The Mayor provided an update to Council on the recent efforts towards fundraising to re-build SKiP playground and that currently there has been $390,000 pledged to the playground and that they have several more meetings over the next several weeks. The plan is that within the next six weeks or so that the information related to funding should be finalized hopefully presented to Council shortly after to authorize going out to bid.
Council also reviewed two resolutions regarding the Courthouse budget and reviewing re-instatement of cuts that took place at the Courthouse. I drafted a piece of legislation to address this issue after receiving additional information about American Rescue Plan Act funds that the City is expected to receive. This legislation was intended to make the Courthouse whole on both the Clerk and Court’s side of the budget. This included restoring $225,000 to the Court budget and $200,000 to the Clerk budget. This is to restore the 2.5 people already cut from the Court staff, and to prevent the additional 1.5 positions projected to be cut this year. This also prevents any potential cuts or shutdown threatened by the Clerk. My legislation also had additional provisions to continue to review the operations at the Courthouse to make sure we are not in this situation again to have a large unexpected deficit. Ms. Shaw also proposed legislation to propose returning $200,000 to the Clerk’s office but it did not restore any funding to the Court or address any of the issues related to the deficit. If we are truly worried about budget cuts and job loss, then there should be just as much concern for jobs lost at the Court as there were the Clerk’s office. Both pieces of legislation moved on to Council, Ms. Shaw’s legislation failed by a vote of 5-2 (Shaw and Feldman voted yes) and my legislation received a first reading after the rules suspension (allowing the legislation to pass that evening) failed by a vote of 4-3, (McIntire, Shaw, and Fiocca voted no). The reason stated for not voting on this legislation tonight provide by Mr. McIntire involved the lack of details available yet on how we can spend our American Rescue Plan Act funding. Ms. Shaw stated my legislation was “fluff” even though it provided the exact same re-instatement of funding for the Clerk that she felt was critical. I attempted to explain the structure of legislation to her and the “fluff” she so rudely referred to in the whereas clauses of the legislation was background information related to the legislation (which is included in all pieces of legislation). My legislation restored the Clerk budget exactly like Ms. Shaw’s but also restored the Court budget and worked to create discussion about the long term budget concerns. I believe this legislation will be passed by Council once we are able to receive additional guidance on the new funding we will be receiving from the federal government. The ongoing discussions regarding Courthouse operations and budgets are also critical to realize there is a longer term solution needed and that this current solution is only temporary.
Council also authorized the hiring of two additional positions, a Parks Maintenance Working Foreman and also an Inspector who will help with water and road project inspections. These positions will be critical in helping tackle the large capital improvements program that is planned to take place in 2021. These positions are likely to be filled by internal applicants but will likely create additional openings in the parks and maintenance departments.
Council will meet next on May 13, 2021 with the start time of Committee meetings to be announced the week prior to the meeting.