Lewiston Council reviews FY27 budget details for transit, 911, and library

[0:01] Carl L. Sheline: Hello, welcome to our Thursday evening workshop, but we're joined here by director rail director Roy I'm sorry, and she's brought a guest. Please introduce yourself and then please kick things off. [0:13] Larry Allen: I'm Larry Allen the transit program manager for the CityLink transit system Lewiston Auburn transit committee here in Lewiston, Auburn. [0:20] Bryan Kaenrath: Thanks. So within your packet that city clerk sent out you will see a memo and a budget list for the LA transit L. A. Transit is on page 68 of your book under an intergovernmental in fiscal year 20 to 21. The transit committee was awarded cares funds, which significantly reduced the operating contributions needed in fiscal year 21 from the city. The funding was carried forward from 2023 and 2024 to reduce the fiscal year 27 requests. Transit is requesting six hundred and thirty four thousand five ninety seven minus that carry forward of sixty four thousand five ninety seven, so it totals 570,000 along with I forgot to put on your memo the fifty dollars for the fifty thousand dollars for the bus so local revenues for fixed routes our approved budget are eight hundred and eighty six thousand three sixty which the largest increase is in the local at fifty three thousand eight sixty seven federal funding decreased forty three. dot three forty three thousand seventeen dollars state funding and the fare box revenues remain flat fixed route cost increased ten thousand eight fifty two the largest is in contracted services by fifty five which is for the contract, local revenues for paratransit is $161,802 which is an increase of $15,031. Paratransit cost increased $12,464 due to the new contract with RTW management for a five-year contract. contract. Local revenues for demand response is $201,467, which is a decrease of $189,003. Demand response expenses increased $12,464 for, again, the new contract with RTW. That is the overview, and the manager is here to answer any questions. [2:36] Carl L. Sheline: QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? CHANCELLOR CHIDDUM, YES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. [2:45] David B. Chittim: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THESE BUDGETS WERE PREPARED BEFORE WE SAW AN INCREASE IN THE REVENUES ON THE FAIR BOX AND USER FEES FOR TICKETS OR TOKENS. THAT'S CORRECT. THESE BUDGET NUMBERS, IF ADOPTED, WOULD RESULT IN, I THINK, A GREATER CARRY OVER FOR NEXT YEAR. IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? [3:09] Larry Allen: So there are variables in play for 2027 that I can't give you the answer for right now. One of those is state revenues. So we paired back the state's contribution, Main DOT generally contributes $85,815 in some form of statute. In 2024, that number was, they bumped it up. They added funds to transit systems throughout the state, and our system netted about $350,000. In 20, that was 25. In 26, that number has moved down to $228,000. So seeing that it is a moving target, when we built this budget, we said we really can't count on inflated numbers from the state, a we can't, we don't know what they're going to be, we're better off budgeting from the bottom up. So we pulled, we paired our state number back to the minimum, the statutory minimum. If we do get more state funds, then obviously they offset local funds, which creates an opportunity to carry forward into 28 or 29, which is good because the amount of available federal carry forward will all but be expended. So there's effectively, there's a fiscal cliff coming because of all the extra funds that we had from cares and ARPA funds that got us through the last five years. We're, we're going to expend most or all of that this year, and so, you know, next year's budget cycle, hopefully the state funds come in heavier than what we're budgeting, which is going to help cushion the blow for the next budget cycle when it comes to fare revenue. So the passenger fares along the fixed route side of things, that's going to remain fairly consistent. The ada paratransit numbers are remaining fairly consistent. The new component in our system is the city link zone response, or the demand response service, which originally, when presented to us through the transit study, showed that it would be, it would have its own standalone passenger fare impact to the budget, and it was substantial, similar to what the ada paratransit is. What we're finding right now is that the zone response is more complementary to the fixed route system, and so a lot of those fares are shared because our policy is, If we took a fixed route bus away from your area, but we provided you a van, we're not going to make you pay a fare for the van and then another fare when you get on the fixed route bus. So there's a commingling of services for one passenger fare in one direction. So that was, you know, these are things that you learn as you're working through new operating systems. So that number likely is going to come in short and will be adjusted in budgets going forward. But it's simply one passenger fare line item. [6:28] David B. Chittim: Yeah, okay. Thank you for explaining that and you've got a handout here. You're going to talk about that. [6:34] Larry Allen: I just wanted to share that we continue with our public outreach. We certainly want to get the word out to anybody in the affected areas of both cities where fixed route service has been modified or removed and the demand response services is there in its place. So we sent out a direct mailing No, pardon me it was it was a nine or ten thousand pieces that went kind of specifically targeted to the zones that CityLink provides van service to get the word out and I just gave you an example of The images and information that were on that mailing when I went out Yeah, well in As far as effectiveness goes THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, WE HAD 30 NEW RIDERS SIGN UP FOR OUR CITY LINK APP, WHICH IS HOW YOU ACCESS THE VAN SERVICE AND THE FIXED ROUTE. Since that mailing went out, the number for March, it started on February 28, so the number for March is 46. So we've seen a substantial capture of some market in those areas. And when I looked at it about two weeks ago, 95% of the percent of the new accounts in the system where somebody registers as a rider are in areas in those zones so we know that the message is getting out. [7:57] David B. Chittim: There so that's good right thank you doesn't. [8:04] Joshua L. Nagine: Aging if you just briefly go over so the rapid response routes were actually supposed to reduce the overall and also make the bus service more timely on the fixed route. [8:22] Larry Allen: Am I correct on that? So the demand response, yes, it was supposed to reduce the overall operating cost. So instead of sending a diesel bus that gets, you know, four or five miles an hour and, you know, every hour and has a replacement cost of, you know, $600,000, we're able to put $70,000 handicap accessible vans that only go when they need to go right so and they're getting and these are hybrids that we're actually operating or that the contractors operating so the fuel savings it's really it's based on demand so instead of just constantly burning that fuel on those routes you know for 12 hours. A day the vans are getting into those areas when people need to travel so generally. [9:11] Joshua L. Nagine: Generally speaking, the system's more efficient and less expensive at this point, and the difference that we're seeing here is the loss in the Cares Act Funding. Am I correct on that? [9:20] Larry Allen: So yeah, so you're not seeing the loss yet this budget includes some of that carry forward cares Act funding so when we changed Our mode from just the fixed route and the ad a complimentary paratransit. It went out to RFP. We got two qualified responses, BOTH OF THOSE RESPONSES RESULTED IN A NET INCREASE SOMEWHERE AROUND 20% OVERALL SYSTEMWIDE. So when you have a $1.9 million operating contract and now it's $2.3 million, the difference between the two contractors was about $80,000 over five years. So it's consistent pricing. So as we changed modes, as they increased wages for drivers, to make sure the seats were full, all of those cost drivers that every department in your city I'm sure is facing has really accelerated the costs overall of the system. So I don't think it's fair to assume that it was presented that this is going to be a huge cost savings over where we were before. What it did do is give us a comparable cost structure so between and we did look at 12 different versions of changes in the service scenario, and the first one being don't change a thing. So the difference between that and this modified service, you know, was a matter of a couple