WEBVTT 00:00:00.930 --> 00:00:07.952 - All right, folks, welcome everyone here to the Natu Hill Room. It is the fourth of July week here in 00:00:07.952 --> 00:00:15.322 - Monroe County. Today is Tuesday, June 30th, twenty twenty six. And this is the long term finance planning 00:00:15.322 --> 00:00:22.413 - committee. We do have a quorum. We have Liz Fiddle with the council here and myself, Peter Iverson is 00:00:22.413 --> 00:00:26.654 - chair here. So we have enough to call this meeting to order. 00:00:27.330 --> 00:00:35.036 - Our first item on the agenda is to adopt the agenda, and I'll look over to my colleague. Do you have 00:00:35.036 --> 00:00:42.742 - any changes today? I do not. Seeing none, we will adopt that agenda by acclamation. Next, we'll look 00:00:42.742 --> 00:00:50.448 - at the summary minutes of our last meeting, which just as a reminder to everyone, we meet quarterly. 00:00:50.448 --> 00:00:57.086 - So the last meeting minutes were from March 31st. Councilmember Feidl, do you have any 00:00:57.666 --> 00:01:05.749 - Questions or changes to that. I didn't see anything Hey, I also do not have any changes so we will adopt 00:01:05.749 --> 00:01:13.678 - those summary minutes by acclamation That means that we are already on item number four of this agenda 00:01:13.678 --> 00:01:21.838 - on this very hot day And we have Brie Gregory with us Brianna Gregory Excuse me our Monroe County auditor 00:01:21.838 --> 00:01:25.918 - to walk us through some quarterly reviews. Thank you 00:01:26.562 --> 00:01:34.179 - Good afternoon, it's actually Breanne, there's no A. I'm terribly sorry. That's okay. How long will 00:01:34.179 --> 00:01:42.024 - we work together? No big deal. Anyway, I'm gonna walk you through this Menor County, Indiana financial 00:01:42.024 --> 00:01:49.640 - overview if somebody doesn't mind putting it up on the screen. I think Carly's working on it. She's 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:52.382 - joining now, apologies, one second. 00:01:57.378 --> 00:02:04.314 - tell the people who might be watching this where that's at in the packet. Yeah, it's as soon as you 00:02:04.314 --> 00:02:11.596 - get through the minutes, it is on page 24 there and it's entitled. What does it have? It is titled Menor 00:02:11.596 --> 00:02:18.462 - County, Indiana financial overview. Thank you. As we wait for it to come up, people can get there. 00:02:28.642 --> 00:02:35.459 - I'm thinking. Does it say exhibit be on it? Pardon? Does it say exhibit be on it? It does not. That's 00:02:35.459 --> 00:02:42.142 - from the minutes. It says Minner County, Indiana financial overview, and it should be page 24. Give 00:02:42.142 --> 00:02:48.892 - me a second here. Well, my numbers, my pages aren't numbered, so give me a second. Okay, it is up on 00:02:48.892 --> 00:02:49.694 - the screen. 00:02:49.826 --> 00:02:56.873 - for the public and us whenever you're ready. But just to take you through this briefly, the first section 00:02:56.873 --> 00:03:03.854 - is the cash analysis for all funds. So this is for all county funds and it gives a little bit of history 00:03:03.854 --> 00:03:10.701 - there with 2024 and 2025 and it goes quarter by quarter. So we're showing you here the beginning cash, 00:03:10.701 --> 00:03:17.150 - revenue total, expenditure total, and then ending balance in the ledger. So as you can see here, 00:03:18.242 --> 00:03:26.276 - The second quarter of 2025 was up 8% from the prior year and same quarter. And then looking at the second 00:03:26.276 --> 00:03:34.234 - quarter in 2026, we're up 8% again from the same period last year. So that's looking pretty good. Moving 00:03:34.234 --> 00:03:41.662 - on to the next section, it's anticipated revenue versus actual. So here, this is levy funds only. 00:03:41.890 --> 00:03:54.386 - And this section compares what was estimated on the Gateway Form 4B versus what we actually have received. 00:03:54.386 --> 00:04:06.064 - So looking at this, you can see that we ended up expending 65 million in 2025. And we're, you know, 00:04:06.064 --> 00:04:09.918 - budgeting, I'm sorry, we're, we, 00:04:10.594 --> 00:04:16.754 - excuse me, sorry, getting off my notes here. But we're right where we should be as of the six month 00:04:16.754 --> 00:04:22.976 - mark there. If you look at, we're about halfway, we've received about half of what we anticipate and 00:04:22.976 --> 00:04:29.259 - anticipated versus actual. We were up 5% the year before, which is where I've been trying to say that 00:04:29.259 --> 00:04:35.974 - we're estimating better than we have in the past. We never wanna be overestimating, we wanna be conservative 00:04:35.974 --> 00:04:40.286 - with that, but we're hitting it much closer than we have in the past. 00:04:40.546 --> 00:04:45.438 - And then looking at the final section here, expenditure analysis for levy funds. 00:04:45.506 --> 00:04:57.154 - the total appropriation for levy funds versus actual expenditure. Um as evidenced by, you know the historical 00:04:57.154 --> 00:05:08.166 - expenditures we budgeted much closer to need for 2026. As you can see, we expended 68 million. In 2025. 00:05:08.166 --> 00:05:15.472 - We budgeted, you know, 66 in 2026. And again, you can see our unused 00:05:15.472 --> 00:05:22.228 - So we have 52% unused appropriations. So again, we're right where we should be. And I think it's kudos 00:05:22.228 --> 00:05:28.788 - to all of you for budgeting much closer to the need. I can answer any questions. But again, this is 00:05:28.788 --> 00:05:35.347 - just like the top-level overview, not getting into the nitty-gritty. So if there's questions, I can 00:05:35.347 --> 00:05:38.430 - probably email specifics later. OK, all right. 00:05:38.690 --> 00:05:45.275 - I have a question just for those watching at home that have been watching these quarterly shifts and 00:05:45.275 --> 00:05:51.795 - we're kind of taking a deeper dive here into some things. Is there anything that is problematic? Is 00:05:51.795 --> 00:05:58.772 - there anything that is troubling you? Not at all. I mean, we're, as far as cash balances, we're increasing 00:05:58.772 --> 00:06:05.552 - year over year, which is what we want to do. Obviously, we want to continue to grow that within reason. 00:06:05.552 --> 00:06:08.030 - We are expending where we anticipate. 00:06:08.418 --> 00:06:14.368 - Expending we're not over where we should be at the mid-year mark and You know as far as cash coming 00:06:14.368 --> 00:06:20.497 - in we're receiving what we're estimating and a little bit above that Well, and that's the tricky thing 00:06:20.497 --> 00:06:26.686 - isn't it is to try and estimate what comes in and the last thing I'll say on this is we are now in that 00:06:26.882 --> 00:06:33.037 - time of the calendar where liaisons are going into departments and reviewing budgets ahead of budget 00:06:33.037 --> 00:06:39.193 - season. And this is exactly where reversions, those conversations about reversions are going to play 00:06:39.193 --> 00:06:45.287 - in, that we're trying to zero in on those budget values so that we don't end up with 10, 12 percent 00:06:45.287 --> 00:06:46.750 - at the end of the year. 00:06:47.074 --> 00:06:52.865 - That's exactly it. We don't want to depend on those reversions. We want to budget accurately, so we 00:06:52.865 --> 00:06:59.118 - know what we have and what we're going to expend. I mean, within reason. Obviously, there are unanticipated 00:06:59.118 --> 00:07:05.025 - expenses that come up that we might need additional appropriations for, or we might need to move some 00:07:05.025 --> 00:07:10.815 - things around. But overall, I think we're moving closer and closer toward best practice, and that's 00:07:10.815 --> 00:07:15.390 - great. Wonderful. All right. Any questions from Ken? All right. Let's move on. 00:07:16.194 --> 00:07:22.530 - just a final note. We did also include. Revenue anticipated revenue. What we've received for all the 00:07:22.530 --> 00:07:28.991 - major revenues in the packet as well. I don't need to go through that. I just wanted to let the public 00:07:28.991 --> 00:07:35.577 - and you know it's there. So you get that monthly in your monthly financial report, but just to highlight 00:07:35.577 --> 00:07:41.913 - it for the public. Thank you. This is really helpful for the public to see that we were being really 00:07:41.913 --> 00:07:44.798 - good stewards with the funds, and this is why 00:07:44.898 --> 00:07:54.732 - season always seems like we're really nitpicking, but this is why. All right. Thank you for that report. 00:07:54.732 --> 00:08:04.473 - Next we'll go into from 2026 into 2027 and we'll look at budget recommendations to council. I will note 00:08:04.473 --> 00:08:10.654 - that the president's letter has been sent to all department heads 00:08:10.786 --> 00:08:18.453 - This is on page 26 and 27 and 28 of your packet. Council President Jennifer Crossley worked hard on 00:08:18.453 --> 00:08:26.273 - this letter to send it out, and I think you can read that for yourselves. Of course, department heads 00:08:26.273 --> 00:08:34.323 - have already received this. Councilmember Feidl, do you have any comments or questions about this letter 00:08:34.323 --> 00:08:38.846 - that was sent out? I don't at this point, but I think that 00:08:39.042 --> 00:08:47.819 - some of the liaison assignments I have are somewhat cautious, I should say. So I think they'd like some 00:08:47.819 --> 00:08:56.512 - idea where they need to take the same increase or decrease. I think they'd like some guidance if there 00:08:56.512 --> 00:08:59.550 - was a way that we can provide that. 00:09:01.378 --> 00:09:08.934 - Absolutely, and as you can see in this letter, Councilmember Crossley wanted to take the information 00:09:08.934 --> 00:09:16.938 - that we just reviewed from the auditor's office in terms of revenues and expenditures and really emphasize 00:09:16.938 --> 00:09:24.494 - that setting budgets to the amount that was asked in the previous year is going to be really helpful 00:09:24.494 --> 00:09:27.262 - for us as we do budget negotiations. 00:09:27.394 --> 00:09:35.284 - this fall. And you'll also notice here that there are some considerations about the cost of living adjustment 00:09:35.284 --> 00:09:42.816 - or COLA as well as information regarding how our FICA and perf rates are going to be set and information 00:09:42.816 --> 00:09:50.276 - regarding full time self insurance. This came up in our last council meeting. We're going to talk about 00:09:50.276 --> 00:09:56.158 - it again today that the estimated full time position rate for FY 2027 is $18,000. 00:09:56.450 --> 00:10:03.896 - So there's a lot of good information in here. And as always, for department heads that have questions, 00:10:03.896 --> 00:10:11.196 - the council office is the place to go. And of course, liaisons have this as well. Kim Schell, do you 00:10:11.196 --> 00:10:18.497 - have any questions or things to point out? I'd like to point out that within the president's letter, 00:10:18.497 --> 00:10:25.726 - with regards to the economic development lit, the president did ask that the departments not budget 00:10:25.986 --> 00:10:38.065 - for 2027 in the economic lit. So whatever you budgeted or whatever is budgeted in 2026 under fund 1112 00:10:38.065 --> 00:10:50.261 - needs to be funded within your original budget. So don't budget anything in 1112, which is the economic 00:10:50.261 --> 00:10:52.606 - lit. So. All right. 00:10:53.506 --> 00:11:02.689 - Are there any other comments or questions about the president's letter? Michelle, is this the point 00:11:02.689 --> 00:11:11.963 - that you want to talk about longevity, or do you want to go back to COLA? Your choice. Let's go with 00:11:11.963 --> 00:11:21.421 - the agenda. Let's start with COLA, or cost of living adjustment. So I prepared a couple documents that 00:11:21.421 --> 00:11:23.166 - are in the packet. 00:11:23.522 --> 00:11:35.156 - I want everyone to know that the final numbers at the bottom are incorrect. I got some my decimals wrong 00:11:35.156 --> 00:11:43.134 - within my fund and I do have the updated amounts. So I want to display. 00:12:13.954 --> 00:12:22.228 - Okay, so if we move forward with no COLA, our current budget for 2026, which includes the FICA and the 00:12:22.228 --> 00:12:30.262 - PERF, and that's the formula that I made an error in in the packet. So these numbers are not right. 00:12:30.262 --> 00:12:38.616 - That's why I'm displaying them now. FICA, PERF, and this is just strictly salaries. It does not include 00:12:38.616 --> 00:12:43.838 - supplementals, overtime, anything like that. It's just salaries. 00:12:44.066 --> 00:12:52.459 - 48,394,953. So if we do a no-cola and we move everyone up on their step increases, and mind you, this 00:12:52.459 --> 00:13:01.099 - is just a snapshot in time of where everyone is at. We have had, which was back at the 1st of May, maybe 00:13:01.099 --> 00:13:09.328 - the end of April, somewhere along through, we have had people leave since then, that kind of thing. 00:13:09.328 --> 00:13:11.550 - So at that moment in time, 00:13:11.938 --> 00:13:24.836 - we move forward with no colas and including the step increases is going to be 51,114,654. So that is 00:13:24.836 --> 00:13:37.734 - a difference of 2.7 million between the 2026 current and the fiscal no cola. But FSG has stated that 00:13:37.734 --> 00:13:41.310 - we can afford a 2% increase 00:13:41.954 --> 00:13:52.516 - And with that 2% increase, like I said, that was a snapshot in time. So these numbers are just estimates 00:13:52.516 --> 00:14:02.776 - that it would cost a $52,195 or a total difference of $3.8 million. And that includes everyone's step 00:14:02.776 --> 00:14:09.214 - increases as well as the 2% COLA across the board for everyone. 00:14:11.778 --> 00:14:18.563 - That's a lot of numbers and a little bit of time. Councilmember Fiddle, do you have any questions or 00:14:18.563 --> 00:14:25.818 - comments about this? I think I'd be anxious to see what the council would like to do with this information, 00:14:25.818 --> 00:14:32.737 - actually. And I think as we go forward with recommendations to the council from this body, kind of the 00:14:32.737 --> 00:14:39.455 - headline here is that a 2% COLA would, on average, based on the snapshot in time, it would be about 00:14:39.455 --> 00:14:41.470 - $1.1 million of a difference. 