City Council

>> Welcome to the city of St. Petersburg City Council meeting and your elected officials our mayor Ken Welch district one hopefully Curtis. District 2 Brendan Gallagher. District 3 my party. Its strict for a council chair Lisette can away. District 5 ever think Sanders. Gina Driscoll. Were you given Stu year. And and Council vice chair reaching Floyd. >> The 4/2/2026. City Council meeting clerk athletes have a roll call. Here. >> Various your average air Harding here. If they were going to have our invocation given by former district 6 council member pastor, and a frock of Jesus missionary Baptist Church followed by a moment of silence and then plead for me for the pledge of allegiance if you please stand. >> Good morning, good morning. So is not a come here before so wonderful body having surgery before and some other places and in this one city is keep up the good work. All of you. It's not always an easy job, but it's necessary job. I want to thank you for what you what you're doing that you serve this community, very important. The spring. Father we come before you now praising your name. Thank you Lord for your goodness. GOD uau supreme you reign supreme. You are everything. And so it will become thinking you for this day for this is the de Lourdes me rejoice and be glad in it. With 2 spirit be in this place. And the Lord you allow these wonderful leaders these Council people to govern. It but your spirit. And that there be good wisdom. Sound judgment. And good performance. Perform the duties. Look for this city. And even beyond. We love you GOD, we praise you we think you know bless this group MAY have blessed us in time. Staffing blew it group. The city of Saint Pete. This is pretty nasa's premiere of the name of Jesus Christ Amen. In a moment of silence officer James, a crop. And the watch Apr. 15th. 1964. I pledge allegiance in the eye. The United States. >> Okay maybe say that thank you. Pastor, Peter meant for that wonderful invocation. Council members we have an agenda before us and retain a motion for approval. We have a motion a second clerk if you can open the machine for voting council members please enter your votes. Council members please enter your votes. Seeing that all councilmembers voted. Clerk please County and announce the vote. MADAM Chair, the motion to approve the agenda passes unanimously. Okay, we have a consent agenda clerk do we have any cards and take a motion for approval in them, second. We have a motion second clerk if he can open a machine for voting. Councilmember center your votes seeing present council members that voted clerk please telling us with that. MADAM Chair, the motion to approve the consent agenda. We move to open farm clerk are there any speakers if so please read the rules. If you wish to adjust to the Council on subject other than public hearing or quasi-judicial items listed on the agenda please sign up with the clerk. Only the individual wishing to assigned open form seat on city residents on his property. Business owners in the city or the employees MAY speak all issues discussed and are open for must be limited to issues related to the city of St. Petersburg if you're speaking to an item on the agenda you MAY want to speak once during the open form when the item comes up on the agenda. Applause, not permitted except in connection with towards and presentation. We're going to provide an opportunity for all citizens to address Council each in the woods individual be given 3 minutes to speak and at the with unity. If you wish to address to the council to the zoom meeting us use the raise hand feature been in the zoom app or inter star 9 on your phone and the time the agenda items dress when it is your turn to speak you'll be a new to annex to state your name and address. At the conclusion of your comments for when you reach the 3 minute time limit. You will be muted. All reasons we lowered after each agenda item regardless of the method of participation use normal rules apply, including the 3 minute time limit on comments. The requirement that any presentation materials must be submitted in advance of the meeting and the rules of decorum if life public comments disrupt about violations of the rules of decorum the chair is the authorized to accept public comment about alternate means. Please state your name address for cross Street and you have 2 minutes to address in the morning. >> I'm doctor Perry. He watching. One 70 bat. It's free. No. Saint Peter's bird color. The bird. You heard me. I come to tell you. His own justice. The word just I heard ever say just last year. Say justice. You. But it remained only just the us and St. Petersburg then that the county. I want the mayor removed and I'm telling know my people get this time not all things. I wanted to people really moved get him out off sect members that ask how to I'm gonna make it my job that you get out. They lifted JUNE. The amount people that elected you. I've got people around the world. >> Last year I came here it and told you. They arrested me flesh Tappan in the video jackley ag. From putting up fence in my yard. You did after little did not do as you can get the gate out what happened a true. Call toll name. You haven't yet that contact me. I call your shot because you older not to be Mott's on. You have really didn't know you don't know, I'm an old district. >> You you you couldn't be on his route. Before 6 o'clock in the morning. And at 6 o'clock at night. Me and my people change that you couldn't do what you all. At stake. And you. I hear my name is Terry g was thank you. >> Thank you. DR. Washington. Next speaker please. No more speakers and nuns him, okay. Open forms closed and we moved to reports f-one we have an update on the unsolicited proposal for a comprehensive public private partnership model for advanced metering infrastructure received a general 14th 2026. And the special legal counsel provided by Bryant. Mueller olive councilmember gabbard you asked for this I'll turn it over to you thank you MADAM Good morning. Thank you for bringing this item first in having this conversation today. So I brought this report item forward because the City Council knows we received a public-private partnership proposal for an automated metering infrastructure on Jan. 14th of 2026. And then on Feb. 5th City Council retained Brian Miller, all of as our legal counsel to begin meeting with the city and advising on the process for peace 3 unsolicited beds. There was a meeting that took place between the city and bmo on Feb. 18th and I have brought this forward because as I understand it there are 2 paths that the city could take in order to move forward with this particular proposal either a public hearing or a either a a notice period which will discuss today or there could be an expedited process to public hearing for City Council that would allow for the public and Council to discuss the merits of moving forward with potential negotiations. And so I wanted just to kind of have this conversation out in the sunshine. I want it all of us to be able to hear from both the administration and from the legal counsel that we retained be able to discuss kind of the path forward that council members feel might be appropriate and so I brought this forward today. This is not to argue the merits of the proposal. This is simply about process and making sure that City Council has a voice in that process. And how we move forward from here and it