 Okay, welcome, Councilor McGee. We have Councilor Barlow here and me, we have a forum of the Board of Finance. So let's dive in. I'll call the Board of Finance to order at 5.33 p.m. Good to see everybody. We have a fair amount of get through. The first item on the agenda is the agenda. It's the agenda and I guess I didn't mean to ask the back and city attorney, Derek, do we, should we be warning, should we be amending the agenda to have a potential executive session on Main Street if we want to keep that possible? That's the attention, yes. All right, great. I would recommend that we make that motion with that. Agenda as amended. Second. Thank you, Councilor McGee. My thinking there being, has been, since we talked in executive session last week about the Main Street project, there's some updates. So let's share and there's still, I think we'll give some public update, but I think there's still, there's still a need for some executive session, discussion potentially, so. With that any further discussion of the agenda? Seeing none, we'll go to vote. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The motion carries unanimously and that brings us to item two, welcome Councilor Cenk. Item number two is the public forum. Is there any member of the public that wishes to speak to the Board of Finance? I'm not seeing anyone in the room and we do have Sharon Buescher on line with her hand up, so Sharon, go ahead. Hi, good evening. So this is a difficult day. Last night certainly for the city was a hard one and I'm not gonna dwell on it, but I think as a resident, I continue to worry about what we can do to stem the tide of violence that we're seeing and the people that are dying at the hands of individuals with guns. So I'm pretty devastated by last night, but I'm calling because I wanted to speak about two items on your agenda. The first one has to do with salt procurement and I have no problem with what's being proposed, but I'm not well versed in whether or not we use a salt brine, Mr. Mayor, when we apply it to the roads. And there's been a lot of information out there regarding how salt obviously impacts our waterways and salt brine has less of an impact. And so as the head of the city and interacting with department heads, I'm hoping that that information, if we do it, I'm hoping that information will get out to the citizens so we know we do it. And if we don't do it, I would like to ask that you ask DPW to consider if that's possible. I know smaller communities, I guess it would be more difficult for them, but I see us as, you know, we're not big, but we are big for Vermont. So I'm hoping that maybe that could be considered if we're not already doing something like that. So that's the first thing. The second thing I'm gonna put under the umbrella of downtown vibrancy. And this is for the board of finance. This is loosely, this really isn't on your agenda, but it's on the public works agenda for Wednesday. And I've already spoken to the commission about this. It has to do with the two hours of free parking for downtown. I feel like our downtown is so fragile that having two hours of parking on Friday and Saturday really doesn't cut it. Now, the reason I'm bringing this to the board of finance is because it's going to be a hit to DPW's budget, but I really think we should be broadening that and making parking free for as much as we possibly can. So to encourage people to come downtown and shop. I just feel like this is a pittance and that's not enough for our downtown. I've been worried about our downtown and businesses in general for quite a while. I know that we need housing, but I don't feel we have to go in one direction and ignore another direction. I feel our businesses are screaming. It's not just church street, it's businesses in general. And we're going to become a bedroom town and I don't think that's what any one of us wants. So please take this request under your consideration as a board of finance and see if there's a way that we can free up more money so more hours can be free and we can encourage people to come down and shop. Thank you. Great, thank you Sharon. And I don't believe there's one other person on Tending Online if you'd like to be recognized to speak to the board of finance. I was going to keep that by hitting the raise hand function. Does not appear that we have any other takers for public forum tonight. So we close the public forum at five 39. And now move to the next segment of the agenda, which is the Consent Agenda. I do know maybe really briefly that since the SALT procurement is on the Consent Agenda Chapin, are you able to give a 15 second explanation of how we use Brian or SALT? Yes, so on the agenda tonight is the SALT procurement, which is the rock salt that we use. We also do mix it with liquid Brian that does reduce the amount of overall salt that we need to use. And I'm happy to follow up with former councilor Buescher to give her more information. Great, thank you for that. With that, I think I would welcome a motion to adopt the Consent Agenda to take the actions that came in. So moved. Thank you, councilor Gay. Second. Seconded by councilor Jeng. Thank you. Any discussion on the Consent Agenda? Seeing none, we'll go to a vote. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Consent Agenda is adopted unanimously. And that gets us to item four, the section of the agenda for approval and recommendation to the city council. We have three items here. The first is a brook and fire park and station alerting item. Welcome, chief. Good evening, everybody. My project lead, deputy chief, Steve, but he is with me. He will give you a presentation tonight. So we're looking for approval and authorization to spend up to $430,000 to replace our existing station alerting system. The funding for this comes out of the 2022 Go Bond. So it's part of the plan that was in place. With this particular system, what we're looking for is reliability and the ability to ensure that our members get notification in the stations as well as out of the stations, which this product is able to do for us. Our existing system was installed, part of it, in 1998. It is beyond its useful life and does not allow for many of the features that we are looking for of it when being reliability. And then the other aspect is being that with the station alerting that includes lights and audio and that element within the stations, including like our older stations is much older than 1998. So I don't know the exact date, but what this system would do would replace the alerting system to include the speakers. It would provide digital notification, audible notification and visual to our responders, included as a part of this, there are digital backwards, so signs of being the stations and there's also a mobile application. So there's some redundancy and it allows for us to provide notifications to on-duty responders as well as a means to recall off-duty personnel. What is interesting with this is that the vendor that we are posing we go with was actually the lowest bidder, but actually provided the most for us. And they were able to do that by using current top technology. The other station alerting vendors who had submitted, they required a lot more hardware. So this particular product, what they use is a wireless ZigBee network and uses commercially available products. So down the road, if we want to expand, we have the capacity and the ability to go down to the hardware store, to buy a Phillips product off the shelf and add it into the system. So we're not relying on a sole source or a vendor to be providing that. As a piece of this, what we also are purchasing is the warranty that provides coverage for the software. It keeps us current and up-to-date so long as we have that service agreement. And that particular warranty what it also does is it covers all of the hardware that we would be purchasing. So that would be, that's a part of our concern now is our current system. There is no warranty. Nothing is covered at any time, it's online. Great, thank you very much. The floor is open for questions, discussion or emotion. Go ahead, Castle Barlow. Thank you. I'm just, you got curious what's the expected light span of the system? So what we've been given for an answer is that they expect the lifetime of it to be as long as we maintain contract service agreement with them. So what is included is as long as there is an agreement and there are changes to their software or the hardware is required to be changed, that we move with them as the company grows. So do we, we stay current. That is not something that we found we would be getting with other products. And that was a big concern for us is we're making a big purchase. We want to be able to ensure that down the road it offers a solution and as long as lifetime possible. So the service level agreement would basically say as long as you were under warranty to be covered but like all software eventually it comes to end of life and is there any provision to tell you when that might be, I mean it's within the contract. I would have to go back. As long as they're in business we will be up to date. That's the assurance that was given to us by the vendor. Go ahead, thank you sir. The biggest question I had when we went visit them was the hardware. Something fails or something goes out of date. What then, am I buying new tablets every, these as long as you have this service we keep all of your hardware updated. Any further questions? Yes. Go ahead, get to Jamie. Yes, and I had the same question as Consular Barlow and now one thing that's not clear is what if the company go bankrupt? I mean, I think as long as it exists and do business we should work with them. But what if now something happened on their end? How will we ensure provision with this contract? Well, I don't know how we would do that with any of the vendors to be honest with you, Counselor. They all are web based, basically. So they all will be required to have some sort of connection and updates and, you know, we are not new to this company. This company has been around for a little while. All of their products are in large departments like Rochester, New York. They're putting their products in... Boise, Idaho. Boise, Idaho. Detroit. So honestly, we have a feeling that this company is very solid and we're comfortable with the product that they're offering. Can I guarantee you that in 20 years they're still going to be around? I can't, but I also can't guarantee that of any vendor that we've dealt with. All right, thank you. Thank you. That's for me. Thanks, Mayor, and thank you both for the presentation tonight. I heard a little bit about this a couple of weeks ago, and I'm glad that we're at a point where we're approving it. And I think it's kind of rare that we make these vast improvements to some of the systems that operate in the city. It's great to see that this is scalable and also