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REGULAR MEETING JULY 23, 2012 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />A Public Hearing was held on the Resolution at this time. <br /> <br />There was no one present wishing to speak to the Council either in favor of or in <br />opposition to this Resolution. <br /> <br />Buddy Kirsits thanked the Council for this honor. He also thanked his wife and family, <br />and stated that it has been a lot of fun. He wishes he could do it again. He stated that his <br />family says he looks more refreshed. He stated some advice to his council friends that <br />they have a very tough job, people just don’t know the pressure that goes on each of your <br />shoulders, don’t let the pressure get to you, hang in there, do something for yourselves <br />and keep helping the city out. <br /> <br /> <br />Councilmember Scott made a motion to adopt this Resolution by acclamation. <br />Councilmember Schey seconded the motion which carried. <br /> <br />Councilmember's Scott, Henry Davis, Schey, Varner, Oliver Davis, White, and Dieter, <br />along with City Clerk John Voorde and Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand <br />offered comments and thanked Buddy for his years of service on the Fire Department. <br /> <br />REPORTS OF CITY OFFICES <br /> <br />Update from Mayor Pete Buttigieg: <br /> <br />Mayor Buttigieg thanked the Council for the opportunity to provide a monthly update on <br />recent administration activities and upcoming priorities. He stated that they have the <br />budget process in full swing, departments are working hard to assemble data, the green <br />eye shades are out, and we are going to have a lot of work ahead of us because we don’t <br />expect the top line to be going up much and we know how many priorities that we all <br />care about for the city. He reiterated that he is very much looking forward to the first <br />formal session with the Council to sink out teeth into budget affairs on Wednesday, July <br />25, 2012, as part of the ongoing collaborative budget process. He stated that he knows <br />that there has been interest in key positions in the administration and wanted to give an <br />update on that. He stated that he is pleased to announce that in both the department of <br />Public Works and Legal Department we have strong candidates identified and thinks that <br />they will be moving to extend offers to potential department heads very soon. He stated <br />that the Police Department search will not happen as quickly as the others. That is a <br />search that they have come to believe that it really depends on having Public input for its <br />success and so they are going to work to make sure that this process is thorough and that <br />this process incorporates public input as much as possible. He stated that they have an <br />th <br />upcoming Mayor’s Night Out, this one will be in the 5 District, at the O’Brien Center, <br />th <br />and look forward to being with Dr. David Varner, 5 District Council Representative, on <br />Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 5:30 p.m., it’s open to the public and encourage all <br />Councilmember’s who can make it to come on over and will make sure that they have <br />Department Heads there as well. He stated that they recently had the United Way Kick- <br />Off, and the City is a great participant. This is news to him and may come as news to <br />some fellow newly elected officials, but the city has contributed and this is city <br />employees a total of $899,000.00, so far in the United Way Campaign over the years. He <br />stated that he is especially pleased to note that the participation level which is so <br />important that they have had 466 employees participate last year. That is almost a 40% <br />participation rate and that has grown very steadily over the years and hopes that all of us <br />will do our part to make sure that we are participating and encouraging others to do so. <br />This is a great chance to help in so many community issues. Mayor Buttigieg gave an <br />update on the graffiti team. They have addressed 538 reports of graffiti in the last six <br />months or first six months of the year, 453 of those were residential or business <br />properties, 30 were public sites as well as 55 public parks. It really has been distributed <br />across the city although some districts are more concentrated when it comes to the <br />st <br />appearance of graffiti. He stated that they saw 32 sites addressed in the 1 District, 62 in <br />ndrdthth <br />the 2 District, 88 in the 3 District, 28 in the 4 District, 23 in the 5 District and 170 <br />th <br />addressed in the 6 District. He stated that he is pleased to announce that the rate of re- <br />tagging is below 10% and gathered to be considered a good ratio relative to what you <br /> 3 <br /> <br />