Everyone
Now are we ready? Oh, okay. I said hello once. I hope we caught it
So we'll start out with our mid-year budget update these numbers are through
Through June we did get July's yesterday, but the PowerPoint was already done. So we'll go
For June
Right now projected revenues are coming in
$82,938 over budget, which is a good number
Billing is coming in at a a good clip. We had a slow start first two months
Came back around and where we're projected to actually do better than our budget
payroll is down
40 or over budget 43 thousand three hundred and forty two dollars projected for the year
That is without our safer grant monies. So
Towards the end of the year. We'll probably see a hundred and
9,000 roll into that category putting that category into the degree
so that was
The staff and grant we received last year
And we just have not received payment yet on it
so
We didn't count it
projected operations were
under budget 17,598 and
our
What's this? Can we get rid of this?
Is that me? There we go. Projected overall overhead expenses 29,493 to the good
What we what makes us nervous the rest of this year is the fuel costs still staying at a high
Number and some of our aging fire apparatus are getting kind of expensive to repair
So we're still working on that
Call volume right now. We're at
1,014 at the end of June
We will be well over 2,000 calls closer to 2,100
By the end of the year, which will be a record year
and
Just to give everyone a current
Status of the services and capabilities that we can offer with our sitting budget
Just as a reminder our EMS services are either two paramedic ambulances 24-7 or
One ambulance and one engine so during the day
We don't have a fire crew per se staff
We have four full-time members and three administrators in the office so we can shuffle those around
The part-time staff does not start till 10 p.m. And then at that time we have the two ambulances and an engine just
Kind of where we're laid out right now
We're still handling handling the emergency response capabilities at the what we call the bread and butter level
We've got the MVAs the structure fires the vehicle fires basic hazmat and of course the medical emergencies
When you start talking about high-angle rescue trends rescue
hazardous material release
Those are things we are not capable of handling internally and we will reach out to our partners
Mostly the city of Madison for backup
We also have the fire prevention which at this time is just chief nap in
There we've got the biennial inspections of the inspectable properties throughout the district as well as
land reviews
We're looking at about
Depending on how many violations we have through the inspections
District wide we're looking close to 2,000 inspections in a year where he's out knocking on doors and correcting problems
Then we have a limited community
Education program right now we focus on the fourth grade level at the harvest elementary school
That's about all we would have time to handle at this point
So when we look at our future
Opportunities potentially with additional funding or staff deployment we'll figure that out as we grow
But our biggest area of opportunities are in that fire prevention and community risk reduction areas
At this time
The fourth grade level kids are not really our problem
Most of our fires are being caused by adults and some interesting ways of running a household
So we need to expand our program, but that does take time and some folks
And then when we start talking about community risk reduction
We're talking large scale
We need to get out into
Senior living facilities educate them on resources that are available for to help us with lift assists
slip strips and falls
Drug overdoses when they can't read prescriptions as well as hazardous
Natural disasters
I tell them it's safety all of it
We in my opinion do not expand as a district or as a community into that area
far enough yet
Also in the next coming year or two, we will have our strategic initiatives
We have a strategic plan that's due
One station two is complete. We will have our current plan
Complete and we'll have to grow into the next one. We need to go through a community risk assessment
For not only industrial but residential areas
That those two projects there are at least a year are standards of cover document
Which will be
That'll probably be two to three years out. That's a quite extensive document
But that will start
Facilitating
Where I will be taking the department and how the next chief will be able to pick up when I leave
Which might be sooner than later because I am tired
Station two construction updates just so the board knows where we're at
The slab was poured last week. We do have the fire hose tower wall
Being constructed when I drove through yesterday. It's about six feet tall. So we're going vertical
Structural steel is our
Biggest red flag right now. It is being manufactured here in DeForest
But they're not communicating very well. And as of yet, we do not have a delivery date
So it doesn't matter how far we go up without the steel will be dead in the water
Did receive news the generator will be delivered in October and we've already reached out to the furniture folks
So all that should be on on time and on budget
waiting on the steel
For the 27 projected budget as we've talked about a few times from last year and maybe a little bit earlier this year
Fire departments requests are relatively minimal going into 27
For payroll, we do have the four safer grant positions that are offset by the 75% federal funding
We do have the negotiated labor costs at a four percent increase and
Of course health insurance does not go down ever. So there is an increase in that
Operations you're going to see a large increase in utilities and operational costs for station two
Most of that if not all of it is eliminated
With the decrease in rents that we're paying for station one
Overall outlook
We're looking good
right now
Missing a few revenue numbers. We're in that three to three and a half percent increase
the forest portion roughly
$50,000
We are waiting on finalized equalized values. I've got some
contracted services to hammer out yet and
We're waiting to see on some two percent dupes. So those numbers could improve
Again ongoing review will keep keep knocking that out we did get our audit done
And we have had favorable results from 25 and we are not expecting anything different from 26
Our capital expenditures for 27 will be the 22 sets of structural firefighting
Gear that's head to toe from helmets hoods coats pants boots gloves
104 302 dollars
We did run that through both
The finance directors before
We lacked this end of the 27 budget
This is a mandatory purchase our gear is expiring for two-thirds of the department. So
It's kind of a must-have
Nothing else would be included in the 27 budget as we look out past 27
28 is going to be a big year
We're going to see that grant funding go from 75 percent to 25 percent
And then in 29 we will have an ambulance here for delivery
We're needing some EMS equipment. We'll have a few more sets of structural gear
We'll have to absorb all four positions
That are funded by the safer grant and we have an engine by 29 that'll be
four years past due on replacement and
With the cost of that or the timeline of that engine sitting somewhere around two to three years once we pull the trigger on it
so
2829s might be a bigger struggle for us on our end
So again our long-term focus with the budget process is the sustainable staffing levels the equipment replacement and
capital investment
And I believe that is all I got
Thank you chief any questions
Melanie I was just curious. Thanks for the presentation. I'm just curious about
You mentioned right at the end sustainable staffing levels and one I think it's great that we have a
paramedic service
That's a higher level of care than say an EMT or AEMT service
So like our community is really lucky that we have that and I am glad to see the investment in the the employees that's in your
Presentation, I'm just curious on staffing generally because I do know that I
Don't know about Dane County very well, but other parts of the state
I've heard paramedic staffing in particular can be really difficult just because there's
Fewer of them and it tends to be regional. So I'm just curious if that's like a challenge that we see in our department and
Just how staffing is generally?
Staffing generally we will we'll be hiring our last position in the next two weeks
So then we'll be fully staffed
we tend to
Get them before they have paramedic
Training and then we educate them through and usually main means we have a higher retention rate with our staff
We're lucky in the fact that
According to union numbers. We are one of the best compensated departments
in Dane County, which tends to bring us some folks in
But when we say best compensated that also means
Equipment insurance all the benefits so our complete package is better than most in Dane County
We have had some folks that have left to go lateral movements or into other counties
Somebody wants to write in Chicago. I'm not going to keep them into force
So we haven't had the same staffing concerns. Maybe as other departments have had so far not gone
Well, thank you. That's great. I really think that's excellent that we're investing in
the education of folks and seeing them through that paramedic schooling. So thanks
Jim
Chief you mentioned a couple slides back you talked about your operationals
Going up, but then you said it'd be offset by the rent. Could you explain that a bit more?
Well, we paid
Roughly $140,000 a year in rent
back to
our landlord
With station two coming online
We're not going to be paying rent on either building
So we took that that extra money and that's what's paying for utilities and operating costs in station two
So we didn't take that big hit in the budget
I
Thank you
Anyone else
I can't see alicia on zoom
She was just on under apple user and I asked her to confirm that it's her
She's gonna try to log back in with her knee
Okay, so that we know that it's her. Okay, so I guess she doesn't have any questions then. All right, if that's
Oh
Okay, good
Um if that's all thank you chief you got
Next up is the presentation of the initial 2027 department budget update for the deforest police department and capital improvement plan
Chief Olson
Who captain riddle
I'm gonna ask this circuit
All
All right
So good evening. I gave you some documents already bird to ear in just a minute as we can kind of get into it, but as
We kind of are going to give you a little bit of overview of the 2027 budget request
For the PD. I thought it's important to kind of look back a little bit
I just closed this calendar. Is this something you guys need open
I
Was down there
Uh at 2026 and just kind of give you an update as to where we sit operationally in 2026 obviously
trying to be
effective and good stewards of the funds that were given through the pet tax payers and the taxing
Power and through the board through our budget process
I'll hit on a couple of these and then you'll see these numbers again as in comparison as we kind of get into the 2027 ask and
I'll explain how this all goes
So over time
Right now we're doing pretty well. These numbers were updated as of yesterday
So there's a daylapse and I'll explain there's some are going to close up here a little bit soon
Over time we're doing good. We're just about halfway through the overtime budget
But there's going to be some things that are going to affect the overtime usage coming up here and plus it's the unknown
So we keep trying to analyze our overtime to see if we're in par or
Making sure that we don't
Exceed funding
We have added and we have for years in our payroll system a bunch of codes that the captain is a very robust report for me
Every pay period so we know where we're spending money whether it's in court costs court cancellation extension of duty training sick callouts or overtime coverage
So we have a pretty good handle that where we spend resources
So that we can try to mitigate that for future events
Medical evaluations obviously is good
All of the electric gas we're leaving just we're doing well with those
Um
All these categories are are in good place. Does the technology will close up a little bit?