continues to be an issue with the automated metering and the water bills and the exorbitant rates that people continue to face and we haven't really got to the bottom of all of that yet. And this is something that is before us that could potentially help with liveability affordability and we want to make sure that we're doing what's right by the residents and having a very thorough conversation about what an expedited path might be so with that Rob. Should be turn it over to you thank you councilmember I think if it's okay if we could hear from the outside counsel first and then we'll make just a few brief comments on the administration's for position and thank you. Good morning. Sir can introduce yourself as good morning, it's Fred Springer was Brent Miller, I love so it's an honor to be here with you this morning. I just want to briefly present it as much time as possible questions and discussions so the Florida does have a p 3 or public private partnership, a lot in Florida statutes. That's now 13 years old. The statute does not define public-private partnership. It does for our purposes defying qualifying project and responsible public entity that's the inelegant language. So the city is a much more public entity. This project as presented is a qualifying projects so those are the boxes you need you need to check. And this statute authorizes unsolicited proposals which is kind of a new thing in Florida procurement law and again it's been since 2013, so we've got 13 years of experience with the process. This is supplemental to existing authorities said this is not required process, there's you know plenty of ways to to get to desired goals you know in a home rule jurisdiction like Florida, but this does definitely and authorize process. P threes since it does not define what what peace trees are you can you know Google around and find what is the p 3 and there's a bunch of English definitions. And it's my advice is it's more than just one thing is is it a procurement process. Well yesterday a procurement process to follow generally if you read those descriptions it just talks about the contractual arrangement between a private party and a government party and you know at that level of definition pretty much everything the government does could could fit into the p 3 box so it's not very helpful. There's no magic to what is the p 3 is this main point just think of it as a project delivery method, it's it's one way to accomplish something that the government wants to accomplish. This is a heuristic that I use because when you think about any the transaction it helps to focus on who is acquiring what from whom and with whose money that that's a great way to cut right through and think about transactions and there are you know 6 important pieces of every transaction would when you think about it someone's got to pay for it someone's got to build that someone's got to operate maintain it and ultimately somebody owns it. So if you look through that lens at pretty much every transaction that the government does it's a pretty good way to you know think about what's going on and depending on. How you answer those questions that from a legal perspective drives you in certain directions about what process to use. But again this proposal that's in front of you fits within that the p 3 process at a high level. The key thing is typically in a procurement process. Although it's not required by the Constitution generally it's not required unless the government imposes on itself. 2 Duke competitive, solicitations somos many jurisdictions and even at the state level. There's usually a dollar threshold over which the government has decided it's a good idea that we do this competitively. And that's why we have procurement shops in our governments. Somebody has got to do that. So you know the process flow across the top of this slide. Can you have breaks down how that usually happens. So somebody in inside the government identifies in need somebody has to think about how we're going to meet that need somebody has to go out who might who might meet that need and then if you have to come competitive solicitation, somebody conducts that. Then it goes under contract because there's a legal relationship between you and the supplier. And then that supplier performs under that contract. So that's that's what the top row is the bottom flow. What what's different. Here because this statutes in 2013 authorize the unsolicited proposal. So it's a different way of getting to the ultimate end of the. Contract and the performance and by definition isn't a time to listen to your kind of cutting off those first 3 steps with your typical solicited process. So the way it happens is the government receives doesn't ask for it receives the proposal and then the the next Chevron, there is is it a qualifying project in statute, yes this this is this particular am I project satisfies the definition. You are you know somebody who can follow this process. So the first question is is this something the government's interested in the desirable highlighted is is this something you want to proceed so just because you get in and says proposal that that doesn't force you to do anything you could say no thanks we're not interested. If you decide why this intrigues us and we want to pursue it then you you move down to the right on the flow chart there chewy in till 2 years ago. There was a process that every until its proposal required giving public notice and giving an opportunity for interested competitors to submit competing proposals. So the love started baked in a little competitive process. In 2024. The statute was amended to make that optional so that's the second highlighted they're on the 3rd Chevron. That's kind of where you are in this process now. You know is is this something the city wants to pursue if so what do we do next and that puts you in that 3rd Chevron. So and that's the question of do we advertise or or not. So if you do advertise then there's a process like a typical solicitation. If you if you get competing proposals you have to rank them. That you wait them rank them and then negotiate with with your top ranked. But if you don't advertise. Then you can proceed to negotiate with the answers to propose or. There are some steps that need to be taken to the public hearing process. There's the criteria. This statute. What this slide is the criteria that this statute gives for the decision about whether to advertise. The funny thing about these criteria is they really are the criteria you would consider any way even if you did everyone needs so these criteria don't go too. The wisdom of seeking competition or not these criteria go to. What do you think of this this proposal and do you want to proceed. So this this is the key step. The statute does not dictate its it's completely open at the local level. How this decision gets made. It just says you know the responsible public entity or in this case, the city makes this decision. There's broad discretion. These are the criteria that that would you know guy that. Decision about whether to advertise or not. So and the these are the points that would be addressed and documented in your public hearings and then you would have to pause publish a notice that the city can consider these factors and you have to you know document your findings about proceeding. But that's that's what it boils down to now where were you are in the process is consideration of these factors. And then the economic efficiencies which is second bullet there. Huge ideally a public-private partnership in theory is brings these advantages. 