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[1. Call to Order of the Edmond City Council Meeting.]
TO CALL THE MARCH 30TH CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP TO ORDER.[2. Presentation, Discussion, and Consideration of Increasing the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Edmond Electric Budget by an Additional $291,387.00 for the Edmond Economic Development Authority (EEDA) 2026-2027 Contract.]
TWO ON THE AGENDA IS PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND CONSIDERATION OF INCREASING THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR.20 26, 20 27, EDMOND ELECTRIC BUDGET BY AN ADDITIONAL $291,387 FOR THE ADMIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
KATHY, HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
JUST GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR TWO GUESTS TODAY AND, UM, WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT ADMIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, BUDGET FIRST.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE MR. CRAWFORD FROM, UH, CRAWFORD AND ASSOCIATES TALK ABOUT BUDGET AND FINANCIAL REPORTING SIMPLIFICATION.
SO JUST DO A REAL QUICK, UH, CHANGE IT.
SO BASICALLY I'LL JUST DO A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON, UM, THE EEDA.
CURRENTLY IN YOUR 26 27 BUDGET THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN, IT INCLUDES $823,498 TO COVER FISCAL YEAR 26 27 CONTRACT.
AND THAT'S A 5% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, UM, WHICH WAS 7 84 2 84.
UH, HEATHER WILL BE HEATHER MCDOWELL, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EEDA WILL PRESENT AN UPDATED FUNDING REQUEST, WHICH IS INCREASE, UH, REQUESTING AN INCREASE OF $291,387.
SO I WILL JUST TURN IT OVER TO, UH, HEATHER AT THIS TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HEATHER MCDOWELL, EDMOND, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
THANK YOU COUNSEL, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY TO BE A PART OF, OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOP.
I DO WANNA TAKE THE TIME BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THE BUDGET.
UM, I THINK I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRESS THAT, THAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED MAKING IN THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS SINCE I'VE COME ON BOARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT YOU'VE SEEN OUR ORGANIZATION GO THROUGH, UH, QUITE A BIT OF TRANSITION IN THE PAST YEAR, AND WE HAVE TAKEN A VERY INTENTIONAL APPROACH OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS ON STRENGTHENING INTERNAL PROCESSES, BUILDING A TEAM THAT'S FOCUSED ON EXECUTION, THAT'S FOCUSED ON RESULTS.
AND SINCE SEPTEMBER, WE'VE MADE SOME MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN A COUPLE OF KEY AREAS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE, UM, APPLIED AND WE'RE AWARDED A MARKETING GRANT THROUGH THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
THIS WAS A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROCESS.
THIS ALLOWED US TO GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS, UM, IN WHICH WE AWARDED FLIGHT MARKETING, A MARKETING CONTRACT TO HELP US REBUILD OUR WEBSITE, AS WELL AS NEW BRANDING GUIDELINES.
AND OUR NEW WEBSITE WILL BE LAUNCHED AND ACTIVE AS OF JULY ONE OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WEBSITES ARE MORE THAN JUST A WEBSITE.
THEY'RE A CRITICAL BUSINESS TOOL.
THEY'RE THE FIRST PLACES THAT SITE SELECTORS AND DEVELOPERS AND BUSINESSES GO.
AND IT, IT HELPS US CLEARLY ARTICULATE EDMOND'S ASSETS AND OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO COMPETE.
WE ALSO PURCHASED M PLAN, WHICH WAS SOME OF YOUR FAMILIAR, YOU'VE HEARD IT SEVERAL TIMES NOW.
IT'S OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPACT TOOL.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO KEEP HER ON, ON A CONTRACTED BASIS.
AS YOU'LL REMEMBER, JENNIFER WORKED AT THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FOR 14 YEARS, STARTED AS AN ECONOMIST.
SHE RUNS THOSE DATA ANALYSIS FOR US.
UM, AND WE'VE COMPLETED THOSE ANALYSIS FOR FIVE PROJECTS, UH, SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THAT IN THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS.
AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER WITH THE LEGACY AT COVELL, WHICH THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU ALL APPROVED THAT INCENTIVE, UM, LAST WEEK.
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A CRITICAL CATALYTIC PROJECT AND REALLY EXCITED.
I THINK IT, IT GIVES US STRONG MOMENTUM MOVING FORWARD.
WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH VISIT EDMOND AND RUN SOME ECONOMIC IMPACTS FOR THEM.
UM, AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM TO RUN ECONOMIC MODELING FOR THE US SENIOR OPEN.
WE'VE ALSO AWARDED OUR EED BOARD AWARDED A $60,000 INCENTIVE TO BLOCK ONE PARTNERS SO THAT THEY COULD RECRUIT A TENANT WITH LEVOA.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY PAID OUT $40,000 OF SET INCENTIVE.
UM, IT WAS BASED ON PERFORMANCE METRICS.
THEY'VE ALREADY COMPLETED THEIR FIRST MILESTONE.
THE SECOND MILESTONE IS THE ADDITIONAL 20,000 WOULD BE FUNDED UPON COMPLETION OF, OF THEIR CELLS, UH, MILESTONE THAT THEY SET BEFORE THEMSELVES.
WE ALSO HOSTED AN OUT-OF-STATE COMPANY THAT IS LOOKING TO LOCATE TO EDMOND THAT WOULD BE BRINGING 50 HIGH WAGE JOBS, UH, INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH THAT PROSPECT.
IN FACT, WE'RE, UH, GONNA HAVE A CALL LATER THIS WEEK WITH THE STATE TO SEE WHAT INCENTIVES WE CAN MATCH WITH THEM.
WE'RE REESTABLISHING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH SITE CONSULTERS, UM, AND SITE SELECTORS IN A MEANINGFUL, UM, ACTIVE WAY.
WE'RE GONNA BE GEARING UP FOR ICSC, WHICH WE'LL BE ATTENDING,
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UM, IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.AND THEN THAT VISIBILITY, WE FEEL IS, IS REALLY CRITICAL TO ENSURING EDMOND AND I KNOW AGING AND LENA FROM THE CITY ARE GONNA BE THERE AS WELL.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEN IN JANUARY, WE CONVENED A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION WITH KEY COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND WE BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.
IT WAS FACILITATED THROUGH FRANCIS TUTTLE AND FRANCIS TUTTLE LED US THROUGH A FRAMEWORK CALLED SOAR STRENGTHS, OPPORTUNITY, ASPIRATIONS AND RESULTS.
AND FROM THAT, THOSE KEY FINDINGS THAT FRANCIS TUTTLE FOUND, WE WORKED WITH OUR BOARD TO DEVELOP WHAT WE WE'RE CALLING FOUR STRATEGIC PILLARS.
AND THESE STRATEGIC PILLARS ARE GOING TO BE THE FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE WORK OF EEDA PILLAR NUMBER ONE.
PILLAR NUMBER ONE, WE'RE GONNA BE SUPPORTING EXISTING BUSINESSES, UM, AND DRIVING BUSINESS RETENTION, EXPANSION VISITS.
AND MAYOR, I KNOW YOU'RE TIE EVERYTHING YOU LIKE TO TIE US TO KEY METRICS.
AND I WANNA GIVE A CAVEAT THAT THESE ARE BASELINE METRICS FOR US.
YOU HAVE A COMPLETELY NEW STAFF AT EEDA.
AND SO THESE MIGHT BE, UM, WE MIGHT HAVE TO ADJUST THESE ACCORDINGLY AS, AS WE LOOK AT THE ECONOMY AND WE LOOK AT STAFFING CHANGES WITHIN.
BUT, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ALREADY MADE AN INVESTMENT INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
70% OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK COMES FROM EXISTING INDUSTRY.
UM, WE ALSO NEED TO RECRUIT BOTH PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND STRATEGIC RETAIL PARTNERS AT THIS STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.
EDMOND IS IN A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE A HIGH BACHELOR ATTAINMENT RATE, 60% BACHELOR ATTAINMENT RATE HERE, BUT 78.5% OF YOUR EDUCATED WORKFORCE, THEY LEAVE OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.
SO WE KNOW THAT RECRUITMENT HAS TO HAVE A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH BECAUSE WE WANNA INCREASE DAYTIME POPULATIONS, THEREFORE INCREASING ECONOMIC SALES TAX ACTIVITY.
YOU HAVE THE THIRD LARGEST UNIVERSITY IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA IN YOUR BACKYARD.
YOU HAVE AN AMAZING CAREER TECH AND AMAZING PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
ARE WE LEVERAGING THEM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY? AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON BETTER ALIGNMENT, BETTER ALIGNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CURRICULUM AND ACADEMIA IS MATCHING NOT ONLY EXISTING INDUSTRY, BUT FUTURE TARGET INDUSTRIES.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING TO MAKE SURE AS OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES NEED INTERNS, APPRENTICESHIPS, TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE CONNECTING THEM AND CONNECTING THE PUZZLE PIECES.
THE THIRD PILLAR IS UNDER LAND AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WORK ON THIS WITH THE CITY, UM, BUILDING THAT COMPREHENSIVE LAND INVENTORY, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE WORKING TO IDENTIFY STRATEGIC PRIORITY CORRIDORS, BOTH IN NEW DEVELOPMENT AND BOTH IN REDEVELOPMENT OR REVITALIZATION.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO COMPETE FOR PROJECTS, HAVING THOSE CORRIDORS IN SITES IN PLACE IN READY, JUST HAVING THAT SITE READINESS INCREASES OUR COMPETITIVENESS.
WHEN PROJECTS ARE COMING, IT'S ALL ABOUT SPEED TO MARKET.
AND THEN FOURTH, AND I FEEL LIKE THIS CAPITAL STRATEGY IS PROBABLY OUR MOST, UM, CRITICAL PILLAR BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY, UM, TO FULLY ACHIEVE THE OTHER PILLARS.
AND THIS IS DEVELOP TOOLS OR WHAT WE CALL TEETH, RIGHT? IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT DO WE NEED, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING TO IDENTIFY TOOLS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, MAYOR, I HEARD YOU SAY THIS IN THE LAST MEETING, ABOUT REOCCURRING REVENUE STREAMS. LOOKING TO IDENTIFY THOSE SO THAT WE CAN NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SO DEPENDENT UPON EDMOND ELECTRIC TO, TO FUND SOME OF THOSE INCENTIVE REQUESTS.
SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING A ROBUST MARKETING OUTREACH PLAN WHEN FLIGHTS COMPLETE WITH OUR WEBSITE.
WE ALSO WANNA INVEST IN A PURE MARKET STRATEGY.
AND WHAT ARE WAYS AND WHAT ARE THINGS AND AVENUES THAT WE NEED TO LOOK IN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING EDMOND'S BEST FOOT FORWARD? WE WANNA BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR STRATEGY, NOT REACTION.
AND SO THESE PILLARS ARE MOVING US TO THIS PROACTIVE APPROACH, UM, TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO LET'S GET INTO THE B THE BUDGET
YOU LOOK AT OUR REVENUES, WE ARE HEAVILY, OUR REVENUES, MAJORITY OF THEM, THEY COME FROM, FROM EDMUND ELECTRIC.
AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE WE COULD NOT DO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, WITHOUT THEM, WE, WE GET SOME, SOME MINIMAL INCOME OFF OF INTEREST BOND ISSUANCE FEES.
THOSE WILL GO AWAY AS THOSE BONDS GET PAID OFF.
AND THEN WE DID RECEIVE THAT ONE TIME GRANT AWARD.
AGAIN, THAT WILL END JUNE 30 OF THIS YEAR.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AVENUES AND PATHWAYS TO APPLY FOR MORE GRANTS.
BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, IN THE GRANT WORLD, THOSE ARE JUST NOT SOMETHING,
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UM, THAT, THAT WE CAN COUNT ON.SO LET'S DO A COMPARISON, RIGHT? WE TOOK OUR MAJOR CATEGORIES FOR EXPENSES.
UM, WE HEARD WHAT YOU SAID WHEN OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE MET.
UM, WE KNEW THAT YOU ALL HAD BEEN ASKING STAFF DEPARTMENTS TO REMAIN RELATIVELY FLAT.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO, AND YOU'LL SEE IN PERSONNEL, WE TRIED TO DO THAT.
WE KEPT IT, WE KEPT IT VERY FLAT.
BUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT OUR PILLARS AND OUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, THERE WERE SOME AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WE FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S 22% INCREASE UNDER OPERATIONS THAT IS DIRECTLY TIED TO A-C-R-M-A CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGEMENT TOOL THAT IS CRITICAL, UH, FOR HOUSING ALL OF OUR CONTACTS, A PROJECT PORTAL.
IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO, UM, IT, IT'S A MODERN APPROACH TO MAKING DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS TOO.
'CAUSE YOU CAN ACTUALLY ANALYZE THOSE PROJECTS WITHIN THE PORTAL.
