City Council

APPROVED 05/05/2025 SPECIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP MINUTES APRIL 28, 2025 THE SPECIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP OF THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL WAS CALLED TO ORDER AT 5:30 P.M., ON MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025, BY MAYOR RIX. ROLL CALL: Present: Allen, LaFore, Misteravich, Rix, Schultz, Warn, Yelencich Absent: None Others: City Manager Moore, City Clerk McCallister, City Assessor Elrod, DPS Director Goetzinger, City Treasurer Hatfield, Library Director Kammer Visitors: None AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION None ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion by Warn, seconded by Schultz, to adopt the agenda as presented. All yeas Motion passes ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION 1. Review of the Manager’s Proposed FY2025-2026 City Budget The anticipated revenue for FY2025-26 is approximately $5,392,200 with an estimated $5,727,872 in expenditures. Due in large part to the uncapping of properties, the City will have a Headlee Rollback of .0807 for FY2025-26. The City’s general operating millage will be 15.4232 mills. CCBudgetWorkshop: 04/28/2025 Page 1 of 5  APPROVED 05/05/2025 Review of the proposed FY2025-26 Budget began with: 101-001 – General Fund Revenues – The FY2025-26 Budget calls for a general operating ad valorem property tax levy of 15.4232 mills, of which an amount equal to 1.17 mills will be placed in the Municipal Street Fund for street improvements. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE REVENUES AS PRESENTED. 101-209 Assessor – The Assessing Department is currently in its third (3rd) year of a three (3) year contract for assessing services. Assessor Elrod has brought in an assistant to help with fieldwork and to help when Elrod is out of the office. Current office hours are Tuesdays and Fridays. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 101-247 Board of Review – Council is pleased with the current slate of members on the Board of Review. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 101-790 Lois Wagner Memorial Library - This budget does not include the work by AEW (architectural firm) to develop a feasibility study for an addition and potential interior renovation to the Library. These services will be paid through the memorial donation. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 101-101 City Council – Mayor Rix provided a summary of his recent MML Capital Conference. The recent membership to the Michigan Association of Mayors list serve has proven to be quite valuable. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 101-191 Elections – There was a brief discussion of offering Early Voting for the November, 2025 City Council Election. After reviewing the costs associated with this option, the consensus agreed to only offer Early Voting for the legal requirement for State and Federal Elections. Council directed the Clerk to notify the neighboring communities that will have the Richmond School Bond Proposal on the ballot in November, 2025, that the City of Richmond will only be conducting in-person voting on Election Day (Early Voting will not be an option). COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 101-441 Public Service Director – Council complimented Director Goetzinger on the general condition of the equipment and its appearance. CCBudgetWorkshop: 04/28/2025 Page 2 of 5  APPROVED 05/05/2025 There was a discussion on the possible purchase of a leaf vacuum and the staffing implications of such a purchase. Allen and Schultz are against the purchase of the leaf vacuum and LaFore is not comfortable with the purchase unless all Councilors are in agreement. Council directed Goetzinger to prepare a complete package (within the next ninety (90) days) that will include the actual cost of the machine, a comparison of how much each department would be effected financially, and the long term costs of this purchase. At this time the purchase of the leaf vacuum will remain in the budget until further discussions are had. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 101-442 Department of Public Works – The budget includes appropriations for continuation of the tree maintenance program, city clock, and equipment maintenance. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 202 - ALL Major Street Fund – This budget includes reconstruction of the Division/Howard Street storm sewer outlet. Administration is currently working with Frontier and DTE to relocate the poles in anticipation of this installation. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 203 - ALL Local Street Fund – COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 209 - ALL Cemetery Fund – COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 237-ALL Mausoleum Fund – COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 402 - ALL Wastewater Treatment Plan Equipment Replacement Fund – The budget includes replacement of the raw sewage pumps, construction of a sludge screw press, and a rebuild of the final clarifiers. Bids for the water main project came in lower than anticipated, therefore, Administration is working with EPA to utilize remaining funds at the WWTP. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 404 - ALL DPW Vehicle and Equipment Replacement Fund – The leaf vacuum is the only piece of equipment that is being considered for purchase in FY2025-26. CCBudgetWorkshop: 04/28/2025 Page 3 of 5  APPROVED 05/05/2025 COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 405 - ALL Street Improvement Fund – There is some concern that changes to the gas tax or Act 51 may affect how future funding is allocated. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 498 - ALL Sanitary Sewer Contributing Capital Fund – COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 499 - ALL Water Contributing Capital Fund – COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 590 - ALL Sanitary Sewer Fund – The budget includes a decrease in the summer sewer discount from 15% to 10%. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. 591 - ALL Water Fund – There is a proposed 2% increase to the water commodity charge. It was noted that any galvanized piping is now considered a lead line. DPW is exercising due diligence in inspecting more homes and replacing lines to the homes that may consist of this material. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. DPW Capital Improvement Sheets – COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SHEETS AS PRESENTED. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS Moore reminded Council of the remaining dates/times for continued Budget Workshop discussions. COUNCIL COMMENTS Rix noted that several streets in Orchard Meadows are still lacking sidewalks and asked for an update (598 - SWIP Fund). Administration is in the process of writing letters to the residents who are lacking connecting sidewalks. This item will be brought back to Council with a cost estimate for the City’s portion of this project. COUNCIL WAS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. CCBudgetWorkshop: 04/28/2025 Page 4 of 5  APPROVED 05/05/2025 ADJOURNMENT Motion by Misteravich, seconded by Allen, to adjourn the Special Budget Workshop at 7:06 p.m. All yeas Motion passes Respectfully submitted: Heather L. McCallister City Clerk CCBudgetWorkshop: 04/28/2025 Page 5 of 5