7 considering that second bullet about is economically efficient. These are the factors that you'd be looking at. And you know you're really looking for the risk transfer and risk management to get it you know will that serve the project. So those are the factors that go to that second that bullet the financial struck or structure an economic efficiencies and then as far as the qualifications here's your risk allocation. The things you would usually consider and any any deal really restructuring. And then as far as capability of the proposer. Factors that you typically consider when you're entering into a contract with a private party. So that's it in a nutshell I just want to kind of situate you where you are in the process and you know we can talk about lots more be on that but I really wanted to keep this short and the get addressed what you wanted to talk about. Fred thank you very much for the education and he introduced to a new Some so well on that front of us right. I just think you want to know so you know I appreciate that completely. No problem Rob. Ford's your is so good morning. Good morning every morning we just want to very briefly just kind of let you know where the administration is that in this process and. Want to thank outside counsel for that presentation worse. Ministration team have received the same kind of presentation information from outside counsel on this and so generally you know mayor Welch's directed staff to try and expedite the transition to digital meters in a timely and cost-effective and I think. >> We believe that that's kind of consensus on City Council as well that's what we want to achieve as a city and I think it comes down to how do we want to achieve that there's some challenges with process, there's some challenges with funding. How do we go about that and that's part of the discussion today right what process are we going to use to expedite this transition so currently with this submission that we have it is our intent to move forward with a public notice to solicit other competitive offers we've been working on that notice that would go out to the public. We anticipate that would be done in 2 or 3 weeks we will put that notice out publicly and receive those offers back and go through the competitive process. That is our take on on what we've received we do have staff here today and we're happy to answer any questions that we can from council members thank thank you, that's helpful. Councilmember Harvey. Thank you, Rob Fred, thank you again you are very clear, I don't have any questions with thank you for the word in elegant. Now add that my lexicon that is a new word from either use than I appreciate after this much life. I don't normally get here new words. Rob if if MISTER Tankersley is in the building we get an answer a few questions absolutely and there he pops up. A hurry Sir thank you for your time. I want to buy one of backups that for those watching and make sure we we understand why we're talking about this. This is the water meters what what reads the amount of water going into a into a private entity or into your house and your business and from what I understand we're 1970's technology right now. We yes that's that so it's just analog it's like this, matter in your car. Okay and then we get and then we go around and we Henry these correct and so the only data that we have a plan or staying cracked available is whatever the meter is read on that particular day were wrecked ok so all right so that's where we are and it's worked for for generations. But what we're looking at it is is moving to digital meters which in theory are are much more accurate and and as I understand the we currently might be a little bit but this is more accurate. But more to the point. This involves technology and so we will be able to provide data it. Once we replace the meters the overlaying technology which I assume are looking at as well we'll be able to provide data to the end users on an hour by hour basis. If they choose. Yes, that is correct. So we'll so we will effectively for those who want to look at their own usage. We'll put control into their hands they'll be able to to see what what's happening to their house at 3 o'clock in the morning or all day Tue. Sir. Okay, so so if there is an issue and I assume that further technology I just want to make sure that that we all understand that they can actually probably set up some type of alert system if they used too much water of these water ongoing that the system alert them. Yes, Sir. We have many do we have any any dots on how. And how much that that particular thought will affect the system in other words I have a link to my house and I just don't know water is leaking underneath the ground and I just know that I got to high water bill. Do we have any thoughts on how much more efficient that'll make the system or will it make the system more efficient or will it say, but the city in the end user money, it'll be a big benefit to the end. So right now. When we read the meter monthly reading the total amount of water that flowed through that meter for that one month. We have no idea of. When that water flowed through you know was it in the middle of the night was a during the day wasn't consistent across the month or did it spiked at certain times all we know is the total number and we have to wait, you know a month before we get that a number number since for reading it on a monthly basis with the digital meter in the am I technology that we would partner with it. That data it can be available. Almost instantaneously and so as you mentioned the customer can review their their usage on a regular basis they can that the software that we're looking to implement would allow them to set up alerts that if you know hey in the middle of the night using this much waters and the allure so I can know about it. By doing that we can catch potential water leaks. Quickly and not allow them to continue to do per for full month, leaking that water for 4 months before we have information that MAY suggest there is a water leak. So we do believe that this will be a a big benefit to our citizens. >> And what about the city side does this create less wear and tear on the system does this does this probe prolong the life of the city side of things or how does it or how if at all does it does it benefit the city. Doesn't really impact the wear and tear on the system but it will impact what we call our unbilled water. So every day every year we all utilities throughout the throughout the the world have a certain amount of water that just for whatever reason isn't build unbelievable. And so for instance if were Flushing our hydrants to improve the quality of the water during a hot period. That water is not being billed and so therefore there's no revenue coming in. A water leak on the private side can end up being an billable water if we go through the process of discovering the leak and then giving the appropriate credit to the customer if they've addressed the leak and so this this will allow us to reduce the amount billable water that we have every year. In it with with. Municipalities counties that have been stalled systems like this. They say. In the aggregate it in the hopes that these problems exist they just do right right