Phil.

We'll be here about two hours and a half, two hours and fifteen minutes this morning.

I noticed from some of the spaces, some of you aren't presenting.

I appreciate you being here.

It may pick up something.

Thanks for that.

We're gonna go through some of the staff sections today.

I have reserved some of the staff sections to be spread out over the open space on finance agenda.

Um I think it's the ninth and the 16th.

So if you didn't get your turn Tuesday or today, don't worry, we're gonna get to you.

Um there's nothing.

Brandy came and talked to me.

There's no big ritual here.

Uh this is for us to understand what you think you need, why you think you need it?

What happens if you get it?

What happens if you don't get it?

Pretty simple stuff, straightforward.

Um where is Dr.

Day?

She's hiding in the back.

You drew the short straw, doc.

Come on up.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Um let's kill a moment or two with pleasantries till Mr.

Crow shows up.

There's a kind of a big piece that's a change today, I think.

Typically, we're gonna hear Saban Center, which obviously is uh it's a big big deal, but it's gonna show up under your aegis here.

Yes, what was the logic there?

For the savings center being under arts and entertainment, um, I think Carly would be able to answer that better than me.

So the grouping of the um of the expenditures is really just about um financial uh cost centers.

Um it's really much more of a financial reporting issue and not necessarily a department conglomeration issue.

So Saban Center is not really under arts and entertainment as far as a department goes.

It is it's really it's really its own operating entity and section, it's just because it is within the categorization.

So not from an operational standpoint, really from a financial from a financial reporting standpoint.

All right, uh see Mr.

Crow, we saved you a seat center, center stage down here.

Very much appreciated, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, Ms.

Bay.

And and Kay, if you would um when you start, just uh ease us down into how you've organized your department and report it.

Okay.

Um so under Arts and Entertainment, we have the gateway, we have the river market, we have special events, and we have the Mercedes Benz Amphitheater.

That all comes under Arts and Entertainment.

Um I'd like to point out under special events, we also do all the permitting for the parks, uh, parades, different things like that, um, and uh all the commemorative lighting requests goes through them.

So basically for last year, we managed to combine 271 events, process 103 permits, and process 20 commemorative lighting requests.

Give us some examples big and small of what you deal with there.

Uh for our special events, uh um uh mayor's cup, decaf, holidays on the plaza, tech retreat, um, uh, or some of our bigger events, and then um smaller it I would say is are the processing of the permits, and we we when we do that, um I send y'all good morning.

I send y'all um the report that we do every two weeks.

We have a uh combined meeting with different depart a lot of different departments throughout the city, so it's not us denying or approving a permit.

We get um TPD involved, we get uh fire and rescue involved, we get um CFG involved, all these different departments to say is there a reason why we should or should not do this permit, and it's always around safety, it's always around safety, whether they're um approved or denied.

Yeah, okay.

So I um gave you my org chart.

Sorry.

Good morning.

Thank you.

So we do all of this with 19 full-time uh positions.

Currently we have two vacancies.

That's for a senior uh crew worker position.

I just I just need to understand either ways of that, but we just talked about the savings center for financial.

When you're talking about 19 employees, is that are are you excluding uh is uh yes, sir.

Audrey Audrey's gonna you're excluding everything she's gonna so I'm uh Audrey doesn't report to me, her staff doesn't, she's completely saving center.

Um, from what I'm responsible for, there's nine is arts and entertainment pure.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Um, and like I said, we have two current vacancies.

So you're funded at 21, you run you two vacant right now.

Is that how do you normally run?

Is that about that?

That's that's normal for us.

Our vacancies usually do run in the special um event crew department, and they get all excited when they're hired when they think they're gonna be helping out with concerts, then they do that for a season, and they roll into holidays on the plaza.

Our guys will start building the um ice rink October the 16th.

So um all of a sudden you've gone from working out in the heat, putting up all the chairs, doing all the work that we do, and now where you're going into building an ice rink.

Usually we have people start to peel off about this time because it is a lot of hard work, and we're very, very blessed that Barry Franklin and Chris Brook uh continue to stay with us and do an excellent job.

So compared to the FY 2025 original budget, overall salaries and benefit increase of 222,325 dollars is attributed to an 8.3 rise in the health insurance premiums, the 3% cost of living adjustments, and the one-step increase.

Excluding salaries and benefits, the total department budget is level funded to the FY 2025 with a few exceptions.

There is a decrease of $370 in auto fuel maintenance to reflect expected cost and department usage.

There's a decrease of $14,634 in utilities based on current market rates and projections, and there's a net increase of 218,000, 218, 935 in other operating due to eliminating the Red Mountain Entertainment contract and increasing machine rental fees.

Um, I also would like for you to note that we move the special event crew salaries and benefits, including taxes, pension and insurance from the Mercedes Benz amphitheater over to the special event department.

They now report up through Nicole.

So is that when I see roughly a half million dollar decrease in amphitheater?

Yes.

Is that what that is?

Yes, sir.

So just does it follow that it if I look down four lines, it shows up in other special events?

It should be uh difference in 248 uh thousand three hundred and fifty-seven dollars that would went that were moved to special events, yes, sir.

Um the one big difference this year, I think that's gonna happen in arts and entertainment is holidays on the plaza.

I think everybody enjoys that event.

We sure do.

Um this year we'll be uh staging uh that event on October the 6th, and we'll start the build on October the 13th, but this year we've um decided to mirror the same uh opening and closing dates as um tensile the tinsel trail, and um so this year we'll be opening November 24th, which is the Monday before Thanksgiving instead of the day after Thanksgiving, and the final day will be New Year's Day versus Martin Luther King Day.

We just realized that when we looked at the numbers um and the weather and everything else, it just made more sense um to go ahead and do it this way.

So we'll have a total of 273 operational hours for holidays on the plaza this year with 33 days, and we've increased um we've extended Sunday hours from one to eight p.m.

instead of one to five.

We um we listened to what people were were asking us for, so we've increased those hours, and the single day passes will remain at $15.

I I try never to miss an opportunity to compliment your your people on that.

That is a home run, that is family entertainment TPD keeps it family suitable out there.

Yes, sir, it's just a wonderful event to see kids, old folks.

Thank you.

And if I could take the opportunity to say everything that my department does is is literally supported by everyone in this room.

Yeah, I didn't mean to exclude it, but just I'm so lazy, that's the one I'm ready to go to.

But I'm just saying it gives me the opportunity to thank each and every one of them.

I mean, you know, Chief Blankley's at our concerts, we've got you know, fire and rescue, everything is about safety.

Everything that we do is about safety.

So I appreciate that.

Even Selvin helps us out.

So I appreciate that.

Happily or Rudging.

Yeah, a little, you know, he's a little grumpy, but that's all right.

We love him.

So that's really the biggest um change for us, is like I said, the holidays on the plaza.

So I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Yeah, what kind of walk me through some of those individually?

For example, gateway.

What's going on there?

You know, there's 67,000 reduction.

Uh we're scaling down there.

Tell me what's going on.

So gateway, we um I'm very proud of the fact that Asia Patrick's has done a great job with the great attitude of holding down the gateway.

Um, I just think we never realized what we wanted to be when we grew up over at the gateway to stay on top of technology.

It it's so expensive.

You know, you can order something today, and tomorrow when you actually get it, it's already dated.

So they're gonna do a great job with that.

Um, but what for us, we've really decreased all of the staff over there.

Asia's been holding it down, she's my only full-time employee, and we just hired another part-time person that helps her out over at the gateway.

We've also changed the hours to Monday through Friday.

Um, and so what we do at the gateway is we we hold a lot of meetings over there.

The meeting space is really great, and people come in and they um can check out devices, iPads, things like that.

Um, so it's still great for the community, but like I said, we're sort of in a holding pattern.

Mr.

Bosby, um, and Miss Day is trying to be nice.

I can give you a little bit more of a of a detailed answer.

I know Mr.

Fell's been part of these discussions, and so is Mr.

Tiner.

Um for about a year we worked with focus and trying to reach an agreement for a potential site at the gateway, not only including a nominal lease on the building, but also 1.5 million intended improvements.

Um, unfortunately, we never were able to reach an agreement in time.

Then with the budget slowdown this past uh summer, we just took a step back when we froze different projects, and so right now we're we're looking at potential other options as well.

Um we as we we don't know what the best course of action with the gateway should be.

Um and so we're exploring that with Mr.

Bell, with Mr.

Tiner to try to figure out what should it be.

Well, we thought a technology library back in 2012 and 13 after the tornado.

The gateway was built with disaster recovery funds.

Um, and there had been a long since you know, this drive to have a branch in East Tuscaloosa, the Tuscaloosa Public Library, or some branch of the library.

Um the the gateway never took hold like we thought it would take hold.

Um and so now we're trying to figure out what should be its next iteration.

It's a great building, great technology.

Um it's in a great place that hopefully at some point we'll see the Leland Shopping Center redevelop across the street from it.

Um it's trying to figure out what's the next you know fit.