AND THEN IT OPENS UP LINES AND PATHWAYS FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN EEDA AND CITY STAFF AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE, THOSE PROJECTS.
THE NEXT ONE IS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
UM, YOU'LL SEE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING BUDGETED.
THAT'S A NEW LINE ITEM FOR US.
WE'RE ASKING, AND WE THINK IT MIGHT BE MODEST, UH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
BUT AS WE BUILD OUT, THIS IS DIRECTLY TIED TO PILLAR NUMBER THREE AND FOUR, AS WE IDENTIFY AND MAYBE HAVE TO BRING IN SOME OUTSIDE CONSULTING SERVICES TO HELP US IDENTIFY THOSE, WHAT WE CALL CATALYTIC OR KEY STRATEGIC PRIORITY CORRIDORS.
UM, WE MIGHT NEED TO TIE SOME LEGAL EXPERTISE IN HELPING US BUILD THE TOOLS.
AND THAT'S NOT TO WORK AGAINST THE CITY.
THAT'S ACTUALLY TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY, UM, PRETTY COMMON PRACTICE.
IT'S USED IN, IN A LOT OF ECONOMIC, MOST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE.
YOU HEARD US EARLIER TALK ABOUT LAST YEAR WE HAD $50,000 BUDGETED FOR EXPENSES.
WE DID WANNA INCREASE THAT TO $150,000.
AND YOU MAY LOOK IN THE REALITY OF THE GAME OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THAT REQUEST AMOUNT COULD BE INFINITE BECAUSE OF THE SHEER AMOUNT OF PROJECTS THAT COME THROUGH OUR DOOR EVERY DAY.
AND YOU JUST HEARD US EARLIER, WE APPROVED A $60,000 INCENTIVE FOR ROLL YARD.
WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT CONTINUING TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND SO WE, WHILE THIS IS MODEST, 150,000 IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS IS MODEST.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HELP MORE SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, ACHIEVE SUCCESS.
AND THEN IN MARKETING AND DATA, UM, WE PURCHASED IMPLANT THIS YEAR AS AN UNBUDGETED, UM, EXPENSE FOR US.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT TOOL.
SO WE INCLUDED IT IN THE BUDGET UNDER MARKETING AND DATA.
UM, AND WE ALSO ALLOWED FOR SOME MONEY TO HELP SOMEONE HIRE A FIRM TO COME IN AND HELP US BUILD OUT THAT, UH, AGAIN, THAT MARKETING STRATEGY, WHICH OUR NEW MARKETING AND RESEARCH PERSON WOULD THEN IMPLEMENT THAT STRATEGY FOR US.
SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF A COMPARISON, AND I KNOW THAT NUMBER LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WE HAD NOT SEEN THAT ORIGINAL, UM, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PRESENTED YET.
AND WE WANTED TO PRESENT TODAY ON WHAT, ON WHAT OUR ASK WAS AND WHAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD LAST YEAR, WHICH IS KATHY STATED A 784,000 ROUGHLY.
AND THEN OUR NEW BUDGET REQUEST COMES IN AT A 1.1 MILLION, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY ABOUT A $330,000 INCREASE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, GOING BACK TO, IT REALLY IS AN INVESTMENT FOCUS ON THESE FOUR TARGETED AREAS OF INCREASING THAT INCENTIVE POOL OF BEING ABLE TO HIRE SOME LEGAL AND CONSULTING SERVICES TO HELP US IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIES AND THE NECESSARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS FOR THOSE KEY CORRIDORS TO HELP US BUILD OUT A CRM SO THAT WE HAVE BETTER TRACKING MECHANISMS AND WE'RE MAKING BETTER STRATEGIC DECISIONS, AND THEN INCREASING OUR RECRUITMENT ACTIVITY.
AND THAT'S WITH THE PURCHASE OF IMPLANT AND THOSE MARKETING STRATEGIES.
AND THEN WE ASKED, WE HAD THE QUESTION ASKED TO US, DO WE HAVE RESERVES? AND WE DO.
UM, YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SCREEN RIGHT HERE, WE HAVE ROUGHLY OVER 200,000 THAT ARE WHAT WE CALL IN A RESTRICTED ACCOUNT.
WE HAVE SOME OUTGOING INCENTIVES THAT WE APPROVED, BUT AGAIN, ALL THE INCENTIVES THAT WE HAVE ARE BASED ON PERFORMANCE BASED METRICS.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT $50,000 OUTSTANDING.
WE DID NOT WANT THOSE TO GET ABSORBED INTO, UM, OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
SO, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 50,000 STILL IN OUTSTANDING INCENTIVES TO AWARD.
AND THEN THIS IS OUR CONTRIBUTION.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT $75,000 CONTRIBUTION FOR, UH, US SENIOR OPEN.
WE HAVE ROUGHLY OVER 800,000 THERE, 832,000 IN UNRESTRICTED RESERVES.
THAT REALLY REPRESENTS ABOUT ONE
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YEAR OF OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH IS PRETTY STANDARD PRACTICE.AND I WANNA THROW A CAVEAT IN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT RESERVES, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE A RECURRENT REVENUE STREAM TO REPLENISH THOSE FUNDS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE GONE RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GONE.
UM, AND IF WE APPLY FOR GRANTS THAT ARE SOMETIME UNBUDGETED EXPENSE, THOSE GRANTS ALWAYS COME WITH A MATCHING DOLLAR COMPONENT.
SO HAVING FUNDS IN THAT ACCOUNT ALLOWS US TO HAVE MATCHING FUNDS.
UM, AND THEN SHOULD A CRITICAL PROJECT COME THROUGH THE PIPELINE, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE THE AGILITY, UH, TO MOVE QUICKLY AND, AND HELP COME ON AS A PARTNER.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 43,000 IN A-C-D-V-G REVOLVING LOAN, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE WORKED WITH CDVG, THE VERY RESTRICTIVE ON THE WAY YOU CAN USE THOSE FUNDS.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH CHRISTIE BATTERSON AT THE CITY RIGHT NOW, UM, TO TO, TO FIND AND IDENTIFY PATHWAYS TO, TO LEVERAGE THOSE DOLLARS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, OPEN FOR DISCUSSION OR ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE WANTED TO PRESENT THE BUDGET AS AS WE TURNED IT IN AND WHAT THE REQUEST WAS.
AND WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE STORY, UH, OF WHY, IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AROUND LIKE WHO'S GONNA TALK.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION AND FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING, UM, SURE.
UM, I, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS IT'S TIME FOR US TO FUND THIS AND FUND IT MORE TO BOOST OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY LONG OVERDUE.
AND SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE HERE.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO GET ON A PATH WHERE THIS BECOMES EXPONENTIALLY MORE THAN THIS, IN MY OPINION.
UM, BUT WE CAN'T GET THERE IMMEDIATELY.
I DID WANNA ASK YOU, AND YOU AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT OFFLINE, ONE OF MY BIG PRIORITIES FOR WARD THREE IS THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR.
AND THAT STUDY SHOULD BE COMPLETING SOON-ISH.
UM, I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT THIS 'CAUSE I'M, IT'S A SOAPBOX THING FOR ME, BUT, UM, I'M GONNA UP ON MY SOAPBOX FOR A MINUTE.
THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR NEEDS TO BE REDEVELOPED.
I THINK THAT THE CORRIDOR STUDY IS GONNA GIVE US SOME IDEAS FOR HOW TO DO THAT, BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME INCENTIVES FOR REDEVELOPMENT THERE.
AND SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO, LIKE, DOES THIS BUDGET ALLOW YOUR TEAM TO WORK THAT IN ADDITION TO OTHER THINGS YOU HAVE GOING ON? SO WE DID TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE DO FEEL LIKE THOSE LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARE PROBABLY PRETTY MODEST, BUT WE WANTED TO ALSO BE CONSIDERATE IN OUR REQUEST MM-HMM
UM, AND WE'LL KIND OF WORK THROUGH THOSE AND COME TO AS, AS WE HELP SOMEONE IDENTIFY WHICH ARE THE LOW, THE LOW HANGING FRUIT, RIGHT? WHERE DO WE START FIRST? MM-HMM
IF WE LOOK TO BE RUNNING OUTTA MONEY, WE MIGHT HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE THIS COUNCIL TO MAYBE HELP US OFFSET SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL COSTS, BUT KNOW THAT YES, THAT WAS IN THE, UM, INITIAL THOUGHT AND THE INITIAL PLANS.
'CAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT BUDGET FROM YEP.
SUMMER, THIS SUMMER THROUGH NEXT SUMMER.
AND I REALLY ANTICIPATE, 'CAUSE I'M GONNA PUSH IT HARD THAT WE NEED TO MOVE ON THOSE INCENTIVES FOR BROADWAY REDEVELOPMENT SOONER THAN SUMMER OF 27.
I, I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY IF, IF, IF YOU NEEDED TO INCREASE IT TO COVER SOME OF THAT NOW, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE, BUT, OR MAYBE WE DO IT LATER, LIKE YOU SAID, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT, UM, PRECLUDING US FROM ACTING ON THAT WHEN WE GET THAT STUDY BACK.
IT, IT'S DEFINITELY A PRIORITY COURT OR I THINK, UH, HEATHER, JENNIFER, ANYBODY WOULD, WOULD TELL YOU.
I I, IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND INCENTIVIZING IT IN THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A SALES TAX REBATE ISSUE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A TREMENDOUS SALES TAX, YOU KNOW, COMPLETE YOU, YOU KNOW, CORRIDOR.
BUT IT COULD BE GREAT FOR OFFICE, MULTI-USE BUILDINGS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
BUT WE HAVE TO INCENTIVIZE SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO BUY THAT PROPERTY AND, AND TO DEVELOP IT.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN, IN TURN IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH THAT.
I, I DROVE FRIDAY EVENING, I DROVE UP AND DOWN THERE INTENTIONALLY LOOKING AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE GET USED TO IT 'CAUSE WE KNOW WHAT'S THERE AND WE DON'T PAY ATTENTION.
BUT WHEN YOU PAY ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS SOME HELP.
UM, AND IT, IT'S A PRIMARY CORRIDOR.
YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT LEGACY, WHAT THAT WILL DO, HOPEFULLY TO OPEN UP I 35 CORRIDOR AND THE POSSIBILITIES THERE AND, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, I THINK WILL OPEN UP ALONG THAT, THAT AREA AND JUST BE READY TO MOVE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE I THINK IT WENT PRETTY FAST IN, IN TERMS OF THE FIRST PILLAR OF THE, THE BRE MM-HMM
WHAT IS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN YOUR EYES? TAKING CARE OF THE
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EXISTING INDUSTRY THAT'S ALREADY THERE AND DOING THAT THROUGH VERY TARGETED VISITS, OFTENTIMES YOU HAVE A KEY LIST OF QUESTIONS, RIGHT? YOU GO IN THOSE KNOWING YOU'RE TRYING TO GET A PULSE AND AN APPETITE.SO THAT OUR GOAL HERE IS TO MEET THEM, UH, BEFORE CHALLENGES ARISE.
RIGHT? UM, HEARING WHAT THE, GETTING A PULSE OF YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE NEEDS LOOK LIKE.
UM, NEW JOB GROWTH CREATION COMES, UH, TWO OUT OF EVERY THREE JOBS ARE ALREADY CREATED BY INDUSTRY THAT'S ALREADY HERE.
I'M TRYING TO LEAD THAT IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THOSE EXISTING INDUSTRIES.
AND, AND LANDING NEW IS HARD, RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, THOSE ARE, WE TELL, WE, WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE SETTING THIS UP.
THESE KEY PILLARS ARE FOR THE MARATHON.
THIS IS A DECADE TRAJECTORY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, HOW DO WE MAKE SMALL MOVES THAT HAVE A LONG-TERM BIG RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
UM, ON THE, UH, STRATEGIC PILLARS FOR EVALUATING EDMOND, UH, UNDER BUSINESS GROWTH RECRUITMENT, I DIDN'T THINK I'D SAY THE WORD AGAIN, THE METRIC SIX TO EIGHT ACTIVE PROSPECTS.
WHAT ARE, ARE PROJECTS YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TELL ME, BUT WHERE ARE YOU SURE PROJECTS IN THE PORTAL, WHETHER THAT'S PRIMARY EMPLOYEE, LIKE THE SITE VISIT WE HAVE THAT WOULD BE AN ACTIVE PROSPECT IN OUR PORTAL? I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO THOSE BECOMING NOT JUST PROSPECTS, BUT REAL? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND THE AN TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU.
