Dec 02, 2025 Fiscal Committee Meeting

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EVERYBODY. HAPPY DECEMBER. IT'S 830. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR FISCAL COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER. WE'VE GOT A FEW ITEMS HERE. AND THEN PENDING TIME WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE PLENTY GIVEN THIS SCHEDULED FOR AN HOUR TODAY, WE HAVE A FOLLOW UP BRIEFING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE

[1. Resolution approving new three-year contract award for employee assistance program services through Ulliance, Inc. with an administration cost not to exceed $132,480]

LIKE WHAT? HOW MUCH? YEAH. SO I LOOKING AT THE 2024 DATA, WE DON'T HAVE QUITE ALL THE 2021 YET. SO WE HAD 827 TOTAL SERVICES UTILIZED DURING THAT TIME AND 327 PEOPLE USE. SO IF YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT, FOR EMPLOYEES, IT'S ABOUT 22%. AND WE'RE KIND OF ON TRACK FOR THAT RIGHT NOW. YEAH THAT'S GREAT. ALL RIGHT. WELL HEARING AND SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANKS. NEXT WE'VE

[2. Resolution approving a one-year contract extension with Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services (Agent of Record) – Property and Casualty Insurance totaling $58,850]

THIS WILL ALSO ALLOW THE HR DEPARTMENT THE NECESSARY RUNWAY TO MANAGE CURRENT WORKLOAD DEMANDS, WHILE PREPARING A FULL COMPETITIVE RFP PROCESS IN THE COMING YEAR. THE SHORT TERM EXTENSION MAINTAINS THE CONTINUATION OF SERVICES WHILE WE COMPLETE A THOROUGH COMPETITIVE PROCESS IN 2026, I AM RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS ONE YEAR EXTENSION. OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM

[3. Resolution approving payment to the Kent County Drain Commission (KCDC) for the Saddlebag Drain Assessment Payment in the amount of $28,136.57.]

THIS DRAINAGE AREA ENCOMPASSES PARTS OF GRAND RAPIDS, GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, AND KENTWOOD, AND THE DRAIN COMMISSIONERS LOOKING TO COMPLETE THIS WORK THIS YEAR. SO STANDARD STUFF NOT RELATED AN APP AT ALL, BUT JUST WORK COMMISSIONERS UNDER UNDERGOING WITH GOT IT. OKAY, THAT WAS GOING TO BE. MY QUESTION IS IF THERE WAS ANY RELATION OR CONNECTION TO DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS. SO OKAY AWESOME. ANY QUESTIONS COLLEAGUES. ALL RIGHTY. HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

[4. Resolution authorizing a Budget Substitution in the amount of $500,000 for the Replacement of LMFP Switchgear]

GOOD MORNING. MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIGHTNING STRIKE THAT WE HAD OUT AT THE FILTRATION PLANT NEAR OUR GENERATOR BUILDING BACK IN AUGUST. THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY WILL COVER THE GAP THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE SOME MONEY BUDGETED CAPITAL FOR ELECTRICAL IMPROVEMENTS. WE DO THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR OUR FILTRATION PLANT. WE PLAN ON USING ABOUT $1 MILLION OF THAT BUDGETED MONEY TOWARDS MAKING THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GENERATORS, AND THIS AMOUNT WILL COVER THAT GAP. IT'S GOING TO COME OUT OF THE IIP. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED THE MOTION

[5. Resolution authorizing a Budget Substitution in the amount of $3,265,506 for the Stevens – Steele to Randolph project]

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THE PORTION FOR WATER WAS ORIGINALLY WE HAD MILLION DOLLARS BUDGETED. I BELIEVE IT WAS IN FY 25. THERE WAS THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR WATER SHARE OF THIS IS OVER 4 MILLION, BECAUSE SOME GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION IN THE AREA. THAT ADDS TO THE COST. WE WERE PLANNING TO BUDGET MONEY FOR IT IN FY 27 CAPITAL BUDGET, BUT BECAUSE OF AVAILABLE IP DOLLARS FROM UNSPENT PREVIOUSLY CAPITAL BUDGET MONEY, WE'RE GOING TO USE IIP TO PAY FOR THE GAP ON THIS ONE. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE? COLLEAGUES. ALL RIGHT. HEARING SEEING NONE I'LL CALL THE QUESTION THEN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.