Um we were unable to get there with focus, but we learned a lot of lessons through that process.

We're gonna keep keep internally exploring other options in the meantime.

Uh Miss Day and her team have been very good soldiers and just carrying out the missions still for the community today.

Um I don't know what where we are in terms of having something before you or timeline before you, um, but we're gonna just continue to explore options and see what's out there.

And if you have any ideas, please let us know, or anyone who's truly interested.

Um and when I mean interested, it's not just about filling a vacant space, it's about doing something that's dynamic for the community.

Um that's what we want.

I know Mr.

Tiner absolutely wants that, and it's something he's been very involved in.

So we'll we'll can it'd be a great location for the right set with something special.

I I think it's a great location.

Uh and I went over there a good bit several years ago, and it was always somebody in there with their email people that don't have internet.

I know some people think everybody has internet mayor, but they don't.

But uh it it's a great location.

It really is.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So with what is is that good for gateway?

Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

Um, so for special events, I'll go to next.

a great location uh and and i went over there a good bit several years ago and there was always somebody in there with their email people that don't have internet i know some people think everybody has internet mayor but they don't but uh it it's a great location it really is yes sir thank you thank you so with what is that good for gateway yeah yeah okay um so for special events I'll go to next um you know we do all the elevate events mayor's cup live at the plaza I forgot to mention um the household how yeah live at the plaza live yes sir so we change that to every um may and June um just with the weather and we still had some rain dates unfortunately this year but that's a great event for us I mean you know it's free and open to the public citizens love it it's just that time of year when everybody can start getting outside so we do a um uh Nicole does a great job with that and and Matt Jones um the household hazardous waste day the Druid City Arts Festival um really nothing's changing I think the biggest challenge for that department is just the the the permitting um is just challenging um you know and and I try to make sure that each of the city counselors know if we're gonna deny a permit I try to let you know that it's being denied and why so that if you get a call that you can be supportive of what we're doing but um but that's that's just a challenge.

Okay which of those special events and and we don't need a ton of granularity or detail but which of those are your money makers which are are your you're hands off financially that take care of themselves and which are have to be nursed and subsidized financially and by the way that question is not about the desirability of those events we recognize some are just not gonna sustain themselves financially.

Yes sir so even though we were up on the revenue um last year for holidays on the plaza we did come in with a a little over $27,000 loss for that event um over what was budgeted um we do get with the ice skating sponsors loss or over what was over a loss of what was budgeted a loss 27,000 more than revenue more than revenue is probably yeah I'm over what was budgeted for the event the total amount budgeted we came in 27 thousand dollars short and what was budget 205156 dollars okay um and so even though that event loses money um we're trying to think of ways to increase sponsorships you know those kinds of things and again I don't think it's a huge success yes sir um the mayor's cup um I'm very proud of um what we're able to do with that last year we had a um uh the largest number of participants that we've ever had very close to two thousand over two thousand yes sir um and I think it was two thousand fifty four um but we were able to give some monies back to pre-K I think what we've uh we're focusing I'm sorry some money's back to pre-kit I'm sorry I'm gonna slow down okay we were able to um to give pre-K kind of the designated beneficiary of yes sir yes sir and so um and that's after us paying all of the expenses we don't event covered its cost and put some and we were able to make a donation about what and what how much I don't have that with 5,000 500 less than close to five close to five yes sir and it's I was just gonna say um again she's she's tiptoeing here and I you out there pressing 54 friends yet running suits um this this year our um proceeds were a little bit lower if you recall we had additional security concerns that we had to put into place for the event um just at the time and place and what was going on and as with all city events we have to pay our full cost even if it's the mayor's talk so that really hurt on the and same comment I mean the expense that's a winner of an event this we have seen how long that been going on 17 years I mean to have watched it grow up to a couple of thousand people what else uh live at the plaza um we probably lose about 10 thousand dollars a season we we try to um increase the sponsorships um but this year with the weather and you know we had to pay people even though the weather was it started raining every Friday at six o'clock yes sir yes sir it uh it's a fun job um so I but I but like I said we do you know some of those we drew over three thousand people so I mean I I know we're not um debating that um but everything else we come in under budget so I mean we we really do manage those I think really well and one of the focuses that Nicole's working on this year is increasing sponsorships um is one of the things we're really looking at at holidays on the plaza because we're not adding new events um it's like I've challenged them to

lose about ten thousand dollars a season we we try to um increase the sponsorships um but this year with the weather and you know we had to pay people even though the weather was it started raining every Friday at six o'clock yes sir yes sir it uh it's a fun job um so I but I but like I said we do you know some of those we drew over three thousand people so I mean I I know we're not um debating that um but everything else we come in under budget so I mean we we really do manage those I think really well and one of the focuses that Nicole's working on this year is increasing sponsorships um is one of the things we're really looking at at holidays on the plaza because we're not adding new events um it's like I've challenged them to make each one have something a little different every year is is the winter holiday is that a money break even the uh because holidays on the plaza and Christmas trees out there oh holidays on the plaza yeah um we'll see I think I just said we I think we twent right at 30,000 is what we lost last year 27,000 but part of that is you know our chiller expense I mean that is a huge expense for us the event staff that we have out there so that's really what are our two biggest expenses um and we try to manage that very well but with the chiller there's you know it is what it is glycol that we use so when you when you build the the rink you put the panels down and then you've got to roll out the coils inside those coils go glycol and that can be almost six thousand dollars a barrel is what the expense is every expense is going up and so that's that's a huge expense but that's what keeps the ice cold so you have to have it so that's part of part of that challenge.

Does the weather ever affect how much of that we can use or like you just have to keep it cold at a certain temper you you have to keep that running the whole time the chiller will go up and down depending on the weather but um and Eric if I'm not saying that correct I'm sorry I'm not the chiller expert expert but I know the chiller remains running at all times it's the weather really hurts us when it starts raining it kind of makes divots in the ice and then it's hard to keep the ice going and then sometimes you know it can get up to 65 degrees during holidays on the plaza so then unfortunately the mayor's getting calls that ice isn't what it should be well we are in Tuscaloose Alabama so we do our very very best but that is that's a challenge and to keep staff out there with great attitudes I mean they're they're I always do have a great attitude that's an ice done holidays thank you thank you so let's let's let's shift to your the elephant in your living room the amphitheater okay we're excited about that what was the what was the logic behind shifting those crews into special events on the amphitheater.

Well when you look at the events that they um oversee and they help us with the amphitheater is a smaller portion than everything else Nicole's doing flex the reality of the yes sir and when you look at um you know every groundbreaking every ribbon cutting those guys are the ones it you know we only may be out there for 15 minutes but they've had a lot of prep work to make that happen and then they get out there at 6 30 in the morning get everything set up so that when when everybody shows up it's just a seamless process and they also um help out the at the river market every Saturday they drive the golf carts um and then they also do the flip at the at the river market because we have uh farmers market every Saturday um for 50 weekends uh of the year and then usually that night there's a prom there's a uh a wedding there's a big event and they they help flip those rooms yes sir hey talk a little bit and if I apologize for being a couple minutes late talk about this I'll apologize up front but talk a little bit about the vision and the changes at the amphitheater because I feel like we've kind of we know we've hired somebody new to manage it but I feel like this year has been kind of more of a transition year absolutely this and talk about where we are where you see this going because I think we all want the ampathy to be a positive thing for the community and it always has been some great right menu but where we can make some money.

Yes sir with part of so tell me what's kind of going on and what you see happening this next year.

Okay so this year um we I made the decision to stop booking shows um we read we looked and saw what the trends were going on in the country and um tickets just weren't selling the way that we thought that they would um and so why would we continue to book shows just to book shows um and and not make money on them so I would rather put everything into to next year is what we're looking for.

So I would rather put everything into to next year is what we're looking for.

This year we were also up against the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.

Um, and I'd like to go back basically three years ago.

You know, um they've done a great job with that facility.

Um love the competition, love love what they're doing, um, appreciate that.

Um, but we started not getting the shows that we wanted starting three years ago with with that company with Red Mountain, um, and complaining about we you know not getting our fair share, basically.

They didn't wake up the day before they announced that they were gonna build the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.

They had been planning that, but we were unaware of it, okay, and they were supposed to be out there representing us.

So this year, not only did we just have challenges because we are going through a transition with our booking company, but we went up against the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.

Um, I would like to let me see here.

Um, we went after um so many shows uh that um this is the number of shows that we went after last year.

Can I see a list of those shows?

I'm sorry.

Can I see a list of those shows?

Yes, I'm sorry I didn't make enough for everybody, but it takes just as much time these shows on Pass Time are not available.

Um most of those shows were booked at the Coca-Cola Amphitheater, so uh we didn't have a shot at them.

That's a live nation venue, those are live nation um tours, so they were they were booked at there.

This year, when we went with DWP, the Red Mountain contract ended in December of last year.

Um, and so DWP was they were they were at a disadvantage coming out of the gate.

Basically, if by October you don't have things lined up for the amphitheater um or any any venue, you're you're behind the eight ball.