UM, A LOT OF THAT DEPENDS ON MARKET.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT IMPACT THAT.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A FOR INSTANCE, IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE, WE HAD 40 ACTIVE PROJECTS AND THE LENGTH OF TIME, AND I THINK JENNIFER CAN PROBABLY TEST TO THIS AT COMMERCE, SOME OF THOSE REMAIN IN THE ACTIVE PORTAL FOR UP TO TWO YEARS AS THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THEIR CAPITAL STACK AS THEY'RE TRYING TO GET FINANCING FOR PROJECTS.
IF WE'RE TALKING AND WE'RE MEETING AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE PROJECTS, WE STILL COUNT 'EM AS AN ACTIVE PROSPECT UNTIL AT SOME POINT THEY COME TO US AND SAY, THIS ISN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
AND THEN WE MOVE THEM OVER TO AN INACTIVE STATUS.
WELL, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, THOSE SIX TO EIGHT ACTIVE PROSPECTS, HOW MANY OF 'EM YOU THINK ARE GONNA LOCATE IN EDMOND? OH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, WELL, RIGHT NOW, UH, FROM THE RETAIL SIDE, I WOULD SAY YOU HAVE A GOOD, UH, PROBABLY A GOOD MAJORITY OF 'EM, RIGHT? ON THE PRIMARY EMPLOYER SIDE.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TRICKY TO DETERMINE.
AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THEIR CAPITAL STACK.
ARE THEY ABLE TO GET, AND ARE WE ABLE TO GET TO THIS INCENTIVE? WHERE WE'RE THE GAP FILLER? WHERE'S THE HAPPY MEDIAN? AND THAT'S WHERE THAT LIES.
SO YES, WE HOPE THAT HALF OF THOSE ACTIVE PROJECTS BECOME FULL BLOWN PROJECTS.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN ONCE THEY COME TO US WITH AN INITIAL ASK BEFORE GETTING ANY OTHER DETAIL, WE MOVE THEM INTO AN ACTIVE PRO.
WE, WE, WE CONSIDER THEM AN ACTIVE PRO, UH, PROSPECT, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN IMPACT THOSE ACTIVE PROSPECTS.
AND THEN AT THE 10 TO 12 PRIMARY EMPLOYER VISITS MM-HMM
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THOSE? WE'VE ALREADY DONE FIVE THIS YEAR.
SO THAT, THAT'S GOING IN, THOSE ARE JUST VISITS.
THAT'S JUST A TARGET THAT WE WANT TO HAVE EVERY YEAR.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN THE DOOR OF 10 TO 12 PRIMARY EMPLOYERS, THOSE THAT ARE JOBS THAT ARE CREATING LIVABLE WAGES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY.
WE WANT TO ACTIVELY BE IN THE DOOR MEETING WITH 10 TO 12 OF THOSE A YEAR.
AND AGAIN, REMEMBER, THESE ARE BASELINE METRICS.
IF WE, AND, AND WE'RE GONNA START COUNTING THESE METRICS NOW, AND THEY CAN CHANGE DRAMATICALLY.
WE, WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
YOU KNOW? UM, IF, IF WE HAD LAND THAT WE OWNED AND WE DETERMINED, LIKE, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A, FOR INSTANCE, IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE, WE MANAGED FIVE INDUSTRIAL PARKS, AND I WOULD RESPOND TO ANY RFP THAT CAME THROUGH OUR COMMERCE PORTAL IF I HAD ALL THE IDENTIFYING FACTORS THAT MADE OUR CITY A REAL CONTENDER FOR THAT PROJECT.
SO IT IT'S REAL, THOSE, THOSE TARGETS CAN MOVE.
BUT THESE ARE BASELINE BASED ON THE, THE ACTIVE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY, THAT HAVE REQUESTS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH OUR DOOR AND THE 50 TO 150,000 TO IMPROVE COMPETITIVE FOR THE INCENTIVE FUND.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT I THINK I JUST HEARD YOU SAY 60,000.
WE DID, WE APPROVED 60,000 FOR ROLLY YARD.
40 OF WHICH WE FUNDED IN, IN FEBRUARY.
AND THE ADDITIONAL 20, THEY HAVE ONE
[00:25:01]
YEAR TO REACH THEIR SALES MILESTONE.SO NEXT MARCH WE COULD POTENTIALLY BE PAYING OUT AN ADDITIONAL 20,000.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ARE YOU GOOD DOWN THERE? I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
AND YOU MAY HAVE SAID IT, AND MY BRAIN WASN'T WORKING AS FAST, UM, AS YOU WERE TALKING, BUT IN THE UNDER CAPITAL STRATEGY, IT SAYS, IDENTIFY TWO CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT TOOLS.
CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT? AND THEN WHAT LINE ITEM, WHAT CATEGORY WOULD THAT FALL UNDER? SO CAPITAL TOOLS, UM, WOULD BE, SO LET'S SAY WE'RE BRINGING IN THE STRATEGIC CORRIDOR AND WE BRING IN OUTSIDE EXPERTISE AND THEY SAY WE NEED TO CREATE A TIF DISTRICT THAT'S A CAPITAL TOOL.
GOING BACK TO THE MAYOR ON LOOKING AT REOCCURRING REVENUE STREAMS. THAT IS A CAPITAL TOOL THAT WE COULD USE TO HELP, UH, OFFSET THE COST OF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY THE CAPITAL TOOLS.
AND THEN THAT WOULD FALL UNDER, UM, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
AND THEN, UH, PRIMARILY BRINGING IN THAT OUTSIDE EXPERTISE AND THOSE LEGAL SERVICES, IT WOULD FALL UNDER THAT LINE ITEM.
WITH, WITH THE PROSPECTING MM-HMM
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR SOME KIND OF CRM? YES.
THAT WAS UNDER THE, THAT UNDER THAT'S UNDER THAT IS UNDER OPERATIONS WITH THE 22% INCREASE, THAT'S WHERE THE PURCHASE OF A CRM PORTAL WOULD GO.
AND THEN THE MARKETING SLASH DATA MM-HMM
DOES THAT INCLUDE, YOU MENTIONED HIRING SOMEONE TO INSTITUTE A MARKETING PLAN.
IS THAT UNDER MARKETING LINE ITEM OR IS IT UNDER PERSONNEL? NOPE.
SO UNDER MARKETING AND DATA, THAT WOULD BE THE PURCHASE OF PLAN.
SO THIS YEAR IT WAS AN UNBUDGETED EXPENSE.
WE'VE ADDED THAT INTO THAT LINE ITEM THIS YEAR.
AND THEN WE ACCOUNTED FOR HIRING A FIRM TO BUILD US OUT THAT STRATEGY.
AND THEN UNDER PERSONNEL, WE WILL BE HIRING, UM, WE'RE NOT FULLY BACK UP TO STAFF OF WHAT EEDA USED TO BE.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A MARKETING AND RESEARCH PERSON, AND THAT PERSON'S SALARY WOULD FALL UNDER PERSONNEL.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE RATIONALE BEHIND EACH, UM, INCREASE.
FROM, SO FIRST THING I'M GONNA SAY IS I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS.
I CAN THINK BACK TO WHEN I WAS ON EEDA AND OG, WE HAD 30,000 IN INCENTIVE DOLLARS A YEAR, AND WE WOULD SPEND IT IN ONE SHOT ALMOST EVERY SINGLE YEAR, TYPICALLY IN WHAT FILL AUGUST, JULY, OR AUGUST THAT FAST.
SO WE KNOW IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY, WE KNOW IT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT IT'S GETTING US TO THE POINT WHERE WE'VE GOT SOMEONE WHO IS FOCUSING ON JOBS AND EXISTING BUSINESSES AND HOW THEY EXPAND.
I'M EX VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTA THINK ABOUT HOW WE SUPPORT AS YOU'VE GOT IN YOUR FOUR PILLARS, HOW WE SUPPORT OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES.
UM, BECAUSE THE REALITY OF IT IS, AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU SAY SIX TO EIGHT ACTIVE PRO PROSPECTS.
THE METRIC IS ACTIVE PROSPECTS.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY NERD HAT COMING UP.
YOU KNOW, I SHOULD PROBABLY PUSH MY GLASSES UP AND REALIZE I DON'T HAVE TAPE ON MY NOSE TODAY TO REALLY MAKE IT LOOK APPROPRIATE, BUT, UM, THIS IS A GREAT START.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT WE DO TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THIS BECAUSE, UM, TO PRESTON'S COMMENTS, CONCERNS ABOUT THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR THAT ALSO EXTENDS TO SECOND STREET ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE INTERSTATE, HOW WE TIE ALL THAT TOGETHER.
UM, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE REINVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE WHAT WE THINK PROBABLY TODAY, IT'S GONNA BE AS WE COME UP THE CORRIDOR FROM 33RD STREET.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE IT MORE INVITING WHEN PEOPLE COME TO TOWN.
SO, UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING.
SO MAYOR AND COUNSEL, CAN I GET A LITTLE MORE, UM, DIRECTION FROM YOU?
[00:30:02]
UM, I LISTENED TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST SAID, AND I, I THINK THAT THE, UH, THE, THE PLAN AS, UH, AS JUST PRESENTED, UH, IS A LOT TO BUILD ON.AND I THINK THERE'S REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT IT.
I, I THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU MY THOUGHTS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE CITY-WISE FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.
AND, AND MAYBE YOU WANT ME TO HOLD OFF ON THOSE? I, I CAN DO EITHER, EITHER OR.
BUT, BUT I WOULD SAY THIS, UM, IN, IN FAIRNESS TO EEDA, THE $150,000, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW IT WAS LABELED, BUT THAT $150,000 IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WAS VERY MUCH AT, UH, AT MAYBE AT MY INDIVIDUAL REQUEST, BUT WAS VERY MUCH THE PRODUCT OF SOME DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE EEDA AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WHAT I WOULD CALL SOME OF OUR CORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUES.
BUT IT WAS VERY MUCH THE PRODUCT OF SOME DISCUSSION THAT I THINK WE NEED SOME SPECIALIZED WORK.
IT MIGHT BE IN THE FORM OF LEGAL SERVICES, IT MIGHT BE IN THE FORM OF PROFESSIONAL OR TECHNICAL CONSULTATIVE SERVICES.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S THERE AND IN, AND SO I, I, I SUPPORT THAT, UM, IN A WORLD WHERE WE HAVE TOLD DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO DO, UH, TO BE FLAT, UH, IF NOT, UH, DECREASE A LITTLE BIT, I WOULD PROBABLY BE MOST COMFORTABLE PRESENTING TO THE COUNCIL OR ASKING THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AN AMOUNT, UM, LESS THAN, UH, 1.1 AND CHANGE MILLION.
AND I CAN WORK BACKWARDS INTO WHAT THAT WOULD BE.
BUT I DON'T, UH, IF YOU'RE NOT OPEN TO IT OR IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT, THEN I CAN STOP.
BUT I, I, I THINK THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE CITY'S BUDGET BEING VERY MUCH A MAINTENANCE BUDGET FOR 26, 27, AND I THINK THAT'S MAYBE THE RIGHT LENS TO VIEW THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORT THROUGH.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL EXPAND ON THAT EFFORT A SECOND.
IF I'M GOING TOO FAR AFIELD, YOU CAN STOP ME.
I THINK WE GENERALLY HAVE WHAT I WOULD CALL FOUR, YOU KNOW, CORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
ONE IS THE GENERAL QUESTION OF INCENTIVES.
AND, UH, WE WERE HERE A WEEK AGO TALKING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT INCENTIVE THE CITY IS PROVIDING.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT AND WE'LL REMAIN IN THAT MARKET.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND OR SO PARTICULARLY MOVES THE NEEDLE.
I MEAN, THERE'S A PROJECT THAT WAS REFERENCED THAT I THINK EVERYBODY'S HAPPY WITH, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S GREAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD FUND A, A QUOTE INCENTIVE EFFORT, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AT THE EEDA.
I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A HALF A STEP BACK AND, AND LOOK A LITTLE MORE BROADLY AT THAT.
THE SECOND SORT OF CORE AREA I WOULD, I WOULD DESCRIBE IS UNDER THE GENERAL HEADING OF MARKETING, PROMOTION AND LEAD GENERATION.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ASKED TODAY WERE ABOUT PROSPECTS AND, AND LEADS, UH, LEADS AND SO FORTH.
I THINK, UH, AS WE LOOK AT HOW WE AS A CITY MIGHT USE OUR OWN MARKETING, UM, DEPARTMENT AND OUR, OUR OWN MARKETING EFFORT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO AID THAT EFFORT? I BELIEVE THERE IS.
UM, THIRD IS WHAT I WOULD GENERALLY TERM REVENUE GENERATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR HAS COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THIS DISCUSSION, I THINK IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT FOR US IS UNDERPERFORMING.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT, UH, UH, PORTION OF OUR REAL ESTATE, OF OUR INCORPORATED AREA THAT ISN'T PRODUCING ANY REVENUE.