00:14:42.210 --> 00:14:50.429 - between a 2% and a zero. All right. And just as a reminder to everyone here, the president's letter 00:14:50.429 --> 00:14:57.086 - does recommend a 0% COLA, but that does not mean that council can't change that. 00:14:57.378 --> 00:15:03.970 - And so that's something that we're going to bring this information back to council so that they have 00:15:03.970 --> 00:15:10.693 - as much information as they need to make an informed decision on cost of living adjustment. And we are 00:15:10.693 --> 00:15:17.351 - very aware of the current economy and everything, all the prices that have gone up and what our staff 00:15:17.351 --> 00:15:23.878 - are feeling. So that's going to all weigh into a conversation. And these numbers are really helpful 00:15:23.878 --> 00:15:26.750 - to help us make those decisions. All right. 00:15:27.234 --> 00:15:34.563 - Any other questions or comments on cost of living adjustments? All right. Let's go into longevity. And 00:15:34.563 --> 00:15:41.394 - before you, or as you're pulling that up, let me just say a couple of things. That's all right, 00:15:41.394 --> 00:15:48.509 - Kim Schell. All right. One of the reasons why we talked about longevity back in March and why we're 00:15:48.509 --> 00:15:56.478 - talking about it again in June is so that we do not spring a conversation about longevity on folks in the fall. 00:15:57.122 --> 00:16:04.208 - We know that this is a very important topic. We know that this is a very personal topic, and we want 00:16:04.208 --> 00:16:11.364 - to make sure that we are having extended and public conversations about the best ways to move forward 00:16:11.364 --> 00:16:18.380 - together as a county so that we can ensure that we are treating the folks who work here and provide 00:16:18.380 --> 00:16:24.414 - public service day in and day out to residents of Monroe County equitably and fairly. 00:16:24.546 --> 00:16:34.773 - That's the reason why you are seeing us talk about longevity so much, is we want to make sure that we 00:16:34.773 --> 00:16:44.800 - are getting this right, even given those funding constraints that you saw earlier from the data. So 00:16:44.800 --> 00:16:51.518 - you're ready to go? I had presented, I believe it was back in May, 00:16:51.778 --> 00:17:06.777 - to the council with regards to longevity and what it would look like. So this is just, let's see. Council, 00:17:06.777 --> 00:17:17.150 - like they said, they have been talking about doing away with a longevity. 00:17:17.538 --> 00:17:26.970 - Right now what we do is as employees leave and those positions are filled, those employees no longer 00:17:26.970 --> 00:17:36.963 - get longevity. So what we're looking at right now, which again is a snapshot of time, the total employees, 00:17:36.963 --> 00:17:46.302 - which is 433, that at that moment in time get longevity. And so that longevity amount is costing us 00:17:46.626 --> 00:17:57.943 - that total fiscal impact is 424, 357 for this year, so for 2026. The council can either continue with 00:17:57.943 --> 00:18:09.149 - the practice that we're doing now, and as employees leave, new employees come on, they don't get the 00:18:09.149 --> 00:18:15.806 - longevity. But if they wish to reduce the longevity amount, 00:18:16.674 --> 00:18:27.934 - So the fiscal impact, I have this scenario one, which would do it in a two year cycle or two budget 00:18:27.934 --> 00:18:39.870 - cycle. So for the budget of 2027, we would reduce the longevity amounts by 50%. So for instance, a person 00:18:39.870 --> 00:18:45.950 - with two to four years that is getting $400 for 2026, 00:18:46.242 --> 00:18:57.768 - would get $200 for 2027 and then nothing in 2028 budget year. So that is that scenario, which would 00:18:57.768 --> 00:19:09.525 - decrease that budget by 212,179. So you would see that decrease plus the FICA. Longevity does not get 00:19:09.525 --> 00:19:14.942 - perf. Excuse me. But we also have the scenario 00:19:16.098 --> 00:19:28.607 - where we could do it over a four-year period. And that would mean for 2027, we would decrease the longevity 00:19:28.607 --> 00:19:41.000 - amounts by 25%. In 2028, it would be a 50%. 2029 would be a 75%. And then for the budget in 2030, everyone 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:45.054 - would be receiving zero longevity. 00:19:47.234 --> 00:19:56.868 - That is just scenarios and the council needs to decide with regards to the 2027 budget process if they 00:19:56.868 --> 00:20:06.408 - want to move forward with a four-year incremental decrease or if they want to do it within a two-year 00:20:06.408 --> 00:20:12.862 - budget cycle. Or not do anything at all and just continue as we are. 00:20:13.794 --> 00:20:20.187 - So remind me how it was implemented to begin with. Was there like a 10-year plan or do you know what 00:20:20.187 --> 00:20:26.580 - the plan was to begin with? No, I'm not understanding what you. So when you first decided to work on 00:20:26.580 --> 00:20:33.100 - longevity and maybe decrease it, did you decide at the time that you would do it over a certain period 00:20:33.100 --> 00:20:37.278 - of time and has that changed on this or I'm trying to figure out? 00:20:37.634 --> 00:20:44.126 - I think the original plan when council was addressing longevity was to let it phase out. So we put on 00:20:44.126 --> 00:20:50.681 - council put in a date for which any employee hired thereafter would not receive longevity. And I there 00:20:50.681 --> 00:20:57.363 - wasn't a plan identified on how long it would take. It was just as employees retire leave. This is going 00:20:57.363 --> 00:21:01.182 - to phase out almost like attrition. Correct. OK. Thank you. 00:21:06.498 --> 00:21:14.442 - So again, the council has two scenarios, if I could summarize before it, that is a short term phase 00:21:14.442 --> 00:21:22.544 - out or a longer term phase out. The shorter term phase out would have a fiscal impact of exactly half 00:21:22.544 --> 00:21:30.726 - because it's only two years, and the longer term fiscal impact would tear down eventually to zero over 00:21:30.726 --> 00:21:36.446 - those four years. Or not do anything at all and just keep it as we are. 00:21:36.770 --> 00:21:43.190 - And would keep as we are mean that the attrition would continue? Yes. Okay. And do we have any idea 00:21:43.190 --> 00:21:49.739 - how that might play out? Is there any particular way to figure that out? Probably not, right? I don't 00:21:49.739 --> 00:21:56.224 - think there's a way to identify that because it just depends on when people are retiring or leaving. 00:21:56.224 --> 00:22:03.094 - Exactly, or leaving. So do we have any data that shows how long this has been going on, what those numbers 00:22:03.094 --> 00:22:05.598 - have been in the previous years? Okay. 00:22:05.986 --> 00:22:13.171 - 629 full-time employees. At this snapshot in time, 433 employees are eligible for longevity. So, 00:22:13.171 --> 00:22:20.801 - you know. And then last year and the year before that and all that, or do we have any data that shows? 00:22:20.801 --> 00:22:28.357 - I don't have any data because I have not, you know, been asked for that. Okay. I mean, another option 00:22:28.357 --> 00:22:33.246 - might be to freeze where everyone is now. That's another thought. 00:22:36.994 --> 00:22:46.878 - I'm just trying to think what's fair, so. And can you talk a little bit about other scenarios that were 00:22:46.878 --> 00:22:56.571 - proposed that were maybe not being recommended here, such as putting in step increases in areas where 00:22:56.571 --> 00:23:05.790 - there's maybe too much of a gap, or perceived gap, excuse me? There was a couple scenarios where 00:23:06.338 --> 00:23:19.178 - we could take our current grid, which is minimum 1, 3, 8, 14, 20, 25, and then change those to have 00:23:19.178 --> 00:23:32.531 - step increases that match the current step increases up to 30 years, I think, or I can't remember where 00:23:32.531 --> 00:23:36.126 - I'm at right at the moment. 00:23:36.482 --> 00:23:47.950 - But that would change how everyone is getting their step increase. And then on top of that, they would 00:23:47.950 --> 00:23:59.530 - get a longevity amount on top of that. But that, I think, would need to be filtered through WIS to help 00:23:59.530 --> 00:24:04.318 - me get those scenarios, those percentages. 00:24:05.090 --> 00:24:16.230 - in. The only thing is, if we add in the longevity into the step increases, that also means you're getting 00:24:16.230 --> 00:24:24.638 - perf on top of that, which is an added cost. Right now, longevity is only FICA. 00:24:25.122 --> 00:24:32.015 - What I'm hearing is that these two scenarios that we have before us, they're ready for council to review 00:24:32.015 --> 00:24:38.842 - in terms of this budget year. And if we want to do something more complex, it's going to take some time 00:24:38.842 --> 00:24:45.735 - that we just don't have at this point. Correct. Because I really think if you want to move the longevity 00:24:45.735 --> 00:24:51.774 - into salary grids, I really think that needs to be a WISP help with where I'm at right now. 00:24:55.458 --> 00:25:02.028 - an added cost because we'd have to have with you know do this and they're not going to do it for free 00:25:02.028 --> 00:25:08.533 - so. All right there's a lot to consider here the the cost of doing nothing for council is about half 00:25:08.533 --> 00:25:15.167 - a million dollars and tearing it down is so that there's a lot to think about here and and like I said 00:25:15.167 --> 00:25:21.737 - at the top there's there's a lot at stake as well here there's it's a lot of folks who have been here 00:25:21.737 --> 00:25:25.022 - for a long time that's I mean looking here there's 00:25:25.250 --> 00:25:35.356 - about 25, 30 people that have been here for over 30 years. And how long has longevity been in play? 00:25:35.356 --> 00:25:45.766 - Does somebody have that year or approximation? I'm not 100% sure. Early 90s? Yeah. And I will add that 00:25:45.766 --> 00:25:54.558 - WIS did evaluate longevity when they did the reclassification study in, was it 20, 21. 00:25:54.850 --> 00:26:01.681 - And if you go back and watch that August meeting, their recommendation wasn't to just eliminate longevity. 00:26:01.681 --> 00:26:07.491 - I think at that time, Councilor McKim specifically asked if that was their recommendation. 00:26:07.491 --> 00:26:14.195 - And they said, no, our longevity program is more generous than other counties. But what they were saying 00:26:14.195 --> 00:26:20.579 - is, if you did not want to maintain the current longevity program, you could put it in steps and in 00:26:20.579 --> 00:26:22.814 - salary, as Ms. Kim just explained. 00:26:23.330 --> 00:26:30.110 - And that might be an alternative way to work with that, it sounds like. But you would need, it sounds 00:26:30.110 --> 00:26:36.824 - like we need WIS to help with that, right? You would need WIS to help with that, and then ultimately 00:26:36.824 --> 00:26:43.670 - that option would be more than our current longevity program. Thank you. All right, any other thoughts 00:26:43.670 --> 00:26:48.190 - on, I feel like I can talk for hours about this, but let's move on. 00:26:48.642 --> 00:26:57.745 - And let, so we'll take that back to council, both edits and, I'm sorry, longevity and COLA. And now 00:26:57.745 --> 00:27:07.122 - let's pivot to edit. And we have our audit, or I'm sorry, it's you. We have the board of commissioners 00:27:07.122 --> 00:27:16.498 - who we get to talk with to create this edit plan together. We work together on this. And so we'll talk 00:27:16.498 --> 00:27:18.046 - about this with, 00:27:18.178 --> 00:27:25.281 - So tell us what we need to know, and then we can weigh in. I'm not sure what you want to know, but I 00:27:25.281 --> 00:27:32.314 - do have some information that may be of some benefit to you. If you are considering wanting to move 00:27:32.314 --> 00:27:38.925 - any expenses from county government into edit, you need to have a conversation with the Board 00:27:38.925 --> 00:27:46.099 - of Commissioners so it can be included into a plan, if that was the way to go. So I just want to make 00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:47.998 - sure everybody understands 00:27:48.130 --> 00:27:58.267 - that right now, there is nothing in there other than, I believe, the jails. The jail is in there. And 00:27:58.267 --> 00:28:08.603 - there was an airport-ish airport item. Those were the two big. So the jail and the airport? Yeah, those 00:28:08.603 --> 00:28:15.262 - were the two large items. So the year was $23,475,065 in the edit. 00:28:15.426 --> 00:28:27.961 - fund. You have a $4,000,000, $4,000,000, $9,910.16 appropriation and budgets in that fund. Basically, 00:28:27.961 --> 00:28:40.988 - we have 56, we've spent all but $56,720 of the $4 million that was originally placed there. And presuming 00:28:40.988 --> 00:28:44.798 - we spend every bit of that 4.8 00:28:44.962 --> 00:28:54.951 - We will end the year with $27,041,602.99. Repeat that one more time for me, 23. The end of the year 00:28:54.951 --> 00:29:05.640 - at a minimum, and that's assuming we expend the full all appropriations and we don't get any more receipts 00:29:05.640 --> 00:29:14.430 - in, which I don't believe is accurate. That would give you a balance of $27,041,602.99. 