Dec 18, 2024 Executive Committee Meeting

[00:00:17]

AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING FOR DECEMBER.

WE ARE IN ORDER.

THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTICED THROUGH THE CLERK'S OFFICE WITH VARIOUS, UH, MEDIA OUTLETS.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO, TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

BEFORE WE GET ONTO ITEM NUMBER TWO OF THE AGENDA, UM, I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO CHAIR THE MEETING THIS AFTERNOON, AND I DO NEED TO LEAVE AT FIVE 30.

AND SO I'M GONNA BEG YOUR INDULGENCE TO ADJUST THE AGENDA SOMEWHAT.

UNDER ITEM NUMBER THREE.

WE'LL TAKE UP ITEMS THREE A, B, AND E AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS, AND THEN COME BACK TO ITEMS C AND D, THOSE UPDATES AFTER THE CLOSED SESSIONS.

IS ANYONE ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, UM, OPPOSED TO THAT? NOT AT ALL.

VERY WELL, THANK YOU.

THE MEETINGS OF THE LAST OR THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING HAVE BEEN POSTED.

DID ANYONE NOTICE ANY IRREGULARITIES OR CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE MINUTES? NO CORRECTIONS, NOTHING HERE.

SEEING NONE, THE MINUTES WILL STAND AS POSTED.

MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.

UM, ITEM THREE, A NEXT GENERATION HOUSING FUNDING REQUEST FOR EDWC, RETAINER FOR HEART

[a Minutes of November 20, 2024]

AND FOR THAT WE HAVE DEB SALKI WITH BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

YEP.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

AFTERNOON.

UH, SO THOSE ARE REQUESTS TO UTILIZE NEXTGEN HOUSING FUNDS, UM, FOR FUNDING A STAFF RETAINER FOR EDWC.

UH, THEY'RE OUR CONTRACTED AGENT

[a. NGH Funding Request for EDWC Retainer for Heart & Homestead Incentive]

UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR $379,409.

UM, DUE TO THE HIGH DEMAND OF THE HEART AND HOMESTEAD AND THE GROWTH OF THE PROGRAM, UM, WE, THERE'S DEFINITELY A NEED, UM, HIGH DEMAND ON THE RESOURCES AND TIME OF EDWC AND WORKING, UM, IN THE FRONT PART OF THE HEART AND HOMESTEAD PROGRAM.

UM, UH, DO THE GROWING OPERATIONS OF EDWC, UM, DEDICATING STAFF TIME ON A TIME AND MATERIALS BASIS, UM, REALLY DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THAT FLEXIBILITY TO MANAGE THE PROGRAM IN REAL TIME.

UM, SO WE ARE PROPOSING A RETAINER MODEL, UM, SO WASHINGTON COUNTY WILL HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY, UH, TO ADAPT TO THE MARKET NEEDS AND DEMANDS, UM, AND OPEN THE APPLICATIONS WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.

UM, IT WILL ALSO ENABLE EDWC TO HIRE A STAFF PERSON, UM, TO HELP WITH THE LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT OF THE PROGRAM.

UM, THE, THIS REQUEST TYPICALLY WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH, UH, THE NEXT GEN HOUSING COMMITTEE, UH, BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO FORM A QUORUM, UH, BEFORE THIS MEETING.

UM, BUT THEY WERE INVITED, UH, TO ATTEND THIS MEETING AND PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS, UM, THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO IT.

SO THE REQUEST IS BEFORE YOU, UH, FOR 379,000, UH, $409 FOR A RETAINER, UH, FOR EDWC, UM, TO DO, UH, CONTINUE THEIR WORK IN THE, THE HEART AND HOMESTEAD PROGRAM AS OUR CONTRACTED AGENT.

THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? UH, SUPERVISOR SCHULTE.

SUPERVISOR CHADRON.

I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT THAT.

, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, YES, SIR.