IN FACT, OVER A, A LONGER PERIOD IS PROBABLY A NET DRAIN ON THE CITY'S RESOURCES OR THE CITY'S TREASURY, AS OPPOSED TO ANYTHING THAT GENERATES REVENUE AS A NET POSITIVE.
I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY CLOSELY EXAMINE WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT, WHAT DO WE MEAN BY REVENUE GENERATION AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO SUPPORT IT? AND THAT PROBABLY LEADS ME TO THE FOURTH AREA, AND THAT IS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE WHAT WHATEVER DOLLAR AMOUNT WE FUND, WHETHER IT'S A FULL 1.1 MILLION OR WHETHER IT'S A DOLLAR, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EFFORTS AREN'T DUPLICATIVE.
MEANING THE CITY AND THE EEDA AREN'T DOING THE SAME THING AT THE SAME TIME OR TALKING TO THE SAME PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S GOOD COORDINATION AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT TO BE CRITICAL OF ANYTHING OR ANYONE.
I JUST DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET.
UM, I WOULD BE MOST COMFORTABLE, IF YOU ASKED ME, I WOULD BE MOST COMFORTABLE, UM, RECOMMENDING AN AMOUNT, UM, THAT IS BENEATH, UH, THE 1.1 AND CHANGE MILLION, BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SLASHING THEIR BUDGET OR ANYTHING, BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MORE ALONG THE LINES OF MAINTENANCE AND PERHAPS ADDING IN THE 150, UH, THAT THEY INCLUDED, I THINK REALLY AT THE, AT THE CITY'S REQUEST.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO BUILD ON.
I THINK THERE'S, THERE CAN BE SOME
[00:35:01]
POSITIVE MOMENTUM.I THINK WE'RE ALL, UH, OPTIMISTIC AND HOPEFUL ABOUT THE CATALYTIC IMPACT OF WHAT THINGS THAT COVE, UH, AND I 35 MIGHT BE, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.
AND, AND AGAIN, IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE'VE ASKED EVERY OTHER PART OF THE CITY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BE FLAT, IF NOT DOWN, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD, UM, UH, TREAT DEDA OR THAT REQUEST ANY DIFFERENTLY EXCEPT FOR WHERE WE'VE ASKED FOR AN INCREASE.
I WOULD REPLY TO THAT BY SAYING, WELL, THAT'S THE POSITION YOU FIND YOURSELF IN, IS FIGURING OUT HOW WE MAKE THIS WORK.
UM, AND I, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID AT ALL, BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE ASKING EVERYBODY ELSE TO BE FLAT, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW WE MAKE IT WORK.
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE A VISION, WE HAVE GOALS, WE HAVE IDEAS HERE ON HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT FORWARD.
AND IF WE HAVE TO SLOW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE, THE REVENUE POSITION WE FIND OURSELVES IN, UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT BETWEEN YOU AND THE EEDA BOARD AND HEATHER CAN FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET IT STARTED.
WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE THEIR FEET OUT FROM UNDER 'EM.
BUT WE RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE WE'VE GOT, AND I DON'T, I I DON'T THINK WE APPROACH IT ANY DIFFERENTLY.
IT'S JUST WHAT PARTS OF THIS DO WE JUMP ON? WHAT PARTS CAN WE PARTNER TO HELP MOVE THINGS FORWARD WITH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GOT WITHIN OUR OWN STRUCTURE? I DON'T TOTALLY DISAGREE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, RAISE THE AWARENESS NOT ONLY UP HERE, BUT, BUT OUT THERE AND EVERYWHERE.
IT'S, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE.
WE HAVE A, A PRETTY DECENT RESERVE AND RESERVE WITH EEDA HAS ALWAYS BEEN JUST CALCULATED ON, YOU KNOW, REVENUES MINUS EXPENSES AND WHAT'S LEFT OVER.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE THE REASON IT'S GROWN TO WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE WE HAD ZERO STAFF FOR ALMOST A YEAR.
SO WE HAD A WINDFALL THAT PUT, PUT INTO THE, THE CAPITAL, SO TO SPEAK, OF THE EEDA.
HEATHER WAS CHARGED BY HER BOARD, PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET THAT IS THE MOST EFFICIENT, MOST EFFECTIVE FOR THE EEDA TO OPERATE.
WE KNEW WALKING INTO THAT, THAT THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A WAY THAT IT'S GONNA BE TOTALLY FILLED IN THIS YEAR.
IT'S JUST THE SITUATION WE'RE AT.
SO I DON'T THINK, I WOULD DOUBT THERE'S ANYBODY THAT'S GONNA BE TOTALLY SURPRISED BY THAT MR. CITY MANAGER.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THINGS ARE AS, AS THE SAYING GOES, THE THE THING I THINK THAT EVERYBODY IS CONCERNED ABOUT AT, CERTAINLY AT THE EEDA IS WE WILL HAVE ASKS, AND WE DO WANT TO MEET SOME OF THOSE, IF NOT ALL OF THEM, FOR RETENTION, FOR MAKING SURE PROJECTS LIKE, UH, LIKE, UH, THE RAIL YARD AND DIFFERENT THINGS SURVIVE.
AND, AND SO THE, I THINK THE SCARY PART IS WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED, WELL, WE'VE IDENTIFIED, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY EFFECTIVE MEASURE IN PLACE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE REPLENISH THAT? AND SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE PUCKERED UP FEELING ABOUT WHEN IT'S GONE.
THERE'S NOBODY THERE TO, TO, TO TURN THE TAP ON AND IT COMES BACK IN.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I LIKE TO LOOK AT, AND I KNOW IT, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT LET, LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES.
LET'S LOOK AT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO.
THERE'S A, THE LARGER TOWN IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
HALF OUR SIZE AND POPULATION, AND AS MUCH OR MORE IN TERMS OF THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUDGET, WE WE'RE JUST SIMPLY NOT THERE.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT A CRITICISM.
I KNOW YOU OF ALL PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT.
IT'S JUST, I, I DON'T WANT THAT LEFT OFF TO GET BELOW THE TAPE SURFACE OF THE TABLE.
WE, WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE THERE SOME WAY, EVEN IF NOT THIS YEAR.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S, UM, A GOOD JOB APPRECIATION TO EDMUND ELECTRIC AND GLEN, I MEAN, IT, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU WEREN'T EVEN TOLD AND DON'T EVEN HAVE IT CORRECT IN YOUR, IN YOUR MATERIALS AS FAR AS AS THE ADDITIONAL THAT'S BEEN PUT UP, PUT UP FROM EDMUND ELECTRIC TO EEDA.
BUT IT IS UNFAIR THAT THAT'S THE ONLY STREAM FOREVER THAT GOES INTO THE EEDA.
THAT IS, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PRIME METHOD OF INVESTING IN YOURSELVES,
[00:40:02]
THAT'S IT.THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE TIGHT, DO BUSINESSES SHUT DOWN THEIR MARKETING DEPARTMENT? NO, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU, THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A CITY.
EVEN IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THIS YEAR, WE'VE GOTTA FIND A WAY TO DO IT DOWN THE ROAD.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, COMMENTS? WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO AFFIRM THAT I SUPPORT THE CITY MANAGER LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING CONSISTENT WITH WHAT, WITH WHAT WE'RE ASKING OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DO, CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DO.
AND ALSO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE AS THE CITY ARE COHESIVE AND USING ALL THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, USING ALL THE STAFF, UM, THAT ARE COMMITTED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND, BUT I, UM, YEAH, I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST THIS BUDGET, BUT I JUST THINK IT, IT FEELS MY DUTY AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JUST TO ASK OR AFFIRM THAT.
LET'S LOOK AT IT AND, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH.
UH, I WAS JUST, LAST THING, MR. MAYOR, I DO AGREE WITH YOU.
THE, THESE ARE GOALS, A LOT OF THEM IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IN TERMS, IN TERMS OF SALES, IN TERMS OF A LOT OF GENERATION, THE METRICS ARE ME MEASURED ON ACTIVITY.
AND SO I, I THINK YOU HIT ON SOMETHING THE EEDA AND THE CITY CAN WORK TOGETHER.
I DON'T KNOW OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES OR ALLIANCES OR WHATEVER THAT ARE RECRUITING A SPECIFIC RETAILER TO FILL A VACANT SPACE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE EEDA LOOKS AT PROJECTS CERTAINLY THAT HAVE RETAILERS AND THINGS, AND THEY LOOK AT CORRIDORS AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S A REALLY GOOD BLEND THAT COULD HAPPEN THERE.
YOU JUST HAVE TO DESIGNATE AND DIFFERENTIATE WHERE THAT LIES AND, AND WHERE THAT HAPPENS.
CAN I SAY THAT A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY? MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, FOR SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS TO EDMOND, PARTICULARLY THE REVENUE GENERATION ASPECT OF IT, WE HAVE TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN THIS ENTIRE CITY DEVOTED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S INSUFFICIENT.
I, I THINK WE CAN AND NEED TO DO BETTER.
AND BECAUSE WE HAVE ONLY TWO FULL-TIME PEOPLE DEVOTED TO IT, UM, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORK IS NOT DUPLICATIVE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE ARE WORKING IN TANDEM, UH, WITH, WITH DISTINCT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND A, A VERY, UH, UH, WELL ESTABLISHED, UH, SYSTEM, IF NOT EXPECTATION OF, OF ALMOST CONSTANT COMMUNICATION AND, UM, UH, SORRY, DETERRING CLICHE NOW, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING IT IN A, IN AN ORGANIZED, SYNCHRONIZED WAY.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE TODAY.
AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE CRITICAL OF ANYONE OR ANYTHING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POSITIONS THAT HAVE HAD RECENT TURNOVER AND NEW PEOPLE AND DIFFERENT IDEAS, AND, UM, I JUST THINK IT, IT, IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE CONCERTED EFFORT AND THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THE OUTCOMES AND THE OBJECTIVES ARE AND THEN MATCHING UP THOSE RESOURCES.
AND LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT EVEN DURING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, COUPLE DAYS, MAKING SURE THAT OUR EFFORTS ARE ALIGNED WITH YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND YOUR GOALS AND YOUR PRIORITIES.
UH, I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON COUNCILWOMAN NICHOLS COMMENT.
THERE'S THINGS WE CAN DO IN HOUSE TO, TO HELP EACH OTHER EEDA IN THE CITY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE, HOW THOROUGHLY THOSE HAVE BEEN EXPLORED, BUT WE NEED TO DO THAT.
AND WE'VE GOT MARKETING CITY ATTORNEY'S, OFFICE ASSISTANT, CITY ATTORNEY, UH, I, I DON'T WANNA DUPLICATE SERVICES OR PRODUCT.
SO, AND THEN COUNCILMAN FRAME, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID BY RECRUITMENT.
UH, TALK TO ME MORE ABOUT THAT.
RECRUITING, UH, BUSINESSES TO COME.
I, I THINK I WAS JUST MAKING A DISTINCTION ABOUT LIKE A SINGLE RETAILER.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE WHAT, 21, 22 IDENTIFIED VACANT SPOTS AND YOU KNOW, HOW WE DIVIDE UP THOSE DUTIES TO, TO RECRUIT AND TRY TO FILL THOSE IS PART OF THAT, MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
[00:45:03]
ANYONE ELSE? SO ARE YOU SUGGEST I'M NOT CLEAR ON WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, WE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS, BRING IT BACK? WELL, I GUESS I'LL, I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WITH A QUESTION.WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE, UH, ME TO DO, FOR INSTANCE? I, I, WE DON'T, THERE'S NO NEED TO BE MYSTERIOUS.
I THINK WHAT I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING IS SOMETHING IN THE, IN THE AREA OF ABOUT 900,000, MAYBE NOT THAT EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
UM, THEY WERE 7 84, UH, 2 84 IN THE 25 26 BUDGET WE HAD AS A PLACEHOLDER.
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AS A PLACEHOLDER IN, UH, 26 27, 820 $3,498.
IF WE INCREASE THAT BY 76,502 OR THEREABOUTS, THAT'S 900,000.
DOES THAT GO UP? DOES THAT, UM, IT PROBABLY DOESN'T GO DOWN AT ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'VE ASKED THEM TO DO, BUT TO THE POINT THAT'S BEEN MADE A COUPLE OF TIMES, UH, MOST RECENTLY BY COUNCILMAN MOORE, UM, LET'S, WE'LL, WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT BEING DUPLICATIVE OF, OF, OF EFFORTS.
AND, UM, AND LOOK, THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS WE CAN'T COME BACK.
I MEAN, WE, BY MY ACCOUNT, WE HAVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT ON ABOUT EVERY COUNCIL, UH, AGENDA.
UH, I KNOW THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE GOAL TO CONTINUE THAT, BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO SAY THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE ALL RIGHTFULLY EXPECT TO BE PRETTY SOLID PERFORMANCE.
