FY25 budget millage rates paving MSTU direction

4:15:06That concludes the P items. We'll we'll move back to um I think we were talking about a budget.

4:15:14Back to our budget, yes. Okay. I think that's pretty important, so Well when we last met, uh we were having some riveting discussions.

4:15:23If I can there we go.

4:15:29So just uh I think we it was back under under board discussion. However, just as a reminder, um I had recommended some general fund reductions to about seven and a quarter million, which would result in a reduction in the general operating millage from 7.57 to 7.4292 MILLs. Um and with that We wanted to get um board direction on the paving MSTU

4:16:00primarily just because the budget team can go back now and and actually prepare the actual budget documents um if if the board is you know willing and ready to make that call. Obviously it's non-binding until that uh until the vote actually occurs this evening. But if we could have um you know, uh unanimous consent on where we think we want to land with that, uh barring your taking of public comment, it would be it would be certainly helpful uh to us. So I had I had heard uh Commissioner Mariano had brought up um Um curtailing

4:16:32about six million dollars from the Hudson Library project, which Uh which I'm comfortable doing, we we can go ahead and and uh take that from a twelve million dollar project to a six million dollar project. Um in the out years, that would be a one-time capital add, I think is what the commissioner was was trying to go to to whatever millage that we set. So by example, if we were to set the millage at point four zero five two, for example, um you would add on an additional six million dollars to that.

4:17:02So it'd essentially be the equivalent of the point five one eight four original program that uh public works was recommending. uh for a millage of point four zero five two. But that would only be in the first year. But it would be something uh to get started. It certainly would help retire the PVASTET and and allow more paving to go. As I mentioned before Um it's a two billion dollar road network issue we have in the county. The amount of dollars that are put towards it um really will just enhance the the speed at which public works gets

4:17:33to those roads and and makes visible meaningful progress, I think, for our for our citizens. So I guess if if the board I guess what I would like for the board to perhaps have some other discussion is to Give me an idea of where you want to land with that millage rate for the paving MSTU.

4:17:53So if I may. Oh I understand it. So that six million he's talking about, that comes off the point five one eight four?

4:18:01So, sir, what it is is it's uh there is a capital project in the budget for fiscal year twenty six for the Hudson Library. It is worth it's currently estimated at twelve million dollars. We would reduce the budget for that project by six million. So the six we would we would set aside six million dollars less, attempt to design the project.

4:18:21No, sir. It this does not do anything with the millage. All it does is we would we would just simply pay for the project. Roads with it is what the Commissioner Oakley. It would be a one-time, it would what I'm saying is for year one of the paving tax, it would be equivalent to to the point five one eight four millage in the first year if the board were to adopt that nineteen point four million. Of course the Board can adopt a a lower millage if it likes, and we can add six million to that number as well. The only point being is I I think the Commissioner would like to add more money to to the paving

4:18:52if we make a reduction in the paving millage.

4:18:54So if you if you bring it down to the four oh five two then that sex would go in And to paving the Mr.

4:19:03On top of that, that was that is what Commissioner Mariano is, I believe, I don't want to put words in the Commissioner's mouth, but I believe that's what what he is suggesting. Similarly, if you adopt uh.39 millage And that's eighteen million. We would add six to that. So I simply would just like to get the board to provide me with some direction on if these millages are okay so we can make the adjustments to the budget.

4:19:25Yeah, I understand that. I just want to be sure I have a good understanding of it.

4:19:32Mr. Whiteman.

4:19:33Thank you, Chairman Mariano.

4:19:37a fellow in commissioner there through that I'm I'm golden gap. I'm in the gap now. We're good.

4:19:43That golden gift down there. I you know commend you and just want to say thank you for really thinking this through and and finding some money to to help this program. Um, you know, moving six off a project like a library, you know, we all it's a big deal, so

4:20:01Both are both are very important. Yep. Yes. But but I think that's a good thing. And I think what he's showing and what he's telling you back

4:20:06one

4:20:06yeah is he actually realizes that the the library could wait that year. this paving to get away from PVAS itself and get into the new system. our residents are gonna be very happy with new citizens and those calls that come in, when was my road gonna be paved? We'll be able to determine that through road and bridge with Bradford and and we'll have those answers for 'em. And that's gonna be a total different story than what we've had in the past. So Yeah. Okay. Ms.

