City of Bloomington, Indiana City Council, 2 Sep 2021

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From YouTube: Bloomington City Council Departmental Budget Hearings, August 23, Part 2

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A

We'll go now to our next item.

A

Which is uh information technology services? I believe mr dietz is here.

A

There he is, and I've already lost track of here. This is 10 minutes for your budget. I think.

B

15 15 minutes: okay, 15 minutes uh the clock will start when you begin talking. Please go ahead.

B

I need to share my screen here just one moment.

B

I am not able to share it this time. um What's going on, can we.

A

um There's a setting here that I need to change. I'm sorry about that. Oh okay,.

B

If there's somebody from.

B

The mayor's office with access to this we could, mr krebs, can you assist us here.

B

All right, rick, are you: are you talking about someone that can help? You present us your screen.

B

Yeah, I believe elizabeth has access to your slides. Yes, that's correct, could she put them.

A

Up find that I believe I have them up. I could perhaps uh present them.

C

B

I think I have my share screen going. Can you see that I think I've gotten the screen share.

D

On yes, we can see it. Okay, rick, just let me know when you want me to move your slides.

B

um I'm shifting over to mine now sorry about that. Are you able to see mine.

A

B

Is that showing for all of you? Yes, all right, thanks for your.

B

Patience, mr chair council, member, sorry about that.

B

All right here we go.

B

Hello, I am rick dietz director of the city's information and.

B

Technology services department, more succinctly, known as its. I appreciate.

B

The opportunity to present the 2022 its budget proposal for your consideration.

B

Its our mission is to provide the I.t services tools, training and resources necessary to maintain.

B

Mission critical study systems empower city staff to excel in their work and to improve.

B

Digital equity in our community electronically engage our residents in their own governance.

B

Ultimately, our work in its is as much about people as it is about technology. So I'd like to take this.

B

Opportunity to acknowledge and commend its staff for their continuing hard work and excellence.

B

Supporting our public staff, public and staff customers, especially over the past year, as we've.

B

All adapted to kobet's personal and operational challenges, its provides broad information.

B

Technology and communications technology, support for all city departments in the next few slides.

B

I'll highlight the status of some of our 2021 goals currently underway. Here are some highlights.

B

We restructured the department at the beginning of 2021 into operations and applications, divisions.

B

That transition is ongoing. Improving broadband with a high priority is a high priority for.

B

The city and for the its department and we've made bringing the digital divide, the bridging.

B

The digital divide, the focus of our broadband efforts in 2021., we put the city's digital equity.

B

Strategic plan into action in 2021 with digital equity grants and planned wi-fi deployments in.

B

2022, we've deployed our new help desk platform and we've managed and are managing dozens of software.

B

Evaluation and deployment hardware, replacement, I.t infrastructure and digital services projects.

B

We're continuing working to improve our information resources, including our website,.

B

And open data portal be clear: we've released our new data portal and visualization platform.

B

Socrata, including covid and climate action dashboards, and are enhancing our online gis.

B

Maps we're deploying enterprise community development software, a comprehensive toolkit.

B

For plan review permits inspections and more with planning hand and other departments.

B

Additional work is progressing on the expansion of document management.

B

Gis, migration, revenue collection integrations and digital services updates.

B

In the past, uh in the past year to date, we've averaged 4.8 out of excuse me 4.8 out of 5.

B

Get back to the right slide, 4.8 out of 5 our rating and our in our.

B

Customer service support surveys and we've deployed our new manage engine help desk system.

B

Our annual computer capital replacement cycle is underway, replacing roughly a quarter of.

B

Our capital inventory of computers, monitors printers and peripherals.

B

We work hard to provide highly available redundant and secure systems are sorry wrong slide again.

B

Our uh our year to date, uptime for our core virtual server file, storage system and network.

B

Is over nine point: 9.9.9 percent. In addition, we provided systems, administration and network.

B

Engineering services for sydney facilities there's a lot more, we've been up to in 2021, but those are.

B

Some of the highlights next I'd like to share the big themes of our 2022 budget.

B

One is to protect and preserve the basic functions of city government. It's no secret that.

B

If I t systems don't work, then the city doesn't work. Networks, phones, virtual file, servers file.

B

Storage, backup etc require resources to keep running and up to date, telecom fund revenue.

B

Continues to decline to address this, removing caps, community access television, services, funding and.

B

Other expenses into the general fund in 2022, we can't delay this any longer. We, in addition, we've.

B

Deferred capital, investments in it infrastructure, in particular, network and phones. As long as we can.

B

And this budget also addresses that plan. Your work then work your plan. That's one thing that.

B

We say in its planning is a big part of what we do, whether it's it its organizational review.

B

Strategic plan, capital plan or digital equity strategic plan, we've developed, solid plans and now.

B

Is our time to execute on them on infrastructure, we need to replace our aging and out of support.

B

Network gear, replace our antiquated phone system expand our virtual server and file storage systems.

B

Equity inclusion is all the more critical with the continuing impacts of the pandemic. We need.

B

To extend the promise of technology to all of our residents and our digital equity strategic plan.

B

Provides a blueprint for our digital equity grants, strategic wi-fi investments and more.

B

Cyber security has always been critical, but we're stepping up in 2022, with our network upgrade new.

B

Threat monitoring and mitigation systems and enhanced staff training we're constantly working.

B

To improve efficiency and sustainability through process improvement, paper reduction and document.

B

Management and scanning these are our touchstones in 2022.. Now, let's explore our 2022 goals.

B

In 2022, we'll be updating it policies and procedures with special attention.

B

To cyber security disaster recovery and physical I.t security, we will build on our broadband.

B

Work and implement digital equity, strategic plan recommendations, including.

B

2022 digital equity grants and public wi-fi projects.

B

In 2022, we'll complete data migration into our new data portal platform and expand dashboards.

B

And visualization we'll be conducting needs analysis and planning around smart city systems.

B

And video service needs and engage with hr on process improvement for staff onboarding.

B

In 2022, we will continue to support our website and expand the data we make available to staff.

B

And the public, through our be clear data portal, we will build.

B

New document management, workflows and digitized paper documents.

B

We will upgrade our gis system and expand our portfolio of interactive web maps.

B

And mobile data collection tools will create new value-added data sets for.

B

Staff from the states state of indiana's new aerial photography captured this year.

B

We will upgrade and replace a significant portion of our wired and wireless network equipment which.

B

Is aging and out of vendor support we'll expand our virtual server infrastructure and begin.

B

To update our phone system to a voice over ip platform, all the while maintaining high standards.

B

For availability and reliability of our critical I.t infrastructure and core digital services.

B

In our 2022 customer service goal is a 4.7 out of 5 excellent rating each year. We're replacing.

B

Hardware across the organization- and we will work to reduce our susceptibility to social.

B

Engineering cyber attacks through training and education of city staff- this covers.

B

Our 2022 goal highlights now: let's turn to our actual budget.

B

Its budgets from several funds, the its general fund, the telecommunications non-reverting fund,.

B

Electronic map fund and enhanced access fund of note, the telecommunications non-reverting fund.

B

Draws its revenue from the franchise fees paid by state video franchisees operating in bloomington.

B

This fund is in decline as cord cutting and a shift from traditional cable tv continues and over.

B

The past few years we've moved many its expenses to the general fund in the 2022 budget, 455 000 in.

B

Caps, community access television services funding moves to the its funeral fund telecom fund revenue.

B

And fund reserves are no longer sufficient to host this expense. There are a few other transfers like.

B

This but cats is the most significant with that noted we'll now um I'll now take a look at our.

B

Various budget lines several have notable changes that I want to bring to your attention the its.

B

Department's general fund budget request it's four million five hundred thousand.

B

uh Five hundred thirty two thousand six hundred and fifty two dollars in personnel uh personnel.

B

Services, your request is one million nine hundred forty one thousand five hundred nineteen, which is.

B

An increase of five percent- and this is due to the increases in uh salary and bonuses, mentioned.

B

uh Earlier in uh management fees, consultants and workshops, we have an increase, 173 thousand.

B

Every four to five years, the state contracts for aerial flyovers to provide new uh orthophotography.

B

Data maps in order to fully utilize these data, we contract with gis, consulting services to convert.

B

The data for the city city departments to use to provide edu payment building area parking.

B

Area and contour elevation data planning around smart city technologies and video service needs.

B

Is also part of this, but gis is the most uh substantial and these are one-time expenses.

B

In uh other lines, our telephone- and it is an increase of 98.

B

000 in total to cover uh transition to voice over ip phone system in hardware, software maintenance.

B

We have an increase of 24 900, largely for cyber security uh investments, including new antivirus.

B

And new anti-malware systems in dues and subscriptions, we have an increase of 123.

B

700 due to increased licensing costs for google enterprise zoom and no before cyber security.

B

Trainings in grants we have a request for 50 000 for the 2022 digital equity grants, funding.

B

This uh was a recover forward, expense that we're now requesting to move into our regular its budget.

B

In line the community access and tbn radio, we have a request for 455.

B

1807 for community access television services- this is a one percent increase from 2021.

B

This expense was moved from the telecom fund into the general fund.

B

uh In capital outlays purchasing equipment, we have an increase.

B

Of 940 720 for major capital investments, which include the enterprise network hardware, upgrade.

B

Wi-Fi upgrades security, camera storage, virtual server infrastructure data center.

B

Power supplies and more, these are significant one-time infrastructure investments.

B

And they are, but they are also offset by recover forward and cares funds.

B

Onto the telecommunications non-reverting fund, the budget request is 387 000 uh for the overall.

B

Telecommunications non-reverting fund with notable expenses, including an equipment, an increase of 16.

B

468 for a regular annual capital, replacement of pcs, laptops uh and other uh peripherals.

B

We um excuse me in uh the services account of telecommunications. We have a communications.

B

Contract increase of 5000 uh in terms of what we use to host uh the uh internet and phone service.

B

For the fire stations, relocation and then also included here- is the community access.

B

Tv reduction that corresponds to the increase in the general fund.

B

B

There we go sorry, a delay. um The electronic map generation fund and enhanced access funds have no.

B

Appropriations requested in 2022 recover forward continues in 2022 with the american rescue plan.

B

Arpa funding an additional, in addition to care's resources, to support critical I.t infrastructure.

B

Investments and continuing code 19 response these recover forward funds offset the one-time expenses.

B

In the 2022, its general fund budget in 2022 recover forward funds will be used to support.

B

Major capital investments in critical areas, these one-time investments will have a long-term impact.

B

On city operations and on the its department, services to study staff and the public.

B

The overall 2022 its budget is four million nine hundred twenty thousand uh one hundred dollars.

B

An increase of one million three hundred seventy five thousand six hundred nine dollars, which is.

B

Offset by 575 000 in arpa recover forward phase 3 funding and by 1 million in city cares funding.

B

In conclusion, the 2022 information and technology services budget request reflects the following.

B

Priorities keeping critical infrastructure and thus the city running, addressing financial head on.

B

Putting our plans to work extending the promise of modern technology as widely as possible.

B

Securing our infrastructure and staff from online attack doubling down on process improvements.

B

So, thank you for your consideration of the, but I'd be happy happy to answer any.

B

Questions you might have. Thank you. Thank you, mr deets. If you'd, please unshare the screen.

A

Or whoever's running the slide would I've I've got it here, just one second,.

A

All right are there questions for the its budget, I'll start with president sims three minutes.

E

uh Thank you, mr dees, for your presentation.

