May 26, 2026 City Council Meeting

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]I'm going to go ahead and call this meeting to order.

[00:00:04]Will the recorder please call the role?

[00:00:06]>> Councelor Irvin >> here.

[00:00:07]>> Councelor Height >> here.

[00:00:09]>> Councelor Lamman >> here.

[00:00:10]>> Councelor Meriday >> here.

[00:00:12]>> Councelor Settlemire >> here.

[00:00:13]>> Councelor Wilson >> here.

[00:00:14]>> Mayor Salsby >> here. I'll rise for the pledge of allegiance.

[00:00:23]>> God of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[00:00:40]>> Thank you.

[00:00:45]Items be added to the agenda. There are none.

[00:00:49]No special presentations.

[00:00:52]Appearance of interested citizens.

[00:00:56]This is a time for citizen comment. The council will first take comments addressing items not listed on the agenda for a maximum of 30 minutes. The council will then take comments addressing action items on the agenda for a maximum of 30 minutes. Individual speakers must be recognized by the presiding officer, provide their name, identify whether they are a city resident, and if so, their ward. Please limit comments to three minutes or less with council approval. Comments regarding any matter scheduled for a public hearing may be provided only during that hearing. The council will not make any any decisions based on public comment. However, staff and council may choose to ask questions or comment following the conclusion of citizen comments.

[00:01:42]Bruce Kelch.

[00:01:52]Thank you, Bruce Kel. I live outside the city limits. So, I'd like to start by off uh raising two process issues for the council's consideration and discussion.

[00:02:01]The council held a town hall saying it wanted input. 300 people by one estimate attended and lots of people spoke supporting the pool and the library.

[00:02:11]supporters of the library went on to gather, I think it's now up to 900 signatures from community members supporting the library and advocating for providing adequate funding and staffing for the library. The council has received lots of input.

[00:02:26]If in the end those who support the library and you gave you input felt the council has ignored the public's input and minimally response responded to the lit libraries budget reduction even with taking 25,000 from the proposed library budget and adding an additional 25,000 the library budget still kept 50%. I acknowledge the council's contribution by taking money from its own training and travel. It has real as well as a symbolic impo impact. That being said, the budget committee re budget committee's recommendation to have the library open only four days a week was very telling about the level of support that was being offered by the budget committee. The question is how likely is it that community members will again provide input if they feel the council doesn't really take it into account in a meaningful way. Point two for consideration creating a chilling effect on public comment. If a community member who is unaccustomed to speaking in public and before the council sees behaviors from the council member there's perceived as threatening or challenging when someone speaks, how likely is it that the council will hear the quiet voices in the community?

[00:03:35]I think the council should have some discussion about the role of public comments and input in its decision-making process. I also just want to add that um I appreciate the fact that Mike Solarine now has the tools by by which he can um staff the library and I hope that uh we look forward to some creative restructuring so that can still function fully as it as as much as it can. Thanks.

[00:04:04]>> Thank you. Chris Hollerman.

[00:04:09]My name is Chris Hollerman and I live in the city at 324 Adams Avenue.

[00:04:15]And uh I I need to say that uh I am on the school board and I am not speaking tonight uh for the school, South Lane School District and I'm also on the fire board and uh I am not speaking for the South Lane Fire and Rescue.

[00:04:33]But this is a time of hard choices.

[00:04:36]Um, our superintendent just went through a round of layoffs at the school district and the fire department is not replacing staff that retires or gets hired away from us.

[00:04:52]You know, I I look at what uh the librarian's uh forward or new income is, and it appears to me in looking at other budgets that uh the librarian uh appears to me will be uh of a higher salary than the fire chief or the paramedics.

[00:05:15]Now, think about that because we're reducing paramedics because we can't afford them. The citizens voted down the 47 cent per thousand of assessed value for the second time. So, we've had hard budget meetings at South Lane Fire and Rescue to where we may eliminate an ambulance, which would mean we might end up with one ambulance.

[00:05:42]Now, when that vehicle takes a tour up to Eugene at either Mackenzie Wamlet or Peace Health, it's a three-hour turnaround.

[00:05:53]That means this community will not have an ambulance for that 3 hours.

[00:05:59]And yet, people are worried about a librarian.

[00:06:04]Well, when you're having cardiac arrest and there's no transportation to a healthcare facility, are you going to call the librarian?

[00:06:12]She makes more, substantially more.

[00:06:17]All every school in our district has a library. Children will not do without.

[00:06:24]Everybody is belt tightening and underfunded right now. That's just a fact.

[00:06:32]But I think to have a fully staffed library with high salaries to me is ridiculous.

[00:06:40]Now, it doesn't affect our fire and it doesn't affect our school district, but those organizations are making really hard decisions and I would like this council to make some tough decisions and I think it's necessary and I think that the taxpayers are wanting that to happen and I think that the salary for the head librarian is to me for a town of this size is ridiculous.

[00:07:17]I think fire safety and education is a lot more important and we're doing going to be headed in a negative direction in those departments. So, I'd like everybody to think about that. I appreciate it and thank you for the time.

[00:07:31]>> Thank you, >> Kasha Lavas.

[00:07:52]If the taxpayers wanted it said, they would have voted for it.

[00:07:58]We've had a library for years, over a hundred years.

[00:08:05]It's our job to support a safe library with adequate employees.

[00:08:19]I live in Ward 2. I'm Tasha Lavell. I support our library.

[00:08:31]We have over 900 signatures that want our library supported.

[00:08:42]A safe space is important for all people to go.

[00:08:49]>> Are you okay?

[00:08:55]>> What else I was going to say?

[00:08:58]But you can't support a library on one or two people and have it be safe for children.

[00:09:06]End of story.

[00:09:08]If there's a code atom, if there's a safety emergency, you have to have adequate employees, not volunteers.

[00:09:23]Are you there?

[00:09:28]>> Else I was gonna say.

[00:09:37]>> Thank you, Romney.

[00:09:42]>> Hi.

[00:09:44]>> Hi, F.

[00:09:49]So, um, I'm a little late to the situation here with the budget, and it's not a very welcome thing when you're late to the party, especially when everybody else has already worked on a whole lot of stuff, been working hard on the budget. Um, so you hear these things about the library, and it sounds to me like the budget, you're needing to make some cuts. And so there's some cuts you're looking at for the library. I agree with the lifesaving part of the fire chief and the paramedics.

[00:10:25]That's important. And figuring out your priorities is hard. Like the pool, we're saving lives. Save. How much is it worth to save two lives a year?

[00:10:36]So, um, actually, I don't really know what I'm talking about. So, it sounds to me like I need to go and check out the online thing, check out the salary of the librarian like um Chris did and check out all these budget items. Once I get into it, it's a little kind of really get into it. Oh, I'm Romney Shipper Taylor and I'm not from in the district. I'm from out of the city limits, so I wasn't sure if I could even talk up here. Um so I had some questions but you guys can you answer questions?

[00:11:15]Okay so the library salary librarian salary is what again?

[00:11:23]>> We actually does anybody have that in front of us? I I'm not sure we do.

[00:11:28]>> 156.

[00:11:29]>> So >> okay >> and that's the full thing. And so then you're looking at other heads of fire and chief and stuff like that. And so and what are you wanting to cut?

[00:11:45]And what are you wanting to cut from the library to help with your budget? What's the amount of money you're wanting to cut?