has so many benefits for the membership as well. So with that, I'd be glad to make a motion if there are any other questions. Is that good? Great. Any further discussion? Yes, Mr. Mayor. You're going to answer, Jack. Yeah, this is for our city attorney and was just wondering what type of provision should we put in place for the security of the city if something goes wrong? Well, I am working with the fire department to evaluate the contract. But Councillor James, as you brought up, if they were to go into bankruptcy, like any type of breach of contract, we would have those provisions to make sure that the city is protected and in which case we would evaluate it. And if there is a civil remedy that we can take them to court and pursue to make sure that we recoup any lost expense, the city may have already put out if they cannot provide the scope of services that they're under contract with us for, then we would evaluate that and make sure that we take that remedy. That's helpful. Thank you. Okay. Any further discussion? Vote all those in favor of the motion. Please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. And thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is 4.2, Raleigh Art Enterprise Project. Stand tech, design, contract, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, WM, The scope that was already kind of proved previously through the initial decision to select Santa and we would be looking to this amendment, just keeping it within the current budget, operate budget that we have for the project, but we would be looking to amend further amendments would require additional funding at this point as we progress in the project. But all within the anticipated, allowable amount that we have for the forecast for the project. So we just, this is keeping us within, but we'll be back later with another amendment as work progresses. Very good. Thank you. I would like to make the motion as indicated on civic work. Thank you for the update. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the records. Brian pine director of the community and economic development office. And before you tonight is a request to the existing contract to both allow for more time using the services of white and work as well as to increase the funding allocated to that work. Work continues to be pretty, pretty deep as well as somewhat broad because it includes both TIF districts and this very different issues facing our districts. We have we have expertise in in our consultant that is very unusual and is extremely difficult to to build within in house. So it is our recommendation that we continue to work with white Burke. In order to advance these important projects for the city. I think the investment is eligible for reimbursement under TIF related cost rules. And I would urge your approval, but answer any questions you may have. Thank you, Brian. For questions, emotion. I'm just happy to make the motion. Great. Thank you to a second. Second by Councillor Chang. Any further discussion? Seeing no vote. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. And that is. That was your passage. Thank you, Brian. Thank you. All right. This brings us to the last time on the agenda, which is update regarding. Great streets. Main Street. And. Norm. Here. So this is an item. Obviously the main street project is a major project that we've been working on for many years and is getting close to construction. Sorry, I think I'm going to say that. We've been working on it for many years here as well. And we had an exact session discussion with the full city council about this project last week. And we are moving towards potential council action next Monday. We wanted to have some, I give up that's much of a public update as we could tonight. And then I do think it would be advisable to continue the executive session discussion with the board. And just to clarify there. We are not recommending action on these other contracts to that there will be a number of related contracts to the main construction contract. And we're going to save recommendations for all of them until next week. That's correct. So with that one of you. I'll move on to the next question here. On the agenda. And I'm going to start with the general public. And I'm going to move on to the public and give it up to the owner. Great. I have permission to share. Well, I'm doing that just to note that we will be having a special board of finance to do that next week. So not currently on the calendar, but stay tuned. Laura's queuing up a presentation. I'll just say that as with any construction project, there's far more than the construction contract that needs to be approved. We have the design contract that needs amendment and we have resident engineer and outreach services that are all part of a successful package. And so senior engineer Willak will walk through those components here so that the board of finance has as much information in advance of the 20th as possible. Thank you. So as we talked about at the council, we're really right on our current schedule, which is what we presented to the public, the council and other interested parties back in the beginning of 2022. We're at the point we're about to head into construction for Main Street. With that comes a lot of work from a lot of different entities and in the interest of being able to present and provide the information in a more succinct way other than the current seven pages that were in front