hundred thousand dollars on, you know, three and a half million dollar budget, and the fact that would be our baseline to be able to potentially add service areas, respond to new development, right? So if there's a new housing development going in an area that doesn't have fixed route service, we can immediately open up the geo fences on the demand response and provide service until we see that such demand is enough there that it makes sense to put a fixed route bus on it. So all of this is kind of converging at the same time, system information, GPS tracking, automated passenger counts, you know, we're able to geolocate how many people are getting on or off at Hannaford versus Shaw's or any stop along the route and of Course, we have all that information in the demand response vans as well, so we went into it with, you know, basically some good best practices in operations, and we have added technology, so we're adding best practices and information. So what we know a year from now is going to be, you know, going to be, could be transformative in the direction that transit goes. You know, we may recognize, or be able to recognize, other low ridership areas where fixed route is, maybe pare back a fixed route line, add more demand response, or vice versa, maybe that we're sending the vans out into this particular area so much that it may make sense to revisit the fixed routes. So at this point, the way we offset the cost [12:42] Joshua L. Nagine: of the overall system is to increase ridership, and it's yes, more accessible now than it was before. Less wait time, you have the on-demand service. [12:53] Larry Allen: That's correct. Much more user-friendly City Link app. I mean, it functions very similar to Uber or Lyft, frankly. [13:00] Joshua L. Nagine: The only other thing I just want to touch base on briefly is bus shelters. And so Bates College has requested a bus shelter and has donated, I believe, of $10,000 into the system, $20,000 into the system. There's still a need for some type of bus shelter at CMMC. I think there was a conversation about updating the bus shelter at Tall Pines, and there's one that desperately needs to be taken out at College Montello and Fair. And so I'm just wondering what the timeline is for any of those things. In this budget, does it account for these things? [13:39] Larry Allen: So those things are not accounted for in this budget. City Link has, we were awarded a capital grant from FTA. The application is in, but all the T's and I's have not been dottered and crossed within the FTA system. So it's a discretionary. And the discretionary, which we won, which was supposed to take care of all the shelter issues, rehabbing the Oak Street bus station, replacing the door that keeps getting damaged every time the wind is real bad in Auburn, taking care of Tall Pines, taking care of adding a shelter at Bates, adding a shelter at Saint Mary's where there isn't one. So all of those things are kind of tied up in a federal grant, which we have not actually received. It's not active yet. So, we're going to work around on the Montello Fair in college. We're going to get the glass pulled out of it so it's not a comfortable environment for a homeless stay. And then, you know, I expect in the next couple weeks we'll be able to have that structure out of there. and then we're going to get the glass get a quote on glass replacement and see if we can move that one to tall pines where it already has a pad so that 's the easiest thing for us to do within our operating our capital budget so you know the fifty thousand that each city is putting in the capital budget is truly designed for bus or bus facilities capital expenses along buses or bus facilities and that's as it is defined with FTA so that includes shelters bus stations and buses and so you know we can exercise some of those capital funds, not necessarily out of the out of the operating budget, but we could exercise some of those capital reserves to help take care of some of these now [15:55] Joshua L. Nagine: So just to follow up on that, we don't really have a window as far as when we would see the Bates Street or the Bates bus stop, not right now, and since there is $20,000 that have been given towards that, could you release an RFP to ask somebody to build one for $20,000 or under? I'm just trying to figure out how we could quickly, more quickly get it, sure, because indefinite time is yeah, not as comfortable as we could get it done within this window, sure [16:29] Larry Allen: so that's why I ask, yeah, if you'll let me take that back under consideration and maybe share and answer next week, I don't wanna, I don't wanna exercise their match, right, so it becomes non-federal fund match, even though that they're they're willing to pay for the for the whole thing, but they want it to be part of our system and maintained by our system. If we exercise their 20,000 to take, to have them put it in privately, that 20,000 is not available as the non-federal match in the grant that we have been issued. So it could jeopardize or may create a vortex where somebody else has to fill in that non-federal match, and that could, that could revert back to this an ask from the cities [17:22] Joshua L. Nagine: SO OKAY THANK YOU YEAH IF YOU COULD GET BACK TO ME THAT'D BE GREAT BUT SURE I WILL DO THAT 'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE THANK YOU UH [17:35] Carl L. Sheline: Excellent, thank you for being here, thank you very much [17:38] Bryan Kaenrath: Appreciate it, next room to 911, Director Hall is here, it's also on page 68, the overall increase for the city portion is 189,859 or 13 percent, personal services increased 243,439, this is for 26 employees with two frozen positions, salaries increased due to four percent COLAs, overtime increased 77, $107,499 for higher wage rates to cover the shifts. And the largest, all benefits together increased $107,060. The largest increases the health by 82,832. Contracted services increased 86,353. The largest is in maintenance and license of 83,349 for the radio maintenance and warranty contracts. Contracts Fixed charges increased fifty seven thousand six forty seven. This is due to the lease payment associated with housing Auburn PD criminal investigation division with 9-1-1 moving into the city of Auburn's Building. They are going to be paying the lease for their investigation department of pd to move out off of that third floor to get 9-1-1 in before they need to be moved out of their current location on mine avenue. Capital increased 1 000. Revenues increased 379 347 with the largest being the city's portion of 189 859 increase which totals $1,626,298, or 13.2%. Fiscal year 25's unassigned fund balance unaudited, I just received the audit back, is $303,053. The committee elected to use another $60,000 of the fund balance to help reduce the budget. Any questions for Director Hall? [19:57] David B. Chittim: COUNCILOR CHIDDUM, YES. NO FOR DIRECTOR ROY. YOU SAID $203,053. IT SAYS $303,000. WAS THAT MISS SPEAKING OR MISTYPING? [20:09] Bryan Kaenrath: WHICH ONE ARE YOU ON? [20:10] David B. Chittim: THIRD LINE FROM THE BOTTOM, UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, UNAUDITED. THIS IS FOR DIRECTOR HALL. THERE'S BEEN A DELAY OR IT DOESN'T APPEAR LIKELY TO ME that the 911 will be moved up onto the third floor of Auburn Hall by the original deadline of June. Does that in any way affect the lease payments? Will the investigative division of Auburn PD be able to remain on the third floor longer than we had anticipated thereby saving any revenues there and if so has that been reflected in the budget? That would be wonderful however no. [20:49] Speaker F (unidentified): They have actually they moved CID out back in November and we started beginning we started making lease payments back in November so we are already making those lease payments I'm [21:03] David B. Chittim: not gonna say anything thank you [21:09] Joshua L. Nagine: councillor Neji Thank You mr. mayor could we just get a little bit more explanation around the are we leasing space from the city of Auburn yes so the [21:22] Speaker F (unidentified): THE CITY OF AUBURN HAD SOME SPACE LEASED AT 95 MAIN STREET. I BELIEVE IT WAS THEIR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE THAT WAS LOCATED THERE AT THE TIME. THEY HAD SINCE MOVED TO 121 MILL STREET SO THE CITY WAS GOING TO GIVE UP THAT LEASED SPACE. THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENED AT THE EXACT SAME TIME WE WERE HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE DOES 911 GO. AND THAT'S WHEN AUBURN HALL CAME UP AS A POSSIBILITY. HEY, WE'VE GOT POTENTIALLY SOME SPACE ON THE THIRD FLOOR IN AUBURN HALL THAT WE CAN MOVE YOU INTO. But we would need to move our CID unit out to accommodate that. And so what they did was they kept the lease at 95 Main