Sep 08, 2026 Fiscal Committee Meeting

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830, AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR FISCAL COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER. HOPE EVERYONE HAD A NICE HOLIDAY. AND YEAH, WE HAVE A FAIRLY SHORT AGENDA FOR TODAY. ARE. I SWEAR THAT WAS FOR SOMETHING THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M DOING. I NEED THE GEN ZERS TO HELP ME.

JUST JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW, I WAS NOT WATCHING VIDEOS. I WAS LOOKING UP THIS, THIS POSTCARD THAT WE GOT AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT'S THIS ORGANIZATION? AND APPARENTLY THEY TURN IT ON.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO THAT. NO. JUST KIDDING. ALL RIGHT. SO FIRST IS A RESOLUTION

[1. Resolution Recognizing Beer City Dog Biscuits as a Local Civic Organization]

THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A LICENSE FOR BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS. WE'RE A NONPROFIT LOCATED ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF GRAND RAPIDS, AND OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE WORK SKILLS, LIFE SKILLS, COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. AND CURRENTLY, WE HAVE OVER 350 INDIVIDUALS WHO COME TO US FOUR DAYS A WEEK, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. ABOUT HALF OF THAT GROUP IS FROM THE ISD. THE EMPOWER YOU, THE TRANSITION PROGRAM, AND GRAND RAPIDS. WE HAVE A F C HOMES, INDIVIDUALS THAT JUST COME ON THEIR OWN WITH SUPPORTS. AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'D LOVE A LICENSE JUST FOR FUNDRAISING. WE. ABOUT 80% OF OUR BUDGET IS THROUGH FUNDRAISING. THE OTHER 20% IS THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE DOG BISCUITS THAT WE MAKE. AND I INVITE EVERYONE IN AT SOME POINT TO COME TOUR, SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING. I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST WORK SKILLS PROGRAMS, LIFE SKILLS. WE HAVE ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT SKILL LEVELS. THEY CAN CHOOSE FROM TO DO AND JUST INVITE YOU TO COME AND TOUR OR VOLUNTEER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES. HEARING AND SEEING. YES. I JUST WANT TO SAY I, I SAW THIS ORGANIZATION A LONG TIME AGO WHEN YOU ACTUALLY FIRST STARTED PUTTING THE, THE BISCUITS IN DIFFERENT STORES. SO I SEE THEM AT PET SUPPLIES PLUS AND THAT STORY JUST REALLY RESONATED. SO I COMMEND YOU ON THE WORK THAT YOU DO. IT'S FANTASTIC. GREAT. THANK YOU, MR. TREASURER. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. NEXT IS A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING

[2. Resolution accepting a $720,000 grant award and approving an agreement with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for the FY 2027 Michigan Medicaid CHIP Lead Hazard Control Community Development grant program]

THEIR CHILD IS JUST TURNED THREE. SO BUT THEY'RE DOING WELL AND THEY HAD A LOT OF GOOD SERVICES FROM THE TESTING, THE INVESTIGATION, THE WINDOW TREATMENTS, THE PAINTING, AND EVEN SIDING. SO IT'S VERY HELPFUL. AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE ACCEPTING QUITE A SIZABLE AMOUNT HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION.

[3. Resolution accepting the continuation of a grant award of $834,595 from the Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA)]

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[4. Resolution authorizing a Budget Substitution in the amount of $485,000 for the LED Replacement Phase III project]

DO HAVE A MOTION. SO MOVED. THANK YOU, MISS KAREN. THIS IS THIS IS BUDGET SUBSTITUTION.

SIMPLY TO GET BOND PROCEEDS OUT THE DOOR. THE LED PROJECT IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE SEVEN YEARS. YEAH, YEAH. SO? SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE. THIS IS PHASE THREE. WE'VE BEEN ISSUING BONDS EVER, LIKE EVERY 2 TO 3 YEARS TO KEEP UP WITH THE PROJECT. THIS IS TO USE UP THE REMAINDER OF THE THAT THIRD TRANCHE OF BONDS WE'VE DONE.

AND THIS SHOULD BE, I BELIEVE, THE REMAINDER OF THE OF THE WORK. SO THANKS SO MUCH.

QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES, HEARING AND SEEING NONE. OH YES. I'M SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY IT LOOKS LIKE ACCORDING TO THE MEMO, THAT WE'RE AT 99% COMPLETED WITH THE LED REPLACEMENT. IS THAT CORRECT? AM I IN THE RIGHT PLACE? OKAY, THAT. OH, I DIDN'T SEE YOU BACK THERE. GO AHEAD. WOULD YOU LIKE COMMUNICATIONS? YEAH, WE'RE AT 99/90 9%. PUT THE MICROPHONE.

SORRY. YEAH, WE'RE OVER AT OVER 99%. THESE ARE NON STANDARD FIXTURES THAT DIDN'T REALLY FIT INTO THE OTHER PROJECTS. IT TOOK ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING AND ACQUIRING DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIXTURES TO FILL THESE LOCATIONS. SO DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW IF I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'VE HAD A CALCULATION ON THE CARBON EMISSIONS THAT WE'RE SAVING BY SWITCHING OVER TO OR THE ENERGY SAVINGS, DOES THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE HAVE THAT, OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE? I THINK WE COULD DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP ON THAT. YEAH, I COULD I CAN GET THAT TO THEM IF THEY SHOULD HAVE THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS AND THEN I CAN GET THEM THE INFORMATION ON THIS LAST. YEAH, IT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY AND CARBON WE'RE SAVING. YEP. WE CAN FOLLOW UP. THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING UP. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED ITEM CARRIES. THANKS SO MUCH. NEXT TWO ARE SALARY ORDINANCE. BUT THE FIRST

[5. Salary Ordinance for Supplemental Classifications: Election Aide (Level I, II, III, IV, V)]

MISS EDDIE GOOD MORNING, FISCAL COMMITTEE. MICHELLE EDDIE DEPUTY HR DIRECTOR. SO ON AUGUST 25TH, THE HR DEPARTMENT TOOK TWO CLASSIFICATIONS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD THAT WAS REVIEWED AND APPROVED. SO TODAY I'M BRINGING THEM BEFORE YOU TO APPROVE THE SALARY ORDINANCE FOR THOSE TWO CLASSIFICATIONS. SO FOR THE FIRST ONE IS THE ELECTION TECHNICIAN AID. AND SO FOR THIS ONE THIS IS A CLASSIFICATION THAT WE USE FOR INTERNAL STAFF AND RETURNING RETIREES THAT COME AND ASSIST DURING ELECTION TIME. AND SO THE LAST TIME THOSE WAGES WAS INCREASED WAS LIKE 2017. SO WE REVIEWED THAT. AND JUST ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL TODAY TO AMEND THAT ORDINANCE. THANK YOU, MR. CLARK. DO YOU WANT ANYTHING SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ONE? NO, SHE'S GOT IT. OKAY. AND NOTED THIS WAS ALL BOTH OF THESE WERE REVIEWED IN OUR CIVIL SERVICE MEETING, AS NOTED. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED ITEM CARRIES. THANKS SO MUCH. ITEM

[6. Salary Ordinance amending Section 4.4 of Ordinance 2025-22, Creation of a new classification Utility Valve Specialist]

QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE, COLLEAGUES HEARING AND SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

[7. Bid Resolution List for September 8, 2026]

MISS KAREN ANYONE'S THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT OR QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW JUST JUST 11 ITEMS THIS MORNING ALL FAIRLY ROUTINE. I WOULDN'T SAY ANYTHING WORTH PULLING OUT UNLESS THERE'S ANY

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[8. Report of Bond Sale - $39,540,000 Limited Tax General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026A]