once we build something starts to degrade. Is there any change or any data available in terms of a water used in the aggregate. So a certain percentage of the end users are going to pay attention and they're going to fix things in is that a thing. I will admit I have not researched that because it's been my professional assumption that that that would occur so I haven't really researched how much other utilities that have already implemented this MAY have seen a reduction in there and the water so possible benefit but not a downside correct okay. The we're currently rolling out this program that are we have been rolling out this program just in in small faces and only at that level of the meters not that that the ruling technology correct we're at we've got how many 90 something 90 some 1000 roughly 97,000 and how many rolling out or what's our pace. We've installed to date roughly 24 25,000. And if we continue at this pace how long will it take another 5 years. >> The and you see you see a big benefit to this. So getting it done quicker is. >> Yes, I do and my staff. We see that benefit also okay. >> In terms of of. The proposal that we're we're looking at or the proposals range from we hire company. And and pay them and they install our equipment. To one of the proposals is is meters a service company. From software as a service. They do all the work we can buy it from the back and they maintain it correct what what that. The. If you have an opinion on and that the best option for the best, the best way to proceed in terms of getting this done tomorrow. If if Council gave you all the money that you that you needed. And just said good to describe what would be the most expeditious way to do this. Most expeditious way would be for us to hire an outside company. That has experience in doing these kind of installations on of and a fast track basis as right now we're doing these installations in house using our own teams to do the installation. So if we were able to to hire a contractor that has experience in doing these kind of projects of installing these these digital meters and installing the m I of doing the data integration that's an important piece of this is the data integration between the digital meters in the am I in our billing system to do the project management can bring in the resources with enough teams to get. Thousands of meters per month rather than thousands per year that would be the most expeditious way to do it. >> Alright in the end I meant to ask it in the process and command centers to big word. What does this all end with some type of command center. Some office where their screens available where where staff are monitoring this is that is that part of the overlaying technology not not not really although I love the visual it would just allow our utility accounts utility billing team too. To them to have this information at hand. So that when customers call and they be be able to have the information at hand. Thank you very much. All that is building I would like to it least considering make one of the options I. At the risk of a of possibly and doing something councils in the past have done and I like tremendously. This one project seems like it as. Has overlaying benefits and should be done sooner rather than later and and actually has a payback to it and so I appreciate the fact that that we look at projects like this we bond half and pay cash for him. I would not be opposed to looking at binding this project it's not a huge project. But I think that that. If Thomas team or look at the finances of this. I think you'd find this project funds itself as a as it as it moves through its lifecycle I want to put that on the table that that getting this done. This is this is something that that that I am glad that we have taken on I think that that the sooner we do it the better and and I think that all options should be considered in in in getting it done tomorrow. But thanks for your work. Brad thanks for for considering this and making this important Fred thanks for the work that you didn't on I'm getting is here chair, thanks for time. Thank you. By here from thank you I'm going to pick up exactly where councilmember hurting left off I think we've probably been saying similar things much of this time. I just want to get clarification on one thing councilmember hurting to set up a this is probably the robot were clawed about a project funding itself over time I think the implications that because there's more on billable water capture that we have more revenue into the system after we do this is that the implication I I can't speak for councilmember Harding or what his. You know what he was referencing there but if that is the case what I would say is that I would personally be concerned about that because if we're generating more revenue for a more accurate reading then we MAY want to consider reducing or lowering rates. You know as opposed to just taking in that additional revenue so it MAY be revenue neutral. Okay. i do think that that is a worthwhile point as well though because I reducing rates is one of our goals as well so okay just wanted to sort of have that that specific question. Some of the sub's already been so strong that I have but I guess 2 administration. When we're soliciting. Additional bids. Are we contemplating different types of bids like as we've talked about meters as a service for soliciting like the contractors, Claude described as well. So the defense. Thank you councilmember. We're currently working on that public notice that would work allow us to move forward to the competitive process and we are drafting that to to open it up for people to propose a way for us to accomplish this using any kind of innovative or or available funding mechanisms. So that so that kind of broadens the the Scopes that somebody has a different funding mechanism than what has been presented in the proposal we have they could bring that forward to us and then we can compare all of them. I also like to know. Are we still considering a path forward in which we continue to sell perform and we accelerated or their limitations that the if you could speak to yes >> my staff and I would like to move forward with hiring somebody to come in to take it over us that we're no longer self performing. Is there are limitations to self performing and just just do the bandwidth of our staff. And so what weather regardless of how this particular unsolicited process works out we're still going to move forward with trying to find a way to bring somebody in to do that for us. Right now one of the things we're looking at of course is that we do have the job on coming up and that that MAY offer a method for us too to provide the funding to do the work more quickly than is currently in our cip budget. Okay yeah. That makes sense. Okay, I'll just take a step back and tell everyone the way viewing this. This is like the unsolicited proposal received versus. >> I guess just hiring a contractor that's capable of doing it. In my mind is is just a choice of financial mechanism. And which one is more efficient for the city financially is what I'm thinking about. Honestly cell performance in my experience is often been the most efficient if we giving a number of factors but like just on its performances often most financially efficient. But I do recognize that we would have limitations to actually like expanding. The installation very quickly. So you know, I mean if