Street. They moved CID out in anticipation of us moving in, and because of that, we're carrying that lease payment in our budget, and that lease payment will end but not until the public safety building is completed. CID at that point would move to the public safety. [22:48] David B. Chittim: $240,000 increase for 26 employees representing, if my math is correct, about $10,000 a year per employee. Can you talk to that? Increase in which? I'm sorry. This is the salaries line. I'm sorry. I misread that. The salary increase is only $58,000 for 26 employees. That's the overall increase, Director Roy? Everything. All right. And all benefits together of 107,000 includes the 82 that you've cited for health insurance. Correct. Okay. Thank you. [23:28] Speaker F (unidentified): Thank you for joining us. All right. Thank you very much. And I didn't even want to mention this tonight because I'll jinx myself, but we know that maybe we are down to one vacancy for the first time and probably 16 years, so we're making progress on that front. Great job. Thank you. [23:50] Carl L. Sheline: Counselor Najan, did you have some late-breaking comment? [23:53] Joshua L. Nagine: Yeah, I did, actually. I'm just wondering, because I know that in the past we've talked about the towers that you maintain and operate. How does one approach 911 if they want to have a repeater attached to one of those? Is that something that you offer at all? [24:12] Speaker F (unidentified): We don't advertise it, generally speaking. We try to stay away from it for the most part, but we do have some locations that we can allow it, so our primary, the primary tower most people are interested in is the one on Goff Hill, and that one is, we have an LLC between the 911 committee and Androscoggin County that funds that, and that was so the county would share in the costs not only of constructing that tower but also maintaining it as we go forward. So there's a lot of equipment at that tower as is, and we're concerned about interference. With different radios, so we tend to give an immediate no if somebody wants space on that tower. We do have a lease with Verizon Wireless. They have some cell phone equipment at our Graceland location in Auburn that generates lease payments to us. So we are open to it, we just don't actively advertise for it. Okay, I'll get more. [25:09] Joshua L. Nagine: Information with a person who inquired and I'll check with you. Sure. Thank you. [25:15] Carl L. Sheline: Director Roy, what's next? [25:18] Bryan Kaenrath: So we'll touch upon county budget, which is also on that page 68. The overall increase of $904,598, as we mentioned on the first night of our meeting, a 20.5% increase. The bill came in and it's $5,325,892. So we'll be reducing the budget a thousand dollars and forty four cents. So it's up twenty point four percent now. [25:48] Carl L. Sheline: So next we will concern aging. Did you have a question about that? [25:52] Joshua L. Nagine: So that twenty percent increase or twenty point five percent increase means that there's an additional point for twenty percent. [25:59] Bryan Kaenrath: The twenty point five because where we decrease in it, but that is one point one million dollars added to the budget. [26:06] Joshua L. Nagine: That is not flexible in any way shape or form. Correct. [26:13] Bryan Kaenrath: Next, we're going to take on social services on page 62, the overall decrease of $144,645, or 6%. Social service admin on page 57 had an overall decrease of $445. The decrease in personal services is due to one less employee. social services on page 62 the overall decrease of a hundred and forty four thousand two hundred or seven point seven percent know all of these expenses on this page are reimbursed by the state for seventy percent so that's where you see that revenue for the seventy percent a decrease in contracted services at eighteen thousand two hundred the decrease in utilities of seventeen 17,000 due to decrease in cost of clients that can apply for low-income home energy assistant program Supplies are decreased in 24,000. This is due to food decrease in 20,000 Due to the housing the rent and temporary housing absorbs overall the maximum reimbursement that is allowed to them So they do not qualify for food Fixed charges decreased a hundred and two thousand the decrease is mostly in the rent of a hundred thousand Due to an increase in rental rate of thirty five percent for security deposits But a decrease in the recovery residents in the immigrant requesting housing The current cost for general assistance as of January is one million forty seven thousand nine thirteen of which 314 thousand 374 is what the city is responsible for this is less than 30 percent city portion was at this time last year which was four hundred and forty two thousand three sixty seven I also are sorry did you I also wanted to mention that I did give you director brackets statistical sheets in case you had any questions I also wanted to mention that director [28:21] Carl L. Sheline: Director Brackett unfortunately cannot be with us, but I've spoken to Director Roy and she will record our questions for Director Brackett and then forward them on should there be any questions. Councillor Nagy. [28:33] Joshua L. Nagine: Quickly on the, I think we've asked this before, but I just want to verify, the interpreter services, is that a contract that, or how do we acquire the cost and is there shopping around for it, I guess is the question. [28:48] Bryan Kaenrath: Right. It's a phone line that all the departments use when needed, and as Director Brackett had mentioned before, they're starting to see a higher amount of clients that they have nobody that can speak that language, so they're having to use that language line more often. [29:09] Joshua L. Nagine: Okay, and ultimately that language line is the only one that we can use, or I'm just trying to figure out if there's a way, like is there another option that's cheaper anywhere or not? Right. [29:19] Bryan Kaenrath: They've looked at, I know that we had at one point a tablet, but it's hard using a tablet when the customer has no idea what language they speak. So you kind of have to like show the languages to them and they point to it and it's a lot harder to use the tablet it's been a lot easier using that language line thank [29:44] Scott A. Harriman: you council Ironman thank you sorry for my tardiness I just wanted to get on the right page here it says page 62 but my page 62 is recreation should be 57 okay thank you [30:02] Carl L. Sheline: councillor Roy did you have your hand up [30:07] David B. Chittim: Thank you. The police department has vests and body cameras that recognize languages and do almost real-time translation. Is there any such capability that can be used in the social services department? [30:23] Bryan Kaenrath: I'd have to look into that. I don't know the legal about having cameras in social services because of all of the paperwork that is very confidential. nobody has access to that office like we don't even have keys into that office we cannot get in there so having a camera would be very careful to make sure that you're not filming anything that would be confidential okay but the technology [30:49] David B. Chittim: I'm referring to is more the voice recognition and translation mr. mayor I [30:55] Bryan Kaenrath: Can probably answer that straighter. Yes, I can probably answer that question about the cameras, Council Chittum. It's very limited in the number of languages I know. They're trying to upgrade it right now, so what we're seeing with the employees who work in general assistance have quite the language skills. However, there are dialects and languages that are coming in that even the language line does not recognize, so this is the best move way to at least try to attempt to do the translation services with them and I don't believe that the body cameras they have would be able to keep up with what we're seeing coming into general assistance [31:30] David B. Chittim: Thank you any [31:34] Joshua L. Nagine: other questions for yes Councillor Nagine so on these types of auxiliary services that we're required to provide do we also get a 70 match so for instance the language translation services are do because it's through GA do we do we get reimbursed for that no any of [31:52] Bryan Kaenrath: the administration pieces we do not that's why they are separated out and in their own account number because any of the administration piece is not reimbursed for just the social services piece the state reimburses 70 I wonder what the state uses [32:18] Carl L. Sheline: Okay thank you next will be [32:21] Bryan Kaenrath: library on page 64 and 65 director [32:32] Carl L. Sheline: Houston thank you for joining us Joseph [32:36] Speaker I (unidentified): Houston library director so [32:39] Bryan