[00:11:54]>> Are you talking about what the budget committee voted on to make some changes?

[00:11:59]We we took some money out of um supplies.

[00:12:04]>> Okay.

[00:12:06]So, so the the number the number of the budget for the library, how much is the budget for the library? Hi Dana.

[00:12:15]>> Uh, essentially the the library's budget was half from the previous year. So around 2 24.

[00:12:25]>> Okay. So the budget was 224.

[00:12:28]>> This is was reduced to that amount. So before it was >> 4004.

[00:12:34]>> Mitt Romney. Something that I feel like I need to clarify is that we did not make budget cuts before the last two two years and we made budget cuts across every other department.

[00:12:50]>> Okay?

[00:12:51]>> And so you need to take that into account. So there's a lot here that you probably need to catch up on a little bit. And so what I'm trying to understand and help is that is obviously the library is not being closed.

[00:13:09]>> No.

[00:13:09]>> Okay. So the library is not >> was never on the table.

[00:13:12]>> And so I'm just wanting to know, can you tell me right now what the fuss is about?

[00:13:19]That's what I'm wanting to know from >> well just so you know even when we were not making substantial cuts this did happen with the pool as well before anything was discussed and the same thing happened with the pool that the city wanted to close the pool and >> you know better than anyone >> the pool is not owned by the city.

[00:13:41]>> So >> yes you do. So uh so that was a huge misconception and so we had to do a little >> So what would be the most effective and the most helpful from people who are supporting the library? What do you need from them?

[00:14:04]>> Volunteer.

[00:14:04]>> What you need volunt you need them to volunteer.

[00:14:09]>> And Romney, you grew up here. You were born and raised here. And you remember when we were kids >> Yeah. The library was ran predominantly on volunteers and so we did do this in Cottage Grove. That is not what we're asking for right now. We are asking for >> some patience. This is not a forever thing.

[00:14:30]>> Okay. So, patience.

[00:14:31]>> Yes.

[00:14:32]>> And patience regarding >> councelor. I do I do think that this this public comment time probably is not the best forum for the back and forth and so >> okay so the reason >> this may be a fairly short meeting and if you want to stick around there can have quite a bit of discussion but each person gets three minutes >> no problem I was just wanting to clarify to in public what was going on that's all >> we appreciate that thank you Rodney >> yeah and what would be helpful be All right, Bill Christensen.

[00:15:20]I'm Bill Christensen, Ward One.

[00:15:24]And I just wanted to clarify that um whenever I'm in a tough situation in life, I always just remember one thing and that one thing is do the right thing.

[00:15:42]Do the right thing. And if you take some time and search your heart and spend some time, quiet time with these issues, a lot of times you'll know what that right thing is. And I don't mean do the thing that's popular or do the thing that groups are wanting you to do or do the thing that um brings a lot of handshakes or do the thing that makes you feel good or do the thing that um other people want you to do. But do the right thing. And not just for yourself, but for the people of Cottage Grove, the overall population of Cottage Grove, not a subgroup.

[00:16:34]And I would encourage you that if you do that, and I follow this principle, if you do the right thing, God will take care of the rest. I'm just bringing that into it. If you do the right thing, God will take care of the rest. And my life is a testimony of that. So, I just want to encourage you to search your heart.

[00:16:54]Do the right thing. Not the popular thing, the right thing. If you do the right thing, it'll all work out. Thank you.

[00:17:06]>> Thank you, Tyne Perry.

[00:17:12]>> Did I say your name correctly?

[00:17:14]>> Yeah.

[00:17:14]>> Okay.

[00:17:16]Hi, I am Tyne and I am from Ward 2.

[00:17:24]Hello council mayor and members of the public because of some comments that have been made during this process. I am here to speak on behalf of the library but more specifically on behalf of the stories it contains.

[00:17:37]Stories are how humans share ideas, trace causes and effects, and pass on the content of character from generation to generation. They are the material of aspirations and ambitions, the means by which we imagine different ways of being in our world and different ways of shaping it.

[00:17:59]Handing dominion over our stories to a handful of large organizations driven by profit has already had and will continue to have a profound effect. It gives those organizations an outsized influence over what kinds of lives our children grow up wanting to live. I will not shy away from speaking on behalf of diverse stories. stories with alternate definitions of what it might mean to be mature, what it might mean to love, of what it might mean to be heroic, of what it might mean to be a family. Stories that stepped in and helped me understand myself when no one else would.

[00:18:40]These stories, too, are essential to a civilized society.

[00:18:44]All children should be able to see themselves reflected on the page. All children should have paths opened up to a variety of possible ways to shape their futures.

[00:18:57]I will admit that I also stand here as something of a boogeyman because I will not shy away from speaking on behalf of stories that wax sympathetic about characters others call villainous. Milton's Satan, Shel's monster, Maguire's Alphaba. For the profoundly disadvantaged members of our society, stories like these can shine light in the dark.

[00:19:22]Opening one's eyes is never a mistake.

[00:19:25]All stories, not just commercially successful ones that get TV or movie deals, not just the ones that pass through careful curation and moderation on popular internet platforms. Not just the ones that gain featured placement on storeshelves. All stories, even bad ones if viewed through a critical eye, broaden people's horizons and our forces for good in this world. Our library as a repository of stories, those you agree with, but those especially that you question, is a force for good in our community. Thank you.

[00:20:05]>> Thank you, >> Sarah Aloy.

[00:20:16]Hello, my name is Sarah Aloy. I live just outside of city limits and I am an active member of Cottage Grove. I am a homeowner here with a Cottage Grove address and my family and I source majority of our essentials in Cottage Grove, spending our mo money in locally owned restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, retail shops, mechanics, food trucks, the list goes on. The point I'm trying to make is that my voice matters in regarding to city decisions and actions. And I cannot sit here through another meeting where members of this board belittle out of town people's participation. My future children will attend schools in Cottage Grove, play in its parks, swim in its pool, and hopefully read books in its library.

[00:20:59]After the town hall meeting where over 300 community members attended to show their support and concern for budget cuts, I had the opportunity to speak with a councilman for nearly an hour and a half. I will not go into details of that conversation or the conduct of his family members in the following weeks, but he did express to me that he himself has never stepped foot inside of the library.

[00:21:30]How how can he know what the library means to anyone? How can any of you, even those of you who have been inside the library, know what it means to each of us? Luckily, you don't have to. What you do have to do, though, is listen to the hundreds of voices directly telling you the importance of it. It's your job to represent your constituents, and I'm not seeing enough of that happening.

[00:21:54]What I am seeing is a lot of personal biases and opinions dictating the way you are voting. I have watched or attended every budget meeting and time after time I have heard personal prejudices slip through. I hope those of you that have said unhinged statements and embarrassing remarks are ashamed.

[00:22:11]This behavior is not okay. It's unacceptable. It's embarrassing to watch our council people and budget committee members receive HR lectures in the m middle of these meetings. I beg you to set your personal biases aside and start acting on behalf of the community.

[00:22:27]Please listen to the 900 plus voices on the petition and make more of an effort to fund our library. We are not asking for the world.

[00:22:36]Please show up for the library the same way you showed up for the pool. Aka pull the funds from the same fund you pulled for the pool. You've said it yourself.

[00:22:45]The fund has not been used in years.

[00:22:47]Please prove me wrong that you are not voting on your own behalf and biases and start voting on behalf of your constituents the job you signed up for.

