ORDER-2024-29 : Order to Place General Override Question on the June 18, 2024, Special Election Ballot

Transcript (~40 min @ 21:42)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 21:36 Maya Jamaleddine: First and only order on our agenda before we start our budget hearings is order 2024 dash 29. Order to place a general, uh, override question on the June 18th, 2024 special, special election ballot.

▶ 21:56 Maya Jamaleddine: And we have mayor before us tonight. I have some friends.

▶ 22:03 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay, we have everyone.

▶ 22:09 Speaker 4: Good evening counsel. Oh, I think we're good.

▶ 22:15 Speaker 5: John's coming over here. Scoot back.

▶ 22:19 Jen Grigoraitis: Good evening. Good evening. Um, thank you. It's lovely to see you all again. Um, I'm joined tonight by interim superintendent, Ms. Cero, current, um, deputy auditor and hopefully incoming CFO, Carrie Golden. And interim CFO Ellen Donah Hay to speak on my request for your consideration of an operational override to go in the ballot for 7.7 million. Um, I know you heard from me at length on Monday night, so I will be timely. But I just wanna echo many of the comments that we heard tonight, which is that, uh, you know, having been in this office since January and really prioritized funding and working closely with the folks at this table as well as Patrick LaRusso and Ken Kelly, um, we are at a point in this community where we are not able to continue to fund the services that I think folks need and deserve. And I especially appreciate the acknowledgement of Citi employees and the impact that that is having on them. Um, I'm not proud of the budget that's before you for your consideration. It is lean and it is cutting in places that we don't wanna see cut. Um, but that is what we've needed to do to do two important things. One, to get out of the habit of using free cash to fund operating expenses. I had the privilege of sitting with many of you for the past four years and have heard loud and clear that that is not a practice we wanna continue. And it's candidly not a practice we can continue. Um, the cost that we need to continue to close budget gaps is quickly growing to be bigger than what we can expect our free cash to be. Um, and it's also to really be forward thinking. Um, which I think is a thing I heard loud and clear from the community during the campaign cycle is that we wanna not just be talking about the crisis that's directly before us, but what do the next few years look like? And as we talk about city employees, um, we are currently a year out with our fire contract that needs to be settled. And we are absolutely out of market with pay there. We've talked about the 11 vacancies we've had and the impact that has on our ability to deliver services to the community and on our ability to retain and attract staff. Um, and we're about to also be in negotiations with police and fire. We need the ability to fund those contracts. Otherwise, next year's budget is going to look even more grim. We're gonna continue to be feasting from the buffet of bad options. So what is before you is a request for 7.7 million that would be split between 4.2 million for the Melrose Public Schools as previously identified during the school budget process for teaching and learning personnel services and materials. And then 3.5 million for the city, um, which would be split in a couple different ways. And in order to be, um, in compliance with state law as it relates to collective bargaining. I can't give you exact numbers, but we would be looking to have one to 2 million go toward, um, our collective bargaining agreements and overtime for police and fire personnel to replace, um, staff positions and salaries that we are not funding, including the economic development director, the sustainability manager, and the social services coordinator to bring up to whole, um, a part-time position at the Council on Aging. Working with our seniors to add a public health nurse to put a teen librarian in our library to bring our rec department back on the budget and to replace the cuts in the budget that are currently recommended. As we heard talked about in public comment, um, I'm asking for June 18th, which I know is soon. And I know that there is some folks in the community that think it's too soon, and some that feel like this should have been done the day I walked into office. Um, the reason for June is that any ballot that takes place after July 1st means we are implementing the cuts and the budget that you all approve at the end of this month. So, um, by state law, pink slips are gonna be going out to the 17 educators that we're eliminating on June 1st. Um, and then we are already planning for city staff not to have raises and to work with the, um, budget cuts that are before you. And obviously you all may choose to cut departments further. So June is because that is for us to have a choice and for the community to have a say about what they wanna see next year before we're in next year. Um, I think all of us who lived through the pandemic know that when we, we take something away, it doesn't just come back right away. And so we would be looking at a year without these positions and possibly never having them back, but at least a delay if we went for a later date. So that is the request. The rough math for folks that are interested is that the ask would be a $1 tax increase for every $1,000 of assessed value on your home. I know, um, the assessor, Sarah McClellan, who's here tonight, had provided you all with some information. And, um, we also have that available on our website as well as the Divi Department of Local services. So that's the ask, and I'm happy to answer questions as is anyone on my team?