SUPERVISOR KELLY? UH, ANY IDEA? I MEAN, SO THIS PROGRAM'S SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, I CURRENTLY, AS IT STANDS, IT'S JUST FOR A THOUSAND HOMES, CORRECT? UM, THAT IS, YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE THOUSAND HOME IS ACTUALLY NEXT GENERATION HOUSING.

OH, I'M SORRY.

YES.

YEAH.

THE, THE HOME CENTER.

HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE THIS, UH, MM-HMM .

PROGRAM WOULD GO? GREAT.

SO, UM, THE HEART AND HOMESTEAD PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR.

UM, THE COUNTY BOARD JUST APPROVED THE FUNDING FOR $500,000 PER YEAR.

UM, I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALSO SEEKING, UM, POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL DONATIONS, UM, FROM BUSINESSES IN THE FUTURE.

AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, BRINGING FORWARD A RESOLUTION TO DETERMINE WHEN, UH, THE COUNTY BOARD SHOULD WE LOOK AT THAT.

UM, SO AN END DATE HAS NOT BEEN, UH, DETERMINED YET, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE A RESOLUTION COMING FORWARD.

AND THEN, FORGIVE ME, I DON'T, I CAN'T GET MY COMPUTER TO COME UP.

UM, WELL, FROZEN,

[00:05:01]

IT'S A THREE YEAR CONTRACT.

UM, AND IT IS ACTUALLY AN AMENDMENT TO OUR CO-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, UH, THAT THE COUNTY HAS WITH EDWC.

OKAY.

SO ROUGHLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND, UH, TWO, ABOUT A HUNDRED LESS THAN 120,000 A YEAR.

ABOUT A HUNDRED.

THAT'S A THREE YEAR CONTRACT.

SO, AND THAT'S ADMINISTERING ABOUT HOW MUCH PER YEAR IS THAT? 500,000? IT'S THE, IT'S THE 500,000 PER YEAR PLUS WE, UM, HOPE TO GET ADDITIONAL, UH, FUNDS, UM, THROUGH DONATIONS WITH THE BUSINESSES AS WELL.

OKAY.

I GUESS I JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISPERSING 500,000 FOR ABOUT 120,000 THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A 90 DAY GRACE PERIOD.

AND SO, ALTHOUGH, UM, ALL OF THE FUNDS ARE, UM, UH, ALLOCATED, UM, INITIALLY, UM, THERE IS A 90 DAY GRACE PERIOD FOR THE APPLICANTS TO EITHER GET A CONTRACT, A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, UM, OR AN OFFER, AN ACCEPTED OFFER TO PURCHASE.

AND, UM, THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE THAT 90 DAY PERIOD LAPSES.

UM, AND IT, WE'VE BEEN, THE LAST TWO LAUNCHES THAT WE'VE HAD, IT'S BEEN ABOUT, UM, WE HAVEN'T DETERMINED THE SECOND LAUNCH, BUT THE FIRST LAUNCH THAT WE HAD, IT WAS ABOUT 30%, UM, HAD OF RECIPIENTS THOSE LAUNCHES.

UM, IT DID NOT GO THROUGH, UH, FOR THOSE APPLICANTS, SO ABOUT 30% OF THE APPLICANTS, UM, THOSE FUNDS WERE RETURNED BACK TO THE AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR THAT PROGRAM.

SO, ALTHOUGH IT'S 500,000 INITIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, UM, THERE WILL BE A TURNOVER AND THERE WILL BE LAPSES IN THOSE 90 DAY, UH, GRACE PERIOD TO GET THE FUNDING.

UM, SO WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE AN INITIAL RELEASE OF THOSE FUNDS, AND THEN AS THE 90 DAY GRACE PERIOD LAPSES, UM, THEN THERE WILL BE FUNDS AVAILABLE, UM, TO REOPEN THIS.

AND WHAT THE RETAINER MAR RETAINER MODEL ALLOWS, UH, IS FOR THE EDWC STAFF TO REACT QUICKLY, UM, AND OPEN THOSE FUNDS UP, UM, AS NECESSARY.

