Their sales is like traveling in the airport.

Like they lose kids there.

And like one of them just starts all just like that.

Sorry for the last thing.

All of us appreciate your work.

Thank you for having me.

That's right.

And all these good things are all here for the same council.

Well, we're going to stand for a moment of silence and then be laid in the plage on City Boys go.

But during the moment of um silence, I lost a teammate, former teammate of mine.

As well as the Spark community.

Amen.

Mayor Pearl Timber, you might lead us in the pledge.

Our congratulations to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you for that.

Thank you all for standing.

Item three, we have the approval of the minutes for the April 27th, 2026 City Council meeting.

Second all in favor?

Aye.

Any that opposed, eyes have it.

Item four, we have approval of the agenda for the May 11th, 2026 City Council meeting.

So move.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any that opposed, eyes have it.

We have public comments, and we have two here.

And of course, we do have your address, so you do not have to repeat your address, but still come up and give us your full name.

Um Crystal.

I think I recognize everyone in the audience, and I didn't see anyone that I didn't.

Okay.

And we also have Miss Catherine Harvey, and she has a guest with her.

So the Congressman, but uh, Mr.

Mayor, we're so honored uh to have Congressman Jackson here from Illinois First District.

He is going to be the keynote at our event tonight, um, talking about the voting rights act, very important topic right now.

We're so honored to have him here.

He said he's been to South Carolina a lot, but I don't know if he's been to Spartanburg yet.

So we've been giving him a tour, and I'd love for him to make a couple of remarks.

Sure, sure.

You heard the little beat goes off, so you have the official two minutes.

No, we actually turned it off.

It's a long time, but thank you so much.

Uh Mayor Rice, thank you, esteemed members of the city council and the commissioners and all the electives that are here today.

Thank you for this um outstanding honor, tribute, and recognition of my father, Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Also like to say that this is a day that brings me joy, optimism is also a deeper reflection upon where we have to go in light of what's happening with the rescinding of the voting rights act, the dismantling of that key critical piece of legislation that made Spartanburg better, that made Greenville better, that made South Carolina a better place, part of our history as a succession movement, but our future lives in the fast economic growth, the coalition building, the uh black and the white farmer, the schools and the teachers that need definite relief and investments in the education, not just in the custodial services.

So I like to say thank you.

I look forward to a better, brighter future.

My father was interned just uh just over two months ago, and indeed it was a great honor to be back in his home state of South Carolina where he was put under the rotunda, the fourth person given that recognition.

But it's also a painful day to see that in 2026, we're still honoring the memory of the Confederacy.

What about all of those that have made tremendous progress?

What are we teaching?

A future generation.

I think far too often they folk on the black side of the issues of the Confederacy, but not the white side.

Many of these young white children need to see the abolitionists and the people that fought for freedom and their families to be erected, not just those that were the worst of our history.

So I'd like to say a very thank you, a very special thank you, and that we two are going to stand together.

We're gonna overturn the will of the people that's been overturned in this voting rights amendment.

We're not going back to poll taxes, we're not going back to these peanut and share cropping terms.

We demand equal participation, equal rights.

So to all of you, I want to say thank you.

God spell God speed, and let's have a better, brighter future together forward together, backwards never.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

And we do appreciate you stopping by.

No, you have a uh full packed uh evening going on right here, and maybe uh there's not too many questions.

We'll see you again over at the um event of at Chaplin Country Center.

Yes.

Thank you for coming by.

Thank you for visiting me.

Thanks a lot, Connie.

Uh oh, proclamation item six, proclamation declaring May the 11th through the 16th, 2026, as the National Police Week in the City of Spartanburg presenter will be yours truly, Mr.

Rice.

And we got the chief and a couple of his uh, as we saw a bunch of them coming in.

Come on down, Chief.

And on behalf of the uh city and city council, we do want to make this official as we work day.

Come on down.

They were taking a badge and he's going.

Whereas there are more than 800,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United States, including the dedicated members of the City of Spartanburg Police Department.

Whereas since its first recorded death in 1786, there are currently more than 24,005 law enforcement officers in the United States who have made the ultimate sacrifice and been killed in the line of duty, including three members of the Spartanburg Police Department.

Whereas 363 new names of uh fallen heroes with will be engraved on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Office Memorial, including 109 federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement officer who died in a line of duty in 2000 2025, and 254 officers who died in the previous year.

Whereas the service and sacrifice of all officers killed in the line of duty will be honored during the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, uh 30 38 uh candlelight vigil the evening of May 13th, 2026.

And whereas the Camilla Light visual is part of a national police group, which will be observed this year, May the 11th through May the 16th.

And whereas May 15th is designated as Peace Officer Memorial Day in honor of the fallen officers and their families, and U.S.

flags should be phoned and have staff.

Now, therefore, I Jerome Rice by the virtual authority rested in me as the mayor of the city of Spartanburg.

And on behalf of my fellow city council members, do hereby proclaim the week of May the 11th through May the 16th, 2026, National Police Week in the City of Spartanburg, and publicly salute the service of law enforcement officers in all communities and in the communities across the boss.

So Chief, thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Presented to you.

Okay.

All right, item seven, strengthening community access through partnership presentation.

Presenter will be Mr.