▶ 26:57 Maya Jamaleddine: Awesome. Anyone from my colleague o uh, counselor Hamilton. Thank you.

▶ 27:02 Ward Hamilton: And I'd like to preface my statement in, in, in questions by saying that I will vote yes to put this on the ballot. Absolutely. And I'll get into that in a moment. Um, but I want to touch on something. Um, I think we want to be careful in the next, the short window, um, that we don't craft a narrative that the schools have been underfunded to this point. So fiscal 22, the budget that was proposed was approved. Mm-Hmm. And there was a, a deficit found and we filled it. And 23 was based on that. And we filled it and 24 required free cash be set aside and we did it. So this body, which I'm just a part of for the last few months, um, never said no. Right? So, and, and, and I don't think, um, so I just wanna put that out there. And, um, what I do want to say is that, um, looking at the budget that this administration is put forward just four months in office, US probably get myself in trouble here with some people. But if this administration, if this mayor wasn't a Democrat after her name, if she was a Republican, people would be praising you for presenting a balanced budget. And no matter if you identify as democrat, Republican, or unenrolled as I do, I thank you for, for doing this. So now getting into my rationale for supporting the, uh, debt ex or not debt. We approve that one. Um, the rationale for the override, the administration has done its job and asked the various department heads to give a balanced budget, which they have done. And we're gonna see in the next few weeks, several weeks what that looks like. And then through the override process, this community will weigh in. And I think that's the epitome, that's democracy at its essence. The people of this community will decide what should we do? And I've always thought that override measures, which are a part of the whole prop two and a half process, it's not just two and a half every year and make it work when you need something more. That's what an override is there for. When that happens. The override process is a referendum on how the community feels about the performance of its municipal government. Now we only have four months by which to judge you and your administration, but so far you've done the right thing. And that gives me a lot of confidence. So I will vote yes to put the, um, you know, to move, to have a ballot on June 18th. And I trust the community. We will pay attention to our hearings that they will pay attention to, uh, discussion as to why they should support this and what that looks like. And they'll make a decision. And I'll respect that. I think that's what we should do. Thank you. Thank you Council.

▶ 30:11 Maya Jamaleddine: Um, councilor gpe.

▶ 30:13 Speaker 2: Um, thank you Madam Chair.

▶ 30:15 Mark Garipay: Uh, I also am gonna vote to put on, put this on the ballot. Um, just a couple suggestions. Mm-hmm. First of all, thank you Mr. McClellan for spending time with me yesterday, trying to go over the numbers, uh, to come up with that, uh, dollar amount per thousand. I've had some residents asking me what that financial impact would be. Um, Ms. Miss Mayor, you were, you were part of the last override as, as I was, um, some of the founding members. But one thing, just a suggestion is as clear as we can be on what positions, and, um, I know you mentioned it tonight, but in our summary it was, it wasn't as detailed. If we can get a little bit more detail on what's involved, I think that's gonna make some of the residents feel a little bit more confident. Um, last time in the schools we had positions, right? Um, we had getting rid of, uh, funding the pv we had getting rid of, um, the deficit of, uh, I think it was three quarters of a million. Um, I would like to see, I think it would benefit the community as a whole to see more detail in, in this, um, over the next, hopefully a couple days. 'cause this is a short campaign. Last time we had 18, 18 months and, and it was a, it was a grind. So, um, I just want to say that's my suggestion and I voting to put this on the ballot. Thank you.

▶ 31:33 Speaker 4: Thank you. We will definitely work on that.

▶ 31:37 Maya Jamaleddine: Anyone else from my colleagues who wishes, wishes to speak on this order? Uh, vice Chair Williams. Thank you.

▶ 31:44 Speaker 2: Um, excuse me.