there's a possibility for maybe additional so performance that also brings in a contractor to try to keep the costs as low as possible that's what's in my mind. >> Just like to do this and like a financially responsible way. And I think I'll leave it there for now because you know we have the p 3 presentation which was interesting I did take issue with some of the a perspective that was listed and it. Around financial structure economic efficiencies and risk transfer, but you all have heard for me before so I'll leave it for today. But I would like to see us move forward with. Something that is both financially feasible and time. And increases the time as fast as possible. And I'll end with saying the same thing as councilmember Harding this is so important because of what we have we've had go on in our city, not just recently but my entire time I've been here at least that I'm willing to step away from. Way that we are doing bombing within the utility right now. So that we can really get this issue taken care of and my preference would be for us to move to us in more simple financial mechanism than what was in the unsolicited proposal. >> willing to evaluate all of that on its face before making that decision. Thank you chair. Thank you vice chair councilmember captured. Thank you chair and I am actually going to go back to Fred. Thank you for your I also just want to thank you, I know that this was short notice for you and so thank you for making yourself available to us today and also for putting together the power point presentation. I think that one thing that I would like to touch on in an e-mail that you had sent on Feb. 18th after you had your meeting with administration and with legal. You laid out a flow of the 3 there are 3 of them actually some little curious as to why you gave us you know in this email 3 different workflows but it was specific to the statue and the different options between doing the notice and the 2 public hearings. So would you just real quickly be able to synopsis. You know, we know what the notice period would look like and I think that there's a range of time. So maybe that's one question that you could answer on the notice portion but on the public hearing portion could you just lay out real quickly what that would look like if City Council asked the administration to go that route. Yeah I'd be happy to do so the reason there's 3 flow charts that I'm a critic of this because I don't think which is often true with legislation have that actually gets implemented to real life, you know which is what we all do for a living. So if you if you look at the statutory requirements and that got layered in 2024. Those those public hearings. How that would actually unfold in real time is something we get a lot of thought to because clients need to do it. So what those 3 flows represent our alternative ways. 2 meet the statutory requirements to have those hearings. The statue doesn't driver dictate. When those happen or how they fit with the other things that the government's doing anyway under the statute. So that's what those represent. At the again they're at the statute before 2024 impose lot of requirements on the government about the findings that you need to make in order to do this kind of deal. So that public interest finding is just layered into that without saying when that happens. So those are alternative pans to satisfy the statutory requirements just a different stages in time. And so and then if you choose to advertise that statute did say does say. How long that period should be quite often the legally required time for advertisers that Haitian is super short. I think at the state level it was like you have 10 days. Just for you know anything need to be competitive. We solicited in reality things take more time than that. So the this statute, the p 3 statute has a range that goes from like 3 weeks too for months. And then it also says unless you think more or less time is makes good sense. So it gives you a lot of latitude and that's usually a function of how complicated is issued put yourself in those industries shoes, how how much effort when is it going to come to their attention how you can advertise it. How much time are they gonna need to put together something that's helpful you're not you know ideally and I just checking a box so we have to advertise they just didn't minute Matt time which would be 10 days historically. It's how much time do they need to give us something a trillion to help the overall process. So that's the range you in look ahead. So the statute has a range in it, but it also gives you discretion to more last. Okay and then the 2 public hearing process. What would that look like and maybe mccall or Janine and I don't know like. Let's say today's City Council wanted to have a conversation about encouraging the administration to go with the 2 public hearing process for expediency sake. What could that look like say that happened today how long would we need to notice that first public hearing and then the subsequent second public hearing. >> So the first public hearing could see you could have a special meeting or could fit into your regular schedule and just be on the agenda. The factors to consider it be the ones that that were on the slide. And then at that the thing about the first public by the reason there's 2 at the first one you have to capture public comment. And then you come back and have your second one and then when you publish, hey we've decided to go for that competition. You you need to see here so we've addressed each of these factors which are on that slide and that last factor is public comment that that's why there's 2. So you can decide now, let's do it that way. Your next public hearing could be on the agenda you could give the chance for public comment and then your second public hearing. You could just address those factors, including the public comment. Publisher notice an. >> We're talking about. 45 to 60 days starting I don't know your meeting schedule, but yeah, I mean maybe before the council break. >> Yeah just the statue just says that you have to hold a duly noticed public meeting I don't you know, I'm not seeing anything that prescribes in any other requirements or time frames on that and again just to be specially that is the right of factors, okay. And so that I'm clear if that were the route that the administration and Council wanted to take that is not entering into an agreement that would simply be authorizing the beginnings of negotiations with the proposer correct. Right if you get that would be the 4th Chevron, the bottom of the slide. There say they're still in negotiation process and usually this iterative you know it's multiple steps. So in that statutory language, it's an interim agreement and then a comprehensive agreement the proposal speaks of the a development agreement so they also have proposed an iterative process. Yeah, I mean I think that you know a timeline like that we talk about expediency and I think a timeline like that knowing that that type of process would not find the administration or City Council to anything what it would do in fact is it would give the public 2 opportunities to come before us and speak to us about the merits of how they feel the process is it would give us an opportunity to have those discussions. If we all decided after those 2 public hearings that we wanted to move forward then it enters into these negotiations