AND IT'D BE A NICE PROBLEM TO HAVE IF WE HAVE TO COME BACK BECAUSE THE EEDA HAS PRESENTED US WITH PROJECTS AND OR POSSIBLE INCENTIVES THAT ARE CAUSING US TO RE-LOOK AT IT AND IF THE WORD IS REPLENISH OR REPLACE OR WHATEVER, UH, INCREASE THAT OVERALL FUNDING.
BUT I THINK AS A ROUND NUMBER, I WOULD BE MOST COMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW PENDING YOUR ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK AT SOMEWHERE AROUND 900,000.
I MEAN, DID Y'ALL TALK ABOUT THIS? ARE WE PUBLICLY NEGOTIATING THIS RIGHT NOW? OR DO Y'ALL WANNA WORK IT OUT? I CAN'T TELL WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
WELL, WELL, SO IT, NO, WE, WE DEFINITELY DID TALK ABOUT IT.
UH, I MEAN, WHAT I GENERALLY SAID WAS I RECOGNIZED, UM, THE, THE ADDITIONAL UP TO 150,000, THAT'S A BIT OF A PLACEHOLDER NUMBER.
MAYBE IT ISN'T QUITE THAT MUCH, WHICH IS WHY I JUST PICKED A ROUND NUMBER OF 900,000.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THEIR 7 84 AND ADD ONE 50 TO IT, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED, THAT WOULD TAKE YOU TO, TO WHAT? 9 34 AND CHANGE.
I, I'M, I DON'T WANT TO SPLIT HAIRS WITH YOU.
I'M, I'M COMFORTABLE EITHER ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS.
IF INCENTIVES ARE, I'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN, INCENTIVES ARE THE TOOL WE NEED IN OUR TOOL BELT INCENTIVES ARE THE TEETH TO DO BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED, IF THAT'S WHAT DRIVES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEN MAYBE WE FOCUS ON THE INCENTIVE SIDE OF IT AS OPPOSED TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
I MEAN, IF, IF, IF, IF, IF OUR GOAL IS TO DRIVE THAT NUMBER UP FOR THE INCENTIVE PACKAGE PORTION OF EEDA, WELL, I'M TOLD $150,000 ISN'T REAL MONEY.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS REAL MONEY, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
AND IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES TO COME HERE, RETAIL TO COME HERE, THAT'S WHERE WE OUGHT TO FOCUS.
NO ONE HAS SAID, GOLLY, MARKETING IS WHAT BRINGS 'EM HERE.
IT'S INCENTIVES, INCENTIVES, INCENTIVES.
I'VE HEARD THAT FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UH, LAST THURSDAY, A GUY TOLD ME, GOLLY, WE GOTTA GET THAT UP.
SO IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO, THEN LET'S DO IT.
IF THAT'S WHAT WILL BRING IT, THEN LET'S DO IT.
DO YOU WANT ME TO SOMEBODY, I, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THE ONLY THING WE NEED TO DO.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT AS CITY MANAGER, I WOULD EVER, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S THE ONLY THING TO DO.
I MEAN, YOU GOTTA HAVE ELECTRICITY AND WATER OUT THERE AND YOU GOTTA HAVE PEOPLE AND YOU GOTTA HAVE PROGRAMS AND A COMPUTER AND ALL OF THAT.
BUT EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IT'S INCENTIVE, INCENTIVE, INCENTIVE.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, BUILD THAT UP AND GO GET 'EM.
I, I THINK THE, THE 900, THE NINE 30, WHATEVER WE LAND AT IS, IS A VERY, VERY GOOD STEP.
[00:50:01]
HOW THOSE BUCKETS WITHIN THE EEDA ARE FIELD WILL, WILL LEAVE THAT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHETHER IT'S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, UH, INCENTIVES THERE, THERE ARE RESERVES THERE WHERE INCENTIVES CAN BE ADDED TO RIGHT NOW.THAT'S UP TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE BOARD TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
BUT THE BUCKETS I'M LOOKING AT, SO INCENTIVES 50,000 UP TO 150,000, APPARENTLY WE NEED MORE TO DO IT, HEATHER.
SO I, I DO WANNA SAY AJ AND I DID HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND THEN WE TALKED INTERNALLY AND WE WANTED TO PRESENT THE BUDGET AS WE, AS THE FULL REQUEST BECAUSE WE WANTED TO TELL THE STORY.
WE WEREN'T JUST ASKING FOR MONEY FOR MONEY'S SAKE.
YES, I DO BELIEVE, I I DIDN'T SAY THAT.
I SAID IF, IF INCENTIVES ARE WHAT YOU TELL ME EACH AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE A CONVERSATION, SURE.
EVERY TIME MS. SPRINGER AND I HAVE A CONVERSATION, IT'S INCENTIVES.
IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED, THEN PUT THE MONEY IN INCENTIVES.
SO I CAN I JUST GIVE SOME EXPLANATION AND, AND WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, IF WE ARE ABLE TO HELP IDENTIFY THOSE CATALYTIC CORRIDORS, THE REVITALIZATION ZONES, MAYBE THE I 35 CORRIDOR, AND WE'RE ABLE TO PUT SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS IN PLACE, THERE WILL BE MONEY UNDER THOSE TOOLS FOR INCENTIVES.
PART OF IT TOO, WE'RE ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, TO, UM, SET UP A REOCCURRING, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH AJ'S TEAM TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE A REOCCURRING REVENUE STREAM DIRECTLY TARGETED TO INCENTIVES.
SO IF YOU'RE ASKING ME ON THE PRIORITY OF THINGS RIGHT NOW, I AGREE WITH AJ, IT NEEDS TO BE UNDER THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND THEN A CRM BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BETTER TRACK AND HAVE A PART A, A PORTAL THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE BETTER FORMS AND LINES OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE EEDA AND A CRM WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
WHAT WAS THAT LAST SENTENCE? THE CRM, THE ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THAT.
SO I WOULD SAY THE, THE 150 IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND THE MONEY FOR THE CRM WOULD BE TOP PRIORITY IN MY MIND FOR EEDA RIGHT NOW.
I THINK, AJ, THAT YOU AND HEATHER AND THE BOARD CAN GET TOGETHER AND WORK THROUGH THIS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT IS.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE LIKE, LIKE PHIL SAID, THERE ARE SOME RESERVES SITTING THERE.
THEY CAN MAKE A LOT OF THIS HAPPEN.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GETTING INTO A CRM, ADDING SOME INCENTIVE MONEY IN, IN THE NEXT YEAR, THERE ARE RESERVES THERE THAT'LL HELP US GET THROUGH THIS WITHOUT PUSHING UP THE NUMBER SO THAT WE CAN REMAIN FLAT OTHER THAN USING RESERVES.
IF THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO GET IT STARTED, UH, LET'S LET YOU ALL WORK THROUGH THAT AND BRING SOMETHING BACK TO US AS WE GET CLOSER TO, TO OUR FINAL BUDGET WORKSHOP.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK IN THE END, IF WE KNOW IT'S GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THIS COUNCIL IS GONNA BE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IS COMING FROM WHAT BUCKET.
WELL, AND TO BE CLEAR IF THE BUDGET NEEDS TO INCREASE AND IT, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE GOAL IS TO, FOR THE EDMUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO BE THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF THE CITY, THEN INCREASING THE BUDGET IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING I WOULD SUPPORT.
BUT WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TO DO THAT IN A MINDFUL WAY.
I'M NOT, AND AND SO I I, I DO THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHAT ABOUT THIS, FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THERE.
UH, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP, HOW I CAN HELP NOT GET IN THE WAY, BUT TO HELP.
BUT I, I NEED TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT BUCKET AND, AND, AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS SUGGESTED.
LET THE EEDA BOARD IN THE, IN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DETERMINE WHAT'S IN THOSE BUCKETS.
WELL, I'M, THEN, THEN WHY ARE WE, THEN WHY AM I SITTING HERE TODAY? I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THAT.
SO LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO AND HAVE A TALK ABOUT IT.
LAST THING I'LL SAY, ALL I'VE HEARD SINCE I'VE STARTED THIS JOB IS WE'VE UNDER UNDER-RESOURCED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR LIKE 10 YEARS.
SO I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS THE RIGHT NUMBER.
I DON'T KNOW, I THINK Y'ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED TO DUPLICATE SERVICES.
WE NEED TO BE SMART ABOUT THAT.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT WE NEED TO FREAKING DO IT.
LIKE WE CAN'T KEEP SAYING THAT EVERY YEAR AND
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THEN NOT DO IT.AND I KNOW THE, THE LEGACY AT COVELL THING WE JUST APPROVED IS AN EXAMPLE OF DOING IT.
SO THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A GOOD, A GOOD MOVE.
UM, BUT I FEEL LIKE AT SOME POINT WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW THAT, HOW THIS INVESTMENT TIES TO SALES TAX GENERATION OR TO THOSE GOALS.
THE METRICS WILL HELP US GET THERE.
WE NEED TO GIVE EDA THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO INCENTIVIZE BOTH LITTLE THINGS AND BIG THINGS.
AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M AT.
BUT I, I DON'T WANNA ALSO SIT HERE IN THREE MONTHS AND THERE'S A BROADWAY CORRIDOR STUDY THAT'S NOT FUNDED TO GO FOR EVERYBODY TO GO START WORKING THAT.
I'LL JUST REITERATE LIKE THAT'S A BIG PRIORITY FOR ME.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WHATEVER WE DO, WE HAVE HEADROOM ON BOTH SIDES, CITY AND EDA TO GO DO THAT.
THE OTHER THING IS, THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? GENERAL FUND IS FROM A CERTAIN SOURCE AND IT'S EXPENDITURE OF DOLLARS PER SERVICE.
THIS IS FROM A DIFFERENT SOURCE EXPENDITURE OF DOLLARS TO GENERATE MORE DOLLARS.
SO LIKE THIS IS LIKE ADVERTISING BUDGET VERSUS PAYING RENT ON AN ON OFFICE BUILDING.
THESE ARE NOT THE SAME THINGS.
AND SO WE DO HAVE, WE HAVE TIGHTENED THE BELT ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE ON SPENDING ON SERVICES BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED REVENUE.
BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GET THAT NEW REVENUE IS TO KEEP SPENDING JUST LIKE YOU INVEST IN AN ADVERTISING BUDGET LIKE PHIL SAID.
SO I DON'T LOOK AT 'EM AS THE SAME THING.
AND WE WANT TO BE EQUITABLE ABOUT HOW THE DOLLARS ARE DISTRIBUTED IN THE BUDGET.
YOU KNOW WHERE WE CAN, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
TO ME IT'S APPLES FOR AND ORANGES.
IT'S NOT GENERAL FINE SERVICE PROVISION.
WE GOOD? ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON.
[3. Discussion with Frank Crawford, with Crawford and Associates, regarding: The Fund Accounting and Financial Reporting Consolidation Project; and The Budget Simplification Project.]
ITEM THREE, DISCUSSION WITH FRANK CRAWFORD WITH CRAWFORD AND ASSOCIATES REGARDING A, THE FUND ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING CONSOLIDATION PROJECT, AND B, THE BUDGET SIMPLIFICATION PROJECT.KATHY PANIS, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR ARE JUST HERE TO INTRODUCE FRANK.
UM, FRANK, UH, IS THE PRES, THE MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER AND PRESIDENT OF CRAWFORD AND ASSOCIATES AND PART OF OUR BUDGET, UH, FUND STRUCTURE AND BUDGET REFORM COMMITTEE.
WE DID TALK EXTENSIVELY ABOUT OUR FUND STRUCTURE AND LOOKING AT IT TO SIMPLIFY IT, HELP IT TO REFLECT, UH, MORE TRANSPARENCY AND BE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND FOR OUR USERS.
SO FRANK, UM, JUST VERY QUICKLY, UH, CRAWFORD AND ASSOCIATES IS NATIONALLY, INTERNATIONALLY, AND STATEWIDE KNOWN AS A LEADER IN, UM, GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CONSULTING.
THEY DO TEACH ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND, UM, THEY OFFER SERVICES OF FINANCIAL STATEMENT PREPARATION.
SO THEY DO COMPILE OUR FINANCIALS EVERY YEAR.
AND THEN HSPG IS A, UH, ENTITY THAT ACTUALLY AUDITS IT, BUT THEY ARE EXPERT WITNESSES, UM, FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS.
SO THEY'RE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND THEY HAVE ALSO CHAIRED, UH, STATE NATIONAL COMMITTEES ON BEHALF OF THE OKLAHOMA STATE, UH, CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT GROUP, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AND THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARD BOARD.
SO FRANK, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
ONE THING I DID NOT DO WAS GO TO THE SCHOOL OF HOW TO WRITE A SHORTER BIO.