AND THERE WILL BE A, A TRIGGER AMOUNT, LET'S SAY $260,000, UM, THAT IS ACCUMULATED IN THAT POT, WHETHER IT BE FROM THAT, THAT 90 DAY GRACE PERIOD LAPSING, OR WHETHER IT'S FROM ADDITIONAL DONATED FUNDS, UM, THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO OPEN THAT UP, UM, AND BE VERY NIMBLE ABOUT THAT PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

I JUST, I MEAN, I GUESS I UNDERSTAND IT, UM, MILLION, OH YEAH.

BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM IS, IS DONE.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE I, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK I KNOW THAT GOES INTO THIS, AND I CERTAINLY BUY E-D-W-C-I AND I GET ALL THAT.

MM-HMM .

STAFF TIME IS EXPENSIVE.

UH, BUT TO ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM, IT SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LARGE AMOUNT COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE ADMINISTERING THE PERCENTAGES SEEM.

I, I WOULD ASK THAT IT PROBABLY JUST BE LOOKED AT AND SEE IS THERE A DIFFERENT WAY THAT THIS COULD BE DONE MORE EFFICIENTLY OR SOMETHING.

I MEAN, I GUESS IT'S JUST I HAVE CONCERNS.

NOT SAYING THAT I WOULD GO AGAINST IT NECESSARILY TODAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'M OFF ON THIS MM-HMM .

AND MAYBE A LITTLE BETTER EXPLANATION.

YEAH.

THERE IS A, THERE'S ACTUALLY A, UH, MAX PORTFOLIO AMOUNT OF 5.5 MILLION.

UM, SO THERE'S A CAP, UM, TO THIS.

AND YOU ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF WORK THAT GOES IN, UM, TO THE WHOLE PROCESS WHEN SOMEONE APPLIES.

AND THEN THE, THE BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ALL OF THE PAPERWORK AND, UM, PREPARING FOR CLOSINGS.

AND OFTENTIMES THOSE CLOSINGS GET, UM, PUSHED BACK AND SO THAT, THAT WORK HAS TO BE DONE AGAIN.

AND, AND THEY HAVE TO BE VERY NIMBLE, UM, AND ON THE SPOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE MEETING EACH ONE OF THESE CLOSINGS.

UM, SO THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO EACH ONE OF THESE, UM, APPLICATIONS THAT COME THROUGH.

YEAH, AND, AND I, I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND FROM ED WCS THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS MM-HMM .

THE STAFF TIME AND ALL THE REST OF THAT.

UM, BUT IF IT'S, IF IT'S, IF IT'S NOT EFFICIENT TO ME, IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT.

MM-HMM .

I MEAN, I TOTALLY GET, I'VE BEEN THROUGH A FEW CLOSINGS AND TITLE SEARCH AND ALL THE REST OF THAT.

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND A MILLION THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG AND HOW IT HAS TO BE LOOKED AT EVERY DAY.

[00:10:01]

UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST IF WE'RE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND, AND IT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY GREATLY, BUT MM-HMM .

IT, ITS COST JUST SEEMS VERY HIGH.

WELL, UM, I BELIEVE, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH EDWC IN THIS PROCESS, AND I BELIEVE THAT THEIR PROCESS IS EXTREMELY EFFICIENT.

IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TAKING THE TIME THAT IT NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF THESE CLOSINGS HAPPEN AND THAT THEY ARE CERTAINLY NOT THE ONES THAT WOULD HAVE TO, UH, BE AT FAULT TO PUSH, UM, ANY OF THESE CLOSING BACK.

SO IT'S A, IT'S A MATTER OF BEING EXTREMELY NIMBLE AND EXTREMELY DETAIL ORIENTED, AND THERE'S A LOT OF TIME THAT GOES INTO ACHIEVING THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, WHAT WE NEED AT EACH ONE OF THOSE CLOSINGS.

IF I MAY, UM, ACTUALLY, CHRISTIAN, GO AHEAD.