E

I do have a question. Obviously um one of the things I'll discuss is the 50 000 for the digital.

E

Equity grants funding, um but I'm just putting it up there to kind of frame. What I'm going to ask.

E

To improve digital equity in our community, um what the? What does that mean and how are we doing and.

E

Pardon me, I think, um well, just with that, just what I said: how does that work.

B

Digital equity looks different in in different communities in uh bloomington. We we are certainly.

B

Better off than in communities where there is no connectivity, but as our digital equity, strategic.

B

Plan and the survey we conducted at the very end of 2010 and then the strategic plan that.

B

Emerged emerged from that tells us we do have gaps, we have gaps in access to coverage in.

B

Ability to to fully utilize the the internet to be able to afford internet services the there's a.

B

Number of items that uh are called out that we can take action on. I think, a few of the more salient.

B

Things that emerged was that, even though our local providers do have subsidy programs almost.

B

None of the eligible individuals, our families in our community, even know that those subsidy.

B

Programs exist so there's grant gaps, information gaps that we can work. We can work to to fulfill.

B

Another element that we have discussed recently is the deployment of some amount of public wi-fi.

B

In and around strategic areas in our communities where that could be.

B

Beneficial and provide an additional you know avenue for for internet access and.

B

The the council was fully in support of that. We intend to to extend that even further in in 2022.

E

You may extend it further than what we have already with city parks.

E

So it's going to be farther extended. Yes, additional appropriation for for additional.

B

Coverage, yes, okay, thank you and that fifty thousand dollars that, in those grant requests.

E

How do we use that? Is that to fill those gaps with other companies, um you know those are. um Those are.

B

Targeting local not-for-profits, who is part of their mission, are, are challenged and and they're.

B

Challenged by digital equity and have initiatives that they can use to support their customers.

E

um Thank you. I think my time is up. Yeah.

E

Your muted chair.

A

I'm muted, my bad. Yes, that's what we're scan blurry three minutes. Thank you. um Thank you for the.

F

Presentation, mr deeds couple questions: um how much do we pay for the no before? What's that line item.

B

um I am not certain right now.

B

um 500 000, I mean just bulk, oh no! No! um It's it's currently less than 10.. Okay! Thank you.

F

All right, let me figure out how to ask this question. You talked about the customer.

F

Satisfaction surveys that you run through hr and those I I assume, if I'm understanding correctly.

F

Are directed at your internal customers, correct so department, people, city, employees and so forth,.

F

Is that correct? We have multiple customer service surveys. Some of them are one avenue for that is.

B

Through our help desk, whenever a a support item is, you know reported when it's closed out, there's a.

B

Survey that the individual you know receives to indicate their satisfaction with their services.

B

At the end of each year we do a city-wide, you know internal city staff survey.

B

That goes out to everyone in the organization that looks at you know broader issues of I.t.

B

Support not just did we fix this issue in a timely fashion. You know et cetera, so we have a number of.

B

Tools that we use to to to gauge our customer satisfaction. Yes, so let me ask a very specific.

F

Question then, how do we gather external feedback, not from city employees, not from city staff.

F

How do we gather external feedback on our website? That's the gateway through which.

F

Most people access information about the city. How do we gather external feedback on that.

B

um You know in the past we have delivered uh surveys, you know web based surveys, we have done.

B

Tabling at the you know farmer's market, but this was generally in the context.

B

Of a you know, website, uh website, revisions.

F

And you've said you've done these things in the past. What is there anything we're doing now in.

F

Particular um you know we're looking at making some modifications to the website in partnership.

B

With the uh with the mayor's office, we've had some conversations with.

B

Council members, as well, who are interested in.

B

The website so uh we're uh beginning a process of looking at some of those those features and.

B

Improvements that would be uh be of interest. Okay and I'll come back for a second round. So thanks.

D

Councilmember volun you're, muted, forgetting I'm sorry further questions first round for its.

A

Councilmember smith, three minutes. Thank you, mr deets, for the presentation. I think uh what.

G

What strikes me is 39 increase 39 increase in your budget that that kind of alarms me.

G

So why do we need to do that.

G

Over one year is there some rationale in that.

B

Yeah, um the main issues are, we have a substantial network upgrade which um we can execute in.

B

A single year and we'd like to as opposed to to you, know, dragging it out and with.

B

The the unique resources that we have this year, we would be able to move.

B

Or in 2022 we would be able to move forward with that. um You know you you've probably heard.

B

Stories, uh you know from other uh departments, you know one. You know dynamic uh involved here.

B

Is that of you know, this is a substantial capital uh capital replacement, a capital purchase.

B

um It's it's been deferred uh for for quite some time and it's something that we simply need to.

B

Do in an ideal world, this would be amortized a little bit over several previous years.

B

Yeah, but uh you know we haven't, we haven't really found that to be. You know, affordable in previous.

B

Years again, with the unique resources that we have now, we are able to and then.

B

And then we're committed to getting this on a more regular capital replacement schedule.

B

Spread out over a number of years so that we don't have a large uh lump sum as well. You know that.

B

That touches on the network issue, but then there's also uh you know our our phone system is is quite.

B

Antiquated we're wanting to you know, replace that we have a number of cyber security investments.

B

That we think are very important to make this coming year. So there's a number of things that add.

B

To that increase uh increase this year, let me ask you one brief follow-up question on that is.

G

After after this uh replacement, the technology happens, does that.

G

Do you envision that, then the budget would um go back to about 3.3 million a year.

B

uh Yeah, uh almost all of the increases that you're seeing in our budget in this year are one-time.

B

Increases the the vast majority of which are covered by the um the arba and cares funds.

G

Thank you, mr deeds. Thank you, mr smith. Further questions from members first round.

A

For piedmont's fifth, have you already asked a question yet for its.

A

I don't believe so. Okay, please, go ahead. Three minutes.

D

um I wanted to have more information about one of the goals in your um memo, mr deets, uh it says.

D

Evaluate vendors to develop a smart city strategic plan, um could you please describe what that is.

B

Beneficial yeah, a smart city, strategic plan, is looking at a number of different new and novel.

B

Technologies and how they might aid city operations and I.t operations generally they're.

B

Lumped into you know the use of um kind of sensors, you know smart, uh you know smart sensors.

B

um You know additional like data uh data processing uh and some of the examples of of.

B

Those technologies that have been implemented- you know, are you know, smart approaches to.

B

Parking and parking management that might uh you know, have a better idea of um you know how many.

B

How many spaces are free, uh more intelligent organization of uh traffic, light patterns.

B

There's a number of different um uh different potential uh projects that result from this and.

B

You know this is an area of high interest, amongst uh you know, amongst progressive cities, so we're.

B

Looking to see, if there's a fit for some of these types of concepts with within our it operation,.

D

And how much money is going towards studying these options next year?.

B

um I'll have to take a look that that is in with the larger gis.

B

Gis expense around the state state of indiana's aerial photography, but I suspect it's.

B

Probably no more than 25 or 30 000 allocated to that.

D

Okay and then I have another uh unrelated question: um the uh the 500 bonuses don't come.

D

From the general fund right, you mentioned them when you talked about your personnel expenses, but.

D

That's arpa money right and that we talked about with hr yeah that that that sounds correct.

B

I may have misspoke on that, mr underwood. Is that right he's still here.

H

Correct that bonuses are in hr, uh the 500 that rick has is for id equipment.

H

Okay, all right, thank you.

A

Thank you further questions. First round for rts.

A

I've got a couple. uh Give me three minutes, please, uh mr deets. What is the status of the you report.

A

App is it still an app? I can't find it in the app store. Can it be used through an app the.

B

The you report system is a hybrid web service, it's usable in a browser or in a mobile device.

B

Through a mobile website, you can essentially set up a mobile website as an app in your.

B

uh You know in your apple or android device, as you wish, but all all of the functionality of.

B

The ureport system is accessible through a web web interface, including a mobile web interface,.

A

But I mean: uh can it not be set up so that people don't have to think about setting up.

A

I mean just they can download an app. I could download thousands of other apps.

B

I mean that would require us to transform that into a separate, app and manage that in the various.

B

App stores, but we saw a number of a number of cities- doing- is migrating away from having a.

B

Lot of custom apps that are platform specific to deploying deploying tools that are essentially.

B

Mobile web applications and thus will work on any any platform with uh with a web browser how how do.

A

You promote the existence of your report through a number of different channels, for instance,.

B

Neighborhood packets promotions from the mayor's office to new employees, any.

B

Through our website, if you do, you know a search about recording issues, it pulls up the you report.

B

You report site and that will function. You know equally well in a a desktop, as well as a mobile.

B

Device. Okay, thank you. I have another question, but I'll wait for the second round. Are there any.

A

Second round, questions from members to the its budget, customers can scandalory three minutes.

F

Yes, thank you, um mr dietz. I want to come back to this idea of including external feedback too.

F

Most of us work pretty hard to stay in touch with our constituents and to make local government as.

F

Accessible as we possibly can to them the website's, obviously a big part of that.

F

It sounds like we've done some things kind of here and there in the past. What could.

F

We do in the future that is more systemic to tabling, is kind of random and catches. Catch can.

F

I you didn't care much about the survey, but that would be interesting, but has the office.

F

Given any consideration to gathering external feedback on some of our outward-facing tools,.

B

Yes- and you know we we actually have within you know you report a you know, report to.

B

Provide us information uh to that. That's a little bit a little bit circular, but that's one! You know.

B

Avenue that we get a lot of uh feedback on now to to your point, you know we're just at the.

B

Very beginning stages of discussing some of these changes that we're hoping to make to the website.

B

It's largely been been driven by a need to migrate our content manager to the updated.

B

It's updated version, but in doing that we also want to make sure that we're making some.

B

Adjustments to uh to the home page to the others and we've had preliminary discussions with.

B

With the the um deputy uh deputy mayor and with andrew krebs in the mayor's office about this.

B

So what are our plans? What are our plans, though, to actually involve external audiences, in that.

F

Feedback, it sounds like we're speaking internally, but we're not talking to our citizens very much.

B

um Well, that that would be a next next phase of this process, because we've only just sat down to.

B

Describe that we have this uh need to migrate to the next version and the opportunity to to.

B

Make some improvements along the way, so I you know, I would anticipate that some of our next.

B

Discussions will focus on you know, expanding that circle of users. You know within and outside the.

B

City, so I I would anticipate we'll uh will have some kind of an initiative that looks like that.

B

And I'd be happy to have your involvement as well as any of your other and I'd be happy to.

F

Offer it as well, um you mentioned just quickly that your report has been a source of feedback.

F

um For people who have ideas about the website or something what are some examples of specific.

F

Feedback you've gotten that way, what have it? What has it had to do? I don't need a verbatim, but just.

F

What have you heard from that? um You know, I think some of it is about. You know, search.

B

Sorry we can come back around yeah. Let's come back to that further questions from members to its.

A

Council member president sims, thank you very much, um mr deets um and I may have missed.

E

Part of this, but earlier you were, there was some platform, and I think you alluded to the fact that.

E

It was preferred in progressive cities or used in progressive cities. Do you recall.

E

What that was, you were referring to.

E

I should have been listening better but well I I can say that you know we have.

B

A number of peer cities that we often look to uh especially ones that have.

B

Significantly more resources uh than uh than we do um because they've put a lot more. I think time.

B

And and effort and have that ability, so you know, I think boston is one that we we look to.

B

Quite a bit and and they're they're, also using the same uh same web platform uh as we are.