SO I HAVE TO WORK ON THAT ALSO, UM, VERY SIMPLY, UM, THE CITY MANAGER HAD ASKED THAT I, UH, COME TO THIS WORKSHOP TO ADDRESS YOU ABOUT A COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS REQUESTED THAT WE DO.
AND OF COURSE, BY KEEPING MY EAR AND EYES ON WHAT THE BUDGET REFORM COMMITTEE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND LISTENING TO THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, THERE SEEMS TO BE A, UH, A COMPLEXITY TO THE FINANCIAL REPORTING OF THE CITY AND THE CITY'S BUDGET THAT PROBABLY IS NOT NECESSARY.
AND SO, UH, THE AJ HAD ASKED THAT WE PUT TOGETHER PERHAPS, UH, UH, AN OUTLINE OF A PROJECT OR TWO PROJECTS TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, SHRINK THE SIZE OF THE ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING ENTITY OF THE CITY.
AND THEN ONCE THAT IS SHRUNK, TO THEN TAKE WHAT REMAINS AND SIMPLIFY IT SO THAT IF SOMEONE WERE TO SAY, HOW MUCH IS THE CITY OF EDMOND'S BUDGET IN TOTAL? WELL BLANK, WE KNOW THAT NUMBER.
UH, HOW MUCH IS THE GENERAL FUND COMPONENT OF THAT BUDGET? IT'S THAT NUMBER.
UH, IN OTHER WORDS, IT NEEDS TO BE THAT SIMPLE.
UM, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
UM, THE REASON IT HAS GOTTEN SO COMPLICATED, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, OVER THE LAST 30 PLUS YEARS, NOT ONLY HAS THE SIZE AND POPULATION OF THE CITY OF EDMOND GROWN,
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SO HAS THE ACCOUNTING ENTITY, UM, THE ACCOUNTING ENTITY HAS PROBABLY GROWN MAYBE SOMEWHAT UNNECESSARILY, UH, WHERE WE HAVE CREATED A NUMBER OF FUNDS OR POCKETS IF YOU WOULD, OF MONEY THAT WE WANT TO SEGREGATE FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHETHER IT'S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT, AN ADMINISTRATIVE PREFERENCE, OR A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT, OR WE JUST SIMPLY HAVE A GRANT THAT SAYS WE WILL ACCOUNT FOR THIS SEPARATELY.THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN CREATED OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS THAT WE NOW HAVE ABOUT 58 IN TOTAL, UM, SPREAD ACROSS, ACROSS THREE DIFFERENT ENTITIES.
THE CITY, THE EDMOND PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY, AND OF COURSE THE EEDA, WHICH YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UM, THAT'S PROBABLY FAR BIGGER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.
AND SO THE FIRST PART OF OUR PROJECT IS GONNA BE TO REVIEW THE FUND STRUCTURE AND LOOK AT EVERY FUND.
AND WHEN I SAY FUND, I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE I'M WEARING A PAIR OF CARGO PANTS WITH POCKETS.
UM, AND THIS IS, PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE NOT.
THANK GOODNESS, BECAUSE, UH, I WOULD NEED ONE OF THOSE CARGO PANTS THAT HAD 58 POCKETS, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT A FUND IS.
IT'S A POCKET OF MONEY WHERE THERE'S MONEY ALREADY IN THERE FROM THE END OF LAST YEAR, LEFTOVER A RESERVE, A FUND BALANCE, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.
THERE'S NEW MONEY THAT'S GONNA GO IN THAT POCKET FROM THIS YEAR'S REVENUE.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND SOME OF THAT MONEY.
AND THEN MATH IS GONNA TAKE OVER AND TELL US WHAT'S LEFT OVER IN THAT POCKET AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UH, AND THEN WE TURN AROUND AND WE DO THAT ALL AGAIN NEXT YEAR, STARTING WITH THE ENDING NUMBER, BECOMING THE BEGINNING NUMBER OF THE NEXT YEAR, AND WE START THE WHOLE PROCESS OVER.
THAT SOUNDS REALLY SIMPLIFIED.
IF I LOOKED AT YOUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW, I CAN'T DISTINGUISH THAT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WITHIN YOUR POCKETS OF FUNDS, YOU HAVE A SYSTEM OF COST ACCOUNTING THAT WAS CREATED ABOUT 25 PLUS YEARS AGO BY A PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION THAT WANTED BASICALLY TO ASSIGN AN INDIRECT COST ELEMENT TO LITERALLY EVERY EXPENDITURE OR EVERY POSITION.
SO IF I WERE IN MARKETING FOR THE CITY AND I SPENT MY TIME OF THE DAY CALLING AROUND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS FOR MARKETING, I WOULD HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF MY TIME.
THIS CALL WENT RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS CALL WENT BECAUSE OF THE CHAMBER.
THIS CALL WENT BECAUSE OF THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, AND LITERALLY I WOULD HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR MY TIME AT SUCH A WEEDED DOWN LEVEL THAT IT SO OVERCOMPLICATES THE PROCESS AND LISTENING TO THE BUDGET REFORM COMMITTEE TALK ABOUT INTERDEPARTMENTAL ALLOCATIONS AND TRANSFERS AND HOW COMPLICATED THAT WAS.
ALL THAT REALLY WAS WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT COSTS ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S GREAT TO DO COST ACCOUNTING AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, BUT MAYBE NOT DOWN AT THE WEEDS LEVEL.
YOU KNOW, WE DO COST ACCOUNTING FOR THE BIG THINGS LIKE GROUP AND GROUP HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE, FLEET MANAGEMENT, RISK MANAGEMENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT TO DRILL IT DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF, OF A SINGLE POSITION OR EVERY POSITION, OVERCOMPLICATES THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND SO ONCE WE SHRINK THE FUND STRUCTURE DOWN FROM 58 TO WHATEVER WE CAN STRUCTURE IT TO, AND WE'RE GONNA BASICALLY REVIEW WHY WE HAVE THESE DIFFERENT POCKETS IN OUR PAIR OF CARGO PANTS.
WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY FUNDS? SOME OF THEM ARE LEGITIMATE.
THEY HAVE TO BE IN A SEPARATE FUND BECAUSE OF A RULE, A REGULATION, A REQUIREMENT, A STATUTE.
SOME OF THEM ARE IN A FUND BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING SEPARATELY AND NOT COMBINED WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN OTHERS ARE THERE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO PUT IT.
SO WE JUST CREATED A ANOTHER POCKET.
YOU'LL HAVE LESS FUNDS TO ACCOUNT FOR, LESS FUNDS TO THEN BUDGET AND HAVE TO EXPLAIN AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONCE WE GET THAT PART DONE, THE NEXT PROCESS WILL BE TO SIMPLIFY THE POCKET ITSELF.
THE POCKET REALLY WORKS ON A MATHEMATICAL FORMULA.
EVERY FUND, EVERY POCKET THAT YOU HAVE WORKS ON A SINGLE MATHEMATICAL FORMULA.
IT'S ONE PLUS 10 MINUS 10 EQUALS ONE.
THAT'S AS SIMPLE AS IT NEEDS TO BE.
WE START WITH A NUMBER, A CARRY FORWARD FROM LAST YEAR OF UNSPENT REVENUES, OUR FUND BALANCE, OUR RESERVES, OUR LEFTOVER CASH, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
AND THEN WE ADD TO THAT NUMBER, THE ANTICIPATED REVENUES THAT ARE GONNA COME IN, AND THEN WE APPROPRIATE HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA SPEND OUT OF THAT POCKET.
AND THEN MATH TAKES OVER AND PRODUCES THE ENDING NUMBER.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT ENDING NUMBER PROBABLY HAS CONSTRAINTS TO IT.
AND SO AS PART OF THAT FORMULA THAT WE'RE GONNA CREATE FOR EVERY FUND OF ONE PLUS 10 MINUS 10 EQUALS ONE, WHEN WE GET TO THE ENDING NUMBER, I'M GONNA TELL YOU HOW MUCH OF THAT ONE, YOU CAN'T SPEND IT ALL BECAUSE IT'S NONS SPENDABLE.
HOW MUCH OF IT'S RESTRICTED THAT CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON A CERTAIN THING.
HOW MUCH IS COMMITTED TO BE SPENT? BECAUSE YOU
[01:05:01]
PASSED AN ORDINANCE YEARS AGO THAT SAID, WE'RE GONNA COMMIT X DOLLARS TO BLANK.I'M GONNA TELL YOU HOW MUCH OF THAT IS ASSIGNED MONEY WHERE YOU HAVE INTENDED TO USE IT FOR SOMETHING, AND THEN I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT'S LEFT OVER OR WHAT'S UNASSIGNED.
AND THEN THAT WAY YOU'LL KNOW AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR, NOT ONLY HERE IS MY LEFTOVER MONEY, BUT HERE'S HOW MUCH OF IT I CAN SPEND AND HERE'S HOW MUCH OF IT I CAN'T SPEND.
AND HERE'S HOW MUCH OF IT CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON SOMETHING VERY NARROW.
AND THAT'S AS COMPLICATED AS IT NEEDS TO BE.
THERE DOESN'T NEED TO BE INTERDEPARTMENTAL ALLOCATIONS AND TRANSFERS WITHIN THE POCKETS.
I DON'T NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH THE MARKETING DIRECTOR CHARGED THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT MARKETING COSTS BLANK AMOUNT.
IT'S IN ITS OWN DEPARTMENT AND THAT WE FUND.
AND SO THAT PROCESS, I THINK, WILL SIMPLIFY NOT ONLY THE END OF YEAR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING, BUT THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR YOU ALSO TO WHERE IF SOMEONE ASKS YOU A QUESTION ABOUT A PARTICULAR POCKET, YOU CAN SAY, WELL, WE STARTED WITH THIS.
WE'RE BRINGING IN THAT WE'RE SPENDING THAT, AND THEN THAT'S WHAT'S LEFT OVER.
AND THEN WHATEVER'S LEFT OVER, MAYBE WE CAN SPEND IT.
THAT'S HOW WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
AND SO THAT PROCESS THAT GOT CREATED 25 PLUS YEARS AGO, I I, I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE IT'S A NEGATIVE THING, THERE IS USE TO THAT, BUT THERE IS A CUTOFF OF A COST BENEFIT RATIO OF WHERE YOU APPLY THE INDIRECT COST ELEMENTS.
AND RIGHT NOW IT IS APPLIED AT A FAR TOO SMALL LEVEL THAT I THINK HAS OVER COMPLICATED YOUR BUDGET PROCESS OVER THE YEARS.
AND SO AT THE END OF THESE TWO PROJECTS, WHICH I THINK WE'RE ANTICIPATING OR WE'RE PROBABLY TOO LATE TO DO IT FOR THE BUDGET YOU'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS A YEAR FROM NOW WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 27, 20 EIGHTS BUDGET, WHERE NOT ONLY, WE'RE NOT BUDGETING 58 FUNDS AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, DIVISIONS, AND LINE ITEMS WITH ALL THE FUNDS SHOWING INDIRECT COST ALLOCATIONS BETWEEN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ALL THAT OUT AND JUST SIMPLIFY IT TO THE POINT WHERE BASICALLY IT'S THAT SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL FORMULA.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WANTED TO GO THROUGH.
AND UH, WE'VE BEEN TASKED BY, UH, AJ TO, UH, TO GET ROLLING ON THAT PROJECT AND JUST WANTED TO INFORM EVERYBODY THAT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, ABOUT IT.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BUDGET REFORM COMMITTEE, BUT KEEPING MY EYES AND EARS ON THAT COMMITTEE AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS, IT SEEMS TO BE CENTERED AROUND WHAT OCCURRED 25 YEARS AGO THAT THAT NOW HAS GROWN A LITTLE BIT OUTTA CONTROL AND TO REMOVE THAT PROCESS FROM THE
THANK YOU, MS. MR. CRAWFORD? YES.
YOU, UH, YOU MENTIONED YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THAT IMPLEMENTED THIS FISCAL, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE STARTER KIT OF IT THIS FISCAL YEAR? UH, YEAH.
I ACTUALLY, I THINK WE'VE, UH, EVEN THIS MORNING, UH, AND PREVIOUSLY WHEN, UH, WE HAD MET WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, WE HAD ACCUMULATED ALL THE FUNDS AND CREATED A SPREADSHEET TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THOSE FUNDS ARE THERE AND TO SEE IF WE CAN TIE IT TO A LEGAL REQUIREMENT, AN ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENT, OR SOME JUST INTENT.
SO WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF STARTED THE PROCESS OF WHERE THAT'S GONNA GO.
I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GONNA BE READY TO PRODUCE IT IN TIME FOR YOU TO WORK IT INTO THE BUDGET, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE WITHIN THE BUDGET PROCESS ALL THROUGH APRIL.