▶ 31:46 Ryan Williams: I wanted to thank you all for all the work that you've put in on this. It feels like the entire city has rallied together in terms of the department heads to, um, find a way to produce a balanced budget. We've heard tonight that there's people who feel pain from this, and that I think, uh, is, is well noted by every member of this council and by all the members of the community. Um, and, and I personally and I, I speak for, I hope several of my colleagues want to want to, um, put this on the ballot, get this passed, and get the money into the city so that we can effectively see these services maintained and improved. Um, you know, I I thinking about the discussions we've had, uh, of the budget and, and the level service budget and, um, the aspirational budget and all these things and inflation, um, I always keep the Bureau of Labor statistics consumer price index inflation calculator handy. Um, I use that on my own parents when they, uh, bugged me about the cost of things. And I wanted to point out that the cost of inflation since the last override in 2019, I know we hear 9%, 8%, the cost of inflation is 24% since 2019. That's the cost of inflation. 2019 to 2024, it's 24%. So when we think about whether or not two and a half can keep up, it can't even come close. It, it's a whole factor behind. And, um, aside that point, you know, it's not just about bringing things up to the bare minimum, it's about having pride as well. And this is a city that has made great strides in sustainability in, in providing services in the school, uh, in the schools. And I, I, I would be thrilled to see it continue to grow and become that million dollar community that, that we've become, um, and see the services to reflect that and the schools to reflect that. So appreciate all the work y'all are doing and bringing it before us tonight.

▶ 33:43 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Councilor Romanul,

▶ 33:46 Devin Romanul: Thank you so much for all the detail and, and agree with Councilor Gpe on, on making that tangible case, uh, in terms of the, uh, counterfactual of the budget that were presented versus, uh, you know, uh, what you've laid out here, um, when it comes to landing on the $7 million figure 7.7, is that right? Mm-Hmm. Um, where would you say it lands in terms of the, uh, spectrum of, you know, just keeping up with inflation, um, versus, uh, some more aspirational goals or coming up to parody with other communities and making sure that we're, um, have given ourselves enough wiggle room to endure whatever cost of, you know, um, cost increases might be coming our way. Some, uh, not to crib Don Rumsfeld here, but some of our known knowns, uh, in so far as contract negotiations and some of our unknown unknowns, um, of, of whatever programs you might envision for the, uh, back three and a half years of your term. So it's a great question. Our it is okay if I say our, um, um, is that this, it should be, this should be, should this be successful, this would be able to sustain the city and the schools for the next three to four years so that we would not be looking to come back.

▶ 34:58 Jen Grigoraitis: I am a Democrat, but I'm not looking to raise people's taxes every single year. So, um, that is sort of our intention with this, obviously. Are there things that I know people in the community wanna see that aren't included in here? Absolutely. But it would hopefully enable us to provide a level of certainty and be able to sustain the staff that we have and we restore the services that are being cut.

▶ 35:19 Devin Romanul: Great. Excellent. Thank you very much. And I promise not to reference Don Rob Salt again.

▶ 35:24 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Uh, councilor Vandiver.

▶ 35:27 Kimberly Vandiver: Uh, thank you. Uh, so I, I also think this, this override is an important step, um, that we should bring to the voters and that we should take as a community, um, to bring our spending in line with our needs and our expenses. Um, and, uh, you know, I've, as I'm sure many of you have, have spent the, the past few weeks watching the school committee meetings, reading budget documents, following up with the finance team, reading constituent emails. Um, and based on that, I just wanted to emphasize a few points and, and, uh, uh, talk about some of the common misunderstandings that I think are, are important to continue to dispel or get ahead of with people. Um, one that I think is actually really frequent, even among supporters of the override is that, uh, is about the way that Proposition two and a half works at its most basic level. Um, you know, if if my house is suddenly 10 times more valuable and nobody else's house changes, yes, I'll, I'll pay more taxes in Melrose because I would, that would be redistributed. But if everybody in Melrose's house is twice as valuable or 10 times as valuable, we're all still only paying two and a half percent more dollars than last year. We're paying a much lower rate on our taxes, and that doesn't keep up with their houses. Um, and so I think that's really important for people to, to realize that, that their, their taxes are not rising as quickly as their value in their houses rising. Um, and you know, as I know many people here already know this, but you know, the, the cost that the mayor mentioned about fuel, labor, materials, all those things are going up at a really, um, fast rate. And, you know, and they're going up for private businesses as well who can easily pass those costs on the consumers. But the difference is that the city has to ask and has to get the approval. And so, you know, that's why we are here today. Um, I also wanted to, um, repeat the superintendent's point that he made at this week's school meeting, um, about when we compare the previous school budget with this year's school budget, that there was that planned infusion of free cash. And when we look at percentages, we need to look at the amount that was, that was approved for the budget and the amount that was always earmarked and planned to come in via free cash. That was last year's kind of comparable budget to this year's budget. And that's what we need to look at as far as percentages. Um, you know,