[00:22:57]Finally, I'd like to thank a few councilmen that are listening and hearing us. Thank you for truly representing your constituents properly.

[00:23:04]We see you and we appreciate you. A few of you have done your best work within the limitations of the budget to represent the will of the town and have been finding real solutions. I hope your fellow committee members listen to your voice as well. Thank you for listening to mine Milan.

[00:23:38]>> Greetings and thank you for your service to our community. Audrey Men here, resident award three to speak to increased funding for our library.

[00:23:50]During the May 19th budget committee, Councilman Lamman said, "I'd like us to look at the city of Kaiser's library, 100% volunteer operated library. Their total cost is 61,000 a year for a city of 40 40,000 people. They do it just fine."

[00:24:09]So on Thursday, May 24th, I spoke with Cindy Hunt, the vice president of the Kaiser Library board of directors and also a volunteer of the library.

[00:24:22]It was really interesting talking to her because I said, "Well, I'm from Kai Grove. They're trying to defund our library." And they said, "Your library is all run on volunteers." and she said, "Like any librarian, let me stop you right there and let me tell you the facts." So, this library is less than 15 years old. It started out as a group of people trading books. They created a nonprofit foundation about 15 years ago.

[00:24:52]Um, all the library is all the books in there are donated books. They have two part-time page staff. One is a librarian manager.

[00:25:03]The other does grant writing and community outreach. All of the librarian's time is spent training, managing, and scheduling the volunteers.

[00:25:14]The other paid staff spends most of her time writing grants. Their annual budgets 60,000. The city gives them 30,000 per year and a building 400 a month. The city covers all the maintenance, taxes, and utilities for for the building. She says it takes one to six months to train a volunteer. They do background checks on every volunteer.

[00:25:40]And the volunteers have limited access to the main computer.

[00:25:45]And the volunteers sometimes don't show up and they have to close the library for the day. And they aren't part of a librarian consortium for sharing books.

[00:25:56]She also said that the town of Kaiser is very dedicated to volunteerism.

[00:26:02]They use it in the motto of their town and it's a big part of the culture in their community and I'm not sure our community has that.

[00:26:14]So they have 16,000 books. They don't have any audio books, CDs, games. They hold one event per week. Our library has about 45,000 total items to loan and holds roughly four to five events per week. So, it's a bit like comparing apples with oranges, although it was really interesting to talk with them. So, here we are. While accounting errors have required a 13% budget cut across multiple programs, the library proposed budget reduces funding by over 55%.

[00:26:55]with one full-time employee and no resources to build a program to tr to transfer our library from such a dramatic transerformation will require a lot of time and resources and this budget does not. So we're bas you're basically cutting our library at the end of June with one full-time staff.

[00:27:25]So the picture petition we've been circulating says to support adequate funding for the library. So adequate funding is the bare minimum of 2.7 employees to ensure that there are always two staff members in the library during operation open hours.

[00:27:45]>> Audrey, are you close?

[00:27:46]>> I'm almost done. Thank you. My apologies. I talked too much about the other library.

[00:27:52]So, we are asking for 50,000 more for the library to fund those staff positions, and that's less than 1% of the total of the $12 million budget.

[00:28:05]Public comments supporting funding for the library have been made at four city council meetings, three budget meetings, one town hall with over 300 people. We have over 900 signatures on the petition calling for adequate funding for the library.

[00:28:22]How much clearer do we have to be to to ask you to adequately fund our library?

[00:28:31]Libraries are daily demonstrations of our democracy. It's central to democracy.

[00:28:38]>> I list all the things they do. An attack on our library is an attack on our democracy. Thank you.

[00:28:45]>> Thank you.

[00:28:48]All right, Cassie.

[00:28:57]Hello. My name is Cassie Shaver. I live in city limits. Good evening.

[00:29:03]I like too many of my fellow cottage growans really don't pay attention to what our city officials and city council do to and for our city. We absolutely must change that. We have to pay attention due to our city official heirs. You will be hurting our very own city by these budget cuts. I started to get involved more still not enough. Um, when I learned that the Heritage Foundation's goal is not to take over our federal government, but our local school boards, our small town city governments and councils along with our state government. I thought for sure our twice winning all-American city would stand for people who want who wouldn't stand for people who want to destroy our constitutional rights and freedoms. I'm starting to think I was wrong.

[00:29:50]Our little town is no longer even being close to being an all-American city. The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 wants to eliminate our education system in all libraries. They released this information April 2023.

[00:30:05]One of our council members said that um he wasn't wanting his children to go to library because of the books they might see. He then said he's never even been inside the library.

[00:30:18]So, you're going to vote to seely severely gut our library in hopes to close it at a future date.

[00:30:26]>> You can be quiet. Thank you.

[00:30:30]>> Can we have orders like and you can stop my time until order is >> Go ahead.

[00:30:36]>> Thank you. This is ridiculous. Or adults.

[00:30:40]This is the only place for for access of free books, internet, and a quiet safe place for everyone. I wonder how many of you have been inside and took the time to look around or to talk to people who are in the library. You can raise your hand if you've been inside the library.

[00:30:58]>> Thank you.

[00:31:01]>> Okay, so not all of you. That's cool. Uh libraries are cornerstones of democratic society, fostering lifelong learning, cultural preservation, and economic development. They are neutral and inclusive spaces dedicated to providing readers of all backgrounds and identities with access to a wide range of information and books. Exactly why libraries are being closed? Can't have people thinking and learning.

[00:31:28]I'm curious on how many of you are a plant for the Heritage Foundation's infiltration of America's small cities.

[00:31:35]I'm going to guess it's probably at least one of you. our town needs and deserves better. So, please do better, be better for we were calling for order just a minute ago. So, >> go ahead.

[00:31:51]>> Thank you. Our town needs and deserves better. So, please do better, be better, or be voted out. Almost 900 people have signed a position in support of our library. I'm sure there would be more if more people knew about it.

[00:32:06]Thank you for your time. Thank you, Amy.

[00:32:09]Merid Day, Amy, Mary Day, W three.

[00:32:23]Where in this agenda do we see this board working to establish policy taxes hypocrite?

[00:32:41]Please address us, Miss Mary Day, not the audience.

[00:32:44]>> Okay. I'm offended that uh librarians have been repeatedly um referred to as some kind of nonskilled u employees. And I just want to mention that the terminal degree for a librarian is a master's. That means you can't call yourself a librarian unless you have one. It's called a master's. It's a little bit more complicated than becoming an ENT.

[00:33:17]Mr. Sour Wine, I'm sorry. I'm so disappointed in your performance and I want to address this board and say that unfortunately Mr. Sour Wine has to go and his next performance evaluation.

[00:33:32]Let's not pretend that he didn't oversee a mistake that was 10% of our budget.

[00:33:43]Okay. I I like you. That's not the problem. You failed at the job.

[00:33:52]Okay.

[00:33:55]My house is not on fire.

[00:34:01]So, I don't know why I should support the fire department.

[00:34:06]I my house has a less chance of burning down than my chance of going to the library at least once a month.

[00:34:24]Dr. Sour Wine, you al also oversaw what was happening at the community center, including the library. You're kind of like the dep you weren't the department head, but other department heads such as in the police department came up with funds to support their department. The department you were overseeing really did not.

[00:34:53]I'm sorry about that because the library is very important.

[00:35:05]Donna Lewis.