4:20:38Starkey?

4:20:39Well I'm I I'm just not sure what are we at? Four point four. Or point four four, or we got point four nine. What are we what are we looking at?

4:20:50Well my recommendation at this point, given what I've what I've heard and seen, would be to recommend.4052 for the paving MSTU with the addition of the $6 million of one-time capital from the library project, and then set the general operating millage and budget as I have outlined at 7.4292.

4:21:09Okay. I I can

4:21:11that's a big

4:21:11help.

4:21:12Yeah. I think that's good. I I I just really appreciate you scrubbing even more. Um, especially in with eight days. Um Um, I think, you know, last year we rolled our millets back just a little bit and I I think it's good that we're rolling it back just a little bit. Uh well we're Rolling it back more than we did last year.

4:21:35But the fact of it is it's not affecting any of our constitutional reserves.

4:21:38Yeah.

4:21:41Very very much a plus.

4:21:43We have a lot of big Bills coming. I mean, I don't know where we're getting the money for this courthouse. Um that we need to build and our jail is

4:21:54Which courthouse? Well eventually we have to build that courthouse. We kick the can, we can kick it, kick it, kick it, but at some point they're not gonna let us kick it anymore.

4:22:05So

4:22:05But I understand it's a lot of money. It is.

4:22:08That does drop our level of service on the roads to what? 'Cause at twenty four we were We were you know, even at point five one we had it was a conservative level of service, so now we're We didn't go with the Cadillac program.

4:22:24No, but that that point five one eight four actually will be a little bit more. You're gonna get a great return out of your roads being paved.

4:22:34It's not working. Um usually takes uh a couple of years for the level of service to drop, you know, because we are currently as satis satisfactory. So, you know, what is gonna happen probably in about two years or so, if we continue at the same level two, three years, then the level is gonna drop, service level is gonna be dropping.

4:22:59the money's here and the cost of roads paving is going like this, so at some point we're may have to have another truo. But did you wanna talk? Because I know I thought we had it at like twenty years, twenty five years, thirty years. But the amount of money.

4:23:16And so

4:23:18Yeah, yeah, yeah.

4:23:20All right, Justin Grant, Director of Public Infrastructure, Fiscal and Business Administration. I won't go too detailed into LAMILES, we'll let Jason talk about that, but uh I will highlight that the two plans you have here in front of you just to kind of level set, because I know we've talked a lot about this over the last couple months, and I know the county administrators outlined them uh perfectly. that this was originally our silver plan and then now we are going down to the millage that we had suggested in the bronze plan. And so with that, um the first the FY twenty five lane miles was about was over a hundred with silver. It would take us down to around seventy five in that first year. So

4:23:51that gives you kind of an idea what that

4:23:53Seventy five lane miles. Correct. And does that include does that include collector, arterial and local? I just want to make sure everyone understands that. All going to local. This is

4:24:06all the roads. Excellent point, Commissioner. I know County Attorney, you know, before we broke for lunch, right, in the morning session, uh outlined that the the legal structure of the unit does include local, arterial and collector roads. So all county owned and maintained roads would be included in the Yep.

4:24:21Okay.

4:24:21It's a good program.

4:24:26All right, well I think we've landed on bronze.

4:24:31It's a start. It's a start.

4:24:33Chairman? Yes, sir. Thank you, Chairman.

4:24:36And so when if this thing were to pass, how soon do we get the share of the public seat? A stack ranked list of of projects. I'm assuming that we have something out there.

4:24:48Because I heard someone say they had a road already Ready to go. I was wondering how that happened.

4:24:56They have a list. They're ready to go.

4:24:59Should I talk

4:24:59about

4:24:59it? Well, good afternoon, Commissioner. I'm Jason Mickel, Public Works Director. Um I I just want to say thank you so much for all your careful consideration of this, and thanks to Brantford and Mike and everybody for all the you know work that's been put into this and leadership. Um but I everybody we talk to in the community is super excited about getting this project off the ground. Um there's there's every person I walked outside with. today and talk to is super excited about you know where they where they might be on the list. And and just so you know, um we

4:25:29we do have a list and we've worked through multiple lists from one year to three years to five years on every scenario you could possibly think of. So we we're ready to go. So uh and and Commissioner Starkey to answer your question specifically in the first year it'll be sixty five lane miles of local roads and ten miles, um uh lane miles of artillery and correct uh artillery own collectors.