Kaenrath: the overall increase is eighty three thousand four twenty eight or five point nine percent library administration on page 64 the overall increase is six thousand one seventy five the increase is in personal services of five thousand four seventy nine for COLAs for the library director and the deputy library director lended services on page 64 overall increase of nineteen thousand six oh five or three percent personal services increased seventeen thousand sixty nine this is in temporary wages increased twelve thousand 172 due to minimum wage increase in and the loss of a federal grant allocation collection services on page 65 overall increase of five 5,729. Personal services increased 5,629 in salaries and for 4,294 due to steps and COLAs. There's three employees in this department. Library building, page 65, overall increase of 51,919 or 16%. Under contracted services, increase of 50,299. This is due to repairs to building of 40,435 to fire rate underside of the stairway for 15,000, which was recommended by the city's fire inspectors, the main entrance upgrade of 19,250 due to the age and is posing a security issue, general maintenance and increase in HVAC repairs in for $5,000, and the library's LCIP is on page 46 and 48 of your LCIP book. The exterior cladding replacement for 48,000. This was supposed to be in the operating and got missed and left out of the operating budget. And then the HVAC system upgrade of 600,000. Director's here for any of your questions that you have for him. [34:44] Carl L. Sheline: Director Turcotte, I believe I see you in the audience. Do you mind coming to the podium, please? I know we've had humanity issues with the library HVAC system. Can you just explain where we're at right now? [34:59] Speaker J (unidentified): We hired a consultant to do an analysis of the existing system. It's a three-day process of researching the existing equipment and looking at the controls and the settings and seeing where they can make improvements, and they're going to come back with a report for us. We were the six hundred thousand dollar upgrade cost was a kind of a placeholder. We were told that there was potential to replacing up to 35 to 37 the VAV components that just there they right currently all they are is big dampers that control the heat off a thermostat. We'll be looking at adding a heating component to those so they'd be complete replacement plus electrical upgrades. We knew it'd be a large number, but this HVC analysis that they're currently work on should give us that budget number, so we won't have that for probably another month and a half. Thank [36:03] Carl L. Sheline: you. I appreciate that for the questions the library [36:07] David B. Chittim: Councillor Chittim. Thank you, and I'm not sure, well, I guess Mr. Turcotte, the doubling in carpet removal. This was carpet that was damaged because of excess humidity and water. Why was why was it so under a underestimated? I'm gonna I'm gonna defer a little bit to Joey [36:26] Speaker J (unidentified): I think the doubling you're seeing is for carpet cleaning and Joey could probably give you that explanation [36:31] Speaker I (unidentified): Yeah, so it that is referring to carpet extraction. So we are supposed to basically clean the carpets twice a year. The amount that was budgeted previously, I don't know if it was budgeted. I don't know how the calculations were arrived at, but when the contractors arrived they said we priced by square footage and what we had set aside was enough to do half the library, and so doubling it will actually get to clean all of the carpets in the library is the idea. [37:05] David B. Chittim: So extraction is the wrong word, then. This is really cleaning. Yeah. Okay. All right. And I noticed that contracted services essentially is flat across the board. Now security in the library is a contracted service. Is that correct? Correct. Can you speak to the flat funding of security and how it's being used? I know we had a discussion a year ago about the number of contracted security officers we had in the building. You had, there was a term for them, library employees that had been certified. Could you address that whole issue? Sure, yeah. [37:40] Speaker I (unidentified): And so this calls to mind another issue I wanted to bring up, which is, you know, I know none of these budgets that you all work on are disconnected. They don't exist in a vacuum. So there are things that you all invest in and support in other departments or that go in other buckets that then affect all the other departments as well, and my point in saying that is the additional investment in infrastructure for those who need shelter or a warming center services. That has impacted the library in a huge way, and that we have had far fewer security incidents, for fewer behavior incidents. This winter, typically winter is when behavior incidents intensify because you have more people driven into the space for warmth who don't have other options. Now that those other options exist, we've had a lot better experiences for staff as far as dealing with those issues. And that also speaks to why we don't need to increase the security contractors. What we have in place is doing a great job. The building monitors, as you mentioned, you know, they are seeing fewer incidents, and you know, we feel like we really have things under control at the library, so [39:03] David B. Chittim: thank you for that. So the provision of warming center, soon to be homeless shelter, has resulted in a great increase in quality of life at the library, but not a decrease in cost. Is it, is that a fair statement? Correct. Yeah. [39:22] Speaker I (unidentified): And it's, I would look at it basically as, you know, we have, we have had preventive measures in place, and some combination of those measures and policy adjustments and the warming center have alleviated a lot of pressure. I wouldn't want to sort of step off the gas, so to speak, and be like, well, we don't have problems now, so now we don't need security. We've seen how that has happened with resurgents of certain diseases and things of late, where you step off of the preventive measures and you end up with the problem again. So I think we can certainly re-evaluate the level of coverage needed in the next couple of years, but I wouldn't want to do it based on one good winter. [40:10] David B. Chittim: That makes sense to me, and I do hope that we do that, because the city has committed $400,000 a year to support that shelter. One of the arguments that was used to justify that is that we're going to be seeing reductions in costs in other areas, yep, not only the library but in policing and so on. I'm trying to identify those particularly this year, so I'm hoping that we keep our foot, I keep our mind connected to our foot on the gas pedal. I appreciate your answer, but I would like to keep an eye on this as we go forward. [40:40] Carl L. Sheline: Absolutely. Thank you, Councillor Martel. [40:44] Scott A. Harriman: Excuse me. Thank you. Mr. Mayor. [40:46] Bryan Kaenrath: My question was answered. Thank you very much. I was curious as to why we weren't gonna see a reduction in security costs. [40:51] Speaker I (unidentified): Yeah, and I think you answered that very much, Councillor Najee. [40:57] Joshua L. Nagine: Thank you very much. Mr. Mayor, Director, I just have a couple of questions when one, and I don't mean to quibble about like the cost of the extraction, are we tied into the particular contractor that is cleaning the rugs? Is there a way to look for cheaper rug options? $18,000. How much square footage do we have of rugs? [41:16] Speaker I (unidentified): I'm going to have to defer most of that to Louie. He knows the building a little better. [41:21] Speaker J (unidentified): This is a little bit of a guess standing up here at the moment. I think we're roughly 36,000 square feet in the library. I don't know if all of that is carpeting. That's total square footage. Carpeting constitutes a big part of that. [41:34] Joshua L. Nagine: I'm just thinking overall. all on the budget any of the places where we have contracted services if we can look and see if they like if we've evaluated to make sure that they're the cheapest thing right like not necessarily let me rephrase that not the cheapest thing but the cheapest thing that gets the job done and then quickly and I'm going to direct this to Louie the $600,000 for the HVAC which is kind of a like a high target I think if we don't know what the cost of the HVAC is for the next month and a half and knowing how the budgets usually work, will we even be able to acquire the HVAC system and put it in before the end of this budget cycle [42:19] Speaker J (unidentified): Before the end of the budget cycle. Yes. Okay. Yeah, that's so I've been told [42:25] Speaker