▶ 37:50 Kimberly Vandiver: IIII also wanna emphasize the clean audits that we've seen come through of school spending and city spending. I think those are really important. Um, and that, um, you know, and that we're at the point of, you know, the cuts past the fat as people are saying, and, and the point where we can spend money to actually save money. So when we look at, um, the special education director has told us that this new language based learning program, which includes four people, a teacher, two paraprofessionals, and a speech and language coach, that program will pay for itself with only two children, two elementary schoolers in it because it's so expensive to send them out of district. Um, and, and lastly, we're, we're looking at choices that will impact anyone who doesn't have the means to, to spend their way out of it. So for example, um, you know, the school budget is increasing, the extracurricular activity fees, the sports fees, you know, that's going to impact families here on the edge of whether their kids can afford to play that sport. Um, we're also as a city cutting the recreation budget as of right now, um, which includes a line for scholarship money. So, you know, if you can't afford to play on a rec league team, um, where the cost will be going up and you need that scholarship in the first place, that won't be able to happen as of right now. Um, so and related to that, I know we, I, I think we also need to make sure we have those supports or exemptions for people who truly will experience a hardship if this override goes through. And I think we need to make sure those supports are there and that people know what they are. Um, but I think Melrose as a whole can afford this override and it will lead to a more stable budget, better services, and a stronger community. So that's why I intend to vote to put it on the ballot.

▶ 39:33 Speaker 1: Thank you. Anyone else?

▶ 39:37 Leila Migliorelli: Um, president, uh, gl Thank you Madam Chair. Thank you all for being here. Um, I also will be voting to put the override on the ballot because I think we need to put the decision directly in the hands of our voters. Um, we have had people come and public comment and like we've heard before, talking about having the city. This how the city needs to live within its means. And I think that is the budget, the FY 25 budget that has been put down. I've heard, you know, sort of, uh, misinformation about how much the school budget's going up, that's not happening. I mean, this is a cut to school and city services. That's what's happening here. I think that, um, I, I'm not happy about it at all. It scares me. It terrifies me as a resident, as a parent to see these types of cuts being proposed. I hope that I, I think that it was a really smart decision, um, on behalf of the mayor to put this down now. And I, I'm the first to say that I think the timeline scared the heck outta me as well. Um, and trying to figure out, wow, how are we going to do both things at once? But after, once you look at the numbers, it is like, as a mayor said the other night, a math problem. We do not have the revenue to meet the needs and increasing costs that are out of our control. And the only way to do that would be to increase our revenue. And the only the tool that we have is by as an override. And for us here in the council, I think while, you know, the, the best we can do and offer, and as Councillor Hamilton said, is to offer the residents the opportunity to weigh in on this democratic process. Um, I also wanted to agree with, uh, Councillor Vandiver. I think the, a thing that we could do, um, in tandem with the, the city administration is to talk about the ways and supports that there are for people who are trying to, um, who are living, um, paycheck to paycheck and what options they have. Um, but I think overall, as someone also mentioned in in public comments, you know, this is a city that, um, we have rising property values and we are not keeping pace with that. So, um, I, I am happy to put this on a ballot. Happy to have voters weigh in and, um, and hoping that we can support this moving forward because the, the live within its means budget that's being proposed is, is scary. Thank you.