We just got the bill bill for Madison it so it's 16 17,000 for this one
So that'll close that gap up a little bit get your true to what we budgeted
Uh do's there's a reason and you'll see why that's a little bit higher here as we get into the 27. I'll explain it there
But training we're good. There's some training courses coming up that people are going to attend that that'll close that gap as well
Uh, especially that continued education and travel those will all get close to their closer to what the actual budget amount is
Operating is good and there's also some other things that I just approved the bill for we bought a handheld radio
That's just over 5,000 that'll close the that gap as well. So these will all be true. Just like the fire department
Um, we continue to watch fuel. We didn't notice in one month. I think two months ago
We got a $6,000 fuel bill when gas was really up there. It's coming down a little bit. So
That loss that there is an election in a few months, which means
I expect the price to go down as we get closer to the midterms
Um as people jockey for positions. So
Um
As we continue just a couple of the things vehicle repairs were still good
You can see all the categories that we're at were we're in a really good shape in 2026
But again, there's some other expenses that haven't quite hit yet
Different vendors and everything bill different times a year. So these numbers will close up to get
True or closer to the actual budget at amount
The non capital expense to see here was uh some office furniture from last year that by time we
Ordered it to the time it came in the price had gone up. So we ended up with 400 500 bucks over
Um
The documents I gave you was our strategic plan. This is something that I think I bought to the board
Last year if I remember right and kind of shared it with you
Um, we redid this after our first strategic plan. We had finished basically all the items
From 2019
Uh, we finished it. We re updated it with the input of staff stakeholders
I think I sent the board even at that time if you were here with the board
Uh some feedback instrument
Thanks to stay safe for helping put it together making it look pretty and adding some pictures and making it look good for us
um
the uh
The plan focuses on five different goals or five different initiatives
Investing in public safety the development inclusion transparency and accountability and health and wellness
Hey, chafe. Can you give us a second that looks like we're not sharing your presentation
Okay
You
Can we just stop sharing the re-share
Let the expert handle that
You
Okay, so
In our strategic plan there's 63 different initiatives we've identified and so it gets into the task part of it
Which is the excel print out you have the green highlighted ones we're either working on or if accomplished or continuing to be in progress
Or things are going to take some time. So we just economists in process
We're about 54 of those things that be the main completed or in process
Which is a pretty good start for about a year year and a half work on it
Um, some of them are going to be a little bit more detailed a little bit more take a little bit more
Um work to get it done collaboratively. So we're still working through that process and the things that we identify budgetarily
Are generally meet our strategic plan or our equipment needs
We don't budget based on wants everything that we have is is knee driven
For years we've heard kick it down the road not this year
And we're at a point where some of the things we're going to talk about are just starting to fail and we have to get them replaced
um
The plan was also approved by our police commission. Obviously the ones that oversee the police department
So they have all seen this as well. It approved the plan just as we released it. So
As we start to get into 2027
Um, you know, we we took a hard line. I asked for feedback from staff from the supervisory team
As to what things that they thought we needed in the budget and then scrutinized to try to figure out what's really truly in need versus
Something somebody wants anything that couldn't be identified as a need was just taken off the list
Um, there's driving factors for us labor. Obviously as a driving factor in any budget doesn't really matter which you look at
86 90 percent of your costs are going to be labor driven
Technology increases significant. You'll see that momentarily
Uh equipment needs
Uh, we have some and then just the rising costs of products and service
Are uh, they're kyroll said that you know, it's he'd rather go
Catch bad guys than do budgeting. So I can't disagree with them Brandon on the other hand loves it
Um
Our labor obviously will talk in the board meeting a little bit later about the cba where that all sits
Um, so I'm not going to touch on anything more with that
Not asking for any new personnel in 20 27
Can handle where we are. We're really probably down one, but we're going to hold the line with it
Um, what I do I'm asking to do is to take we have five sergeants to reallocate one of those sergeants positions to lieutenant's position
Based on a payment and who you look at a different in in the salary plus benefit
It's about a $7,500 cost totally. So you'll see the chart here
Right now the gap we have is in the lieutenant on the patrol side. So technically right now. I have four sergeants in patrol
That report to a captain which kind of really puts captain readle in a really awkward position. He's
Um having sergeants report to him plus getting other his other daily tasks executive level tasks that kind of really
Put him over really over the works side of it
Um, what would happen is this position here this uh investigative sergeant where it currently has sergeant pain
Would then be eliminated so you'd have a lieutenant in charge of investigations
and um
administration and then a lieutenant charge of investigate of patrol. Excuse me
And that's how that would shake out
With the uh
promotion of sergeant o'Connell that we had that promotion ceremony yesterday. He was promoted effective july 11th
You can see on the patrol side of the department. There's four sergeants two nights two days. So the captain put together a good
um staffing model for them
And it really helps us with coverage
Not only on the street, but just accountability transparency and everything that you need to keep our young staff kind of focused
When we look at the patrol staff and who's all in the patrol staff
Um, it's not lost that i've hired all of them. So that means all of them have less than eight years experience
Which starts to get which everybody's in the same boat don't get me wrong like we're not unique in that in that aspect
But having the four sergeants there to really guide mentor coach develop and hold accountable is an important thing
So if we get if I take this sergeant out
From one of the ones who apply to lieutenant, you would still leave four sergeants in patrol
So it's still be two days shift to night shift and they mirror up with their teams
Officer summers is the one that's currently at military leave. I've spoken to her in the last couple weeks
She does not intend to come back to the department once I get that writing will be able to fill that position as well
The ucera time runs out in
October
With that officer Kyle Casasola is announced. He's leaving the department. He resigns effective august 20th
He's going to work for mawakie pd in his
I look exactly I did in reverse order. I worked for mawakie for 29 in game here
He's just flipping the script a little bit. But uh, he told me it's driven on
desire to be a little bit busier and they make more money. They're going to start him at top paint
So it's they're doing the first lateral effort group over there. So good luck to him
We wish him safety and health and happiness and everything he's given us five good years of service
So he's he's you know put it his time with us. We appreciate it
So that's the ask for the lieutenant spot
Technology, this is the big increase
We currently have our records management system through madison it eric larson is there is our representative if you will he services our stuff
So they do our records management system and eric also supports our tracks, which is our axing to crash
as jim knows it's our crash data and also our
citation writing program
With him, uh, we get that service basically all encompassing
Tyler new world is our records management system that madison has
You're supposed to be an upgrade and I say supposed to be because about oh, I don't know
10 minutes before I came over here
I got an email from tom dole who's their manager at madisonit saying that something may get delayed
We don't know if the cost is going to really chew hold out
So they have told me that the cost for 27 is going to be that number that 47 000
You can see we paid in 26
um
And there's so it's a it's a significant increase in addition one of the consortium groups wanaki
Has left the consortium making us the largest
Department in the consortium. So proportionally we pick up a little bit more cost
I'm anticipating even moving forward into 28 that our cost for it will be about 40 000 a year
So it's not going to go all the way back down even though soon one time cost for the upgraded records management
Um, we need the records management system. They're about 1.5 million dollars to buy our own standalone plus half a million
Dollars roughly to extract our data. So
We get a pretty good deal even with the the increase for the year, but that's just
They need to save the cost of doing business, but that's just kind of what we got quoted from them
Uh data pilot for those around the board remember we approved that a few years ago
I've paid for it a couple of years out of acid forfeiture
We're not in a position to do that right now
So that cost gets rolled into the budget that was approved by the board when that was
Program was approved a few years ago
Um, some of the equipment needs our body warrant cameras. I meant to grab one. I forgot to
Um, our body warrant cameras are basically starting to fail and it's a technology if you watch the news at all is really really important for us
Um
Clearly we have the gtech. It's the bc2 if when you get real specific
Uh, they don't support it anymore. They don't make them anymore. They don't have any more parts to fix them
The batteries are lasting staff about six to eight hours on a 10 hour shift
So they got to keep docking it or recharging it during their shift
Challenge becomes if they don't grab it out of the car and put it back on before they get out now. We don't have that footage
The new one the bc4 that I put the picture in here
The benefit to it is now gtech is warranting the batteries
Whereas the ones that we have they didn't so I didn't buy the extended warranty for them
The camera was like 500 bucks the original one is a little bit more
But if the if the battery starts to fail that replaced the unit so it would be better for us in the long run to keep them five
Maybe even six years
They're about $17,000 to update the body worn cameras only
With that comes the in car system that also needs to be updated
We have seven of them that we need to get updated obviously we have more cars than that
But when squad 20 got totaled on the interstate last year we bought a new system. We don't need to do that
We'd expanded because we had a detective car that had didn't have a system
Um
Two three years ago that system is still in good condition and serviceable. We're going to use that system
And then the canine part got a different they got a newer one. So we don't need that
So with the system comes the dvr, which is the big box
This camera has got multiple different camera lenses to it. So it gives us a better view in 2019 our cars used to have
Uh
Five four or five cameras in them totally we're now down to three, which is good
We don't need all those but um
And then the infrared camera for the backseat and then the uh monitor so the officers can log in
Comes with a price, but I can tell you comparatively
Axon, which is the other one you generally hear when you hear about you know evidence.com and all the big things
It's probably close to $300,000 for the same equipment. GTAC gives us 4k possibility. We won't do that
It'll be 1080p's
with a good frame rate
And gives us everything we need so with a much more affordable price tag
We do a lot of fire to alarm it's called what it is. It's a panic alarm. We can put in houses
We've done it for victims if you're called a few years ago
We had the young man that went to the door to try to kill a family
We put it in that victim's family's house at the time
We did have a village board member who was being threatened. We installed it in their house at the time
Um, so it's a deployable panic alarm with you if you if they deploy it
they hit the
panic alarm
It will immediately notify our officers on our local channel where where where it is and they can respond to the residents
It basically cuts off having to try to get through a phone and call 911
Uh wait for it to somebody to answer get that over to a dispatcher dispatch the call it cuts off potentially three to five minutes of response time
um our unit is
15
It pretty old. I guess it's the best way we can put it
It's uh doesn't quite need the crank to start it, but it's close
So, uh, that's something we're looking to replace and update
Again, when we need it, we just don't want it to fail on somebody
Uh technology wise a couple other things that have to be there and first one the squad laptops, uh six squad laptops
Obviously with the cost of technology and chips. That's getting a little expensive
Right now. That's what they've quoted me about 19 589 for six of them
With the caveat that that might go up if del raises their prices again, which
They just keep raising them raising them abouts chips. It's chips. It's this
Um, the last time we really replaced all of them was 20 20 21
There was a permanent administration grant that came for law enforcement
We could either use the funds for certain things
We were based all our laptops at that time and be honest that kind of got away thinking that I can't believe it's 2026 and
Some of the keys are like falling off the computer. So, um, it's time to replace
Those
Uh to make sure that our portable radio staying in good shape. We replace one to two per year. It's a two year
So it's about they're just over $5,000 per portable radio radio microphone
Um
And charger it comes with that so we get the whole package
And then the last thing that in the car the car just doesn't we just don't get the car with everything in it
The cradle point router that's in it
Um, allows officers to connect to the internet
pretty efficiently
Um, the ones we have are like two g3 g's and are becoming obsolete
So this five won't replace all of them, but it will get us at least halfway through
So we'll be able to do it over a two-year period
Uh furniture we do we're not
Adding more furniture. We're just trying to get the ones that are
More heavily used aka the sardin's office the captain's office lieutenant's office
Uh to have sit stand capabilities so they can stand up if they're sitting there for a long time
Uh be a little bit more
Orgrometric and things like that. So a couple of the chairs are still we're still replacing those uh heavy use
Can't just buy the
The one fsa amazon or things like that because they
With pistols and equipment that we wear it just literally wears a hole in the chair within a year
And then it's junk
So this has heavier duty fabric. We've been using them now for a couple of years and they've actually held up really well
Uh two squad cars
It
It's not funny, but the interesting thing we went to dodge is probably seven years ago
Um dodge has been great to work with
Um
They don't change things like Ford will change to make the back door like one inch bigger none of your equipment works
Dodge has not done that at all since we started buying them
So
We see a little bit of a price decrease in upfitting in other words installing all the equipment because the things transfer vehicle to vehicle
Uh what we are asking to do is increase our vehicle fleet by one
And we would do that by not trading and not auctioning two cars
As you saw in the org chart, I'm going to have two sergeants working all of it administrative sergeant working all of a lieutenant
My captain my self
Um and officers the way their schedules works
There's days I walk out my car is gone. They're out using it for something and
There's no cars available. So adding one more car and we would do it. She's just not trading in a car
It would also fit in our vehicle plan that was created
Sergeant uh painting the captain created a plan a few years ago
Which we keep cars for five to six years and we're getting a really good return on the investment the mileage is still good when we turn them in
We uh sold
One of the dodges strangles this year and recuperated about 16 17 000 for the car
Which was a pretty good return at that point first plot car that's got a lot of idle hours on it
We also sold our last Ford and got over 10 000 for which was actually bought by a kid in the village who lives just up the street
We saw them driving it. Oh, I love these things. So
Overall
Dodges only raised their price maybe
1,800 $2,000 in the last seven years it is it hasn't been a huge price increase, which is kind of amazing
But more importantly they haven't changed the body inside of the vehicle much which has helped us being able to reuse equipment saves us a long run
Medical evaluations goes up a little bit in 27
We use a mental health providers that officers get
debriefs every year that is partially offset so in the budget that might actually come down a little bit when we recoup the cost
We do get a thousand dollars back from our insurance carrier for doing these things
And also anybody who's on our internet crimes against children task force. I think there's seven of them
Um, the state will cover a portion of their mental health debrief. So it's like a one-hour session. I just did mine
They're actually kind of a good thing to do you mean with a provider telehealth wise
And
They just walk you through debriefing anything that's bothering you and things like that
So it's a really good thing when I look at the number of times our officers are doing CPR and people on infants
The amount of times they respond to significant injury events
A lot different than well 37 years ago for me where it was just rub some dirt on it. He'll be fine
It's actually a good thing for them to have
So just a quick snapshot of 27 so you can see the numbers the left is the
2026 budgeted amount 27 requests is on the right side
I just use a 3% stakeholder for a placeholder for
overtime wages so increase that 3%
Again, the comparable is in 2024 our budget for overtime was $70,000
So we've been able to control it to a point to bring it down basically 20 grand
or the sum of years
Medical evaluations. We just talked about that goes up a little bit
This might come down when I start looking at a rebates we start to get from insurance other sources
The utilities I left the same
office supplies
Technology if you take data pilot and you take the increase to Madison it that absorbs all of that increase plus some
So we've been able to reduce get rid of one time usage programs things like that and been able to control that
That's just
Unintended unexpected increase
The do's line. I was just talking to Brandon about this afternoon
I found out that the link in their program wasn't working. So this number is actually more true
It just hasn't been linked right for last year or two. So it's always been showing this. That's why that increases
I
Training we found a course that we didn't need adjusted for things. It came down a couple hundred bucks
Continuing education and travel costs stayed the same
Operating again just trying to look at where we're spending money was able to bring it down a few hundred dollars
Some things went up some things went down. There was a one-time purchase in there. I took out
Fuel we're going to leave it set here in hopes that that number kind of stabilizes
We have been working on an internal adaptation should it need where fuel spike again
How do we still provide good service to our stakeholders?