B

uh Drupal and so they've they've been good, uh good colleagues and examples. You know for.

B

Us you know likewise, with a number of other. You know digital services, they uh they have a.

B

Substantial roster of of um things that they have uh developed that we can, uh we can incorporate.

B

Some of that what they have learned in their work? Okay, so when you were talking about progressive.

E

Cities you weren't talking about political leanings or other political identifiers.

B

Yeah, you know that's correct. I was thinking more in terms of of their embrace of technology.

B

Effective tool for for progress, okay, thank you um and we're also throughout every presentation.

E

You're going to hear a lot about equity and inclusion and in some cases I'm struggling to see.

E

How that fits, um or is it just like a mouthpiece thing? I'm not saying that in your particular case,.

E

But my specific question is having to do with partnerships, and we've talked about um helping.

E

um The community, those that need it with, in particular internet service and I'm thinking.

E

As we have been talking about for years along the lines of fiber optics- um and I know, there's.

E

Some expense there's all of that, but that still should be part of our conversation um in planning.

E

So I guess my question is: are we still thinking in terms of maybe forming a partnership of some sort.

E

um In order to to expand our technology as far as internet use, to focus my quick answers eventually,.

B

To explore options uh and potential partners to help us elevate, our uh our broadband.

I

Finish your assignments with your dates, I'm sorry. We continue to explore partnerships.

B

To elevate our broadband in bloomington.

A

Okay, thank you. Thank you further second round questions.

A

uh Let's go back to one more councilman scandaler, you had the question you want to finish.

F

I'm actually just going to hold off and do it in writing, but thank you.

A

Okay, I've got one more. uh Mr deets there's uh still a couple of devices.

A

That I'm waiting to hear from to hear about uh to be installed in the council chambers, for when we.

A

Someday, hopefully get back there. One of them was a second crestron screen to go on the dais between.

A

The president and the parliamentarian to control the room in the same way that the first device.

A

Does at the executive desk, what is the status of that device.

B

um Yeah, the second crestron unit is on order uh right now, I'm not sure when.

B

The delivery date is but um but yeah it it it's on order, as discussed. That's good news. The second.

A

Question is uh the status of the uh monitor or ios device at the podium. uh If we were in chambers.

A

Tonight you would be speaking at that podium. Where is that monitor that would allow people speaking.

A

In the chamber to see the timer in the same way that we can see it on the screen here,.

B

um We have a uh we've got a test unit, which is a wi-fi to hdmi connector that we would need to.

B

Test out for that you know, I think there are some potential concerns about accessibility.

B

You know with that and the logistics of placing it and making sure that the electron is still.

B

Still usable, but we intend to test test something out, um but I also think it's the kind of thing.

B

That we won't, you know, won't quite know what is is needed until we're able to get. You know that.

B

Unit out and and and test tested in a meeting, but I would say that we've worked very closely with.

B

uh With stephen lucas uh on this and and you know we'll we'll continue to.

B

To do that to test out the operations of all of this, you know remote.

B

Your remote access and hybrid hybrid meeting meeting gear I'll just follow up, will the device.

A

Be freestanding like the crestron, or will it be installed into the podium? uh What was your intent.

A

There um you know our intent is to see if we can, you know, make it work uh with. You know a wi-fi.

B

Device you know that that feeds you know hdmi video feed into you know a small small monitor.

A

Right, but with the monitor stay on the podium, or would it be on a free standing stand.

A

uh What what did you have in mind? I don't have anything in mind. I think you know it could be.

B

It could be either of those you know it could be that you know when we're actually physically in.

B

The room that might not be as necessary, it might not be as necessary to have separate devices.

B

Connected to that I'll save you the trouble. Okay, it's necessary, but.

A

Thank you for working on it. Okay. Are there any last minute questions before we go to the public.

A

Seeing none we're going to go to the public for comment on the information.

A

Technology services, budget budget- if you would like to speak to the budget, please.

A

Click on the raise hand, function in zoom or type into the chat, and the meeting host will recognize.

A

You so anyone who would like to speak to the its budget. I do not see any raised hands at this time.

D

I did have a question in the chat from um sam dove asked the person with the screen name, sam.

D

Dov asking if I would read a comment- and I did not receive the comment, so um I think well. At least we.

A

Know that there was interest in making a comment uh last call for comments on the its budget.

A

Seeing none we'll come back to the council for debate. Are there any.

A

Final comments on the its budget before we take a straw vote.

A

A

Last call for comments on the its budget.

A

Cnn will go to a straw vote. I will go uh forwards on my screen. As I see members.

A

Starting with council member sandberg, yes, council members gambolari, yes, member sims,.

A

Yes, councilmember smith, yes, councilman for piedmont, smith,.

D

Pass councilmember flaherty, dane councilman varallo, yes, councilmember rosenberger.

J

Abstain- and I also abstain- that vote is 306.. Mr deeds, thank you for the presentation.

A

uh We're going to move on to the next budget now! Thank you. uh Next up is uh stephen lucas, who is in.

A

Suit and tie to present the office of the common council's budget. uh Mr lucas, welcome. You have.

A

I think is it 15 minutes for this one or 10.? It is it's 15. all right give the man us 15 minutes.

I

Thank you. uh Can you all hear me and see my screen? Yes and yes, perfect.

I

Well, uh good evening, council members, uh my name is stephen lucas, as council.

I

Member volun just mentioned- I am the council, administrator and attorney, and it's my pleasure.

I

To present the 2022 proposed budget for the bloomington council office, so why does the council.

I

Exist well, the common council is the legislative body for the city of bloomington. The council.

I

Exercises its legislative powers by taking action in public meetings to adopt ordinances resolutions.

I

And motions for the government of the city in the control of the city's property and finances.

I

The council strives to perform this function in an open, effective and deliberative manner.

I

The council is made up of nine members of the community. Three at-large members represent.

I

The city as a whole, while six members represent specific geographic districts.

I

Within the city, the work of the council is supported by three staff members and during.

I

Certain parts of the year an o'neill service corps- fellow during uh excuse me since 2020 the council.

I

Has also utilized several different standing committees to divide up the work of the council.

I

And that work has included several notable items which I'll mention here shortly before I dive into.

I

uh Updating you on the 2021 budget goals, um I'd like to voice uh appreciation uh that I think the.

I

Mayor mentioned at the beginning of tonight uh to the excellent work of council staff members.

I

Heather lacey and becky boussani during what has been an incredibly stressful.

I

Year and a half and I'd also like to thank the council members and the public for your.

I

Patience as we all figured out how to continue meeting and operating during during the pandemic.

I

So I'll go through some 2021 budget goals and run through a few highlights. uh First,.

I

Under the council's legislative duties activity, I've seen this council make a concerted effort.

I

To look at legislation through the lenses of both diversity and inclusion, as well as sustainability.

I

A few of the legislative acts of council that have attempted to further these goals.

I

Include resolutions to denounce and condemn white nationalism in white supremacy.

I

Supporting the painting of two black lives matter: street murals, recognizing the 52nd anniversary.

I

Of the stonewall riots in the june celebration of pride month and towards sustainability, the council.

I

Has recently adopted the city of bloomington's transportation, demand management plan.

I

And accepted the city of bloomington climate action plan, which I know are items the mayor.

I

Also mentioned beyond these legislative actions, a few other notable items from the past year.

I

Include the council's support of the city's recovery from the coven 19 pandemic, two of the.

I

Major ways, that's happened is through the approval of funding and programs as part of the city's.

I

Recover forward initiatives and those initiatives are housed in several different departments.

I

And more recently, through approval of a first round of expenditures from the.

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The federal american rescue plant act, funding that has been received by the city, which again will be.

I

Implemented through several different departments as part of this arpa funding, the council and the.

I

Administration have made a substantial investment toward another important goal of the council.

I

Affordable housing, the council approved over 1.5 million dollars to support affordable.

I

Housing options to also help individuals experiencing homelessness or housing and security.

I

And to help increase landlord participation in section 8 and other similar housing programs.

I

A few other notable legislative acts uh toward the end of 2019. The council went through the.

I

Process of repealing and replacing the city's unified development ordinance and earlier this.

I

Year that process was completed when the council adopted adopted several ordinances to make final.

I

Text corrections and amendments to the udo and to adopt a new official zoning map for the city.

I

Over the last year, the council has also created two new citizen-led commissions to research topics.

I

On public safety, best practices and also to advise the council and make a recommendation on.

I

Redistricting after the 2020 census. Finally I'll just note one other major item that was brought up.

I

Earlier that is the annexation proposal currently before the council, which will continue until the.

I

Middle of next month, just real quickly by the numbers, the council, this year uh through august.

I

Has adopted 26 ordinances and 25 resolutions? uh This compares to 30 ordinances and 16 resolutions.

I

For the entirety of last year and in 2019, those numbers were 26 ordinances and 19 resolutions.

I

So to get all of this work done, the council employs staff members who, among other duties,.

I

Engage in policy development and coordination, both with council members and other city departments,.

I

uh One big update to this activity involves the adjustments that we've made in response.

I

To the kova 19 pandemic in march of 2020, the council and staff shifted most of our work.

I

Online as we are operating now since last year, council staff has worked to ensure that you all.

I

Can continue to perform your legislative function safely, while also ensuring public access to the.

I

Work of the council uh in this regard, and is mentioned by uh mr dietz just a moment ago,.

I

We've been collaborating with various city departments to prepare for in-person.

I

Council meetings that also allow for individuals, including council members,.

I

City staff, members and members of the public to participate in the meeting electronically.

I

These hybrid meetings will hopefully increase accessibility of council meetings for the public.

I

And for all involved just anecdotally, I believe, we've seen an increase in public gate, engagement.

I

In council members, as members of the public can now both watch council meetings from home.

I

But also uh can now participate and comment from home as well. Just over the last year, we've had.

I

A number of meetings attended by well over 100 members of the public and again I'd like to thank.

I

The council and the public for being flexible and patient as we've worked through new ways.

I

Of conducting business during the pandemic, two additional goals that we'll continue to work on.

I

In the upcoming year, include coordinating with the clerk's office and the its department to implement.

I

New document management software to hopefully improve the workflow of staff and to make.

I

Meeting materials and documents more accessible to the public and, as we did at the start of 2021.

I

In reviewing the council committee structure, we'll continue to look at ways to improve.

I

The effectiveness and efficiency of council council meetings and council committee meetings.

I

Another major activity of the council is making decisions regarding certain discretionary funding.

I

That is made available for specific purposes. These efforts include the work of the council's.

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Jack hopkins committee and the sidewalk committee since the fall of 2020, the jack hopkins committee.

I

Has worked to distribute over 700 thousand dollars to dozens of different social service agencies in.

I

The community, uh similarly, the the council's sidewalk committee in late 2020 and early 2021.

I

Made recommendations for the use of 330 000 from the city's alternative transportation fund.

I

To help pay for the construction or design of sidewalk or pedestrian improvement projects, I'll.

I

Just note that this committee's responsibilities were folded into the council's transportation.

I

Committee earlier in 2021, so moving forward, that committee will fill this role. Finally, each year.

I

The council sends four members to participate on the public safety, local income tax committee.

I

Which is a group that involves collaboration with representatives from monroe, county ellisville and.

I

Steinsville on allocations made each year for public safety purposes and more information.

I

In detail about the work of each of these committees is available on the council's website.

I

Just briefly, the last 2021 budget goal update is on constituent services, as I've mentioned.