Reggie uh Jeter, community program and partnership manager for the city of Spartanburg.

He has some other guests with him as well, but I'll let Reggie um introduce them.

And uh special guest, Miss KK is coming down.

All right, good evening, Mayor and Council members.

Uh my name is Reggie Jeter.

I serve as the community programs of partnerships manager for City of Spartanburg Part Center and Special Events Department.

Right here, KK, would you like to introduce yourself?

Come on.

Well, good evening, everybody.

My name is Caitlin Veronica Davis.

I go by KK.

Um I'm so happy to be here.

Presenting or speaking about my experiences at CC Butson.

Okay, so I'll go ahead and let you.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

Uh good deal.

So uh tonight I just wanted to speak about a recent uh partnership between our department and uh the South Carolina School for Deaf and Blind.

So uh through conversations and meetings with uh Miss Nikki Robinson, right here, who is the transition coordinator.

I learned about a student named uh Caitlin Davis, also known as KK, who had aspirations of becoming an administrative assistant and was looking for real world experience in a professional setting.

From there, the CC Woodson team and the South Carolina School for Deaf and Blind work together to create an opportunity uh for KK to gain hands on experience at the front desk at CC Woodson.

Uh since day one, this partnership has been uh a success because of the incredible support surrounding KK.

Uh Miss Susan Cox, right here, who serves in special education services and as KK's job coach, has been instrumental throughout the process and continues to provide guidance and encouragement every time KK is at CC Woodson.

I also wanted to recognize the CC Woodson team.

I remember um early last year, I reached out to Simone Williams, who is the CC Woodson Center Director.

And um at the time, me and my wife had been preparing for our first child, so I knew that I would be going out, I'd be out of work for a couple months and on board.

I mean, right off the bat, she was she was on board.

She was like, whatever you need, we got you.

So uh thank you to Simone, um Jasmine Patan, uh Danielle Moss, TJ Boyd, Jamal Beasley, they've all played an important role in making KK feel valued included and supported.

And so this partnership is a great example of what can happen when organizations come together to create meaningful opportunities that empower individuals and strengthen our community.

We are proud of KK and grateful for everyone who's helped make this possible.

And uh KK, we love you, we appreciate you.

We uh appreciate your hard work, your commitment, your dedication.

Every time that I've had interactions with KK, you get the same, the same vibe and the same energy every time.

Always good spirits.

She's uh an amazing singer, uh, super positive.

And so we're just extremely grateful to be able to have this partnership and be able to provide opportunities for um for anybody for any youth that are looking for just hands-on experience.

So KK, I'll let you have a few words.

Uh yes, thank you so much again for having me here.

I would like to talk about all my experience that I really enjoyed at CC Woodson.

I really enjoy communicating with my co-workers and my manager.

I really enjoy the fact that there is some accommodations provided for me, even if I have a well, I'm gonna say have the different abilities to learn different things like everybody else.

I want to show them that I am capable of doing what I am capable of doing because no matter what, we can still work.

We can we can ask for assistance if needed, accommodations.

I really appreciate the fact that they are supporting me and my accommodations and the opportunities that I'm about to see out there in the world when I leave high school.

Thank you so much.

I really appreciate it so so much.

Thank you, KK.

So, real quick, what KK's talking about, all schools do this, but at School for Deaf and Blind, we have a work-based learning program where we're working with ninth through twelfth graders, whether they're credential track or diploma track, and we're always looking for opportunities out in the community.

They do a lot on campus, but we're always looking for opportunities out in the community for these students to gain work experience just like any other teenager out there.

Um, if they have a commission for the blind case or a VR case, they're earning money while they do that too.

And they have a lot of support.

We have four job cases on staff.

So anytime anybody would love to partner with us, give me a call.

Thank you.

This is wonderful.

Thank you, KK.

Before uh you go, Susan, you were saying, Miss Cox.

Okay.

Just before she goes to a seat.

I had the uh honor of meeting uh Miss KK last year.

Um you all know we do the annual walk and roll here in Spartanburg, and she was um she spoke to the kids.

I know at the high school, but she also uh sung during that um um program that we had.

So uh that's when I first met her.

And then when she was hired on, I was over at CC, and and she actually remembered my voice.

Um you all know we do the annual walk and roll here in Spartanburg and she was um she spoke to the kid I know at the high school but she also uh sung during that um um program that we had so uh that's when I first met her and then when she was hired on I was over at CC and and she actually remembered my voice uh she may have just been kidding with me but I think she remembered she said the mayor that's the mayor over there so no I I truly appreciate that and just uh for everyone and Miss Cox and Miss um just today we had the uh mayor's committee um the mayor of the Sparnberg County committee a committee of students with disability met and gave out scholarships school for the deaf and blind there were six scholarships given and it's a panel um that they go through and choose the actual winners and five of the six came from the school of the deaf and blind and in reading their bios I think three were going off to college two to Rochester uh New York and one to get yep God and uh to to further their academic careers but also the other ones already had a plan as well but just an outstanding testament again to to what the school for the deaf and blind is doing and just all around Spartanburg County so I just want to say thank you guys for what you do and KK keep on singing keep on seeing thank you all thank you awesome awesome awesome item eight we have ordinance ordinance established in the participation of the city of Spartanburg in the Spartanburg's children's cabinet first reading ordinance um 2006 006 Ms.