[6. Salary Ordinance for Non-Represented Management Employees of the 61st District Court]

WE'LL TURN THIS ONE BACK OVER TO MISS EDDIE HERE. HELLO AGAIN. SO I'M PRESENTING A SALARY ORDINANCE FOR THE NON-REPRESENTED MANAGEMENT. EMPLOYEES OF THE 61ST DISTRICT COURT. THESE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE 61ST DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, WHO HOLD AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE AND APPROVE COMPENSATION FOR THESE POSITIONS. HOWEVER, SINCE THESE ROLES ARE PART OF THE CITY'S ORDINANCE, THE CITY COMMISSION ACTION IS REQUIRED TO APPROVE THESE CHANGES. THE IMPACTED CLASSIFICATIONS ARE THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, THE DEPUTY COURT ADMINISTRATOR, THE EVICTION PREVENTION HOLISTIC FACILITATOR, THE PROBLEM SOLVING COURT CASE MANAGER, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE MANAGER, THE MAGISTRATE, AND THE LAW TRAINED MAGISTRATE. THESE ADJUSTMENTS WILL HELP ENSURE THE COURT CAN MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION FOR THESE KEY MANAGEMENT ROLES. THIS ORDINANCE FORMALIZES THE UPDATED SALARY SCHEDULES AND ENSURE THAT THEY TAKE EFFECT. INTENDED JULY 1ST, 2025. OKAY, THANKS. ANY QUESTIONS COLLEAGUES. SO YOU SAID JULY OF 20 OF THIS CURRENT. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. SO WILL THE I'M ASSUMING THERE'LL BE SOME SORT OF RETRO BACK PAY. CORRECT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED?

[7. Salary Ordinance amending Section 4.2 of Ordinance 2025-31, Range and Title Change for the Parking Services Shift Supervisor and Parking Operations Superintendent; Creation of a new classification Parks Planning and Project Manager]

MOVED AND SUPPORTED. YEAH. SO I'M PRESENTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE SECTION 4.2 SALARY ORDINANCE, TWO CLASSIFICATIONS WITHIN MOBILE GR AND THEN ONE NEW CLASSIFICATION WITHIN PARKS AND RECREATION. AT THE REQUEST OF THE MOBILE GR DEPARTMENT, WE CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF THE PARKING SERVICES SHIFT SUPERVISOR AND THE PARKING OPERATIONS SUPERINTENDENT ROLES TO ENSURE THE RESPONSIBILITIES, EXPERTISE AND PAY ALIGN WITH CURRENT INDUSTRY STANDARDS. AND THEN BASED ON THAT ANALYSIS, THE PARKING SERVICES SHIFT SUPERVISOR WOULD BECOME THE PARKING AND MOBILITY SHIFT SUPERVISOR, MOVING FROM A RANGE TEN TO A RANGE 12, THE PARKING OPERATIONS SUPERINTENDENT WOULD BECOME PARKING AND MOBILITY OPERATIONS MANAGER, MOVING FROM A RANGE 16 TO 18. ADDITIONALLY, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING THE CREATION OF A NEW CLASSIFICATION TITLED PARKS PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGER, WHICH WILL BE PLACED IN RANGE 19. THIS ROLE WILL OVERSEE PARK DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION WORK, MANAGE THE DEPARTMENT'S FIVE YEAR PLAN, CAPITAL PLAN AND MANAGE THE CAPITAL MILLAGE FUNDING FOR IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS MORE THAN 90 PLUS PARKS AND A GROWING TRAIL SYSTEM. THESE CHANGES WERE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD ON NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025. I AM RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE. GREAT. THANKS. ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE ONES, COLLEAGUES? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE

[8. Bid List Resolution for December 2, 2025]

WE HAVE FUN STUFF LIKE SEWER LINING AND OF COURSE SNOW REMOVAL. SO YOU KNOW, JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. SO YEAH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS MYSELF OR THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS ARE HERE TO ANSWER THEM. PERFECT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS COLLEAGUES COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT.

I DID NOT WRITE DOWN THE PAGE NUMBER, BUT THE FULL LIST IS IN THE PACKET TOO, IN CASE PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS AND WANT TO READ THROUGH THOSE. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

[9. Comptroller's Warrant Report for the period of November 4, 2025 through November 17, 2025 in the amount of $27,402,640.67]

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NOPE. IF YOU WANT ME TO, I CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT THE PAYROLL WAS FOR THAT PERIOD INCLUDED $5,870,899.67. INCOME TAX WARRANTS WERE $282 AND $282,415.81, WHICH INCLUDED 700 INCOME TAX RETURNS AND 1214 IN ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CHECKS. AWESOME. THANKS SO MUCH. WE'LL

[10. Treasurer’s Report for Period of November 5, 2025, through November 18, 2025]

