is how much we saved four hundred and fifty thousand four four hundred and fifty thousand dollars for and those savings came from the board of education health insurance accounts that we negotiated and we're not reinvesting that money back into education point of point of information it is saving the board of education that amount of money which means that's money they don't have to spend on self insurance right it's money they can hire paras and do things like that this is money they still have they get back good thank you.

Any other discussion okay so all no all those in favor of the amendment say aye.

All those opposed say nay motion carries any comments on the item as amended seeing none madam clerk roll callderman McNamara yes it's amended alderwoman Scott yes alderman Simpson yes alderman smedley alderman Malinowski Alderman Gibson Alderwoman Delarnia Alderman Santiago Alderwoman Barbosa Alderwoman Vargas Alderwoman Maldonado Alderman Centenno Alderwoman Ortiz Luna Alderman Barrero yes 14 yes motion carries alderman Santiago for item number five thank your honor make a motion to accept and adopt item number five second second by alderman luna this is to act upon the resolution regarding the budget appropriation for capital improvement program twenty twenty six to twenty twenty seven your honor I would like to uh make a motion to amend the the mayor's proposal allocation by removing station one roof roofing and adding infrastructural hardware and fiber is there a second second by alderman Luna.

By removing the station the station one's roofing which was allocated fully funded in 2026 resolution this funding will make will give much needed for the IT infrastructure improvements and I urge adoption any comments on this item case alderman McMahon I asked about the the uh appropriation for infrastructure hardware and fiber is we all recall uh in January there's a canary in the coal mine saying we need to improve our cyber system and have maximum protection on it so I think the intent of this is to uh bring uh outvoted systems up to date.

And with that I uh support the amended uh resolution.

Thanks.

So now we will vote on the amendment.

Which is um oh, we don't need oral call.

So all those in favor of the amendment say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Any comments on the item as amended?

Seeing none.

Madam clerk, please call the roll.

Alderman McNamara?

Yes.

Alderwoman Scott.

Yes.

Alderman Simpson?

Yes.

Alderman Smedley.

Yes.

Alderman Malinowski.

Alderman Gibson.

Alderwoman Delarnia?

Yes.

Alderman Santiago.

Yes.

Alderwoman Barbosa.

Yes.

Alderwoman Vargas.

Alderwoman Maldonado?

Alderman Centano?

Yes.

Alderwoman Ortiz Luna?

Or Alderman Barrero?

Yes.

14A.

Motion carries.

Motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn.

Second by Alderman and Luna.

The time.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Meeting is adjourned.

Special meeting is adjourned at 7 33 p.m.

No we don't vote.

So we go public participation.

Yeah.

Five minutes.

I don't know.

I think that's what we're going to do.