Marilyn present them thank you good evening mayor members of council I think that was a perfect transition into this conversation um big shout out to our team and and I think this really speaks to why we do what we do um I'll keep it really brief so as y'all know uh we are coming in front of you all as council today for the first reading and approval of the ordinance um a couple of high level points the cabinet will consist of 24 members two of those members will include the mayor and the city manager or whoever Chris would like to appoint on staff and the establishment of the cabinet would also include the establishment of a youth youth council that would be led by the mayor and city um and we have plenty of foundation for that already as y'all can see with our um the work of our team and parks recreations at special events um so if anything this is lining up really well to to where we continue to want to invest so if you all have any additional questions John Tavia is also here from Spartburg Academic movement any questions I have one question yes ma'am with this cabinet we're gonna be working with students completely out of this for the city I said one more time this this ordinance is for it's countywide or city yes ma'am the the cabinet itself is countywide the youth council is city focused yes ma'am and it would include partners um from the public sector so city um school district it would also include community organizations and nonprofits and community representatives so individuals that have lived experience um with children and families okay Mr.

Mayor I I would just sort of echo my comments from last meeting and thank Marilyn and John Tavia and the work that they've done bringing this uh this group together it's been a long time coming to to get to this point and I think it's exciting because I think it has the potential to have real impact on on the lives of young people in our community and and uh excited about that Marilyn I did I can't remember if I asked at the last meeting I know from the city standpoint um we'll provide staff assistance and staff resources but but there's really no additional financial implication from from participation in this children cabinet unless otherwise directed specifically by council based on recommendations or initiatives suggested by the cabinet correct yes sir uh the the goal of the cabinet is really to be an aligning force focused on reviewing existing systems and policies how partners are engaging and working together and how we make things more efficient for the children and families and if that does relate back to something that um is a financial request it would come back to city staff before it goes to council right and one of the beauties of the collaboration is that many of our partners have additional resources that are available to be leveraged in many different ways whether it's through grant um grants or or other things that can come to the table and bring collective impact for the financial um means of of those involved so that's great.

But what is the process of of choosing the representatives on council?

Yeah.

Um I'll just say good evening, everyone also.

Um so for the first set of representatives, we'll establish the cabinet in two phases.

So of course it outlines a 24 member cabinet, but we'll come in uh at about 12 members.

The working group that we spoke to last week of uh the nine to ten members that have been working on this project for a year or so have collectively come came together and outlined um some potential people that was set on it for the first phase.

And then once that cabinet um is operational and able to function on its own, then the cabinet itself would launch applications and uh different um initiatives to to onboard people for itself.

So yeah.

Yeah, so for the the community representative process as well, so that's also a third of the cabinet representation currently, and those two people um will be sourced through an independent application process.

So that's something that um Sam and the city would be able to um help kind of co-market to the community and kind of come together and uh select those two members for this first phase.

Um, and then that portion will still operate under an application process, but for the remainder of the cabinet, the the governance documents of that would outline uh if it needs to fill a C if someone leaves the cabinet role um or if you know someone needs to come on for additional support.

Um thank you.

I I do appreciate the the limit on the terms because I think having consistent new voices in involved um is a is a really thoughtful idea to keep it keep it moving.

Thank you.

Good.

Mr.

Mayor, I make a motion that we approve the ordinance as uh drafted.

Do we have a second?

Second for Ms.

Wilderjoy.

All in favor?

Any of that opposed?

I have it.

Thank you.

Um Ms.

John Tavy, good to see you.

Item nine, uh fiscal year 2020 uh seven budget process overview presentation.

Mr.

Story and Mr.

Lott double teaming.

Yes, sir.

Mr.

Mayor members of the council, I wanted to um uh briefly tonight sort of update where we are well with uh the preparation of the budget that would take effect July 1 and carry us through that next 12-month period.

Um there are I think uh a number of uh where we are as an organization and as a community that are reflected in this budget.

Uh one is that we are seeing uh revenue growth that is um uh slightly outpacing the rate of inflation, uh, which is a healthy thing.

Um and we are seeing stable uh operations, which also is a healthy thing.

Um but frankly, this budget process uh it is uh uh for lack of a better uh descriptor, kind of boring in that it is um it's not been um we aren't seeing the the rate of revenue growth that we are anticipating over the balance of of this decade because of the fact that many of um the new projects that are that are on that are coming to our community that have opened in recent years in our community have escalating um uh uh structures to the revenue that they'll generate.

So we'll start to see some compounding benefits of that uh over the next several years.

But this this year um our aims are to be able to make some modest enhancements to our programs and services, but by and large be able to cover the inflationary pressures that we're dealing with, and some of those I'll talk about tonight.

I have um a very short uh uh presentation, and as you know, uh many of you that have been through this process for many years, Dennis is uh will handle all the hard questions, and uh I'll lay out the the the big picture um uh topics, but um uh I'll just uh and we can dive as deep tonight as as you all would like.

Um this is of course your budget, and as you hear me uh uh say every year, we do believe that our budget document is uh reflection of our community's priorities.

You will see uh this year as in years past that the bulk of um of our budget, um there are two themes in the expenditures.