▶ 41:56 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Next I have Councilor Stewart.

▶ 41:59 Speaker 1: Thank you Madam Chair. Thank you Madam

▶ 42:00 Jen Grigoraitis: Mayor for being here. Um, I do plan on supporting this to go on the ballot. I do have a question though, and it's for people who truly, uh, are gonna struggle, uh, with the tax increase that we're talking about. Can you address this and, and offer what resources they have that, that your administration can provide to them so that they can get assurances or the help that they need? Uh, can you talk a little bit about that? 'cause I think there are gonna be, uh, a certain, maybe small but portion of the community that are going to come up against a little bit of a wall. And I think it's important that we support that, that section of our community. Absolutely. Um, and I know, I think Monday night we're gonna talk more about, um, some of those mechanisms. So we have several, um, options for folks to seek relief on their property taxes. So one that this council helped put in effect in 2020 is the senior tax circuit breaker, which allows, and I'm not gonna talk very broadly and I'm looking at Sarah because if there's specific she can jump in. Um, but that, that is, there's means testing related to that that does allow residents over age 60, um, to seek relief. And that is something that we Melrose put in place. We were one of only about a dozen communities that had that. There has subsequently been expansion of that program at the state level. So now the, um, there's a greater amount of money that residents are able to seek relief on that will have to come back before you and FY 25 to renew it. But right now, Melrose is in that program. We also offer the senior tax work off program, which I have a request before you, we Melrose has by, um, code caps that as at a thousand dollars for all residents age 60 plus, there is no means testing for it. So it is just as long as you were 60 plus one member of your household can seek that exemption where you come and do work in a city office. And if any of you have ever stopped by the mayor's office or see an greeter at the front desk, I think we even now have somebody who's managing pickleball. Um, those are all senior property tax work off positions. We've had about 37 people a year who take advantage of that. Obviously the numbers are a little, um, off because there was a few years during Covid where people were not working, but we're, that's what we see. And then that is, um, their discount is reapportioned amongst the rest of the property tax payers. So that is a discount that's available with no means testing the request before you is to increase that to the state maximum of $2,000. So conceivably, if there's someone age 60 plus who is feeling like this, even if they meet a means threshold, but this is just an added burden. We know that inflation is being passed along to all of us at the individual level. They have the ability to participate in that program every year. We're also asking you all to add in the ability for someone who can't physically perform the work, um, to have a proxy come in and do that for them. So that will expand those folks. The last thing that we need to talk with the council about is the Veterans tax Relief program. So that is something that there's no age limit, it's merely that you've served, um, and there are income thresholds, I'm looking, sorry, no income thresholds you've served. It allows you to take $1,500 off your tax bill. The council approved the state statute to allow Melrose to participate that in that back in 2013, and then never enacted, um, the programmatic requirements for that to happen. So that's something we wanna work with you all to do. So that come January 1st, that would be available to all veterans in the community with no age requirements. So there is a state law that says that everyone has to pay 10% of their property tax bills. So we can't get folks down to zero, but there is, I believe, significant relief options available to people, especially if you all wish to expand those. Thank you, Madam Mayor. And who would they reach out to for learning more About this? They would reach out to, for the senior program to the Council on Aging to Erica Brown. Um, and for the, until the veterans one is enacted, I think we could say they could reach out to my office and we'll get that up and running. Great. Is that right, Sarah? Yeah.

▶ 45:55 Speaker 4: Otherwise, otherwise, Sarah, the assessor's office. Thank you Madam Mayor. Thank you Madam Chair.

▶ 45:59 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Anyone else who wishes to speak or ask question?

▶ 46:06 Jen Grigoraitis: Sorry, I forgot one thing. Go ahead To Councilor Stewart. We also do offer the ability, again, it is means tested, but for folks to completely defer payment of tax increases until they pass away or sell their property. That's been in existence in Melrose for quite some time. We have four households that take advantage of that in the city.