00:29:14.786 --> 00:29:24.978 - Thank you. And just to make sure that folks at home know what we're talking about, this is the economic 00:29:24.978 --> 00:29:34.974 - development income tax. Yes. And my anticipation with everybody else is that this is going to be part 00:29:34.974 --> 00:29:41.246 - of the, we roll into the whole new lit. In 2029. In 2029, yeah. 00:29:43.202 --> 00:29:51.812 - Do you have any questions or comments about Edit and how we're doing? Not right now. Clearly, you know, 00:29:51.812 --> 00:30:00.505 - we felt strongly enough to put this in the letter to departments to say if you had budgeted items within 00:30:00.505 --> 00:30:09.033 - Edit last year, we're asking to move it back into your departmental budgets, and that's something that 00:30:09.033 --> 00:30:12.510 - we clearly think is important fiscally to 00:30:12.642 --> 00:30:19.449 - not only just for the auditor and the audits that you all have to go through so it's cleaner, but also 00:30:19.449 --> 00:30:26.058 - it just makes more sense that as we're moving forward, that departmental expenditures are happening 00:30:26.058 --> 00:30:33.064 - in those departments. But we also know we can't rely on this forever, and we can't use this as our safety 00:30:33.064 --> 00:30:39.805 - net every single year. So I think as we're moving into this fiscal year, what was the number that you 00:30:39.805 --> 00:30:41.854 - would set at the very top that 00:30:42.530 --> 00:30:50.826 - the fund balance of the fund. We started with $23,475,065.83. We have receded in seven million. We've 00:30:50.826 --> 00:30:59.203 - expended almost four. Right. And before, you know, folks, you know, start calling in and saying, wait, 00:30:59.203 --> 00:31:07.743 - you're just sitting on $23 million. That's exactly why the commissioners and the council worked together 00:31:07.743 --> 00:31:10.590 - on a plan to invest those dollars. 00:31:10.754 --> 00:31:21.947 - And it was this fund that was originally identified as supporting funds for the jail and justice center. 00:31:21.947 --> 00:31:33.246 - Right. Right. All right. Any other questions from you, Councillor Feidl? No, I don't think so. All right. 00:31:33.730 --> 00:31:39.821 - as our recommendations then to council as we're moving forward would be that if council wants to make 00:31:39.821 --> 00:31:46.032 - additional changes to the edit plan, it has to be done in time to talk with the commissioners. We can't 00:31:46.032 --> 00:31:52.421 - simply just say, okay, well, we want this, move this into edit. This has to be this collaborative process. 00:31:52.421 --> 00:31:57.856 - Yes, because it is the executive that does the plan. That's right. So yeah, there needs to 00:31:57.856 --> 00:32:03.230 - be that communication. So again, that'll be something that we're bringing back to council 00:32:03.554 --> 00:32:10.888 - Uh, to talk about. All right. Any other questions or comments from the Kim shell? You look like you 00:32:10.888 --> 00:32:18.223 - have something to say. Yes. Um, just as a note, we probably should have, when I say we loosely, uh, 00:32:18.223 --> 00:32:25.704 - the council and the commissioner should probably have that conversation prior to the budget sessions, 00:32:25.704 --> 00:32:30.398 - which will start in September. Do you agree? Don't agree? Oh, I 00:32:31.906 --> 00:32:39.653 - I think it'd be smart to do it beforehand. It seems a little bit horse cart inverted kind of situation. 00:32:39.653 --> 00:32:47.474 - I think that it would be an interesting conversation. So from the council perspective, I think increased 00:32:47.474 --> 00:32:54.923 - communication with the commissioners is always a good play. The second point I will note is, again, 00:32:54.923 --> 00:33:00.286 - as liaisons are going into departments and having budget conversations, 00:33:00.386 --> 00:33:07.186 - The idea that folks can say, well, we need a brand new X, and the liaisons are going to say, well, let's 00:33:07.186 --> 00:33:13.792 - just put that in edit. That's off the table, right? And so I think those conversations are happening. 00:33:13.792 --> 00:33:20.787 - And so I think as the liaisons come back with those grayer areas of, well, what do we do in this situation? 00:33:20.787 --> 00:33:27.393 - What do we do in that situation? I think that's where those conversations will happen. I think we can 00:33:27.393 --> 00:33:29.854 - have those in an expeditious fashion. 00:33:30.178 --> 00:33:39.905 - blazing towards a budget session. No, yes. I will say that capital expenses, we're preparing another 00:33:39.905 --> 00:33:49.921 - bond for 2026. So that's where those capital needs generally are placed. We are already, I think I have 00:33:49.921 --> 00:33:59.166 - over $5 million in capital requests. All right. Well, let's keep talking about that. All right. 00:33:59.426 --> 00:34:05.896 - Last call for questions on EDIT, or the Economic Development Income Tax. All right, so let's move on 00:34:05.896 --> 00:34:12.494 - to... Sorry. Oh, yeah, please. Sorry. No, that's okay. I know we're getting to the sustainability plan 00:34:12.494 --> 00:34:18.965 - that Financial Solutions Group is going to go over here shortly in the agenda. However, I do want to 00:34:18.965 --> 00:34:25.691 - make note that they... I believe they have anticipated additional expenditures from EDIT. They've bumped 00:34:25.691 --> 00:34:28.958 - it up slightly. Some of that is for an anticipated 00:34:29.570 --> 00:34:37.949 - bond, which for jail bond, I think they anticipated some of that expenditure there, which yeah, not 00:34:37.949 --> 00:34:46.495 - relevant now. However, if council wanted to proactively talk to commissioners, that would probably be 00:34:46.495 --> 00:34:55.208 - the number. Yeah. So my understanding of what, um, F S G has provided in the past recently past is past 00:34:55.208 --> 00:34:59.230 - year, um, what looking at our ability to afford 00:34:59.778 --> 00:35:09.758 - the facility and the required bonds. And when they did that, they went ahead and continued. And I believe 00:35:09.758 --> 00:35:19.455 - they also included a slight increase each year of taking away from the edit and showing that you could 00:35:19.455 --> 00:35:29.246 - still afford the bond for this facility up to, I believe, $150 million. I don't remember. $150 million. 00:35:30.466 --> 00:35:36.873 - That was the purpose of that. That's why they continued it along. But they can't continue it along. 00:35:36.873 --> 00:35:43.537 - The commissioners are the ones that can continue the expenses out of the edit fund. Clear as mud? Clear 00:35:43.537 --> 00:35:50.457 - as mud. And of course, anybody following along knows that Councilmember Feidl is the council representative 00:35:50.457 --> 00:35:55.006 - to a group that is talking actively about that facility. The location. 00:35:55.490 --> 00:36:06.514 - location only and that of course on on this side we're talking about potential financing so we are actively 00:36:06.514 --> 00:36:17.641 - having these conversations and I think we'll just leave it at that all right let's talk about self-insurance 00:36:17.641 --> 00:36:24.990 - all right let's just start that off by saying that every year this is a 00:36:25.218 --> 00:36:31.262 - big ticket item for council that would just go the cost just go up and up and up. And we want to get 00:36:31.262 --> 00:36:37.486 - out ahead of that. And we want to be able to make sure that folks are getting the health care that they 00:36:37.486 --> 00:36:43.650 - need. That's very important to us. And so that's why we want to have this conversation. So we're still 00:36:43.650 --> 00:36:49.755 - early in the whole trying to get all the information right now. We got information and Melissa had to 00:36:49.755 --> 00:36:51.550 - leave from Apex that included 00:36:51.682 --> 00:37:02.818 - that did not include me. So there's kind of a delay in that. But what I want to tell you is, thankfully, 00:37:02.818 --> 00:37:13.529 - you guys gave or provided a $3 million transfer to support the Self Insurance Fund last year. And so 00:37:13.529 --> 00:37:18.302 - we actually only used $590,000, $979 of that 00:37:18.786 --> 00:37:30.381 - three million that you provided. So we ended the year with $2.4 million, which is how we started this 00:37:30.381 --> 00:37:39.134 - year, which is a very good thing. And at this point in time, we are on track 00:37:40.194 --> 00:37:49.377 - And again, there's a lot of crystal balls involved in these things. But we're on track to end the year 00:37:49.377 --> 00:37:58.293 - with about a $2.1 million. How many? 2.1. Thank you. Which is where I am most comfortable is with a 00:37:58.293 --> 00:38:06.942 - 1.8 to 2.1. That would be about the same as what we didn't use of the 3 million transfer, right? 00:38:07.266 --> 00:38:17.210 - Yeah, so it's keeping it kind of static, if you will. It is biting into it a little bit because it's 00:38:17.210 --> 00:38:27.253 - going down $300,000. That's based upon my crystal balls. And what we do know is that medical expenses 00:38:27.253 --> 00:38:36.606 - are insane right now. And we have had more than one employee who's on our plan who has hit the 00:38:37.922 --> 00:38:49.652 - loss, the individual stop loss. And so that is a problem overall. Right now, our stop loss, we're getting 00:38:49.652 --> 00:39:01.049 - reimbursed. However, when we go out to market, they're not going to want to give us the same stop loss 00:39:01.049 --> 00:39:05.918 - that we have based upon how it's been used. 00:39:06.274 --> 00:39:13.920 - And again, it was just early. We just met. Melissa and I just met. We met Friday, I think it was. He's 00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:21.565 - back in the room. Yeah. And just to hear about kind of where things are going. And so they're supposed 00:39:21.565 --> 00:39:29.062 - to get us more information with the May numbers so that we're looking at what kind of an increase. I 00:39:29.062 --> 00:39:34.110 - do know that they wanted like a 12% increase, which would put us at 00:39:34.274 --> 00:39:42.169 - over the 18,000. And this is apex. But we hadn't had a chance to really drill down into the whole thing. 00:39:42.169 --> 00:39:50.440 - So we're kind of on par for where we were concerned about being. I think that's exactly what we're interested 00:39:50.440 --> 00:39:55.102 - in is knowing what ballpark we're in. You know, are we are we 00:39:55.298 --> 00:40:03.449 - in an IU football stadium or are we in a giant, huge NFL stadium? We just want to make sure that we're 00:40:03.449 --> 00:40:11.679 - thinking the right way. I think that we are way better than we were last year. And to that point, could 00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:19.672 - we have someone project onto the screens page 50 of the packet? This is the auditor's office summary 00:40:19.672 --> 00:40:22.046 - of the self-insurance update. 00:40:22.434 --> 00:40:31.692 - And it shows that four-year trend. Yes, yeah. Which I think is helpful for crystal ball peering. Yeah, 00:40:31.692 --> 00:40:40.770 - because I've got the similar thing. Charlie and I have been. And we're going to have to zoom way in. 00:40:40.770 --> 00:40:49.938 - What section do you want? Let's start at the bottom line, because that's where Ms. Purdy was talking. 00:40:49.938 --> 00:40:51.646 - Go to end of 2025. 00:40:53.026 --> 00:41:01.314 - Projected twenty twenty six so twenty twenty we're looking at that. I think that the. We started last 00:41:01.314 --> 00:41:09.846 - year with seven hundred twenty five thousand which was. House meeting yeah so we're looking at. Michelle 00:41:09.846 --> 00:41:12.446 - we're looking at the pink line. 00:41:12.962 --> 00:41:20.442 - is the starting point, and then on the bottom, there's another pink line, and that's the cash balance 00:41:20.442 --> 00:41:27.775 - at the end. And that's the $2.4 million you see on your screen right there is what you were talking 00:41:27.775 --> 00:41:34.521 - about, Ms. Purdy, in terms of what, the end of 2025? That was the amount that was expended. 00:41:34.521 --> 00:41:41.854 - Is that clear? Am I? No, the 2.4 is what was left. Right, OK. So can you scroll down, Michelle? OK. 00:41:42.946 --> 00:41:51.758 - There we go. At 2.4, that's the end of 2025. That's the ending cash balance. That's what was left. Correct. 00:41:51.758 --> 00:41:59.918 - 2.4, end of 2025. And what we started this year was? That's right. Yeah. Now, I think that it looks 00:41:59.918 --> 00:42:05.630 - like maybe you guys have a more positive end. So we actually analyzed 00:42:05.730 --> 00:42:12.333 - analyze this three different ways. We went on a trending factor, the budgeted factor, and then also 00:42:12.333 --> 00:42:19.003 - a percent basis. And so we took roughly what was the percentage from last year. Whenever we take the 00:42:19.003 --> 00:42:26.201 - budgeted analysis versus the percent increase analysis, we actually, our crystal balls are kind of aligning. 00:42:26.201 --> 00:42:32.606 - And we're showing that we're fitting again, crystal ball, roughly 2.3 million to start out 2027. 00:42:33.858 --> 00:42:42.694 - very close to what Mrs. Party had said. I like to go with mine because it's worse. We want her to be 00:42:42.694 --> 00:42:51.792 - correct. We want to budget with you and hope that she's correct. Exactly. I do tend to be a little bit, 00:42:51.792 --> 00:42:57.566 - and they're extremely cautious too. If we update that to that 2.1 00:42:57.794 --> 00:43:07.551 - And then we do everything percent basis except for that 18,000 per employee. We're showing that we would 00:43:07.551 --> 00:43:17.121 - in the year roughly around 823,000. And that's with a 14% increase. That's a bad thing. So there would 00:43:17.121 --> 00:43:26.878 - be other, there's other parts that come into play. Exactly. Yeah. Because it's not going to be that bad. 00:43:28.386 --> 00:43:37.377 - So to that note, though, that $18,000 per employee gives us a little bit of cause for concern, just 00:43:37.377 --> 00:43:44.030 - if things trend the way we are anticipating. Can you say more about that? 00:43:46.050 --> 00:43:52.226 - There's so many variables and factors, it's hard to say, but I would hate for us to be in the same position 00:43:52.226 --> 00:43:58.116 - we were in in the past because we want to have that balance, so we're planning for the future. FSG has 00:43:58.116 --> 00:44:03.834 - recommended countless times that we have a separate, they're calling it a rainy day, self-insurance 00:44:03.834 --> 00:44:09.610 - fund. Now, we'll do whatever they think is best, however, we don't think that's necessary, but we do 00:44:09.610 --> 00:44:15.614 - think that we need to have a reasonable balance for those expenditures when we hit unanticipated things. 