[00:35:15]Shauna Lewis. Is she online? Oh, thank you.

[00:35:21]>> Hey, I'm not hopefully I'll be a little bit better than I was last week, but probably not much. This is all very very uncomfortable for me.

[00:35:29]Um, so the committee's goal is tough because it's budgeting.

[00:35:41]I'm new to meetings. There's been at the town hall and at these meetings, there's been five or six really strong examples of how money could be reallocated and moved around to meet the needs to properly fund the library to have more people instead of cutting it to a point that it won't function well.

[00:36:11]Sorry. Um, schools having libraries do not help adults and it doesn't help children during the summer.

[00:36:21]And libraries are more than books.

[00:36:23]There's people like myself, they're not techsavvy, don't have computers, don't and and even if I did have a computer, I would need I don't have family or friends that are going to help me, but a librarian will. I remember when there were some volunteers at the library. I absolutely 1,000% would not trust because they were gossips.

[00:36:45]I have not had that experience with professionals.

[00:36:51]Um, see, >> so I don't think anybody intends to make it a push or pull between the police and and you talk about the history of Cottage Grove, and I'm a lot older than you. This town has always had an interesting seessaw of opinions where the school has been closed.

[00:37:25]I think unfortunately personal opinion.

[00:37:29]Since the federal government's spending a billion dollars a day and fighting over tearing down a White House, people are voting no where maybe they wouldn't before because I definitely want our officers to have what they need. I don't want an officer to be working alone. I want them to have backup.

[00:37:56]We need our EMTs. There used to be more volunteers.

[00:38:01]When I was a lot younger, we had a huge volunteer fire department. We don't now.

[00:38:08]Um, so I guess I would encourage the council and the committee to also watch past meetings because we all say things we don't realize. And also everybody intent in what they say and how it's perceived is also often misconstrued.

[00:38:33]So hopefully people could understand the intent.

[00:38:37]And I also want to say I've been very disturbed by how some speakers in the audience have been treated.

[00:38:56]Thank you.

[00:38:58]I want to address a couple of things that were brought up tonight.

[00:39:02]One of them being uh when you live out of the city limits, your say does not matter. That is not true. I lived out of the city limits for many many years and not many many but quite a few before but I owned buildings in town and I did not have a vote even though I own commercial buildings in town until I moved here.

[00:39:28]The reason that this council would ever bring that up is because to the taxpayers that are paying the taxes. So that is why it's brought up and that's why that it is not you you can't hold a seat on city council until you've lived in the city limits for a year and there are that's the reasoning around that. It's not that your say does not matter. Of course you shop here. You are part of this community and I've always thought that you know that we should have more of a say for people that live out of the city limits for many years. I've thought that. But we have to acknowledge that there are no city taxes paid. So that is the only reason for bringing that up.

[00:40:14]>> Um yeah, that's that's not the same as paying taxes. And it's it and that's why we're we're talking about it's a vote.

[00:40:25]Chief, did you Oh, no. Okay. And uh and and thank you, Shauna, for bringing up some points tonight. I I found that valuable and it believe me this council and this committee has really tried hard to find solutions. We have done probably more talking and working through this budget than any other budget process I have ever seen. and and so, you know, and trying to find the the funds to keep this going and keep the the library in service. It's it is important to all of us.

[00:41:09]Does anyone else have a comment like to address?

[00:41:13]Councelor Lamman.

[00:41:18]>> So, there's a couple comparisons, Madame Mayor. Thank you. uh trying to compare the fire department and EMTs to the the library or my house isn't on fire so I don't need the the fire department.

[00:41:36]It's some of the most absurd things I've ever heard.

[00:41:41]Just because your house is not actively on fire does not mean that it might not be tomorrow.

[00:41:48]If you defund a fire department, they're not coming to put your house out. You're gonna form a bucket brigade.

[00:41:56]So, trying to compare a library to an essential service like fire or EMT or even the police department is just insane.

[00:42:14]I I truly think that we need to look at forming a a library district and allowing the voters to vote on funding the library.

[00:42:30]That way they can't supporters of the library can't say that it's this body or the budget committee who doesn't feel like the library is important. If the voters feel like it's important at that point, it can be up to them.

[00:42:48]There's the the 900 signatures that are alleged to be gathered, but the issue there is where's the ver verification process to all that? We don't know how many might be doubled, tripled, whether or not uh they're actual individuals.

[00:43:08]Uh that's the reason why if you have an actual petition or something like that, it actually gets certified.

[00:43:15]Um there's another issue when it comes to the library of I haven't seen the head librarian here during the budget committee meetings.

[00:43:31]Do you uh field any questions to uh give any sort of information on the metrics of performance of the programs that are going on?

[00:43:47]Um and then there's another comment of volunteers aren't enough in regards to code atoms or anything like that. If that's the case, then people like us volunteering to do the budget committee or doing this is not enough.

[00:44:09]Just because individuals don't feel like somebody who's not paid by the city to be there isn't enough to help secure a door or find a child is just crazy. And that that goes to show why the library doesn't push volunteers.

[00:44:29]They don't think they're qualified in any form, which is not true whatsoever.

[00:44:37]I'll save the rest of my information for concerns of council.

[00:44:42]>> Councelor Solomon, >> it's really important for people to be able to say what they feel.

[00:44:55]Thank you for coming and saying what's important for you. And I do believe that everybody up here is trying to listen and so it's important that people speak. Um, another piece that I heard that just kind of rang in my head and I know that we don't have much to do with the fire department. Um, but we used to be known as a community of volunteers. I totally agree. And it and it spreads to the fire department because I had the um the health and the ability to volunteer with them for a long time. I encourage that to be something we all look forward to in the future of finding our niche to use this kind of passion and energy to volunteer in wherever we can find in this city to make some of these lack of funds spread a little bit more. So, thanks.

[00:46:09]Elsa Merida, you have something?

[00:46:12]>> Yes. Thank you, Mayor. Um, I know my wife well, and I know when she's using irony. We actually support all public levies. We voted for the fire district every time it comes up. We vote for the jail levy. We vote for any measure that we feel will be a a boon for our community. I know many people think all taxes are bad. Well, a lot of people have complained about the roads here in Cottage Grove. The council devoted quite a bit of time and effort to come up with some solutions and the voters chose not to support it. Okay, we did. We voted to support the roads. So just saying >> sir Lammerman >> one last thing Madame Mayor um Mr. sour wine. The budget issue was found in the 23 24 budget. Correct.

[00:47:19]That budget was put together under the previous city manager if I understand the timeline right. Correct.

[00:47:26]>> That is correct.

[00:47:30]>> So on behalf of myself, I would assume I could speak for for council. I want to say that you're doing a phenomenal job.

[00:47:39]This budget issue was not your fault. I don't care what anybody says is this was done prior to you. The city manager is no longer here. The majority of the the city council who approved that budget is no longer here. It's because of issues like that that that change happened.

[00:48:01]That being said, good job. Plain and simple.

[00:48:15]Yeah. All irony aside. Good job.

[00:48:22]All right.

[00:48:24]Public hearings. There are none.

[00:48:31]Resolutions and ordinances. Item A, resolution amending the comprehensive fee schedule. Oh, did I skip counselor?

[00:48:39]>> I may object with a motion to approve u the consent agenda which contains the annual liquor license renewals.

[00:48:47]>> I second.