WE'RE SEEING LAYOFFS HAPPEN. WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO FIND WORK. THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE RIGHT NOW. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE'RE FINDING OUT, AND THE POSITIVE SIDE IS OUR GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT IS AVERAGING ABOUT 4%, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED. SO WE'VE GOT ALL THESE LARGE SHIFTS RIGHT NOW GOING ON. WE EXPECT THAT 25 BASIS POINT DROP. BUT OTHER THAN THAT YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S KIND OF LIKE HANG ON TIGHT. YOU KNOW, GRIP THE ARMS OF YOUR CHAIR. AND LET'S WAIT FOR ALL THE NEWS TO KEEP POPULATING THROUGH. WE STILL HAVEN'T HAD A GOOD SET OF ECONOMIC DATA COME BACK OUT AGAIN SINCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REOPENED. SO WE'RE STILL WAITING KIND OF ON PINS AND NEEDLES TO SEE IF THAT'S GOING TO SHOW US ANY MORE OF A CLEARER PICTURE. BUT WITH THAT, OUR OUR PORTFOLIO IS AT 720 MILLION, AND WE'RE AT 3.44% RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT. GREAT. THANKS. ANY QUESTIONS COLLEAGUES. JUST ONE QUICK ONE FOR ME. DO YOU KNOW BY CHANCE WHEN, IF AND WHEN THEY RELEASE THAT, IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE IN AGGREGATE FOR THAT WHOLE PERIOD OR IS IT STILL GOING TO BE BROKEN OUT ONCE A MONTH? THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO CATCH UP FROM WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY PASSED. OKAY. IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THAT HERE'S YOUR NEXT SET OF ECONOMIC NUMBERS FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTHS PERIOD OR QUARTERS PERIOD, WHEREVER THAT MIGHT BE. OKAY. SURE. JUST

[11. Follow-Up on Financial Update from November 13, 2025 City Commission Workshop]

OKAY. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS I GUESS FOURTH TIME'S FOURTH TIME'S A CHARM BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD A WORKSHOP AND WE HAD FISCAL COMMITTEE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. AND NOW I'M BACK HERE AT FISCAL COMMITTEE AGAIN. SO THIS THIS REPORT WAS CREATED FOR THE WORKSHOP ON NOVEMBER 13TH. SO THE DATA IS A LITTLE OLD, BUT AND WE ARE MUCH FURTHER ALONG IN THE AUDIT. SO BEFORE THIS WAS THIS IS AN ABBREVIATED PRESENTATION OF WHAT I USUALLY GIVE BECAUSE OF WHERE WE WERE AT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IN ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF OR SO, THE THE CITY COMPTROLLER DOES HIS REPORT OUT FOR THE CITIZENS GUIDE. THAT WILL CONTAIN MUCH MORE INFORMATION, LIKE THE CITY'S NET POSITION, THE STATE OF OUR, YOU KNOW, PENSION, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO RATHER THAN ALTERING MY REPORT, I'LL LET HIM COVER THAT BECAUSE HE COVERS IT ANYWAY WITH HIS CITIZENS REPORT. AND BUT THE THE KEY TAKEAWAYS AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL THAT I'M FOLLOWING JOHN LUBINSKY BECAUSE HE DID A LOT OF THE WORK FOR ME THIS MORNING. AS FAR AS WHERE WE'RE AT ECONOMICALLY. YEAH, UNEMPLOYMENT IS A CONCERN IN MICHIGAN IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THE NATION. SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD TOWARDS CREATION OF THE BUDGET, ONE THING THAT CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO BE TALKING TO DEPARTMENTS ABOUT IS AFFORDABILITY. KNOWING THAT, KNOWING THAT YEAH, WE DO HAVE HIGHER ON HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WE SEEM TO HAVE STABLE CONSUMER DEMAND. BUT KNOWING KNOWING THAT THERE ARE OTHER CHALLENGES OUT THERE, WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT. THE OTHER THING I'LL JUST NOTE, JOHN ALREADY ADDRESSED THE INFLATION. BUT YEAH, ARE WE GOING TO GET A RATE DECREASE OR