I

The ongoing public health emergency has meant much of staff's. Work has shifted to.

I

Remote work, which has meant many of our interactions with the public and many of yours,.

I

Are now handled via email staff has received and responded to approximately 500 constituent.

I

Messages that have come into the council office so far this year, and that does not count the.

I

Individual messages and communications you all have directly with constituents.

I

So I will mention a few of the notable goals that we're going to continue to work on in 2022..

I

First, the council's legislative duties in a given year often depend on what's happening in the city.

I

And is reflected by the legislation brought by the administration to the council, as well as the.

I

Legislation proposed by council members themselves, which can be difficult to predict in advance.

I

However, the council and staff will continue to look at ways to improve.

I

Public access to the activities of the council, including again the implementation of new document.

I

Creation and management software and the continued use of zoom to allow for hybrid council meetings.

I

Under policy, development and coordination staff will continue to work with both council members.

I

The administration, members of the public and various committees to develop policy and best.

I

Practices this activity entails researching questions that arise, providing guidance.

I

And otherwise helping facilitate the work of the council and its committees.

I

In the remaining months of 2021 and moving into 2022 council members and staff will.

I

Continue the work of the jack hopkins committee and the former sidewalk committee now now the.

I

Transportation committee: we continue to look at ways to improve each of those processes.

I

And one change to the jack hopkins process that was made this year and might prove, uh may provide.

I

An efficiency for future years uh included electronic agency presentations, which I believe.

I

Were well received from agencies who appreciated the increased flexibility that presenting from.

I

Their home or office offered I'll note each year. A survey is distributed to agencies to assess that.

I

Year's process and to gather feedback in order to make improvements under sidewalk funding.

I

Again previous committee members have expressed a strong desire to review the objective.

I

Criteria that are used each year as part of that review process to make sure that they.

I

Are using the most relevant metrics when making funding recommendations and council staff will.

I

Continue to coordinate with city planning staff ahead of the 2022 funding process.

I

Next year, council staff will continue to strive to provide timely responses to constituent contacts.

I

In this regard, I'll mention that the council office has recently acquired an office cell phone.

I

To, hopefully, provide for increased flexibility and responsiveness to constituent calls.

I

And the last goal I will note, uh falls under the activity of legal counsel. Council staff includes.

I

Two attorneys who strive to represent and perform work on behalf of the council and one stated goal.

I

That I'd like to highlight this year is to attend at least 12 hours of training for each of your.

I

Attorneys both to maintain our licenses, but also to stay informed on emerging issues or changes to.

I

In the law um and over the past year, I've seen the importance of these trainings um to stay.

I

In contact officials and other communities when new issues arise, as they have over the last year,.

I

I will briefly mention some of the major changes within each of the four categories.

I

If I don't address one of the budgeted items in our department budget that you're interested in.

I

Please please ask about that. I'm happy to address questions. Category 1 entails an increase of just.

I

Over just under two percent, uh most of that is attributable to the two point: seven five.

I

Seven five percent raises uh proposed city-wide.

I

uh Category two: uh there is a requested decrease of a little over eleven hundred dollars.

I

Due to the removal of some one-time software purchases in 2021,.

I

Category 3 has a large decrease due to the removal of one time recover forward program funding that.

I

Was made part of the jack hopkins program over the last year? Just to note that the.

I

Amount of category three funding from the general fund increases uh 607 dollars or under one percent.

I

And finally, there is a requested increase of six thousand dollars or about one point, eight percent.

I

uh To provide uh additional funding for sidewalk and traffic calming projects.

I

um Overall, the council office budget decreases.

I

About 22 percent, again most of that coming from the removal of one-time funding uh made.

I

Available for the jack hopkins process as part of the city's recover forward efforts.

I

And hopefully, these uh budget requests reflect uh goals of community service.

I

Transparency, public engagement and accessibility. I thank you for your time.

I

And I'm happy to answer any questions that was impressive, perfect right on the dot well,.

A

Done all right, do we have questions for the common council budget from members of the common council.

A

Council, member piedmont, smith: you have three minutes.

D

Yeah, um I was just hoping that um mr lucas could confirm the funding for the busker chumley theater.

D

I see in our grants line, we have 55 thousand dollars and I assume that is for the bct. That's.

I

Correct, yes, that's one of the several items that haven't changed since last year that I.

I

I've sort of glossed over but that that is still present in the budget. Yes, all right, thank you.

A

Further questions from members.

A

Councilmember rosenberger three minutes. Thank you. uh Does the city use a uh an.

J

Inflation rate like across the board, do we do every department? You know standardize that.

I

For a particular expense for any expense, I guess like if we're just looking at like inflation in.

J

The us I mean is that what we're going off of to like change numbers just based on inflation,.

I

That may be a jeff, underwood question. I can tell you that in the in the council office.

I

We've tried to anticipate the actual expenses that we'll run into next year. uh We look at how much of.

I

uh Our budget we've used over the last several years to try to estimate how.

I

Much is an appropriate amount, for you know, supplies and other types of services. So.

I

um Mr underwood, I don't know if you'd like to add anything to to this, but we try to look at.

I

The actual expenses and and what those will cost uh in the coming year for our department.

H

And I'll confirm that that's what we ask every department to do is you know in cases material.

H

Costs go down; sometimes they go up. uh If we have no really good idea, we'll use an inflationary rate.

H

But typically we try to estimate what we think the actual service or material is going to cost.

J

Okay, this this is in, like specifically looking at the alternative transportation.

J

Fund that we used, I think, 1.8, so that's a hard one right where it's not a service. So we're not.

J

Like looking at the expenses of it, it's just a fun, so I was wondering if that 1.8 is low or normal.

I

Well, I can say that is consistent with the increase in that fund over the last several years.

I

Both that fund and the jack hopkins fund have increased roughly by, uh I think two percent. You.

I

You point out that over time it's the percentage has gone down, because the total amount has gone up.

I

um And I I would also say that, uh just from my experience working with that committee, the costs.

I

uh Associated with construction have have increased likely more than 1.8 percent, so.

I

Perhaps uh someone from training and transportation could weigh in.

I

On on the the cost of building sidewalks, but um uh I will say that the.

I

Increase uh aligns with with the increases uh that have been brought forward in past years,.

J

Okay, so it's good to know where it's coming from and we can just tackle that when we get.

J

To the planning and transportation department, I think thanks. Thank you.

A

Further questions for the common council budget from members.

A

Councilmember flaherty three minutes uh yeah. I just had a kind of similar question about.

K

Both the jack hopkins and and sidewalk um alternative transportation funds and.

K

Kind of how those numbers are arrived at, I know um you know we have.

K

Historic practice and sort of what has been the status quo with those categories, but.

K

uh How do we is it just sort of following what what has been practiced or does the administration.

K

um The mayor's team weigh in on what they think is an appropriate amount. How is that coordinated with.

K

um I don't know I mean it's quite obvious, I guess, with the alternative transportation.

K

Fund that there are other transportation related initiatives that also get funding in a different.

K

Department, I think you could probably say the same about jack hopkins, that there's things we do.

K

In other departments that complement and overlap with um so is, is there much of a strategic.

K

Conversation about how to unify those things or um what the appropriate balance is there, or is this a.

K

Bit more of uh you know going off of what it has been the previous year. I hope that makes sense.

I

I think someone I I can try to answer and mr underwood can can jump in if I.

I

Go off the rails, um I think it requires a commitment on both the mayor's part and and.

I

The council's parts, um certainly uh last year uh and uh in this year you saw an increased.

I

Commitment uh by both the mayor and the council to provide uh one-time amounts towards jack hopkins.

I

To respond to the pandemic uh prior to that, um I I think each year the.

I

Proposal tries to keep pace with inflation um to some extent um if there were.

I

Certainly, a council member that wanted to propose a major change council staff. I try to.

I

Learn about any any proposed changes early on in the budget process, so that we can coordinate with.

I

With the administration- um and uh I'm not sure if that gets at all of your parts of your question,.

I

If I've missed any, please let me know.

K

I think so I'll just briefly follow up. I mean we're a bit of an odd department in that.

K

um I suppose it would be any of the nine of us, uh as as elected officials, um suggesting that we.

K

Go in one direction or another to to council staff, but uh I suppose that puts uh council.

K

Staff in a bit of an odd position, if we're not of one mind to to develop or craft a budget.

I

I will I'll add. I do try to seek feedback from you all on on what you'd like me to propose to both.

I

The administration and then to you and uh abs in some clear direction. uh The staff often defaults.

I

To past practice, that's helpful. Thank you all right. Any further questions for the council budget.

A

uh First round questions no we'll go back to council for piedmont; smith, three.

A

Minutes, yes, I was just wondering, mr lucas, if anybody had um brought up the possibility of.

D

Not having the sidewalk fund in the city council budget and instead putting it into planning.

D

Transportation, where other sidewalk funds reside and or engineering was that discussed at all.

I

I don't believe I received that feedback as part of the budget proposal. I will say I've heard.

I

Comments along those lines from from council members in in the sidewalk committee meetings.

I

So it's it's not a new idea.

I

I don't know if that answers your question. I could get into more detail if you'd like.

D

No, that's fine. Thank you.

A

Any more questions for the common council budget.

A

Seeing none will go to the public for comment on the common council budget.

A

If you would like to speak to this budget, please use the raise hand, function and zoom or type.

A

Into the chat, ms lacey, who do we have on tab? We have greg alexander, who should be able to unmute.

A

Mr alexander you'll have two minutes: please go ahead. Great um thanks. My name is greg alexander.

L

I'm often reminded of how crucial the council cyber vocal fund is. I recently noticed a new.

L

Sidewalk gap on the east side of college avenue across from kroger by the town, town post office.

L

I never noticed it before because I always walked in the parking lots there, but now the post office.

L

Put up a fence and suddenly bam a gap, and the gap actually extends south for a couple blocks. This.

L

Is a stone's throw from the convention center? The city proposes to spend on the order of 100 million.

L

Dollars to activate this area, but there isn't any plan for even building a sidewalk network. There.

L

There are gaps like this on all of our major roads, for example we're talking about annexation. But if.

L

You look at the donut holes. They border parts of second street and allen street have been part of.

L

The city for decades, yet they have huge sidewalk gaps. Sometimes it looks like you're conspiring.

L

With the county to enforce a rule, no sidewalks in poor neighborhoods they'll get sidewalks when.

L

They gentrify through redevelopment and not a second sooner it's hard to have hope. When I look.

L

At how this fund is already being spent this year, a sidewalk was built on one side of 14th.

L

Street just east of madison street, when it was scheduled, we were told it was selected because.

L

The tiny one block project was needed to fit within the tiny amount of money left in the fund.

L

But it's more discouraging than that, even the city paid for a five-foot wide sidewalk. You know the.

L

City had to hire a planning consultant to tell us the obvious they wrote. Sidewalks quote should be.

L

Clear of any and all fixed obstacles unquote, but from the moment this new sidewalk opened.

L

There's a tree parsley obstructing it, so there's only four clear feet: if you walk over there as a.

L

Group or family, you feel that pinch. I followed your report contacted engineering directly.

L

Why do we have so many documents saying it's important to provide a comfortable sidewalk.

L

When we're still ducking and dodging trees, even where you all have just directly spent money, I.

L

Tell you this: every year you need to pass a huge infrastructure bond, at least 30 million dollars.

L

Sidewalks are more important than parking garages. Sidewalks are more important than switchguard.