So a lot of the shows that we were fortunate enough to get this year was because of the relationships with the with uh DWP, the Ringo stars.

You can say, Oh, we got an old guy, he's a Beatle, right?

I mean, we had a Beatle in Tuscaloosa.

Um, we just had Pitbull this this past Friday, great show.

Theo Vaughn, we typically don't do comedy.

Um started off our season this year and sold sold us out.

But moving forward, um, oh sorry, I also brought this so that you could see.

So, you know, a lot of people um are or there's comments out there just in the industry that tickets aren't selling.

So that's a list of about 30 places that their tickets are on sale for 25 for 30 dollars.

The O'Rion just did um, you know, us end of summer, buy three, get four tickets.

We're all chasing that that money right now.

The tickets, I think it's the economy just aren't selling the way that we we had hoped for them to.

So what I'm excited about with DWP is um the relationships that they're allowing us to have that we've never had at uh at the amphitheater, Mercedes Benz Amphitheater, they want us to know the agents, they want people to know when you come to Tuscaloosa who's gonna be taking care of you.

So when we now have people coming to the venue, um I'm much more involved backstage, um, getting to know the people that are running those tours, and in this industry, it's all about who you know and how you take care of those people.

So, one of the things about um DWP that's very exciting that I'm gonna share this with you.

So, what I've just given you is a list of all the bands that DWP booked last year for Bourbon and Beyond.

So, Bourbon and Beyond is one of their eight festivals that they produce.

They do over a hundred shows, and I mean uh a hundred bands in four days in Louisville.

They work very closely with the city of Louisville, they bring in millions and millions of dollars to the city.

So the thing about this list is you'll see on there, it's Dave Matthews, it's um Zach Brian, it's you know, all different kinds of genres, but their big sting was that I mean they've they're not just no names, they're big name name acts.

One of the things that we want to look at in the very near future is doing festivals.

I mean, when I got here eight years ago, everybody talked about city stages, and boy, we'd love to have that back.

We really well, you know, that doesn't happen overnight.

And one of the the advantages of working with DWP, that is what they do.

That that is their heart and soul.

They also do manage other amphitheaters.

Um, they manage the Iroquois in Louisville, Kentucky.

It's not as big as ours, but they when they do something, they're gonna do it right.

And so, like I said, I'm very excited working with them.

They help us with our marketing.

We um we have an incredible um attorney's office here that helps with entertainment, but there's a difference in having an entertainment attorney.

They they redline all of our contracts for us.

Most um contracts for a tour averages 48 pages, and you have to go through every one of those pages and redline what we will and will not do.

They provide that to us, then our attorney looks over it and says, yes, this is fine.

But so they're helping us along the way.

This has been a transition year, but we're very excited about with their help, where we're going, and I can't um go into who we already have on hold for next year, and actually I'm I'm tired of talking about it.

It's just like I can't wait to show everybody what we're gonna be able to do with them with partnering with DWP.

It's very exciting.

Okay.

Um, so I just want to say thank you for how you have been trying to manage this season, and I welcome the idea of us bringing back City Fest.

I think that's what it was called when I was younger.

City Fest.

Thank you.

Yeah, a lot of people talk about that, and I think having that festival, um, those shows all in one week kind of help get ticket sales up too.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Thank y'all for your thank you.

It went a little longer than I planned, but you're you're very much the retail face of so many of our people, your events or what people in Tuscaloosa.

So it's thank you for y'all's support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Ms.

Buck, you want to come up and tell us about Sabin Center?

Good, how are you here going?

Um we've got you on page.

Um, so we're on page 65.

65.

Okay, why don't you uh start by telling us where you are right now in this huge project?

Okay, sure.

So um we uh I think everybody was uh in a chat.

We have the contract, we are um actually uh under construction.

There are walls that are going up as we speak, which is exciting.

Um, and we are still we are still wrapping up our capital fundraising, but we will be moving into our annual fundraising very soon.

Um I've provided you guys with um what our org chart will look like as we move forward.

Uh during this budget cycle, we're really only adding one position, but we will start to to build those up over the next two years.

So um so you um the mark on the wall for opening is 20 all of 27?

27, yes.

So fiscal year 26 for you is what phase of where you're going.

So we will be continuing to develop the exhibits.

So we have put out the budget or the contract for the actual building.

Um, but the exhibits themselves, you guys um you looked at that contract.

I guess we passed it two weeks ago.

Um, and so we will be refining those.

We will be working with the fabricator.

Um we're actually gonna be taking a trip to go work with them in the next two weeks.

Um, so that will continue to happen over this next year as those are developed.

Um we will be building out our staff.

Uh the STEM hub will start to come online with uh the funding that the state brought in.

So we will start to work with those employees, start to to build that staff up and start to design what that looks like.

There will be a slew of operating.

Uh we will we will work very closely on you know getting open what how we're gonna get open.

You can't just turn the lights on, you know.

It's it's gonna be one of those things that we're gonna have to build all of our protocols, all of our safety, um, how we operate, how each of the rooms operate, you know, there's a lot of shared spaces within this building.

So uh the SE foundation, again, we have this sort of umbrella organization, and then we have our three tenants that have their own boards, they have their own operating budgets, but the umbrella organization will handle everything from fundraising to the communications to the website, uh to the grounds, uh you know, keeping up our facilities, etc.

So if you look at the staff structure that I handed out, again, this is something that we will build out.

The uh the director, um, the special projects coordinator, those are already online right now, and then of course the director of development, that's Brant's position.

So there's three of us.

The one that we would be bringing on for 26 is the director of facilities operations, uh, and then Carly also will be hiring a an accountant position that will uh help her and us as we as we start to build out the performance.

Okay, let me let me hold you up.

So for FY for the budget year that we're talking about who's your crew.

I'm sorry, who is your crew?

Who's my crew?

So um we there's again there's the three of us.

So there's myself, um, there is Lindsay, who is our special projects coordinator, and then we have Brant, but Brant is actually paid through our SE foundation, so it's really Lindsay and I that are over here on on this side of the house.

Is that what it looks like through FY26?

I know the mayor mentioned in his kind of presentation remarks.

I I thought a couple of new positions, yes, so that's that director of operations position.

So that's if you look uh if you look down and to the to the right, that's that director of operations um that we would bring on this year.

We would bring on in the following years our business manager and our communications specialists.

Uh, but for this year, we would bring that facility operator person on board, and then again Carly would bring on that accountant position to help our to help with our financial.

That shows in your budget or in the standards.

It shows in the standards, yes.

Yeah, when do you expect to hire a director of operations?

I mean, I I don't know what's going on, so it seems a little early.

It's actually really late.

So yeah, so um there's just so much that's involved in how the building functions.

Uh, when we start to to really spec out all of the uh large systems, that person needs to be involved, they need to be working with our city, um everybody everybody from Eric's crew to IT.

Uh so that person is really setting out and setting the stage for how this thing's going to operate on a daily basis.

So it's really important to get them on on board as soon as possible.

So Audrey, if I'm looking at the sales one under the Saban Center, as 25 goes from 214,000 to a recommendation of 379,000.

That's 1600.

Is that is that uh the director of facility operations?

Is that what I'm seeing there?

That's for that position.

That is making my position a full-time position.

I think if you remember, I've been sort of in a in a funny temporary role.

Are you shown now in urban development?

I I think I'm now in arts and entertainment.

I should be, I should.

I we Lindsay and I should be in our arts and entertainment and should have been for the last maybe what two years, three.

Okay, so not in your notch.

Yeah.

So you're going to full time.

Yes.

I think I've always been full-time, right, Mayor.

Mayor.

I've always been full-time, right?

Yes.

Okay.

And then branch compensated out of the Savings Center Foundation.

That's correct.

And then you you talked about winding up the capital campaign now.

Right.

And that, you know, as we've been briefed, we're we're uh aware that we're around 35 million dollars over the next eight or nine years.

And then you mentioned an annual fundraising.

What's the annual fundraising or annual capital campaign?

Is that just the annual booster shot for the capital campaign, or is that aimed at operating funding or what?

That will be separate.

So we will wrap up the capital campaign.

Um and then we what when we move into annual fundraising, that is that is to help with our operations.

That's to sustain that's to help sustain, but we will be fundraising as a whole.

So when I talk about that umbrella organization, that that fundraising piece will fundraise for all the tenants involved.

So we will work with them on special things that they may need.

Um if there is a certain exhibit we want to add, if there is a stage we need to repurpose, if there's something that we you know specifically need to go for, we will also do that during the annual campaigns, but it will it will definitely be for the operating of the building.

That way, that way you don't have four different entities going to the same people and trying to fundraise.

It will be a centralized ass.

And then Audrey, we've had some discussion on the updating of the pro forma uh operating budget, and then mayor you mentioned this was in here in this budget plan.

I don't know if it's specifically in here, but we do have a pro forma that I think may have been distributed earlier this summer, but Ms.

Standards is coming up right now.

Yeah, so hi.

Um so the annual pro forma for the Saban Center continues to be you know updated as we go forward.