of you. We wanted to just highlight that here. So our design consultant for VHB, we are looking to amend their contract to add some more support services during construction to help with managing the contaminated soils that exist in the corridor as well as adding specialty inspection for water sewer. It's a very involved project and our group is already, group at DPW is already taxed and really having the specialty expertise is critical to having our water supply constructed in a really safe way. We also have some changes that occurred during our bid period and need to amend the contracts to allow them some time to be able to update the plans. Revised totals and contingency are all what are currently in the memo, but I have them here for clarity. The other contracts that we look to revise is with EIV technical services. They are inspection and outreach consultant. When we procured EIV in spring of this year to help us through the bid phase, the winter work was not known as part of the contractor's schedule. And so we were adding in time to be able to cover the winter work, which is anticipated with the contractor's work as well as a field office for them so that they have a location approximate to the construction site. The third service that we are looking to amend is with our artists. So we have four artists that were previously selected as part of the project to provide four pieces of art throughout the corridor. The city council heard this back in April of this year for their phase one contract. We felt it important to bring all of it through the Board of Finance and City Council knowing that we would be back to you asking for their design and fabrication contracts, which is what we're here for today highlighted as phase two. So this will be adding the ability for them to fabricate their pieces and install. Total public art budget is $500,000. Last we are looking, we'll look for the ability to sign an MOU with the Burlington Electric Department. They will be providing removal of the existing street lighting installation and energization of the new decorative street lighting for their lighting policy to highlight in the memo, which could be confusing if you're not intimately familiar with the lighting policy, is they provide us a decorative lighting price, which is what the project is expected to pay, but they do allow an offsetting standard light credit, which makes it a little bit more affordable to add decorative street lighting out to the corridor, a little less than $400,000 for that. Which then brings us to our construction project. Jaypen. Yeah, so as the mayor discussed, we are inactive negotiations with the apparent vote better as the Ireland. There are some items here in the negotiations that preacher disclosure of which would put the city at a disadvantage. So we'd be asking the board to make a finding and then after the finding, move into executive session where we can brief you fully on where we're at with those negotiations. Thank you, Jaypen. I hope that they would say here in our recession we are obviously facing a situation where there are some challenges with the bid and we are considering possible scope changes to manage our way through the situation. And before that's the nature of I think it's important that we be able to discuss such potential changes in a protected space. But of course, before action, any changes would be laid out and be very clear as to what the board and other councils may ask to improve. So that's the nature and that's what we're doing here. I'm happy to try to answer questions about the presentation before going into executive session or off on motion upon to make that finding. I just ask that that presentation be added to the back. I'll get posted on that on the scorecard. Absolutely. Okay. Councilor McGee. Do we have motion language for the session? Yeah. We do and as soon as the presentation's back up. You need to note the staff. I've got a dream for finance. Team TPW, we'd like to have Laura Wheelock and we're involved with Leah Durie's and Brian Pine here for the corridor. Are you planning to start? No, okay. Okay. So that was five folks. Great. Okay. So did I make that motion yet? I am. I'm happy to move to make a specific finding that premature general public knowledge of negotiations regarding the main streets, great streets, construction contracts would clearly place the city at a substantial disadvantage. Is that? One motion and then we do the second one or? Yes, you would take that first motion, vote on it and then move. Okay, thank you for that motion. Is there a second? Second. Further discussion? All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Aye. I heard, just want to confirm that Councilor Jang and Councilor McGee and Councilor Barlow so that motion passes unanimously and then we'll take the second finding, second motion, Councilor McGee. Based upon that finding, I move that we enter into executive session pursuant to one VSA 313A1A. Seconded by Councilor Barlow, discussion. Seeing none, let's go to a vote. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. That is unanimous and with that, we are now in executive session and the vote has been cleared. You guys can log off of this Zoom and you should get a link momentarily. I think it will come from, Catherine's going to send it but it may show up in your email as being from Jordan and click on that and back into it. Thank you. Thank you. It's coming from who? Jordan Orca.