But be cognizant of that expense so
Vehicle repairs that does go up. We've learned that all of our vehicles have to have persuaded tires on it
The problem becomes
With developments and other things if the officer runs over a nail in the tire, you can't patch it
It voids the warranty
So we have to literally replace the entire tire if they hit if they get a nail in the tire, which happens
Occasionally also the deaths the brakes and the vehicles are all pursuit rated now
So they're a little bit more expensive to to adjust and fix
We had our vehicle fleet supervisor sergeant ritzma who kind of manages all of that stuff for us
We sent him down to our the dealer that we work with pretty closely
They've been good about offering us discounts for basically making them their preferred provider
If you will and taking our cars are for service
Thanks to Greg and his team. They still do oil changes for us, which has already saved us significant
Money by just buying a barrel oil and having our mechanic here do basic maintenance to the vehicles
So that part has actually been very very helpful
The maintenance it says the same
Where you'll see these big numbers now is and working with Brandon to make sure I didn't leave anything behind
Um, we just put the numbers here so you can see it so all the equipment that's non-capital in the world
It's not over $5,000
Body-worn cameras and things like that
Is in that $56,000 the number at the bottom that's hard to see because of the zoom
The capital purchases or anything over
Over the $5,000 mark and that's like the in-car camera system and things like that
It turned just in the 160
That's the two cars the upfits of the cars things like that
It's $167,000 so those go into the borrowing side
And with that I think
Close to 20 minutes, but if there's questions we can happily answer them for you
So
Brad
Were these goals like an annual goal setting or is this a multi-year
The strap plan it's about a five to seven year this supports this
Five to seven years. So we tried to do a five the first plan we had was I
Now did a seven year plan. We had about 96 down in five years. So we updated
And
Other questions you guys have a lot of transports to like Mendoza or other locations that
Cost a considerable amount for over time travel expenses everything
So we've been kind of lucky lately, but now that you bought it up
We've been fortunate lately. We've been okay that way occasionally we do they're just totally unpredictable
Um
When we do have to make a transport it generally happens in the middle night
The expense we get is having an officer stay in the village while somebody is on a three-hour transport
Are they all still going up to win a bagel
If it's an ed that we can't place locally. Yeah, it's not volunteering
Oh alicia
Quick question on the varda systems like does
Or does anybody currently have those in their house and does that 4100 include like replacing those systems
Like in-house, or could you talk a little bit more about that?
Yeah, so the varda system is currently not deployed. It is still at the PD
So we keep it retain it in-house when it's not out there
The original ask was probably closer to 6,000 but it had some
Sensors that I didn't deem necessary like one for under the door mat and one for windows
I mean it's things that we're really worried about the panic alarm. So um
Currently it's not deployed but other agencies do have them and use them
It's hard for us to get them from victim services at the DA's office
Because they're just in high demand and they generally end up in the city. So uh for us
It's it's beneficial to have our own standalone system
I hope I got all your answers. Yep. Thank you
Clean
Thanks chief for all this information. There's a lot there and
I was just kind of wondering with everything that you do have here
Is there anything else that you would want us to know or want to add about your department that
You either want to expand on or wasn't in the presentation
I try to keep you guys up to date throughout the year. I mean work
It sounds and I've said it before but we're getting busier, but we're getting complexity busier
Um, I think
And I don't know I didn't see the numbers. I didn't look at that email yet further just came out from july's numbers
But we're we've been averaging 1,100 1200 calls for service per month
Um and now being short too. That's going to really strain in text and staff a little bit
Um
But the complexity is getting up so the way we have the department designed and that gets back to the personnel side of it
Is the appropriate design having the sergeants that are there to keep again our under eight-year staff learning growing and hopefully retaining
Is worked really well and having them integrated especially on the weekends is important
Um
As far as you know the equipment that we have again, we we've stuck to really the needs
Um
Everybody will pull out some want that they have but it's just not sustainable
So the equipment that we have is really the nuts and bolts of what we absolutely need
Um to me the other thing is it gets to be important
About having a good equipment replacement plan in place for not just for the pd
But I think for the entire village because we start to look at you know, how do we cut off the ebb and flow?
I think we've talked about in our department had meetings quite a bit
To keep the spikes in the equipment, um, you know some of our stuff like our video camera system
Honestly, it's better for us not to try to do one a year as as technology changes
For example, it'd be a bc2 as a body camera is about two and a half inches wide
The new ones that they don't that they now or we want to move to are about three to four inches wide
Well, there's a dock in the squad so it can't
Slowly, you know add new ones because they won't work together
The whole point of that program is to seamlessly integrate
Um, so that's the reason that we're trying to do it all at one time
But you know being able to replace our laptops and other items on a schedule
We'll work out well for us in the long run
We've done it captain like I said in sergeant pain have done a really good job with our vehicles
Being able to capitalize on the return on the investment
But then also being able to keep them, you know in a good place where a lot of the work is covered under warranty
which controls our
Vehicle maintenance costs. So a lot of the plans we've put in place have been really working well
Um, so we can kind of control costs and overruns
Good points. Thank you
Anyone else
Thank you
We will now move on to department updates administration update bill chain
Uh one update of
On august 18th, we are preparing to have um a community roundtable
Um, this will be scheduled during the regular
Work session. So if you remember a couple meetings ago
We had talked about holding around table to check in on
Where the relationship is and and have dialogue and constructive feedback
on strengthening the relationship between the community and the the government
organization and
Uh, it was um at that time suggested that we should hold it
Uh during the time of a work session rather than having it separate separate from from village board meeting
So we will prepare for that. Um, if there are any particular subjects that you've heard from
constituents, um or topics related to
Safeening relationships, uh, please be prepared to be prepared to discuss that
You're working with stacey, uh getting some marketing material out there and communication to the community so that
Um, we can have a healthy dialogue
Thank
Thank you bill
Finance update brandon. Yeah, just a few updates here. So last week, wednesday
We held our first budget listening session. Um happy to report that there were some constituents that did come for it
So happy to present to at least a few different people about our current progress and our process regarding our budget
Uh 2027 budget
Sessions that were going on. Um, some good question and answers came out of that within there
Um, next just wanted to give a little shout out to
Alex's team, especially rachel and brandy and the front line staff and um the
Finance staff we've been working the past month or so of creating a new special assessment search process
Um regarding for like title searches and special assessment process
Specifically with title companies that we had up quite a manual process beforehand
So, um, we were the team was able to create kind of a new web page for that and a new streamline process
That's going to cut out a lot of manual hours and processes in there within there
We're going to get it launched here. Um, hopefully in the next month or so and get it out to um title companies
So that they can go through that
And then I will remind you again at the next meeting
But our next step after today's budget processes is going to be one-on-one meetings with um
Each of the trustees um and village administration and finance director just to talk about strategic goals budget priorities
And items like that for the 2027 budget, um, we're looking to get that set up between august 18th through the 28th
So we've each kind of wanted to start thinking about your availability throughout that time and um, we'll talk about it again soon
Thank you brandon and just in case anybody gets any inflated notions of the crowd at the public budget hearing it was three
Uh, police department update
Oh, Jim. I'm sorry. Go ahead
Sorry, Brandon. Did you say it to the 20th or did you say it to the 28th?
Uh 28th
Okay, 18th through the 28th. That's like our time frame. We're looking at giving one-on-one. So be each of you
Yeah, thank you. Of course
Yeah
Sorry, we were looking at the yeah, we got enough. Oh, yeah, I forgot about that
So uh two things. I'll let Chris cover one but uh first one is just if you can put it on your calendars or mark it
I'll ask cal you to a quorum notice
September 10th is thursday is our national line out, um here at fireman's park. So
Uh, we generally draw pretty well. We do it later than everybody purposely uh so that we can get more people to attend
um
So we look forward to hosting that event on that night. Hopefully continue good weather and so that nature so
It's thursday september 10th
Five to seven in fireman's park
Uh secondarily we talked about um officer cast this whole leaving and then officer thumbers potentially so we are hiring so if you
Know any good candidates people interested in point them our direction
Um, I think the secondary part of so kind of let you know is like when we talk about staffing and being fully staffed
We've been like lucky enough to have had that for a while
Um, which is pretty abnormal if you hear about police staffing and public safety staffing. It's not
Usually full staffed. Um, I think it's important to recognize that like when we lose a person and have to replace them
It is a long process or hiring here and then if we have to send some through the academy
And field train then this person that we would hire probably will not be out on the robot themselves until like next fall
So us being one person down is us being one person down for an entire year
So, um, just as far as in the future when we talk about staffing needs and things like that. That's kind of some things to consider
Thank you gentlemen
Public services chug. Yep. I got a
Number of things to cover
Um, we'll start with a stream bank project phase one and phase two has been completed
If you've not had a chance to go walk the trail
We started at south street and worked our way down to innovation drive
So there's a variety of areas there that had improvements done
Which will help the water quality the full of the river
And should we have
Incidents where there's high water. It won't erode
The banks like it has in the past. It will actually have created some more additional space and more storage capacity and in some instances
Um
It's not in our jurisdiction, but it is
Will be our jurisdiction and some point the bridge that's over dental road and down by the tesnic
Motors there or does it sound for tesnic? It's so
It's a you know, uh behind the travel america that bridge is being replaced. Um, there's a grant that
Burke got to do that
Work to that bridge is in the process of being replaced and that work is uh, transpiring on schedule
There is a water main extension on dental road that leads to highway cv. So there's a new building there
That's been going up. That's the pguv
Uh, there's board approved that development agreement a couple meetings back
Um, they have begun that work extending that water main to cv
acre parkway
Uh, the reconstruction project there is continuing to transverse or transpire on what the right word would be
It's it's moving along. Um, and um, should be done in the
month fish or so
Um with that
Uh, our staff has been working very well. Um, if you've gone down
Um, there's a new trail that we're putting in by a hooper. Um kind of on the retaining
Uh, the the retainage pond there. There's a
um wetland
Forest area there. Uh, we have a trail that's going in around that that our our staff has been putting in
Hopefully, we've not been going down there because Williamsburg way and Peterson crossing is closed hard closed
That roundabout project began
Um on the 29th. They started that process. So the road is tore open as everyone in that roundabout section there
with that
Um, the trail segment there that runs along Williamsburg and peterson
um is
Going to be closed so greg and i
Uh reached out to hooper and they gave us a the ability to put an overland trail through their their
Open area there. Um, so we grow some stakes this afternoon and we'll put snow fence up
So we did hear from residents down in the southern part south of 19 saying hey
This is our access to get up to our parks and for our kids to get up and visit their friends further north
um, we really like a safe route for them to go so um
We're thankful the hooper for allowing us to do that
Um
So again that project the Williamsburg
Peterson roundabout should be about two two and a half months till it's completed and and that road will be back open
Um, the new garbage rfp is out. Um, so we've had interest from a handful of uh
waste haulers to be
Looking to apply so those
Responses are due at the end of the month will have a question
Period by august 21st will respond to all questions and then they've got a week after that to get us their
the results back and then we'll
Uh, we bring that back before the board at some point. There was an option in there
Um to have weekly recycling pickup
Um, so we'll know what that cost is and you as a board can decide if it's um
With while moving forward with that
Two of the things jackson our new hire started so we're active being fully staffed as a team jackson's been on for two days
And so far he's fit in very nicely with the guys and I think he's gonna be a good fit
And uh, finally you may have noticed sometimes on our our our trucks we have
Uh flag on there. That's his first responders and often i've been asked before like you guys are first responders. Ha ha
We are kind of first responders
Um, um, and an example of that was yesterday
Trent day one of our, uh, water guys, uh was out
Um getting rock for the trail and as he came back a FedEx vehicle was on fire
So he pulled over blocked the road off and he was his fire extinguisher to try to extinguish the fire
Fortunately, it was going to be too big for the one fire extinguisher to handle
But he did block the road off until the fire department could come and and take care of that problem. So, um
I'm proud of him. He's you know and our guys often encounter these kinds of things or situations where kade
Out on a bike and our guys are first ones there because they happen to be near so, um, just to highlight
They do good things
Furthermore, Trent has spent last week anyone up to menasha and helps with cleanup at the
Whatever they had tornado those bad storms that rolled through there. So
Kudos if you see Trent make sure you thank him for that
But uh, just to highlight some of the good things our guys do as well. So
That's crazy
Next up is community development or to Alex. Oh, I'm sorry
Two quick questions. Uh two things I keep hearing a lot about and i'm not sure one of them we have anything to do with but it's the
Uh
Main road
Um cv
Yeah, sorry
Uh, is that a dane county projects that is a dane county project
We're hearing paving will happen this week this week great. Uh, and the second one is a conservancy splash pad
I've been getting
Many notes that it's been
Nobody's been working on it for a couple of weeks. I don't know what the progress is there if people are
Doing like the water main hookups or whatever's going on there. Yeah, they're connecting the meter
Um and connecting all the water spray heads
Um this week next monday
We're going to have a walkthrough of the splash pad and then they'll do all the grading and
Seeding of the area
Most likely I don't know if we'll open it up this here just because we're gonna try to grill grass there before
Um rivers fast. Um, but we'll see see a lot of how to get
Alex
Just really quickly. So the village uses a general engineering company for its building inspection services over the last
Twoish months we've been working through a transition of our lead building inspector who's been kelly green for
Probably 20 something years
Um as he transitions as work away from the community
We were bringing on a new inspector's names erin and uh, they'll be some other inspectors that are sort of supplementing him
Um, I would just say if you get any issues or hearing complaints during this
Call of the next month or so we're kind of working through that transition
So please pass those along to me, but you can also certainly communicate that it is a
Transition period and there will be some bombs
Thank you
administrative services kelly
Nothing
Communications
Stacy nothing
Any other business that lawfully comes before the committee for discussion. Oh, can I give can I give my update?