▶ 46:29 Maya Jamaleddine: Perfect. Thank you. Sorry about that. Thank you everyone. Um, um, um, I don't have question. I just wanted to take a moment of, uh, uh, person, you know, moment of person privileges and just wanted to, um, make some clarifications in terms of comments that were made, um, whether today, tonight, or, uh, before. Um, and such as you've only been in this position and role for the past four months and you are making this, uh, this big decision and that we have been on the council for the past four years. So in a way, we led the city to the situation because we are the decision makers. And for that, as a member of this council and for the past four years and for having the honor to serve with you, uh, Madam Mayor, I would like to name that. Uh, we as city counselors, we approve the budget presented to us, but we cannot increase the budget. We were never, I, I personally was never happy with the budget that was presented to us, but unfortunately we didn't have the means to, um, increase it or to even, um, to have a increased budget presented to us. In a way we've always heard the former administration, um, uh, saying that we are short on our budget and we, we, we are running on, um, a stretched budget. So for that, this is not a new concern. This is not something that we just discovered. Um, it's something that you inherited unfortunately, and I appreciate you for accepting, uh, to, uh, to take that challenge on. And instead of patch it and just try to, uh, do a quick fix, you are addressing the root cause of this issue so that we don't have to face it every single year. Um, the special education, uh, students have always been underserved, underrepresented, and it is, um, it's uh, always an area where, uh, this, uh, the school budget has not been balanced specifically for that, um, uh, for a special education. Um, so thank you so much for presenting this for us and, uh, willing to, uh, put it on, uh, on the ballot. Um, what is the will of the committee?

▶ 49:12 Ward Hamilton: Madam Chair? I, I apologize. I have one more question. Yeah,

▶ 49:14 Speaker 4: Go ahead. Okay.

▶ 49:16 Ward Hamilton: Sorry. Um, so over the next several weeks we're going to review and I imagine approve a balanced budget. I apologize if I'm messing with the timeline and it's still evol, it may be still evolving, but I'm imagining that on Monday the 17th we're gonna vote to approve this budget, which is balanced. In the next day, I imagine we're gonna have an override ballot, which would then create an additional $7.7 million. What I don't understand is what happens next? How do we access that money? How mm-Hmm. How do we touch it? We haven't reviewed or consider it. So if you could speak to that.

▶ 50:01 Jen Grigoraitis: No, absolutely. That's a great question. So, um, should the special election happen on June 18th under the city? I'm looking at President mgl like code charter. Um, you won't actually meet on the 17th because the council by code doesn't meet the night before an election. I know. Who knew? Um, so you, um, the request would be to have a meeting to have you make a final approval of the budget on the 20th where we would increase the bottom line. I wanna be clear that every dollar that would be approved on either the city or the school side will require to be approved by the council. So I think our first immediate ask to you all would be to restore, um, the cuts that are in this budget. Um, and then we would be coming before you to make, to add in probably as transfers. I'm looking at Carrie. Um, yeah,

▶ 50:46 Speaker 4: We would come, come with a supplemental, um, budget document to be approved.

▶ 50:50 Ward Hamilton: Okay. So we're gonna go through the budget season department by department with all these cuts. Yep. We're not gonna have a final vote on the 17th because there's probably going to be a ballot right on the 18th. Then two days later we're going to meet and consider adding back in all these things that we never talked about.

▶ 51:14 Jen Grigoraitis: You would vote in the total dollar amount and then we over the fall would present you with a supplemental budget. We need to pass what that is prior to setting the tax rate, which this body typically does in December. So I think if there are budgets that are un unimpacted, we would not bring them before you, but otherwise we would present supplemental budgets for you all to vote through as they're, as they're being amended.

▶ 51:36 Ward Hamilton: Okay. So crucially the schools just logistically, or I dunno if that's the right word, but like how does that work? Right? Because on the 18th, say the override measure passes Yep. And then we meet on the 20th. You don't wanna let people go, you wanna start to fill these positions that are part of that. That all is okay. I mean that,

▶ 52:00 Jen Grigoraitis: So yeah. So we've talked with both of the city solicitors. What we can't do, and I think often happens in towns, but as a city we can, is present you with both, with like a budget A and budget B, which had been our initial. Um, I think you sort of have that on the school side because we talked about that. Um, but we can't officially present that to you for the school. They will, the school committee will also need to meet on the 20th, preferably before the city council and vote to increase their request for funding to the city council. And then you all would vote on that increased amount of money where that money goes within lines is the purview of the superintendent and the school committee for this. 'cause they're a department.

