Budget and Finance and Economic Development Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee convened on September 20, 2022, at 1:00 PM, with Committee Chair Amanda Bledsoe presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the session, including both informational presentations and items requiring formal action. The committee took two votes, approving the August 30, 2022 committee summary and budget amendment revisions. Three informational updates were presented covering the monthly financial status for August 2022, JOBS Fund activities, and economic development grants. The meeting also included three public comments from community members.

Attendance

The following members were present at the September 20, 2022 meeting:

• Amanda Bledsoe
• Steve Kay
• Richard Moloney
• Chuck Ellinger
• Josh McCurn
• James Brown
• Fred Brown
• Preston Worley
• Kathy Plomin

Absent: • Susan Lamb

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The committee took two votes during the September 20, 2022 meeting, both of which passed by voice vote.

Committee Summary Approval 0:30 Chuck Ellinger made a motion to approve the committee summary, which was seconded by Kathy Plomin. The motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Budget Amendment Ordinance Approval 1:50:00 The committee voted to approve a draft ordinance for budget amendment revisions. While the specific members who made and seconded this motion were not identified in the record, the measure passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Both votes were conducted as voice votes rather than formal roll call votes, so individual member positions were not recorded. No conditions or amendments were attached to either approved item.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed one significant financial item related to workforce development funding.

Economic Development Grant The council considered a $400,000 Economic Development Grant designated for job placements and certifications. The funding is allocated to various workforce partners to support employment initiatives and professional certification programs within the community.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and resolution numbers were not available in the provided meeting materials for this financial item.*

Public Comment

Three speakers addressed the board during the public comment period, all speaking in support of changes to the Exaction Program.

Nick Nicholsons spoke first in support of the proposed change, emphasizing that no private responsibility for development was being shifted to the public sector through this modification 1:30:00.

Darby Turner followed, stating that stakeholders are supportive of the resolution being considered. Turner noted that the exaction program was originally designed as a zero-sum solution 1:32:00.

Dick Murphy spoke on behalf of the Clark Family, highlighting that public funds were not used to develop the exaction areas. Murphy commented that the program had succeeded in making development possible without requiring public expenditure 1:34:00.

All three speakers expressed support for the Exaction Program changes under consideration, with their comments focusing on clarifying that the program maintains appropriate boundaries between private development responsibilities and public funding obligations.

Approval of August 30, 2022, Committee Summary

0:30

The committee considered approval of the meeting summary from their previous session held on August 30, 2022. Amanda Bledsoe served as the key speaker for this agenda item.

The committee reviewed the summary document without any recorded discussion or concerns raised regarding its contents. The approval process proceeded routinely as part of the meeting's opening business.

The committee voted to approve the August 30, 2022, committee summary as presented. The motion was successful, and the summary was officially adopted into the record.

Monthly Financial Update – August 2022

1:00

The committee received an informational presentation on the monthly financial update for August 2022. Amanda Bledsoe presented the financial report to the committee members.

This agenda item was designated as informational only, meaning no formal action or voting was required from the committee. The presentation served to keep committee members informed about the organization's financial status for the month of August 2022.

No additional details about the specific financial figures, budget variances, or financial concerns were provided in the available meeting materials. The item concluded without any formal decisions or follow-up actions being taken by the committee.

JOBS Fund Update

2:00

Kevin Adkins and Craig Benz presented an informational update on the JOBS Fund program during agenda item III. The presentation focused on highlighting the program's incentive structure and providing current performance metrics to the meeting attendees.

The speakers outlined the various incentives available through the JOBS Fund and shared data on the program's current operational status. This update served as an informational briefing to keep stakeholders informed about the fund's activities and performance indicators.

No specific concerns were raised during this agenda item, and the presentation concluded as an informational update with no action items or decisions required from the attendees.

Economic Development Grants Update

The committee received an informational presentation on the Economic Development Grants program during agenda item IV 1:00:00. The Director of Business and Workforce Engagement provided the update, covering program outcomes and future planning initiatives.

The presentation focused on the current status of economic development grant activities, though specific details about grant amounts, recipients, or performance metrics were not detailed in the available materials. The Director outlined both completed outcomes from existing grants and discussed strategic plans for future economic development initiatives.

This agenda item was structured as an informational presentation rather than requiring committee action or decision-making. No specific concerns or debate points were documented during the discussion period.

The update serves as part of the committee's regular oversight of economic development programming and grant administration within the jurisdiction.

Budget Amendment Revisions

1:50:00

Melissa Lueker presented proposed revisions to the budget amendment process during agenda item V. The discussion focused on streamlining procedures and improving efficiency in how budget amendments are handled.

Lueker outlined the proposed changes to the existing budget amendment framework, though specific details of the revisions were not provided in the available materials. The presentation aimed to address current inefficiencies in the amendment process and establish a more streamlined approach for future budget modifications.

The item was presented as a discussion item, allowing for input and feedback from other participants on the proposed procedural changes. The revisions appear to be part of ongoing efforts to improve administrative processes and operational efficiency.

Following the discussion, the proposed budget amendment revisions were approved, indicating consensus among the participants that the changes would benefit the organization's budget management procedures.