AND PROBABLY IN MID-MAY, YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO HAVE A, A PRETTY FINAL SOLID BUDGET.
UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO BE CLOSE, UH, ENOUGH, UH, AT THIS POINT TO MAKE IT IMPACT THE 26 27 BUDGET, BUT OUR GOAL, AT LEAST AJ HAD INITIALLY INDICATED THAT WE WOULD PUSH IT TO 27 28, BUT ELEMENTS OF THE CONSOLIDATION MAY START OCCURRING WELL BEFORE THAT.
AND SO WE MAY COME TO YOU WITH THOSE ELEMENTS AT CERTAIN POINTS IN TIME AND SAY, HEY, UH, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO CLOSING FUNDS 7, 9, 12 AND 13 BY PUTTING THEM INTO FUND FOUR AND THEN CREATING NEW LINE ITEMS WITHIN FUND FOUR SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE THE IDENTITY OF THOSE FUNDS.
AND THEN WE'LL BRING THAT TO YOU AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK.
I WAS HOPING I WOULD SPEAK FIRST, BUT YOU BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH BECAUSE I'VE BEEN UP HERE LISTENING TO THE HEAVENLY CHOIR BEHIND ME SINGING YOUR PRAISES.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK YOU GOT TO SEE ENOUGH OF OUR BUDGET REFORM COMMITTEE AT WORK.
WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THIS BECAUSE THE TRANSFERS, INTERDEPARTMENT TRANSFERS JUST MAKE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN TO THE AVERAGE PERSON WHAT'S GOING ON, PLUS THE FACT THAT IT LITERALLY INFLATES
[01:10:01]
WHAT THE BUDGET LOOKS LIKE.BECAUSE IF YOU TRANSFER IT OUT, YOU'RE SHOWING IT IN THAT, AND THEN YOU'RE PUTTING IT INTO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT AND YOU'RE INCREASING WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING OVER HERE.
AND IF WE CAN SIMPLIFY IT DOWN AND SHOW IT WITHIN THE ACCOUNTS WITHIN A FUND, WE ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE ONE THING I WILL CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT INTERDEPARTMENTAL TRANSFERS KIND OF WITHIN THE FUND OR WITHIN THE POCKET, THERE STILL WILL BE TRANSFERS.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU BASICALLY TAKE MONEY OUT OF THE LEFT POCKET AND PUT IT IN THE RIGHT POCKET WHEN THE RIGHT POCKET NEEDS IT, THOSE TRANSFERS WILL EXIST.
THEY'RE NOT JUST TRANSFERS WITHIN THE POCKET, THOUGH.
THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN THE POCKET THAT IS THE EDMOND ELECTRIC AUTHORITY OR THE EDMOND ELECTRIC UTILITY WILL HAVE TO TRANSFER MONEY TO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE CITY TO SUBSIDIZE IT PERHAPS, OR TRANSFER MONEY TO THE EEDA TO SUBSIDIZE IT OR TO PROVIDE ITS FUNDING.
AND SO WE WILL STILL SEE TRANSFERS, BUT THE TRANSFERS WON'T BE BURIED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY WILL BE BETWEEN THE POCKETS, BETWEEN THE FUNDS, SO THAT YOU ALWAYS KNOW, UH, WHO'S SUBSIDIZING THE GENERAL FUND.
WELL, IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY FROM E UH, EDMOND ELECTRIC.
IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF MON MONEY FROM EDMOND WATER MAY BE GETTING A LITTLE MONEY FROM EDMOND SANITATION.
AND THEN THE GENERAL FUND MAY BE PROVIDING MONEY TO THE PARK IMPROVEMENT FUND OR TO THE, THE, UH, STREET AND ALLEY FUND.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'LL SEE THOSE TRANSFERS, BUT THEY WON'T BE TRANSFERS WITHIN THE POCKET THAT OVERINFLATE EACH POCKET.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE MONEY AROUND BETWEEN THE POCKETS BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE TO, UM, THAT IS SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT OCCURS.
AND SO THOSE FUNDS THAT REMAIN WILL STILL BE SUBSIDIZING ONE ANOTHER ON OCCASION.
BUT IF I HAVE MY WAY, YOU WILL SEE THOSE SUBSIDIES, THOSE TRANSFERS, AND THEY'LL BE UNDERSTANDABLE AND NOT BURIED WITHIN THE FUND ITSELF.
WELL, WHEN WE FIX THE FUND STRUCTURE ITSELF, WE CAN CREATE MECHANISMS TO MAKE THAT WORK AND BE VISIBLE.
I MEAN, IT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING.
DO YOU CREATE REVOLVING FUNDS? DO YOU, DO YOU DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO SO THAT WHEN YOU DO A TRANSFER, IT LOGICALLY MAKES SENSE.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE STRUGGLED IN THE PAST BECAUSE YOU HAD INS AND OUTS AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WHERE'S IT GOING? SO IF I, IF I, IF WE DO WHAT I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SEEING THESE ALLOCATIONS BETWEEN THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL, INDIRECT COST ALLOCATIONS.
THOSE, THOSE WILL ACTUALLY JUST GO AWAY.
UM, NOW, WE'LL STILL, WE STILL WILL HAVE SOME INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS WHERE WE ARE ALLOCATING INDIRECT COST OF THE REALLY BIG STUFF.
GROUP HEALTH AND LIFE FLEET MAINTENANCE, UH, RISK MANAGEMENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE SEPARATE POCKETS SO THAT WE WILL, WE WILL SEE MONEY GOING IN AND OUT OF THOSE POCKETS FOR THOSE PURPOSES, BUT THEY WON'T BE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE INDIRECT COST ALLOCATIONS AT THAT LEVEL, UH, AT THE WEED LEVEL, UH, WHERE IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE.
SO, QUESTION, OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT SMILING, THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TO HOW WE'RE DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY, NOT DOING BUSINESS, HOW WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR THINGS IN THE CITY.
WE STARTED GOING DOWN THIS PATH IN THAT BUDGET COMMITTEE AND WE WERE JUST LIKE, THIS IS TOO BIG OF A LIFT FOR THE COMMITTEE IN, IN THE SHORT TIMEFRAME WE HAD.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I WANT TO DIG INTO DETAILS WITH YOU ON, IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE SURE.
ON HOW INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS WE ALLOCATED, HOWEVER OVERHEADS ARE HANDLED, TRANSFERS, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL AND NUANCE TO THIS.
AND WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL WE DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.
BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE JUST SUPER FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT FOR THE CITY, FROM A TRANSPARENCY STANDPOINT FOR THE CITIZENS.
SO, UM, KUDOS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO CRACKED THE PLAN HERE TO, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY POSITIVE MOVE.
ANYONE ELSE? I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING EXCEPT I'LL, I'LL SOMEWHAT PIGGYBACK ON YOUR HEAVENLY, UH, CHOIR BEHIND YOU.
I THINK THE FIRST TIME, UH, THAT I MET WITH FRANK AND WAS DESCRIBING WHAT WAS SO DIFFICULT FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND, AND A LOT OF IT IS THE INTRA FUND ACTIVITY.
UM, FRANK LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, WELL, DO YOU WANNA KNOW WHY THAT IS
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THAT IS.
AND HE EXPLAINED IT IN A WAY THAT JUST MADE SENSE.
SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE CHOIR.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'LL GET TO A BUDGET DOCUMENT.
PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS COMPLAIN THAT GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING
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SEEMS FOREIGN BECAUSE HOUSEHOLDS DON'T FUND ACCOUNT.UM, THEY'LL PRACTICE FUND ACCOUNTING.
SO THERE'LL ALWAYS BE A LITTLE BIT OF A, OF A SORT OF A FOREIGN ASPECT TO IT.
BUT I THINK WE CAN MAKE IT MUCH EASIER TO UNDERSTAND, AS BEN SAID, MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY, AND PART OF IT WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO AGREE EVEN AT A HIGH LEVEL ON SOME OF THE TERMINOLOGY WE'RE GONNA USE.
UM, BUT I'M, I'M EXCITED FOR IT.
UH, I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS ARE REALLY UPSET THAT THE ALLOCATION AND THE PRO ALLOCATION PROCESS IS GOING AWAY, BUT THE BUREAUCRACY CAN ROLL ON.
WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE FOR THEM TO DO.
WE'LL, UH, WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE GO ALONG.
[4. Discussion and Consideration of Remaining Timeline of Budget Process and Potential Topics for the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget Workshop Series.]
ITEM FOUR, DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF REMAINING TIMELINE OF BUDGET PROCESS AND POTENTIAL TOPICS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26 27 BUDGET WORKSHOP SERIES.OKAY, WE'RE COMING DOWN TO THE END.
UM, JUST REALLY WANTED TO GENERATE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION ON WHAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
WE HAVE TWO AVAILABLE WORKSHOP DATES REMAINING.
UM, I HAVE ABOUT FOUR THINGS THAT I'VE TAKEN NOTES ON THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MIGHT WANT TO DISCUSS.
SO, UM, I'LL JUST START THE DISCUSSION AND YOU GUYS CAN GO FROM THERE.
SO ONE OF THE ITEMS WE HAD, UH, IDENTIFIED WAS A WATER STUDY, THE RATE STUDY FOLLOW UP.
ANOTHER ONE WAS HUMAN RESOURCES UPDATE.
UH, THERE WAS HAS BEEN AN INQUIRY ABOUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT AT ALL.
AND A CITYWIDE, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE WHOLE BUDGET.
SO THOSE ARE THE NOTES I HAVE.
UM, SO IF YOU WANNA DIRECT US AND WHETHER YOU WANT ONE, ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS OR BOTH OF THEM, UM, WE JUST, UM, ARE STILL ON THAT DEADLINE OF REALLY THE END OF APRIL.
UH, WE HAVE TO PRETTY MUCH HAVE EVERYTHING DONE 'CAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO PUBLICIZE IT AND THEN HAVE THE HEARING.
WHEN IS THE, UH, WATER RATE WORKSHOP YOU MENTIONED? WHAT, WHAT, WELL, ORIGINALLY WE HAD SAID WE WERE GONNA DO THAT ON APRIL 13TH.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS, WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH.
SO ARE WE STILL DOING IT ON THE 13TH? DEPENDING WHATEVER DIRECTION WOULD COME FROM THAT.
AND SO WHATEVER YOU DECIDE ON THAT IS WHAT WE'LL PUT IN THE BUDGET WITH RATING INCREASES.
UH, I LOOKED BACK AT WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, JUST LAST WHAT Y'ALL DID LAST YEAR BEFORE WE JOINED THE COUNCIL
UM, SO CIP WAS ONE THAT I, I, UH, I FEEL, I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ASKING US LIKE, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE? BUT WE, WE HAVEN'T GONE BACK AND MADE SURE WE'RE COVERING EVERYTHING.
SO I KNOW THAT'S A BALANCE 'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP WE WANT TO GO ON THIS STUFF, BUT THERE WERE SOME BIG PIECES LAST YEAR THAT WE HIT THAT WE HAVEN'T HIT YET.
CIP ASKED YOU ABOUT THAT ONE THE OTHER DAY.
I THINK WE NEED TO BRIEF THE COUNCIL ON WHAT THE PLANS ARE FOR THE CIP BUDGET NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR BUDGET.
UM, CLARK, WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON, IS THERE GONNA BE A SUMMARY OUTBRIEF OF THE CLARK RECOMMENDATIONS QUESTION MARK
WE HAVE PUT THOSE THAT IS BUDGETED ALREADY, BUT JUST THE, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LIST BY NONPROFIT, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT.
SO I GUESS WHAT HAVEN'T WE SEEN YET THAT'S OUT THERE IS I'M STRUGGLING TO LIKE, SCROLL BACK THROUGH EVERYBODY AND THINK ABOUT THAT.
LIKE I KNOW I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE FIRE BUDGET.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME RESOLUTION ON THAT BEFORE WE WRAP THIS THING UP.
ENDING WITH 450 K RESERVES IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, IN MY OPINION.
BUT YES, CHRISTY BATTERSON AND OR THE CHAIR OF THE, UH, CLARK HAS TRADITIONALLY COME AND DISCUSSED IT.
SO, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT PRESENTED, WE CAN DO THAT TOO.
CHRISTY, ARE YOU HERE? WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANNA HEAR? WHAT IS THERE? I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE IT'S ON US TO REMEMBER ALL THE THINGS WE WANT.
SEE, LIKE WHAT ELSE IS, HAVE WE NOT HIT THE, THE, THE REALLY BIG ONE IS CIP TYPICALLY WE DO SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME ON THAT.
UM, HAVE WE COVERED ALL THE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS AT SOME LEVEL OR ANOTHER? NO, I KNOW WE HIT GENERAL FUND, BUT SO WHAT YOU HAVEN'T, WHAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IS EVERY DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THEIR BUDGET.