YOU HAD A QUESTION? I DON'T WANT TO NO, BY ALL MEANS.

PLEASE.

THAT'S FINE.

NO, NO PROBLEM.

SO THE CALCULATION THAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING MR. SUPERVISOR WOULD BE OVER THE FIVE AND A HALF MILLION, UH, FROM A PERCENT STANDPOINT, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT IT VERSUS THE 500,000 A YEAR, BECAUSE THE ACTUAL, UM, EXECUTION OF THAT PROGRAM INVOLVES BOTH THE APPLIC INVOLVES THE APPLICATION, THE UNDERWRITING, AND THE SERVICING.

AND THE OBJECTIVE WAS FOR AN ON DEMAND, MEANING, AS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SE SEEKING TO PURCHASE HOMES THAT YOU, YOU CAN BE THERE AND BE RESPONSIVE, UH, NOT JUST RESPECTIVE TO THEIR CLOSING, BUT AS FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE, PARTICULARLY IF NEW FUNDS ARE INTRODUCED.

SO THE, THE ASK, IF YOU WILL, IS, CAN WE ABSORB ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, UH, UP TO FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF A PORTFOLIO SIZE FOR HEART AND HOMESTEAD? AND THAT'S THE NUMBER IT TAKES TO DO THAT.

AND, AND SO THE ISSUE IS NOT EFFICIENCY.

WE'RE AT AN EXTREMELY EFFICIENT PROCESS.

UM, IT'S DOWN TO WELL DOCUMENTED STEPS FOR EACH PIECE OF IT.

THE CONSUMER MORTGAGE ENVIRONMENT IS IN AND OF ITSELF, NOT EFFICIENT THANK GOVERNMENT AND REGULATION THAT GOES WITH THAT.

UM, BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT PIECE OF IT, WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR ESSENTIALLY IS THE ABILITY TO EXECUTE NO MATTER WHAT YOU NEED AND WHAT THE CONSUMER NEEDS UP TO THAT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE, UH, RETAINER, COMPARE THAT AGAINST FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF, OF HOME, UH, INCENTIVES THAT ARE OUT THERE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE SERVICED AFTER AS WELL.

SO IT'S THAT PROPORTION, AND I THINK THEN YOU'LL GET TO A DIFFERENT, UM, CONCLUSION POTENTIALLY.

I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR YOU IN YOUR MIND, BUT, UH, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, THE MATH.

YEAH.

AND, AND I, UH, AGAIN, THAT DOES MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE PALATABLE AT, AT WHEN CONSIDERING THE FIVE POINT OR THE 5 MILLION PLUS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS JUST A MATTER OF, IT MIGHT BE THE BEST PROGRAM IN THE WORLD AND ALL THE REST OF THAT, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO QUESTION WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

I THINK THE MOTIVES ARE ALL GOOD HERE, BUT IF THE EXECUTION ISN'T QUITE WHAT WE HAD HOPED FOR, YOU KNOW, THEN, THEN I SEE PROBLEM.

I SEE IT AS BEING SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC.

NOW, AGAIN, I'M ALL FOR THE HEART AND HOMESTEAD PROGRAM, UH, YOU KNOW, IN ITSELF.

AND I DO UNDERSTAND THE AMOUNT OF LOGISTICS THAT ARE GOING INTO IT.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I GUESS, BUT I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THIS TO MY CONSTITUENTS.

YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH BANG WE'RE GETTING FOR OUR BUCK WHEN THE NUMBERS LOOK VERY SKEWED, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA GET ATTACKED.

I NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF BACKGROUND SAY, WELL, NO, WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND, YOU KNOW, IS THIS IS WHY, YOU KNOW, SO IF YOU JOSH, GOT SOMETHING, I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, SIR.

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES AS COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

YES.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

UM, SO I, YEAH, YOUR QUESTIONS ARE SPOT ON AND YOU SHOULD KEEP ASKING THEM JUST LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE SUGGESTING, I THINK, UM, OUR ACCOUNTABILITY, THE CONSTITUENCY, UH, DEMANDS IT SPECIFICALLY.