00:44:17.346 --> 00:44:25.670 - Can we account for all of that? I have not taken out as they have through 27. But the intention when 00:44:25.670 --> 00:44:33.994 - we do do that is that we will end the year with the 2 million plus. That's the intention. Because we 00:44:33.994 --> 00:44:42.483 - have to take into consideration the premium equivalents that are associated with the for the employees 00:44:42.483 --> 00:44:43.966 - and like it's not 00:44:45.442 --> 00:44:54.093 - can't take all of that and apply the same percentage because some of it is solely the county that supports. 00:44:54.093 --> 00:45:02.423 - So it gets a little interesting. And that's exactly why we want to talk about this in June and not wait 00:45:02.423 --> 00:45:08.510 - until December to have you scrambling in for the last minute appropriation. 00:45:08.770 --> 00:45:17.773 - I will say that last year I was in like in May because I nearly had a heart attack when I found out 00:45:17.773 --> 00:45:26.776 - that we started off with $735,000. So yeah, no, we're in good shape. And that's where we want to be 00:45:26.776 --> 00:45:35.779 - right now, right? And then what we will do is build into our costs for next year so that we can end 00:45:35.779 --> 00:45:38.750 - next year with sufficient funds. 00:45:40.258 --> 00:45:48.191 - And we'll just kind of go from there. So I'm curious, and I don't know if it's available here, but I'm 00:45:48.191 --> 00:45:56.200 - curious to know if other organizations or groups or entities are expecting a 12%? 12%? Yeah. Do we have 00:45:56.200 --> 00:46:03.902 - any? I don't know. I can find out. I think that would be good information to know. Yeah. We're like 00:46:03.902 --> 00:46:08.446 - on track working with APEX to get the 12% or I don't know. 00:46:08.898 --> 00:46:16.181 - could be expected elsewhere, you know? I'm not sure I answered the question. OK. So first of all, this 00:46:16.181 --> 00:46:23.393 - is just a box, kind of. That was our first, let's look at this. And I will tell you that almost every 00:46:23.393 --> 00:46:30.535 - year, I get a really large number. And then we go from there. They have it based on data. However, I 00:46:30.535 --> 00:46:35.838 - don't have that with me because they were going to update the information. 00:46:35.970 --> 00:46:43.479 - And so I can't really tell you what they were using that on. But the other thing you have to keep in 00:46:43.479 --> 00:46:50.914 - mind is that we, as a self-insured entity, we have a lot of fluctuations that occur. And right now, 00:46:50.914 --> 00:46:59.166 - we have some users who are extremely ill. And that's hitting this plan. I understand the risk completely. Yes. 00:46:59.682 --> 00:47:06.496 - You know, I'm always interested to know is there something better, right? So is this the best we can 00:47:06.496 --> 00:47:13.309 - do with insurance for employees, or is there something else, right? Right. And we've looked at that. 00:47:13.309 --> 00:47:20.123 - We look at that almost every year. We have a great insurance program that we provide to our... Yeah, 00:47:20.123 --> 00:47:27.139 - I'm not discounting that at all. Yeah. And, you know, costs, we keep it down as low as we possibly can, 00:47:27.139 --> 00:47:28.286 - and I think that 00:47:29.794 --> 00:47:41.127 - You don't want, by being self-insured, we do have the waves. However, if we had a fully insured program, 00:47:41.127 --> 00:47:52.136 - we don't get any waves. We just get the flat, and it's just gonna keep going up, right? This model is 00:47:52.136 --> 00:47:54.942 - working well in counties. 00:47:56.290 --> 00:48:05.710 - And I know that Apex is vigilant about our vendors and our products that we get. I remember meeting 00:48:05.710 --> 00:48:15.412 - with them before. Yeah. Yes, that's right. You did. And so they're very vigilant about that. I do know 00:48:15.412 --> 00:48:23.230 - that they're going to be kind of re-looking at all of our vendors for 20... 8? 27? 00:48:27.138 --> 00:48:35.368 - I would like to also ask while she's coming up and she can say what she says in a minute but what how 00:48:35.368 --> 00:48:43.437 - long have we been with apex that's a question I don't know remember if I heard before I was with so 00:48:43.437 --> 00:48:51.102 - let's see here I started in 2013 I believe here and it was there then no they we added them in 00:48:52.322 --> 00:49:06.824 - It's been a very good relationship that we have with them and they've gone to bat for us, which they 00:49:06.824 --> 00:49:15.582 - should, but on numerous occasions. So yeah, so they're good. 00:49:15.842 --> 00:49:24.082 - formally introduced. The situation demands it. This is our new HR director, and this is Melissa Stinson 00:49:24.082 --> 00:49:32.164 - Waddell. Yes, thank you. So I was in a meeting this morning with Brandy from Apex. So we are doing an 00:49:32.164 --> 00:49:40.245 - RFP for our ancillaries, and we're going to look at those bids so we can get the lowest more bang for 00:49:40.245 --> 00:49:42.622 - the buck that we can receive. 00:49:43.394 --> 00:49:52.800 - We're going to do an open enrollment this year where we do some type of a theme and we are looking at 00:49:52.800 --> 00:50:02.298 - the theme as being a way to reduce the cost and to become our employees to become more consumers about 00:50:02.298 --> 00:50:10.782 - where we go and what we do and what's less expensive but can get them their best treatment. 00:50:12.962 --> 00:50:20.977 - mandate, but opportunities. And so we're looking into a couple of programs that will also help us with 00:50:20.977 --> 00:50:29.069 - high-cost claimants. And once those programs are out there, we'll give them the name and how they work. 00:50:29.069 --> 00:50:37.395 - But right now we're looking at them just as different programs to reduce the cost. One program is actually 00:50:37.395 --> 00:50:42.686 - a program for someone who has a very high cost. And we would have a 00:50:42.850 --> 00:50:50.319 - one-time expense that we would pay. And I do want to think it's 65,000. And then we pay nothing else. 00:50:50.319 --> 00:50:57.641 - There's no lasers. They are no longer on our insurance program. But they don't have to pay anything 00:50:57.641 --> 00:51:05.183 - either. And it's a lovely program that is provided. So we're looking into that. But we cannot pressure 00:51:05.183 --> 00:51:12.798 - people to do those types. We have to offer it. So I'm going to ask the commissioners if we can mark it. 00:51:12.962 --> 00:51:19.489 - this year, so everyone has all the information that they need on what these programs are and how they 00:51:19.489 --> 00:51:25.952 - can participate in it to help save them money and help save the taxpayers money. And they have to be 00:51:25.952 --> 00:51:32.799 - accepted also. So they can apply, but they also have to be accepted. Yes. Open enrollment is November-ish, 00:51:32.799 --> 00:51:39.326 - right? Yeah, they asked me today if we would want to do it any sooner, but I need to consult with the 00:51:39.326 --> 00:51:41.694 - commissioners and find out if that's 00:51:42.690 --> 00:51:49.259 - good thing. I need to look at I had talked with Amy and payroll to find out if she got the numbers earlier 00:51:49.259 --> 00:51:55.582 - if that would be better for her. I need to talk to the auditor's office to see if that works for them. 00:51:55.582 --> 00:52:01.721 - And then if so then we may go in October so we can have all the numbers dead set before November. I 00:52:01.721 --> 00:52:07.983 - used to go in October so I'm surprised. Well I mean it's too late for us but the budget season I mean 00:52:07.983 --> 00:52:12.158 - I know in that the most silliest thing one of the most highest cost 00:52:12.354 --> 00:52:18.218 - items and you can't even really finalize it until November. That's why we were trying to wrap our heads 00:52:18.218 --> 00:52:24.026 - around it right now. Yes. Well, when Apex spoke with us the other day, they wanted to let us know that 00:52:24.026 --> 00:52:29.214 - the things that they looked together on the 12% was because they're looking at cost trends, 00:52:29.506 --> 00:52:36.519 - on what they're coming, what pharmaceuticals are coming down the road. They are, there are doing an 00:52:36.519 --> 00:52:43.532 - RFP for pharmaceuticals right now. So to see where are better bang for the better buck because they 00:52:43.532 --> 00:52:50.334 - can see all the different medications that everyone uses and they can put that out to be priced. 00:52:50.722 --> 00:52:57.546 - and what kind of deal can you give us kind of thing, but still provide. Because the worst thing you 00:52:57.546 --> 00:53:04.643 - want to do is to get to a pharmacy with your medication and your prescription, and they say, oh, that's 00:53:04.643 --> 00:53:11.672 - not covered under your program. So we need to make sure that it's tailored fit to our employees. Thank 00:53:11.672 --> 00:53:16.926 - you for going over that. I appreciate you coming to the mic and saying that. 00:53:17.346 --> 00:53:22.987 - We really do want to invest in our employees. We really want to invest in health care. And we know that 00:53:22.987 --> 00:53:28.519 - we need to be careful here. And we need to find the best opportunities. But at the end of the day, we 00:53:28.519 --> 00:53:33.997 - don't want people to choose between buying a tank of gas and getting to the pharmacy and paint their 00:53:33.997 --> 00:53:40.126 - heads. That's right. Yep. All right. Any other? Actually, I do want to ask one question of the auditor's office. 00:53:40.386 --> 00:53:48.028 - I know that last year we did a brand new way of having self-insurance lines throughout the budgets, 00:53:48.028 --> 00:53:55.823 - and that got a lot of commentary from Council. I think we're going to still do it that way this year. 00:53:55.823 --> 00:54:03.006 - Is that correct? Yeah, I believe that's the plan. Is that correct, Michelle? That is correct. 00:54:03.138 --> 00:54:11.515 - easier on our employee services team and honestly it was easier on all of us as well. So it's a win-win 00:54:11.515 --> 00:54:19.972 - from our perspective. What are you doing? Oh, just lump budgeting self-insurance. So HR is kind of doing 00:54:19.972 --> 00:54:23.838 - a lot of that work then as far as being able to 00:54:24.226 --> 00:54:31.614 - Do the sweep and the claim and so forth if that makes sense? So like in general fund we budgeted the 00:54:31.614 --> 00:54:39.074 - entire general fund amount under But the departments are still going to put their They're not they're 00:54:39.074 --> 00:54:46.389 - not going to do that. No, they didn't do it last year. I know that I worked with E at that time Ian 00:54:46.389 --> 00:54:50.046 - said right come up with the right number whatever 00:54:50.210 --> 00:54:57.885 - based on what the 144 gave us and we budgeted that out and looked at the numbers and then verified that 00:54:57.885 --> 00:55:05.265 - with the departments and it went really well. So just to clarify was budgeted under like HR okay so 00:55:05.265 --> 00:55:12.792 - not under the individual departments and just as a lump. Yeah, so I'm just trying to remember because 00:55:12.792 --> 00:55:18.622 - I do recall that we did that last year. And my big fear is losing missing some 00:55:19.170 --> 00:55:27.757 - dollars because they're important. So who is it? Is HR tracking those FTEs in each department? Yes. 00:55:27.757 --> 00:55:36.344 - Okay. And it goes through layers. You know, HR and council office work closely. We're looking at it 00:55:36.344 --> 00:55:45.790 - as well. And obviously you'll be involved as well. So multiple layers. Lots of ways. Thank you. And these are 00:55:45.954 --> 00:55:55.464 - Just to clarify, though, an HR line only appeared in funds that had multi-users. So if it was a standalone 00:55:55.464 --> 00:56:04.440 - fund, it is budgeted within that department's fund. But if it's a multi-user, yes, like CUME. But if 00:56:04.440 --> 00:56:13.150 - it's a multi-user, like general fund, public safety, we dedicated a certain line under the HR for 00:56:13.378 --> 00:56:21.424 - the insurance for that entire fund. Yeah, highway. I know Lisa's very excited about that. Yeah, and 00:56:21.424 --> 00:56:30.194 - then employee services then worked with departments with regards to grant funds because, you know, sometimes 00:56:30.194 --> 00:56:38.964 - the grants don't pick up everything, but we capture every position, full-time position into our spreadsheets 00:56:38.964 --> 00:56:40.734 - and into our budgets. 00:56:42.242 --> 00:56:48.989 - It seems like every council meeting we have a brand new grant that's paying for someone, some portion 00:56:48.989 --> 00:56:56.000 - of some person's salary. All right. Any other points of interest for the public or questions or concerns? 00:56:56.000 --> 00:57:02.746 - This is exactly what I wanted to have happen. Having these conversations in the public, talking about 00:57:02.746 --> 00:57:09.427 - the ins and outs of these programs is so helpful. It's so important to do this in June and not do it 00:57:09.427 --> 00:57:11.742 - in November. Thank you. Thank you. 00:57:12.802 --> 00:57:21.977 - All right, let's talk about on this, what temperature is it right now? 95 degree day. Let's talk about 00:57:21.977 --> 00:57:31.329 - paving. In addition to our budgets, in addition to cost of living adjustments, in addition to longevity, 00:57:31.329 --> 00:57:40.326 - in addition to health insurance, in addition to economic development income, we always have a lot of 00:57:40.326 --> 00:57:41.662 - miles to pave. 00:57:42.434 --> 00:57:48.830 - So we have invited our colleagues from the highway department to come and talk to us about what should 00:57:48.830 --> 00:57:55.599 - council expect in this budget season in regards to the bituminous line or other highway related expenditures 00:57:55.599 --> 00:58:01.871 - that you think we need to know about. So my first question is on your topic of longevity, if we want 00:58:01.871 --> 00:58:08.392 - to address that as a long term employee, do we send it just to you two or to the entire council? I would 00:58:08.392 --> 00:58:09.758 - send it to everybody. 