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BUT AGAIN, THAT THAT'S ONE THING THE CITY DID TO HELP WITH THAT AFFORDABILITY ISSUE. AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THAT TIME AS AS FAR AS OUR OUR CASH FLOW, THIS IS WHAT WE ADOPTED BACK IN MAY. SO THIS IS THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE IMPACT OF THE LABOR AGREEMENTS. I ALSO DON'T HAVE THREADED IN YET THE THE FINALIZED 2025 NUMBERS. BUT YOU CAN SEE WE ADOPTED A BUDGET THAT WAS ALREADY OPERATING AT A DEFICIT IN THE OUT YEARS. SO AS WE FINE TUNE OUR REVENUE EXPECTATIONS, I'LL COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT. THE SECOND MEETING OF FEBRUARY WITH THE NEW FINANCIAL UPDATE. AND USUALLY I TRY TO GET UPDATED REVENUE NUMBERS, PARTICULARLY LIKE STATE SHARING NUMBERS. WE'LL HAVE THE REVENUE CONFERENCE AT THE END OF JANUARY. SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO UPDATE THINGS LIKE THAT AND ALSO GET A GOOD LOOK ABOUT HOW INCOME TAXES PERFORMING OVER THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, BUT ZEROING IN ON THOSE REVENUES. THIS IS OUR INCOME TAX PERFORMANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25. AND YOU CAN SEE WE PERFORMED QUITE WELL. A LOT OF THAT WAS DRIVEN. YOU'LL SEE THE YOU KNOW I HAVE OVERALL INCOME TAX AND THEN BROKEN OUT BY THOSE DIFFERENT INCOME TAX CATEGORIES. AND WE WERE PRETTY PRETTY ON THE MONEY WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, BASE INTEREST AND COMPLIANCE. BUT WITH REFUNDS YOU'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENED, $8.8 MILLION. AND THAT'S LARGELY DRIVEN BY AN ACCRUAL ADJUSTMENT WE MAKE AT YEAR END. LAST FEW YEARS WE REALIZED WE WERE BEING WAY TOO CONSERVATIVE WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE EXPECTED TO HAVE TO PAY BACK OUT IN IN REFUNDS. I THINK WE'RE A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE WORK FROM HOME, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND WHAT THAT IS. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE REALIZED WE WERE BEING WAY TOO CONSERVATIVE AND OUTPERFORMING THAT. SO THAT ADJUSTMENT WAS MODIFIED DRASTICALLY. AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO RETAIN A LOT MORE OF THAT INCOME TAX MONEY IN THE HOUSE.

PROPERTY TAX. AGAIN, THAT'S KIND OF OUR SLEEPY REVENUE CATEGORY. IT'S IT'S LIMITED BY HOW MUCH IT CAN GROW, GROW DO DUE TO STATE LAW. SO AGAIN THAT'S THAT'S FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE. BUT WE DO LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF POSITIVE GROWTH THERE. AND THEN STATE SHARING AS WELL AS GASOLINE TAX OUTPERFORMED OUR EXPECTATIONS. SO SO AGAIN THAT'S THAT'S AGAIN POSITIVE NEWS KNOWING KNOWING WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST AS FAR AS ABSORBING SOME SOME COST. AS FAR AS OUR DEBT ISSUANCES. WE HAVE BEEN ISSUING A LOT OF DEBT OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. I LISTED OUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE FISCAL YEAR 24, AND YOU'LL RECALL THE LARGE ISSUANCES OF LIKE, THE SOCCER STADIUM, AMPHITHEATER. OF COURSE, WE DID THAT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY WHILE WE HAD A SECURE REVENUE SOURCE, THAT IS DEBT THAT GOES AGAINST OUR FULL FAITH AND CREDIT. SO SHOULD THAT REVENUE STREAM FALL SHORT? WE DO HAVE A WATERFALL PROTECTION WHERE WHERE WE DO HAVE A RESERVE TO HELP PAY THAT. BUT JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN

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SO SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT NOW. THIS WILL BE REFINED WHEN WE GO THROUGH BUDGET IMPACT OF THE STATE BUDGET CHANGES. I KNOW WE'VE HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS ON THAT. THEY CREATED A NEW CATEGORY THIS YEAR FOR STATE SHARED REVENUE WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY ALLOWANCE. YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE COME OUT A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OVERALL ON STATE SHARING. BUT THEY REDUCED OUR CONSTITUTIONAL AMOUNT A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, TO HELP PAY FOR THAT. SO SO WHILE WE DID PICK UP SOME SOME PENNIES, 1.7 MILLION FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY AMOUNT, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT A HUGE GAIN NECESSARILY OVERALL FOR THE FOR THE CITY GAS AND WEIGHT TAX. YOU'LL SEE WITHIN THIS FISCAL YEAR WE'RE PICKING UP ABOUT 5 MILLION THERE. SO AND WITH THAT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. OTHERWISE.