LET, LET ME, EVERYTHING CHRISTIAN SAID, UM, IN, IN THAT WONKY MATTER IS 100% TRUE.

WELL, AND I SAY THAT WITH LOVE, , IT, IT, THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO GET US TO THE POINT OF THIS IS WE ARE TRYING TO DELIVER SERVICE AT A, AT A BURGER KING LEVEL, UH, YOUR WAY ON DEMAND.

UM, IF WE WERE, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO STACK UP TO USE YOUR, YOUR LANGUAGE AND, AND WHAT YOU LIVE, IF WE WERE ABLE TO JUST HOLD OFF AND DELIVER CASKETS ONCE A MONTH ON THE DATES WE WANT, UM, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING.

UM, BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO IT IN REAL TIME AS THESE HOME

[00:15:01]

UM, AND SOMETIMES THERE'S GONNA BE HIGH PEAKS, AND SOME THERE TIMES THERE'S GONNA BE LOW VALLEYS.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A PART-TIME PERSON THAT COMES IN FOR A DAY AND DEALS WITH IT AND THEN COMES BACK ANOTHER THREE MONTHS LATER.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM AT ALL TIMES.

SOMETIMES THAT CREATES SOME INEFFICIENCY, BUT THE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK THAT YOU'RE GETTING FOR $300,000 OVER THE COURSE OF A PROGRAM THAT'S VALUED AT 5.5 MILLION, I THINK IS WORTH EVERY NICKEL.

NOT TO MENTION EVERY OUNCE OF TIME THAT'S NOT IMMEDIATELY SPENT ON HEART AND HOMESTEAD WILL BE ABLE TO RESOURCE, UM, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH WE ALREADY ARE GETTING ONE HELL OF A BANG FOR THE BUCK OUT OF.

SO, UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA, UM, STRETCH IN THAT RUBBER BAND OF THE DOLLAR, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DO EVEN MORE, I THINK.

AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT TRADE OFF, UH, IN ASKING THEM TO TAKE ON THIS HEAVY LIFT, WHICH I, I WILL ALSO EMPHASIZE BY, BY WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN NONPROFIT SECTOR AT DDWC, IT'S NOT A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE.

UM, SO I, I, I'M, I'M VERY, IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR US TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE THEY EDWC IS WILLING AND ABLE TO TAKE ON THE RISK OF THIS ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD AND BE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THE OTHER BLIND SPOTS, UM, THAT, THAT EXIST WHEN YOU TAKE ON THAT MUCH RISK, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME KEEPING US OUT OF ADDITIONAL SI GROWTH OF THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT, IF YOU WILL.

THAT'S HOW I WOULD RESPOND TO ANY CONSTITUENT WHO RAISES SOME CONCERN.

VERY GOOD.

AND AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO EDWC, I'M A HUGE FAN.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I CERTAINLY SUPPORTED EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE WITH, WITH EDWC.

UM, AND AGAIN, I WILL ALWAYS ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EFFICIENCY IS IMPORTANT AND HOW, HOW WE AS SUPERVISORS HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHILE THIS IS WHY, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY READ A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE THAT MAYBE GIVES ONE, ONE LINE QUOTES, AND I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BREAK THAT DOWN AND MAKE IT UNDERSTANDABLE TO MY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE SITTING AT THIS TABLE THAT HAS THAT, THAT CONCERN.

SO, BUT THANK YOU.

BUT YOU SHOULDN'T, YOU SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID TO ASK, AND WE SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID TO ANSWER.

AND AT THAT RATIO OF 300 AND SOME THOUSAND TO 5 MILLION, YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND NOT HAVING IT INSIDE OF GROWING COUNTY GOVERNMENT, SO TO SPEAK.

YEAH, I THINK THOSE TWO DATA POINTS ALONE, MOST CONSTITUENTS I KNOW IN WASHINGTON COUNTY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

TWO TO THE QUESTION ALL IN, AND THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

AYE.