[00:48:50]>> Will the all in favor signify by saying I >> opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

[00:48:59]Thank you.

[00:49:02]Thank you, council president.

[00:49:08]>> Item A, resolution amending the comprehens comprehensive fee schedule.

[00:49:12]Mr. Stewart.

[00:49:14]>> Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, council.

[00:49:17]The city council has established the comprehensive fee schedule which was created to include a listing of fees for various goods or services provided by the city. This resolution amends the following section which is section 3 utilities.

[00:49:34]Staff is requesting that the miscellaneous wastewater fees proposed increase uh to the sewer dump charge fee from $5 to $20 to cover the actual costs for staff to perform mandatory testing and management of the dump station located at the Kaidrove Water Reclamation Facility. I would share with you that about six, seven years ago, we closed the dump station at the wastewater uh facility because uh we had somebody come in and dump some product that um nearly killed all the bugs in our wastewater treatment plant which um consequently would have caused it to not function properly.

[00:50:18]Um and because of that we there were other options in the community for people to dump um RV waste. One was Masonic Lodge, another is Baker Bay, and the third option is um Schwarz Park. Um the Masonic Lodge had to close their RV dump. Um Baker Bay had to close theirs because their waste system is not functioning. and the um Schwarz Park Core of Engineers is only allowing folks that actually camp there to utilize that site. So there was really no place in inside of Cottage Grove to dump um RV dumps and I believe the closest place would have been Eugene is my understanding.

[00:51:02]So knowing that there's a need for this service in the community, I worked with staff to put together a proposal that would allow this to take place. uh when we have the staff to operate the dump station and also to perform uh tests to make sure that the material that we're taking into the facility will not uh damage the bugs or upset the treatment facility. So this evening um we have opened the RV dump station. Um this evening we're requesting that this um amendment to the comprehensive fee schedule um pass uh to allow for us to cover the actual costs uh to accept the RV waste at the facility.

[00:51:48]>> I just like to make the motion u that we as a council adopt resolution number 218.

[00:51:58]Mindy, hear you.

[00:52:00]>> We have a motion.

[00:52:01]>> Second.

[00:52:02]>> We have a motion with the second. Any discussion?

[00:52:07]>> Councelor Hank.

[00:52:10]>> Um, is $20 the absolute lowest that we can go for that? And I asked because that's very high for a gray blackwater dump. I mean, even in remote areas, we'll pay maybe $10. Is there a way to kind of meet in the middle there with this price and still be able to cover costs?

[00:52:34]>> I'm just concerned that if we have it too high, it just won't get used the way that we want it to.

[00:52:42]>> Um, councelor Ike, um, we we discussed this at great length. It probably takes at least 15 minutes of staff time to gather the sample and to take the test and to pay for the testing kit. Um, we're just trying to recover our cost and protect the facility so that it we don't upset the facility and and come into violation of our permit. Um, I I believe the answer to the your question is the followup item that I that um is kind of a companion to this that hopefully will be a light at the end of the tunnel for the actual costs.

[00:53:21]>> Calvin, >> thank you, mayor. Uh well, I want to commend staff for recognizing this as the issue that it is in this area, especially during this season of we're such a recreation district um and the kind of the hub for that. And my suggestion or concern, maybe it's included in the next item, but is to uh put up signage noticing whether it's at the wastewater reclamation site or wherever it's going to be in the old go-to spots. You know, this is where it is now. That would be helpful for people coming through.

[00:54:00]>> And mayor, council, we've created cards.

[00:54:05]I've given the information to the core to Baker Bay to Masonic Lodge. So, um we're working with those entities. When people pull in, they direct them to the uh wastewater facility. So, um we'll continue that vigilance and uh improve our our outreach as we can.

[00:54:24]>> And just to follow up to that, um is there is that posted somewhere on online? you know, when you're traveling up I5 or down, you're looking for the next uh place to dump and that that would bring people in and through and get them get them into the town. Um, which would be, you know, a good opportunity, especially if that's going pulling them into a place where they're having to go through town could be pretty ideal. Um, but that that would be a suggestion as well.

[00:54:59]Councelor Lamman.

[00:55:03]>> Madame Mayor, Council, thank you. Uh, so I got to kind of piggyback off of Councelor Hank's uh comments to that because I know if I go up to Eugene, I don't have to pay anything.

[00:55:16]Um, now I understand driving from here to Eugene and back just to dump an RV or something would cost way more than $20, but anybody coming down if they're looking for dump sites, what's going to have them come to our dump site versus somewhere they can dump for free?

[00:55:45]I don't know if it was the intent to compete with other entities and dump for free. We recognized that there was no dump site available in our community in our I also acknowledged that Mr. Unus it was $10 per sonic lodge. But if we started at $10 and we added the actual time it takes for an employee to open the gate to go over and take the sample to run it through the lab and test it and to buy the testing equipment. Um we would be losing money. Um we're just trying to provide a service so that folks don't resort to uh potentially noting it where it doesn't need where it can contaminate the river. uh we don't want it in our storm system. You know, we're trying to offer something that um folks will be able to dispose of it in a proper manner. I'd love to do it for free, but we just can't do it.

[00:56:43]>> The the other question is is I understand why you're wanting to do the testing, but is that an absolute requirement? Because I don't know of too many other places that come out and test each sample that's dropped off.

[00:57:00]mayor comes and the reason that we do this is that um where the dome site is located at the sewer treatment plant it's probably within 20 ft of the sewer system um it if we get a high concentrated amount of chemicals that are below the pH acceptable levels eventually hazardously hazardously below um because of this location and the concentration it can wipe out the um in its entirety.

[00:57:32]When I get to the next item, the next item we're trying to get it as far from the sewer treatment plant as possible to allow it to dilute its way to the sewer treatment plant. There won't be an added testing cost or requirement cost because of that, but we're doing it specifically at this site because of the potential of wiping our system.

[00:57:55]Part of that question is mainly due to average size of a black tank or or a gray tank on a travel trailer motor home. I wouldn't think would be too much more above 150 gallons. Maybe maybe that's a little high. Um, but even with the proximity there, how strong or potent would that amount of fluid need to be to offset a huge treatment facility?

[00:58:31]Like that would have to be in my opinion very very high concentrations of whatever we're we're fearful of or such a low pH level in such a concentrated amount.

[00:58:46]I know our treatment center is pretty big gallon wise.

[00:58:52]I would probably need to recruit operators that can power a little bit.

[00:58:59]All I know is that about seven years ago, we were in the business of taking waste. We believed somebody came in and dumped a meth lab into our facility and wiped out the bugs. Virtually wiped them all out. We can't take that risk. And I don't know what that product is. I'm not in your business, but I do know that it's hazardous. So, we can't take this.

[00:59:21]So, it's it's illegal. we can accept as generally uh within pH from 6.5 to 9 volt in that range and if you fail that test into into the system.

[00:59:36]So, I would have to ask what would I know there's nothing preventing somebody from dumping it into a sewer drain, but what would be the significance between people dumping it into a sewer drain on Sixth Street versus dumping it right there with the same is it the amount of time that it has to mix in with everything else before it gets to the plant? and where it comes from. That is correct. So the further we get away from the sewer plant and it has the opportunity to co-ingle with other waste that's in that's being se uh the better chances is is that that material gets diluted then it's not going to impact the facility as bad as it would if it was a straight shot is is the intent and I'll address that's one of the reasons why the industrial park is um um an optimal location for being able to accept the type of waste on a self-s served basis because of the fact that it would co-ingle with the waste that we received warehouser and it would be diluted down to where I want it back to the facility.