We have we did distribute like I think the very truncated version about four months ago when we were really looking at um doing the uh contract with Stone.

Um it is not reflected in this budget because it's we're not fully building out yet, but the ultimate pro forma is really first year full operations, which will really be 2028.

But I do want to see the the full version of what we think it looks like as I think you and I apologize for interrupting if you do want to see a snapshot of that, you can look in the um river district fund, which at some point when we discuss elevate, you will see it'll have what we believe to be subsidy amount, not necessarily to perform a subsidy amount uh from the city and the operation maintenance costs as well is included in that in fiscal 28.

28 2728.

It starts in 27 and then it with the real full first year of operations assistant.

Which is what I think where you want to go is what's it ultimately gonna cost the city of Tuscan?

Well uh I I do want ultimately cost the city of Tuscaloosa, but I want to know how we get there, and so that would include the entire pro forma.

What what what are we not having to cover because it's being covered out of somebody else uh operational revenue?

Yeah, so so uh a lot of the pro forma is um going to be the um interconnectivity between ignite TCT, um NYX kids, um, and then the Savings Center Foundation all rolled up in the STEM pub kind of all rolled up together, and then how that affects the city's financing.

So that is what the pro forma shows.

Yeah, quick I noticed at some point I'm sure we're gonna get an update on Ignite.

That's still Chom, but I know Chom is planning on closing this year in preparation for all that because at what point are we going to be talking about their budget, what they're gonna be doing, they come present to us, I'll turn you just to kind of go over because there's a lot of issues with with that that's got to be dealt with for that to go on ignite, and they've got property, they've got their what is their budget look like going forward.

Yeah, so each of the tenants have had their own proformas, they they have their own business plans, they will continue to have their own boards, so they will be their own separate entities.

Um do those not roll up into ours?

I mean they do we're the backstop.

We are that's correct, and and there they do have percentages that they put towards their budget towards the operations of the building.

Um that's part of our pro forma that we have.

So um, but yes, so Chom is uh becoming Ignite, and they will close their building next year.

Um that that gives them time to clean it out to start to um to start to build up their staff.

into ours they do they like we're the backstop we are that's correct and and there they do have percentages that they put towards their budget that towards the operations of the building um that's part of our pro forma that we have so um but yes so chom is um becoming ignite and they will close their building next year um that that's gives them time to clean it out to start to um to start to build up their staff they're actually trying to hire an executive director as we speak that will run um Ignite at Saban Center and that person will start to put together that staff specifically for a science discovery center um does that answer your question I think so I guess like and to kind of like to detail into that so chom is not gonna come or ignite is not going to come and and defend their general budget to the city council because they have their own operating board however the the the understanding of the subsidy amount is really going to be the piece that that we'll we would be talking about with this because we're still funding them through agency funding correct which correct what does that number look like in the next two or three years right because I would think the vast majority of their revenue is kind of in the city correct it is one of the things we've encouraged TCT Ignite is they really need to be reaching out to their other funding partners this facility will not only serve 10 thousand children in our own school system it's gonna serve 18 to 1900 in the county school system this needs to be this needs to be something that's a community lift and so we've encouraged them to please have those conversations don't it's not fair to county commissioners or city counselors in Norfolk to hit them in fiscal 27 please begin talking to them early and have this well and and I understand they're gonna have their own boards and all that but but they are an agency funding I mean I know they have revenue Carly I know they're charging admissions they're getting money from the county I'm assuming a little bit from Northport but they will still need support for sure.

Right.

But but I will but I would like to say that that especially Ignite there is no um planned escalate like severe escalation of their need for funding from the city due to this transition um I think in and all of the workings that we've done to try and meld the the interconnectivity of the of the agencies we don't project a huge you know what we've what we're funding them now for agency funding um is is worked into that pro forma well I mean what that is like 175 15 what are what are we funding them now I think it's 150 maybe 150 175 I just it's up it's in my book back there I can go look if I can fine but but I mean I think that's a a component and would be in this budget budgetary process that the chairman's talking about right of of looking at that river district fund looking at oh absolutely what is going to be funded what we're paying for for the services we're providing in that building for them and what they're paying back.

Right through rent or whatever shared expenses utilities whatever that is right and TCT is you know we're we are have also with in our partnership asked them to become a a much um more advanced um organization and so they have been they have been growing over these last few years as well but again this is a this is a big lift and of course they will still need support last question and then I'm gonna let you how do we treat I'm assuming that by allowing or incorporating TC Ignite into the savings that that is involves a subsidy on our part uh in terms of the cost I mean that's a pretty fine facility oh yeah it's not like renting you know a concrete block building somewhere how do we are we pro are we incorporating some sort of subsidization into that and how do we treat that if we so we are really more with within any of the operating contracts that we're going to be drafting with TCT with Ignite with um with the STEM hub there will be a portion of the operating expenses that will be charged to those organizations for them to pay back to the city um it will be their you know percentage their square footage percentage of and that's a market based yes number calculation well it's is it going to be based on actuals but yes but there is also you know in within Saban Center there is um multiple shared spaces throughout the building and so those those pieces you know that that is part of our elevate budget and yeah and I and and again um and I you you've even seen the contract with um Jenna Bueller who is helping us kind of build out the pro forma so we have a good base of it but it continues to as we as the building goes up we will start to see some fine-tuning of certain things such as HVAC usage electricity usage things of that nature and so the pro forma will likely be modified in in in certain areas throughout the next year which is why I think that when we are ready to present the pro forma for the 2027 fiscal year you will see all of that into play and we can go into great detail with it.

The the other thing I'd like to add to this is early on several years ago when we began these discussions with John, which is now ignite.

We talked about the sale of their building next door.

Um the sale of their building next door, and and and one of the things the city would like to see is if at all possible it it goes back into the private sector.

I think that would be you know a good thing if at all possible.

Number two was how to take the proceeds of that cell and contribute that into the savings center.

Now, whether that is a contribution back to the capital campaign, whether it's a creation of an endowment that keeps any you know future subsidies by the city very low, um, those discussions have yet to be had.

I know we need the now as they begin to embark on a new executive director, that they can begin thinking about those discussions.

Those will begin in earnest, I imagine, in the next several months, and at some point we'll be back to the city council to discuss where we are.

Mr.

Mayor, to your point though earlier about longer term funding from other partners, other than the city, because they're it's an important thing to the city ignited.

But I would encourage them to make sure they're talking to their longer term funders about what's coming, you know, in the next two years because that's that's important because if other people don't support that, then what happens in the county to their credit, Mr.

Crow has been a very good supporter of Chom.

And I wouldn't assume they would continue to be supportive, but you almost want to line that up because if funding changes there, that's gonna change this performance down the road, potentially, or they're gonna have to figure out other revenue sources or whatever all these.

That's and those and those contingencies are are one reason why we're not solid on a pro forma currently, and it's still a work in progress, and that's how we continue to work with Jenna on refining all of that.

Makes sense.

Yeah.

Okay.

Go ahead, Mr.

Park.

I have that y'all have any other questions.

I know I think I think we're close to so you you need 501,000 dollars for yes.

Okay.

Thank you all.

On the line share of the other salary that's correct.

Yes.

Any other questions either?

Thank you, Auditor.

Uh all right.

I know y'all are all crushed and took so much time on that.

Who's um who's next up?

Let me see.

I sent it out last night.

C A G.

I think it's CFG.

Come on, Eric, we don't want y'all dressed up for nothing.

Get up here and tell us what you need.

What page, Brandon?

Good morning, council.

Hang on one second.

Catch up with your page.

Good morning.

Page 7.

Okay.

Good morning.

All right, good morning.

So CFG uh is comprised of 130 employees.

Uh right now we're down about 16.

Uh, hoping to get some of those hired back here pretty soon.

The majority of them are going to be in grounds.

Um, but the uh the proposed budget, you know, has very few increases.

Uh typically it's gonna be uh wages going up.

Uh you know, the one step increase insurance.

Uh got a net decrease in operating expenditures uh about 13,000 on those 14,000.

And then where you see a lot of our increase uh is gonna come from elevate or elevate and it's gonna be reimbursed to us through that uh some of the parts the parks we've picked up uh maintenance on, uh just sending the guys out there.

We've got uh straw, mulch, just things that go into operating the parks.

So happy to answer any questions you guys might have.

Yeah, let's you mentioned parts.

The um I mean I know from personal observation, y'all are out in Shelby Park nearly every day.

We should be out there every day.

Um I'm assuming that the other parts that we have assumed from para, correct?

Correct.

And I know that in the budget process, we've made adjustments for that assumption of park responsibility from para.

Correct.

Adjustments in in what we fund the para from an operating stand.

I mean, here's you know, my concern, my observation is we're we're acquiring a stealth parks department.

There's doesn't say parks apartment anywhere in there construction facilities, but uh but effectively we're acquiring something over time that begins to look like that from a maintenance and operation standpoint.

What is that dictating for you?

