WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:05.080 Good morning, good morning, good morning, and welcome, welcome, welcome 2 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:08.119 in his time now for city matters. If it matters you, it matters 3 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:12.880 to the city. I'm Tom Davis and joining us here today is City councilor 4 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:17.000 Billy Ron. Billy Ron. A very interesting meeting with a whole lot of 5 00:00:17.320 --> 00:00:22.039 information. First and foremost folks want to know about the water. Yes, 6 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:26.120 we've had some rain, but it's not been falling exactly in the right places. 7 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:30.000 Therefore we were going to have to kind of protect our water supply. 8 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:33.320 That's absolutely right. I know what you look out. I'm sitting here looking 9 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:37.280 out and all of our lawns are green. We're getting perfect rain to water 10 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:41.159 flowers and to water the yard, but it's not falling in the right place. 11 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:44.759 And so that's exactly right. Our watershed is north of us and they're 12 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:48.679 not getting the rain that we need to pull us out of this drought. 13 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:52.479 And so we did last night at City Council. We did vote to raise 14 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:58.240 the rates. Now we've been in Stage three emergency water conservation, but not 15 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:02.359 charging the rates. We've been under the restrictions of watering once a week, 16 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:08.840 even on Thursday's odds on Fridays asking people to conserve. Now we've actually kicked 17 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:12.439 in the rates. So if you want to know where we started, we 18 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:17.959 began this journey back in December. That's when we first started talking about what 19 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:19.760 we could see coming ahead, just because of the lack of rain that we 20 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:26.480 had gotten. And so slowly but surely we've gone through stage one and stage 21 00:01:26.519 --> 00:01:30.959 two, and we entered into stage three once we dropped below sixty percent, 22 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:36.840 and so now we're right around fifty four percent, I believe, And so 23 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:40.840 that's that when we dropped below sixty that brought us into stage three. Now 24 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:45.719 last night, anytime we raise any kind of rates, that has to be 25 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:48.560 voted on by the city council. And so even though we were in stage 26 00:01:48.599 --> 00:01:51.840 three, we had not raised the rates. And so now the rates are 27 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:56.879 are in these stage three area. And so I wanted to be sure and 28 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:00.760 let everybody know what that is, because it's important that everyone understands that it 29 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:05.120 is their water that the rate has gone up on. Now that's not on 30 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:08.159 your trash service, it's not on your wastewater service. That is on your 31 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:14.560 water, and so a lot of people may not know the first two thousand 32 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:19.759 gallons of water that you receive is there's no charge for that. And so 33 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:24.919 if you are one of those who your water usage a lot of single people 34 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:28.759 stays around two thousand, then you're not being charged for your water. You're 35 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:31.039 being charged for the delivery and what goes along with that, as well as 36 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:38.479 your your collection, your refuse collection, and your wastewater. But the new 37 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:43.919 rates zero through two thousand will still remain at exactly what it is now. 38 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:49.000 Zero two thousand and one to ten thousand now has a rate increase of five 39 00:02:49.080 --> 00:02:52.639 percent, and so I would encourage you to look at your water, just 40 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:55.560 your water charge and see what five percent looks like to you. And if 41 00:02:55.639 --> 00:03:00.360 you want to know what the cement it is, I'm sure that you can 42 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:04.759 call down to the utility ladies. They can take a look and tell you 43 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:09.479 what five percent of whatever number your rate at year water it usually is and 44 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:13.199 they can give you an estimate, but it is a very minimal amount. 45 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:17.439 And being someone who's on a fixed income, I completely understand that anytime we 46 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:22.599 get any kind of a rate increase, it is a concern. It's also 47 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:25.400 temporary. As I said, with this ordinance, we look at that and 48 00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:30.199 it takes the city council to raise a rate, but we have to be 49 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:34.319 sure that we have water to drink going down the pike. And if things 50 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:38.800 don't change as far as either conservation or more rainfall up north, then we 51 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:42.560 will need to continue to conserve until we can get back up to that seventy 52 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:46.400 percent. So that started in aprils when we first started going into the emergency 53 00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:51.919 stages, and we pass that ordinance. Now two, if you use two 54 00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:54.879 thousand and one to ten thousand, you will be paying one hundred and five 55 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:59.800 percent of the current rate, which means a five percent increase. And I'm 56 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:04.560 talking about residential here. Ten thousand and one to twenty five thousand is a 57 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:11.280 ten percent. Twenty five thousand to fifty thousand, now that is getting into 58 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.560 commercial. That's a lot of water that is fifteen percent, and then at 59 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.560 fifty thousand it's twenty percent. So it's not that you can't use the water. 