THANK YOU. SO SO AS WE DO AFTER WE SELL BONDS, WE WE LIKE TO COME BACK AND REPORT TO FISCAL COMMITTEE HOW WE PERFORMED. AND WITH THIS ONE, WE GOT QUITE A SIZABLE PREMIUM ON. WE PRICED VERY WELL. SO OUR AMOUNT WAS 39.5 MILLION WITH PROCEEDS OF 41.5. THIS TO SATISFY THE REMAINDER OF THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER CAMPUS WORK, AS WELL AS THE FINAL GAP WITH THE SCRIBNER, WHICH IS A SCRIBNER. WE CALL IT SCRIBNER PROJECT. BUT IT'S THE PUBLIC WORK FACILITY UP ON SCRIBNER AVENUE. WE'RE. WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME. OUR BONDS ARE DOUBLE A. THEY PRICE VERY WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AGAIN, JUST JUST VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME. THESE BOND PROCEEDS YOU'LL SEE IN SOME OF OUR OTHER FISCAL COMMITTEE ITEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY NOTE BOND PROCEEDS, WE HAVE TO GET THEM SPENT DOWN IN TWO YEARS. WE'RE CONFIDENT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND YEAH, OVERALL, IF THERE'S ANY IF THERE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU. YEP. THANKS FOR THIS OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTING IT. QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES. ALL RIGHT. MR. TREASURER, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO. ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, I'M I'M THRILLED. THE FACT THAT WE SEE THESE BONDS BEING ISSUED AT THIS TYPE OF RATE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, AS AS INVESTORS LOOK AT US, IT'S OVERSUBSCRIBED, WHICH MEANS PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GRAND RAPIDS. THEY BELIEVE IN OUR GROWTH AND OUR DEVELOPMENT. IT'S OUTSTANDING FOR OUR OUR DEBT AND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON. IT'S JUST SOMETHING I CAN'T INVEST IN. JUST, JUST FOR CLARITY, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE EXPLAINED THAT. I DO NOTE THAT OUR BONDS GET OVERSUBSCRIBED. WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE PUBLIC IS, YOU KNOW, BANKS OR, YOU KNOW, INVESTORS BASICALLY WILL ALL BID ON PURCHASING OUR BONDS. WE GET MORE THAN ONE BIDDER. AND THEN SO WE'RE ABLE TO BUY DOWN, YOU KNOW, THAT INTEREST RATE AGAINST THEM. SO IT IS IT'S GREAT. IT'S GREAT WHEN WE CAN BE OVERSUBSCRIBED. AND LIKE I SAID, WE TRADE REALLY WELL. SO YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH. YEAH.

OKAY. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS PICKING ON YOU GUYS TODAY, BUT I THINK IT'S THIS. THANK YOU FOR ADDING COMMENTS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I HAD A BOSS THAT USED TO BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GREAT. JUST ASK US AND NOT ONLY ASK US, BUT ASK OTHER PEOPLE, RIGHT? AND SO WE HAVE THESE CHECKS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT CHECKS AND BALANCES, BUT DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK TOGETHER. AND ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE TRYING TO SORT OF SHOW THE TRANSPARENCY THAT WE ENGAGE IN THE KIND OF FISCAL HEALTH OF THIS ORGANIZATION, THAT WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY WHEN WE BORROW MONEY. AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THE LAST I

[9. Comptroller's Warrant Report for the period of August 11, 2026 through August 24, 2026 in the amount of $69,426,965.73 and Monthly Travel Report]

[10. Treasurer's Report for the Period of August 12, 2026, through August 25, 2026]

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SO THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE FED IS SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY CRUCIAL IN THIS IN OUR MARKET, THAT IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, IT WOULD REALLY SIGNAL TO ALL THE INVESTMENT COMMUNITY THAT OUR FED IS NOW POLITICALLY MOTIVATED BY WHATEVER THE ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. AND THAT MIGHT FLY IN THE FACE OF ALL ECONOMIC DATA AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES. SO I MY CONCERN IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FED STAYS INDEPENDENT AND FOLLOWS THE DATA. IF THEY DO THAT, WE'LL BE ABSOLUTELY FINE. IF THEY START MAKING DECISIONS ON A POLITICAL NATURE, THEN THAT THAT ALL BETS ARE OFF AT THAT POINT IN TIME. SO I DON'T I WOULD, I WOULD BE STARING AT HIGHER INFLATION AND OTHER THINGS THAT COULD REALLY SHOCK THE MARKET IF WE WERE TO LOWER WHEN WE'RE STARING AT INCREASES WITH THAT, WE HAVE OUR PORTFOLIO IS VERY STRONG AND STABLE AND IN A GREAT PLACE. WE ARE AT $670 MILLION, EARNING 3.26%. AND ONE OTHER CAVEAT I SAW THE HAIL MARY ON SATURDAY. I WAS AT U OF M CHEERING ON MY BRONCOS, SO I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED WITH THAT. BUT IF YOU WANT TO WATCH SOMEBODY REALLY CONTROL GRACE AND A TOUGH SITUATION, THE WESTERN MICHIGAN PRESIDENT AND HEAD FOOTBALL COACH GAVE A YOUTUBE VIDEO AFTER AFTER THE GAME, AFTER EVERYTHING WAS SETTLED AND DONE. AND IT'S SPECTACULAR. IT'S ABOUT A THREE, FOUR, FIVE MINUTE CLIP. IF YOU WANT TO WATCH GRACE UNDER ADVERSE SITUATIONS. IT WAS AMAZING. SO I'M THRILLED WITH THE BRONCOS.