▶ 52:35 Ward Hamilton: So I, I think it would be helpful. And I've read the memorandum from the various, uh, directors and managers and senior leaders in the city of the various departments and I think they've done a pretty good job of identifying where they're making these cuts. Yep. So as we go through the next several weeks, uh, for me it would be helpful if that was addressed and we didn't um Yep. Purport to be moving forward. Absolutely. A budget full of cuts and then two days after an override and here's all this other stuff. Yep. Uh, so I think that would, that would be very meaningful and helpful and I think that would add a level of transparency to, for the community to see, you know, here's what it would look like, balanced budget, if the override passes, here are the things that we're not going to lose or things we could add. And I think that that would be very helpful. So thank you.

▶ 53:28 Speaker 4: Absolutely. Thank you. Thanks.

▶ 53:31 Cal Finocchiaro: Next, uh, councilor ro. Yes. So my fellow counselors kind of mentioned some of the points that I wanted to make, but I just wanted to say, um, well thank you everybody for being here tonight, but, um, thank you for putting together a balanced budget. Um, we appreciate that and I appreciate you also pushing for an override because I think it's important for our community to get out there and vote. And, um, so I, I feel like you're giving our city options, you know, you're saying I'm not gonna pass a budget with a deficit, but I'm also gonna give the community an option to, you know, not live with this budget

▶ 54:05 Speaker 1: and maybe do something differently. So I appreciate, wanna say I appreciate that.

▶ 54:09 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. And, um, councilor Gu.

▶ 54:12 Mark Garipay: Thank you Madam Chair. I have to blame, uh, councilor Hamilton for making me ask another question. Um, and it just goes back to my original one. Um, I think with the supplemental budget, it makes, um, makes it even more important to know where, what the 4.2 or the 3.5, what, what it makes up. Um, you know, in 2019 we were very detailed and we hear a lot that that override worked. Let's face it, that override worked. It did it what it was supposed to. We had a situation after as someone who supported it. It does it. I I I, I get, I get frustrated when people say it didn't work. We got rid of the deficit covid hit. It was an unfortunate situation. Um, so I think it makes very, it makes a lot of sense to be as detailed as we can, especially as, you know, I, I like the budget. Mm-Hmm. I look at it, I, I I, you know, I want, I'd like to see where Mm-Hmm. The, the extra money, the positions, would they be going at least on the city side? 'cause that's in our perview, you know

▶ 55:15 Speaker 4: what I absolutely, thank you.

▶ 55:18 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. Um, counselor, um, vice Chair Williams for the second time. I'm sorry,

▶ 55:23 Ryan Williams: I had something in my head and it al I almost forgot it. And then everybody talking, especially Councilor Hamilton got me thinking about it. So again, you can blame,

