Finance Committee Agenda and Packet 2024 10 17

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City Council Finance Committee Meeting Minutes September 19, 2024 Page 4 of 7 Councilmember Hoefner commented that the Parks fund should be prioritized relatively high on the work plan for 2025 and generally what we do with fund balances that are trending in this direction over the medium to long term. Councilmember Kern agreed with Councilmember Hoefner. Councilmember Kern asked what the Austin Neuhoff Decarb project is. Samma responded that it is the white house next to City Hall with office space for Sustainability and Economic Vitality. Councilmember Kern asked if pickleball was entered in two funds. The Director of Finance responded that it is from a submission from our Parks Department, assuming a reasonable methodology in splitting expenses. The Parks Superintendent responded that some of the public spaces can be funded using Recreation Center revenues. Councilmember Kern asked for additional information from the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Director on where that is and how it balances out. Councilmember Hoefner had a question about converting the volleyball and skating areas to add more pickleball courts. The Parks Superintendent responded that the cost to build new pickleball courts is much more significant than converting underutilized spaces. She added that temporary pickleball courts have already been implemented on the skating rink in an attempt to balance the requests from the community. Councilmember Hamlington asked for clarity on what we are hoping to get out of this discussion today. Councilmember Hoefner responded that the timing wasn't ideal to not have the PowerPoint prior to the meeting and it is a lot of information to digest. The committee has between now and October 1 to make a recommendation to Council since that is when the recommended budget will be presented to Council. He encouraged the committee members to spend time with this information and suggested that, if a special meeting is needed before October 1, one should be scheduled. Councilmember Hamlington commented that, given the timeframe in which she received this information she is unable to provide an educated recommendation today. She added that she has questions on several items; specifically, she would like to discuss in more detail the affordable housing and decarb for city facilities. She wants to understand over the next few years where these two items stand and understand more what the $2M affordable housing item is for and why it was included in the budget. The Director of Finance responded that from the September 3 presentation, staff received direction to include affordable housing and the solar project in the 2025/2026 CIP budget. The Interim City Manager clarified that the solar projects were added back to the out years and decarbonization for 2025-26 is as presented on September 3. Councilmember Kern asked to review the detail for the 5-year plan for the solar implementation by year. The Director of Finance responded that the solar project was added back to 2029r. He added that solar was pulled out of our decarbonization projects for all but the Recreation Center, found on page 121 of the meeting packet. Councilmember Kern asked for additional time and more detailed information to adequately go through this budget presentation before sending a recommendation to Council. She feels council is hearing from the community that the decarb plan is a very important project for us to move forward with. She asked for more clarity on the projects listed in the CIP plan. 6/87