L

Park show staff that it is a priority. We cannot have progress without a sidewalk network, simply.

L

Having sidewalks is the bare minimum once we fund sidewalks, that will not be mission accomplished.

L

But still we gotta fund sidewalk. Thank you for your time. Thank you, mr alexander. Further comments.

A

On the common council budget from the public, I don't see any um raised hands and I do not.

D

Have any messages in the chat? Thank you, ms lacey last call for public comment on the council budget.

A

See none will come back to the council for debate on the council budget. Are there any.

A

Comments from members councilman baralo, two three minutes just to extend my gratitude.

C

To mr lucas and miss lazy and miss bastani for their help uh over the past year, often at times.

C

When things have come very late in the in the legislative process and they've they've worked.

C

Very hard on their behalf, and I wanted to extend my gratitude for that. Thank you. Thank you. Further.

A

Debate on the common council budget, any comments, councilmember, piedmont, smith, three minutes.

D

Yeah um I uh mia culpa. I should I should have paid closer attention this summer when.

D

Mr lucas um uh asked for our input because I I do feel like the sidewalk um money should actually.

D

Not be with the city council, I think it should be with the uh the rest of the money for pedestrian.

D

Infrastructure, which I believe is in most in engineering and planning and transportation.

D

And that the decision on how to spend our sidewalk funds should really be.

D

Separated from political concerns of council members, but since I did not say that I'm still.

D

Going to to support this budget- and we can have further discussions about the future of this.

D

Money and where it should reside. I also take to heart um what uh mr alexander said and what I.

D

Have have thought for a long time that we need to um explore bonding and tiff money for sidewalks.

D

uh That's that's essential infrastructure that we need to make a more viable alternative for people.

D

Of all ages, um if we are ever going to reduce our greenhouse gas reduction substantially, so um in.

D

In that vein, I will be looking for for other ways to fund sidewalks uh in the coming year. Thank you.

A

Thank you any other final comments on the budget council member flaherty. Three minutes.

A

Yes, thank you and thank you um in the comments of councilmemberaldo to to all of our great staff for.

K

The support uh this year and and uh it's been a difficult one, so um I I share councilman repeat.

K

About smith's uh views that um I think generally sustainable transportation infrastructure is.

K

Chronically under funded in this city, uh and one of my priorities for the 2022 budget is to.

K

Start to move in in a better direction, in line with our adopted goals and plans on that on that.

K

Front and uh this, inter you know the things like well a handful of things, the best chummy.

K

Funding, frankly, that the jack hopkins funding, the sidewalk funding all in the council budget.

K

um The most logical of those to me maybe is jack hopkins funding, but I don't, I think, all.

K

Three of them, an argument could be made that they should be housed elsewhere elsewhere, even.

K

If the council is involved in some way um and and like councilmember mount smith, I did not.

K

Ask for those changes uh to mr lucas this summer, but I don't think of that as precluding.

K

Changes that can happen, I think, of all of these uh budget meetings over the next four days as.

K

Kind of the first step in a process, and hopefully we do and can't you know, can and do see changes.

K

uh To a number of departments, budgets uh based on councilmember feedback and ongoing.

K

uh Collaboration and conversations um so again, this interacts a little bit with what we'll hear.

K

Later in the week from planning and transportation, but uh I I think we need to take a a more systemic.

K

Look and approach at how we're funding uh pedestrian infrastructure among.

K

Other things uh we have policies now for neighborhood greenways, for instance, and.

K

I think from a policy and planning perspective, uh we could probably do better than uh separating.

K

Some of these things out um so I'll continue to follow up on that uh throughout this week and.

K

And in the weeks to come and uh maybe push for some changes on that front, so for that reason.

K

I'm gonna vote no on the council budget. Thank you. Thank you. Further comment on the council budget.

A

If not I'll, take an opportunity.

A

Since the council budget has become effectively a discussion about transportation, I will point out.

A

The irony of today being the day that the uh brand new fourth street garage opened for use the.

A

Annual bill for that garage, which we bonded for, has got to be at least triple what we spend on.

A

Sidewalks every year, just the annual bill, that's for that garage alone. So if there's any one and.

A

You know sidewalks, in contrast, are the kind of thing that are only used by uh pedestrians.

A

Occasionally used by wheels vehicles like bikes and scooters, you know they're not supposed to be.

A

And, of course they don't accommodate cars, and uh you know I don't think anyone has ever said.

A

We should convert all the money we spend on roads and cars to alternative transportation.

A

Again, a term that I don't like, but this is a drop in the bucket. It always has been.

A

We do need to be thinking about bonding for infrastructure, and by that I mean non-car.

A

Infrastructure bonding for sidewalks bonding for for paths bonding for uh you know, bike lanes that.

A

Are more than just a stripe on the pavement, but actually provide comfort and safety to people on.

A

Bikes, of course, we don't see people riding bikes and walking because they don't have comfortable.

A

Places to do it if we made it nicer, people would do it if we had more buses, people would use it.

A

If they ran more often the the nice service has to come before people will use it.

A

uh The high comfort service has to come, people will use it so until we as a city.

A

Collectively get serious about that we're going to keep having this debate um but yeah.

A

It's having said that, it's ironic that these things are still in the council budget.

A

I think it's incumbent upon the administration to take them out of the council budget and to.

A

Move them to where they belong and to seriously fund more than just car infrastructure. It opened.

A

Today, it's a very nice looking building. It does a lot of other things. It even includes bike parking.

A

But it also points the irony of this budget any other debate, if not we'll call for a vote.

A

Okay, I'll call for vote I'll go backwards with the person.

A

Whose latest on my screen, councilmember rosenberger on the common council budget.

A

uh Councilmember piedmont, smith, yes, councilmember smith; yes, councilmember, flaherty,.

A

No councilmemberallo, yes, president sims, yes, councilmember sandberg,.

A

Yes, thank you, councilman scan blurry, yes, and that leaves me and I am a no, so that is 6 two one. All.

A

Right, thank you we'll go now to the I believe, the final budget of the evening, and that would be.

A

The office of the mayor and I believe, deputy mayor don griffin, is here to make the presentation, and I.

A

Believe they've asked for sorry that I missed one excuse me. Yes, I I believe you did. I believe the.

D

Controller's office is next: oh I'm sorry, my bad yeah. I believe it. I believe it's going to be jeff.

D

Mcmillan yeah! Oh that's right! Yes, mrs mcmillan, are you here. I am good. I think you have 10 minutes.

M

Is that right? Okay, let me share the screen yeah. Thank you, miss lacy. I uh I missed that.

A

Okay, please go ahead. The screen there. I don't see a screen yet yeah. I can see it. Yes,.

M

Okay, why we exist? The indiana state legislature passed a law to establish the position of.

M

Controller duties, the controller's office is an internal service department that oversees all the.

M

Financial transactions processes and protocols for the city of bloomington's, 22 departments.

M

An additional oversight and interaction with other agencies, blinkton transit.

M

Bloomington housing authority redevelopment commission and a few more there on the screen.

M

Background of the controller is the city's chief financial officer.

M

There's 11 staff that is responsible for accounts, payable accounts, receivable payroll grants.

M

Annual budget, internal controls, federal state and local reporting, police and fire pensions, and also.

M

Major initiative initiatives with financial oversight that include the following list of.

M

Switch yard park convention center current new hospital.

M

Parking garages and a document management system and community-wide development system.

M

And 21 budget goals.

M

The core accounts, receivable functions, accounts payable. We look to increase our.

M

Electronic funds transfer payments through the end of the fourth quarter. uh We want. We want to.

M

Ensure all payments to all city departments from outside from all city departments are deposited.

M

Within the statutory requirement, uh one business day last year we had roughly 3 700 entries or.

M

Journals that were deposited- and we want to maximize the rate of return.

M

On our investments and reduce our banking and minimize our banking fees.

M

Budgeting manage and coordinate activities related to the development.

M

Of the submission approval of the city's annual budget.

M

Adhere to the guidelines of the budget and improve consistency across the organization.

M

Also, to improve a budgeting process, we've.

M

Made further efforts to utilize the level budgeting identified.

M

Not only dollars but also ftes or full-time equivalents and populations served in the budget.

M

Research and special projects, we are converting the our financials to a gap basis.

M

That will let us be able to apply for the gfoa certificate of financial reporting.

M

And also we've been implementing the community development and document management system.

M

22 budget goals um accounts payable to increase electronic funds transfer.

M

Cuts down the amount of checks we have to write and hoping to get that from 76 to 78 percent.

M

uh Revenue collections um again to get them deposited by the statutory requirement of the.

M

Next day and to share any to ensure that any corrections are made within two business days,.

M

And right now, and that is below one percent of the total.

M

Payroll, we issue payroll to the all the employees and dispersants bi-weekly. We issue tax reports.

M

Within the month for federal and then by the 20th of the month for state all manual checks.

M

We have issued within one business day of receiving the request.

M

Purchasing decreased staff time associated with the purchase order process by training.

M

New employees and who will be involved in the purchasing process at new world and also decrease.

M

The cost of items purchased by reorganizing vendor categories and commodity numbers assignments.

M

Budgets, we have over 500 budgets in 22 departments, so coordinate with the city departments to ensure.

M

The documentation is completed and distributed prior to initial blizzard presentations.

M

And august 22 and issue announcements at least 10 days before public hearing issue, the pack at.

M

The council, for the friday, before the hearings and submit the proposed budget documentation.

M

Within the five-day time, prime time frame after it's approved by the council to the dlgf.

M

Research and special projects to obtain the gfoa or government finance.

M

Officers association, significa certificate of achievement for financial for excellence.

M

In financial reporting uh can also converting the statements to a gaap basis.

M

Let's see also special projects monitored, make recommendations by fourth quarter for the.

M

Public safety, local income tax, which includes the dispatch, willingham police and fire requirements.

M

Provide provide ongoing support for the convention center so supported by the food and beverage tax.

M

And the trades district for redevelopment of existing hospital sites continue to.

M

Roll out the functionality and document management and community development software.

M

Internal audits so to implement and oversee the design of effectiveness of internal controls.

M

And segregation of duties throughout the city to minimize the risk of fraud.

M

And misuse of city assets and the goal there is to obtain a.

M

A clean uh opinion from the state board of accounts without major findings.

M

Budget highlights uh category three is uh we're requesting uh one million one.

M

Hundred ten thousand 0.35 dollars, which is an increase of 400 000, compared to 21.

M

Related to project management, I believe we had a similar increase in 20 and then not in 21.. So.

M

uh Here's a the controller's office budget summary: our total budget is 2 million, 186 0579.

M

And in conclusion, the 2022 office of the controller's budget request reflects inc.

M

Increases that aligned with the state's state yes stated goals.

M

Accounts: receivable payables payrolls grants purchasing anal budget internal audits and.

M

Control with significant special projects with other financial oversight, thank you for your.

M

Consideration of the office of the controller's budget I'd be happy to answer any questions.

A

Very good and paul shared, very good.

A

Okay and our timer was back down again briefly, but if you could please unshare your screen.

L

um um Chair volun, I am, I am unable to get the timer to um function. I've refreshed and kind of.

D

Done all the troubleshooting that can be done, I'm not sure um what the malfunction is, but.

D

Can keep time manually on my if, if you will we're sorry to make you.

A

Do the hand signaling thing right there and I'm terribly sorry, but.

A

Well, we thank you for your service and uh we're gonna have to get its to look into the.

A

Blue sky timer, all right are there, questions from mr mcmillan and the controller's budget.