00:58:10.082 --> 00:58:17.048 - because that way, if we decide that we're gonna go on a vacation to Cancun for two weeks, Kim Schell's 00:58:17.048 --> 00:58:24.013 - got it and she can make sure that we see it. Okay. And there's a council email address, right? Uh huh. 00:58:24.013 --> 00:58:31.046 - Yeah, that's where I would do it, right? Yes. Yeah. Appreciate that. So there's, I don't know what you, 00:58:31.046 --> 00:58:38.012 - where you want me to begin. Is there ever enough money to pave? No. And direction from the president's 00:58:38.012 --> 00:58:39.838 - letter, we did revert back 00:58:39.970 --> 00:58:48.010 - everything from the 11-12, which is the economic development income tax. We took out the, what you had 00:58:48.010 --> 00:58:56.285 - put in, what had been put in there was the CCMG match, contractual and bituminous, because it was started 00:58:56.285 --> 00:59:04.091 - out in the rainy day, then went to county general, and then it was put into the 11-12 last year. We 00:59:04.091 --> 00:59:09.790 - also had put into the 11-12 425,000 for, it's actually the county fleet, 00:59:10.274 --> 00:59:16.666 - gasoline costs. It's not highway. So the highway department has always had to cover those costs for 00:59:16.666 --> 00:59:23.378 - the entire fleet and pay for the gasoline, get reimbursed. But we've always had to set that money aside, 00:59:23.378 --> 00:59:29.898 - even though it's reimbursed from the department. So it's still money that's allocated to gasoline for 00:59:29.898 --> 00:59:36.546 - the county. So we had that discussion. We put that into the 1112 also. So now we've been told to revert 00:59:36.546 --> 00:59:40.062 - that back to the 1169, which is local road and street. 00:59:40.930 --> 00:59:48.980 - Again, in my letter to you, I'm not sure that that's, I don't know why we would set highway funds aside 00:59:48.980 --> 00:59:56.798 - to pay for gasoline for the whole county, because that's what's happening. So we are zeroing out our 00:59:56.798 --> 01:00:04.849 - by two minutes line in 1169 to take the gasoline back. And that also covers gasoline, the pump repairs, 01:00:04.849 --> 01:00:10.654 - inspections, the IDEM reports, everything that goes along with maintaining 01:00:10.786 --> 01:00:19.236 - the county fleet gasoline pumps. We have kind of a picture that we had drawn out this morning. I would 01:00:19.236 --> 01:00:27.768 - have got it to you electronically. I can send it to you electronically of where we're at with budgeting 01:00:27.768 --> 01:00:36.218 - for a paving program in 2027. As you are aware, the CCMG program has changed. It shifted a little bit. 01:00:36.218 --> 01:00:39.582 - What we expected to get was, so in March 01:00:40.162 --> 01:00:48.915 - To give you a scenario of how the numbers change, March 15th of 2025, I talked with AIC, and at that 01:00:48.915 --> 01:00:57.841 - time, the lane distribution for Monroe County would have been 2.13 million. In March of 2026, that was 01:00:57.841 --> 01:01:04.254 - changed to 847,000 after the House bills 179 and everything went through. 01:01:05.026 --> 01:01:14.311 - We got our distribution last week, and it was $412,000, half of what we expected. So I've reached out 01:01:14.311 --> 01:01:23.779 - to AIC, our legislative group, with IACS. So the reason for that, not really sure. It got down to being 01:01:23.779 --> 01:01:33.247 - a $65 million distribution. After Senate Bill 179 was prepared, and in their statement, they would have 01:01:33.247 --> 01:01:34.430 - $65 million. 01:01:34.530 --> 01:01:41.043 - The state comptroller's memo was approximately 32 million, which is half the original amount, which 01:01:41.043 --> 01:01:47.621 - was just this past March. We're still waiting for the letter to come out. I'm told it's being worked 01:01:47.621 --> 01:01:54.135 - on, on how they came out with the distribution amounts. But 32 million, I think, actually was going 01:01:54.135 --> 01:02:00.778 - to go out to about 16 entities that have the will tax. That's how that's determined. And getting that 01:02:00.778 --> 01:02:03.774 - $412,000 distribution, that's part of the CC. 01:02:04.002 --> 01:02:14.081 - The next call will be in September. So now we will readjust and we will try to apply for that additional 01:02:14.081 --> 01:02:24.351 - $587,000. It's going to be very competitive. The funds have gone down. Gasoline tax suspension has changed 01:02:24.351 --> 01:02:30.878 - a lot of things. The overall picture, CCMG took a big hit for that. 01:02:31.010 --> 01:02:39.600 - I forwarded today, you guys, an email from AIC where the Governor Braun has asked the state comptroller 01:02:39.600 --> 01:02:48.026 - to give the locals back their funds for the gasoline suspension and make us whole. When that happens, 01:02:48.026 --> 01:02:49.182 - I don't know. 01:02:49.282 --> 01:02:55.588 - It hasn't been declared in that memo today. I don't think it said where those funds would be coming 01:02:55.588 --> 01:03:02.020 - from. But the governor has stated more than once and now he's sent the notice press release out today 01:03:02.020 --> 01:03:08.389 - that said he would make the counties whole. So as we move into 2026, we're moving forward as we have 01:03:08.389 --> 01:03:15.262 - our budget. It was approved. We will not be going in for an additional like we've done in the past from NVH. 01:03:15.394 --> 01:03:22.216 - Uh, to add on more paving, we will do what we have in place. I think right now it's around 36 miles 01:03:22.216 --> 01:03:29.037 - of paving. Um, over the last three or four years that the council has helped us, we've been able to 01:03:29.037 --> 01:03:36.200 - do approximately 50 miles. So, uh, we will continue to see that number drop, um, in 2027 and just making 01:03:36.200 --> 01:03:43.227 - all these adjustments of taking back the gasoline. Not sure if the county council is going to put back 01:03:43.227 --> 01:03:44.318 - the million for 01:03:44.706 --> 01:03:51.466 - I prefer not to call it a match anymore because that's not a promise. That's why we had put it into 01:03:51.466 --> 01:03:58.227 - contractual and bituminous in the 11-12. So if we didn't get the grant, we were still able to spend 01:03:58.227 --> 01:04:05.393 - it for paving. And that's what we've always spent it for is paving, nothing else. Looking at the numbers, 01:04:05.393 --> 01:04:12.153 - we're still a million dollars going to be short for next year by the time we make these adjustments 01:04:12.153 --> 01:04:14.046 - in 11-76, 11-73, and 11-69. 01:04:14.178 --> 01:04:21.783 - by taking some of those expenses back into reverting them back to our accounts. I'm happy to send you 01:04:21.783 --> 01:04:29.462 - digital copies, printed copies of kind of our little scenario that we made this morning, and I'm happy 01:04:29.462 --> 01:04:37.067 - to answer any questions if I haven't. I'd like to point out, too, that that million dollars that were 01:04:37.067 --> 01:04:38.558 - short is still with 01:04:40.066 --> 01:04:48.162 - Can you speak up just a little bit, Toby? That million dollars that we're short is still with the council 01:04:48.162 --> 01:04:55.952 - finding a home for that million dollars that you've given us over the past five years. I just want to 01:04:55.952 --> 01:05:03.742 - point out for the public, the narrative the highway department just gave is on page 51 of the packet. 01:05:04.162 --> 01:05:11.710 - I will note that the budget or the Excel scenarios that they have before them is not in the packet, 01:05:11.710 --> 01:05:19.258 - but we can send those out whenever. But again, this is exactly why we want to talk now and not wait 01:05:19.258 --> 01:05:27.108 - until August or September to have this conversation. It is really, I mean, we talked a little bit about 01:05:27.108 --> 01:05:28.542 - this last Tuesday. 01:05:28.898 --> 01:05:36.453 - I think you got some questions about the gas tax and all that. And so clearly, this is an evolving situation, 01:05:36.453 --> 01:05:43.596 - and I don't want to get too much into it because of that. But it is encouraging to hear that leadership 01:05:43.596 --> 01:05:50.601 - in Indianapolis wants to make counties whole. Yes. And to get a number of what the counties are going 01:05:50.601 --> 01:05:57.950 - to lose, it depends on who you ask. Some people say 10%. Some people say 15%. I think Bree said last week, 01:05:58.402 --> 01:06:06.017 - 50%. So it's just the unknown. But if the governor is going to make us whole and replace those funds, 01:06:06.017 --> 01:06:13.184 - then like I said, we're just moving forward like we are spending our budget. We've never spent. 01:06:13.184 --> 01:06:20.874 - I know Mr. Garataz, which I have the utmost respect for. He's always been a great financial assistance 01:06:20.874 --> 01:06:27.518 - for my programs. We do watch our numbers. Again, we won't be going in for an additional. 01:06:27.970 --> 01:06:36.895 - The people that will take the heat for that will be us because it's less paving. I bet we have 80 to 01:06:36.895 --> 01:06:45.732 - 100 open requests of what we don't even have as a priority for us at this point on paving. We never 01:06:45.732 --> 01:06:54.569 - have enough money for paving. And as you can see from the numbers, it's going down as we speak. And 01:06:54.569 --> 01:06:57.662 - I'm not sure what the answers are. 01:06:57.826 --> 01:07:07.098 - Again, it depends on who you ask, but we do watch our numbers. We don't ever spend our full appropriations. 01:07:07.098 --> 01:07:16.026 - We haven't. I've been in this position. So we know that we need to be cautious moving forward. Our most 01:07:16.026 --> 01:07:24.954 - important part in our program is our employees. Sometimes people question whether or not that we should 01:07:24.954 --> 01:07:27.358 - be filling those positions. 01:07:28.962 --> 01:07:35.174 - of paving, it's snow removal is our biggest thing. And you have to have people to do that over 700 miles 01:07:35.174 --> 01:07:41.564 - of road. Do we still get the complaints that we don't clear it fast enough? We do. If you start eliminating 01:07:41.564 --> 01:07:47.480 - people, you start eliminating services for the taxpayers. And that's just, to me, that's really not 01:07:47.480 --> 01:07:53.692 - an option. You still have to get people to work to make a living. You have to get the emergency services 01:07:53.692 --> 01:07:58.366 - out. I don't care if they live on a dead-end road that's got two people on it. 01:07:58.658 --> 01:08:06.395 - They are still a priority. And if you start cutting your employees, you're cutting the services. Can 01:08:06.395 --> 01:08:14.439 - you repeat back, since we don't have it in front of us, your estimate of how many miles you think you're 01:08:14.439 --> 01:08:22.099 - going to be able to pave in 2027? 2027. 2026. Excuse me, yes. 2026 were about 35 miles. OK. 27 with 01:08:22.099 --> 01:08:25.470 - the numbers. That is if we get the million. 01:08:28.098 --> 01:08:37.501 - looking at 2.7, so that's probably 25 or 26 miles. And if you don't get the million? If you don't get 01:08:37.501 --> 01:08:46.720 - the million, you can take nine miles off. You're looking at 110, 100 to 120 a mile. We want to make 01:08:46.720 --> 01:08:55.294 - sure the council knows exactly what they're doing. It's the only place you can take it from. 01:08:55.554 --> 01:09:03.485 - There is not options. So if you do do a COLA, we understand we want to take care of our employees. We 01:09:03.485 --> 01:09:11.338 - get notices every week. Things are 100% better, I do believe, thanks to the Council of doing the WIS 01:09:11.338 --> 01:09:19.502 - and everything a few years ago. I think we're a lot more competitive. We probably won't be ever to where 01:09:19.502 --> 01:09:23.390 - the private sector is. But our benefits are good. 01:09:23.682 --> 01:09:31.545 - you know, start hacking those away and start talking about taking away longevity and things, you're 01:09:31.545 --> 01:09:39.566 - going to start losing people on the basis of that also. So our employees are number one to us. And if 01:09:39.566 --> 01:09:47.980 - you do do a COLA, we will make it work. But again, it does come from the paving dollars. But our materials 01:09:47.980 --> 01:09:53.406 - are pretty easy. We buy stone and we buy asphalt and we and it's all 01:09:56.066 --> 01:10:03.661 - I was saying the materials cost have gone up. Material cost has gone, especially like after the oil 01:10:03.661 --> 01:10:11.484 - recently. When diesel fuel and gas went up, so did asphalt mix because that's an oil product. Starting 01:10:11.484 --> 01:10:19.534 - to see more of an automated, I think IMI was one of our most recent that they are tagging on a $25 charge 01:10:19.534 --> 01:10:25.534 - for a fuel cost or a fuel increase. So we're going to open bids this Thursday. 01:10:25.954 --> 01:10:32.349 - We don't know what to expect. Do we expect it to go up? Absolutely. As there was a shortage last year 01:10:32.349 --> 01:10:38.807 - with salt, we expect not only the fuel to get it here, but also the product probably too will be. Yep. 01:10:38.807 --> 01:10:45.265 - You do some kind of brine too, as I remember, right? Yep, which is salt-based. Is it salt-based? Yeah. 01:10:45.265 --> 01:10:51.786 - So that salt that comes in gets put into a brine tank and mixed with water. And that's helped us a lot. 01:10:51.786 --> 01:10:53.918 - It's helped us a lot on overtime. 01:10:54.178 --> 01:11:02.010 - you know pre prep the roads we do what we can to try and safer over time but you know when you get tornadoes 01:11:02.010 --> 01:11:09.698 - and things like that that is over time for our guys to help get people out of their dead end roads hackers 01:11:09.698 --> 01:11:16.955 - creek and things like that uh... so that eats into our budget also and we cannot do a paving program 01:11:16.955 --> 01:11:23.422 - without your assistance it's just it is just not possible to make a difference or to even 01:11:23.618 --> 01:11:30.354 - try and stay a little caught up. It's just not possible. So I think I remember that there's some kind 01:11:30.354 --> 01:11:37.090 - of ranking of roads that you pave, right? So what percentage of the road needs something, are we able 01:11:37.090 --> 01:11:43.957 - to address? Do you have any idea on that? I don't probably have a percentage, so we're required in our- 01:11:43.957 --> 01:11:48.382 - How many miles, maybe? Well, I mean, we kind of build our program. 