which allows for there to be more conversation with City Council and there is an item that councilmember Givens put on the psni agenda back in SEPTEMBER of last year. >> That could be an opportunity for us to discuss those negotiations along the way and if Council at any point in time during those negotiations determined that this was not the right path to go forward then that could end and at that point we could continue to look at what you know potentially doing an rfp for this could look like you know we're hearing that the the Geo bond. We just keep putting all of our eggs in the basket of the Geo bond and I think we still need to be very realistic about what happens if the job on does not pass this you know we're talking about we want to see proposals that have creative financing. We want to see proposals that potentially have someone else being you know kind of over this that is the kind of proposal we have before us and it is sitting and it is not moving forward and the time is now. And so I mean all of the things that you're all asking for or we've all been asking for for months could start to move with this process and so while I I always think that there's certainly merit to looking at you know what else is out there. We know that we have been having conversations about metering since late 2024. And even before that City Council has been talking about putting into our cip to do this we've only accomplished about 20 some percent of our entire system at this point with this piece mail that we are financially able to do. And this gives us the opportunity to negotiate all of the merits that we believe we need in an agreement but it doesn't bind us to actually saying yes, this is where we're going to end up. So I am asking City Council to look seriously at the statue and the un flexibility that it gives us to be able to move through another process that can get us to a place where maybe we can accomplish all of these goals that we're talking about in a timely fashion. And if the Geo been passes great. Now we have even more resources to be able to do more. But if it doesn't at least we're moving this down the road and we're getting closer for people and I would just remind you that this city this Council administration this one the one before we have never been afraid to utilize state statute. When it allows us to even when other people have not done it yet. House bill 1339. The eu be legislation we were the first in the state to take advantage of those because those are affordability issues those help us to be able to build more affordable housing help people be able to live here. This is an affordability issue. >> This continues to be something that residents ask of us to help us be able to keep people affordably living in our city. So I would just ask you to seriously consider as we continue this conversation. What the benefits of the expedient process could be and how fruitful it could be for us to be able to get into negotiation sooner rather than later so we can accomplish this goal. Thank you MADAM Chair. Thank you council member driskell thank you and thank you councilmember gabbard for bringing this forward so that we could get this update and and learn more about the process behind the process. >> My. Questions is for the administration I so I'm trying to figure out. What goal is being met by going through this process as opposed to. Whatever process you've been in and so. Maybe if you can. Tell us where you're at with this and what timeline the administration is on for this because it sounds to me like the goal is to get this moving. Are you actively moving this forward. City Council is not involved in the administration's selection process or evaluation process. Usually something is brought to us once it. Selection has been made. Could see some benefits of allies saying this tool to help push things forward. But do we need to. I want to I want to hear where you guys are at and why. I consider just trusting you to continue with your process. >> Thank you councilmember as I mentioned earlier. The public works team. Staff. Very anxious and desires. 2 move this forward more quickly. We have a path that we're working on now that is baked into our current process is baked into our cip so we are moving forward, but just not as quickly as as we would like to be able to do so over the past year we've been looking at several different ways to allow us to do that working with legal to look at different options, including you know co-ops using a lot. Contracts and so forth. And just trying to investigate those options that would allow us to move forward more quickly since we received this this unsolicited proposal because this is new to us this process is new to us and it's and it's well prescribed. Well maybe not so well prescribed by the statute. We have wanted to make sure that we are moving forward in a way that does not put us at risk of violating that statute. So that unfortunately that that lack of experience with the statute is frankly making us go a little bit slower than we normally would under the normal procedures we have. I have been working as I mentioned a draft for that notice with the intention of getting that notice out and have been running that that draft through all the different departments that need to look at it finance procurement legal and so forth. And so that's where we are we have put that on hold and in order for us to have this conversation today. But you know we're we're committed to continue to move forward with putting that draft out. Ultimately what needs to be figured out in order first didn't do this more quickly is how are we going to take the current cip that we have spread across 5 years. How are we going to accelerate that to spread it across a shorter time frame so we're spending the same amount of money but in a shorter time frame and so trying to figure out how to do that is is probably been the biggest challenge that we have. So what's the plan to fix that like. What kind of a timeframe are we looking at I agree with with vice chair Floyd that a more straightforward approach to financing this is is the best way. I wasn't thrilled about what I was seeing with the other options. The money's got to come from somewhere and I understand that it does involve a shuffling of priorities with the money that we do have. I don't want that to get in the way of that progress. >> If we agree and I you know I think there's some options here that you know we're going to be looking at rearranging that cip right really reprioritize and some of the project. We were all so thankful for councilmember Harvey's comments about that first cash for this particular project that something else we're looking at and frankly we want to see what we get back on these proposals and see you know what type of of proposals we get and what those funding mechanisms are so you know what we want really is a competitive process that gets us what we want in the most cost-effective manner in a timely fashion that's what we're trying. Yeah and I I like the phased approach where you do some get those going I mean that kind of helps to spread out the cost is well over time right. Yes, I liked what I saw when I got when we received that unsolicited proposal. And you know we need this yesterday. I'm inclined to. Go along with a process where City Council uses this mechanism to make sure that the ball. Continue to move forward. >> I'm I've just been wondering do