[01:00:52]>> Great councelor Wilson.

[01:00:55]>> So um thank you. the uh the intent as I see it this is a stop gap until a proper facility can be established which is the next item that you're going to be speaking about. Um and so uh you know my thought is yes there's going to be some additional you know costs uh and and I I absolutely agree that the testing is necessary. Um we can't take that chance of having you know everything wiped out.

[01:01:29]Um and then and then we don't have a water treatment plant until the bugs are reestablished. Can we actually treat the the sewage properly, which would cost a great deal more than over this point?

[01:01:46]Thank you. All right. Now is the time for public comment. Is there anyone that would like to comment on this?

[01:01:53]Step up to the microphone, please.

[01:02:02]So, I grew up up river like two houses down from National Forest and people dumped this product into the river.

[01:02:18]If we're going to have a $20 fee, it's going to encourage people to dr dump it into the river.

[01:02:29]I think that putting money towards a jail in Cottage Grove would be more sensible. There's already a jail established.

[01:02:40]It was created by Michael Grover.

[01:02:44]All you have to do is feed these people some microwave dinners.

[01:02:50]That's it.

[01:02:53]Let's deal with the actual problem, which is the methheads causing the problem.

[01:03:03]Anyone else?

[01:03:06]>> All right, I see none. Will the recorder please call the role?

[01:03:12]>> Thank you, Mayor. Before I call the role, I um need to clarify who was the second on the motion.

[01:03:19]>> Councelor Wilson.

[01:03:20]>> Okay. Thank you. That's what I recorded, but I just wanted to be sure. So, I have councelor Irvin as maker of the motion.

[01:03:26]Councelor Wilson as a second. Uh, councelor Hike, your vote.

[01:03:32]>> I I thank you.

[01:03:34]>> Councelor Urban, >> I.

[01:03:36]>> Councelor Lamman, >> I.

[01:03:40]>> Councelor Meriday, >> I councelor Wilson. Hi, >> Council Settleer.

[01:03:45]>> I, Mayor Solsby, I.

[01:03:48]>> Motion carries unanimously.

[01:03:52]All right.

[01:03:54]Concerns from council.

[01:03:59]Anyone? Councelor Settlemire.

[01:04:04]>> I got this wonderful um reference that said the budget hearing and adopting the budget. So um we're going to be invited um June 22nd. is at the to vote on a budget. So, I would like to have some information hopefully for us to talk about next meeting. Um so I'm hoping that the um staff if we think it important to give us some updated information since it's 3 years I'm three years about 3 months since this draft budget started getting information together and stuff. I'm hoping that they will um work maybe on if they have any information that might see more funds in the transient transient lodging tax and the budget carryover being two funds that I would think as the year has gone on maybe we can adjust those funds to give us better information moving forward. And I'd like to hear from the police department if they know when their new police cars might be in service.

[01:05:30]And uh the reason why I'm doing that is I found myself looking over in the police funds and I hope they don't need all their money to fix their cars if they're getting new cars real soon. So, there's a fund there that maybe I'd like to talk about, but it would be interesting if we had any estimation on when the new police cars will be in service.

[01:05:59]So, um, is that something that I can ask if people agree that it would be nice to have updated information?

[01:06:11]>> Mr. Sarowine.

[01:06:14]>> Well, good evening, your honor, members of the council. uh we are scheduled to do the uh third quarterly budget update at the June 22nd meeting and uh if you would like know I'm not sure whether we've received any additional uh transit lodging taxes as we've discussed before we get those supposedly from the state that are sometimes a bit sporadic um but I can certainly see get you what we have and haven't as far as the end of the year funding balance uh I I think we budgeted what we thought was a a reasonable estimate. I can certainly talk with our with our interim finance director and see if uh there could be some adjustments to that from when we put first put the budget together. Uh but again, it's my understanding uh that we we all of this information will be in the third quarterly budget update.

[01:07:14]that >> so I guess I'm unclear the third quarter the second quarterly um update I don't remember it saying anything about the transient tax did it and >> and make an estimate I know that we were talking about spending less than we budgeted and you had wonderful information on that would it I think we'll get that kind of information. But I'm just going here that where it actually says on the state document that was shared with me. Um it says the governing body, US, when we're doing the budget must take all available information into consideration when adopting the budget. This information includes the public testimony presented at the budget hearing which will be next week and it's been for a while and any new information affecting estimates of upcoming year's resources or expenditures.

[01:08:23]For example, if a higher beginning fund balance, additional grants or other resources are available, the additional monies can be added to the applicable fund balances and additional expenditures plan. I agree that we will get some information on a thirdarter budget update, but I think that that will be a hard turnaround for us to make any kind of the wise guesses that we could get from the city staff focusing on the two funds I was thinking of and one was mentioned here potentially. Y um knowing about the upcoming um the upcoming information on the transient taxes and what we might be looking at for the cash carryover, please. Well, as I previously stated, uh we will get you any updated information we have on the transit lodging taxes and I will talk with the interim finance director about whether or not uh we have an updated uh ending fund balance.

[01:09:44]>> Thank you. Anyone else?

[01:09:47]Councelor Merid.

[01:09:48]>> Uh thank you, Mayor. So, I hope in that we will take into account the the numerous public testimony that we've had throughout the process. And my what I'm hearing over and over again is that it's vitally important for our functioning of the library to have at least two staff present during the hours of operation.

[01:10:14]So, I hope that we'll be able to look at um look at where our budget is and what we what adjustments we might need to make to ensure that happens. So, before we um approve the budget, I know in the in the current form, I cannot cannot and will not support the budget in the current form. So I'm hoping that we can we have seen a number of of pathways towards getting the funding that would ensure the staffing levels of that level the that we have the adequate staffing levels. So I would hope that we would choose one to make an adjustment.

[01:10:57]>> Councelor Satommire >> and I'm sorry I maybe got lost in there somewhere. Um um Chief, do we know when new cars might be put in? Is that just a dream that it's known by now?

[01:11:17]>> Mayor, uh councelor Settlemire. Um if there's a consensus of council that you want some research on this, I'm happy to look at it and report it back to Mr. Sour Wine. He can share that information with you guys. Um, but I'm not sure addressing or asking specific questions like that in this meeting. Um, if if that's um, we were asked to look for funds that could potentially um, be transferred. When I looked at the budget for the past three years, is that what the buildup is? There's been a $30,000 fund that pretty much gets spent by maintenance for cars in the police department. I think it's absolutely wonderful that there's in the same another part of the budget that talks about $540,000 of new vehicles being done. I didn't feel like I was attacking our current police department to just see, hey, there's $30,000 there and it's the same amount as with we've all heard stories and I definitely understand the cars are falling apart. So, I would hope that the council could get some feel for is there going to be a new fleet and perhaps with what we're talking about dire times now that we could consider taking some of that $30,000 and using it somewhere else in a positive way.

[01:13:10]>> Chief, >> Mayor, Councelor Settleer, um first of all, I there's no accusation that you're attacking me or the police department.

[01:13:18]And I don't take it that way at all. Um I just think procedurally this isn't the proper way to address the budget line by line. Um if you look at the budget um as presented and you look at our overall materials and services and you look at the reductions that have been made um all of that stuff, the way that we put those budget numbers together are ahead of time, well ahead of time. And those conversations are had internally about what we think we're going to need to operate our individual departments.