01:11:48.546 --> 01:11:55.313 - We are required every two years for our asset management plan to rate the roads. And then give it a 01:11:55.313 --> 01:12:02.080 - PACER rating one through 10. And then all of this data goes to LTAP. And then they distribute it to 01:12:02.080 --> 01:12:08.915 - the state to make sure that we're using the 1173 funds that are restricted on pavement preservation. 01:12:08.915 --> 01:12:15.614 - And we're using those funds wisely. So we... Yeah, what we'll do is we'll see what that number is. 01:12:15.714 --> 01:12:23.568 - 2.7 or I think last year we was up around 5 million. That's why in 25 we did. 25 we did 51.88 miles 01:12:23.568 --> 01:12:31.658 - and that was one of the reasons that was because the CCMG was 1.5 million. And you gave us 1.5 million 01:12:31.658 --> 01:12:39.591 - to match us. So that was 3 million. There's about 30 miles right there. But we take that number that 01:12:39.591 --> 01:12:43.518 - we have in our budget that we can use for paving. 01:12:43.714 --> 01:12:49.654 - And then we start looking at those roads that are at the bottom into that scale. And it might not even 01:12:49.654 --> 01:12:55.768 - be a road that's at the bottom of the scale, but it's maybe a busy road, like a Fairfax or a Union Valley 01:12:55.768 --> 01:13:01.535 - or a Heart Street, stuff that takes high speed, lots of traffic. You can't let those roads get to a 01:13:01.535 --> 01:13:07.360 - one, two, or three. When that road gets to a four, you better be looking at something to do with it. 01:13:07.360 --> 01:13:10.878 - Does it start out at 10, the number? Yes. So 10 down to one. 01:13:11.170 --> 01:13:17.243 - take that all, it's still probably an 8 or 9. So you get to that bottom end of that scale. Obviously, 01:13:17.243 --> 01:13:23.317 - yeah, we have a lot of roads that are low speed, low volume. They're at the bottom of that scale that 01:13:23.317 --> 01:13:29.449 - we might pick a road that's maybe a little better shape, but has way more traffic on it, higher speed. 01:13:29.449 --> 01:13:34.987 - Those just got to be addressed before a low volume, low speed. And then you start looking at 01:13:34.987 --> 01:13:40.286 - your subdivisions. A lot of those roads are in your subdivisions. And those roads really 01:13:40.802 --> 01:13:46.251 - cost more to pave because you gotta look at the curb and gutter. There's always sidewalk issues that 01:13:46.251 --> 01:13:51.862 - need to be taken care of. Those roads usually take an extra step and need milled or we get the pavement 01:13:51.862 --> 01:13:57.419 - up above the curb and gutter. So you have to mill those down on each side. You guys probably have seen 01:13:57.419 --> 01:14:02.922 - us do some of that or contractors do some of that. Those roads usually take a little more money. When 01:14:02.922 --> 01:14:08.372 - you get to that 110, 120 a mile, that's usually a subdivision road. Where a road like Heart Straight 01:14:08.372 --> 01:14:10.206 - that doesn't have curb and gutter 01:14:10.434 --> 01:14:16.197 - Might be a little wider, but you're not taking those extra steps that you can put that money into mix 01:14:16.197 --> 01:14:22.073 - to put a bigger cross section on top of that road. Hopefully the finishing is less. And after a winner, 01:14:22.073 --> 01:14:27.722 - it depends on the winner. Our paving program can change just like that. If we didn't have this road 01:14:27.722 --> 01:14:33.372 - on a list, but it is completely demolished after after the winter, you might be throwing a two mile 01:14:33.372 --> 01:14:37.214 - road into your list and that's taking something else off. It's just 01:14:37.826 --> 01:14:45.175 - It's just a constant of give and take on that list. It's really why we don't put out there of any commitment 01:14:45.175 --> 01:14:52.052 - to the public or really anybody until we have it out to bid, because it can change. And we don't make 01:14:52.052 --> 01:14:59.064 - promises to the public that we can't keep. We're not going to tell somebody that we will pave your road 01:14:59.064 --> 01:14:59.806 - this year. 01:15:00.002 --> 01:15:06.711 - If it gets a community crossing award, yeah, that is 100% because we can't change that. If we put it 01:15:06.711 --> 01:15:13.088 - out to bid, we know we have the funds to be able to do it. Yeah, we're going to pave that road. 01:15:13.088 --> 01:15:19.797 - But I hate it. We take complaint calls every single day. And as of right now, our payment program is 01:15:19.797 --> 01:15:26.174 - still up there for this year because we're waiting to see what that gas tax that they suspended 01:15:26.914 --> 01:15:32.701 - The governor said we're going to get made whole. Well, is that in December? When is that going to happen? 01:15:32.701 --> 01:15:38.214 - Timing is everything, right? Correct. I can't go by asphalt if I don't have the money. On a promise, 01:15:38.214 --> 01:15:43.837 - that's right. You guys remain transparent. Your website always lets the public know where you're going 01:15:43.837 --> 01:15:49.351 - to be and what you're doing. You've got a great website. And I just refer people all the time to you 01:15:49.351 --> 01:15:54.974 - folks. And they call and say, hey, what's going on? And what are you doing? And where are you guys at? 01:15:55.170 --> 01:16:01.983 - That's really helpful for the public. And we thank you for coming here today. Thank you for being transparent 01:16:01.983 --> 01:16:08.424 - with your request. Council will watch this recording. We will update council on it. And so we will move 01:16:08.424 --> 01:16:14.866 - forward together on this. I think the main thing is to find a place, a home for that million or million 01:16:14.866 --> 01:16:21.121 - and a half that we've had in the past. And the fuel that got reverted back to local road and street, 01:16:21.121 --> 01:16:22.174 - that's $425,000. 01:16:23.906 --> 01:16:30.206 - out of NVH or local road and street budget. All right. Well, thank you very much. And if you would, 01:16:30.206 --> 01:16:36.632 - email those documents in. And again, as we said at the top, if anybody has anything that they need to 01:16:36.632 --> 01:16:42.870 - tell council, that council emails, the best way to do it, because make sure that everyone gets it. 01:16:42.870 --> 01:16:49.170 - All right. Thank you. Thanks. Before we invite Mr. Garatos to the podium, I'm going to take a quick 01:16:49.170 --> 01:16:50.430 - five-minute recess. 01:16:50.530 --> 01:16:59.927 - That way we can stretch our legs. I've got to make a quick phone call and then we'll come back at 2 01:16:59.927 --> 01:17:05.566 - 55 we are in recess All right, everyone over good All right 01:17:08.578 --> 01:17:17.662 - goes on and the mics go on we are back from our recess this is the long-term finance planning committee 01:17:17.662 --> 01:17:26.483 - and we are at item number six on our agenda which we have Greg Garitas with us online and this is an 01:17:26.483 --> 01:17:35.741 - extended conversation in regards to the sustainability and revenue plan that was presented at the council 01:17:35.741 --> 01:17:36.702 - on Tuesday 01:17:37.026 --> 01:17:45.590 - But because of other presentations, our conversation was truncated, and Council encouraged the Long-Term 01:17:45.590 --> 01:17:54.155 - Finance Committee to extend the conversation here today. So, Mr. Garataz, welcome back to Monroe County. 01:17:54.155 --> 01:17:57.662 - Bruce, can you please promote Mr. Garataz? 01:18:12.322 --> 01:18:20.585 - Thank you, and good afternoon. Hey, Kim, could you also have Charlie promote it? Because Charlie from 01:18:20.585 --> 01:18:28.929 - our office is going to help me. And Peter and Liz, good afternoon. Good afternoon. I hope it's a touch 01:18:28.929 --> 01:18:36.382 - cooler where you are. It is sweltering down here. I don't think it is. Oh, dear. All right. 01:18:36.706 --> 01:18:44.521 - Good afternoon. And by the way, I did get to listen to all of that good conversation that has taken 01:18:44.521 --> 01:18:52.727 - place. I do want to go back and kind of address a couple things, if I may. Yeah, Mr. Garretas, the floor 01:18:52.727 --> 01:19:00.230 - is yours. Please touch on any of those things we talked about. Revenue, COLA, longevity, edits, 01:19:00.230 --> 01:19:04.606 - self-insurance by two minutes. What do you have to say? 01:19:05.218 --> 01:19:15.308 - Well, let's talk about all those. So first on the step increases. We asked him to give us those numbers. 01:19:15.308 --> 01:19:25.206 - I see, Kim, you produced a couple of new numbers. And so I know we corrected the FICA and the PERF and 01:19:25.206 --> 01:19:33.662 - thank you very much. I guess the thing I wanted to tell you that in our sustainability, 01:19:33.922 --> 01:19:47.399 - we use 2%. The step increases, unbeknownst to me, Kim, on your sheet, is $2.8 million of additional 01:19:47.399 --> 01:20:00.606 - revenue that is ongoing. That is really, really significant. Okay, so please make a note of that. 01:20:01.410 --> 01:20:10.930 - Remember what we have suggested is a 2% COA. And in our discussions, we have a little discussion with 01:20:10.930 --> 01:20:20.918 - Molly and Kim this morning. I guess the whole point there is that if we truly are at 2.8 on step increases 01:20:20.918 --> 01:20:30.718 - and we're gonna add another million dollars for the 2%, we still really want some type of money to go to 01:20:30.914 --> 01:20:38.936 - people without step increases, but that 3.8 is going to be significant. And we did not plan for that 01:20:38.936 --> 01:20:47.117 - in our sustainability. Okay, does all that make sense, Peter or Liz? So let's start there. I think Mr. 01:20:47.117 --> 01:20:55.060 - Garitas is referring to the cola sheets here. And Mr. Garitas, we've got, I'm going to have the mic 01:20:55.060 --> 01:21:00.382 - go over to Ms. Kim Schell, who's shaking her head. And Ms. Schell, 01:21:00.578 --> 01:21:09.852 - What questions do you have? OK, so just to be clear, when I do the two point, the 2% cola, the 2% cola 01:21:09.852 --> 01:21:19.126 - is across the board for everyone. And then there are the individuals who get also get a step increase. 01:21:19.126 --> 01:21:28.129 - So no one is not getting a cola. I'm just, you know, making sure. Sure, so Kim, I didn't mean that, 01:21:28.129 --> 01:21:30.110 - but what I meant was. 01:21:30.754 --> 01:21:41.861 - that on top of the TOA, the 2%, we said 2% total for everybody. That's what we were hoping. And the 01:21:41.861 --> 01:21:53.080 - step increases are 2.8 on top of that. Is that according to your most recent numbers? Yes. And so we 01:21:53.080 --> 01:21:59.966 - then went back to Kim and said, how many of the 629 employees 01:22:00.706 --> 01:22:12.274 - are getting staff increases because that's a huge amount of money for the steps. Okay. Yeah. And I'm 01:22:12.274 --> 01:22:24.759 - working on those numbers because I didn't have, um, where everybody was at currently. Yeah. So for council's 01:22:24.759 --> 01:22:30.142 - consideration and as we move forward, the 3.8, 01:22:30.498 --> 01:22:39.923 - We have not planned out. That is quite significant. And Charlie, you've got any comment on this? I guess 01:22:39.923 --> 01:22:49.258 - just to be clear is that the total salary increase that we had planned was 2%, which would include step 01:22:49.258 --> 01:22:58.863 - increases, the COLA, and then longevity going back to that. So we were saying that the total wage increase 01:22:58.863 --> 01:23:00.030 - would be 2%. 01:23:01.058 --> 01:23:11.514 - is our assumption. So Kim and Peter, question on that. So I guess that was my assumption looking at 01:23:11.514 --> 01:23:21.238 - this sheet as well. Again, while Kim's talking with the auditor, this is exactly why we have 01:23:21.238 --> 01:23:30.334 - these conversations so that we can catch these things before budget time. So Michelle, 01:23:30.594 --> 01:23:44.149 - Did you catch Mr. Garitas's last question? No. All right, the question is, and I think Charlie also 01:23:44.149 --> 01:23:58.110 - raised this, is the 3.8 on top of the 2% increase? No, that's including the 2%. OK. Does that clarify? 01:23:59.554 --> 01:24:07.652 - Uh, looking at the camera, sorry, Mr. Garrett, as Charlie, does that satisfy your concerns? Or maybe 01:24:07.652 --> 01:24:15.749 - this is another conversation that you need to have at the council office. Well, I think, I think the 01:24:15.749 --> 01:24:23.847 - overall point is in the sustainability. Like we said, we use 2% overall. If someone is, if someone's 01:24:23.847 --> 01:24:26.974 - step increase causes them to go up 4%. 01:24:28.130 --> 01:24:35.868 - and then they get 2% period on top of that, we did not project 6% for an employee, right? Does that 01:24:35.868 --> 01:24:43.605 - totally make sense? That should. Yeah, that totally makes sense. That the step increase in addition 01:24:43.605 --> 01:24:51.420 - to the COLA, that increase is not included in the sustainability plan. You're nodding your head yes, 01:24:51.420 --> 01:24:54.206 - Kim. I understand what he's saying. 01:24:55.522 --> 01:25:02.693 - But when we do a COLA, and I'll just say, but when we do a COLA, we do a COLA across the board and across 01:25:02.693 --> 01:25:09.661 - the board means that also includes their step increases. So that's why I did it that way because we've 01:25:09.661 --> 01:25:16.493 - always done it in the past. Okay. Molly Turner King, do you have something to say? You look like you 01:25:16.493 --> 01:25:23.326 - want to say something. Okay. No. Mr. Giertz. So what I want to, what I've asked him to do is tell us 01:25:23.618 --> 01:25:34.697 - the number of the 629 employees, how many are going to have an active step? And then the ultimate question 01:25:34.697 --> 01:25:45.465 - for the council is you cannot have 2.8 step increases each and every year. So this is either an anomaly 01:25:45.465 --> 01:25:53.438 - or whatever. And I guess we need to, we want to research that quite heavily. 01:25:53.954 --> 01:26:00.525 - Does that make sense? I'm seeing council office members shaking their head. Yes. Council member Fiddle, 01:26:00.525 --> 01:26:07.158 - do you have anything to say at this point? I understand what he's concerned about. Thank you. All right. 