One is we prioritize our people, the men and women of the city, um, and we put we prioritize our core services uh which are uh police uh fire and our public works uh field services that touch every neighborhood and and all the lives in our communities.

Um so uh just some some key key points of emphasis before we dive into any math.

Uh the first is that um we think it's indicative of uh a stable organization that's in sound uh financial health.

Um we think that this reflects continued alignment with our strategic priorities, and in their included our a number of uh relatively minor tweaks to our organizational structure and other things to better align us with uh council's priorities, including you'll you uh um you'll notice as when we uh get the full draft to you that um uh we've taken some of the downtown support operations and gathered them from a couple of different divisions into a new function within the city manager's office.

That's just an organizational enhancement um to how we manage those as our downtown continues to experience a lot of uh change and a lot of activity.

Um there are no proposed changes to to property tax rates or or or household uh fee rates uh that that drive our revenue.

Uh as I mentioned, prioritizing our employees, it includes a uh across the board cost of living adjustment and importantly, and in this time, uh the budget to uh we hope to uh and believe we'll be able to insulate any of our uh employees from bearing uh any of the rising health insurance costs.

Um facilities and qu and equipment uh uh costs are uh addressed at a higher level and in the draft we're working on and then in prior years.

We continue to see price escalation with uh our you know, we are a equipment intensive organization that the kind of services that are provided by city government uh require heavy equipment and and a lot of uh vehicles, and we're continuing to see those costs outpace the general uh economy.

Um so we want to make sure that we manage those over time.

Um, and so uh we are uh putting more resources into those efforts um uh proposed in the coming year.

And um uh we will we've found a way to dedicate some downtown specific uh funding to have some additional resources for downtown policing.

I want to I want to we are in dialogue with police leadership um about how those uh best manifest.

You know, we are we are actively hiring every day new new police officers as we identify qualified candidates.

We are also in discussions about uh potentially um uh having some additional non-sworn employees that can support the real-time full or more complete use of the real-time crime center focused on um uh downtown uh that may be an option for use of some of those funds, and we'll we'll we will work with police leadership to uh on that.

Um, but otherwise, very minimal uh growth to to city head count.

I will tell you that as we look ahead five and ten years, we're gonna need to to grow uh the number of men and women that work with the city.

Um but uh we're not in a position financially to do much of that this year.

There are there are a couple of uh positions in different areas to to try to address acute needs, but no um uh large scale uh increases of um of the number of men and women to work in the city.

Um we start the the budget process typically on the by focusing on on our major revenues.

And this is this is general fund revenue summarized into seven categories.

Um so each of the um each of the rows in the table is uh is a different uh one of our major revenue categories, and each of the column, the columns are uh I'll work from right to left.

The the rightmost column is what is in our current draft when we left the office 40 minutes ago.

We were uh still a couple hundred thousand dollars out of balance.

Um, but we think we'll be able to to close that unless unless Dennis discovered something different in the intervening time.

Um based on that, we are uh we believe we can without making any policy changes uh responsibly budget 59 million um 100,000 of general fund uh revenue.

Uh so the next column to the moving to the left is what we project the current year to finish out.

Um, and that is slightly ahead of um in excess of the current year budget, um, which is a good thing.

Revenues uh we try to we try to be conservative year over year in our revenue growth expectations so that there if there is a flattening or a downturn, um uh we don't see interruptions to our operations.

But we believe uh when the dust settles on the current fiscal year, of which we have about seven more weeks, um, that that total will be 50 57.7 million um or somewhere close to that.

Um and then uh the other two columns are the uh uh the actual revenue uh from the two prior completed fiscal years.

So if you look at that picture, you see uh uh steady uh not headline making, not dramatic revenue growth, but steady revenue growth in in our community.

Most of that is driven by business activity and uh property tax based growth.

Um you'll see that um business license tax, which is tied to the volume of commercial activity um done by city-based businesses and businesses that serve it within the city that continues to grow at a healthy pace.

Um that is in the second category line item there.

So those first two are where the bulk of the uh revenue comes from.

We also um uh in we transfer in from the hospitality tax uh fund um portion of that revenue that is tied directly to uh uh restaurant sales predominantly um and that continues to to grow at a healthy clip.

So that's what's sort of driving our revenue growth, and and as I mentioned previously, the things that are driving our expenditure growth are the key factors there, wanting to uh attract and retain talented um capable individuals and equip them appropriately with um not just the the uh conventional equipment but also the enhanced technology that that they can make the most of their time and then responsibly uh meeting our other obligations over time so we don't have surprises um mid-year and as we look ahead.

Uh so with with that overview, um certainly welcome any questions or comments or for Dennis to correct or amend anything that uh that I might have missed.

We would anticipate publishing um uh want to say later this week.

Maybe before the next council meeting.

Uh before the next council meeting, a complete balanced draft.

As you know, it's it's our it's it's our team's philosophy that that the most responsible thing for staff to do is to put a balanced picture in front of the council so that you all may make uh any um amendments that you would like in that context.

Um I know some other jurisdictions do it differently, but I've always believed that um that we need to do to carry the the ball as far as we could by putting a first cut at a balanced plan in front of you.

So um we're days away from uh from doing that, and uh the three remaining meetings of the fiscal year will give us an opportunity to make those amendments and finalize uh the budget plan to implement July 1.