All right, mrs. Oh, I'm sorry
All right
Creation and community in our treatment. Go ahead grace
Uh, so this week is national farmers market week. Um, so uh kelly our new market manager has some tattoos and are doing some different activities
Um, I believe we have 38 vendors for today
Um, we have a night market is next thursday
August 13th, um, we will have that booth to give information about the mountain bike trails
Um to get feedback
Um, we have flag football that's starting in the next few weeks and then we're doing our final edits for the fall winter guide
Um, just as a reminder that's published next friday and registration will open
Um, the following monday and the 17th at 11 a.m. Um, we were able to add cornerstone. Um, they added a information page
into this guide so
Um, you know, we continue to kind of look at it being more of a community guide trying to make sure that we're getting
Um, as much information out as we can
Um, and that that's it
I'm sorry. I didn't intentionally leave you out
Any other business that lawfully comes before the committee for discussion only
Being numb is their emotion to adjourn
Motion to adjourn motion by jan is there a second
Second by jim
All those in favor to adjourn indicate by saying aye aye
All those opposed no
Motion carries unanimously. We are adjourned at 6 0 3 and let's reconvene about 6 0 8
All right, let's um help order the village board meeting for august 4
Kelly, would you please note the role
Uh, respiration of the pledge of allegiance jan would you lead us please
Okay
Announcements, I will turn that over to a melody who hasn't announced but yeah, well. Hi everybody
I just wanted to take a minute. Um, if you've seen me in person, you probably know this if you haven't in a while
Um, I'm pregnant and I'm gonna have a baby in a couple weeks. So I just wanted to update
uh the board and staff and community members that um, I'm gonna give birth in like two weeks. So
um, I will be out for the next couple meetings and uh, that's why so
Um, just wanted to let everyone know and please continue reaching out
And I'm not gonna fall off the face of the earth, but give me a little grace with my response time
Um, and um, I'll make sure our community members are aware when they reach out that I'm out for a little bit
Um, and yeah, just wanted to say thank you and let everyone know and thanks calling for the space
Good luck
Thank you
And son to gender does anyone wish to have anything separated out
No
Okay, all those in favor of uh pool of the consent agenda indicate by saying aye motion to approve
I'm sorry. I forgot that part
Second
Motion to approve the consent agenda by brad seconded by jan
All those in favor indicate by saying aye
All those opposed no
Motion carries unanimously
uh general public appearances
And we have none
Presentations
Presentation of check from fourth of july's celebration beer tent sales to the deforest lines club
Peace. Yeah, I'll just quick. Um, we have a number of lines club members who are here with us tonight that will be doing the check presentation
Myself as a staff and I know trisha and others who work the fourth we can't say enough good things about working with
The lines they have been great. They're a great addition or they've still been a part of the fourth of july
But this new role has been super helpful. I know I worked with a number of them over the fourth
So, uh, just really want to thank them. We'll be looking to continue this going forward
Uh, this year their um profit share was uh, 7777 dollars
Which is 30 percent?
And yeah, all that money comes back into the community and and other things so they really are a great partner and
um, we'll look to get a photo and um, um, keep working with them so
Well, thank you for your work lines club and congratulations on seven thousand some dollars. That's nice
And uh res tells me she wants a photograph
So we will all now move in front of the dais for a photo with the lines club and the check presentation
So
All right, next up for presentations is uh, gavin denning presenting on the management internship year in review
That's me
Yeah, hi, uh, first of all just wanted to uh, come on and say, uh, hi and thank you
Uh, it has been a pleasure to spend my summer full time
Uh at village ball out in the community interacting with not only residents staff trustees
It's been a pleasure and incredibly valuable
Uh, the great news is it's not over yet. My internship does run through the end of the calendar year
Uh, but my full-time commitment does end at the end of this week as i'm going on vacation
And then heading back to campus for uh preseason marching band and all of the craziness that comes with college
But i'm excited and I will be moving to remote work once i'm back on campus for the rest of the school year
But um, well, i'm here and in person. I wanted to give uh, a summary of some of the work that i've been doing over the year
And i'll give you guys an opportunity to ask questions about
the experience the role, um, to engage your interest on and hopefully continuing to fund the program
So future students can become invested in local government like I have
And I do always like describing pictures that I include in presentations and so, uh, this was right after
We uh, stacy jud greg and I loaded a dead deer out of via har river into the back of a pickup truck
um, and didn't know howl good away and so uh, definitely a memorable experience in my stint with public services and
Uh, I appreciate that the trust they put in me or maybe deferred to me to help deal with but it was a pleasure
Well, there's a video. Yeah, the video is included. So don't worry
Um, but just a brief agenda. I want to go over a brief history of my
employment experience with the village
Uh, the goals that uh bill and i set for the internship and some of the deliverables that have come as a result of those goals
Next steps for me both professionally and personally and then an opportunity for some discussion
All right, so i'll start with the picture because I think it's kind of funny
Uh, this is a picture of me on my first day as 14 year old concession employee at the athletic complex
Uh retro picture. It's got the original ac logo out there. So, uh, you can tell it's old and i've got a different haircut now
Um, but I have been employed with the village for four years and in that four years i've worked six different positions
So concession attendant concession lead rec staff referee rec intern and now management intern
Um, each one has has given me a invaluable experience and i've enjoyed every minute
Um, I've had one interview from the village and that was when I was 14 and it was over zoom interviewing with recent sam for the position of
concession attendant. So I like to think that the upward movement has been a result of
My interest in the time i've taken to interact with my colleagues
Uh, and then some of you might not have known this but I actually have gotten three college credits because of the internship that
She contributed directly to my major through a w madison internship reflection course
And so every week I take some time to reflect on the work that i'm doing interact with other students who are pursuing internships around the country
And we trade stories advice things like that and um, as far as college credits go, it was pretty easy
So i'll take three credits anytime
Um, and then just that last one. I just an infinite amount of influential career moments. Um, hopefully
Uh, you've come to pick up on the fact that i'm really passionate about
Uh local government to forest especially since i've grown up and live here currently
Um, so it's all been really valuable
All right, so moving on to some goals and deliverables and for a picture description that was take your brought to work day
During breakfast. Um, so on a friday morning. We got some brats for the office and it was great
In the way
Oh, I just want to teach you any way to do it
We could go out any day
Baby, i'll take it there take
Baby, i'll take it there
Oh, it's coming through my tummy out and you love all you can get dead anything to come on
Baby, just shout it out, shout it out
Baby, just shout it out again
And if you
You want me to
Let's make a move
Yeah, don't tell me girl if every time we
Because it's kind of
Don't just spend my time making videos here. Um, I actually got reached out to by the university
They wanted to feature my internship. Uh, they found it
Impressive actually that an undergraduate student was in a government internship through the thought school public affairs
And so I was featured in an article from the school as well as then they asked for a day in the life video to go on social medias and linked in
And so it was a great opportunity not only to showcase some of the work i'm doing but
The commitment you guys as a village are making to invest in internships. So thank you
All right, and so then this is where I wanted to break into some of the goals that I set when
I knew I wanted to pursue an internship with the village and those four goals were exposure
Project support policy experience and professional development
And so within each one of these are a set of deliverables that have made those goals possible
And i'm really proud of some of the work i've been able to complete while i'm here and also realize that like I said i'm not done yet
So starting off with exposure
I've been able to spend one to two week
Intensives in every department in the village starting with
Recreation back at the start of the summer and then just wrapped up my week with callee in the clerk's office and currently with the police department
Um, I have made the made it clear to department heads that I didn't never wanted them to say no for me when it came to valuable information
Meetings, um anything of the sort so my calendar would fill up throughout the week of different meetings
Across different departments, and I just tended to focus on add a bit extra focus to the whatever department I was in for that stint
Um development were to review team specifically was a really valuable one
Experiencing all of the stakeholders and players that go into
Growing our village and then on day one of my in-person internship
I attended the deforest Windsor fire station to groundbreaking ceremony. So some great exposure there
Um, when you think of an internship you generally think right away to what kind of projects are they going to be picking up to keep them busy
And the great thing is
Little if none of the work that I've done has felt like busy work
So far this year and that's really valuable because it all goes back to resume experience things I can take to future employers
To show that I'm building a lot of great professional experience
And so some of those tangibles would be the trustee onboarding handbook that university alliance started
And I was able to bring through the finish line currently working through a wage scale study for our
Village wide actually employees. We're looking to implement a wage scale and so collecting
Um wage and salary data from neighboring municipalities and interpolating that data to make a recommendation to you in the future
Clear gov is our forward facing a public budget book
And so I'm working with Brandon and carol in the finance department to get that rolling for 26 and 27 budgets
I was able to work with Tricia on putting the mural together
Which was a lot of fun with our rec and turn Carly and then some volunteer artists in the community
Uh, I ran the pickleball tournament again, which is a project that I started last year and then ran again this year
We had an increase in team participation increase in games played. Um, and we were in the black for the tournament. So that was exciting too
Uh, some process improvement in the finance department and then calley has a little a flyer that I grabbed off my desk
but um community development had me work on some home reach branding and so actually
Al chipped in a bit on a logo kind of the lean chipped a bit on a logo
Uh, calley helped on developing a logo. So uh adding some brand consistency to an initiative that we want to see growth and applications from
And so I focused specifically on the aging in place and accessibility arm of that program
Mainly because it was easy to make a tangible flyer that can be sent to the community center
Uh because senior citizens and our our elderly residents like having those hard copy pieces of information that they can pick up at the places
They go and so I identified that as an action item and is able to put together an information flyer that will go out to the community center for for those residents
And moving into policy experience. Uh, one of them being tonight, uh, have the opportunity to present
Um, so policy and have that policy discussion with you all. Um, that's really crucial to pursuing a career in village administration local government
Uh, additionally just general policy review, uh, bill jud and al would take the time to forward me
Policies intergovernmental agreements rf peas to review see what they look like just get that exposure
Um, boundary meetings as we as we look to, um, gauge priorities from neighboring municipalities and communities what that looks like and
And where we see those those conversations heading
Clean community conversations have been really valuable. Um, just to gauge opinions from, uh, community members and see where people are coming from with their ideas and then finally board meetings just
Um, getting experienced to understand the process and know what goes into running a local government
And then professional development was actually a nice surprise
Interns generally don't have very many opportunities to develop professionally. That's generally reserved for for career
Career members or are hired full-time staff
I was lucky enough to be able to attend the wisconsin city managers association summer conference as
The youngest attendee and I take a lot of pride in that. Um, I think that's a strength
Uh, Lauren freeman is the deputy administrator in one a key and she set up intern cohort meetings
Which was a collection of some of the madison area management interns
And so we spent four or five fridays through the summer touring other municipalities focusing on local government one-on-one getting opportunities to connect
Because a lot of us are in a program of one in their municipality
And then finally having the opportunity to network with recruiters whether it was at, um, on zoom at wcma during cohort meetings
You know, those are hopefully people that will be able to help me land me a job in the future. So all really valuable
And then just a couple pictures to go along with that
Shout out to greg in the public services department for amazing village connections where we learned about the water system and tour to water tower
