This was the third budget work session for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. The council reviewed follow-up data requested at previous meetings, discussed the transportation budget increase, and ultimately voted unanimously to approve the FY2026 operating and capital improvement program ordinances.
Good afternoon. This is our third budget work session for the FY twenty six budget. Today we have Saudi Assetar, a budget and management services director to bring some follow-up data to some questions that have been previously asked by council. Yes, so good afternoon. Um City Council members and um mayor Sadia Satar here with Budget and Management Services. Um after last uh you know Monday's budget work session, we had two follow-ups in City Council that we have included as part of the backup and board dogs. Um, and that had to do with uh A information related to workers' uh comp you know claims um across departments citywide, and that information has been provided to all of you. And then the second was results of the separation allowance survey that was conducted by our human resources department with Raleigh Fire. Um, those results should also have been uploaded in board docs uh for your uh information. And then last but not least, we also had some informational um an informational item related to fourth ward that we also added in board docs. I do not have a presentation for these items, so but um, you know, our HR director Sharnelle Jones is here, and other department directors are here if you have any further comments or questions. Yes, I I would be happy to call uh assistant city manager Evan Raleigh to provide further information. I asked you to talk about the survey and those results. Yes. But briefly, um last, I guess, September and August, end of August, early September, um, staff provided lots of support to uh Miss Rainey and others, organizers of the fourth ward uh historical recognition event that was held. Um that effort span many different departments. It involved input and contributions from our parks, recreation, and cultural resources department, from staff to uh facility, the waiver facilities fees, um equipment tables, chairs, and uh things of that nature. We have participation, I believe there were some panel sessions that were scheduled throughout the week. So our I know our planning and development uh department uh participated. There was a celebration event that occurred um that was held, I think the culminating event that was hosted at the Performant Arts Center. Uh that event was a recipient of uh $10,000 community grant that the um convention center staff provided to the organizers of that event as part of their community uh community support fund. Um just recently uh I know that there's been some additional requests that uh parks, recreation, and cultural resources are uh working to support. I believe the total value of that is uh estimated somewhere in the $1,000 neighborhood. The total support that the city's contribution um to that event that I spoke about last August and September, uh I think we we put the dollar value at roughly 30,000 between monetary and in-con support. I should also note that the city is also looking at other opportunities to recognize the history of the fourth ward. Um of course the Chavistic Strawway is currently under development. Um will be soon. Uh we've hired a in the process of hiring a firm to lead the planning design of that effort. Um we have every intention to use that opportunity to celebrate the history of the fourth ward. Uh in addition to that, um we are also looking at opportunities within the context of the uh convention center and red hat relocation projects for opportunities to celebrate that history. Uh so it's something that we're keen on, but those are I believe several of the things that again are referenced and highlighted in the in the memo that was shared with you, but happy to answer any of the other questions you may have. Yeah, I just want to uh thank uh our staff for really providing that support last year. And I know the events meant a lot to the community and were really fabulous and well attended. Um, and I'm looking forward to seeing how we can incorporate the history of the fourth ward in the convener convention center expansion and the Chavis Sticks Stroll Way. I think those are both incredible opportunities. Um I do plan to follow up um with the Ms. Rainey and the Fourth Ward group to just better understand any additional needs that they are looking for. But I think if we were going to put anything specific in the budget, it would have to be for the following year. But I'm hopeful we'll still be able to find some things as we go along in this next year that we already have funds for that can be dedicated to telling that history. I know this is in uh Councilmember Harrison's district, but I do also want to echo uh continued conversation with Ms. Rainey and others uh that live um in the area. Uh maybe because I do a lot of restorative justice work, uh it tends to have three parts uh to apologize, to acknowledge and atone. Uh I'd like to go a little bit deeper to understand as we go forward uh as we have a conversation to co-create whatever the next step is. Uh right now I am very pleased to hear that there are efforts through the strollway, the red hat, uh, other opportunities. I just want to make sure Ms. Rainey is not here, that we have some future conversations just to understand that process. Uh that atonement can take many shapes. Uh, done a lot of projects. Uh just want to understand we not recognize or celebrate the history, but acknowledge some of the damage that had been done, so that we certainly don't want to address past harm, but we also don't want to create any new harm. So I look forward to ongoing conversations uh with the council, particularly Councilmember Harrison, her district, and Ms.