So any questions or questions, yes, ma'am.

Councilwoman Smith.

Um thank you, Chris.

Quick question related to equipment.

Um we know that it takes easily five years from the time that we put in an order for a fire truck to receive it.

We've just received the one that we ordered five, six years ago, and we haven't even put it into service yet.

Um in five years, a lot of the projects with project core will be up and staffed and um you know, with people in them and our downtown will look look different with a lot more people.

Are we anticipating needing new equipment for the fire department?

Is that imagined in this budget thinking you know, five, six years down the road?

Yes, ma'am.

Uh we do uh have I think in the 10-year projection that we do a 10-year um look ahead and our equipment replacement schedule.

And in that we make a number of assumptions.

Um what would it cost to replace that piece of equipment today?

When do we think it must be replaced in order to maintain operations, and what do we think based on recent trends will likely be the cost escalation in that period of time?

All of that goes into a spreadsheet that feeds into our projection and the balance of what we call our equipment replacement fund.

Each annual general fund budget feeds that fund an escalating amount.

Um so when the purchases are made from that fund, either through lease purchase arraignment arrangements like we approved.

Yeah, uh recently, um, which will cover a bundle of those expenditures, or in a direct pay-go, um, the actual cost of the vehicle itself, a fire truck or whatever it might be, is spread over a period of years anticipated to be its useful life.

So at this point, the strategic plans that we have in the equipment replacement schedule doesn't include significant growth to the number of uh pieces of heavy equipment in the fire department, but it does anticipate needing to replace, I believe it's two over the next year.

So that's certainly part of what we're expecting.

And you know, did I did I hear you say that we should anticipate an ask next year for a new truck from the fire department?

It's like Chris said because we're feeding into the equipment fund, you know, we will be coming back next year with another capital release request, but we haven't finalized what that list would look like.

We are planning it is we sort of know what's eligible to be replaced, but then we always have that question can it last one more year?

Does it really have to be replaced?

And with the new fact of having having the fact when we would anticipate getting that equipment has now added another factor for us to consider the answer is yes, you know, they're all considered and one of the as we think about technology and equipment.

One of the other points to to mention is is you know, we've adjusted policies in recent years in a number of ways to um attract and retain law enforcement officers, and one element of that is broadening our take-home vehicle program.

That does two things.

It reduces annual mileage accumulations because you're not what we used to call, I don't know if there's a better term now, hot seating of uh, you know, having a uh patrol car be used by multiple officers in the course of a uh 24-hour period that puts much more mileage on it.

Uh um so reduced mileage in any given period gets you some additional useful life, but it also is something that's been desired by our officers, and so we hope it is helping us to retain uh the good men and women in police department, but it does have um uh effects on that on that 10-year schedule of how many patrol vehicles we buy.

Um just go ahead and to one more question related to the fire department.

Um you said minimal growth to city head count.

I believe recently, maybe in just our conversation, you said that the fire department was almost fully staffed.

Right.

Are any of those additional FTEs to the fire department, or is are they gonna remain static this next year?

In the current draft, there's one FTE added in the in the fire uh department.

Um getting to fully staffed is um is the most important objective because that reduces um overtime and potential burnout and all of those things.

But when we consider what it would take to um broaden uh the number of firefighters on a shift citywide, you're dealing with essentially um uh three battalions uh you know you it's more than it's it's it's it's more than just one here or there uh to to get the full complement.

So we are we are trained and staffed and prepared to manage with the number of allocated full-time firefighters that that we have budgeted for um and reaching that point of fully staffed, that will be great, and we're very close.

Um and we'd love to experience that for a while before evaluating further whether we tried to add additional slots per shift.

That makes sense.

Thank you.

Good councilman.

Chris, to just dovetail on her question a little bit, um Megan's question.

Um the modest growth to city head count, is that based on projected positions or actual positions across the across the entity?

Uh that is authorized relative to authorized and budgeted positions, right?

Um we always have some degree of turnover in an organization with 425 uh full-time employees, we're gonna have people go on leave or people leave and and and that type of thing.

Um but for example, one area where we give that a lot of attention and discussion is in police.

The the number of sworn law enforcement officer that we are funding is um uh hasn't been, you know, is is at the same level.

Um that and that's what we would is in the current draft for you all was to keep that number of slots the same.

The unfortunate reality is we're like every other police force nationally, and that we haven't been able to fill all the slots that we've been budgeting for uh for a number of years.

Um so as a practical matter, it doesn't make a lot of sense to put on paper the intent to raise your your uh head count in a large department like that.

It it just ties up resources artificially because your budgeting that you plan to expend it can't spend it.

In reality, you can't expend it.

So uh we we're not proposing uh to do that.

But I do covet the day where we get to that problem.

Well, you you kind of followed the the trail I was trying to go down a little bit, um, because I think as we think about this budget, um, you know, obviously core essential functions of government are one of the things that that mean the most to me and I think the council in general.

Um so I want to make sure that the the work we've done in the past to stagger and stair step, you know, increases in our police and fire, particularly, but also our entire staff is doing the intended work of increasing our ability to attract the people that we want to attract, but also retain the people that we want to retain.

And so, you know, I think that's gonna be you know a critical look into this budget as we think about um you know what we do from a standpoint of of paying and compensating our our employees, particularly in those critical need areas.