[01:13:49]That's then presented to the city manager who's the budget officer who presents it to the budget committee. So those conversations have have already occurred and have happened. So as far as grant money that we've applied for, we haven't received the grant money yet.

[01:14:04]So, we're in the initial stages of being told um by our state representative um our congresswoman that that we were approved to receive that money, but the money hasn't come in yet. So, um, when you look at that item, if you want to go and look at the capital outlay in the in the proposed budget, it essentially accounts for $800,000, which was the amount of the grant that we have been told that we were awarded but have not received yet. Other than that, if you look at the previous years, we've zeroed that out. So, we've accounted for nothing outside of of the $800,000 that we may get or that we're supposed to get. So, um, when you look at everything else, um, I mean, we've made significant reductions and the budget in the police department has been underspent significantly year-over-year since I've been here. So, um, and when you look at buying vehicles, outfitting vehicles, whether or not we get the money when it actually does get here, making those purchases, um, we've we've cut so much out of our materials and operating supplies that at the end of the day, when you look at how tight this budget is, not just the police department, but everywhere else, um, moving money around for positions, um, I mean, at some point, you know, I don't I don't there's no more money to move around, and there's really no more for us to cut out of the budget. So, um, we need money for fuel. We need money for maintenance. We need money for oil changes, tires, brakes, all of those things that we have to do throughout the year. And we also need to make sure that if our vehicles go down, we've got some way to replace them.

[01:15:54]Right now, aside from this grant money, we don't. So if that grant money doesn't come through and our cars for whatever reason something happens to them, there's no cushion in this upcoming budget.

[01:16:06]So >> Councelor Smar, >> thank you very much. That was exactly what I was asking. And maybe I shouldn't have asked, but I just I'll admit I just bought a brand new van so I wouldn't be in the position to having to figure out how to fix them. And I just thought, hey, maybe there's some place there that we didn't look at. Thank you, Chief >> Councelor Lamman.

[01:16:41]So, I have to kind of second uh the chief's sentiments with that. The the biggest issue is you can look at the 800,000 grant. That's simply what it is.

[01:16:53]It's a grant. It's not going to be there next year. It's not going to be there the year after that.

[01:16:59]When when you think about it, the the city manager and all the the staff have presented a budget that has been fairly well stripped down compared to last year.

[01:17:14]Everyone's nitpicking all these little line items, but you don't stop a bleed by cutting it again.

[01:17:24]You can try to pull out money where you think is not necessarily needed, but maintenance doesn't only talk about a water pump going out. It doesn't talk about all these other major things you would think of when you think of maintenance. It's simple things also.

[01:17:42]Um, that being said, uh, I know there's some comments about me not going to the library.

[01:17:56]Honestly, I work too dang much to have extra time to go to the library when it's actually open.

[01:18:02]Most of the time, I'm working six, seven days a week doing something. I don't have time.

[01:18:12]With that being said, just because I don't go to the library doesn't mean I can't look at numbers and figure out that something needs to change.

[01:18:25]When it comes to the library, in my opinion, the radical minority is dictating how the body does what it does.

[01:18:37]We have one council member up here with the library t-shirt on right now, which in my opinion isn't right because a nonpartisan body.

[01:18:52]They're not thinking about what's saving the library. They're thinking about the the individuals who work at the library.

[01:18:59]Everything just keeps coming down to personnel, not the library. If it was about the library, we wouldn't be pulling 25,000 out of materials and services.

[01:19:13]I could keep going on for quite a while, but I'm not going to cuz we have more stuff to get to. But go ahead.

[01:19:27]Okay.

[01:19:29]Well, today is actually a special day.

[01:19:34]It's someone's birthday in here and he is probably not going to be happy about this, but Mindy is so wonderful and make sure that we all remember. Thank you, Mindy >> and Jessica. So, today is our city manager's birthday and we want to wish you a very happy birthday, Mr. Sour Wine.

[01:20:16]Happy birthday.

[01:20:19]All right.

[01:20:21]Business from the city manager. Item A, proposed self-s serve RV dump station and waterfill station. Mr. Stewart.

[01:20:30]>> Thank you, Mayor. So, we touched a little bit in regards to this um with the fee schedule.

[01:20:37]So this is an information only item um and would accept comments or concerns.

[01:20:44]So um for several years I've aspired to create a pill station for drinking water. I was looking to do this in the industrial park most likely along the wide streets so that um we'd be able to accommodate folks that are wanting to fill their swim pools or we occasionally get uh folks that have wells whether they're in the city limits or outside the city limits that are failing and they come and purchase water. Right now the only location to do that is at the city shop and it's takes a lot of um staff time to accommodate those requests. Um so the idea is to create a self-s serve fill station. Some of you may have seen these in your past at other cities. Bonita has them. Um e webb has them around the city. Eugene sub has them. And so I had been interest diligently trying to find a location for it. then we suddenly have the RV dump station that um there's a need in our community and so I focused a little bit harder and um and I proposed to the city manager and the finance director that how about we look at purchasing the um oddshaped parcel number 600 in the industrial park um and create a fill station and a dump station there. um people would be able to get off the road. They'd be able to um those streets are extra wide. So, um some of these very large RVs um would be able to be accommodated by going in and out of this location.

[01:22:31]And then I added some additional thoughts. I'm not trying to um uh encourage, but there there is more space there than it's needed to create an RV dump station andor water fill station.

[01:22:47]We could also um and the proposed um site plan is there's about 10,000 square ft to the um on the east end of this piece of property that could be hard surfaced. It there's been a lot of um community conversation. And there's been at times a desire in the community to have a place to put yard waste, grass clippings, those various different things. It might be that this facility or this site, we could partner with somebody that's in the composting business. There's two uh businesses in Eugene that provide that service. Maybe they would upgrade a facility there. Uh on the complete opposite end of the the property to the west, the property gets really narrow. um it's very difficult to um able to put something there that's usable. But I um another thing that's come up in our community is is that um part of our town is divided by um the river, the Coast Fork River. And we have sewer lines, we have water lines, various different things that cross the river. We have bridges um that could go out in an earthquake. And one of the other ideas is to u locate a um a conx box or something similar to that that could be housing uh emergency response items. So a small package filtration plant for water various different things that could accommodate uh meeting uh folks needs during an emergency.

[01:24:20]So, this is a thought that I've had and you know, I have discussed these concerns about the price of the of the RV dump, but the location of it and trying to address those concerns.

[01:24:36]Getting this uh as far away from the sewer treatment plant will minimize potentially the impacts of um us getting something that's in a smaller quantity, as was stated earlier. that it would have the ability to dilute its way uh to the facility. We could we won't have to man this site with a person um to operate it. Folks can operate it 24 hours a day selfs serve. So it could accommodate um people's needs better than at the present time. Uh you can only get water at the at the city shop during our operation hours which is generally Monday through Friday 7:30 to 5. But it's even more restricted at the wastewater facility for RV dumps, which is um Monday through Thursday, excuse me, Monday through Friday. Um I believe it's 8 to 3 and then on the weekends from noon to 2. So those hours are really not uh great for folks that are traveling, getting back from their vacations or their camping trips. So, um, I wanted to throw this out there and, um, make sure that there was a no glaring, um, nose on this and we'd like to continue to to develop this thing.