Carly Brandon and myself working on tiles for the mural
That's just me at my desk
And then these are some of the interns up in lacrosse at our summer conference
And so great opportunities to network network with students like me
And then all of this leads into kind of my mission statement with the presentation and the strongest takeaway for my internship is that the village of deforest has
Ignited my passion for local government leadership. This is a career
I'm very interested in building and taking further
I don't think I could have said that a year ago when I agreed to take on this internship probably because I was intimidated and
Didn't know quite what I was getting into and every opportunity that I've had to learn has has made me more interested in the work
And then finally for some next steps and then for a photo reference. This was at the groundbreaking for firestation 2
As many of you know, I'll be concluding the interns this internship at the end of the calendar year
With a couple more in-person days when I back and winter break
Hope planning to graduate with my dual major in marketing and public policy in may of
2029 and then actively looking for new internship opportunities
Pretty open. I
It's and there's a lot of value diversifying my experience. So we'll see where that takes me, but
It all goes back to thanking you all for your time and your trust and your approval of a budget that was able to fund an internship as
Influential and experiential as this was and so I thank you for that and want to see if you have any questions
Jan
First I want to say with your enthusiasm and your energy and all of that. I think you're going to go far, Gavin
Thank you. I appreciate it. You're doing a great job
Um, but what I wanted to know do you have to know on these home reach
Flyers, do they have these at the community center? I still have to drive them out there
I mean, that's on my that's on my action list. That's they're on their way out there
Oh, okay, because I was going to I'm going tomorrow and I was saying I could use some of these to take along. Oh, perfect
Actually, I could give you a stack after the ring. Thank you very helpful
A little off-subject, but thank you. No, that's great. I appreciate it
Gavin, you have just been a real joy to have around you're easy and fun to pick on
Uh, you work hard
You've done some really good stuff. I think uh, it's
Been a pleasure and I for one will miss your smile and exuberant face
Thank you. I appreciate that
Anybody else
Alicia
Awesome. I think I echo everybody else's sentiments Gavin. So
Thank you and I wanted a couple questions. So
Um, I know you're going to finish out remotely, but what is um, like something you're going to miss about working
Uh in person in the village and then to what has been like the most surprising
Thing, um to you from your time working in the village
Yeah, those are two great questions. Um both easy to answer
Um, number one that i'm going to miss is uh being able to be a fly on the wall so consistently
Whether it's in meetings, um, just generally picking up on office dynamics and how
How a group of professionals who are so passionate about serving their community work together
That's a really valuable experience just being in the office and then also being able to sit in on those meetings pick up on dynamics
Between whether it's working with developers meeting with land owners community members, um trustees all those things
There's a lot of cool dynamics and relationships that go into running a local government that i'll miss some of those things
But I think i've built a really strong foundation
And then the biggest surprise and um, I'll say this is as politically as possible
But the we get a lot of feedback from non-residents
Was probably my biggest surprise and the engagement that we have from people who might not have
A deforest address or be a deforest taxpayer. Um, I think there's i've learned a lot of the ways in which that can
impact our decisions and um
All for all for the better as far as uh me learning what those relationships are like
And so it's been really valuable to to pick up on
Some of those things and also understand how that affects your decision making as a board
Jim
Yes, I want to thank you
So a little bit of my background as I work for the dot
And somehow I got into the role besides my regular job
I also work with a lot of interns and help play some at the dot. So
Good to know maybe talk to you later
Good thing. I have your
Why I say that I think it's a very important thing to put effort into the internships
I am a static that you are such a good example of that. So I'm looking at all the department heads and I hope we
Get more interns because I think it's a great effort
Opportunity is safe for yourself too. And again, they've been a great example
So hopefully that inspires other people and maybe we get more interns and it
Really creates a whole lot of the doozy enthusiasm not only safer than trends themselves
But I think even the staff that get to work with them
Never mind you or at least myself
Like why you actually came into the job in the first place. So I thank you for leading that off for all of us
following through
Yeah, it's been my pleasure. Thank you
Anyone else
Just have to hammer the point home
Gavin you're very impressive and
I'm going to miss I know you're not leaving us yet
But I am going to miss seeing you around and just want to emphasize like others have your passion and your positivity is really
um
special to see and unique and
The world needs more of that. So I wish you the best in in your future and you're going to go really far
I really really appreciate that. Thank you
I'm afraid that's the end of the affection
Been waiting all summer now. Yeah, thanks a lot. I appreciate it
Next up
presentation of the initial 2027 department budget updates regarding the community development department and Alex
I
Know
Got the keyboard
I just want to stress that this is a preliminary budget because I will be adding a
management intern or just an intern in general after hearing Jim's comments later
You
Okay
So just to walk through again a preliminary budget for the community development department I give a little bit of an overview here of the department itself
We are a smaller team. It consists of myself as community development director
Our zoning administrator, Brandy Cooper and then our admin assistant Rachel Covey
We cover a couple different
facets, I guess
permitting and development
That includes everything I referred to earlier we on tried for building inspection services our team
Coordinates pretty heavily with their building inspector and their admin side of things to get intake on permits
Process inspections fees those types of things
We also have development intake process through our online application and review of those developments
So when somebody's coming in to build a project they have to go through our system
And then we also contract out
As of this year. This was the first year we contracted out for code enforcement services previously. We had had that in house
Long-range planning
This covers more of the comprehensive plan housing studies infrastructure plans anything that is sort of a guiding document for the village
With a longer tenure
And then on the economic development side of things
Assisting with site selection for developers or businesses looking to locate within the community
Connecting with our local large and small employers to understand their needs
Both in terms of growth within the village
And any other pain points they may have and then
We have a limited role in small business support
But hopefully that is transitioning a little bit more to the chamber, which we'll kind of touch on here in a little bit
And feel free to stop me at any point and ask questions
A little bit of historicals on the budget. I'll zoom out here
Try to pull a picture
So on the left you'll see the last three years including this year of historical budgets
Generally speaking, we kind of break into five different categories
The largest of which on the left-hand side you'll see is our building inspection
So just one point to note about this because we do contract out for services
We also have revenue that comes to offset those building inspection costs so everything that
All the costs that we're incurring for general engineering to go out and do these building inspections
We're also recovering those costs through inspection fees to the private side of things as they make those requests
Planning services this entails we currently utilize
Third-party planning consultant mark roffers. He's been with the village for again 20 something years
Has done everything from long-range plans comprehensive plans housing studies to
Are basically every development review that we have come in. He's the lead on those reviews
So planning services are costs associated with his services
Professional services this includes legal review. It now includes third-party code enforcement. It also
Includes our use of veer bicker for civil engineering and their cost for development review as well
Special projects these are things like
The housing affordability and fee study reports that we do some of that statutorily required for us to have that
And then on the admin side of things that stuff like the project management software that we use trading
Conferences and then annual subscriptions and dues as well
So looking at 2027 on the right-hand side again preliminary because we're adding the management piece just or the intern piece just to be clear
Building inspection looking at our historical numbers and where we're at in terms of future development. We're projecting that to be a little bit lower
Planning services. I've actually added a little bit of cost there
Percentage-wise it's roughly a 38 percent increase which is sizable nominally or dollar amount
It's not necessarily on our overall budget as impactful, but I'll talk in a few minutes here about why
Or adding that you can see in parentheses additional staff coordination. It's tied to another request later
Professional services. There's an increase that's built into our code enforcement contract. This is generally associated with that
Special projects. We don't have a ton of special projects on the horizon for 2027 outside of our statutory requirements for housing studies
And then on the admin side
I think we've had we haven't had the attendance
To some of the conferences and training in the over the last couple years. So
Based on our usage you've kind of dialed that down a little bit as well
And then you'll see right now we're projecting in that zero increase for the department as a whole
Um as always try to tie these budget conversations back to our strategic plan
So I pulled a couple from the strategic plan to kind of orient us here
The first being efficient staffing and the language below is pulled directly from the strategic plan
So evaluate growth of positions in correspondence with facility growth population growth and valuation growth
Number two is partnership explore ways to partner with entities like the deforest Windsor chamber to support local business development in the community
And then number three is smart growth create a map to share with elected officials and planning and zoning committee members
That illustrates the functional boundaries of future growth. We'll touch on each of those here
So uh new for 2027
I am requesting additional staff, which would be a junior planner
And uh when I mentioned an increase in our consulting services that would be my goal would be to
Uh have some additional touch points between our existing consulting planner and this new staff member to sort of build there
Well to be perfectly frank to do a little bit of institutional knowledge transfer
Our consulting planner has been with the village for a long long time and has communicated to me that they're
sort of eyeing the um retirement the big r word in the near future
So uh trying to get a jump on that and having more connection between uh future staff here and then our
Historical planner to kind of plan for that transition. I think it's going to be extremely important
Especially given how much we've been growing over the past couple of years
Um, it also helps us build in house capacity as I mentioned. We're a smaller staff
Um, and we are the fastest one of the fastest growing communities in the state
We've been fortunate enough to have a consulting planner who has a lot of capacity
But he also has other communities and we've run into pinch points over the last couple of years
With our ability to handle development review as it comes in
Um, so we'll talk about that a little bit more here the other one that's highlighted on the right side is tourism partnership
So you all are uh relatively familiar with this already after having approved an agreement with the uh the forest winds or chamber of commerce
For partnership to fund a tourism director. So we'll touch on that a little bit here as well
Looking at the junior planner or planner two as the um apa refers to it
This would be looking for somebody with a few years of municipal experience potentially private sector experience as well
Master's degree would be preferred. Um, this would be the staff person to our planning and zoning commission
uh, you can see in a survey of
comparable communities primarily within dane county but also looking a little bit outside of our
More on the east side of the state the comparable salary range for a plan or two is in the 72 to $94,000 range
The benefits estimate is just using a percent adjustment. So the total budgetary impact would be roughly 97 to 127,000
Depending on where that lands and who we're able to look at
some of the the task that the staff member would be
Tasked with would be comprehensive planning. So that's that long range planning activities. Uh, the last update that we did was in 2023
Um, so this would uh get them ahead of our next update
as well as um proposing different changes to land use regulations or zoning codes
The development review as we keep getting projects coming in they would be leading that
I think in the interim they would be doing that under mark was our current planner and then transitioning into a lead role too
But I my preference would be to get somebody who has the technical skill set to review these out the gate
So that uh mark over the next three years can focus on some of the more complex ones and this individual would be able to handle some of the
Less complex development reviews
Um
One, I guess in house skill that we've lacked which could potentially have a budgetary impact too
Would be to find somebody with uh gis and mapping skills
Currently we rely on our consulting with veer bicker to do all that for us to be able to bring some of that house