60 00:04:18.680 --> 00:04:24.319 We're asking you to conserve, but we've instigated rates to help you conserve 61 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.759 because if you're like me, when it starts touching my pocketbook, then I'm 62 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:32.839 paying attention. And there is Remember the rates go up on every council member 63 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:38.079 and every staff member as well, and so it's not like we're doing something 64 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:42.279 to you the public that we're not doing to counsel and staff. And so 65 00:04:43.079 --> 00:04:45.680 none of us want our rates go up, but we all want to be 66 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:50.680 able to use our water. And it's you can't truck in. Usually in 67 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:54.720 the summer we use around twelve million gallons a day. You can't truck that 68 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:58.680 in. And so I mean just try to imagine even what a tanker, 69 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:00.759 how much a tanker holes, how many tankers that would be if they're pulled 70 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:05.240 in on a train or driven in by a truck. So there are a 71 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:09.360 lot of things that we can do to conserve. This morning, I was 72 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:13.879 just talking with Caleb and he said even catches his air conditioning water and puts 73 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:15.920 it in his rain barrel. Which, let me just right now make this 74 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:21.800 point. It is not illegal to catch water in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. They 75 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:27.240 will not find you. Now if you're pretty smart about things. If you're 76 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:33.279 doing a rain barrel. Some folks catch in a rubber garbage can thirty forty 77 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:36.639 five gallon garbage can. Just put a cover over it, and that is 78 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:42.160 going to keep leaves and bugs and other things out of it. There's a 79 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:45.519 concern about mosquitoes, Well, you can keep those out. You can also 80 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:47.240 put a little bit of bleach in there if you're just using that water, 81 00:05:47.319 --> 00:05:51.279 depending on what you're using it for, or even soap because mosquitoes don't like 82 00:05:51.399 --> 00:05:57.879 soap. But it is not illegal or against any rules to catch water in 83 00:05:57.959 --> 00:06:01.160 Bartlesville, Oklahoma. And so we have people that are recycling water out of 84 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:05.319 their showers. Like I said, Caleb was talking about the air conditioner. 85 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:10.680 I was amazed at that because if your air con runs like mine does, 86 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:14.519 it puts off a lot of condensation and runs down that little pipe and I 87 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:17.000 can actually see the end of mine, and most certainly I'm going to direct 88 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:20.439 that towards my flowerbed now. So there are a lot of different ways. 89 00:06:20.439 --> 00:06:24.879 We've learned a lot of new ways to conserve water. And it is never 90 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:29.959 wrong to conserve natural resources, ever when and especially when we're in this kind 91 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.480 of a situation. So we should really be paying attention all year long and 92 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:39.519 not wait until we get into an emergency situation to actually help us focus on 93 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:42.959 that. Well, with school getting out, there are some moms on Facebook 94 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:47.079 wondering how's this going to affect the splash pads and the women pools, well, 95 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:53.879 the pools would have opened this last weekend. I believe they're not. 96 00:06:54.360 --> 00:06:58.120 The splash pads are not. And if you don't think this hasn't been a 97 00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:00.800 struggle for a city staff as well council members, it is because we know 98 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:04.600 what is the highlight. I'm old, but I still remember when the pools, 99 00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:08.920 when you could start going to this Wommen pool in the summertime when school 100 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:12.560 is out. And so right now today, at this time, there are 101 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:16.279 no plans to open those, and I would like for y'all to think about 102 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:19.360 this as well. We're not very far away from stage four. I think 103 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:24.199 we're at fifty four point something right now, and so once it goes below 104 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:27.839 fifty percent, then we're going into stage four where the pools would be closed. 105 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:31.639 And the ordinance was first put into place. The first ordinance before we 106 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:36.079 amended, was with the assumption that we run into droughts and when it gets 107 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:40.959 hot in the summer and the pools are already open, and then in the 108 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:46.480 number four it says to close them. So in stage four to set up 109 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:49.800 the pools. Right now, truly, we're talking about staffing, we're talking 110 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:55.160 about chemicals we're talking about. Of course, the water going in and the 111 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:59.399 amount that evaporates every week is quite a bit. But in two weeks we 112 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:03.360 would probably or by the middle of June, goodness, that's about three weeks 113 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:07.000 away. It's not too far, we would be shutting them down. And 114 00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:09.839 so right now today, I know that the pools are not open, the 115 00:08:09.879 --> 00:08:16.759 splash pads are not open, and honestly, staff is just we're just paying 116 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:20.360 attention. You know. Who knows we could get gully washers in the next 117 00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:26.000 two weeks and we'll all be doing the rain dance Hallelujah out in the yards. 118 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.439 But for right now today, that's what we have to look at, 119 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:33.279 and we you know, it is our responsibility to keep our community safe and 120 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:37.519 make sure that we have water that we are to drink. That's very important. 