I (unidentified): And just as a point of clarification on that what you know, the rooftop units for the HVAC are new and so I don't think there's any likelihood that those significant pieces are going to be replaced the vav boxes louis mentioned are kind of like shoebox size and there's just a hundred or few a hundred or so of them in the system so just depends on how many of those need to be altered okay and i understand that the [42:53] Joshua L. Nagine: humidity issues are serious, and it's putting, you know, certain aspects of the library at risk, but it's a question of just like the timing and why we're asking for it in this budget, and if it can be done in this budget, that's that meets my question. Thank [43:11] Speaker I (unidentified): you very much. If you'll indulge me for a moment, I do want to plant a seed for the future. This is not something I'm asking for now, but when I ask for it next year or the year after or the year after, I don't want it to be a surprise. So there was originally in this budget a 60,000 children's librarian position. That position has been vacant since 2024. We are in the midst of a capital campaign to renovate the children's area. It would be wonderful if when that shiny new children's library is ready we have a children's librarian to steward that area and its programs. And so again, I understand that this is a very challenging budget this year, and that this is not the time to move on this, but I don't want you to hear about it two years from now and say, oh, if this has been a need since 2024, why am I only hearing about it now? So right now the deputy director is doing the Herculean task of all of the children's librarian duties and also the new duties of the deputy director, so just planting that seed for the future. Thank you. Thank you. Next [44:31] Bryan Kaenrath: we'll be planning in code on page 49 of your books. [44:42] Larry Allen: Dr. Conner, thank you for joining us. Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Councilors. John Conner, Director of Planning and Code Enforcement. So there's [44:49] Bryan Kaenrath: an overall increase of $31,095, or 3.9%. Personal service is the largest increase of $25,837, all in regular salaries of $25,837. Due to steps and COLAs, there are 11 employees in Planning and Code. Any questions for the director? [45:13] David B. Chittim: Councilor Chittim. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Corson GIS, is that Geographic Information Systems? [45:19] Larry Allen: It is going to house, it's just an additional data service center for our large format that the planning department has been uploading all of their subdivision plans, their development plans of other nature. So that is the system that is housing that, separate from our normal GIS data. But it is working together. [45:43] David B. Chittim: Okay. And this is a $450 quarter subscription that will go on and onwards and upwards ever more? [45:53] Larry Allen: The rate has not changed for us from last year to this year, surprisingly. Okay. [45:58] David B. Chittim: Don't say that out loud. I won't. That's the only question I have. A comment. Thank you for all that you're doing. I'm gonna be sending you pictures of trash bags, particularly on Pine Street on Tuesdays, so you'll have some more tools to work with. Thank you for your work. Thank you. [46:18] Joshua L. Nagine: councillor Nagy Thank You mr. mayor director just a couple of questions one would be and this is not directly related to the budget that's put in front of us but how are we looking for applications for permits are we up are we down like how's business i guess is the question are you asking how our revenues are looking yeah [46:46] Larry Allen: Do you want to answer that? I don't have it right in front of me. I thought you were going through [46:49] Bryan Kaenrath: it later on this year, going through on Thursday night. He is increasing his permits, and I'll have descriptions and in totals for those. I believe I did email those out to you. Hold on, let me pull it up. I believe I emailed those out to you, the notes for Thursday. I can say we're around the [47:12] Larry Allen: 350,000 range right now for building permits. We are about forty thousand dollars in civil penalties. So we are actually up. You're up. Okay. [47:29] Joshua L. Nagine: And obviously I know that your department is very busy. And so I think one of the conversations that we do have to have at some point is with the new trash system, how that works. I mean, we don't have a code enforcement officer to follow a truck around. So, you know, again, I'm not completely sold that we have to accept this new system because it's a lot of expense, but the reduced level of service but there's also an onus on both public works and code enforcement to make sure it works and so like we have to have that conversation at some point absolutely during the budget but if I may we are [48:04] Larry Allen: Having a meeting with the public works folks on April 1st to sit down and go over some of their policies and procedures for the cart to curb and how it will be enforced as they write that ordinance so there will be some strategizing and planning to come. [48:23] Joshua L. Nagine: OK. Appreciated. I'm sure that you'll be able at that point to say this is how many man hours we're now looking at. Correct. OK. Thank you. Correct. [48:34] Carl L. Sheline: Awesome. Thank you. [48:36] Speaker I (unidentified): Excellent. Thank you. [48:41] Bryan Kaenrath: Actually, we're going over revenues later tonight. Sorry. I was thinking it was next week. Perfect. Debt services on page 66, the overall increase of a million forty one thousand seven thirty nine or thirteen percent principal is decreasing 190 671 this is based on the current principal reduction of 131 612 due to the 200 206 paid off so we're estimating our 2025 bond sale being 25 299 less than last year's bond cost due to less projects so we have a million to less projects than what we bonded for the 24 stormwater bond is also paid off which is paid under the general fund that was thirty Three thousand eighty five reduction for Gully Brook Androscoggin River drainage and stormwater management interest is increase in 49,757 based on the current interest increase in 109,336, an estimated 2025 bond sale of 27,384. And then lease is increasing 1,182, 653. This is the largest increase. This is due to the police station. Any questions on debt? [50:10] Carl L. Sheline: Councilor Chiddom. Thank you. [50:12] David B. Chittim: Stormwater bond, the 2006 bond was paid off, according to your notes why isn't that paid out of this the Enterprise Fund so [50:20] Bryan Kaenrath: This was an actual general fund portion of that bond so it was for drainage so it was general fund so was paid out of the general fund was that split was [50:31] David B. Chittim: There any stormwater Enterprise Fund money involved in paying that bond off is it correct okay all right thank you so this was not directly attributable then to the stormwater fee the full no okay all right thank you and the 1.1 million dollar police station lease that's a flat rate paid monthly there's no change to that is that correct that's that's a solid figure there is [50:59] Bryan Kaenrath: There is change if you remember the negotiations. The million dollars is the catch up from what should have been paid this year. So we there's a one-time payment that's due to Platts in July. That's that million dollars, okay, so [51:19] David B. Chittim: What's the monthly lease on the on that building? So we pay two different leases [51:26] Bryan Kaenrath: Let me pull it up. So we pay a lease of one hundred twenty three thousand ten $10 a month, and then we are also have The 35,000 a month lease. So the 35,000 a month is the actual lease for the building, and the other portion of The 123 10 is the amortization. So it's the debt for the work that was done on the building [52:06] David B. Chittim: Okay Thank you. No out. Mr. Mayor, can you remind me, is there information that we've discussed in executive session that can't be discussed here? Regarding? Lease payments and payments acquisition of that building. [52:29] Carl L. Sheline: Administrator Kainrath, can you think of anything? [52:35] Joshua L. Nagine: I don't have anything, Deputy. [52:39] Bryan Kaenrath: I will say back in October, we brought in front of you folks that you voted on after we did have several executive sessions on that. I just pulled up the agenda information sheet. We discussed the cost of the build out, a one-time lump sum payment of 115 803 point 90 cents would be hit on July 1st 2026. This is based on the seven thousand nine hundred fifty dollars and ninety four cents per month that was deferred. You do all recall that we had some back and forth over the cost and the work that was done in the building