[01:20:01]
IT HIGH LEVEL AS WE WENT THROUGH THE, THE GENERAL FUND IN PARTICULAR.UM, IF YOU WANT US TO DO THAT, IF YOU WANT EVERY DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR IRRESPECTIVE OF FUND TO COME UP AND PRESENT UH, THEIR BUDGETS, WE CAN DO THAT.
I JUST, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE JUST DOING ONE OFFS FOR LIKE, WHAT DO YOU WANNA SEE COUNSEL AND ACCOUNT, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAVE WE DONE IN THE PAST HERE? LIKE, INTEND US ALONG A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT WE INTENDED TO DO WAS TO DEAL WITH THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT'S WHAT WE, AS YOU KNOW, WE DID FIRST.
UM, SO WE, UH, HAVE HAD SOME OFFLINE COMMUNICATION ABOUT, UH, CIP, THE CIP ADVISORY BOARD LOOKED AT THE, THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET AT ITS LAST MEETING.
AND I BELIEVE WE'LL BE IN A, IN A POSITION TO OFFER UP A RECOMMENDATION AFTER ITS NEXT MEETING.
UM, AND IF THERE ARE OTHER PIECES THAT YOU WANT, I APPRECIATE IT'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT TO THIS YEAR THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T, I MEAN, YOU JUST MENTIONED A COUPLE ITEMS, BUT IF THERE ARE SOME THINGS OR SOME THINGS THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT YOU WANT TO DIVE FURTHER INTO, WE CERTAINLY CAN.
WELL, I THINK THE MORE SUN SHINES, THE BETTER, NOT LESS.
SO THE MORE WE TALK ABOUT IT, THE BETTER WE ARE.
SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH A YEAR OF BUDGET REFORM, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE, FINANCE REFORM, WHATEVER THEY'RE CALLED.
AND THAT WAS ALL TO IMPROVE OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
SO IN ORDER TO CONTINUE IMPROVING ON THE BUDGET PROCESS, TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET IN A PUBLIC MEETING, UH, WHILE WE, WHILE WE HAVE TI WHILE WE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, AND IF THOSE WORKSHOPS ON THE, WHATEVER, THEY'RE 13TH AND THE 20TH RUN TILL 5 25, SO BE IT.
BUT WE'VE GONE THROUGH ALL OF THAT WORK THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN WATERS AND THE PUBLIC HAVE, HAVE WORKED ON.
WHAT DO WE DO? THAT'S MY TAKE.
I THINK WE'VE HIT A LOT OF IT.
I MEAN, THE GENERAL FUND COVERS A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
WE HIT FIRE POLICE, WE HIT WATER, ELECTRIC WATER AND ELECTRIC.
WE WILL HIT CIP, WE WILL HIT CAR.
I'M JUST LIKE, ARE THERE ANY OTHERS THAT WE'VE HIT IN THE PAST THAT WE HAVEN'T? PROBABLY THE, THE AREA THAT WE'RE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT IS OUR, ARE ALL THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH POLICE AND FIRE FALL INTO THAT.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE ALL THE GRANTS.
SO WE COULD CERTAINLY HAVE CHRISTIE, UH, SHE, SHE GENERALLY DOES TALK ABOUT THOSE, BUT YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE ALL, UM, LIKE OPIOID.
I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL SPECIFIC, BUT WE'VE COVERED BASICALLY EPWA.
'CAUSE WE DID DO WATER ELECTRIC DRAINAGE SOLID WASTE FLEET MANAGEMENT.
WE DID PARK AND REC, WHICH WAS IN GENERAL FUND MORE OR LESS.
AND, UM, AND WE DID GENERAL FUNDS.
SO YEAH, THAT LEAVES TO SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS, WE CAN, THAT'S ALL OF OUR OVERHEAD, WHICH WE ARE GOING TO ELIMINATE OUR ALLOCATIONS, BUT THAT'S WHERE THEY RESIDE RIGHT NOW, I THINK.
AND CIPI THINK JUST FOR NEXT YEAR, WE NEED TO KINDA LAY OUT THE AGENDA AND STRUCTURE ON THIS A LITTLE EARLIER.
I KNOW WE'RE ALL NEW, SO IT'S LIKE FIRST TIME WE'RE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
WELL, I THINK, YEAH, I THINK A PIECE OF THIS IS WHAT FRANK, KATHY AND AJ ARE GONNA BE WORKING ON.
UM, THIS WAS A BIG STEP FORWARD.
I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE STILL, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING.
AND THE, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY MISSING HERE ARE HR CIP CLARK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
AND, AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE STILL BEHIND THE CURVE BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THINGS BY THEIR FUND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE BUILD A BUDGET INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT THE DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT PAYS FOR IT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE GOTTA GO.
AND I THINK WE KNEW COMING OUT OF OUR TASK FORCE THIS YEAR THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO GET ALL THAT WAY IN ONE LEAP.
BUT I THINK WITH THIS NEXT STEP WITH WHAT, WHAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON, UM, I THINK THAT GETS US THERE FOR NEXT YEAR.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO TALK ABOUT HR BECAUSE IT HAS TOTALLY BEEN IGNORED BECAUSE OH, SOMEONE'S GONNA COME UP WITH A MAGIC FORMULA THAT TELLS US HOW MUCH MONEY'S GONNA GO INTO A BUDGET.
AND IF WE EXPECT OUR BUDGET MANAGERS TO OWN THEIR BUDGET, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN IT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SPENDING ON PERSONNEL.
UM, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CIP, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH KARK.
[01:25:01]
I THINK COMES DOWN TO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FIRE, IT'S YEAH.HOW DOES THAT FIT IN TO THE, TO THE SCHEME OF THINGS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT POLICE, IT'S THE SAME ISSUE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR 9 1 1 REVENUE THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CENTER FOR THEIR BUDGET.
HOW DO, HOW ARE WE HANDLING THAT? THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, WE NEED TO SIT DOWN, KATHY, YOU, AJ, MAYBE YOU ASK EACH OF US WHAT WE THINK IS MISSING.
LET'S GET A LIST COMPILED TOGETHER AND SEE HOW WE MAKE IT WORK ON THE 13TH AND THE 20TH AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GONNA BE REVISITING THE WATER RATE ANALYSIS ISSUE.
SO THAT'S A BIG LIFT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT.
WE, WE HAVE BECAUSE OF MATT, THANK YOU MATT, UM, AND OUR QUESTA SOFTWARE, WE HAVE IT ALL IN THERE RIGHT NOW.
SO IT'S REALLY MAYBE NOT BE AS BAD AS YOU MIGHT THINK.
UM, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT WE DO GIVE YOU A WHOLE BUDGET.
UM, MR. MOORE HAS BEEN THROUGH ONE OF THESE BEFORE AND, AND IT, IT, THE NUMBER I NORMALLY TALK ABOUT IS THAT WHOLE CITYWIDE 400 SOME MILLION, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE BASKETS THAT IT'S, THAT IT'S, UH, SEPARATED INTO.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THEM, BUT LIKE, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU.
LAST YEAR WHEN WE GOT THAT NUMBER, IT WAS TOO LATE TO CHANGE THINGS, SO, RIGHT.
BUT YOU GUYS HAD JUST COME ON, SO, OKAY.
I MEAN, YOU JUST JOINED THE COUNCIL, SO WE STILL HAVE, YOU'RE A MONTH AHEAD OF THAT.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST SEE THE ROLL UP VIEW OF THINGS, WE'VE GOT IT NOW.
I'M PROBABLY TO BLAME HERE BECAUSE THAT WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY ROLL UP NUMBER, THAT CITYWIDE NUMBER IS A NUMBER THAT I'M JUST NOT USED TO PUTTING A WHOLE LOT OF EMPHASIS IN ARE ON.
WHY? BECAUSE NO CITY EVER LOOKS AT IT'S, IT'S CITYWIDE OR, UH, YOU KNOW, NUMBER.
IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBER BUT THE DETAIL ROLL UP OF ALL OF IT.
SO I'M PROBABLY NOT, PROBABLY, I COULD BLAME IT ON KATHY, BUT IT'S ME.
I MEAN, I'M TO BLAME FOR YOU NOT HAVING SEEN THAT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T, I DON'T THINK THERE'S VALUE IN IT UNTIL YOU DIVE DOWN INTO SOME OF THOSE MORE, MORE SPECIFIC AREAS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE INTENDED TO DO.
SO IT'S PROBABLY COME OFF FOR YOU AS VERY PIECEMEAL.
AS LONG AS WE SEE THE ROLL UP IN ENOUGH TIME THAT WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS OR ADJUST IT IF PROBABLY ON THE FLY DOESN'T COME TOGETHER THE RIGHT WAY.
AND I WON'T ASK HIM TO, BUT MATT COULD PROBABLY PULL IT UP IN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, START THE CLOCK.
HE COULD DO IT IN TWO MINUTES OR LESS.
UH, I MEAN, SO IT'S THERE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE REFERRED BACK TO MM-HMM
ON A COUPLE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.
I'M THE ONE THAT HAS SAID, NO, NO, WE DON'T NEED THAT, THAT WHOLE CITYWIDE PRESENTATION UNTIL WE GET CLOSER TO THE END, UNTIL YOU'VE WALKED YOUR WAY THROUGH HOW THAT CITYWIDE NUMBER IS CONSTRUCTED, IF YOU WILL, OR WHAT MAKES UP THAT NUMBER THEN? TO ME IT'S, I DON'T WANNA CALL IT IRRELEVANT, BUT IT'S CLOSE TO AN IRRELEVANT NUMBER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY TELL YOU ANYTHING.
BUT HAVING SAID ALL THAT, WE WILL BEGIN NEXT TIME ON THE 13TH WITH EXACTLY THAT, WITH EXACTLY THAT ROLL UP NUMBER.
UH, MADE SOME NOTES HERE, UH, KARK HR, UH, AND UH, PENDING WHAT WE DO WITH A PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE ON THE EIGHTH.
THEN, UM, UH, A, A FOLLOW UP TO THE WATER RATE DISCUSSION.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WILL LEAVE US, AS I'VE BEEN LISTENING, I THINK THAT WILL LEAVE US WITH ONLY CIP TO COVER AND THEN ONE FINAL PASS AT THAT, THAT CITYWIDE NUMBER THAT'S FIRE ON YOUR LIST.
IT CAN BE, I, I MEAN YOU, WHAT WAS THAT QUESTION? IS FIRE ON THE LIST OF FOLLOW UPS? I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE APPROVE A BUDGET WITH 400 K RESERVES.
I, I GOTTA DIG INTO THAT MORE, IN MY OPINION.
I THINK WE ADD IT TO THE LIST OF ONE MORE SHOT THAT, THAT FEELS LIKE A LENGTHY DISCUSSION.
UH, SO WHY DON'T WE PLAN ON THAT FOR THE 20TH OR OFFLINE IF I'M, IF I'M THE ONLY ONE I CAN DIG IN OFFLINE, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE GOTTA POSITION OURSELVES BETTER ON THAT ONE.
SO JUST SO WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING, UH, OR EXPECTING THE SAME THING, WE WILL BEGIN ON THE 13TH WITH THAT CITYWIDE NUMBER.
UM, THEN FROM THERE WE'LL GO WE'LL, WE'LL DEAL WITH THE CARC BUDGET, WE'LL DEAL WITH THE HR, UM, SERIES OF REQUESTS AND, AND GENERAL STATUS.
UM, THEN WE'LL UH, LOOK AT SPECIAL REVENUE.
[01:30:01]
THEN, WE'LL THEN I THINK WE'LL GO TO WATER RATE AND IF THERE'S REMAINING TIME, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR JUST BROUGHT UP A, A VERY SPECIFIC REVENUE THAT IS THE 9 1 1 REVENUE.WE CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE SPECIAL REVENUES, UM, IF WE NEED TO.
AND THEN ON THE 20TH WE'LL DO, UH, CIP FIRE, WE CAN BEGIN THAT DISCUSSION WITH ALSO THE CITYWIDE NUMBER.
IT MIGHT REFLECT ANY CHANGES THAT GET MADE ON THE 13TH.
SO WE'LL BEGIN THE 20TH WITH THAT CITYWIDE NUMBER DEAL WITH CIP LOOK AT, UH, THE FIRE FUND BUDGET.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT I, I THINK PENDING THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, WE WILL HAVE COVERED IT.
UH, MAYBE NOT IN AS STRAIGHT LINE OF, UH, FORMAT AS, AS MAYBE IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
BUT WE WILL HAVE COVERED THE BUDGET AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK AND REVISIT ANYTHING THE COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL WANTS.
WELL, WITH THAT, I BELIEVE I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.