121 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:41.519 And if you've ever been in a town where the water's been off, 122 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:46.039 and I lived in western Oklahoma, where drought is a familiar thing. Every 123 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:50.159 Sunday in church people are praying for rain. And I've been in a town 124 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:54.000 where where there's not water, and it is it's hard to imagine. It's 125 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:58.879 like if your water freezes up in the wintertime and you're without water for three 126 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:03.080 days. It's a tough road to So honestly, we're doing the very best 127 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:07.799 to keep our water safe, keep our community safe, and we understand that 128 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:11.320 it's not a pleasant task. We've had some questions about the golf course. 129 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:18.440 It's very important to understand that right now they're looking at another way to water 130 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:22.720 the golf course. And I'm talking about Adams. Hillcrest has its own water 131 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:26.840 source that is not city water that flows into on the Hillcrest Greens, but 132 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:31.840 at Adams it is at our Adams golf course. And so they're looking at 133 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:35.480 now to start using pond water, which is not the best, but then 134 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:41.399 it's not using potable water. And so if we don't want to the greens, 135 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.360 then we lose them, we lose the whole golf course. And a 136 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:46.360 lot of people say, well, I don't play golf. You know, 137 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:48.840 there's just a few that play golf. I need to help you understand what 138 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:54.360 happens with that golf course. Every year, United Way runs our United Way 139 00:09:54.399 --> 00:10:00.879 Agency here in Bartlesville, which supports nonprofits, which in turn supports the people 140 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:05.240 in our community. They run a golf tournament that brings in over one million 141 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:13.440 dollars, not to mention I think it's three hundred volunteers. There are a 142 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:16.799 thousand golfers. I mean, it's one of the biggest United Way, if 143 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:20.039 not the biggest, in the United States of America. And it's in Bartlesville, 144 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:24.559 Oklahoma, and so that is a huge deal. That is actually an 145 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:26.879 asset. As a matter of fact, we count that as a one million 146 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:31.919 dollar assets. So it's important to water the greens if you don't have all 147 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:35.840 the money that we've spent, all the effort that's gone into that to our 148 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:39.759 Adams Golf Course, and all the dollars that it has generated for our community, 149 00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:46.320 not to mention the recreation, and there's also activities for our youth that 150 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:50.039 go on there at the Adams Golf Course. It is most certainly a well 151 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:54.799 worthwhile investment here in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and we need to protect it so 152 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:58.080 that, like I said, they're doing everything they can to not use potable 153 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:03.360 water to be again using pond water to keep those greens. You know, 154 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:05.360 you just really kind of scratch the surface when you said the million dollars raids 155 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:09.840 for a United Way. With all these people coming into town, there's an 156 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:13.720 economic impact behind that. These are people who are using hotel rooms, are 157 00:11:15.240 --> 00:11:20.360 restaurants and also maybe getting gas, maybe buying clothes, maybe buying other things 158 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:26.600 too, And that's hundreds of thousands of dollars of economic impact. Like hi, 159 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:30.600 thanks for coming by. And every time we do have one of these 160 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:35.080 tournaments, and we do have others that take place too out there at Adams 161 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:39.799 that might not be as big, but they're just as impactful bringing people into 162 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:45.639 our community when they stay for an entire weekend and stuff like that. Again, 163 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:52.399 more heads in the beds, more feats going to the seats in the 164 00:11:52.440 --> 00:11:56.679 restaurants, and a few other places too. It is, it is something 165 00:11:56.679 --> 00:11:58.639 where the dollars make sense in this And if we were to let that go, 166 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:03.399 that's two million dollars you've already paid for. It's going up to shrivel 167 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:07.360 and die. That's exactly right. And you know, even Wounded Warriors does 168 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:11.080 a golf tournament here. Yes, I believe it's in around Memorial Day right 169 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:15.039 in there. I'm not sure I can't remember exactly, but yeah, it's 170 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.799 a very important asset in our community, just as much as so many other 171 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:20.399 things that we had invested dollars in. You know what. We're going to 172 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:22.919 take a quick break when we come back. There's another half of what happened 173 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:26.320 last night at the city council. We're going to get to that with Billy 174 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:30.279 Ron right here. Nine K one. Never forget this call. My freshman 175 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:33.799 roommate. His mother called one day and she said, Tim, and I 176 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:35.840 can tell about her voice something wrong? And I said, what's wrong? 