I think would be uh strategic from a cost management standpoint
And time standpoint
And then to be able to get out into the community and this is a critical one that I want to focus on too because
Using a third-party consultant
They're not here in the community on a day-to-day basis
Certainly they're very familiar with the community and they've done public engagement
But to be have to have somebody here on a day-to-day basis to actually get out
And listen to the community and get more feedback as we do some of our long range planning
I think that's going to be a big benefit of having somebody in house
Yeah
Alex when you said the no not new
Uh addition to the budget that was minus this position
So the staffing pieces are not held I should clarify
That has nothing to this the benefit of the cell or the staff position is not reflected in the community development department budget
I think staffing is in a different area the general budget
Yeah, generally what we what we do on our financial management side is we
Budget the salaries
Separately depending on whether their salary or wage employees and then we figure that into the overall expensive items
So we'll you'll see from Brandon as we go through
Uh, we have a number of positions and so what we'll do is we'll add the total impact including salary and benefits
To help you or assist you in deciding which ones are priorities
Um, so staff larger projects, um that that impact the operational side
And so what that helps to do is see what the total percentage impact is
Not only not just for the department budget, but for the overall budget
So to answer your question, you know that net new increase does not include this
But also I will say that current staff has not included in that uh budget to begin with
Again just talking about this uh transition so both
Both our consultant and then some in-house staff have also are also eyeing the big r word over the next three to five years
So, uh bringing this again would transfer some of that knowledge help to uh, kind of build capacity in house, but also
current practices when we have development come in that has our
Consultings review we have a reimbursement agreement with those so a lot of the cost is actually offset by the developer paying for those reviews
This gives us an opportunity to potentially capitalize on that and shift some of our billing practices if we have that in house
Um rather than having that cost passed directly to a third party consultant
We can sort of be a little bit more strategic in how we bill out for those activities in house
Um, the other piece here is smoothing out growth growth phases
So
There's a saying well, I guess conceptually in planning when the iron is hot
You're basically doing development review constantly, which we've been for the last three to five years really
Um, and then when things sort of slow down you're doing more at the long range planning
Again, that's just sort of a capacity management thing to be able to bring that in house
I think will allow us to kind of smooth the bumps on that and be able to uh, do a little bit more long range planning while we have
um the iron hot so to speak
Um
So that's the the plan or position that I'd like to look at to transition over to the partnership with the chamber
Again, this is not reflected in the community development department budget
But I did want to touch on it because I think it's important and I think bill you can correct me if i'm wrong
But I think this is going to be in fund 230 and budget budgetary standpoint
Yeah
Yeah, so this this position is actually created and hired by the chamber
uh, well, what technically uh the flow of dollars here as well
Look at creating actually a separate fund to manage
uh
room rent
Taxes coming in and so then from there we would do a transfer
uh, so many percent to the
uh chamber for commission for tourism, um, responsibilities
And then what we would do is would transfer the remaining 30
Into fund 230
What that potentially does is
Well, it would provide relief to fund 230 if you remember there's about a hundred thousand dollars of tax
Impacts going in there. So tax dollars going into fund 230 to support that
And as that as the tax base girls
uh over time, um as rooms come online
uh, because that's that's in a two-year cycle. So
uh, we believe that the hampton will be at, um
You know, a capacity or stabilization within
Three years they're going to open doors in that september time frame. So the first four years next year
and then
You start the clock after that and then
Um, I believe that marion has about 12 months
Behind the hampton and so that will steadily build up
Which will then provide us additional relief from fund 230 to move that down post dollars back into the general fund
So
Uh, this position would likely be hired in 2027 and I just wanted to cut
Highlight some of the terms from the agreement that the village executed as they relate to budgets since we are talking budgets
um
So after we provide notice to the chamber they would make this hire
Uh funded from room tax dollars as bill was talking about there from an oversight standpoint. I serve on the
Uh chamber board of commerce or excuse me the chamber board of directors
So I will have monthly financial statements reviews of the activities that are associated with this position
We've also uh, we'll be getting quarterly reports and then the position will be coming to do an annual presentation to you all
As part of their the agreement as well
They have to come and have a budget approved by the village board and then any
Increases above that budget or increases to the salary for the position have to be approved by the village board
And uh, that budget is an annual request that they'll have to make of you all
I mentioned the third piece of the strategic plan was this idea of planning for future growth
Obviously, we have our comprehensive plan. This was something that we had in the budget for this year
2026. It's an infrastructure growth plan, which takes a long look out into uh
40
50 year time frame about the extensive utility service in the village
Um, just wanted to give you a sense of what the timing looks like for this
We are uh, you'll be seeing in the next if not the next meeting perhaps in september
A contract for services to put this in place
With the plan being delivered in 2027. So we will get
Uh, some materials out to you for review at that point and then talking about
How that integrates with some of this additional planning staff and our long-range planning efforts
2023, I believe was five years after we had done the previous update to the comprehensive plan that this could be perfectly into a
2028 comprehensive plan update
Uh, perhaps as a sort of cut your teeth moment to this junior planner as well to integrate that in there too
So, um, the goal with this is to just give a better sense of currently the comprehensive plan has growth phasing policies
This gives us a better sense and evidential backing to how we go about making those policies
Yeah
I just have a comment early in your presentation you talked about
Us think you called it like special studies or something like that and you said and how there really wasn't a whole lot of those
But I was personally thinking about this and
Knowing that say we're going to hopefully come out of an infrastructure growth plan sometime in 27
I would hope that's going to kick off
A number of studies
And even though like the comprehensive plan I agree that it's going to take a longer thing
But I also
I'm thinking more about like say the official maps
Maybe trail networks and things like that where I think you could maybe kick those
Out quicker
So i'm bringing that up as is that something that we want to incorporate into a 2027 plan
Yeah, I can definitely take a look at that
I think the tricky part with with some of these plans especially an infrastructure growth plan is that it involves and impacts multiple
Disciplines or departments, so I would think the public services department, especially when you're talking about transportation plans those types of activities
Would either cost share or or have sort of an outcome from whatever that plan may be if it's a transportation network plan those types of things
So for example this plan of itself for 2026 was not budgeted in the community development department
But was funded across different divisions
So it certainly is something that we could look at and try to plan for in that way
Yeah, I think that I think the policy decision that needs to be had is whether or not you want to do
Separately and ahead of the con plan or as part of the con plan
As you think about, you know, how many times as the village we want to go out to the community to make
those surveys and those requests
uh within this time frame 2028 is also the the redoing of the
What the expiration of the current strategic plan so that that
All of those plans for the future growth the future of the forest kind of coincides around that 2028
timeframe and so
You know when you think about potentially
Public hearings information meeting the surveys
I mean a lot of the community is going to get hit with a lot of information at once
And so controlling some of the confusion that might be out there
replication of
Opportunity, I think that's something that also has to be discussed through this process
Yes, my ad with that is the maybe we could look at it is more or less like a neighborhood plan that
A specific location. I just worry about some of the growth that we've been having
out and
Not really out anywhere that's not quite around the peripheral
If they're necessarily getting the trail networks or the sidewalk plans
Instituteed and things like that. I don't want
Growth to happen and then have us have to do improve my projects after the fact
So
That was my
Yeah, I think that's helpful feedback
We could probably take another look at the scope and the geographic locations of this growth growth plan and and maybe have a better sense from
looking at that a little bit
Uh
That's all I had
question
Oh
Going back to the junior planner
Um
You see that the total impact we're approximately going to be 97,000 to 127,000
Does that take into account then would we be reducing any of the total impact from our senior
Um
lander
Yeah, so eventually yes, so if you
call
So here where I said there's a
proposing an increase for next year for additional staff coordination with that senior planner with um marker offers
And that was mostly born out of the thought that
um
Just trying to get them more touch points in that in next year to be able to do some of that knowledge transfer to get them up to speed quicker
Um, but eventually yes, that would be uh reducing with the thought that this position
Called in three to five years grows into that senior planner and is the replacement
Thanks
Anybody else
Thank you, Alex
Um old business resolution
I miss something
Resolution 2026 dash 096 a resolution adopting the village of the forest engaged to forest public engagement tool policy
Gavin will be doing that presentation
Yes with some assistance from al bill and then stacey is needed. So, uh, I might defer questions to
Um
To some staff as well. Uh, so just for a little bit of background
Um, if you if you've read the memo and seen the policy proposal
Um, as you all know engaged to forest is our our public facing engagement website that allows for opportunities for residents to
Uh engage provide feedback. Um, and currently engage with each other on projects
Development community updates. Um, you name it. It's on there
Uh, this policy
Is it old business because this comes as a presentation from a priority set by a former board three trustees who are currently on this board
Were on that board when this was an issue
And so, um, as you've read the feedback to or the excuse me the forum tool on engaged to forest is a
Uh report comment and reply upvote downvote style engagement feature that allows users to post comments reply directly to comments
add
Upvotes downvotes, um post anything and it is publicly available
And uh, you're able to respond to it as well. And so this is a valuable resource that has shown
Um, success and a lot of value in some projects including
Um mountain biking at birdhouses some of those project pages that have been on engaged to forest
Uh, then came the fluoride discussion and there were a total of 282 comments on a on the threat of of
Input and many of them were were were fell out of
It ran amok. They fell out of alignment with our goal with the with the feature and so at that time the board had requested that we look at a way to
um
Limit to the use of that engagement tool and so that is what i've brought to you today
I do want to make one amendment to my memo that says the requested village board focuses action. This is action and or discussion
Um, this is opening the conversation gauging the temperature of the current board as your priorities may have changed
And so really this is an opportunity for us to see where we find this as a priority
Um, essentially this would be if if approved as is this would be limiting the use of
Uh, the forum tool on engaged to forest and prioritizing other features that allow for direct feedback to be sent to
Anyone you want you can put input and email address and it'll be sent to that person when the feedback submitted
um
And then those those comments would be used in making decisions would be sent to department heads the communications manager and dispersed as such
Um, there are options right? Uh, I'd look to three number one would be where we're right now is is is no involvement leaving
The forum tool open and available
Um, we do use a third party moderation the open point software auto removes posts with obscene or profane language
Things like that they get placed in a waiting room. Um, and then can be released if they were if they weren't moderated for some reason that isn't inappropriate
And so that would be option one option two would be this limited forum style
And so essentially the policy is here so you can see what an option would be and then the third would be to fully
disallow that engagement from happening and
All our options in action that you can take
Um, but opening that floor to discussion now. You want to see if Stacy your bill or i'll had anything to add on that
Yeah, Gavin you gave a good job
Representing kind of the history and we're looking at here this
This subject is complex in that not only does it
Consider what the village is trying to accomplish in regards to communication and engagement
not only on
Percate projects that need comment that are more legislative in nature
Uh, but also we utilize engage in the tools on a gauge to display
Uh more statutorily required or ordinance required projects
for example, you'll see that that