Um then I also you mentioned that we'll absorb the health care costs uh in addition to a three percent cost of living adjustment.

I mean that's that absorption of cost is real real money for our employees.

Do we know what that is anticipated to be on top of the three percent?

We have I don't know how you want to quantify that question.

I mean I thought with Chris about that, and I don't want to get into the the weeze here, but I was telling Chris that we're gonna have to probably move about I'd say a half million dollars to cover health costs because we haven't been fully staffed, even though we budgeted for it already, but because we're not fully staffed, we haven't transferred all that money.

All right, let me ask it another way and break it down to the individual.

Sorry, I didn't ask it very well.

What percent, like on a per employee basis, what a percent do we think health care costs burden to us is in the city will rise?

I think our premiums nominally, because we're we're part of the state plan and our and our premiums, I think it was 11% delta year over here.

So we're absorbing an 11%, roughly, and I won't hold you to it, but roughly an 11% increase in health care premiums.

That many organizations or companies typically would pass along to their employees.

So that's that's something that I think is is another should be another positive um you know positive thing when employees are looking at their employee experience and and and also their compensation package.

Um I'm excited to hear about more about downtown policing and and and what that means um as our downtown continues to grow um as well as policing all across our city, but but but certainly in in our downtown area during during this exciting period of time.

The the other thing, and I and it may be in the CAFR or whatever we call that document now, uh, because I haven't drilled in on it yet, but you know, you noted tax and fee revenues are increasing intergovernmental uh revenues are increasing.

We have not raised our our um millage rates for for city citizens, although there have been other you know reasons why tax bills go up.

We go through that a lot every every couple of years.

Um but I would love at some point, and I ask this every year during the budget season.

I would love at some point for us to see a schedule of the projects that are coming to full maturity uh in terms of revenue contribution, so that we can see you know the feel like the philo deals.

There's always a lot of talk about philo deals and and the benefit of those deals in year one in just about every case that has come before council since I've been on it, is net positive to what was the previous year's contribution of those properties, but but that continues to grow and bloom, and by year 25, many of the projects that initiated during Mayor Barnett's term, for example, have come to full maturity now and are full contributors to our tax base, and and so there's gotta be a schedule somewhere that we can see that shows how those are coming online each and individual each year that they continue to grow and escalate.

And I think that would be very helpful to show just in the in a in terms of general, you know, uh context of their contributions to our tax uh or to our overall revenue base, um, but also in the context of these projects that we're considering and hopefully will continue to consider as our as new investment opportunities uh you know come to our city, because I think that would uh put it in the proper context, not not only in terms of that, but also in terms of of you know the other ancillary benefits, business tax and and um employee contributions and the things that matter, hospitality accommodations, all those other things, but but the projects themselves on the you know on a on a core level showing how they contribute would be would be helpful.

And it it is a uh it is a comforting aspect of our financial picture that a number of major projects have had ramp up uh because that means that those particular properties, irrespective of any change to that property, is going to generate a year-over-year increase for that whole period of time.

The same is not cannot be said for most commercial property in South Carolina because of the way we do property taxes that are outside of the philo structure in South Carolina.

There is no built-in um way of uh captury value changes um if ownership does not change um, you know, the that it's it's it's more of a straight line positive improvement um uh with some of the major projects that that we've had in the that have been the subject of economic development agreements.

Um it certainly can't be said about projects that remain stagnant, I mean uh uh properties that remain stagnant.

Absolutely, and and in fact, uh you know, we do see uh uh periodic reappraisals, but of course, in a periodic reappraisal that the and the valuation change if ownership hasn't changed, the valuation change is limited to three percent a year by state law.

Um so one of the things in a developing and changing city you see is transactions occurring as as new investment comes in, which resets those values, which allows there to be growth in the in the tax base.

Um, and so that's what we look to uh over time is the the evolution of the economic development deals that we have done, which all include a stair step mechanism, and secondly, more commercial property investment in the city, which resets the values and hopefully generates new improvements on those properties.

Those are the two strategies.

We certainly don't expect that our tax-based base growth is going to come off of uh single family residences or anything like that.

That's not a that's not a big it's not a piece of our strategy.

All right.

Questions?

Any other questions?

Good information.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Story.

You might as well stay up.

Item 10, staff updates.

Yeah, one uh uh it's a it's a busy uh exciting spring.

It seems like every uh weekend there's uh uh an event drawing uh an additional thousands of folks to downtown.

This is there's a race this weekend, several other things.

Just really appreciate the the energy um of our staff and supporting them.

Um I want to uh bring I want to ask uh uh MPO Paris uh to to highlight quickly a couple of uh programs that are getting some special attention in this season um in the police department.

Uh you you feel free to use that microphone if it's easier for you.

Did you need this back?

Seat belt.

Guys drove to work, neither guy wore their seatbelt.

One guy got a ticket, one guy didn't.

Both guys drove home from work.

One guy wore a seatbelt, one guy didn't.

One guy made it home.

One guy didn't.

Good evening, Mayor, Council, City Manager.

Thank you all for allowing me time to speak tonight about a few important public safety initiatives here in South Carolina.