So we're yeah with everything that we're picking up as well as Shelby Park, the expectation is for the guys to be out there each day, uh making sure that it looks okay, making sure that the uh for instance Shelby has a uh restroom, making sure that that restroom meets our standard, making sure that the trash cans are not overflowing, that they're getting emptied on uh regular basis, and just making sure that the grass is getting cut.

Typically, we're on a one to two-week uh timetable as far as when it's gonna get cut out at Shelby.

We have a little bit different situation with the mowers uh with the robot mowers, but uh I mean that's our expectation.

Uh but what what I'm what I'm getting at is is that dictating um a meaningful paradigm chain change from simply being construction facilities and grounds to operating and maintaining parts.

So we look at it the same way as we do.

You know, the answer can be now we got we got flex space in our our work crews, no big what no, so we're we're at a very good staffing level.

Uh typically we run about 10% down just from the nature of kind of how we're operating out there.

Uh we generally have you know more openings in grounds uh from either people moving up or it's it's not an easy job, especially when it's 100 degrees in the summer.

So with the full-time employees, I think we're at a good level staffing-wise.

Um if we could get you know 100% staff, uh I think everyone would appreciate that a lot more.

I I have a question, yes, ma'am.

So follow that thought father.

Um, so I know Shelby that's in your district.

So we have primarily by your district.

You're right.

We enjoy it.

Um I can't remember all of the parks, but I know we have Carlton Park that we recently acquired about two or three weeks ago in my district.

I mean years ago in my district, then we got a spring route that's new, and then I think we have one.

Oh, real odd.

So, like when you're thinking about all of the parks, you know, like like Mr.

Blaze was saying, we don't have a parks department, and I get far less concerns now than you know, before we took over that their park.

So I'm good.

I don't have any issues or concerns, and when we have they've been handled like immediately, but do you foresee as needing like a parks department said make sure we handle all of them?

So right now the majority of the parks that we've taken over are going to be elevate, and so those are all funded through elevate.

Okay.

Uh you know, okay.

I think we're at a very good staffing level.

Uh we were able to get some specifics.

There's and and mayor, this problem you actually stepped out.

This conversation is revolving around we are de facto acquiring stealth parts.

We don't there's no department in the city, parks and recognition, but as we bring more and more pocket parts and this park and that elevated part under city control, and then and as we make adjustments in our funding of para to reflect that.

My question to Eric was what if any paradigm changes are you seeing coming your way?

It's one thing to cut the grass.

It's another thing policing parts, making people aren't smoking dope.

Those are those are all in the river walk is included into that too, right?

The river walks.

It just struck me as funny, uh Colonel Busby.

We know I think that there are a di there's there's more than cutting grass.

You you simply cannot have parts without supervised requests.

I I this goes back in 2021, we tried to reshape the dynamic of Para and how it interacted, not just with the city, but with Northport and the county.

It didn't work for whatever reason.

Um so we decided to take a new approach, and really since Brian Davis is ascension to executive director.

Our approach has been we want to maintain the parks as much as possible.

I think we now maintain 11 parks.

But we have no desire to be in the um softball business or basketball registration.

So for example, the tennis center, as you'll see in my budget, actually, the funding increase by 296,000 or so because of the growth of the tennis center, the new courts is going to take more to manage it.

That's what PARA can do.

The pickleball courts in Mr.

Crow's district.

Again, HARRA managing it, Mr.

Fell's pickleball courts.

Um we don't want to do that.

But what we do want to do is take care of the asset.

So where we've had 11 parks taken over that there's been investments by Elevate, we just can do a better job responding.

We can do it on more of a 24-7.

Um, I think that's why uh you know, Mr.

Eatman is really him and I are looking at Freeman Park.

The other decision that we made about three or four years ago, and I give Chief Blankley a lot of credit on this, is we wanted to turn our parks into public safety hubs.

That's why we spend the extra money on the lighting and the cameras, so that the community can feel safe, and the bad guys know if you're gonna do something wrong, chances are we're gonna find you.

Um and so it's really been a very positive relationship.

And Brian Davis, this has not been something done stealth with PARA, it's been something done in partnership with PARA because I think he would readily admit they didn't have the resources to take care of of the facilities just by the nature of their funding, um, which has been an issue since 1968 or 69 when it was created.

Okay, the the park ranger piece is not southern.

We we have struggled on that, and I don't know where we are.

I'd have to ask um Chief Lankley or um or Dr.

Day because the police I know we we started that out in arts and entertainment, and then we moved it to law enforcement, and then so I'll I'll talk to Chief about it.

Yes, sir.

Um running about 13.

You said open, that's pretty typical.

Yes, sir.

What's your biggest need right now?

What's your biggest challenge coming up with this FY?

Getting fully staffed.

Fully staffed?

Yes, sir.

Is that a function of why is that your biggest challenge?

It's just you know, kind of the nature of the beast on the ground side.

Uh we have some guys that are you know come in as groundskeeper, move up pretty quickly.

Uh and then you know, we see a lot of people jump from my department to say public works or to ESD just because of the pay of some of the other positions.

Um but you know, it's something that we struggle with every year.

Okay.

Uh HR does a fabulous job helping us, you know, have hiring fares and career fairs and everything else, and it's just how many vacancies do you have?

16 right now.

16.

Okay, any other questions, comments?

Just I have a comment.

We've discussed this.

This isn't necessarily a budget item, but I see all the important people in the room here, and I bring it up.

Uh again, I hope we can help the neighborhoods across Hargrove Road from Snow Hinton Park during Kentuck.

This past year, uh people were parking in there to the point that it made it difficult for them to maneuver, and I doubt an emergency vehicle could have gotten in there.

So I hope we can do something to fix that problem.

Yes, sir.

Just say that here because all these folks are here.

Uh absolutely.

Thank you.

Thanks very much.

Thank you.

Um let's uh do OCE Bill, I see you in here, you briefing the engineers, and then we'll take a short five-minute break.

You brief from the engineers, and then we'll take a short five-minute break.

Welcome.

Good morning, sir.

Uh page you know, Bill.

I think we might be on page 105 if I've got the numbers correct.

Sir, so good morning.

So uh three items that I think are worth bringing to your attention that account for the changes from last year's budget proposal to this year.

Uh two of them are closely related.

Uh two are larger than the third, but I'll address all three and then I apologize.

Hang on one second.

What's our page number, Bill?

That's what I'm at.

Up showing 105.

I'll go to 105.

It's not on 105 is I take it.

That's right.

Sorry, apologies 125.

125.

125.

And Mr.

Busby, as you're finding the page, we have one park ranger that will start Saturday.

Right.

Sir a specific part, Mr.

Mayor.

I like to ask all of them right now.

They have a large portfolio.

All right, go ahead, Bill.

Sir, so uh as I mentioned, there's three items I'd like to speak on here.

Uh the first that I'll talk about is our staff.

So between the uh portion of the OCE funded by general fund, as well as we have four inspectors that are funded by water and sewer, 25 personnel that are part of our that make up our overall uh organization, uh not accounting for and speaking to any of the vacancies that we may see come and go, but the biggest change from last year to this year addition of a deputy city engineer.

So yours truly uh brought on board primarily to help uh Mike Gardner, who I think since the time he came on board was essentially running the team as well as doing his very important role of being the technical uh authority for the city.

So bringing myself on board to help with the management of the team, uh bring some standardization to our operations, help with some of the administrative responsibilities of being department head.

That's probably the biggest change that you'll see for the reason for the increase for the budget.

Uh addition to that, we also are trying to increase the professional level of some of our personnel.

So bring uh increasing professional engineering licenses across the team.

Myself, uh Mr.

Brett Blackburn recently getting his engineering uh professional engineering certificate to try to achieve that goal.

So that's the reason for some of the increases for things like training and education, licenses, other things just to increase that professionalism of the staff, and then last but not least that accounts for the majority of the change from last year to this year, uh bringing the bridge inspection program across from public works over into the city engineer department.

I think it had been there as a legacy holdover from previous organization uh situations.

There may be some personnel.

Selvin let go of that without a fight.

Uh pushed it with a fight, might be the right way to say that.

But uh no, it was a mutual agreement that that was the right thing to do, bringing on the team.

Uh so that accounts for the increase that you'll see in our outside services portion of the budget, sir.

Any questions or comments from the committee or non-committee honey?

How many vacancies have you got right now?

Bill right now, three vacancies, sir.

Are those engineer level vacancies?

One is a city a civil engineer uh special project coordinator, so some technical support for the engineering staff.

And uh special projects coordinators, what we used to call Secretary.

I'd say is a little bit more of a technical nature here, so uh supporting the civil engineers and pulling together the technical requirements they need for some of their professionals.

Are we actively trying to find post it right now?

Uh there's one position that we have not posted yet because we're just working through some of the staffing to get that position posted and ready to go.

Well, I think in last year's budget, I believe we talked about uh the city paying for the educational uh upgrading of some of our younger engineers.

Did we didn't we?

Are you up?

Are we paying for them to acquire whatever the next licensing level is?

Acquire or maintain.