▶ 55:34 Ryan Williams: I can care And I'm, I'm a little, you know, I'm a little thick skull, so if you, if this is something that someone has already, you know, discussed, just feel free to let me know. Um, so the, there's teachers, there's 17 teachers that are getting pink slipped on a date, June. So I'm, I'm thank you for bringing that up. Yeah. I just wanted to clarify, regardless of what happens, we have contractual obligations. So on June 1st, we would be giving those, uh, people what you would call like a pink slip. Sure. Um, now if the override passed, then we would be able to then re bring them right back right after that budget is taken care of What happens to them and their paychecks between June 1st. Oh no. So they get, they'll, they'll get their paycheck. Okay. They, they, they, it's what it is is that they would be done at the end of the school year. Got it. Okay. So, alright. That was like number one thing. I, there were some members of the community that had heard about the, the gap and there was a concern that these people would just be, You know, no, no, that's not twisting in the Wind. We, every year we can. So what happens every year is that we have the, um, what they call non-professional status. So through the evaluation process, we may not renew some teachers. And so by contractual agreements we have to do it by June 1st. And so if that's the case, and then, and in this particular case, that could still happen too. We would non-renew some folks maybe because of other purposes. And then, but those positions would be filled versus in this particular case, we might be renew, not renewing people because we just don't have the budget. Understood. And, and what I was going to say, if the, if they had turned out that there was some kind of gap was to question whether we could use stabilization funds, contract stabilization funds to close a gap in the, that two week period or one week period. I don't know if that's necessary or not. I would support it if it was, if it's not great. Um, but I know we have some cash. Thanks to the mayor putting some money away in the stabilization fund. So it's nice to know that we have a little bit of a cash buffer for what happens in between those two weeks. And then thanks to Councilor Repay, who referenced this specter of, um, what happened after the override passed in 2019. Right? Probably huge biggest complaint is that people feel like they don't know what happened. And so I would love to see if it passes, and I hope it passes, um, after that happens to do this thing, this win the win on this, right? Like media, um, you know, pr local stuff. Not like big, you know, NBC blitz or anything like that, but to share some of these stories, you know, um, share some of the stories of the classrooms and how they've gotten better. And, um, show the community in, you know, in real terms what happened. You know, here's a, here's a classroom, here's a music room that's got a teacher and, you know, instruments, and here's a, here's a sports team that has equipment and, you know, here's a, a, a class that's whatever you, you, you see what I'm saying? Mm-Hmm. Um, I, I would, and I would love to, to, for each of us on the council to be a part of that if we could, you know, to just find any way that we can to broadcast the win to the community and show them how their, how their support is, uh, is working for us. Thank you. That's it for me. I promise.

▶ 58:44 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Vice Chair William, uh, the second time, uh, councilor Stewart. And then I have Councilor Van.

▶ 58:52 Robb Stewart: Madam Chair. I was, uh, going to, uh, make a motion to recommend order 2024 dash 29 to the full council.

▶ 59:00 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. We have a motion to recommend made by Councilor Stewart. Second, seconded by, uh, president ly on discussion. Councilor,

▶ 59:13 Jen Grigoraitis: Uh, I just wanted to, um, mention whether one other concern I've heard about, you know, as this is potentially happening during the summer, people may be out of school. Um, if you could briefly address what, um, options besides the day of that election, people would have to, uh, vote one way or the other. Yes. So I, I will probably preface it because I think some, many of it is things that you all have to officially approve. Um, so my understanding is that there will be a, there will be vote by mail, um, which, um, and for those folks that received a postcard from the Secretary of State some time ago, if you checked, you know, I wanna vote all 2024 elections vote by mail. You will automatically be mailed a ballot for this. There will be absentee voting, which folks can do either, um, depending on their location, online or by mail, or even in person the day before the election. And then there will be an early voting day that needs to be recommended to you all by the Board of Registrar Voters and voted on. So, I'll, um, you know, hold off for them to talk about that, but I know that that's in the works. Great. And understanding that none of that is final and, and we're involved in that as well. Yeah. Just wanted to make sure that there, The city clerk has been working really hard. Yeah.

▶ 1:00:30 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Um, uh, superintendent, I, I know that in my previous, um, statement I said, uh, in my previous comment, I, I mentioned about how much our, um, uh, special education is being, um, under, uh, budgeted and our special education students have been, uh, underserved. But I also wanted to name that I hope, hopefully this override passes. I do hope that we include, um, trainings and, um, uh, education and support, uh, for, um, antiracism and discrimination and also some resources for our medical students, uh, so that everyone can get, um, can benefit from this overrides specifically our, um, uh, marginalized population. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. Um, Mr.

▶ 1:01:23 Speaker 3: Vice Chair Williams? Yes. Councillor Garbe? Yes. Councillor Stewart? Yes. Cremsky? Yes. Councillor Hamilton? Yes. Councillor Vandiver?

▶ 1:01:35 Speaker 3: Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councillor for Nicaro? Yes. President Elli? Yes. And Chair Jamal? Yes. Bet's unanimous with 10? Yes.

▶ 1:01:46 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you. Next, uh, for tonight is the first night