with lots of associates so and yeah i guess i would prefer [53:17] Carl L. Sheline: to talk about things that matter now and not rehash the past well i am going to be asking [53:23] David B. Chittim: about our path moving forward in terms of financing that building i think that does matter now and i'm not trying to rehash things that are in the past i just want to know what we could talk about listening to deputy administrator o'malley's comments i think everything is now publicly available so there was talk about acquiring that building and purchasing a building outright in the future and I think we accelerated the potential timeline for that is there any money in this budget that would accomplish that or that would allow us to get up from underneath the lease payments any earlier than we had anticipated no the amortization [54:02] Bryan Kaenrath: schedule we'll be getting caught up with what was owed to Platts for fiscal year 26 that wasn't budgeted but [54:12] David B. Chittim: we do have the option to purchase that building outright at some point in the future correct and there's no recognition of that in this budget is that correct okay thank you [54:22] Joshua L. Nagine: Councillor Nagine, thank you, Mr. Mayor, just to follow up kind on that line of questioning, so it's about a hundred and, if I'm right, one hundred and fifty eight thousand dollars a month that we're paying, one hundred and twenty three thousand, an additional thirty five for the lease, right, works out to be approximately one point nine million dollars per year is what I'm showing, and so I guess the question that I have, and I know we're paying interest on that portion, the 123, what is the interest rate and how quickly could we bond in order to wipe out the, what I'm saying is, if we bonded and carried this debt as a public debt, is our interest rate [55:06] Bryan Kaenrath: lower and do we have an option to do so, we would need to go out to the voters due to the amount, so it would have to go out to the voters to vote on purchase in the building first. INTEREST RATES ARE CONSIDERABLY AROUND THE SAME. THEY REALLY HAVEN'T DROPPED THAT MUCH. THEY'VE DROPPED, BUT NOT AS MUCH FOR BONDS OR GOVERNMENTAL BONDS. [55:30] Joshua L. Nagine: THE INTEREST RATE THAT WE'RE CARRYING WITH PLATS IS COMPARABLE TO WHAT A BOND INTEREST? [55:35] Bryan Kaenrath: I HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT THE AMERICAN SCHEDULE. I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT ON ME. I DO HAVE IT ON MY DESK. SO WHEN I'M PAYING THE BILL, I CAN GET THAT TO YOU, TO WHAT INTEREST RATE WE'RE PAYING. [55:48] Joshua L. Nagine: The only reason why I'm questioning this line here, $2 million per year to basically rent to own, if it's more expensive than asking the public if we could simply bond to buy the building, it may make more sense to bond to buy the building. And I think the police department's still going to need to be somewhere and it's going to be that building. it and so if it saves money it may it makes sense so yeah if you could get all that information for you okay thank you so much yes back to you councillor nijing really quickly too if we put it through the lcip that would actually reduce our operating budget as well correct we'd have [56:41] Bryan Kaenrath: to look and see the requirements since it's was already done i'd have to look at all the requirements and talk to the bond council on that okay i appreciate it thank you so next we'll be going through miscellaneous expenses on page 69 and 70 of your book so some of these we all already touched upon on march 12th the overall increase is one million three hundred and twenty four thousand seven sixty one or nine point six percent insurances on page 69 overall increase of 503 276 or 8.8 this is due To the non-fringe related insurance coverages of 150,892. Increases in insurance auto 123,339 due to 120,000, as we mentioned the other night at the police budget for the take-home vehicles, and we're estimating a 10% premium increase. Properties 17,000,995 increase, we're estimating a 14% premium increase. Liabilities going up 7,000,448 with a 13% premium increase. Fidelity 472 for a 5% premium increase. Public officials liability 849 dollars, we're estimating a three percent premium increase and mobile equipment 789 dollars at a 10 premium increase. All of these coverages are provided through our membership with MMA and their municipal risk pool. Retirement is on page 69, decreased in 290,694. This is due to all the frozen positions. Workers comp and unemployment we touched upon on March 12th on page 70, increase in 488,000 to 88 already reviewed during the first, as I mentioned, due to the increases in wages and the workers compensation National Council of compensation insurance rates going up. Dues and donations on page 70, they decrease in 38,996 or 8%. Dues are flat. The dues are for Maine Municipal Associations. The donations decreased $38,996. A decrease in $2,496 for the Hillside Snowmobile Club. They receive the state's portion of that, $6.62, are reimbursed for the registration fees that they pay to do the trails. Trails. We're estimating 300 registrations. In addition, we are removing 10,000 for the Historical Society, 1,500 for the Lake Stewards, 10,000 for the Farmer's Market, 10,000 for the Summer Fun and Films, and the 5,000 for the fireworks that we increased in fiscal year 26. Flat funded 27 is 10,000 for the Liberty Festival, 8,000 for the state required cemetery flags, and 10,000 for the balloon festival, and the 360,000 for the United ambulance contract. Tax Sharon in Auburn page 70 is flat funded. This is due to, this will change once the tax rate changes. This is the agreement with Auburn for the Monty Hydro facility, which requires 17.5% of share of taxes. This is a 50 year agreement, which expires around 2035. The value decreased about 3 million to 36 million in fiscal year 20. This will be adjusted as we finalize the budget and the tax rate. Salary reserve on page 70 is increasing 165,000 353. This was already reviewed on March 12. We removed everything from the budget. We're not requesting any of the salary reserve. We're thinking that the credits from the other, the utilities, will offset any of the increases we need when the contracts and other miscellaneous on page 70 increased 497 thousand five thirty four. The increase of other fees twenty two thousand four oh four is due to the new contract with our new auditors RKO for a five-year. And then fixed charges, this is new, but it's moved out of the economic reserve as I mentioned earlier. It is for the four 400 for the homeless shelter and the 75,000 for the Bates mill plant reserves. So these really aren't increases. They're just moving it from one line to the other. Any questions on any of those expenses before we move to revenues? Counseling aging. [1:01:56] Joshua L. Nagine: So on the on the shelter allocation that's coming out of the jet the general fund. We're not using any type of tip funding at all to offset it. Correct. Okay, he's was there any. [1:02:07] Bryan Kaenrath: There is there is a small portion. We're looking at the tips the other day that we will be bringing forth. He noticed that he has about a hundred and six thousand six sixty six that we can use for that homeless shelter. So we plan on reducing that four hundred by that amount. [1:02:28] Joshua L. Nagine: Okay, so you'll be offsetting it by some of the correct. Okay, and then as far as the donations are concerned I noticed that there's a lot of them that we've either reduced or aren't just aren't here removal and so the question is did people apply for these or did they not so yes so next. [1:02:44] Bryan Kaenrath: I believe your next meeting on Tuesday you'll have presentations Mr Mayor if I may on the 31st we. Have a compiled list there's actually more applications of people that have applied so we're bringing all the in cash and in-kind requests we've invited all the non-profits and the groups that are asking for that money to giving them the opportunity to pair in front of you which we've done in the years past thank you. [1:03:11] David B. Chittim: Councillor should yes I don't remember whether I've asked for this before but could you compile all of the costs in the operating budget that would be removed if the take-home vehicle program is not approved if the take-home. [1:03:29] Bryan Kaenrath: Vehicles were not, it would be 472,750. [1:03:43] David B. Chittim: That would come off the top of the general fund. [1:03:46] Bryan Kaenrath: Correct, but you have to remember, too, we did remove the vehicles, so that would mean that if nothing was put in, they wouldn't have any replacement vehicles for this. [1:03:54] David B. Chittim: Year. I guess that's what I'm asking. That's what I'm asking. If we eliminate the take-home vehicle program, but