There is a lot on Tuesday night’s agenda. We’re leaving the FY2027 budget out of this post because that deserves its own discussion. Here are our highest-priority discussion points from everything else.⁣
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𝟏. 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭⁣
Council will consider extending City Manager Beccy Yocham’s agreement through December 31, with an option to continue through March 2027 if needed during the transition. The agreement also includes a 5% merit increase retroactive to May 1.⁣
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But the actual addendum Council is voting on isn’t attached to the online packet. Residents are told it is available for review in the City Clerk’s office. That comes two weeks after Council spent 45 minutes in executive session discussing the City Manager employment agreement.⁣
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Why is the raise retroactive to May 1? What is the actual dollar amount? And why isn’t the agreement being provided online before the vote?⁣

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𝟐. 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧⁣
Staff and Vireo have selected the Black Hoof-to-Buffalo Meadows connection as the first trail priority to move forward. Council will consider another $96,020 for design, public engagement, construction documents and construction administration.⁣
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At Committee of the Whole, residents were told they would have input during the design process. The new packet gives us a better idea of what that means.⁣
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Public engagement will happen during final design, when Vireo will present a proposed alignment and gather feedback for possible “refinement.”⁣
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𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞? 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝?⁣
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We hope the promised public involvement is meaningful not simply a rubber-stamp feedback process.⁣

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𝟑. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚?⁣
Here’s what really ties this meeting together: Items 1–11 are all on Consent.⁣
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That includes the City Manager agreement, the trail amendment, a $782,817 pavement change order, a $139,892 sidewalk design contract and more than $1.1 million in stormwater construction.⁣
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All can be approved together without individual discussion unless an item is pulled.⁣
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𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: What is the criteria for determining what goes on Consent and what gets more public discussion?⁣

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