we really need it. And I want to be able to trust that you guys are not wasting a single minute trying to get this out there and get this going because every month that goes by is another month when people have. Potentially have very inaccurate readings and very inaccurate bills. We know that there's a problem this is. Santa and talking about before. And as as councilmember gabbard said it's you know since before the storms and everything and we've got a great solution right in front of us. So I just knew I just I really need reassurance one way or another that this is this is going to happen very very soon. >> We intend to move forward and I think you know one of the benefits of the unsolicited proposal we've received is it's a mechanism to have an expedited competitive process and get competitive solicitations and we're moving forward with it. >> And we received this one in like second week of JANUARY. I get that that's roughly correct I think that's mayor Gavin actually it's on the new business in JANUARY. Jan. 4. Oh yes, sorry. >> So this be got her intention would be to have 30 or 45 days, 4 responses. Then there would be an evaluation of the internal, you know our internal team would evaluate those responses. So I would say maybe 90 days after we get those responses that we would be bringing something back to City Council MAY be is that kind of a rough. Starting once we issue that are getting get the responses from right but when when is this going to go out. >> As I mentioned I put the notice draft on hold for right now once we once we come back to it review any final comments that our received from all the different parties finalize that that notice and then provided to procurement and as as Tom mentioned, I was confirmed with star procurement director about how long it would take one side provide that notice to procurement to get it out on the street. Stephen we want to speak. >> As soon as we received the notice we will publish an unopened of will make this a priority to get it out that day. Okay what might that day be are we talking next week or next month. Not next month. Next week or the week after I'm going to be shooting for next week. That's what I'm shooting for. And so again I do need to do my due diligence and read I received from the other folks that we need to look at this but once I have that done. Then I'll get it get it to the tournament. So my goal as next week. Okay great. This isn't going to be cheap and one of the benefits of going through the process that's being suggested here is the opportunity for public engagement in comment. And for for people to learn what this is what it means and why we. Want to pursue this option. I think we could benefit from that. I'm looking at I'm looking at both ways here. I don't see why we can do both. You've you've heard from some council members the sense of urgency about getting this done. And sometimes we have to just be our branch of government. Stand strong and say do not delay we want we want to push this forward and really get the public involved so that to together what do you make a decision when you do bring something to us. It won't be at that point that everyone's learning what's happening. There will have been ample opportunity. Learning about this. I see and at an additional benefit. 2. Going about things this way there I I must say I appreciate. Clyde the I can tell that you have a sense of urgency about this as well and that gives me a lot of confidence so thank you thank you chair. Thank you councilmember Curtis MADAM Chair. This is probably for you so we have 9 to 7,000 meters. Currently digital. Yes, what I don't see. In this proposal. I know I'm getting into the weeds a little bit but I promise I'll get somewhere is are we replacing all 97,000 or just the ones that are digital just the ones that aren't theirs. 4 to $5 monthly. >> That's essentially the finance charge for them up fronting the cost of the. 72,000 meters that still need to be done is that right. Correct okay. And so. Then it talks about at the end of that 20 year term we can buy it at fair market value wrecked what's the fair market value that has not been determined. >> They made it there's an estimate council member of the estimate today brand-new or is it 20 years into it. Well, its 20 year estimate, it was 1.2. All right. Here comes the 2 point. So just direct counsel to the page a 2 point I must I apologize, and I don't see what page. This is page number 8 of the proposal in a blue box. It says end of term fair market value, thank you 2.2 million. Skip the pictures. And what's the lifespan of the system. >> So the digital meters are warranted for 20 years. With a but but it's a prorated warranty so for the first 10 years it's it's full 100% warranty starting in year 11 it starts reducing by 10% each year until after 20 years, it's. >> We would essentially be starting this all over again in 20 years. >> I see what we have set in our cip for this. They give us the finance number that essentially the news 72,000 meters cost today. No Sir what you see in the in the proposal is what we have. >> This is where I'm I'm struggling with I totally get wanting to expedite this and get it done fast. I think everybody wants to do that nobody is going to disagree with that. But when we're talking about $77 million of payments that's without the escalate the 3% escalator a million purchase with them having to cip it again I I'm struggling to go we've and then not knowing what's going to look like the 30 year bond it for us and by the way I totally agree with councilmember Harding for the first time in the 5 years I've been here I do think we should look at possibly coming off a 5050. But I would rather it be not to pay for something new but the keeping either rates the same or lower rates and so that's what I'm struggling site. I want to see if there's other ideas out here to see to get this done don't get me wrong. I I think this is a good proposal. I think it's strong I I I'm a little worried about some of the financing. But I also want to see the clouds point the creative financing. The last thing I'll say is I actually agree he prayed with counsel for vice chair Floyd where face value self performing in Venice because right now I and correct me if I'm wrong we have million set aside for am I we're talking about $77 million here. A 25 minute if if we can sell perform it for 25 million. You know that's a massive gap I get that we don't want to self perform we want to get this we want to get some of it off of There is a cost to that and I'm okay with that. But that's a massive gap. And that's where on that's really where I'm struggling here is like is there somebody that can step is there somebody that can tightened the gap and maybe it's them because we going come we go competitive and so that's that's where my struggle is and I appreciate councilmember Driscoll wanting to know the urgency of this and feel the urgency of it and so. It's funny because I agree with a lot of what a lot of my colleagues have said I'm just putting it in different buckets. I think the way the way I'm looking at it and so which I don't think surprises anybody that I went straight up the financing of it all. So that's kind of where I'm at I very much appreciate the update. I'm glad I'm glad that we're being kept in the loop. So thank you councilmember gabbard and I think that's really important we're talking about this because it's certainly something