THANK YOU.

ITEM THREE B, THE FINAL COMMITMENT OF ARPA FUNDS.

AND FOR THAT WE HAVE MR. UH, AARON DAHL.

I HAVE A HANDOUT, UH, TO PASS OUT.

SORRY, WE HAD TO TAKE THIS ONE RIGHT DOWN TO THE WIRE.

THANK YOU.

THIS WILL GET POSTED ELECTRONICALLY IN THE PACKET THOUGH.

[b. Final Commitment of ARPA Funds]

OKAY.

SO THE, UM, THE REPORT THAT YOU WERE JUST HANDED, LET ME JUST WALK THROUGH A HANDFUL OF THINGS, UM, YOU CAN SEE IN THE BREAKDOWN, UH, SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THROUGH IT AND, AND, UH, TRY TO DIGEST IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THE, THE COMMUNICATIONS ENHANCEMENTS ARE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDING UPON ALL OF THE MATERIAL THAT WE'VE DONE WITH, UM, DISCOVER MEDIA WORKS, UH, WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM OVER THE COURSE OF ALL OF THE ARPA DOLLARS.

SO THIS IS KIND OF WHAT I WOULD CALL CLOSEOUT, UM, AND BEING ABLE TO EXECUTE ON ALL THE DOLLARS WE'VE ALREADY SPENT, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST SITTING SOMEWHERE ON A, ON A DEAD WEBSITE THAT NOBODY KNOWS HOW TO GET TO 'EM, OR THEY, THEY AREN'T EVEN ABLE TO, TO BE UTILIZED, UH, GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE.

UM, SO RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT, UH, THE AID TO TOURISM AND, AND HOSPITALITY.

THESE ARE SOME ENHANCEMENTS.

YOU REMEMBER, WE DID THE TOURISM GRANTS.

UM, WE, WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF BOLTONS IN ADDITION TO THAT.

UM, THIS WILL BE THE FINAL BOLTON.

THERE WERE TWO PROJECTS THAT WERE ON THE RADAR THAT WE REALLY, REALLY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO FUND.

UM, THESE TWO WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

THAT IS SIMPLY TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH.

UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS, WE'LL TALK ABOUT MORE IN DETAIL IN CLOSED SESSION, BUT IT'S AGAIN, WORKING WITH, UH, EDWC IN, IN, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

AND, AND FINALLY, STAFFING 2026 BUDGET.

UH, AARON, CAN YOU REMIND ME OF THAT ONE? SURE.

THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR 26.

OH, THE, OH YES, THANK YOU.

THAT'S THE, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR 2026.

THE, UM, JAMIE'S AND DEB'S DEPARTMENT.

[00:20:02]

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? NO, I'M GOOD.

AND EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT ON HERE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM BEFORE, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE'LL TALK IN SPECIFIC DETAIL IN CLOSED SESSION ABOUT, I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT.

I'M SORRY.

NO SURPRISES.

IF, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OR OBJECTIONS, THIS, UM, REPORT WILL STAND, UM, AS PROVED BY CONSENSUS.

I HEARING NONE.

UM, WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE MOVING ON ON TO AGENDA ITEM THREE E, ANNUAL EDWC, UM, PORTFOLIO REVIEW.

AND FOR THAT WE WELCOME MR. CHRISTIAN CHE LOCK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[e. Annual EDWC RLF Portfolio Review  – Presentation ]

DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT WILL OR WON'T? DO WE KNOW? I HEARD IT.

YEAH.

YEAH.

ARE WE, HEY, HEY, WE HAVE LIGHT.

YEAH.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT, NOT GIVING UP.

LOOK AT THAT.

PERSEVERANCE.

THE WASHINGTON COUNTY WAY, .

ALRIGHT, SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, ACTUALLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, ALLOWING US TO MEET WITH YOU ANNUALLY TO GIVE YOU A, A, A STATE OF THE IMPACT LOAN FUND.