177 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:39.279 She said, can you get my boy home from California? He's passed away 178 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:43.879 out there. And that crushed me, but I said, I sure will. 179 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:46.320 I'll take care of it. I said, I'll figure it out. 180 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:50.200 I will get your son home. If that's what you do and your loved 181 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:52.399 one dies, doesn't matter if it's three in the morning, you call your 182 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:56.519 funeral direction and say, Tim, my loved one just died. What do 183 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:58.679 I do? And I tell you one of my greatest stories I could tell. 184 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:03.120 Six o'clock one Christmas morning, a lady calls me. She said, 185 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.759 they came over to get my aunt for Christmas breakfast and found her dead in 186 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:09.679 her home. What do we do? I said, let me get dressed. 187 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:13.559 I'll be right there and we'll just walk through this together. It's gonna 188 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:16.240 be all right. I'll take good care of her. Years later, she 189 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:20.600 told me that was the single most comforting phrase she'd ever heard. It'll be 190 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:24.480 all right. We'll walk through this together, Arnold Moore and me Camp Funeral 191 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:31.240 Home seven ten, Dewey Martel's event, We'll walk through this together eight forty 192 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:33.799 seven. There in our community connection continues. It's city matters, and we 193 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:39.320 have a city councilor Billy Road. We talked about bondie bonds the last night 194 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:41.480 too at the City Council for a special meeting we did, and we had, 195 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:43.840 of course, we had a budget workshop first, and I was just 196 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:48.240 going to tell you just really very briefly, because you know, I believe 197 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:54.720 that numbers and mathematics are kind of a spiritual mystical activity because how they all 198 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:58.600 work together as an amazement to me. But we have an excellent staff that 199 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:03.279 puts our budget together, and I would say just right up front, that 200 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:07.279 is one of the most enjoyable workshops that we have. I learned more from 201 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:11.559 that budget when I first came on the City Council than any other training anything 202 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:15.200 else that I have looked at, because there's a wealth of information in there 203 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:18.480 about Bartlesville. But our staff is very good. We put together a conservative 204 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:26.200 budget. It's much easier to have a little more that you can spend than 205 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:31.559 to have to go in and start amending the budget to cut things so that 206 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:33.360 you can do what you need to do, and so they do a very 207 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:35.879 good job of that. Of course, we get to hear about all the 208 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:39.759 funds, the enterprise fund, at sector ET sector and how they work, 209 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:46.960 as well as our all of our different committees and our services that we offered 210 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:50.600 a Bartlesville the Budget Book. I brought it last year, but this year 211 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:52.960 I walked down from tape Boy, so I wasn't going to carry the thing. 212 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.960 It's heavy, it's over four hundred pages and it goes into great detail 213 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:03.679 telling what each one of the committees, the boards, our departments do, 214 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:07.000 what their mission is, what their activity is. Then of course then it 215 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:11.360 goes into their dollars. But of course sales tax has been a boon for 216 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:15.519 us, and we have been very, very fortunate over the past three four 217 00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:20.399 years that it has increased and we've had minimal months, you know, maybe 218 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.639 two three months that it has decreased over the year before, which was already 219 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:30.000 over And so many people don't realize that that's how we run our city is 220 00:15:30.039 --> 00:15:35.360 on sales tax and then what grants that we get through the state and federal 221 00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:43.639 government. So it makes a big difference in our sales tax. One of 222 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:46.879 the things that's kind of interesting is we have to budget that into our budget, 223 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:50.840 so we have to guestimate, and they have a great formula that they 224 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:54.720 go about doing that, and they get pretty close. Of course, this 225 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:58.759 year. What's kind of nice is now we are figuring in use tax. 226 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:02.799 And you know, we began accepting use tax. We voted two years ago 227 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.720 to put that into effect in twenty twenty three, and I believe it was 228 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:11.000 in March. I believe it was in March February March that we got our 229 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:17.960 first in income from use tax. And and so they have something to base 230 00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:21.639 that on now because we have some monthly incomes and I think we've taken instance. 231 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:26.600 I think the figure we had last night from what's from April, the 232 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:30.440 three month average was one point one million for three for three months, and 233 00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:37.159 so they've estimated three hundred and eighty five thousand dollars a month for twenty twenty 234 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:40.919 three, twenty twenty four, and so we'll see how that goes and as 235 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:44.720 I said, there may be much more that we collect, or there's some 236 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:51.720 more, but it's really better for us to budget conservatively. And Benjamin Franklin 237 00:16:51.759 --> 00:16:56.720 can tell you that. And so let's see what else it looks like. 238 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:03.839 The overall budget has a two point five percent revenue growth is what's built into 239 00:17:03.880 --> 00:17:08.240 the budget, and as I said, it's very conservative, and our staff 240 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:11.839 just does a great job. And I will tell you this, this is 241 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:15.400 what most impresses me about our staff. When they put together their budget. 