A

Council, member piedmont, smith, you'll have three minutes. Please keep an eye on miss lacy. Yes, thank.

D

You, mr mcmillan, um so the 400 400 000 increase in uh category three for project management is that.

D

um To outsource project management, or what more precisely, is that used for yeah.

H

I'll jump in and answer I'll answer, questions on our budget thanks jeff.

H

It was just to give me a break. uh Yes, it's uh for outsourcing.

H

um Initially, to look at some of the large again, as as the mayor's talked about and and carolyn shaw's.

H

Sometimes departments, including ours, are stretched thin. uh The major projects that are going on the.

H

Idea is to bring expertise, uh the accountable's project management through those projects such as.

H

The long-term project to hospital reuse, uh where that'll be very intensive for um several years.

H

Should the convention center project ever come back and I think it will so projects like that.

D

Thank you further questions on the controller's budget.

A

Going once going twice council member flaherty three minutes.

K

Sure, thank you, uh mr mcmillan, for the presentation and mr underwood for being here again as well.

K

um We touched, I think, a few councilmembers touched on this briefly in the the overview and.

K

um Or at least some point this evening, somebody talked about the parking cash out program. Maybe.

K

That was in hr actually and wondering about the appropriateness of of of where that would be.

K

Housed um it's while it might be close to budget neutral. It's probably not completely.

K

Budget neutral, of course, the goal is to have some people take advantage of the incentive um and.

K

It depends a little bit on how you structure it, but could you speak any more, mr unwood to.

K

What those ongoing conversations are like, as as part of meeting with the transportation demand.

K

Management plan calls for on the parking cash out front and what a number of council members have.

K

Been have been asking for for some years now, yeah I'd be happy to it's a little bit more complicated.

H

In that we have multiple sites where employees park and there's a question of equity. uh In many.

H

Of those places there's no cost to park whatsoever, so the question becomes now that we create.

H

Parking zones in every uh city facility and then charge the charge. What we would.

H

At uh you know a parking lot or a parking garage, and then you have to build in the.

H

Cost for each of those, so let's say that it's we're going to give every employee, um uh 500 and.

H

uh And and half of them take advantage of the program, uh so there's no cost to them. That is not.

H

Revenue neutral, it also has impacts on um taxes. It also has uh impacts on uh pensions payouts, uh so.

H

We're trying to work through all the logistics, uh you know figuring out the cost of a particular lot.

H

uh Is is not the issue it's? How can we equitably uh issue this uh start this program and how do.

H

We cover the costs for that. If it's not revenue neutral, obviously, uh decisions have to be made, but.

H

We are continuing to work through those, uh but it would be quite a shock to a lot of our employees.

H

Where they just pull in park, it's not permanent parking at all, uh and now it's permit parking and.

H

And you're gonna pay for that. So uh we are, you know, there's there's pluses and minuses we're.

H

Trying to work through all those logistics and and do this equitably uh to every employee, thanks for.

K

That and just a brief follow-up, I mean policies like this. I mean I appreciate those constraints.

K

And kind of unique considerations to the variety of facilities bloomington has but, of course,.

K

Policies like this have been implemented for for decades in california and other progressive.

K

Places on the climate front, um so I think all of those can be worked through. I don't know.

K

If I agree with with quite everything I just heard, but um I guess my question more so is.

K

Confirming this will not be part of a 2022 rollout for a parking cash out. Is that correct.

H

uh It will depend on if we truly can make it revenue neutral, then there would have to be some.

H

Amendments to um the salary ordinances, because obviously it's a payout issue and if there's a.

H

Payout issue, it has to be approved by the council. uh If, if it's revenue neutral, then uh there's no.

H

No net cost, then we don't have to appropriate any additional funds. But if it's not revenue.

H

Neutral uh then we would have to appropriate it at that time, since we didn't have enough information.

H

To make that a a part of this budget request, uh we did not put it in, but that's not to say that.

H

It can't happen for 2022.. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Further questions for the controller's budget.

A

If not I'll take an opportunity, I can have three minutes. Oh casual rollo go ahead. Three minutes.

A

Thank you, mr underwood. um There was a question posed earlier to ms shaw.

C

About marketed adjustments for the police department, this is for supervisor salaries.

C

The concern is, is that um there's too much wage compression and officers are making more than.

C

Supervisors do uh with their overtime and since the responsibilities, of course, are greater for.

C

Supervisors, it puts them in a very difficult position. uh We had an understanding. I unders.

C

That these adjustments would be made, and you said I think that it wasn't present in this budget.

C

But it's is it incorrect to say that it it could be done immediately.

H

It's not included in the 21 budget, it is included in the 22 budget request.

H

Amazing of two years where the majority of the increases would be uh in uh 22 and then.

H

The remainder in 23 uh to get get it, get it going and you're right compression is always an issue.

H

Not only with the police department but for every department in the city, so we try to look at each.

H

One of those and make sure that we have enough separation that we can attract and retain quality.

H

People in uh supervisory and management positions, so this group of people will be the last ones.

H

Through this cycle of of uh salary adjustments, but again most of those increases will happen in 22.

C

Yes, I understand that, but there's nothing preventing us from doing it in this budget.

C

uh And what is the, um what is the? What is the amount I mean, what.

C

Are we talking about fifty or sixty thousand dollars total.

H

uh It's more than that, I think it's closer to uh between seventy five and a hundred thousand.

H

Dollars: seventy five and a hundred, could you come up with that? Could could you come up with.

C

Exactly what that would entail the exact amount yeah do it in this budget? Yes, terrific. Thank you.

F

Steve you're middle, I believe, you're muted. I keep forgetting I'm sorry.

A

Okay, other questions uh for the controller before I take mine.

A

If not, okay, uh mr underwood, I would beg to differ with your characterization of the program.

A

As far as it being the idea of a parking cash shop program being inequitable.

A

Because for people who are say at the utilities, building or who are not commuting to city hall,.

A

If the program can be extended to them upon their choosing of uh I mean you can you can reimburse.

A

People for taking the bus uh if they take the bus and they can demonstrate it, um but those people.

A

Who are demonstrating that they're driving to city hall uh by buying a permit they're, actually.

A

You know they're paying right now, we're just charging them two dollars a year.

A

So uh you know if that lot could be used by people other than uh people who work in city.

A

Hall, it would be worth something to those people who currently now park in the morton.

A

Street garage, I guess I don't understand uh why you think that it's somehow inequitable to give.

A

uh I mean if we assume that everyone's gonna keep driving, raise the price and and and reimburse them.

A

uh Just charge a higher amount but reimburse them. Why is that inherently inequitable to.

A

People who aren't par, aren't driving to city hall and paying to park there.

A

They're literally paying to park not to drive well, it's the city hall is, and uh the police.

H

Department are the only two uh city facilities that I'm aware of that. We require permit parking.

H

uh And require employees to buy those permits uh personally, if we want to be equitable.

H

Currently, with everyone we wouldn't require them to buy permits, you don't have to have a permit.

H

To park at um the city's utility center or any of the plants right, any of the outlying uh facilities.

H

Parks or whatever they are, we don't require it's just it's reserved city parking and they.

H

Park in those lots right, you know so now, that's what I'm saying is from an equity standpoint is.

H

uh You're almost talking about demand is there a demand for the public to park at blucher pool.

H

Well, no, there may be demand for people to park at city hall, uh but again I think we've provided.

H

Plenty of spaces close to or near to the city for those people to park that are accessible to them.

H

And and quite frankly, at low prices as well, uh you know if you're talking about an annual permit. I.

H

Think yeah we charge a higher price if you want an annual permit and you want a completely reserved.

H

Spot you pay one price uh if you want a a permit, but you have to you know par pull uh park in one.

H

Of 200 spots, that's a lesser price and then much like what city hall is. I don't have a reserve spot.

H

If the lot's full, I can't park there, I have to find alternative parking uh now today, that's not.

H

A problem, but there have been times when the lot's completely full and and I go and either pay or.

H

Park on the street and feed a meter and uh okay right, that's my point, but thank you.

A

For that answer, um are there any other questions for the controller's budget.

A

Last call for questions from members before we go to the public.

A

Okay: let's go to the public for comment on the controller's budget. If you would like to speak.

A

To this budget, please choose the uh raise hand, function and zoom or type into the chat misleadi.

A

See are there any takers, there are no raised hands and no messages in the chat. Last call for public.

A

Comment on the controller's budget, please raise use, raise hand and zoom or type into the chat.

A

Seeing them we'll come back to the council for debate. Is there any final comment on the controller's budget.

A

Council, member flaherty three minutes or three minutes, yeah um yeah, just just briefly following.

K

Up on the parking cash out um program that again is in adopted city plans that we're.

K

Supposed to implement, uh I think, there's some some misunderstandings about how these programs.

K

Function about what is equitable or not, and uh I I'm a little frustrated frankly, I don't know.

K

Again, california has been doing this for 30 years: municipalities, private employers.

K

Are required to uh we have a plan that says we're supposed to do this. We would like other employers.

K

To um buy into the notion of transportation demand by uh instead of just building.

K

Subsidies for parking into salaries, actually taking those out separating them and saying if.

K

You don't need this we're going to help compensate and benefit you by taking a more sustainable mode.

K

It's not to harm or penalize anyone. It's just to stop giving an inequitable subsidy to everyone.

K

Even when not everyone needs it or uses it, so I think um again, I'm frustrated because.

K

This isn't adopted plans, it's been called for for years and I don't feel like.

K

uh I feel like if, if the administration was committed to implementing this, we would.

K

We would see it right now. It's it's always kind of these questions about um you know what what about.

K

This particular contingency or the way this lot is, is oriented, and I just I I I don't know it's.

K

um I guess those those answers aren't passing muster to me anymore, so I'll be a no on on this.

K

Budget. Thank you. Thank you further debate on the controller's budget council, member piedmont, smith.

D

Yeah I agree with council member flaherty, um I mean we, we've been asking for a parking cash out.

D

Program for years, you know even pre-pandemic when things weren't quite as crazy, um and I it just the.

D

The reasons given uh that this can't work don't hold water with me. I mean this is something that.

D

Has been studied there are, there are models online that you can call up uh very easily that you know.

D

I just uh I feel like this is something we need to do that it's our our plans, call on us to do it.

D

uh We are going to be asking other employers to do it, so uh it's really um would be hypocritical if.

D

We didn't move forward with this expeditiously, so um for that reason I am going to vote no on.

D

The controller's budget. Thank you. Thank you. Further debate on the controller's budget.

A

Second call: I will take the opportunity to say that the argument that mr underwood made tonight about.

A

um Parking cash out was this. It was one of the arguments made by.

A

Other people back in 2012 2013 over parking meters that somehow they were inequitable.

A

um And yet uh most people did not recognize that the inequity.

A

Happened before there were meters that the people who uh got parking spaces could leave their cars.

A

All day, or they would do the two-hour shuffle and uh they harmed many different entities, the way to.

A

Help people who need subsidy is to give back some of the revenue taken in by meters, but only money.

A

Only charging what the market would bear for parking uh caused people to use it rationally.

A

They were when they were using rationing before they were using it selfishly uh now they have.

A

To make a harder decision about well, how much time do I want to be here and I'm going to pay for that.

A

It made the parking garages make more sense too. So the idea that somehow.

A

Parking cash out is inequitable now doesn't hold any more water than parking meters did.

A

There at least a complete program that includes parking meters as a control.