So once you achieve your professional engineering license, there is a requirement to maintain so many hours of professional education that you have to certify to the state in order to maintain that license.

So some of this is increasing so that all of our civil engineers have that professional engineering license as well as maintaining that across the board.

What's your biggest challenge coming up next year?

Okay, take seats, please.

We're gonna be starting on page one fifty three, counselor.

One fifty th one fifty-three.

Good morning to you all.

Good morning.

Thank you for allowing me to speak for a few minutes on behalf of public works.

Before we dial into the dollars and sense of it all, I'd like to give you just kind of a few highlights of public works, who we are, what we do, and how we do it.

Um our daily efforts are guided by the mayor's four core values.

Um we really take those things to heart.

It's not about the uh much of what's on paper.

We hope that we exemplify that in everything we do on a daily basis.

The essence of two of those principles guide much of what our workflow is, and that is excellence and customer service and stewardship driven by accountability.

So those two things will represent a through line for everything else that happens within the department.

It is how we make decisions, set priorities, and plan for the future.

This includes animal control, traffic signals, storm drainage, and roadway maintenance.

Those are our four categories.

Uh issues.

Those are not run through three one one, but that is a big part of what we uh do on the whole.

It also does not include any of the requests that we get outside of three one one.

Which is also fairly significant.

And I have can't say enough about the uh team that we have at public works that makes all of that happen.

I hate to interrupt, but your staff director of operations, I think is what his title is.

Comes to see me almost every Saturday morning.

Just in case somebody has something.

Very very helpful.

Is that um let's talk a little bit about the staff and that structure that makes all of those things happen?

You should have in front of you a org chart that shows uh how public works is laid out.

There are essentially four divisions, administration, streets and drainage, traffic, and our fleet department.

Uh personnel-wise, public works will have 91 positions activated for this coming year.

Five of those show up in administration, 20 are in fleet, 26 in our traffic division, and 40 in streets and drainage.

As of now, we are seeing about a overall 23% vacancies in our group.

That represents us somewhere in the neighborhood of about uh 15 or 16 vacancies to this point.

Those are largely seen in our streets and drainage area, which on the whole, that vacancy in that group alone is about 38%.

There are a couple of things that feed into that, and first I'll answer uh one of Mr.

Busby's questions of is that historic?

No, it's not, and yes, it is.

Um our operational sectors have probably enjoyed something much closer to a 95-96% field rate for most of the of its time.

However, in the last couple of years, what we are seeing are a large number of our employees that are available and taking advantage of retirement.

So we we've got a number of retirements that fall in of our vacancies.

I would say about two-thirds of those vacancies uh have come to us from retirement.

The other third of our vacancies fall in what I would call a misalignment of career aspirations versus what our workforce expectations are, and we make no apologies for that.

Uh we understand and build in our culture at public works that you cannot get excellence out of a mediocre mentality.

So we are very selective about who we hire.

We are even more selective about who we retain, and we are taking this as an opportunity to make sure we are putting a team on the field that can deliver on the high expectations that our citizens deserve.

So another part of our sort of challenges moving forward when we think about personnel in general, is we are also taking this as an opportunity to really dial into what our department's efficiencies are.

So before we hire any position, we're asking ourselves do we need this actual position?

Do we need it to function in the same way that it functioned in the past?

Is there a more economical way to get around or provide the support that comes with this position?

That is challenging in the sense of it spreads out what we are doing in terms of how quickly we can bring somebody new on board.

It also means that my existing staff has to do more in the meantime while we sort that out, and again, I cannot say enough about everybody on our team's willingness to stand in those kind of gaps and make that happen because again, this is what we are trying to build for the future, understanding what uh is needed for that level of the sustainability and being flexible for what the needs are uh in the coming coming years.

So, lastly, we can talk now about the dollars and cents portion of what you find in your budget book.

It shows a 1,093,159 uh uh dollar decrease in our overall operations budget.

That is after the uh employee benefits and compensations that went with that.

That is again those that deduction is largely due to the salary benefits and equipment that was transferred to ESD along with the sweeper service operations.

So you will see uh, as with other departments, public work is largely level funded with a few exceptions.

Uh a number of those exceptions are highlighted in your budget book again.

Um last on that bullet point is 241,000, 284 uh dollars shown for other expenses that can be tracked through your budget book as a $2,000 reduction in our telephone service in administration.

We've just discontinued a number of telephones that we and other sort of internet uses that we weren't using.

Um a $4,000 increase in fleet for uniforms, a hundred and eighty thousand dollars in traffic increase for repair and supplies, a two thousand dollar decrease in our outside services for traffic, and lastly, an increase of sixty-one thousand three hundred and twenty-six dollars uh for tip fees in streets and drainage.

All of those adjustments are were done largely to just bring up those expenditures to actually what we are spending in operations for on the last year's basis.

Thank you very much for your attention.

What questions can I answer?

So animal control is correct.

Where does it animal control falls under our traffic department?

And it is shown in that line item under traffic, and we have four staff members that uh man our animal control uh group that is one supervisor and three animal control officers.

How many vehicles?

They have four vehicles.

So you said you're running around the 23% vacancy?

Correct.

On the whole, and that's and that's largely in our streets and drainage department.

Say again, I'm sorry.

You said that's impacted.

That is that is impacted by retirements.

We had a number of and still do have a number of employees that are uh moving into that eligibility for retirement.

So that number I don't expect to change very much over the next couple of years.

What are some of the ways you're looking at?

So what we are trying to make sure, counselor, is that our community don't feel an impact in it.

So what we are doing largely from a management standpoint is dialing in on what our opportunities are to be more efficient.

How can we manage that same level of work expectations and so forth with the group that we have on board?

And we've been we've managed to be very successful in looking at strategic ways to make that happen.

For example, um, a number of our heavy equipment operators are fall into that vacancy.

One of the strategies that we are using operationally to make up for that is how we strategically schedule our work so we can use what remaining heavy equipment operators we have across the board as opposed to just each individual group having their own.

Walk me through that, please.

We strategically schedule so if you think of it in example, for example, we may have a heavy equipment operator that works on the concrete crew.

That would be the guy that uh operates the track hole that digs up the broken pieces of sidewalk before they restretch it to lay out more.

There's also a heavy equipment operator that would be on the crew that is installing a new drainage pipe.

So what we will do is not schedule both of those works at the absolute same time.

One might be a three-day job, the other is a five-day job.

We'll schedule the three-day job at the beginning of the week that and and the two-day job at the end of the week, and one equipment operator can perform work on both of those jobs.

Is there an opportunity or is there a desire to utilize?

So if if you're dealing with 20 plus percent regular fee, and that's again retirements are impacting that.

Retiree?

So we are we are doing that.

We actually have two retirees that have come back that and they do serve as concrete finishers on our crew, and we will be looking at that as an opportunity as we move forward as well.

So that is a part of our strategic plan.

So that is a part of our strategic plan is how can we utilize that staff that might be might be retiring but still interested in working a few hours a week.

And is our our compensation plan for that able to address it?

Yes, because what happens is when we are pulling in those part-time or or or um retiree employees that work on a part-time basis, we're also being sensitive of what salaries from other positions likewise that we cannot feel that then moves over and pays for those salaries of those part-time employees.

So on the whole, the balance on the salaries is actually less.

Before you step back, kind of the same question I've asked someone for the upcoming FY, what is the biggest strategic concern you have?

The biggest strategic concern I have, counselor, is time.

Time and patience.

We are looking at doing some exceptional things with how we work in public works, uh, in terms of how we allocate staff, what our workload should be, what our work allocation should be, how do we work through each individual workflow?

So everything in public works is on the table and being heavily scrutinized for how we can do it better.

We're doing that at the same time that we are absolutely meeting uh every expectation and requirement of a daily basis.

So as we pull those things together, it is going to take time for us to really make that look like something that you can recognize and say, here is what is sustainable as we move forward.

So that's our challenge is give us time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

All right.

Human resources, come on down.

Good morning.

Good morning, how are you?

Doing well, how are you?

Good.

What page are you on this one?

Um page one on one.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

So we are staffed for we have 15 budgeted positions.

Currently, we have two vacancies.

One is the safety director, which we are actively recruiting right now.

Um, the other one is an HR specialist.

Um you will notice that there is a decrease in our salary line item.

That position is being put on hold for six months to generate some savings.

Um we have, of course, in my position, the deputy chief HR position, um, six HR officers.

Those officers are responsible for different functions in HR, such as uh public safety recruiting, non-public safety recruiting benefits, um, payroll workforce development, and then we have staff that are support staff, they're HR specialists and they support the work functions of the officers, and then of course, we have a secretary senior that supports the entire department.

So, which position is on hold?

Is it His?

It's one of the HR specialist positions.

So, what we're doing, of course, we want to generate savings, but also during this time we're evaluating to see if it is a position that you know eventually we could eliminate by changing some of our workflows, or if it's something that we will continue to need in the future.

You have a public safety recruiter, yes, sir.

Her name is Melissa Atcock.