IT ACTUALLY WASN'T THAT LONG AGO.

UH, YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, HEY, DIDN'T WE SEE EACH OTHER IN NOT THAT LONG AGO? UH, WE MET IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IS OFF OUR NORMAL CYCLE OF GIVING YOU THE PORTFOLIO UPDATE.

UM, SO THERE'S GONNA BE SOME DIFFERENCES IN THIS UPDATE, UH, FROM WHAT YOU MAY REMEMBER IN FEBRUARY, JUST BECAUSE OF WE'RE NOW MOVING BACK ON THE CYCLE OF A DECEMBER, UM, MEETING FOR YOU.

UM, THE TOP SLIDE HERE, I'M, I'M KIND OF HONING IN ON BECAUSE WE HAVE, UH, CONTINUED TO EVOLVE THE BRAND OF THIS FUND.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, IT HAS ITS OWN LOGO.

AND PART OF THE, THE DRIVER FOR THAT IS TO REALLY REINFORCE THAT THIS IS A, A FUND FOR, FOR GROWTH, THAT ENGINE OF GROWTH THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THIS BOARD HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST.

BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS THAT WE'RE EVOLVING.

AND IN ORDER TO KEEP THE WORLD SIMPLE, UM, WE, YOU'LL SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE GOT THE SMALL BIZ SEGMENT.

IN ORDER TO KEEP THE WORLD SIMPLE, WE WANTED TO, TO, UH, ALIGN THE BRANDING ACROSS ALL THOSE SEGMENTS SO EVERYBODY WOULD UNDERSTAND IT WAS UNDER THE SAME FUND.

UH, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, NOTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT THE MISSION AND VISION.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT METRICS THAT WE USE TO DEFINE SUCCESS.

AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT THOSE ARE BELOW.

AND, UH, LATER, PARTICULARLY IN CLOSED SESSION, YOU'LL SEE HOW WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY MEASURING THOSE, UH, METRICS.

WE'VE HAD, OUR FIRST PROJECTS THAT STARTED UNDER THIS NEW EXPANDED SUCCESS DEFINITION, UM, ARE NOW THREE YEARS LATER.

THEY, WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE BACK TO MEASURE ACTUAL OUTCOMES FROM WHAT WAS PROJECTED.

AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, TO SEE SOME OF THAT WHEN WE GIVE OUR MORE DETAILED, UM, LOAN BY LOAN REVIEW.

THIS IS OUR EDWC, UH, LENDING TEAM.

OUR NEWEST MEMBER IS

[00:25:01]

I BELIEVE YOU'VE MET THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM.

SHE IS OUR SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.

UH, SHE PROVIDES SUPPORT ALL THROUGHOUT THE LENDING PROCESS FROM SERVICING, UH, ON THE BACK END TO APPLICATION AND CLOSING ON THE FRONT END.

SO, UH, TRIAL BY FIRE, I KNOW LESLIE, UH, RIGHT ALONGSIDE OF SUPPORT WITH THE HART AND HOMESTEAD, WHICH WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.

I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR, OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS FINANCE TO, UH, SHARE JUST A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED HERE IN 2024 WITH YOUR PORTFOLIO.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

UM, THE FIRST SLIDE YOU'RE GONNA SEE HERE IS CELEBRATING THE FIRST LOAN THAT WE DID THIS YEAR.

UM, IT WAS WITH VIC AND ASSOCIATES LOCATED IN HAR HARTFORD.

AND THIS IS A COMPANY THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 20 SOME YEARS.

AND THEY WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR A SITE TO STAY IN HARTFORD AND STAY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING.

SO THEY WANTED TO BUILD A BUILDING.

THEY HAD A FEW STRUGGLES, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, SOME, WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER SOME GAP FINANCING.

'CAUSE THE APPRAISED VALUE AND THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS JUST WEREN'T MATCHING UP.

