There was supposed to be a city council discussion next Tuesday about how to spend or not to spend $3.3 Million in surplus, but it seems the city attorney’s office with help of council leadership and fianance is looking to put it towards the bond refinance instead;

From: Bengford, Paul (City Attorney)

Mayor Huether and City Council,

On February 13, 2018, the City Council adopted Ordinance Number 12-18 that authorizes the issuance of Sales Tax Revenue Refunding Bonds.  The ordinance allows, but does not require, the use of unobligated available cash in the Sales Tax Fund to reduce the amount of new bonds issued.  I told you at the City Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, that the City Attorney’s Office would internally discuss how to get the issue of how much, if any, of the unobligated available cash to be utilized to reduce the amount of the bonds issued to be presented at the February 20, 2018 City Council Meeting.  The attached Resolution has been sponsored by Councilors Erickson and Kiley for purposes of discussion.  The resolution indicates that $3.3 million in unobligated cash funds would be utilized to reduce the amount of new bonds issued.  The maximum amount was placed in the Resolution to allow the City Council and public to know the maximum amount that could be potentially utilized to reduce the debt.  The City Council is free to utilize the resolution or amend the amount downward.  The City Council decision can be anywhere from $0 to $3.3 Million depending on what the City Council believes to be in the best interests of the City.

Thank you for your consideration of this issue.

While they can amend the resolution at the regular council meeting, it seems they are jumping the gun by proposing the resolution to begin with. They should have had an open discussion FIRST about how to spend it, than write a resolution on the expenditure instead of farting around with a sloppy piece of legislation that they would have to amend.

Like the run-off resolution for council races, the council seems to like to negotiate on the fly instead of having a public discussion.

Once again, secret, secret, secret, RAMROD. Three months left of this CRAP.

By l3wis