4:25:50Okay.

4:25:50And then after that next year it goes up We'll be able to put more into the program.

4:25:55All right, question. Um so there are uh quite a few neighborhoods that Took the step to go through the PVAS program. And some failed. And some went through and asked to be rescinded so uh knowing that this new project was coming through. So knowing that we had residents who went to all that trouble Do the P Bass are they on the top of the list?

4:26:20So remember I told you last time I was here there's a science based approach to this, right? Um but there is some room to look at some of those communities. And and the good thing is many of them their PCI score does put them on the list for the three year timeframe. So many of them will get put on our on our first um three year list.

4:26:39Okay, because if they were willing to come in and pay for their roads to get fixed, that must mean they have an issue with the road. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

4:26:46Will citizens be able to is there gonna be a place where they'll be able to see which lane is being or which roads are being done and if their road is on there?

4:26:54Yeah, it's a great question. We are we are working um internally right now to update our website once we get through this process um with With the board, we are going to bring our website live with our um with our projects online so it's fully transparent and the community could see what road is is up um for paving and you know what the dates would be just in case there's MOT and an inconvenience and people delay for work so they'll know um if any of those issues will arise. And we'll work with our PIO office to make sure we're communicating with

4:27:25the community.

4:27:25Okay. That's

4:27:27good.

4:27:28Okay. Any other questions?

4:27:33Okay. I'm I'm comfortable with bronze. Okay. We're comfortable with bronze.

4:27:38Yep.

4:27:42Thank you to Jack. Honestly, thank you for what I'm saying. Mr. Chairman

4:27:49to in this case Uh set the general operating millage and budget as I have outlined here today to 7.4292, and set the paving MST millage and budget at.4052, with the addition of $6 million from the Hudson Library project to be applied to next year, and whatever Jeff thinks I missed.

4:28:14Yeah.

4:28:15That is correct. For the purposes of the budget hearing tonight, recognizing we will present that to you again for adoption and consideration after public comments.

4:28:25That is correct.

4:28:26Um Since can I ask another budget question? I don't think there's a motion on that. Do you need a motion on that? We approved that. That's

4:28:33what we're trying to do. That was the motion.

4:28:37Second.

4:28:38And I got a motion and a second. Does it need to be roll call or do we all those in favor say aye.

4:28:44Aye.

4:28:44Aye.

4:28:45Okay, up

4:28:46motion p Yeah. Okay. Like sign for a nay. See a none, it's five point oh five to zero.

4:28:55Okay, so what happened to Parks um budget? What do we do? So the uh

4:29:01not cutting grass anymore. Yeah, so the the pug the park no parks the budget So the Parks M STU of c uh did not uh did not receive the the required number of votes, so that millage was set to zero. Um we did reinstate Parks's original so parks Has been carrying approximately a million dollars for parks maintenance, which is what the MSTU would have paid for, plus an additional $300,000 annually for field maintenance. I have reinstated that in the parks budget.

4:29:31So the parks team is level where they're at today. And then I think during the budget workshop, probably starting in January, I'd look to some board guidance on how we want to adjust. address parks coming up in in future years.

4:29:45Okay.

4:29:47All right. What else we need to do?

4:29:52I'm good for now. The budget team will go back and um put together things. That helps immensely and uh and so we'll present the budget.

4:29:59Do we go up now to where David Engel is? Are we invited um to those committee reports? Oh committee reports.

4:30:06A little bit of a meeting.

4:30:09After that I think we do. I know that's more interesting. Yes to me. Yeah. It's the long term health of the county.

4:30:15I just gotta find out where I'm at here.

4:30:22I think we're done with it then.

4:30:24Okay.

4:30:24Oh I gotta go. Chair, you can just start with uh Commissioner Starkey.

4:30:30Okay, I'm ready. No, that's all right. I think we're going to go back to our regular items.

4:30:37No, no, we're on items.

4:30:39We're done with

4:30:39regular items?

4:30:40We are done, sir.

4:30:42I thought we had some regular items, but I don't see them. Okay.

4:30:47You're done.