So she works very closely with the uh TPD recruiters as well as with the fire department.

How does that cooperate?

So I think the chief uh people like that, I believe has two people.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, he does.

Does fire have their own or do they need it?

FIRE does not, they don't have actual designated recruiting.

So we we've got two in TPD, we've got Melissa Adcox in your shop.

How do they interact?

Yes.

Melissa Melissa does a really good job.

So what our staff does, of course, we post the positions, we interact with the uh the recruits or the applicants pretty regularly.

Um there's testing that has to be done.

So we give the entry-level test.

Um, if the applicants pass, we set up psychologicals, they have to have psychologicals on fire police and also dispatch.

Um, and then there's making sure that the applicants have all that we need as far as on uh fire side, they have to have the PAT and just different types of paperwork that they need also on the police side for the academy.

So it's a lot of administrative work that Melissa and also Jennifer Smeltzer are very involved in, and then once they're hired, of course, we do orientation of the new hires, but then after that, there's also the assessment centers when it's time for the promotional process.

So fire has a promotional process where we get together an assessment center that involves assessors from throughout the Southeast, um, the same as police, but it's it's something that takes months of planning.

Um, so they are very very busy uh all year with public safety recruiting.

And is that encompass generating leads as well?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, does that encompass generating leads as well?

Yes, sir.

Um I mean, I I guess obviously posting is one way to do that, but there's certainly in either instances of a higher level where you need to go to nationwide surgery, right?

Or even a scarcity like we're experiencing with uniform police officers, right?

They're underway, and also now Melissa TPD, their recruiters, they are pretty regularly on the road going to different places.

Melissa also goes to career fairs more locally than nationally, but yes, um, we do work hand in hand with the police and fire as well.

There's a group of us, uh HR, police, fire, strategic communications has been very instrumental in helping with that recruiting process as well.

Um we are actually getting ready to revamp our website.

Um, and the purpose of that is to make it more engaging so that when applicants come, they look at our website, they see more of the city, and it tells more of our story, um, more engaging as far as actual employee testimonials, um, more about what it is or what is how is it to work at the city?

You'll see much more of that on our website, more pictures, things that will make it more attractive and engaging.

Um tell me again the the number was it 15?

Yes, sir.

We have 15 budgeted positions, and we have 13 currently that are filled.

So one of the initiatives referred to in the mayor's initial presentation of the budget was certainly the ever-increasing incorporation of artificial intelligence in those jobs where they can be utilized, and that Selvin's guys are pretty safe, all right.

Right.

It's gonna be hard to artificial intelligence at road work, but the in inside here's much more opportunity.

Where do you see the opportunities for that in the HR?

Right.

So we we do have a workforce development division of HR, and we have been meeting with some of our partners as far as Shell Team, UA, some of our educational partners and others as well.

Um we do realize that upskilling our employees, making sure that we are they are prepared and ready for AI is important.

So we do have a workforce development initiative that we've been working on, and that we will continue to work on with uh Mr.

Moore's team and operations.

Um so we definitely are making sure that we are prepared for the AI shift.

What's the biggest challenge you see coming up for Europe?

Um there are a couple, of course, like you know, upskilling and making sure that our employees are prepared as we start upskilling, making sure that they are skilled for, yes, sir.

Upskilling, yes, sir, yes, sir.

Um that's one I'm almost scared to bring it up, but it it keeps me up at night.

Um, health insurance.

Health insurance cost um is definitely, and it's not just at the city, it's everywhere.

Um nationwide health care costs are skyrocketing.

So I will say that is something that that causes me to lose sleep for sure.

And um we we are working on ways to try to reduce the impact of that, but it's it's going up everywhere.

Um, and so that that's one that's pretty big.

Um, and then of course, making sure that we are attracting and retaining the best and brightest um here at the city, yeah.

Right.

So the CDL program is actually um going outstanding, and last year that program transferred to uh ESD Chris's department, but we have a CDL trainer that's doing an outstanding job.

Um, our pass rate continues to be outstanding, and um, we are training our our folks, and they are doing a great job.

And partners JJ Keller, right?

Right, and in our CDL training, it's it's so much more than just teaching the employees to drive.

That's why we wanted to make sure we could do it in-house because we want them to not only drive but operate safely, so we make sure that they are taught how to do their inspections properly for pre-trip because that's very important, um, making sure that they're safe on the road.

So we've been very pleased, and we thank you all for granting us that position absolutely okay.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right, Ms.

Kreitz, how are you this morning?

I am good.

How are you this morning?

Great.

What page are you on?

We are 137.

All right.

Start us with how you organize.

Yes, sir.

So I have 41 employees in four divisions.

My biggest division, of course, is building and inspections.

I've got 20 within building and inspections.

Uh next is codes and development services, where I have 10.

Our planning division has seven, and then our administration division has four within it.

And so we've just got those folks.

We've got a few vacancies right now.

I think our most notable vacancy is and continues to be our director of building and inspections.

Uh, that position, of course, Mr.

Boswell, vacated at the end of February.

Uh, we have a second round of interviews tomorrow.

So everyone, please cross your fingers, hold your breath, that we are able to find a great candidate for that position.

Um, but outside, oh, I'm go ahead.

Why would that be a difficult position to find the that position has been a challenge to fill because of just the want.

Uh, there were a lot of Mr.

Boswell left some big shoes to fill.

Yeah.

And I believe fully that the right candidate is out there that is going to be good to my people, to my folks first, and also to the external folks as well.

And so we have uh we have a great pool of candidates that I think will fill both of those shoes, and um, who are willing to take on that salary as well.

Okay, it's a well-paid position.

And it does it require engineering or building no, sir, but they do have to get some certifications within that first year through the International Code Council.

All right, go ahead.

So 40, 41 total.

We have 41 total uh with five vacancies right now.

So two within building and inspections, though um, we have made an offer on our mechanical inspector, we're just waiting for them to be on station.

We have one within codes of development services, they'll be on station next Monday, and then uh two within planning.

We've made an offer on one, and then we just posted a zoning administrator position.

So that's pretty typical for our office to maintain um to maintain a few vacancies here and there.

So five out of 41 around around a little more than 10%.

Yes, sir.

Yeah.

Okay.

We have been very busy uh with codes and development services.

They are up this year 36% on 311 cases, uh, which is kind of insane, especially with overgrown grass.

We have been knocking out some overgrown grass in your districts.

Well, I mean, it was rainforest season earlier this year, and I think we've all experienced that.

I think our repeat offenders uh have met some unpleasant interactions and met some large bills, uh, and we're proud of that, quite honestly, because we don't want folks living next to overgrown grass.

We want the the folks who have invested in their neighborhoods uh to reap that benefit.

And so our code enforcement officers have been extremely busy.

Uh, and I and I hope you can see that within your districts as well.

Thank you, Mr.

Bale.

Um, our planning staff is getting into the swing of our new codes.

You've seen a couple changes come in front of you.

We are still wrapping up the subdivision regulation updates.

Uh, that is something that will not have to come to you as a council that is solely for the planning and zoning commission, uh, but it is something that is outstanding for that office as well.

So outside of that, urban development continues, yes, sir.

Remind me, who who are your uh key subordinate leaders in there?

I asked because there's there's some been some turnover.

Who's who's doing what?

By by name?

Yeah, sure.

Okay, um, so I've got Zach Pons, who's our director of uh planning, Will Smith is our director of codes and development services, and within building and inspections, Turnley Smith right now is our deputy director of building and inspection, he's our highest uh within that, and then of course I'm over our administration division.

And what y'all just finished the framework, yes, sir.

Has that eased the the load on your people?

Is there a collective group of relief, or does that just open the door for now the hard work of making it a reality?

I think there has been a collective group side, uh both internally and externally.

Uh we talk to folks on the outside and they say how easy our code is to navigate now.

Not that it's an easy uh that it's a simple code that doesn't have any rules, that it's an easy code to navigate.

There's no guesswork anymore.

Our previous code, there was so much guesswork, so much uncertainty, and now they can go to chapter 25, find out what the rules are before they come to apply, which is fantastic.

That's what we want.

We want predictability for folks.

And what is the biggest challenge you got coming up?

I think the biggest challenge for urban development is finding that mix of meeting our external stakeholders, meeting the public where they are while also being innovative.

I think for a very long time we were a little bit stuck in a lack of innovation.

Uh and that meeting meeting folks where they wanted to be kept us from being more innovative.

And so we're trying to turn that battleship just a little bit at a time.

Give me an example.

Uh building and inspections, for example, paper applications, um, hand writing, which leads to a duplicate, you know, potential for error on an input.

The more you're having to have people typing things in, the possibility for error increases.

And so we'd like to go to a more technology-based situation for building permits, for example.

And so we're getting there.

Yeah.

Any questions for me?

Do you have it used?

Eric and Leahs used to be inbudsmanship.

The umbudsman, yes.

Was that an UD?

No, well, so the umbudsman position in the long ago far away, pre-operations.

There was an umbudsman within urban development.

Okay, so it's not.