01:26:07.158 --> 01:26:13.539 - Yeah. Yeah. It sounds like additional conversations need to be had to, uh, uh, to, to reach, uh, to, 01:26:13.539 --> 01:26:19.920 - to find out, uh, some of these answers here. So yes, let's have additional questions. All right. Uh, 01:26:19.920 --> 01:26:23.774 - what else did you, did you hear in the meeting, Mr. Garitas? 01:26:24.290 --> 01:26:32.318 - Well, so on the audit fund, then we had talked about the transitioning of the supplies. And I think 01:26:32.318 --> 01:26:40.668 - what I heard was Angie, I thought what we were hearing is directive from the council that those numbers 01:26:40.668 --> 01:26:48.937 - should be put back into the general fund from the president of the council. And that was the directive 01:26:48.937 --> 01:26:50.462 - put in the letter. 01:26:51.458 --> 01:26:58.655 - Uh, in some cases, uh, that would go back into a general fund. In some cases, it would go back into 01:26:58.655 --> 01:27:05.852 - another fund. Yeah, but you're correct that there are some cases where the funds would go back into 01:27:05.852 --> 01:27:13.409 - a general fund. Yeah. And then we had in the audit fund in the sustainability, the most recent two other 01:27:13.409 --> 01:27:19.454 - items we had self-insurance, which we don't think we probably should have for 2027. 01:27:20.354 --> 01:27:29.930 - and we will take out the bond payment also for 2027. So basically edit would be in our opinion, the 01:27:29.930 --> 01:27:39.602 - probably one and only spot that you could go for the $1 million by two minutes. And that's where we, 01:27:39.602 --> 01:27:47.358 - I believe have included it in the past. I want to step in here and just say that 01:27:48.578 --> 01:27:57.460 - to get that approved by the board of commissioners. Yes, in order to have it in the plan. So at this 01:27:57.460 --> 01:28:06.254 - point in time, the best thing to do is to assume there's nothing in edit. Outside of what's already 01:28:06.254 --> 01:28:15.048 - in the plan. And for 2027, what would already be in the plan Angie? Nothing with this budget. Yeah, 01:28:15.048 --> 01:28:17.598 - so technically zero correct. 01:28:18.690 --> 01:28:27.950 - Okay, gotcha. And so that's that that I understand. And that's what we need to adjust our edit at this 01:28:27.950 --> 01:28:37.299 - point for unless Council is going to say, could we have subject to approval of the commissioners? Could 01:28:37.299 --> 01:28:40.446 - there be 1,000,004 by two minutes? 01:28:41.442 --> 01:28:47.307 - That's right. And that was the point of the conversation that we had that said, well, as we hear from 01:28:47.307 --> 01:28:53.115 - departments, as the council liaisons go into the departments to have conversations, that that's when 01:28:53.115 --> 01:28:58.866 - we need to have that additional conversation with the commissioners to say, for example, we have no 01:28:58.866 --> 01:29:04.731 - idea where else we can find this million dollars for paving other than the edit fund or whatever have 01:29:04.731 --> 01:29:10.654 - you. There's going to be other scenarios and situations. But that point is that we need to be talking. 01:29:11.010 --> 01:29:20.395 - And I will say that overall, and I think Lisa would agree with this, is that we would much rather see 01:29:20.395 --> 01:29:29.689 - our long-term employees retain their longevity than provide the additional bituminous in addition to 01:29:29.689 --> 01:29:36.958 - what's normally done. And so we want you to take care of your employees first. 01:29:37.666 --> 01:29:47.899 - Understood and just to make it clear it is not a zero sum that either employees will get their longevity 01:29:47.899 --> 01:29:58.132 - or that we will pay. There's a lot of options. Yes. All right. And Peter maybe we should make sure we're 01:29:58.132 --> 01:30:00.958 - defining that step increases 01:30:01.922 --> 01:30:09.951 - And longevity in Monroe County, are they the same or different? No, they're very different, right? So 01:30:09.951 --> 01:30:17.902 - we've got step longevity and Cola usually on the discussion agenda. That's right, and to people even 01:30:17.902 --> 01:30:25.774 - further, we have had conversations about moving longevity into step increases, but that's not going 01:30:25.774 --> 01:30:31.678 - to happen this year because we need additional study from Wagner Irwin and 01:30:32.066 --> 01:30:40.992 - And so this year we're just going with those two scenarios on longevity, which are completely separate 01:30:40.992 --> 01:30:49.744 - from step increases or the cost of living adjustment. Longevity and COLA, yeah. So those three items 01:30:49.744 --> 01:30:58.757 - are very, very important. And then we are working very closely with Lisa. I do think, yes, we're seeing 01:30:58.757 --> 01:31:01.790 - emails and we're seeing everybody. 01:31:01.922 --> 01:31:11.097 - say they will replace the gas tax. As I told Council in the last meeting, I think worse gets to worse. 01:31:11.097 --> 01:31:20.184 - We could do a inter-fund loan if we had to to keep our bituminous program going based upon the future 01:31:20.184 --> 01:31:29.270 - tax receipts. And as I indicated, our estimate was, Charlie, we're at about 20% reduction and the gas 01:31:29.270 --> 01:31:31.230 - tax should be imposed 01:31:31.522 --> 01:31:39.756 - coming in July, and then it's a matter of the state saying, as I told you, whether it would be an additional, 01:31:39.756 --> 01:31:47.466 - it would not be an additional, it would be from reserves. And so that's going to mean, is it this year 01:31:47.466 --> 01:31:55.027 - or next year? And I kept saying the payback may be as much as next year, first quarter next year. So 01:31:55.027 --> 01:31:59.518 - that's what we've got to prepare for. Does that make sense? 01:31:59.618 --> 01:32:07.034 - It does make sense. And I want to reiterate something I said earlier that this is an evolving situation. 01:32:07.034 --> 01:32:14.026 - And I think that, you know, clearly we need to be talking about what what we're going to be doing. 01:32:14.026 --> 01:32:21.301 - But boy, this thing seems to get a new news cycle every other day. Yeah, it definitely does. Yeah. OK, 01:32:21.301 --> 01:32:28.222 - so moving to health insurance, the 18000, we've come a long way. That seems to be a great number. 01:32:28.546 --> 01:32:38.912 - I think Liz, I've got numbers, I've got counties that are less and more. The relationship to you, to 01:32:38.912 --> 01:32:49.380 - another county is somewhat a moot point because it really depends on your healthy, your employees and 01:32:49.380 --> 01:32:58.206 - how many of them are out of the, you know, in the realm of stop loss and all of that. 01:32:58.914 --> 01:33:08.901 - So if you've got, we have some counties that are experiencing zero and 2% because they had a very healthy 01:33:08.901 --> 01:33:18.795 - workforce and they rebid it with the past healthy workforce. So those ebbs and tides in a self-insurance 01:33:18.795 --> 01:33:27.934 - program is very, very important. And I think right now I thought I heard we've got some concerns 01:33:28.258 --> 01:33:36.039 - And Melissa should be able to get a handle on that. I worked with her over in Brown County, I believe. 01:33:36.039 --> 01:33:43.972 - She ought to be able to get a nice handle on that. And then we can kind of look at, you know, with Apex, 01:33:43.972 --> 01:33:51.678 - the best time to redo that. Okay. So that's important. Yep. We're on the same page and you even heard 01:33:51.778 --> 01:33:59.773 - the auditor's office talk about your oft-mentioned self-insurance emergency fund. So that's... Yeah, 01:33:59.773 --> 01:34:07.927 - we got to call up reserve funds, not rainy day funds. I'm getting the nomenclature right. In the state 01:34:07.927 --> 01:34:16.160 - of Indiana, reserve. Yeah, yeah. And then by putting the $5,136,000,000 of self-insurance in Department 01:34:16.160 --> 01:34:17.822 - 309 human resources, 01:34:18.050 --> 01:34:25.951 - I think that's one of those improvements that I was highly recommending. That really has to make the 01:34:25.951 --> 01:34:34.322 - administration work so much easier. And then we can find out how well that five million's working. Because 01:34:34.322 --> 01:34:42.301 - what I want to do at the end of 26 is have a reconciling moment for a price per employee. Absolutely. 01:34:42.301 --> 01:34:47.934 - And we had that conversation. We're going to continue with that policy. 01:34:48.034 --> 01:34:56.184 - And I think that was a really healthy conversation to talk about where we're putting those dollars in 01:34:56.184 --> 01:35:04.174 - the budget. So, good. Now, turning then to the sustainability, we sent out a new one yesterday. The 01:35:04.174 --> 01:35:12.164 - things that we changed, one of the most significant things is we took the annexations out of there, 01:35:12.164 --> 01:35:17.438 - but we have included the Alexville consolidation in that. And so, 01:35:17.570 --> 01:35:27.361 - We've worked that into this. I think one of the other in the recommendations section and I brought it 01:35:27.361 --> 01:35:37.151 - up the other night is be aware that the juvenile, the special purpose juvenile balance is going to go 01:35:37.151 --> 01:35:46.558 - low. And we believe it may even become to a negative and we are recommending that you review that 01:35:46.914 --> 01:35:55.180 - about increasing that rate back up by maybe it was nine, it was point or nine basis points and it went 01:35:55.180 --> 01:36:03.686 - to eight and we took it to three. We may have to bring that back up to more around the five or the eight. 01:36:03.686 --> 01:36:12.273 - So what I told you was there's an August 1st deadline. So please put this down on the June council meeting 01:36:12.273 --> 01:36:16.446 - that you have to give notice that you're looking at 01:36:16.834 --> 01:36:24.071 - a change. If you miss that deadline, then that's going to be a ball that you won't be able to do it. 01:36:24.071 --> 01:36:31.881 - So Charlie, that's anything you want to add to that? No, that's perfect. And I will note that both President 01:36:31.881 --> 01:36:39.405 - Crossley and I have made calendar notations of that deadline. We're talking with the auditor about that, 01:36:39.405 --> 01:36:40.766 - of course, too. So 01:36:40.866 --> 01:36:49.772 - we're on top of this. I know this is a very important topic to President Crossley, so we're on it. So 01:36:49.772 --> 01:36:58.678 - other than that, I mean, with the updated sustainability, I guess, or any other questions I'd like to 01:36:58.678 --> 01:37:07.409 - know from you or Liz, but I think we've got the most significant points I just covered. And I think 01:37:07.409 --> 01:37:10.814 - we're doing good, but that 3.8 million 01:37:10.946 --> 01:37:18.764 - will be the most important topic of the year, so. Councilmember Feidl, do you have any questions or 01:37:18.764 --> 01:37:26.739 - comments for this? No. So I want to drill down on something you just said, where you said we're doing 01:37:26.739 --> 01:37:34.792 - good. Over the past couple of years, I think we've been really shocked to have to go into these budget 01:37:34.792 --> 01:37:40.030 - hearings or these budget sessions where we're telling people, hey, 01:37:40.770 --> 01:37:47.103 - We need to be super careful. We need to be like, we're changing the narrative here. We don't have all 01:37:47.103 --> 01:37:53.622 - this ARPA money anymore. We're not flush with cash. We just need to really batten down the hatches here. 01:37:53.622 --> 01:37:59.956 - And when I'm reading the sustainability report, it doesn't seem like the tide has completely changed, 01:37:59.956 --> 01:38:06.227 - but it does seem like things are easing up just a little bit. We're hearing that you're recommending 01:38:06.227 --> 01:38:10.014 - a 2% COLA. We're hearing that things are quote unquote good. 01:38:10.498 --> 01:38:19.832 - What would you, how do you react to that? Charlie, help me out. Well, we have had some very positive 01:38:19.832 --> 01:38:29.167 - things happen. And just to point out some for 27 that are positive. So the state is finally going to 01:38:29.167 --> 01:38:38.686 - allow the growth quotient to be set the way it should be set by statute before they had limited to 4%. 01:38:38.946 --> 01:38:47.362 - Next year, we think it'll be 5.7. So that's a real positive. We are having strong income tax receipts. 01:38:47.362 --> 01:38:55.777 - We just got supplemental income tax of almost $4 million in total for the county across all the income 01:38:55.777 --> 01:39:04.356 - tax funds. That's another strong point. And then the third item on revenue is the circuit breaker impact 01:39:04.356 --> 01:39:07.134 - from SEA 1 is not good, but it's, 01:39:07.234 --> 01:39:13.600 - not as bad as what we thought it might be for 26. So we've got the actual circuit breaker. It is going 01:39:13.600 --> 01:39:19.904 - to cost the county more, but it's not as bad as we thought. So taking across all those things and the 01:39:19.904 --> 01:39:26.084 - council has controlled the budget, I would say for 26, you can see it seemed like it kind of didn't 01:39:26.084 --> 01:39:32.574 - have the same increases that we had in the past. So a combination of all those things has really helped. 01:39:33.154 --> 01:39:43.071 - So so now Charlie did the positive points and let me do the points in the future. The points in the 01:39:43.071 --> 01:39:53.385 - future and I pointed out in the meeting $6.3 million of interest income in your $53 million of revenue. 