um on certain projects like the birdhouses like
um
wildlife management system
Uh, like fluoride
Um, there was this open forum and commenting tool available
Um, and those are more legislative policy decision
Uh, whereas for development, uh, we have more of a
Displaying of information and less commenting because within our ordinances in the state statutes
there's certain requirements, um
that
Portray the the process of development and approvals and when
um public comment is interjected into that
I will also say that
This is a tool for the village. It's not the only tool
uh in regards to engagement and and
and uh public commenting
uh, it's intended as we
Develop the communications
Department to be able to utilize a number of tools to receive comments suggestions questions
on
Projects
And so with that complexity we also in regards to public commenting and public forums
We also have the the complexity of
Um, what is legal and what it's not legal. Uh, what is a liability in our risk when we open up a public forum
um, particularly in in regards to
um, open meetings law walking quorums and or
Speech and we've thought what that um when we've talked about our our
public comment policy, um
That uh, those those challenges continue to exist
whether that's um a forum here in person
Or a forum that we control on a website like engaged before us
So there is a mix of of different priorities and different requirements that we need to consider
Um as we go through this
We're happy to ask answer any questions. I think
You know, we're happy to
To show any of the tools we've explored in this process
what third party
Screening looks like and I believe the last time that we talked about this we went through the social point
Screening process
And the idea here is that if we want something more restrictive
And what social point has to offer and we as a court organization
Um, we need to implement that policy here locally
Brad
Brad go ahead. I think I saw an exhibit a that it it one of the points was that this new policy would promote
Transparency and I'm just wondering
How we think that would promote transparency by limiting comments to go out to the public
I can I can help with that. Uh, and so in the original
Uh in the original draft of the policy part of the plan if if we were to adopt
The feedback format would be to post a role of any
Comments submitted to the project page at the conclusion of the projects and in speaking without the feasibility of that
wasn't because
Um, but the point is that we would we wouldn't want the
Attacking or a piece of comments to be displayed and if we posted a role of all comments received that would be posting back
the the inappropriate comments back to the page and so
Um, I think in discussion, I think I mean in all honesty. I think I just
Forgot to remove that. That's that's what it was what it was referring to promoting transparency and that the comments would be put back
Um, I do believe that the general use of engagement of forest goes back to our strategic plan initiative of increasing transparency
Um, and so I think as we continue the conversation about the best ways to go about that
I'd argue having engaged a force in general is increasing transparency. So a good point to add
I
I believe
The third party moderator can only remove what obscene words. Yeah, so that'll take down obscene words profane
Words actually example during the fluoride forum. It was taking down posts that had the word acid in them because people referring to
The hydrofluorocylic salicylic acid. Um, whatever that was
Uh, and that that was taking it down so stacey was going through and and manually accepting those posts
They get put into a waiting like a virtual waiting room and then is at the discretion of village staff whether or not they're considered
appropriate to be on the page
and so
part of the nuanced conversation is the question of
Who should you know, how can we how how how little discretion can we put on staff is how right how much how
What is the lowest amount of discretion we can place on village staff so that we don't open ourselves to liability as far as discrimination
Um against comments submitted and so that's something we're trying to avoid as well
Social point is that the third party moderator? Correct
Can they put a word limit so comments great question. I checked with stacey
so um two things we looked into if the forum tool were to be kept there are certain parameters
You can add to the feature and so in its in its full glory. Um, you can have
posts comments up votes down votes replies
Um all that jazz and you're able to remove some of those so you can remove
Um, it's called threaded is the is the the the term they use which is when you can reply directly to a comment
And so if the board were interested in adopting a policy that removed that
like that opportunity where people are
Directly attacking or replying to a comment that was already posted that that is a possibility
There isn't a word limit feature. Um
Built into the page right now. That's I mean if that's something we wanted to add as a disclaimer
We could but I don't see that being followed necessarily
um, but as far as parameters there are you can remove up votes down votes and
um
Replies as well. I would think they could set a word limit just in terms of when you hit it. You can't get any more in
That would be a question for open point. I think I'll let something add to
Oh, I'm sorry legal department
Champing at the bit here. Um
There's a much more fundamental question we have to deal with
This is not
A private party with a facebook group who can say I don't like what you said
I'm gonna
Kick you out of the group. I'm gonna delete your post. I'm gonna do whatever you can do on facebook
I'm not a social media guy
You're the government. So when you takes it if you are opening this up for public
as a public forum
Meaning people can communicate not just with the village but with each other
You you basically take the bed with the good
You can have all the rules you want about
um
You know, you can't attack another person or you can't
Say anything that's offensive
um
When it comes to the first amendment
But the um supreme court says about offensive comments is quote giving offense is a viewpoint
So you're engaging at viewpoint discrimination if you decide that well that that's an offensive comment
Therefore, we're not going to let that post go up. We're just going to let the ones that are not offensive go up
Okay, so if you
Decide that you're going to post people's comments on your website. You are publishing those comments and then you're publishing all of them
All right, the social point
Screening tool is kind of irrelevant the way this policy is now written because the comments are only going to the staff
You know, the the program will screen them out if they've got profanity in them or if they're attacking somebody
but then that gets viewed by the
Village staff and gets forwarded to the to the department head
okay, um
in the floride debate
You some of you probably recall there were people on the board who wanted to say we got to take some of these comments down because they're offensive
and
You know, there was some discussion about well some of them are captured by this screening tool
Every one of those that was captured by the screening tool was published by the staff
Because I told them you can't pick and choose which ones are there and you can't let a computer do it for you
Okay, so
The computer can grab these things send them over to stacy
But then stacy's got to put them on the on the website because the decision was made
All of the posts are going to be published. So
To avoid that problem and it's policy question for you, but I just want to let you know it's either all or nothing
you really don't get to
To choose which things you know of people's comments you publish
Um
We modified the policy to basically say the comments only go one way they go they come to the village staff
The department heads to be used in their analysis and their recommendations to the board
Um
Once you go a step further and say now we're going to publish all of these
You're going to be publishing profanity. You're going to be publishing
Uh attacks on people because there's going to be somebody out there that can't be hid themselves
We've seen that and we know that's going to happen
That's really the it's kind of the fundamental question. Do you want to put me post these and
Live with the downside or do you want to just have it as an information tool that people
Have the ability to give their input, but they don't have the ability to perform the way they may want to perform the public
Um, I'm sorry guys
Okay, I
I'm just going to say that I'm in favor of you got to take the bed with the good and leave it the way it is
Because I would like to see what people are saying and we're in that kind of world right now where there's
Nasty
Who's up?
Fred
I got a couple questions. Uh, how many of our projects do we have comments on?
Uh, it kind of depends on the project so
Uh wildlife management bike
A mountain biking or two that comes to my head right now that we have the open comment on
Anything like bill mentioned like development wise. We don't have comment done
kind of again based on
What project is and how the yeah, so we we use various tools. So for example, I think in
2025 we've had an open forum on budget
Um in 2026 we've also had that
um, I think we switched to
All in the discussion on on or I previously we switched to this
um
This tool where they submit it to us and then we provide those comments at the end for the closure of the
commenting process
Process
To the village trustees
So there's a number of different ways. There's a handful
Like I said earlier
Items that are more legislative in nature for decision making
We've tried to provide some kind of comment process for folks to
be able to enter that
um, I know that we've had
um, kind of a
open forum or
um, issues that are identified within the community stop signs lights sidewalks, etc
And so
Uh, we've kind of used it spiraling
Understanding that um as a open forum, you know, everything has to be posted
I will say that we we have received some negative comments on
Projects like the wildlife
Management program and I believe the mountain biking one there are some concerns, but we've left those up
Once the project ends we archive it and so you can still find the project
But it is left out. We don't remove it pursuant to the the legal advice that we've received
Um, I just want to be able to take the opportunity here is to say, you know in regards to the
regular your question on transparency
Uh, when we look at transparency
We question, you know, what is the definition of transparency? Is it full transparency? Is it some transparency?
Um, is it communications?
Is it really transparency or is it the way that we communicate and I think those are
different things
and so
I don't think anybody's ever been able to provide me with an answer as you know, okay
What is transparency that what is the definition of transparency that everyone can be on?
and so
Uh, we're trying to accomplish that with with the policy one one. I think benefit of the policy is to set an expectation out there
And
If the public is going to comment or provide a comment to the board or the staff
That it will be hurt, right? And so
Being able to designate
What the forum is whether it's a fully open or whether it's a limited forum
Um
Helps to communicate that process
Um, and so like I said, it's not an easy not an easy answer uh to this
Uh, but like I all said if it is the decision of the board to leave it fully open
That's you know staff. We don't have an issue with that. We'll continue to do what we do here
Uh, if it's a limited forum
Um, it involves a little bit more work. Um, but anything created is a public record and so there is some
There are some some parameters that you and as the village board can set
If you choose to go with a limited forum within this policy
Uh to provide
More access per se to the comments over having it displayed automatically
Then do we do anything to regulate our facebook age and comments there there
I
That's in like
As bad language facebook automatically will pick it down, but other things we don't
I'm just equating. I mean if we open it for for facebook to have any comments on a project then
What's the difference if it's on our website too because of different forum for people to comment
What I would like to see is having an area where you can put comments
And maybe don't have threads off of that where people can reply to that
But have the comment because if somebody makes a good comment that's in
In a true sense, they're asking question. They want to know
Information and then allowing village staff to answer that if it's appropriate or if they have the knowledge because if one person has the comments or question
I shouldn't say comment if somebody has a question
Um
More than likely more people in the community have the same question and then having that answer posted they're replied to in real time
Uh, I think would be beneficial and I don't know if you can restrict it to your only allowed to ask questions
And you're not allowed to reply to the thread unless your village staff and have those parameters
And maybe that's an unknown at this time
I think the question I mean the issue that that leads to is how do we
Regulate and implement that how do we stop a person from
posting an answer
When it's it's submitted on a open forum even if we we try to moderate it
um
Interpret interpretation of it may be subject to liability and challenge
Uh, and then talking you know, it's interesting to go here. Um
And then talking to limiting just
An original post we thought we thought through that too. And if you have a bad actor, you're gonna have a bad actor
They're in our original post some need two times
Um, so even if you don't have a thread that up thread up or thread down
if you if you
Provide that open forum
That there's a bad actor whether it's a real person or a fake account
You know third and I could jump to the hoops to make it happen
And then we've experienced that
Yeah, I was just gonna it's gonna say that once you tell people that they can comment and the public can see those comments
You can try to limit it to questions, but
You
You're gonna have people commenting on that question and give any answer to that question in their own mind
And then you're gonna have people responding to that saying you're a an idiot
This is what the right answer should be and then you've got the same problem you had to begin with
So the the feedback tool that's in there does that was when a question is asked
does that post
Too engaged to forest or does it just go to
What's addressed to and not visible to everybody else?