Economic development moved with operations, and so that uh business relations officer is housed within the Office of Operations.

Okay.

Yes, sir.

Yeah, thank y'all.

Thank you.

There we go.

What page are you on, sir?

Thank you, Mayo.

Good morning.

How are y'all?

Great.

How are you?

Good.

Um, so I wanted to provide you all with a copy of this updated org chart for strategic communications.

Um, it's changed pretty drastically since last fiscal year, so I'd like to walk you through it if that's okay.

Um, so within the last fiscal year, um, our executive secretary retired, um, and our deputy left.

Those two positions were cut for their salary lines to fund Richard's new position as government relations and external affairs.

So those two are gone from our budget.

But that position is not in this office, correct?

Correct.

That's moving into the mayor clerk's office.

So those two positions are gone.

Um, as Jason mentioned last week, we also transferred our two AV personnel from strategic communications into IT.

Our A V, our audio visual personnel.

Okay, we transferred them from strategic communications into IT.

So that's two more positions that were in our budget line last fiscal year that will not be this fiscal year.

Okay.

So then the two other changes.

So we had two vacancies, a public relations and external affairs manager position.

That was my old position.

That one was vacant, and we also had a marketing and communications manager position that was vacant.

Because some of the external affairs pieces that used to be in my old position are going with Richard to his new position.

What I did was take the marketing and communications manager, add the little bit of PR that that role will be responsible for into that role.

And instead of hiring two managers, one for PR and one for marketing, I'm hiring one manager to manage both of those things.

Walk me through that one more time slowly.

I'm sorry.

Sure.

So Richard took some took external affairs, which used to fall under my old role, public relations and external affairs.

Right.

External affairs went with him.

What bodies went with him?

So our external affairs are like the chamber, the um, I mean, what people.

No people, just him, him himself.

Okay.

Um, and then because my background is in PR, I will still remain as the main media liaison for our media.

So that's a big chunk of the PR manager position as well.

So that's how I got to one person can be responsible for managing marketing and communications rather than hiring two new managers to do each of those roles.

Okay.

So executive secretary is gone.

Yes.

Not no plans for replacement.

Right.

We are not replacing the executive secretary.

What I what I would like to do is since we're not hiring rehiring two managers, is to hire an office administrator.

So one manager and one office administrator who can handle our payroll and our personnel and all that.

Okay.

Deputy director gone.

Deputy director's gone, yes, sir.

And then you moved up, so your position empty.

Right.

So what is that two manager level?

We had, yes, sir.

We had two manager level positions that were vacant.

Um, and because some of those duties went with Richard into his new role, we're hiring one manager and one office administrator.

And is that in this budget?

Yes, sir.

Okay, keep going.

Okay.

Um, so our new structure for strategic communications, um, the office administrator, um, and then there will be three manager level positions.

So the marketing communications manager will have two senior communication specialists and one communication specialist reporting to them.

We have a manager of web and digital strategy who has a web developer reporting to him, and then our 311 call center manager has our call center representatives, both senior and regular reporting to her.

Okay.

On the left side, marketing and communications manager.

Yes, sir.

That person will have one, two, three commute senior communications specialists.

Yes.

What is that?

So the communication specialist is the entry level position in communications, and it encompasses a bunch of different things.

Functionally, right now, these three are acting as our graphic designer, our public relations communication specialist, and our marketing communication specialist.

So one of them does all of our design work, one of them does the majority of our PR, and one of them does marketing, which includes events in the amphitheater.

Manager of web and digital spread.

Yes, sir.

And they have a web developer.

Yes.

So there's one web developer who completes website maintenance, who does um completes tickets when people need updates on the website, and then the manager of web and digital strategy is in charge of maintaining all of the city's websites.

I think we have like 18.

And then the call center manager.

There are there's the manager, and six correct levels of representative.

Yes, sir.

That's six people answering.

Answering the facts, yes, sir.

One person managing them.

Has that changed?

No, sir.

When was that?

I mean, I two years ago.

When did that migrate over to strategic communication?

I don't remember exactly.

Brendan, you remember?

One third one.

When did 311 become part of StratHon?

About three years ago.

Oh, I have my glasses on my hand.

Okay.

And Cheryl, which manager is it's this one on the manager and communications manager that's replacing your job.

Is that right?

Right.

Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

Um, so that's the updated org chart.

Um, looking here on page 163, you'll see the overall salaries and benefits decrease of 279,000.

That's because of all of that movement that we just talked about.

So two people moving into AV, um, Richard moving into the mayor clerk's office.

Um, that those contribute to that salary decrease.

So there's no plans to we talked about the executive secretary position.

Yes.

The deputy director position.

Yes.

Those are both gone.

No plans to replace those.

Gone.

Um, and then outside of that, um, the decrease of one thousand dollars in auto and fuel maintenance is because the only people in our department who were using the pool car were the audio visual personnel, so we transferred that car over to IT with those personnel.

So we will no longer have a pool car.

Um, and then the other decrease in operating expenses.

Um, so we have two line items in our budget.

One is for recruitment and one is for public education.

In each of those line items, um, we had people in other departments who are spending out of those line items.

So police and fire are recruiting, um, police and fire do public education as well as ESD does public education.

Um, all of those marketing dollars flow through us, which makes sense.

Um, but we also had their travel cost for their recruitment personnel or for their staff members who are going out to public education events, we had those costs in those line items as well, um, and decided through this year's budget process to put those back into their departments because it doesn't make sense for us to be managing those.

So that that contributes to that decrease.

Um, and then we also went through with operations and IT and took a look at all of the softwares and services, softwares and subscriptions that strategic communications was paying for and found any that we could consolidate with IT or any that weren't being actively used anymore and cut those out of our budget as well.

What's an example of those?

So we have we were using a uh password manager called LastPass, and IT has an enterprise password management system.

So we switched from Last Pass to IT's password management system, which allowed us to stop paying for the last pass subscription.

So things like that.

Okay, so the the recruitment dollars that you were talking about.

Yes, sir.

Those were previously dollars that were placed with you to effect recruitment communication strategies for everybody.

Yes, sir.

Um and we're we're maintaining the majority of those dollars because the majority of them are spent on marketing and communications efforts.

Um the only the only pieces of it we pulled out were related to travel for employees that are not in my department.

And so partly related to my question to Ms.

Kemp on the um the interaction between police recruiting, HR recruiting, and now StratCom recruiting communication.

How do you how do you track and assign accountability with that breakdown?

I mean, if it if it doesn't get accomplished, who does it belong to?

Um, I think all of us, I mean, I think we're all taking responsibility on this effort together because we realize that it takes more than HR to recruit, that it takes more than police officers going to career fairs to recruit.

Um, we've got very comprehensive marketing and communication strategy, uh, both for police and fire.

Um police has their own recruitment website.

We're working with HR on their own recruitment website.

Um it's one of the most important things facing the city of Tuscaloosa is maintaining is making sure that we can continue to recruit and retain the the most highly qualified personnel.

And who develops that strategy?

We do it as a partnership between the public safety offices, human resources, and strategic communications.

Give me an example.

So right now we have a police recruitment campaign that is timed to be in conjunction with a game day safety public messaging.

Um, and so we want people who are coming into town to know about how much TPD and TFR are doing to make their game day safe.

Uh we want it to contribute to people's understanding, people who live here and who visit.

We want to contribute to their understanding of how safe TPD or how safe Tuscaloosa is.

Um we also want to take advantage of the fact that there are a hundred thousand people coming into town, and some of those people may be interested in becoming police officers, and so we want to hit them with joint TPD recruitment messages at the same time.

How is that going?

Um, well, it'll it'll start it'll kick off for real on Saturday.

Well, I don't mean that's just so what what are you finding the most difficult and challenging to recruit for?

Uh I think that um some of the high level engineers is lawyers, probably not police officers.

Police officers.

Police officers.

Yes, sir.

And how is the recruiting strategy that comes through strategic communications adjusting to address that?

Sure.

So a lot of what we do is kind of A B testing, right?

So you put one set of messages, A B A B testing.

So you put message set A out with this audience and message set B out with this audience, and you see which one is resonating more, and then you shift your marketing strategy towards which one is resonating more.

Um, and so a lot of what's resonating resonating means people are are clicking on the ads and I know what resonating means.

When I said what's resonating most.

What's resonating most depends on where the audience is.

So for example, um, our strategy right now in the Birmingham area is focusing on how safe and family-friendly Tuscaloosa is.

Um, but if you're recruiting it from more rural areas, um, then you can focus a little bit more on how well compensated our police officers are, how high tech our equipment is, etc.

etc.

All right.

Y'all have any other questions for me?

Bro, even Ms.

Trail, I think not.

Thank you.

Thank you very good for the question.

Okay, that's all we've got to schedule for this morning.

Tomorrow we'll begin and moving through some of the agency presentations, and I will get with Landon and we'll Jennifer after Savannah quite after this.

Talk about that.

Any questions, comments from the councilman, mayor, staff?

Okay.

Thank you all for being here.

See some of you tomorrow.