01:39:53.385 --> 01:40:00.030 - OK, so Bree shows increases in revenues in her numbers and that is 01:40:00.546 --> 01:40:09.069 - You know, 6.3 out of 53 is a lot of interest income and a lot of revenue that has the potential and 01:40:09.069 --> 01:40:17.762 - we put it in the sustainability of going down. Okay, that's very, very important. Now we also want to 01:40:17.762 --> 01:40:26.882 - remind you that we moved out the building department revenue. We'll no longer have that within the general 01:40:26.882 --> 01:40:30.206 - fund starting in 2027 and we moved out 01:40:30.306 --> 01:40:39.901 - the building department expenses, okay? Charlie, I don't have, I'm looking at that real quick, but the 01:40:39.901 --> 01:40:49.868 - majority of our counties are not supplementing the general fund with those revenues, it's actually costing 01:40:49.868 --> 01:40:59.742 - the general fund. And so in your calculation, we have that set out in 142, we're seeing an average of 15% 01:40:59.938 --> 01:41:08.645 - increase needed in building, uh, basically revenue to cover the cost. So we're required in one, one 01:41:08.645 --> 01:41:17.439 - 20 right now we have you with a million revenue and a million four of expenses on page one 42 of the 01:41:17.439 --> 01:41:26.234 - sustainability. We're underfunded by $464,000. Okay. You're either going to have to put that back in 01:41:26.234 --> 01:41:28.062 - to the general fund. 01:41:28.514 --> 01:41:35.682 - And, but you know, you're required to put all the revenue. Well, you want to be able to put all the 01:41:35.682 --> 01:41:43.137 - expenses in there too, because the builders association is going to the ones that have positive numbers 01:41:43.137 --> 01:41:50.735 - in these building and planning funds. That's the ones they're going to say, see, you've been overcharging 01:41:50.735 --> 01:41:56.254 - me. Okay. And so that's really important to pay attention to for 2027. Okay. 01:41:57.442 --> 01:42:05.359 - But I don't want to be Pollyannish about things. I don't want to give people false hope. So you're absolutely 01:42:05.359 --> 01:42:12.916 - right to give us both sides of the coin. But I really do, going through two years of these budgets where 01:42:12.916 --> 01:42:20.257 - we've just been tightening things up, I think it is nice to hear from at least Charlie some positives 01:42:20.257 --> 01:42:26.302 - too. Liz, do you have anything to note at this point? OK. A lot to digest, I think. 01:42:26.530 --> 01:42:37.177 - It's always a lot to digest. Absolutely. And again, one final point, Peter, I think as the new lit structure 01:42:37.177 --> 01:42:46.359 - comes about, it'll be really nice for Monroe County to be able to control its own destiny for 01:42:46.359 --> 01:42:52.318 - lit. Absolutely. That is a positive for us. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. 01:42:52.642 --> 01:43:00.953 - And so we've even heard the possibility of very, they might say, Hey, if you're ready to go, we might 01:43:00.953 --> 01:43:09.263 - let you go early. So one of the things we'd like to do as we, you know, as we recommended in the must 01:43:09.263 --> 01:43:17.818 - group and breathe, we'd be more than happy to do this. We've already done it. We've already gone through 01:43:17.818 --> 01:43:21.566 - the, uh, AICs model with Hendrix and Hancock. 01:43:21.986 --> 01:43:30.540 - We met with them for over an hour, told them some of the nuances in Monroe also, since I sat through 01:43:30.540 --> 01:43:39.348 - Jamie's presentation. And so there's a new and improved model that I think is needed and will come out. 01:43:39.348 --> 01:43:46.462 - And so that's something, Bree, we can kind of educate you on, but I'm really hoping 01:43:46.786 --> 01:43:57.241 - They felt our one hour session that we had exclusively with AIC. They said that really helped them understand 01:43:57.241 --> 01:44:06.841 - the nuances of Hendricks Hancock and Monroe. So that's positive too. Any time you tell us that we're 01:44:06.841 --> 01:44:15.966 - a special place, we'll believe you. You absolutely are. They did not have your special lit out. 01:44:16.322 --> 01:44:22.970 - And so they were including it in your total. So there's some errors. Right. And I think I'm looking 01:44:22.970 --> 01:44:29.619 - over to you, Madam Auditor, that it would be wonderful to schedule a time for council to go through 01:44:29.619 --> 01:44:36.865 - that tool. I know it's not ready for prime time, at least right now, but at some point it would be wonderful 01:44:36.865 --> 01:44:41.918 - to do that, particularly if there's rumblings that counties could go early. 01:44:42.722 --> 01:44:52.892 - Yes, absolutely. So I did receive that email from the Association of Indiana Counties last week. So 01:44:52.892 --> 01:44:59.198 - I do have the sandbox, the lit sandbox that we can play with. 01:45:00.226 --> 01:45:07.250 - I would like to schedule some time with them to kind of play around with it, go through with it. Absolutely 01:45:07.250 --> 01:45:13.755 - need to schedule some time with Council to look through it as well. And Michelle and I haven't even 01:45:13.755 --> 01:45:20.259 - been through it together yet, which is also part of our plan, so. Yeah, and Bree, just to follow up 01:45:20.259 --> 01:45:26.958 - point on that, we we would like you to focus on the big picture. Share the the small minutiae, but the 01:45:26.958 --> 01:45:29.950 - minutia matters a couple years down the road. 01:45:30.530 --> 01:45:41.160 - So the big picture is what the must group wants to cover. And there has to be a balancing between the 01:45:41.160 --> 01:45:51.686 - two. So one other final point is, again, with the overall longevity, COLA step increases, I think it 01:45:51.686 --> 01:45:59.294 - is a given. Our opinion is that there should be a absolute hiring freeze 01:45:59.906 --> 01:46:06.736 - except you know if you lose a police officer and you're going to replace that police office those very 01:46:06.736 --> 01:46:13.566 - essential services but hiring new employees i just don't think you can really afford that at this time 01:46:13.566 --> 01:46:20.329 - so and i think we've got a good process down for our council meetings for department heads to request 01:46:20.329 --> 01:46:26.430 - for those essential employees to be uh those those empty positions to be refilled and we've 01:46:26.562 --> 01:46:35.230 - Council, I think here in Monroe County has been doing a very good job of not putting in new positions. 01:46:35.230 --> 01:46:43.645 - We've been pretty steadfast. Okay, great. Thank you. So that's all I have and I hope I didn't raise 01:46:43.645 --> 01:46:52.397 - your blood pressure and make you hotter. I have remarkably great blood pressure, so. All right, I wanna 01:46:52.397 --> 01:46:55.006 - give a final word as always to 01:46:55.522 --> 01:47:03.540 - to Councilmember Feidl. Anything that you want to add before we move on to our next agenda item? I don't 01:47:03.540 --> 01:47:11.253 - think so. I'm looking forward to coming to terms with a lot of things we've discussed today. So I'll 01:47:11.253 --> 01:47:17.438 - just leave it at that. All right. Well, Charlie, Greg, as always, your advice is 01:47:17.570 --> 01:47:24.204 - exceptionally wonderful, and we are looking forward to updating our council colleagues on all of it. 01:47:24.204 --> 01:47:30.904 - So thank you for your wisdom, thank you for your advice. We're very appreciative. Thank you very much 01:47:30.904 --> 01:47:37.604 - and have a great afternoon. All right, happy fourth. Goodbye. All right, that brings us to scheduling 01:47:37.604 --> 01:47:44.239 - our third quarter meeting dates. Unfortunately, doing something at the end of the third quarter puts 01:47:44.239 --> 01:47:46.078 - a smack dab in budgets. So, 01:47:46.178 --> 01:47:55.399 - Michelle, what were you thinking in terms of moving us going before budgets? Sounds a little presumptive 01:47:55.399 --> 01:48:04.268 - going after budgets. Maybe it's a little late. What? I think that's where the conversation is. It's. 01:48:04.268 --> 01:48:13.489 - Because I think we have it set up right now for September the 29th. Uhm? Which you know is not the total 01:48:13.489 --> 01:48:15.070 - end of a quarter, 01:48:15.618 --> 01:48:23.838 - We will be done with our budget sessions by that time, but we will be putting that information into 01:48:23.838 --> 01:48:32.305 - gateway and that kind of thing. So it's like, you know, I think that's going to be a little difficult. 01:48:32.305 --> 01:48:41.758 - So I'm going to have to refer to the auditor on our schedule with regards to what do you feel like would be a good 01:48:42.786 --> 01:48:49.486 - Yeah, I don't have the budget calendar pulled up. However, our preference would be the first or second 01:48:49.486 --> 01:48:55.991 - week in October. But just so we can actually capture the entire quarter would be ideal. It gives us 01:48:55.991 --> 01:49:02.561 - more accurate information, and it is more efficient because we don't have to go back and update then 01:49:02.561 --> 01:49:06.334 - when we end before a quarter ends for one of the periods. 01:49:09.378 --> 01:49:16.446 - Will we need any information that we'd be talking about at long-term finance next for the budget sessions? 01:49:16.446 --> 01:49:23.183 - Maybe that's a question. We're gonna have to provide you with all kinds of information as we normally 01:49:23.183 --> 01:49:30.053 - do for budget sessions anyhow. So I think you're gonna have everything at your fingertips. Nothing more 01:49:30.053 --> 01:49:35.998 - would come out in this meeting after budgets, right? Right, I mean, yes. So I don't know. 01:49:36.418 --> 01:49:44.919 - how much that two weeks will make a difference because we're gonna be done with budgets that September 01:49:44.919 --> 01:49:53.503 - 29th anyway. The last budget session I have down is September 17th. If we're looking at that first week 01:49:53.503 --> 01:50:01.756 - of October, will you have all of your information, when's the deadline to enter in information into 01:50:01.756 --> 01:50:05.470 - the system? It will be the October the 23rd, 01:50:05.602 --> 01:50:15.458 - The very latest is the 25th. Our public hearing is on the 6th. 6th of October? Yes. All right. It is 01:50:15.458 --> 01:50:25.313 - quite a lift to put all of the last minute changes that we give folks into the system. I do not want 01:50:25.313 --> 01:50:34.974 - to schedule a meeting during that time. So I think getting to Liz's and Councillor Fiddle's point, 01:50:36.258 --> 01:50:44.869 - We really need one. Maybe the timing of it is the issue, right? Right. My point is you're going to be 01:50:44.869 --> 01:50:53.312 - receiving the information necessary anyhow, and that it might help us just with budget procedure to 01:50:53.312 --> 01:50:58.462 - push this off a little while. Yep, I agree. I totally agree. 01:50:58.882 --> 01:51:04.578 - We'll be doing budgets right at that time. You will be getting information updated as soon as we can 01:51:04.578 --> 01:51:10.725 - with regards to each meeting. I don't necessarily, and by the time we advertise it or get ready to advertise 01:51:10.725 --> 01:51:16.420 - it at the end of the sessions, you'll have everything you need at that point. So what did we do last 01:51:16.420 --> 01:51:22.229 - year? Do you know what we did last year? We must have had the same issue last year. We always have the 01:51:22.229 --> 01:51:28.094 - same issue. What did we do last year? Do you remember? I don't recall what we did last year, but I was, 01:51:28.226 --> 01:51:36.344 - I'm starting to say, I think it would be repetitive. And maybe we didn't schedule one last year. Right. 01:51:36.344 --> 01:51:44.618 - And then the fourth quarter is when no one is here because it's the end of December. So my recommendation 01:51:44.618 --> 01:51:52.580 - would be that we simply, if we need to have a long-term finance committee meeting in, you know, close 01:51:52.580 --> 01:51:57.342 - to the end of the year to review the budget session, we can. 01:51:58.050 --> 01:52:04.965 - Uh, maybe this was like the last one for the year. Um, I'm thinking what we could do relatively simply 01:52:04.965 --> 01:52:12.082 - is after the conclusion of the quarters, we could send out that the report that we've been, um, providing 01:52:12.082 --> 01:52:18.997 - you just that top level overview financial report. And then any questions, I think you'll have all the 01:52:18.997 --> 01:52:25.711 - answers with what we're providing anyhow, but that will just give you that basic information. Okay. 01:52:25.711 --> 01:52:26.718 - Let's do that. 01:52:27.362 --> 01:52:34.334 - We're not going to schedule a meeting right now then, right? Well, we already have one scheduled for 01:52:34.334 --> 01:52:41.444 - the 29th. Yes. We went ahead and did that when we... I remember. So we can either... My recommendation 01:52:41.444 --> 01:52:48.416 - is to cancel that meeting. Okay. I don't think it serves any purpose at this point, it seems. So I'm 01:52:48.416 --> 01:52:56.286 - looking at Ms. Molly Turner-King. Is there a special... Do we need to vote to cancel that next meeting? No? Okay. 01:52:57.762 --> 01:53:04.856 - All right. Great. Thanks. I think I looked at my calendar from last year. It pulled it up for me and 01:53:04.856 --> 01:53:11.950 - it looks like we met on Friday, August 1st and then we didn't have one for quite a while after that. 01:53:11.950 --> 01:53:19.255 - And then there was a long time between that August 1st time and the one before that. So I mean, we look 01:53:19.255 --> 01:53:24.734 - at the total number of meetings per year. I think we're on track. Yeah. Okay. 01:53:27.010 --> 01:53:34.014 - I think we've reached consensus. Before we adjourn this final meeting of the LTF for the year, do you 01:53:34.014 --> 01:53:41.293 - have any closing thoughts? I think it's my second time through this, so I think it's gonna be interesting 01:53:41.293 --> 01:53:48.298 - to see how it plays out. I'm not a veteran of this yet, so I'm looking forward to see how it might be 01:53:48.298 --> 01:53:55.302 - different, it might be similar, what we can apply from what I learned before to this, all that. If it 01:53:55.302 --> 01:53:56.126 - weren't so, 01:53:56.610 --> 01:54:03.518 - difficult to get folks to be in a meeting, to have all these people involved. It would just be wonderful 01:54:03.518 --> 01:54:10.294 - to keep talking about these things. Whenever we talk about this, this is why local government matters. 01:54:10.294 --> 01:54:17.136 - We've got health care. We've got road paving. We've got folks being able to afford their expenses. This 01:54:17.136 --> 01:54:23.978 - is why local government matters. And you can see how not only national but international policy impacts 01:54:23.978 --> 01:54:25.886 - things happening right here. 01:54:26.178 --> 01:54:33.204 - So the decisions that we're making are really important because we are the ones that are making sure 01:54:33.204 --> 01:54:39.326 - that things keep going. And so thank you all for joining us. This meeting is adjourned.