Correct. Yeah, so that that would not be visible on the page. Um, it's when it's set up as a tool on the project page
You can set who it will be automatically forwarded to and so
Everything goes to stacy and then she also can add
um
additional like if it was if it was
You know a wildlife management project she could add
Gregor Judd to that or whatever the project wasn't they'd automatically get those those feedback pieces
and then would that then
Be
Put back onto the site at some point because it's public
Or it wouldn't it would be it would be public record
But it wouldn't be put on the site under the with the way the plan is currently written because again
If you put some of it on the site you had to put all of it on the site
If somebody wants to make a record request and get copies of everything
You've got to retain them because we've got a record retention policy that we have to follow
Um, we have a public records law that says if somebody asks where we've got to give it to them
But the question is whether you're going to publish these things to the world without anybody asking for if somebody wants them they can get
um
But
The question for you now is whether or not you're going to voluntarily put everything out there
And then just one more thing so the
Forum where they people would not be able to engage with each other
Am I right when I say your worry is that
Someone asks question
Someone else replies to it even though it's not in the same threat is that kind of what the worry is there
Well, that's what we're trying to avoid what what
And this kind of goes back to what i think Brad was concerned about before
If somebody asks a good question
The department had in charge of that project will see that
And if it's a good question
They can just update the information that the village is putting out there that to respond to that question
Um, but again, you're controlling your your set you're putting your message on
On the the internet you're not putting somebody else's message on the internet
No, let me
Um, I don't think i have any questions. I just wanted to give my
Two cents after evaluating everything and hearing some of the discussion. I
I guess I feel like
There's value in having that forum be available on engage to forest
My understanding is that part of the purpose of that
Site or that page was not just to be one-way information but to be an engagement tool with the community and so I feel like having
Um, the public comment piece there is important and it is what it is if you open it up for public
People, you know people to give comments. They're going to give comments and it is what it is. Whatever's there is there
Um, so i'm in favor. I guess of just keeping it how it is. I would say for larger
Um
Things that have more public interest like looking back at the fluoride posts from like when it was first discussed
There were like 200 plus comments or something. That's a lot to digest and so I do feel there's value in staff like reviewing
Constructive feedback and providing a report of like of these 200 comments. Here's like some constructive feedback we got that we're taking into consideration just
As a tool to help the board
But I I agree with just leaving it how it is and having you know people be able to engage with it how it is
Yeah
I'd say my
Say upbringing and it has always been for the transparency and I understand
I can agree with bill. There's a whole lot of different definitions of a transparency is
but for myself, it's
I want people to see you what's commenting the the thing that I struggle with and I guess I don't I haven't been
I'm engaged to force and all the structure of the chat here
But what I could see is
I don't want somebody to put a comment up and then you have a reply and then reply to that reply
I wonder if we can keep it as a single string
So I mean people can reply but at least it's
not
Knacking down is that I see Gavin you're nodding ahead, but I don't know the way of the tool or is that way?
Yeah, so that's that's the other option with the forum tool. It can't be set to be threaded or
What's the is it flat? Yeah, sickly flat or threaded so flat allows comments posted. They're there
Um, like bill and l mentioned people can use their most comment to say I'm replying to this, right?
That would just be something that comes with that decision. Um, if we wanted to remove the use of
Threaded which is where you're getting reply to reply to reply. That would be a separate policy that we would bring before
But it is it is an option
I could see that being a good outcome, but
Just because you're you're still gonna see every comment people could like you said sort of create a thread by saying
I'm replying to that question, but at least it's all there
I feel it's important for the the public to be able to go up there and see it just as if the village board would
um
I'm sort of questioning some of the maybe the policies that we've been doing because what I'm hearing is
Say if it's a maybe it's a planning and zoning matter that's got some
statute behind it then we don't
have any
comment section is that what I'm hearing
Is this more or less posted as information?
Yeah, so currently um as developments come in we're putting the information out there
Um, but we don't have any any forums available for
discussion on development items within engaged a forest
Does that make sense? Yep, that makes sense but
That
I guess right now you're drawing the line at development. Yeah, I just don't know how well first and foremost there are
processes in place
um to provide public engagement
um
That has management we feel that it's more productive, right? So public information meetings open houses
uh public hearing etc
We believe that that in regards to understanding the full
Process for um and decision points for development makes more sense
on the other side of that
We have very limited resources here in regards to to responding to what we anticipate
Will be the numerous questions that would come
um in the back and forth that would be involved in engaging on
each individual project
Now if there's questions that we're receiving in general about you know a particular project
What we prefer to do is to update the engaged the forest site
If up with the relevant and updated information
Um, so that's just kind of the strategy that we've we've taken in regards to putting information out there on development
Okay, thank you and I guess
If I would default I would default to having more information out there and more commenting
I do like the idea of keeping that say flat rather than threading
and I guess
It sort of goes maybe to a little bit of like operating as a board or even like rabbits rules of order type things
That when the public is out there talking to us as a board
They're supposed to be talking to the board not to the other person that talked before or the other person that's sitting behind them in the room
So to me
Maybe that's
Way I would present it as like you're you're talking you're questioning and say the village or whatever you're
Talking about that proposal. You shouldn't be talking about the other individuals that
Was it in the thread?
I know we can't necessarily stop that but maybe that's a bit of a disclaimer that we put out there too is like the please
e courteous
I think that's about all I have to say
I
Anyone else I can't see
Jan
I guess, you know, I'm gonna echo a lot of what has already been said here
I think that we developed this engage site
um to not give just one eight way information but to engage with the residents or then allow them to do so
so
I don't know that we should really change anything
Um, and I guess that's just my my thoughts
Okay, does Alicia have anything to say
I think I echo everybody else's sentiments as well. So I feel that it's
Pretty much not to just repeat, but it is a tool for engagement
Um, I just scrolled briefly just to look at some of the you know forums that are up. There's not a lot
I didn't know if there's like
One question once we have a forum up is there a time limit on it because uh some of the comments go back quite a
while like
Um, but other than that, that's it's all I am
Yeah, so generally if a project there's a
End date on it. We'll close out the project
If it continues to remain open for example the
Wildlife management uh program that we have we'll leave that commenting hoping open
So
Okay, Jim
I guess I just question if you got what you needed to create a policy or is there something in front of us
That could be action. Yeah, it sounds like there's general concurrence and direction for the for the staff to
Move from a threaded open forum format to just a flat version
um, otherwise
Sounds like you're okay without a policy and currently we just we default to the the standard
social point
Policy in regards to
um, you know
Types of tools to be utilized. There's not parameters per se
On when to use a tool for which project
I think you'll find that that's even more complicated than that in this discussion here
um
But it sounds like we'll continue to do that and as we build capacity into our staff
Well, we'll look to be to add more opportunities for engagement on the website
Do we have any public appearances?
Okay, so
What solution adapting the village of the forest engaged to forest public engagement tool policy
That's kind of a point. Yeah, so you can either hold it down or you can
Let it die I guess without a without a first and without a motion
Is there a motion to approve resolution 2026 all 96
There is no motion resolution fails for lack of a motion
New business resolution 2026 097
Resolution accepting the lowest qualified bids and awarding a contract for well number seven
Test well and aquifer testing
Judd and
Right. It was in the packet
It was in the packet
Uh, I can answer questions first, I guess
No, I wanted to make a point with Gavin. I say thank you for
writing your first policy and you're a little bit of what a
Us Barb they got the
Ball thrown to him for the first pass so you get your first policy. Yeah, it's the fail
Yeah, I was not I was not laughing at the fail. I was I was smirking at Stacy
So this was this was really valuable and I appreciate all the all the comments. Thank you
So
Going back to the resolution for the awarding the bid for the
Fast well for number seven. Well, it's number seven
Um, we got one bid for Sam's well drilling for
$247,140
Looking for approval to get that test
Or well tested
Test well drilled. All right
Jim
I'll make a motion to approve
resolution
2026 097
We have a motion by Jim. Is there a second
Second second by Wayne. Do we have any public appearances on the scale?
Okay, great
Question bird
Yeah, I was surprised there was only one bit or is there just not many contractors who do this work
Uh, I know there was several that we reached out to three or four
Companies that we reached out to I don't know if they're just busy and if I didn't want to do it
Yeah, there's a few bit holders, but four or five bit holders, but that was
Well, yeah, one of the bid
And then I think when you presented this the last time you talked about how if everything checks out well
Then they'll they'll dig a new one at a different area
That would be permanent. Is that part of this bid or is that stuff? Okay, this is separate
So they'll do the test well this year if all goes well
Um, and you guys passed the budget for next year. That's incorporated in the capital improvement plan for next year is the new well
Okay, we have a motion by Jim the second by Wayne all those in favor of resolution
2026 dash 097 indicate by saying aye
All those opposed no
motion carries unanimously
resolution 2026 098 a resolution approving a collateral assignment of development agreement and municipal revenue
obligation for the tdc deforest
Five llc development
Bill Chang yeah, so a couple of weeks ago the village
Board approved a development agreement with tdc five tdc deforest five
for the industrial spec development on
uh, keep parkway
Along with that development agreement where parameters and requirements obligations
We're not only construction but having to do with tax equipment financing
in the parameters for which
developer would receive financing
Um as part of their finances part of their their financing or construction loan
parameters with tri-city national bank
um, there is an agreement between the two parties to
assign collateral
of the development agreement and municipal revenue obligation to
Uh, tri-city national bank in the case of default of that construction loan
And so this is a tool to secure that financing
um interview of that, uh, you know, and I have um
We don't have an objection to this
um
tdc deforest five would still be obligated to construct and still be obligated to provide the guarantees
In a case that they do not meet those obligations the village would not would not then pay
And tdc would be a default of that agreement. Therefore no payment to tri-city national bank
And so I'll leave it at that now you have anything else to say
It's a collateral assignment of the agreements like this is common in commercial
construction
Um, but one of the things that this does is it gives the bank the ability if it gets into a
Proclosure situation to take over the development get another developer and it finished the project
So actually I see this as a benefit to the village because
Your goal is to get this development done. This provides a backup source of of getting it done in the event of it default
Any public appearances
No public appearances
Is there a motion to approve 2026 0 0 9 8 motion to approve motion by janitor second
I'll second
Discussion
All those in favor indicate by saying aye aye aye all those opposed no motion carries unanimously
Convene in the closed session
Deliberating and negotiating terms for the 2027 2028 collective bargaining agreement
Between the village of the forest and the deforest professional police association
Okay, chief holes. Yeah, so as previously reported the union dppa
Which is the deforest professional police association and represents all union PD officers
hourly employees hourly
Officers
We opened up negotiation
About a month ago now
We had our first meeting with that group and negotiated through initial terms
We did not leave with a tentative agreement
And currently are set up for our second round of negotiation at the end of the month here
So it's our recommendation that the board moves into closed session to discuss the current proposed terms
And so we can continue negotiation
Um, there is no action coming out of closed session. Um, we would like to get
Um
Understand where you are in regards to the proposals and uh parameters for us to bring back to the
negotiation
Uh, the village board may convene into closed session is authorized by wisconsin statute
19.8 by paren one paren e
Where the purpose of deliberating or negotiating the purpose the purchasing of public properties
The investing of public funds or conducting other specified public business will never compare to different bargaining reasons require a closed session
The village board may reconvene in open session and for you to discuss the subject matter discussed in closed session
Uh, is there a motion to go into closed
Jim
I guess before I make that motion that go on to close
I wonder if there's any say broad strokes that you want to share to the public before that
I'd prefer we just do everything in close at this point because there's no agreement said anything
I would make a motion to go on to close
Second motion by jim second by jan
You're going to close session all those in favor and to keep it saying aye
Oh
Kelly roll call please
Trustee bardoff. Hi. Trustee brown
Trustee cords
Trustee simpson. I
Trustee stephanagan, huh? Hi
Trustee williams. Hi
resident little i
7-0
Gavin
Okay, we're back in open session again
action resulting from our closed session is no action
Communications a check register
Hi alisha can you hear us?
Do you have to unmute or something?
All right, thank you. Sorry. I just had to come back out from the breakout sessions
So I think you can hear us
Good. Hi
We're all set. Okay, we are out of clover session back in open and we have no action resulting from the closed session
Communications the check register was in your packet
Any other business that lawfully comes before the board?
Seeing none. I would take a motion to adjourn
Motion to adjourn
motion by jans or second
second seconded by bard
All those in favor of adjournment indicate by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed. No
Motion carries unanimously. We're adjourned at 833
Thanks folks
You