YEAH YEAH. THANK YOU. I'LL TURN TO MY COLLEAGUE AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY. I HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION, BUT I'LL SEE IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING FIRST. OKAY. ALL RIGHTY. JUST CURIOUS. I KNOW AND THIS WAS A, YOU KNOW, COMMENT EVEN BACK WITH MAYOR BLISS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEING CONSERVATIVE ABOUT OUR REVENUES. AND I KNOW I'D MUCH RATHER US, YOU KNOW, ASSUME WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS THAN THE OPPOSITE BECAUSE THAT COULD PUT US IN A BAD SPOT. BUT JUST CURIOUS, ONCE WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE UPDATED REVENUE NUMBERS, LIKE DO WE HAVE ANY ANY IDEA ESTIMATE OF LIKE HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE BOTTOM LINE DEFICIT. JUST LOOKING.

ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT IN FEBRUARY. ONE THING I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IS WE USED TO USE WITHHOLDING AND INCOME TAX, AS WE'D ALWAYS BE RIGHT ON THE MONEY WITH OUR ESTIMATION PRE-COVID YEARS. SURE. SO SO THAT WAS A GOOD INDICATOR OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO PERFORM. THE COVID KIND OF THREW THAT OUT THE DOOR, BECAUSE NOW THIS WORK FROM HOME AND ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES, THINGS LIKE THAT HAS REALLY IMPACTED, YOU KNOW, HOW WE ESTIMATE INCOME TAX AND, YOU KNOW, USED TO BE JOHN O'CONNOR.

AND I USED TO GO BACK AND FORTH LIKE MOLLY, WHAT'S GOING ON. AND ALWAYS SEE THE GOOD WE ALWAYS MAKE MORE THAN WHAT WE WERE ESTIMATING. SO YEAH, WE, WE, WE CAME OUT OF COVID BEING STILL BEING FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE WITH HOW WE ESTIMATE, BUT SEEING HOW WE'RE IN THIS NEW REALITY AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND, OKAY, WHAT IS A BETTER WAY TO TO ESTIMATE? WE'VE PARTNERED WITH GVSU TO CREATE A FORECASTING MODEL. SO RATHER THAN TRYING WELL, USING WHAT WE DO IN-HOUSE, BUT COMPARING THAT TO WHAT THEY THINK WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY THINK ARE GOOD MARKET INDICATORS, THINGS LIKE THAT. WE'RE SUPPOSED I'M SUPPOSED TO GET MY FIRST, YOU KNOW, GET TO KICK THE TIRES OF OF THIS MODEL THIS MONTH. SO I'M KIND OF EXCITED TO SEE IT. YEAH. SO I'M HOPING THAT'S GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO GO BACK A FEW YEARS TO SEE OKAY. HERE'S WHAT WE WOULD HAVE ESTIMATED COMPARED TO WHAT WE DID. AND WE'LL SEE WE'LL SEE HOW THAT COMPARES. SO WE ARE HONING IN ON THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE YEAH I AGREE WITH YOU.

WE HAVE BEEN CONSERVATIVE AND YEAH. YEAH. YEP. NO THAT'S. SO ESSENTIALLY YOU'LL BE TAKING THAT MODEL APPLYING PAST YEAR'S DATA TO SEE HOW ACCURATE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN. YEAH. YEAH.

AND THEN APPLYING IT TO OKAY LET'S LET'S USE IT FOR THE YOU KNOW, WELL FOR MID-YEAR WHEN I RECAST REVENUE BASED ON WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE STATE AND, AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, OTHER REVENUE SOURCES AND, AND ALSO. YEAH. SO SO YOU WILL BE UPDATING ALL OF OUR, OUR REVENUES WHEN I REPORT BACK TO YOU. OKAY. YEAH. I THINK I THINK THAT'D BE HELPFUL. I'M JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY MIND AROUND IT. I'M LOOKING AT LIKE FY 26 IS JUST $1 MILLION, YOU KNOW, SURPLUS. AND THEN YEAH, 27, LIKE WE'RE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT. SO JUST TRYING TO THINK THROUGH AND HOPEFULLY THE MODEL PROVES YOU KNOW YEAH IT'S GOING TO BE BACK INTO THE SURPLUS. BUT YEAH. AND JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON. YEAH. AND THESE NUMBERS ARE FROM THIS IS WHAT WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET WITH. SO WE KNOW MORE NOW WE'VE STARTED THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET BUT WITH DEPARTMENTS. ALSO DO IS SCRUB DOWN WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SPEND IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO SO YOU WILL SEE YOU KNOW THAT THAT TIGHTENED DOWN A LITTLE BIT. AND AND YOU KNOW WE'LL YOU KNOW AGAIN LOOKING AT AFFORDABILITY, LOOKING AT THE COST OF WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE CAN GET DONE WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR. ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS

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