maintain the status quo with replacements as necessary, what impact would that have on the operating budget and I and I don't need an answer right now but if you want to provide the council [1:04:11] Bryan Kaenrath: with that information it'll be beneficial so they did request 14 vehicles in the past has always been 10. So it would be up to city council if you do not approve the take-home vehicles on if you want to put in and how many vehicles you want to put in so in other words you can't answer you I'll give you that break out of what every vehicle cost because like I said it's 14 vehicles in their budget that was removed so what I will do is I'll give you the cost of what's in the general fund that can be removed and then give you a list of vehicles of what needs to be replaced okay so I [1:04:55] David B. Chittim: think the plan was to purchase 65 vehicles if I'm not mistaken so if that will reduce from 65 to 51 that would be reflect the 14 vehicles that would be replaced does that math work no it doesn't because the 65 vehicles would be all new with no trade-in [1:05:18] Bryan Kaenrath: correct and they'd be bonded so they wouldn't be in immediately in the budget right but we're [1:05:26] David B. Chittim: looking at debt would be two years out the mayor made this point at our last meeting and I after giving it some thought no it would not be an immediate effect but we're looking at tough budget seasons coming up this is moving these costs further down the road when we looked at reductions in debt service for example that's the direction we want to head in at least the way direction I want to head in so recognizing that the bond issue would not affect today's operating budget what I'm trying to get at is what effect on the operating budget would the rejection [1:05:59] Carl L. Sheline: of that by the council have right thank you Director that's the number you just gave us right [1:06:06] Bryan Kaenrath: Correct but then if you decide to allow them to do some vehicle purchase replacements you would have to look at adding that back in okay so like I said they did request going up there they request 14 vehicles which is four vehicles more than they usually request so they requested 665 504 for vehicles that were removed during the budget process so we would have to take a look like I said I'd have to take a look and put all of those vehicles separate for you so that if you do decide to at least put some vehicle replacement in if you do not approve the take-home you would know [1:06:52] Carl L. Sheline: How many you want to approve? Okay, thank you, Counselor. Managing to follow up on that, I [1:07:02] Joshua L. Nagine: think also cost of fuel and maintenance are variable based on the size of the fleet as well, and so I think again, like, if we have an understanding of how each of those pieces are connected, that gives us an idea of, like, the general fund as well as the LCIP and contributions. I get that the point of the list of vehicles, but I also know that the maintenance cost will increase if we have less vehicles that were purchasing, and I know that the fuel cost will decrease because there are no take-home cars. So like just I just want to make sure that we have like a clear understanding of like Whatever decision that we decide to go forward that what it does to the LC IP and what it does to the regular budget [1:07:46] Bryan Kaenrath: That's all correct. So the gas would be two hundred ninety seven thousand five hundred, the repairs to vehicles would be fifty five thousand two fifty, and then the auto insurance of a hundred and twenty thousand, and that would give that break out to you in an email with all of the other breakouts so that you can see that and the cost of what we would estimate for the bond. I appreciate that. [1:08:11] Carl L. Sheline: Thank you, concern, or sorry, Counselor Herman. Thank you. So a couple things, so [1:08:18] Scott A. Harriman: you mentioned the amount of the reduction if we didn't do the take-home vehicles, but then we'd have to add back if we did some replacement vehicles, like the usual schedule. Would those replacement vehicles be bonded though, so they wouldn't impact the general fund directly? [1:08:36] Bryan Kaenrath: it would depend on what you would bond in because i would i wouldn't recommend bond in a car can you move the michael closer i wouldn't recommend bonding a car depending on the cost suvs are more but if they're going to do cars they'd be less so we'd have to look at like i said we'd have to look at the breakdown of what should be in the operating and what could be in the lcip i thought that [1:09:04] Scott A. Harriman: the plan, if we did go forward with the take-home vehicles though, was to bond those vehicles, correct? [1:09:10] Bryan Kaenrath: Correct. So I believe they're all SUVs. I'd have to look at the list of what they are purchasing. [1:09:19] Scott A. Harriman: Okay, so if it's an SUV, it would be okay to bond it, but if it's not, I believe it's all the same, so [1:09:26] Bryan Kaenrath: I'd have to look at the cost do you want to look at the cost of the vehicle and you want to look at the years you're going to do the bond for because you do not want to bond a vehicle for a very long period of time because you're paying too much interest on it 's not worth it and it's already expired and needing replacement so that's everything would [1:09:46] Scott A. Harriman: have to be looked at. Okay and then the second question was about the fuel. I think you mentioned at a previous workshop that we typically go out for that contract in March but we've pushed that off till next month. Is that the [1:10:00] Bryan Kaenrath: case? Correct and we're still on that. Just let you know if we would have went out to bid in March like we planned on we would have ended up three hundred thousand higher so we're keeping a close eye on it. Main Power Options is keeping a close eye on it to know when best to be to go out. Thank you and then what is [1:10:22] Scott A. Harriman: the what is sort of the end the end of the time that we can push that off for [1:10:28] Bryan Kaenrath: so we're actually looking at what we have left for gallons and seeing if we can extend the contract if we still have our because when you go out to bid you have to give a certain amount of gallons that you're going to purchase so we're going to take a look at where we're at and see if we can extend it. If this continues the environment continues as is we're going to see if we can extend it out. Okay thank you. With regard to the take-home [1:10:56] Carl L. Sheline: vehicles at this point you're just gonna an email spelling everything out for us and then I think we could look at that and then we can take questions from there. Correct? Excellent thank you. Councilor Chittim do we purchase fuel in a cooperative? [1:11:10] David B. Chittim: With other agencies and organizations or is it Lewiston alone? We go through Main Power Options. So they bid for multiple [1:11:19] Bryan Kaenrath: municipalities so we are one of their largest so it benefits all the other towns and cities that go with them. But yes, we get a better rate going through my Main Power Options. Okay, so no we're not bidding on [1:11:33] David B. Chittim: 200,000 gallons we're bidding on 2.7 million gallons. Right that's okay thank you so [1:11:43] Bryan Kaenrath: next we'll go over revenues are on page 11 to 14 in your [David B. Chittim: book there's] An overall increase of three hundred and thirty one thousand six fifty six or six percent tax and interest is on page 11, increase two Excise tax, we're increasing 326,656. We continue to see new vehicles coming in, so we're estimating an increase in the excise for motor vehicle. Interest on delinquent taxes, we're increasing 5,000. Budget for the state rate for 2022 was 6%, 23 is 4%, and 27 will be 7%. The state sets the maximum rate due to the Title 36, Section 505, so we're estimating an increase in payments for tax liens so that we're budgeting a slightly higher for than fiscal year 26. As of February 28th, we collected 85% of the fiscal year 26 budget of seventy one thousand six seventy so we're estimating to finish the fiscal year hundred thousand license and permits on page eleven and twelve increase in fifty three thousand sixty five or nine percent, the largest increase is the building inspectors fee of fifty thousand due to expected projects for fiscal year twenty seven, and then intergovernmental page twelve is a decrease of a million thirty nine thousand seven thirty nine, the largest decrease of course is in state revenue sharing of one million twenty nine thousand seven ninety eight. I'm estimating to budget ninety five percent of the state's estimated project projections that were out in February 28 2026, their total for the city of Lewiston was eleven million six sixteen