A

To prevent people from overusing parking that they don't need.

A

And using some of the revenue to help people who do need help which we haven't done yet either.

A

So it's disappointing to hear that argument. That sort of explains, I guess why we don't have it yet.

A

And I want to say very strongly that I am for a parking cash out program which.

A

Even if everyone in city hall decided to start driving uh to stop driving as a result and.

A

Let's say that there are 200 people working in city hall and let's say that the permits.

A

Permit to park in a garage is 50 a month, um that's or 40 45. Whatever it's 500 a year, that's uh 10, 000.

A

uh At most, so I don't uh oh and I'm getting that wrong. It's a hundred thousand dollars. Isn't it.

A

Two hundred and five hundred yeah, it's a hundred thousand dollars, uh but that's not gonna happen.

A

It'll be more like ten thousand dollars so uh and we're gonna have more people uh biking taking.

A

The bus we're going to be improving our carbon footprint with that. If there's no other debate on.

A

The controller's budget I'll call for a vote, I'm going to go backwards from council member rollo.

A

Yes, councilmember rosenberger.

J

No councilmember piedmont, smith.

D

No congressmember sandberg, yes, councilmember flaherty, no council member uh president sims.

E

Yes, councilmember scandillary, yes, councilmember smith, yes, and I am a no.

A

So that is four four one, and by the way I have a correction on the its budget. The clerk informs me.

A

That the vote was actually four zero, five and not three zero six. So just for the record, the vote on.

A

The its budget was four zero five, and the vote on the controller's budget is four four one. We now.

A

Go to our last budget for the evening the budget of the office of the mayor and I see deputy mayor.

A

Don griffin here in his first presentation uh as deputy mayor, welcome mr griffin, and uh go ahead.

N

Hi, I'm deputy mayor don griffin and I'm pleased to present to be presenting to you the office.

N

Of the mayor's budget for 2022, this is my first budget process at the city, and I appreciate your.

N

Feedback and support the office of the mayor provides strategic direction and leadership.

N

To our 17 departments and nearly 800 full-time employees, including bloomington transit and the.

N

Bloomington housing authority you'll hear budget proposals from each of these cabinet.

N

Departments over the course of four nights this week, as we have assembled the budget package.

N

Of approximately 168 million dollars that is entrusted to us by our residents and our visitors.

N

Pictures uh the mayor's office consists of eight full-time employees and usually two.

N

Or three student interns, important roles of the office and staff include, provide.

N

Include providing strategic direction for the city as an organization.

N

Communicating and engaging with the public on issues important to our community.

N

And creating a culture of innovation to improve the efficiency efficiency of the services we.

N

Deliver to residents and visitors, we really have a great team and you can see some of them here.

N

Let's start with some updates on our 2021 goals, we're obviously still in the middle of a pandemic.

N

And have had to be agile in our response to keep our staff and communities safe. We haven't stopped.

N

Working though, I'm proud to say that all city functions have continued without pause during.

N

The last 18 months I'm grateful to work with a team of such dedicated city employees and I thank.

N

The office of the mayor's staff, in particular for their commitment and hard work. We continue to make.

N

Transparency a priority and in 2021, as in past years, we delivered a state of public safety report.

N

And we keep working on publishing our regular budget goal updates to increase both transparency.

N

And accountability, communications continue to be a crucial function.

N

Of our office, both pandemic related and about all of our city, programs and services,.

N

Our communications director, yaya cassandra and digital brand manager, andrew krebs,.

N

Produce press releases, videos, social media and website updates news conferences and facebook.

N

Live sessions to keep the public informed and engaged with our work as of july 31st, our.

N

Communications team has written, edited, coordinated and distributed almost 180 press releases, which is.

N

Close to double the number by this time last year, all of these press releases, along with.

N

The mayoral speeches and our video series are all posted on the city of bloomington's website.

N

Our public engagement efforts are led by the tireless mary, katherine carmichael,.

N

Who directs our efforts to seek public input in many different ways? Our team receives countless.

N

Phone calls and emails about any number of issues and between answering vehicles and attending board.

N

And commission meetings and other community events we work hard to share information with residents.

N

Businesses, non-profits visitors and the community community at large. Our engagement with indiana.

N

University iu, health and monroe county is a great collaboration as we continue to manage the impact.

N

Of covet on our community and, of course, at this time of year, both mary, katherine, I and mayor.

N

Hamilton, among others, are hard at work welcoming iu students as half of our community's population.

N

Has returned we're glad they're here now that I needed to be a little more excited about it? Let.

N

Me try that again we're glad they're here. I also know that we conducted the 2021 community survey.

N

This spring, with numbers of respondents, in line with past survey versions, we will continue to.

N

Use these survey results to inform what we're doing and how we connect with the community.

N

Finally, our last 2021 budget goals are centered around innovation. Many thanks to our innovation.

N

Director david kidd for always looking for ways to make our city processes more efficient,.

N

Davida has been really engaged in analyzing and improving our leafing program, which has turned.

N

Into a cross-department collaboration project, one thousand households who mulch, we look forward to.

N

Seeing the results of this program and how it will impact our leafing program in the future.

N

Now, let's look ahead at 2022. We are grateful for president biden for the american. We are grateful.

N

To president biden for the american rescue plan act, which provides us with 22.3 million dollars,.

N

To transform our community, this gives us the opportunity to invest in community improvement.

N

In quality of life and truly recovering forward all through the lens of equality and.

N

Inclusion and sustainability and climate justice. We also look forward to continued work on the.

N

Bloomington hospital redevelopment project as site construction for the first phase of civil.

N

Infrastructure should begin in the second quarter of next year, along with our typical production of.

N

Press releases and speeches, our social media presence in 2021, has been on par with our.

N

Historic levels in 2020 social media audience has grown by eight percent. Engagement has grown by 15.

N

And video views have grown by 10 or 15 000 views over 2020.. We certainly expect this growth to.

N

Trend to continue into 2022 and beyond, in addition, we'll keep trying out new formats.

N

For communication in 2022, as we did this year with the video series pictured here,.

N

That had more than 66 views and a reach of 17 500 folks. Overall, we will keep trying new ways to be.

N

Responsive to our community's feedback, whether through social media platforms or other formats,.

N

Since we conducted a community survey this year, there will be no survey in 2022.

N

We'll look forward to the next survey in 2023.. Engagement with the community will.

N

Continue, however, and we will look and we'll be looking at more regular community engagement.

N

Surveys via an online public engagement tool, in addition to our larger every other year survey.

N

We expect to consider significant changes to our leafing program in 2022.

N

After assessing the thousand households mulch program, additionally, in 2022 data.

N

Plans to work with the upland lean network on continuous learning on lean process improvements.

N

The office of the mayor, general fund budget request is just over one million.

N

Dollars an increase of only four percent. Some significant changes include a four percent.

N

Increase in our category, one request, which cover an overall 2.75 increase in.

N

Wages and related benefits for non-union employees, as well as a salary increase related.

N

To grade changes for both our digital brand manager and our executive assistant positions,.

N

Now our category 2 request increases 125 or 4 300, due to a request for additional technology needs.

N

And supplies for both our digital brand manager and innovation, director.

N

And finally, our category three request goes up nearly fifty three hundred dollars or five percent.

N

To more accurate accurately reflect our bi-monthly advertising costs for blue magazine.

N

We've had ads in blue magazine for several years, both in print and online versions, but.

N

Have never included accurate cost in our annual budget. These additional funds will provide us.

N

With more accurate budgeting and tracking of these costs,.

N

What we have pictured here is a summary of our 2022 budget request.

N

The table shows our budget from previous years, alongside the current request.

N

We hope that our budget request from the office of the mayor aligns with our major.

N

Initiatives of public safety, equity, civility and justice, affordable housing.

N

Economic development, climate change and sustainability, transparency and engagement.

N

Asset management and investment, innovation and pandemic response.

N

Thank you for your consideration of the office of the mayor's 2022 budget request.

N

I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you, mr deputy mayor. Thank you. If you can unshare the.

A

Screen weekend there we go. Are there questions for the mayor's budget uh start with customer sandberg.

A

And then customers can believe you have three minutes customer sandberg. Thank you, um deputy.

O

Mayor in a recent council member, we had an appeal from someone from the friends of lake monroe.

O

Requesting there be some collaborative funding, along with some other governmental units, for.

O

um Their necessary work, and I'm just asking, does the mayor have any kind of discretionary funding.

O

For things of that nature, or where would a request like that be more appropriate to.

O

Come from I, I was a little taken aback that the the city had not made a con.

O

Commitment to that you kind of stopped on me there. You know, I think we we've had. uh We have.

N

Supported- and we still continue to to.

N

Support, what are, what are they called uh friends of lake monroe? Is that right, right.

N

um I think we we have there there's another group that uh that we're supporting- and I think it's.

N

Look we're on the friends of lake monroe. We are using our staff currently uh to do a lot of.

N

A lot of the gathering of data for friends of lake monroe uh and not including the things that we've.

N

Done in the past the money that we've given them in the past we're still contributing to the the.

N

The um safety of our water uh and- and I can't maybe jeff- is on online and he can kind of.

N

Tell us who the other group is what the other group is called like, for instance, would would.

O

The utilities department have a vested interest in this or again, I'm just kind of asking about.

O

The mayor's discretionary does he have a pot of money that can be.

O

Used for these kinds of special requests, when we're asked to be collaborators.

O

Like with monroe county government and and other other, um you know governmental units, you know not.

N

Not from the uh the office of the mayor, no, um that would be uh from from maybe a different department.

N

um But we'd have to talk to my controller about that, mr underwood. I'm here.

H

Still um past my bedtime, but I stayed up just for you guys uh in the past when we've had.

H

These requests come up during the year. You know we typically look at. Do we have any available funds.

H

And what's the appropriate department for those to come out of? In addition, in this particular case, we.

H

Have provided both funds in prior years and a lot of in-kind services, including advertising.

H

Them on the utility uh bill that gets mailed out and and sent allowing folks to go directly.

H

To their website and make contributions uh to that organization so uh with any any uh cause or.

H

Organization where uh request comes in and the mayor's office uh deems it um eligible for funding.

H

Then it gets punted back to me and I work with department, heads and we'll find it and if not, then.

H

uh You know we do usually at least two appropriations other than the budget, where the.

H

Spring in the fall kind of thing and appropriate funds uh that we've spent that we need to.

H

Put those back into the budget for the original use, so we do have opportunities to do that.

O

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Thank you uh further questions. I thought I saw councilmember.

A

Scandaloury, yes, thank you. um I don't see ms kidd on the call anymore so I'll, just direct.

F

These questions to mr griffin, um I'm interested in how the director of innovation position is.

F

Evolving, I think we are now in year, four or five of that. If I remember correctly, is that correct.

N

uh Maybe you know, I think, you're at least two oh she's been here before I was here.

F

Okay, um um I'm it's not a huge chunk of the mayor's office budget, but I'm curious.

F

It seems to me that part of being an innovation operation can involve identifying external sources.

F

Of funds- and I'm wondering, if that has it all been a part of the work she's, the miss kitt- is doing.

N

You mean in regards to uh in regards to supporting her programs right so, for example,.

N

There's a lot that that her department does internally, uh she works tirelessly with every.

N

Department that we have all 17 departments that we have on uh innovative things, that.

N

Do not show up uh in in the the ledger sheet, but she's saving us time and and money.

N

In in so many different things like space consulting, go ahead, I'm sorry and I'll jump in.