we're hearing. From the residence. Q continue we're continuing to hear from from residents and so not I think that's just where I'm at at this point I think there's a there's a large gap between what we see 2 to see it cost to get it done compared to what this proposal is we can tighten that gap and shift some of what I'll call responsibility, I'm not going to call it risk responsibility to to get help us get this done I'm willing to pay for that. I want to make sure that it's not. Because that's where we're at and again that's without the 3% kicker. Annually so I'll leave it there for now I hope I hope that made sense and my crazy math brain but I really appreciate the update all the input from across the departments and administration thank you very much. Thank you councilmember 15 years. Thank you and good morning, everyone. It's good to know that you know we have council members said have their different issue so councilmember greatest thank you for and mining in your financial. Feedback on this but I just wanted to my comments are going to be bree I just want to thank council member Gabbert number one for again acknowledging the fact that there's 2 ways that we can actually accomplish says. I also want to thank legal for you are wanting to move the caution in regards to with that statute is because although I do love our. 42 in warning to move forward in in in spite of when it comes down to something of this magnitude. I'm glad that we're able to have this update. And I'm glad that we're having the opportunity to how the additional conversation. I'm also glad for the administration for saying that you do want to go outside you know that you know sell for performing MS. Is the slow. But steady and yet cost efficient way to do it in when we're looking at what services were trying to provide for our constituents. Of course, the fastest way in their minds would be the best way. I was sitting here thinking well I actually agree with vice chair Floyd. You know in the us I really did Vice chair Floyd in this in in the reason why. I say that is because usually I'm the one that wants to get it done and I'm I'm glad we're having the conversation I'm glad that you know actually putting voice. To a desired action as to how we want to see it and I too agree that if we can kind of mix it. You know if we can do it and they provide some of the you know the the installations for us that would be great in in hearing council member Harding if we get this done faster and I hope I'm understanding this outcome if we get it done faster will receive the revenues from it. Prior to the 5 year gap of a self implementing this am I correct with that cloud because if we have is gonna take a large investment up front. But we'll see the returns of that investment faster. They'll be less water that is leaking. >> Particularly on the customer side because we get notified of it more quickly and so the less water that is leaking water that has leaked is not water that is used it's wasted water. But we've had to go through the process of treating it and distributing it. Water so any time that we can reduce the amount of water that is not being used is a benefit to the customers into the city. Okay. Okay so that again my just for clarification on mean for me moving forward, but again this has been a great update because we've been having conversations in regards I'm just glad we're having this conversation and and I hope that I don't want because I was really in 2024 when it initially happened and unfortunately certain things don't move as quickly. I would like to see some things move a little bit faster than they're actually moving so when you go back to have you negotiations. >> And you decide how you want to move forward with this process and then you bring it back to us because I don't want to rush. And then regret it. We never know we just don't know what tomorrow is going to bring. So I just don't want us to postpone a process only for us to have to start all over again because we're 2026. You know we've been talking about this for over a year now and so I'm looking forward to the next conversation and thank you for your presentations there and I do appreciate out of my colleagues insight into Thank you chair, thank you and the benefit of going as share after one. Now I want yeah, I'm gonna speak before so because that way everybody spoken and there's a benefit of that because my colleagues have said a lot of great stuff. First of all thank you councilmember gathered for bringing this issue is clearly important issue to all our citizens and clearly administration has put it had a keen eye on this because they've been trying to figure out. What the best path forward is due to all the issues that were mentioned fiscal councilmember Curtis councilmember. Harding and vice chair Floyd you know the issue of what is the most prudent way fiscally to do this is I think extremely important because at the end of the day that car. It's passed on to our customers. MAY be great but people also care what their pain. And there is that Rob that we're trying to deal with and so that's where I'm at look. >> Competitive process is. I think important number one, because I'll tell you this when you think about what's best for the public interest it hatches. The benefits the public the financial structure, the qualifications all things get hashed out in a competitive process. So I think we all get great, then. You know information from that. So I'm not going to sit here as a public official and safe. No this is actually extremely important because we were talking about utility bills and what ends up in the bottom lot number and so if that works out where you send out the public notice and then you lay out the process great. Whether we do this in how self perform or not I have to rely on the experts to provide me this information some of the questions we're asking are things we don't know because you all know the pros and cons. What are the benefits. What's is this financing package better than this one. I don't have that outline I've reviewed a lot of the councilmember gabbard ask for i'm kind of getting it but I don't have that chart that tells me specifically which is kind of what the experts to what are the pros and cons of this for us doing it in house or whatever and I think we actually need that to be able to go forward and by the way this is the purview of administration. It really is because that's why you're the subject matter experts. So I think what you're getting from everyone is the urgency of this I do understand that this unsolicited proposal came in and threw a wrench because clearly you are going through a process an rfp was drafted bent. I mean there was a shifting of back and forth of what's happening and where are we going on this. I think at this point knowing the urgency and where we're hearing from City Council. Everybody needs to figure out ok, what is the best method to do this. And what's most cost efficient for our citizens and what makes sense. Financially too because fat. It could cost a lot more money and I'm sorry in 20 years, you need new meat ers. And replacing all the meters the same year. Guess what happens when they're all old you have to replace them all at the same time in there you can have the man power then here's a reason why things are done. You know kind of piecemeal because you have to be able to do it too. I'm not a for the deaf and thinking so. 2 I think you'