to 54. General assistance is a hundred thousand nine forty which represents the decrease in the expenses and social services, so we're seeing a decrease of a hundred thousand nine forty in the revenue state exemption reimbursement decrease in four thousand veterans exemption and tree growth decrease, this is what that state exemption reimbursement is. Snowmobile registrations are decreasing 700 due to less registrations. Highway is increasing 95 000 which is for state local road assistant funds which they're estimating an increase of 22.4 percent for the cities receiving for a three-year average, they took a three-year average of fiscal year 24 to 26, so they are budgeting at five Hundred and twenty thousand payment in lieu of fry school is going to increase 412. For the increase in the tax rate, we use the current tax rate when doing the budget because, of course, we don't have the approved. So we're increasing that tax rate from fiscal year 25 to 26 rate to 32 78. Payment in lieu of taxes for Tedford housing is increasing 288 for this, for the same. Charges for services, page 12 to 13, increase of fifty four thousand four hundred and forty, or eight percent. This is the municipal garage is increasing nine thousand eight hundred forty across all of the parking garages for hourly parking. Lincoln is decreasing while all the others are increasing for the hourly rates. Tipping fees increase in 60,000 for budget. As you saw when we were going over the public works expense, you saw that new expense of 250,000. This is, you'll see the increase in revenue is increasing due to the fact that we're budgeting the expense in the expense account and not budgeted against the revenue account like it was in the past, so you're seeing that increase. Parking meters decreased 18 000 due to the removal of the meters. Fines and forfeits are on page 13, increase of 33 600, or 17 percent, increasing in parking violations 51 000 due to the parking enforcement and false alarms fire 5,000 to adjust for receipts. You'll see that the false alarm police are going down 5,000 due to the downward trend. Interest and rents on page 14, they're decreasing 306 thousand 461, of 13%. Interest rates are starting to go down slightly, so we are budgeting conservatively for the investment earns, so we are decreasing $289,000. Monthly parking is decreasing 20,000 due to the T bank vacating the office space, so two of the garages got hit from that. Franchise fees decrease in ten thousand eight seventy as we continue to see from people using online streaming. All rents combined are increasing 13,409. The increases are in rent, armory, 10,816 for more rentals, increase in 10,000, and the cell tower rent is increasing $816. MDEA is increasing 2,917 due to the larger and newer space. Rental and facilities finance, $220. This is the remaining months for the red shop rent. Rent of facilities library 500 for rent of Callahan and the conference room rentals and Rent other are decrease in the thousand forty four. This was for the Lewiston Falls hydro rent that ended in fiscal year 24. Miscellaneous revenues on page 14 decrease in sixteen thousand one fifty four. The bulk of this is in the sale of surplus of fifteen thousand due to less properties being sold where the city is receiving proceeds with the remaining, if they are tax acquired, going back to the old owner. And sale a timber of 10,000, they do not expect to do any timber this year on fiscal year 27, so they are reducing the revenue to zero. Any questions on any of the revenues? [1:18:51] Carl L. Sheline: Chancellor Chiddom. Thank you. [1:18:54] David B. Chittim: Timber harvesting is of interest to me. Is the only land that we harvest timber on our old green road or do we do we own other parcels [1:19:00] Bryan Kaenrath: as well I can ask Megan Parks Megan Bates and get back to you on that where they timber [1:19:08] Joshua L. Nagine: All right thanks Counselor Nageen I had a similar question about the timber revenues I also I'm looking through here and I'm just saying that you know some of our revenues are decreasing significantly and part of that I think is the parking with T Bank things of that nature in order to offset some of our costs revenues are important and like one of the things that I'm thinking about is the tipping fees and the fact that we're still in arrears 210 000 for the additional cost that we're now assuming because MWAC is not able to burn all the ash that we need back and I really would like to have a better explanation of and I know that you can't provide it but next a better explanation of how long we're going to be running a deficit while we're still running the transfer facility and then also what our solutions are in order to fix that one of the things I was thinking about is re-energy also operates in our community and I know that 14 members, member communities use our landfill to put their ash in, but is it time to consider operating it in a different manner in order to make sure that we're, it seems really crazy that we're offsetting these costs to the tune of, like, each time I see one of these offsets, it's like 200,000, 300,000, 500,000, and that's a huge amount of money when we talk about the overall budget, and so I'm just trying to figure out, like, what our options are in that space and if we're just waiting for MWAC to fix its issues or if we're trying to problem solve in order to make sure that like we're not again paying for even more for our for our waste [1:20:58] Bryan Kaenrath: Management services, and I can ask Kevin, Director Gania. I appreciate that. Thank you. To get back on that answer, so I know in the past you've asked how many permits we have in all the parking garages. So on Canal there's 365 spaces in Canal, 261 permits are current. Chestnut there's 610 spaces and 198 permits. That's the TD Bank. Oak Street parking is 559, and that includes the municipal lot also, the parking garage and a lot, 559 spaces. There's 375 permits out. Southern Gateway there is in total between the garage and the other space, 405 total spaces, 102 permits are taken out. And then Lincoln Street parking garage there's 460 total spaces and there is a hundred and eight permits taken out. So that's also the other one that was affected by TD Bank. [1:22:08] Carl L. Sheline: Yes, Councilor Chiddom, Director Roy, could you email [1:22:12] David B. Chittim: those numbers to us? Thank you. Councilor Nagy, back to you. And [1:22:17] Joshua L. Nagine: it sounds like we're talking about somewhere between 20 and 30 percent utilization for the parking permits for almost all of the, like most of them are at 20 percent and there's one that's [1:22:26] Bryan Kaenrath: at 30 percent. There's, yeah, the largest one that looks to be used, please use your mind, is Oak Street Park parking garage is the one that gets [1:22:36] Joshua L. Nagine: used the most. Okay, and with some of the housing that's coming online, we do have expectations of increased usage, especially at the Chestnut, correct? [1:22:47] Bryan Kaenrath: Correct, I believe when the picker lots, if there's the units that were discussed with the council, you'll see that probably fill right up. Okay, thank you. [1:23:02] Carl L. Sheline: Counselor Chin, you have a final thought? [1:23:05] David B. Chittim: Yes, and it really pertains to Public Works and solid waste Thank You councillor Najin for bringing that to my attention that landfill is not an infinite resource It's going to be closed at some point and that closure is going to cost a lot of money I'd like to know if we're looking forward to do we have a date when we expect it to be closed and we have An estimate today of how much it's going to cost and are we setting aside a sinking fund to help us do that? So that we're not bonding it. Those are rhetorical questions just to get out there. Those can be found [1:23:35] Bryan Kaenrath: right in audited financials. So there's a calculation that's done every year, they look at what the usage is and those numbers are put within the notes in the aquifer. Okay, thank you. [1:23:50] Joshua L. Nagine: Yes, counselor and agent, just to expand on that, the we're looking at 20 to 25 years I believe right now on the landfill based on current use. It usually takes about, last time I heard, a decade to approve a new landfill, so we also have that to consider. There is no sinking cost or sinking fund for that, and it's the same issue with our water. We are not setting aside money for the eventuality that we'd need a filtration system so. [1:24:25] Carl L. Sheline: Director Roy, thank you very much. Did you have anything else, Director Roy? Okay, we're calling it a night, counselors. Thank you very much, administrator, deputy administrator, thank you very much. Lewiston's Lewistonians watching, thank you very much. Everyone have a wonderful evening.