242 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:19.759 The different department hends if they got five million dollars last year. They don't 243 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:23.599 automatically say I need five million dollars this year, and so they're very good 244 00:17:23.640 --> 00:17:27.880 about taking a look at what they actually need. There's no spendence so that 245 00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:30.480 you can get it in next year. It doesn't go on in Bartlesville, 246 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:36.160 Oklahoma, and so I appreciate them. And of course our counselors are very 247 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:40.279 good about looking at every detail that goes into our budget. And here's what's 248 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:45.200 wonderful. When we don't understand it, we call Jason and so he helps 249 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:48.039 us and so then yes, the next part of our workshop, of course, 250 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:52.720 was our Goo bond election which is one of my favorite things. And 251 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:59.759 I love contributing my dollars to our GEO bond projects because it's what makes our 252 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:03.240 exciting. And of course I think there was Well, first, let me 253 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:06.640 just give you the schedule real quick. Have we got time for that time? 254 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:10.200 Okay? Well, you know we started, the staff made the recommendations 255 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:14.319 and they were presented the council in April at the council meeting, and then 256 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:18.079 of course then the Council gets to look at that and make their suggestions. 257 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:21.480 If we think maybe we don't need to spend in that area this year, 258 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:26.480 even though that's been requested, we might suggest either a reduction or maybe moving 259 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:30.160 it to another funding mechanism, because there are sometimes there is something that doesn't 260 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:34.039 necessarily have to be on a general obligation bond that we can move into a 261 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:37.240 different funding area. And then May fifteenth, of course, that was our 262 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:44.279 workshops last night. June fifth is when the council project selection. We'll do 263 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:47.160 that at the council meeting. And then July three is when we call for 264 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:52.200 the election, and October tenth should be our election day, So that's how 265 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:56.480 the election schedule goes. They didn't just start working on this in April, 266 00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:59.960 even though that's when we get to see it. Just like the budget, 267 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:03.079 do you know, they'll start they start working on the budget. They start 268 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:07.759 working on the budget back in February Januarine February and really working on it. 269 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:10.759 They work all along, paying attention to what's going on. We get a 270 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:17.119 percent every month of what's been spent in the budget. So what is really 271 00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:19.720 exciting that I wanted to tell you all about the GEO bond has to do 272 00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:26.000 with some of the recommendations. The recommendations were around twenty and nine million, 273 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:32.240 but the actual bond will be seventeen million and and so of course there's never 274 00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:36.839 enough that we are going to set our bond at that can pay for everything 275 00:19:36.839 --> 00:19:38.720 we all want. It's kind of like when I go shopping at Christmas, 276 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:42.319 same kind of deal, because that's really what this is. Many of these 277 00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:45.839 things are mandated for safety that we need to do, that are mandated to 278 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:49.359 do, and we'll say this, we are spending more on streets this year 279 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:53.079 in this budget than we have since I've gone on the council and been paying 280 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:57.200 attention to the budget. So that's very exciting. And the final figure of 281 00:19:57.240 --> 00:20:02.000 course, we'll know that as soon as we vote in budget next in June. 282 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:07.599 But there were three different budgets prepared for us, and as I said, 283 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:10.839 our staff does a good job. They look at what the council proposes. 284 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:15.559 If there is something that stands out that more than one councilman has said 285 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:19.440 or counselor has said that they that's that's a priority for them, then that's 286 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:23.000 kind of where we start the budget out, looking at those numbers along with 287 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:29.400 what the staff has recommended and the committees and authorities have recommended. Billy, 288 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:30.920 I hate to say this, but we're gonna have to kind of stop her 289 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.839 there. We've kind of run out of time. But my goodness Sakes, 290 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:37.799 what great information you provided us today. And there are folks who right there 291 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:41.480 are pretty thankful the thing. Go out and get a rain barrel. Well, 292 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:45.559 can I just say this one International Police Week? Okay, Yeah, 293 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:51.480 Tomorrow noon is the ceremony down at our Safety Complex. That is always a 294 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:57.680 very exciting and very moving commemoration. And then Civitan Park is temporarily closed. 295 00:20:57.720 --> 00:21:00.519 You know, we had some wind dammage and I was actually there on Sunday 296 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:03.519 with my grandson and we were there for a little while, then we left 297 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:06.519 because you could hear it creaking. And so that's closed down right now while 298 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:11.960 they fix that structural structural damage there. And so sign up for the City 299 00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:14.960 Beach front page of the City of Barlsville if you want to know what I know.