[01:25:56]>> Council President Irvin, >> thank you, Mayor. It's a resounding yes, and thank you for hearing all of the the requests for over the years. Um, I'm thinking Cottage Grove Pump and Dump comes to mind, but um there's a another I remember actually uh Amy Meriday brought it up many years ago it seems like now, but the purple pipe wearing purple tonight um as being something I know the portable water would I think it's a feebased like there's a card system. Is that what you're typically thinking of? But maybe the irrigation type water, non-potable water could be a a free resource if if that's piped out there. But just a just an idea. And I and I really like partnering with another group or I know right now it's at the water treatment plant. Is that mulch out there? But that kind of thing where community can come and it's just a it's water and hold. It's the resource.

[01:26:56]That's >> Mayor Councelor Irvin, thank you for discussing the affluent reuse program.

[01:27:03]um we we do have that in mind to offer a similar type of a structure. Uh we we might be able to offer that um at a much reduced price than um I don't want to say free but um we might be able to get it at um a reduced price and we do have locations. is we have a fire hydrant at the dog park right now or excuse me the disc golf park and we've extended the purple pipe into Bohemia Park. So there is an opportunity maybe to create a fill station for people that are looking to use water reuse for gardening and various different things. Um, we also have established a fire hydrant at the disc golf course so that the fire department could access that affluent water too to because you can legally fight fire. My understanding with that treated water >> councelor hike.

[01:28:02]>> Absolute yes for me too. I think this is a great idea. Um, I love the 24. Sorry, I'll try to talk louder for you. Um um how soon could this be done?

[01:28:17]>> Well, I I'll engage this probably uh tomorrow or Thursday with our engineering firm and start putting together a site plan for it.

[01:28:29]>> Councelor Wilson.

[01:28:30]>> Um as I stated on Friday, the sooner the better in my opinion. Um and then addressing the um the uh larger section almost 10,000 foot section. Um definitely in in favor of partnering with uh Lane Forest or or uh or Rexius. I think Lane Forest probably in my my own personal opinion would be the the uh uh company that would be most likely to agree to do something like this. Um, and uh, I think that would be a great asset to the community as opposed to what we have now, which is really not much of anything for that type of accommodation.

[01:29:19]>> Council L.

[01:29:22]>> Madame Mayor, Council, uh, quick question.

[01:29:27]What would the total cost of setting this be, setting all this up?

[01:29:32]Um, mayor, I don't have it anymore yet.

[01:29:36]Um, you can buy a soft serve water distribution facility from somewhere between 25 and $40,000.

[01:29:44]Very similar for waste water. It just depends on which brand you go with. And then it'll require us to put some mark to meet the planning requirements for the construction of the site. So most likely going to require paving various different things to do that. I don't have a price, but once we get the uh project design and the bid um the council is going to have the opportunity to approve the um awarding the bid and the um committing the resources to make it happen.

[01:30:22]Have any of those monies been thought about with the current budget we're looking at or would that be something added on to a capital project >> through like a resolution at some point >> uh resources that comes from the utility. So um this isn't a cap this isn't doesn't qualify for building capacity but it would qualify to use our resist.

[01:30:49]>> Okay. Thank you. Council Merid.

[01:30:56]>> Um, it's not untreated water, but treated water. Um, I just wanted to say that I saw the splash pad in effect and the kids were having a ball.

[01:31:09]>> It's treated drinking water that the splash pad is. Thank you, counselor.

[01:31:15]We're not using a fluent there.

[01:31:17]>> Yeah. Councelor Satomire.

[01:31:21]I might be a minority in that I have seen the wonderful roads that lead to that area of our city and I haven't been down there more than once out of curiosity. I think it's wonderful.

[01:31:38]you elaborated a little bit more on Friday that this is one of those really tough to market pieces of the industrial site and the idea that we can just bring in I mean you've mentioned a little bit for everybody the idea of emergency response things you know I'm an old science teacher and we always talked about what if the earthquake um I welcome that that there's a little bit of a response there and everything else sounds wonderful. Thank you, >> Mayor Councelor Smire. Thank you for um prompting me. This, as you can see, this piece of property is very oddshaped.

[01:32:25]We have actually uh since we've since I've been here, I believe received four offers. the councils accepted the offers and for some reason they fall apart before they actually um perfect the purchase and sell agreement and pay the city. So um this piece of property is available and it looks like it would do a um a really nice job meeting the needs of what we're trying to accomplish here.

[01:32:52]>> Thank you, Director Stewart, for your forward thinking. We appreciate it.

[01:32:57]All right, report from the city manager.

[01:33:02]Well, good evening, your honor, members of the council. Um, I'm having a hard time believing that I'm going to be 64 years old. Um, my my father, who will be 91 next month, uh, informed me last week that he didn't believe I was going to make it to 18. Uh, uh, you know, I always tell people, my parents raised two perfect children, my older brother and my younger sister, and somewhere in the middle they had me. Uh, yeah. Uh, thank you very much. I appreciate it.

[01:33:31]Especially Mindy. I really appreciate you and Jessica. Thank you very much.

[01:33:35]Uh, just a couple of things I wanted to update you on. Uh, first touring the warehouser mill. Uh, we city staff's been in contact with the general manager and we had talked with them about a remodel project that they were working on. That project is still ongoing. Uh, they have suggested that maybe we set up a tour for the city council in late July or early August. Uh, so more to come on that. uh we'll bring back some dates uh some possible opportunities for council and also for the media uh to tour the facility. Uh second dealing with the uh swimming pool uh as I think we discussed during the budget committee process there were really two things that the budget committee and the council asked staff to work on. First is they said that if we're going to be providing $75,000 that we need a seat at the table. uh had a great meeting this afternoon uh with the school superintendent and the school finance director and we suggested forming a committee um that would provide that seat at the table. We'd have city staff uh representative from the city council uh school staff and also a representative from the friends of the pool group that's recently formed. So, uh, uh, looking for volunteers from the council for somebody to join me in meeting, uh, going forward. Um, anyone interested.

[01:34:55]>> Councelor Urban.

[01:34:58]>> Uh, >> yeah, Councelor Urban.

[01:35:03]>> Uh, Council. Okay. Councelor Irvin, I'll I'll be getting in contact with you when we set up a meeting. The school district did ask, uh, that we wait till after graduation. uh let them get through the month of June. So have our first meeting in uh July or August. Um but we already kind of outlined kind of a scope of work of what we want that committee to do.

[01:35:24]Uh the second thing that was asked uh was that we work that we work with uh city staff and we also work with the school district to update the contract uh that expired about eight or nine years ago. And we went through the existing contract. I think we passed out copies at one point. It's like two pages long. Uh and so we will be updating that. And then the final thing I had this evening is a little we talked a little bit about this our last meeting is we have a couple of ideas for a citywide cleanup and there was a request to create a city council committee. And last meeting we said we'd wait for volunteers. So again council members who are interesting in volunteering uh to be on a cleanup committee.

[01:36:14]Great.

[01:36:14]>> We got a lot of clean.

[01:36:15]>> Great. Uh we will >> we will form a subcommittee of the whole uh for the cleanup committee. Uh and that would conclude my report, your honor.

[01:36:26]>> Thank you.

[01:36:28]No city attorney.

[01:36:31]So this meeting is adjourned.

[01:36:47]I'm Children.