Buckle up South Carolina and Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

As the target zero traffic grant officer for Spartanburg Police Department, I'm in constant dialogue with fellow officers, deputies, and troopers who respond to all sorts of these collisions whose outcomes could have been different if better choices had been made.

These include wearing seatbelts and staying more alert.

Uh these citizens are not just a statistics to us, they are our parents, children, co-workers, neighbors and friends whose lives can change in sacks.

Seat belts remain one of the most effective safety devices ever created.

Yet we still encounter preventable injuries and fatalities involving unrestrained drivers and passengers.

Now, as the weather's continuing to warm up, more motorcycles are returning to our roadways, we will begin to see an increase in crashes involving riders who are often overlooked by distracted drivers.

May is motorcycle safety awareness month, and this is a reminder that motorcyclists have the same rights to the roads as all other vehicles.

A second look before changing lanes, entering traffic, or making those left-hand turns can save lives.

Tonight I'm asking for your continued support and helping us spread the message throughout our community, whether through public awareness campaigns and social media or partnerships with local organizations and community events, use guys' voices as leaders amplifies the importance of safe driving habits.

Traffic safety cannot be achieved by enforcement alone.

It will also take education, community involvement, and a shared commitment to protecting lives.

But I believe together we can encourage our citizens to buckle up, put their phones down, watch out for all motorists and pedestrians, make the roads safer for everyone in Spartanburg.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

So Officer Harris and Paris, I'm sorry.

Uh Officer Paris and his um colleagues will be working across the city to help raise awareness for that in this springtime season.

Thank you.

Um wanted to highlight one other uh quick staff thing, Mr.

Mayor, and then I'm certainly welcome any questions.

Uh we we do get calls from time to time about questions that relate to the topic of fair housing.

Oh we we do get calls from time to time about questions that relate to the topic of fair housing, and I just um as we do our best to uh share information in a lot of different ways.

We have a very difficult time reaching all um uh folks that are that might be experiencing some landlord tenant type questions or some fair housing type questions, and we continue to have and to encourage folks um that are that are in that situation, whether they're in inside the city limits or not, to use the fair housing hotline, which is 864 596 2102.

And I just we're gonna we're gonna increase our efforts to make sure that that that that number 864 596 2102 or fair housing hotline is accessible uh to folks throughout the community.

So we wanted to highlight those um those two things.

That's a um that hotline is a is a place to go for information about anything that relates to that topic of fair housing, landlord tenant questions, things of that nature.

Um, and we'll do our best to continue to increase visibility to those efforts.

Um certainly welcome any questions in chat.

Questions awesome.

That's great.

I was not expecting I thought you guys are you know great.

No, no, no.

Uh I have a few I want to do anything.

I really won't.

Uh city council updates.

I'm supposed to start on this side.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh I only have three things I want to announce or talk about or make a statement on.

And one of those being that uh I went to the ball game the other night or last week and I had a good time.

It relaxed me so much.

So if you haven't had a chance to get out to fifth third part, please go in and just unwind.

It is a wonderful thing to do, and you can find the schedule on the website.

Also, I want to mention that Musitome Maine is all over Spartanburg City Facebook, and it shows how people are enjoying themselves.

So if you haven't been down there, do so.

And last but not least, we will not be in session before the early voting starts on May 26th.

Go out, choose your candidate for who they are and their issues and your concerns.

And that's um what to say we don't have, but just guess, no guests.

No guests have left us.

But Kiki is a wonderful singer.

Um I have a chance to be with her every Christmas at a Christmas party, sponsored by the Spark Bird Lions, and she's always up there leading a song or being participating with the others, but she's an outstanding student, and I am thank thanking you all for putting up her in place here with the city.

I think that is a wonderful thing for handicapped and disabilities, uh, people with disabilities.

So thank you.

Councilman Foamer.

Yeah, I really don't have anything, Mr.

Mayor, other than um I I will say uh I was downtown this weekend briefly on Saturday well for a couple hours, and and um it was it was great to see all the activity.

Uh we had burger's game, uh Morgan Square was busy and active.

Um I actually I saw the mayor as I was riding the shuttle downtown.

Uh and and that was a great experience, uh, very efficient, very pleasant, uh, very enjoyable.

Uh it's a great way to kind of ride around downtown if you just want to go on a joy ride.

Um, but it was it was exciting to see all the the hard work that's gone into making our downtown uh um enjoyable and welcoming uh is is certainly uh having a positive impact.

So awesome mayor pro 10.

Yes, um I want to thank uh Jay Squares, Martin Livingston, and especially Eric Brown for the things that they have been doing in the city lately, all of these rundown homes that we've been complaining about forever.

I am happy to see that things are taking place because when you live in a neighborhood, it matters everybody because should maintain their properties, and so I am glad to see that they are doing things about this now, and one last thing vote if you may not be registered if you're not registered, okay.

If you're not registered, okay, you're probably not going to be able to register now, but please get out and vote.

Every vote counts.

I'm not saying who to vote for, but I'm just saying a vote.

Every vote counts.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Rogers.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

I I'm so glad we got updates from all the things downtown from the other side of council today.

Lots of lots of games.

So I just I just wanted to take a moment.

And I've I've heard a number of celebrations around graduations and you know, moving on in life and making decisions versus careers.

You know, successes and and failures really do carve us in who we are as people and as the community.