H

Council, member scamilari is yes, she does um solicit outside fundings for grants and other.

H

Avenues uh to offset the cost of certain programs- um we, I know she's applied for numerous ones,.

H

Where it comes to our office to sign off on as well, because there may be a matching uh either in.

H

Kind or cash uh commitment, so it yes, it's uh it's an extensive part of what she does as well. What.

F

What kind of success have we seen in that? How many dollars are? Could we account for how many dollars.

F

Have come in, I believe that we can I'm trying to think uh the big one was we didn't qualify.

H

For the large dollars, but we did qualify for a lot of in-kind uh programming that she trained.

H

A person out of every city department and uh they put programs into place the leaping.

H

Was one of those that came out of it, and I I it's just escaping my mind right now and I think there.

H

Were a couple of other smaller ones as well as or not-for-profit organizations that do.

H

Those kind of small grants I know she's got a few small grants and then there was this one large.

H

One that was uh mostly in kind, we were hoping we'd make it to the next level, but we didn't.

H

Quite qualify, but they had us, we were so close. They went ahead and and offered us.

H

A lot of the trainings and things that they normally uh charge for that we got free of.

H

Free of charge this time around to help us get over that home for the next.

H

uh Requests: okay, now, I'm out of time for this round, so I'll have a couple more questions. Next,.

F

Time around. Thank you. Thank you. Further questions on the mayor's budget custom bureau. Three minutes.

C

Thank you, I suppose I'll direct this to mr underwood, um because uh deputy mayor griffin.

C

um Was responding to councilmember sandberg's uh request because I I was interested in the.

C

Funding requests of friends of lake monroe too, mr underwood, you I they specifically are looking for.

C

Fifty thousand dollars that would um mirror what the county has offered, and this is for their.

C

Application for the clean water act, uh section 319 and specifically to fund their watershed.

C

Coordinator is it's: is there another group that is doing that kind of work, because this is, I think, a.

C

Really important work that is being done to find sources of pollution that are affecting water.

C

Quality, and so it's obviously our concern- is this being repeated by someone else. I am not aware. I.

H

Know, uh deputy mayor griffin mentioned it, but I I I don't recall that there's uh I don't. I know.

H

That we're not funding any other group that I can remember. uh He may be able to correct me, but.

H

I think this is the group that we've been working with directly. I think.

H

Alex crawley is on the board uh for friends of lake monroe, so we have direct input.

H

Through him as well so again, a lot of like at the current time, a lot of like uh kind.

H

uh Services as well as working with them to alert people to the ability to make tax deductible.

H

uh The donations to that group as well well, uh that would be good information to to know.

C

Sorry, uh no, um you know, and we might want to just talk to uh uh vic uh over at.

N

Our utilities, because he uh is, he is the uh the uh employee that is most connected uh with this group.

N

uh And he can tell you about his experiences uh uh with them and how we are supporting them.

N

So that might if you want to know a little bit more about that uh stay tuned. Okay, so probably.

C

Alex crowley and uh vick kelson is who we need to direct the questions to. Thank you great.

H

And I'll jump in just real quick, our great.

H

Contact in the mayor's office elizabeth reminded me that it's bloomberg that we've.

H

Worked with on uh innovation items and provided the training for us thanks elizabeth in four years.

N

uh If she's, uh she dave has been in the office for four years by the way.

A

Okay, uh next questions from councilmember piedmont, smith you'll have three minutes.

D

Yes, thank you. um I wanted to inquire about um one of the mayor's major initiatives.

D

Affordable and workforce housing.

D

In our comprehensive plan it says that we should develop a detailed housing strategy plan.

D

Is it the mayor's office position that the 2020 housing study is the detailed housing.

D

Strategy plan, and, if not uh when can we expect a detailed housing strategy plan to be developed.

N

um I'm not sure um I'm gonna have to find out.

P

Okay, I'm you know four months on the job I'll. You know still still a few things to learn.

N

I understand, let me see, if I can, I don't, I don't think I don't think it's. I don't think.

N

What we have is complete yet so I will tell you that we are working on other strategies.

D

Okay, well um I'd like to have a solid answer on that one, but we can get that.

D

Another time, thank you. Thank you. Further questions from members on the mayor's budget.

A

uh First round questions: I have one first round question then I'll go to customers can blurry.

A

um What what portion of the advertising budget is going to blue magazine.

A

It was about a hundred thousand dollars all together. What was what portion of the advertising.

A

Budget, the mayor's office is specifically going to bloom magazine advertising. Is it a large.

A

Portion a small portion, uh it was only fifty six hundred dollars. If I'm not mistaken there. It was.

N

It wasn't yeah, it wasn't a large amount of money. Okay, very good. Thank you. uh Councilman's campaluri.

F

Yes, thank you and I'm sorry I lost track of which round we were in.

F

um I want to echo council member piedmont smith's comments on the idea of a housing strategy. I think.

F

We have a lot of very good documents around and good work has been done by many council members.

F

And I think we have an opportunity to connect the dots and and talk about.

F

Specifically, how that can inform policy, so thank you for bringing that up.

F

A question again on our innovation program, the budget request listed or mentioned.

F

That part of the responsibilities for the office is coaching staff.

F

On their spin-off projects, and I'm wondering what some of the spin-off projects are.

N

Oh, my gosh, um he didn't write one yeah, I'm sorry do you need me to just do it in writing.

F

Or you can do it in writing. I can. I can give you one example.

N

uh We're you know she is heavily involved with a space consultant on trying to uh you know.

N

Reimagine, what uh our space at city hall is going to be, like uh you know when, when we.

N

Are talking about folks coming back to the office and how much they're gonna uh uh either stay at.

N

The office or work from home, um and and uh so she has been working with, uh barry, clapper and.

N

Her or organization on on trying to do that uh and that's uh and that will save us a lot of money.

N

Before before covet you have people uh there just wasn't enough space uh in our building for all.

N

Our employees and uh this has given us an opportunity to reimagine what.

N

The space is going to look like if she has been uh just uh yes and a great resource.

F

Right, okay and I'll do the I could do the rest in writing. So thank you for taking a run at that.

A

Any other questions for the office of the mayor.

A

A council member piedmont, smith, three minutes.

D

Yes, um mr griffith, you you mentioned quite rightly that we welcome back the students uh and.

D

I was wondering if there were outreach efforts specifically geared towards students and.

D

Involving them more in city government, um can you speak to that at all? You know. I know we.

N

We've uh we're working on, and this is uh maybe an hr uh question too we're working on.

N

uh Expanding our intern, uh you know the in turns or uh opportunities for more interns to.

N

Come into the uh to the office to experience um uh experience working in the government.

N

uh And maybe and also you know some some folks, uh maybe even uh bringing back a.

N

A program that we once had with, um uh um I can't think of the uh but students of color uh as well.

D

Great and just yeah sorry go ahead, I'm sorry! um But what about just uh you know.

D

Reaching out to maybe iu student government or other organizations at iu that can speak.

D

Give the student perspective on what we're doing with the city uh has that been considered.

N

I'm sure it has, but I think that's some great ideas and I'd love to talk to you more about that.

D

All right, thank you, I'll, jump in and say that in the past we have worked with iu to specifically.

H

Engage professors and student groups for projects on behalf of the city where they do studies.

H

On those, we typically have done uh one to two a year, depending on the professor's needs.

H

We also engage directly many of us with professors at spea, the school business and other uh schools.

H

In uh doing speaking and getting feedback from them, I I saw mark levin was on earlier.

H

And I have an annual uh thing where his students are asked to attend the budget hearings and then.

H

Council member sandberg has spoken to the class. I have spoken every year to the class, so.

H

I know there's many of the department heads as well as council members that.

H

Reach out and try to engage with students to get their perspective and give them insight.

H

On how government works and how it impacts them directly,.

N

And I think in the next several weeks.

N

The mayor will actually be meeting directly with the iu student body president. We also.

N

Ask students to be on board and commissions uh if we can, and so there is outreach.

A

Are you finished with your questions? Okay, councilman, bruce sandberg, three minutes.

O

Yes, thanks. The conversation about students prompts me to ask what the.

O

Mayor's relationship is with the new president of indiana university, so many of our issues.

O

Issues here in bloomington that we have to grapple with are because we are a town, gown city.

O

We have many stresses and strains that other universe, you know, cities that are.

O

Not university towns deal with, so how is that relationship going? It's a new one. I would assume.

N

It's going to be a very new one: she's she's a have you have. You met her yet she's, wonderful, wonderful,.

N

Person, uh I think we're we're trying to arrange for a meet and greet a city meet and greet where.

N

uh Each of you can will have the opportunity to actually meet her. You know we're going to miss.

N

The folks who were in charge over there, you know and all that they did for the city of bloomington.

N

But this becomes another opportunity to start fresh and really bring her into the community.

N

Right at the very very beginning, she's just a wonderful person, I think you're gonna, like her.

N

And you know, and and keep in mind I I you know um uh we, you know, I, I have a weekly meeting with.

N

A vice president uh at indiana university, and we talk about concerns and and uh of course, there's.

N

A lot of things that we, uh whether it's streets or sidewalks or um or uh anything, there's all kinds.

N

Of things that we uh that we need to talk about uh in regards to the city and and the the the.

N

Campus, um so there is, there is community, there's always communication between our two parties.

A

Thank you further questions for the office of the mayor's budget.

A

Last call see: none will go to the public for comment on the mayor's budget. The office of the.

A

Mayor's budget, if you'd like to comment, please use the raise hand, function and zoom or type.

A

Into the chat, miss lacy: are there any apparent uh speakers to the budget of the office of the mayor.

D

There are no takers this evening. Okay, last call for public comment on the budget of.

A

The office of the mayor, please use the raise hand, function and zoom or type into the chat.

A

Last call and we'll come back to the council for debate.

A

Is there any final comments on the mayor's budget.

A

Councilman baralo three minutes.

C

uh Thank you, deputy mayor for your presentation. I just wanted to say thank you for proceeding with.

C

The uh the leaf composting program, I think that that's a good approach, a pilot study.

C

uh Believe it or not, I I think I first mentioned it in 2008, and I know that uh councilman.

C

Repeatment smith's been talking about it for many many years, so I think we're all appreciative.

C

If we can reduce reduce that expenditure and that the amount of effort and energy that goes in.

C

If we can just simply have residents compost, hopefully that will catch on thanks. Thank you.

D

Sheriff olin, I believe I believe, you're muted, so sorry.

A

I'm glad when this is done uh final comments on the pledge of the office. The mayor.

A

Going once going twice, let's have a vote. We done by 11., I'm going.

A

To count on the screen uh going forward with starting with council member smith,.

A

Yes, council, member scandalory, yes, is that a pass or a yes, a pass and a pass? Thank you.

A

Accounts for flaherty, yes, council for piedmont; smith, yes councilmember! Our president sims.

A

Yes, councilman baralo, yes, councilmember sandberg, pass rosenberger.

J

Yeah and I will pass so I think I count five zero four did I get that right, miss dole.

A

Is still did I get that right.

A

Was it 504, okay, very good with that our business is concluded and we're going to be done with 15.

A

Seconds shy of 11 pm uh we reconvene tomorrow night, who is cheering tomorrow night. That's what.

A

For piedmont, smith, will we will see you tomorrow night at 6 00 p.m? For a night, two of the four.

A

Night budget week, this meeting is adjourned or yeah we're adjourned goodnight. Everyone.

P

P