I'M THRILLED WITH WHAT THEIR SEASON IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THEY WERE THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS LAST YEAR AND THEY SHOULD BE FRONT RUNNERS THIS YEAR. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT. I THINK YOU YOU KNOW, OUR COLLEAGUE HERE, COMMISSIONER KILGORE IS A PROUD BRONCO TOO. SO AND I AM A MICHIGAN STATE FAN. SO I'M SUPPORTING YOU GUYS TO. WE WERE ALL BRONCOS ON SATURDAY. I REDEEMED MYSELF WITH A CLERK. NOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT REPORT. AND YOU KNOW, THANKS FOR SHARING THAT. I MEAN, BOTH OF THOSE THINGS. I'M GOING TO LOOK AT THAT CLIP. BUT I THINK EVEN TODAY WHEN I WAS LISTENING, GETTING READY, I WAS LISTENING TO NPR ON A SHOW ABOUT THE, THE INCREASE USE OF LIKE A KLARNA CREDIT OR THESE, YOU KNOW, PAY AS YOU GO OR, YOU KNOW, SPLIT IT OUT OVER FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, PAYMENTS. AND IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO MAYBE GET A CREDIT CARD OR GET CREDIT. BUT JUST THE INCREASE OF THAT SINCE COVID AND THE INCREASE FOR THINGS LIKE GROCERIES. AND, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A VERY REGULATED MARKET, A LOT OF UNKNOWN. AND SO, YES, I, I WAS GETTING READY AS I WAS STRAIGHTENING MY HAIR, I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU, TREASURER, AND LIKE, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE CONTINUED TO SEE THIS AND IT'S JUST A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT. WE ALL, YOU KNOW, UP HERE AND THOSE OF US, OUR COLLEAGUES WHO AREN'T UP HERE, WE HEAR THIS CONSISTENTLY FROM INDIVIDUALS. YOU KNOW, TODAY WE'LL HAVE A REVIEW OF THE CORRECTIONS MILLAGE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE IS WHAT IS THIS ULTIMATELY GOING TO MEAN IN THE POCKETBOOKS OF INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR OWN? SO I JUST THOUGHT OF YOU AND APPRECIATE ALWAYS YOUR COMMENTARY ON THESE, THESE TOPICS. AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS THERE WHEN, WHEN I WENT TO, I TOOK MY SON. I'M STAYING WITH MY DAD A COUPLE DAYS WHILE HIS, HIS GIRLFRIEND'S OUT OF TOWN. AND SO I TOOK MY SON TO THE GROCERY STORE AND WE WENT THROUGH AND I'M JUST PICKING OUT STUFF FOR HIM. HE'S PUTTING STUFF IN THE BASKET. AND, YOU KNOW, NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I, I GO TO THE CHECKOUT LANE AND I HAVE THE SMALLER CART, THE TOP LEVEL, NOT OVERLY FULL, AND IT WAS $70. AND SO YOU START SEEING THAT YOU START SEEING WHEN YOU GO FILL UP YOUR GAS TANK AND IT'S $75 FOR 16 GALLONS OF GAS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR, OUR PUBLIC IS BEING, IS BEING CHALLENGED. I'M GOING OVER AND LOOKING AT ALL OF MY CELL PHONE AND CABLE BILLS AND INTERNET BILLS, AND I'M GOING TO START SQUEEZING PEOPLE TO GET LOWER RATES MYSELF. I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE DO TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH FOR OUR FAMILIES TO GET THEM INTO SCHOOL, SCHOOL CLOTHES, BOOKS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TODAY'S, THE, THE, THE TIME WHERE ALL THE KIDS ARE FLOODING BACK TO SCHOOL AND THOSE EXPENSES AREN'T GOING DOWN EITHER. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO TURN AROUND AND STARE AT THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY MEAL. HOW EXPENSIVE IS THAT GOING TO BE FOR A FAMILY THIS YEAR? AND THEN THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS? AND IT'S YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT ALL THIS STUFF AND, AND REALLY AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE, WE TRY TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS THE BEST VALUE AND KEEPING COSTS DOWN BECAUSE

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