And I know for every successful story, there's someone out there that's struggling with someone that didn't get a grade or didn't get the job or didn't get the house that they really were looking forward to.

So I would just, you know, wanted to reflect today on making sure that we are being as present as possible in a very busy time of year, really thinking about what we're prioritizing and who we're supporting, and just taking that little bit of extra effort in making sure we're supporting the people that we care about in this community and in our families.

Thanks.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um Leslie mentioned the one thing I was gonna comment on, which is uh graduation season.

A lot of our colleges graduated um this past weekend, and we start high school graduations this Thursday, um, and next Thursday, Kiki KK, KK will graduate, as will Max Hyde's son, and as will my son.

Um can't talk about it too long, or I'll start crying.

Um, but it's uh a joyous time and a bittersweet time, and I'm just really proud of our city and the way that we invest in our young people.

Um my son was Kim's intern last summer.

We'll have our a new crop of interns this summer working with us, and I'm just proud that we're a city that really invests in our young people that takes them as they are as they walk in and and make sure that they leave better when when they walk back out the door.

So I know I I started this journey when he was in sixth grade, I think.

Um he would not take a picture uh family uh campaign picture.

Our friend Betsy had to photoshop his face into my campaign um stuff because he was just a moody middle schooler.

But you know, this city and all of you are a part of his his entire adolescence, and I'm really proud, I'm really proud of that.

And we talk a lot about retaining our talent, but I'm a believer that we we want our young people to get out there and expand their worldview, and then he can he can come back.

But um, yeah, just congrats to to all of the graduates and to all the parents that that got them there.

Awesome.

Councilman Brown.

Mr.

Mayor, I'm gonna pull a Rob Rain and uh thank you all for coming.

In memory of Rob.

Yeah, gosh, or memory.

Not memory.

No, not memory.

I got some other stuff on my mind.

Excuse me, Rob.

Not like you're watching it right now.

Somebody mentioned mayor, I did forget one thing, you know.

I think it's Pittsburgh that they call Title Town.

Is that right?

Pittsburgh, yeah.

You know, uh well, you might as well call Spartanburg Title Town now because since our last meeting, uh the Spartanburg Day School boys' golf team won their state championship.

The Dorman men's lacrosse team won their state championship, and the Spartan High School girls won their state championship in lacrosse.

Uh, and the Spartan High School men's tennis team won their state championship.

So yeah, I'd like to see Pittsburgh stock those up.

Awesome, awesome.

That and and that is so that is so true.

And I'm I will mention because you may um mention about graduations and uh that and seeing KK and uh this evening, and all of us may not go across the stage and receive a diploma.

Um so many of our children get certificates because of whatever disability they they they may have.

And uh today I mentioned that the mayor's committee of disabilities gave away six scholarships.

Um those kids receive a monetary uh stipend along with an uh uh award and one kid, and I will mention his name, Daniel, excuse me, Daniel Miller.

And I've known Daniel since he was probably in the eighth grade, and his mother was there, and I remember his mother uh chasing him into the school.

I was out, uh, one of the um persons in the car loop, and you know, Daniel would get out and didn't want to calm, didn't want to be a part, but mom made sure he was there.

Mom made sure he was there, and she was there today, and I told him I've never told you anything I don't tell my own sons, Daniel.

And and my son just graduated this past Thursday from USC Upstate, my last one.

And uh, but I've never told him anything that I didn't.

I got teared up even for Daniel, you know.

But these these kids, man, I mean, it's it's tremendous.

And John Tavia, uh, Maryland, thank you for being here that we passed uh to to really get the children's cabinet uh kick started.

I see Kim and all all they do with so many of our young people here as the summer's about to uh start up, man.

You'll have over a hundred or so kids at each center, you know, participating.

And you want to see a rowdy bunch, go over to Dr.

TK Gregg or go over to C C Woodson sometime this summer and visit with our young people that that I hope stays.

You know, they don't have to go anywhere.

You can go visit.

I always tell my friend that live in other states, great place to visit, but home is something special.

So to all of our graduates, I know James Summ will graduate Sunday uh from Walford College as well.

And um uh again, I I don't wish that he goes in.

He has a lot of friends at Wolford and can go visit, but home is something special, and and and I truly do appreciate Spartanburg as you just mentioned there.

I did have uh the the depths on my mind, and uh Warren Bealing was a teammate of mine in college football player.

We came in at the same time.

He's from Monroe, North Carolina, but he will be funeralized on this coming Saturday.

That's why we have counseled Miles with the mayor this Saturday.

Also, Dr.

Reverend uh Richard Sadler, I mentioned him, and he will be funeralized on tomorrow.

He was the um uh preacher at um Zion Hill Baptist Church in Emmons for over 47 years.

So uh uh again, just some tremendous people that we uh you know run across.

And um great seeing the congressman come into Spartanburg today, and hopefully some of us may have an opportunity to go um uh listen to him a little bit uh later on this evening.

But um with that being said, I do appreciate everyone being here today.

Um uh national police officer uh week, thank you, Chief and your team, man, for all you guys do.

Really, I mean it's it we we can't do it with without the essential services and and police is truly one of them.

So thank you all for being here.

I entertain our motion.

I make a motion that we go out of there.

All in favor?

Um Miss Hannah Jerry.