AND SO IT ALLOWED THAT BUSINESS OWNER THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD AND FOCUS MORE CLOSELY ON OBTAINING NEW EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO GROW THE BUSINESS MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THE LONG RUN.

THE SECOND ONE IS, UM, A NEW COMPANY THAT'S RELOCATING, UM, FROM OZAKI COUNTY TO WASHINGTON COUNTY.

UH, THEY, UH, TOOK A LOCALLY BUILT BUILDING, I, UH, IN THE JACKSON PARK AREA.

AND IN THIS CASE, THE INDIVIDUAL HAD THE COMPANY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE, UM, FUNDED THE ENTIRE BUILD OUT OF AND EQUIPMENT OF THIS NEW BUILDING, UM, AND MOVING THEIR 23, UM, INDIVIDUALS INTO OUR COUNTY.

BUT THEY NEEDED TO PRESERVE SOME CAPITAL TO TAKE ON SOME NEW CLIENTS.

AND SO THEY WANTED TO PRESERVE THEIR CAPITAL SO THAT THEY COULD CONTINUE TO GROW THE COMPANY EVEN MORE EFFECTIVELY HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

AND, UH, THEY'RE GETTING READY TO, UH, OCCUPY THEIR BUILDING IN JUST, UH, ABOUT ANOTHER, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THEY'RE GONNA START IN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

THE NEXT LOAN IS FOR A CUSTOMER THAT, UH, IF SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE, THERE WAS A BUSINESS WE'D MADE A LOAN TO THREE YEARS AGO CALLED BREW OMEN.

IT'S A, A TAP HOUSE IN HARTFORD AS WELL.

UM, AND THE DREAM OF THE, OF THE COUPLE THAT OWNED THAT TAP HOUSE WAS TO ACTUALLY BREW THEIR OWN BEER.

THEY'VE BEEN HOUSE, UH, SOURCING THEIR BEER FROM MANY OTHER SOURCES, BUT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN BEGINNING THEIR OWN BREWERY.

SO THEY WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE A VERY OLD BLIGHTED BUILDING NEXT DOOR TO THEM THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE RENOVATING.

THE KEY HERE WAS THAT THOSE RENOVATIONS WERE GOING TO, AGAIN, EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE APPRAISAL THAT THEY COULD GET FROM A BANK.

AND SO THEY NEEDED SOME GAP FUNDING TO HELP REMEDIATE SOME OF THE CONTAMINATION AND TO REVITALIZE THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY IN THE DOWNTOWN.

NOW THE NEXT ONE IS ONE THAT WAS APPROVED LAST WEEK AND THAT WE'RE GONNA CLOSE TOMORROW.

AND MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD OF JUGS HITCHING POSTS.

WELL, JUGS HITCHING POSTS OWNER IS GONNA BE OPENING A NEW LOCATION IN SLINGER AS PART OF THE REVITALIZATION OF THE KETTLE, UM, KETTLE MARINE BOWL THAT IS NOW GOING TO BE KNOWN AS THE KETTLE.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE A MULTI, UM, FACETED ENTERTAINMENT FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTER.

BUT KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE REVITALIZATION AND RENOVATION OF THIS PROPERTY IS HAVING AN EATERY INSIDE.

AND SO THE GENTLEMAN WHO IS RE RENOVATING THAT PROPERTY, UM, WAS EXCITED TO MAKE, OFFER THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, MR. JUG WHO OPENED, WHO OWNS JUGS HITCHING POST.

AND HE'S BEEN WORKING HARD TO RENOVATE THAT SPACE AND REQUIP ALL OF THAT SPACE.

SO WE'RE GONNA BE HELPING HIM OUT WITH A LOAN TO MAKE SURE THAT HE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL WITH SOME KITCHEN EQUIPMENT BECAUSE HE IS GONNA BE EXPANDING HIS BUSINESS TREMENDOUSLY THROUGH THAT.

AND THEN THE LAST, OOPS, OOPS, WE WENT RIGHT PAST ONE.

I MUST HAVE HELD IT TOO LONG.

SO, AS CHRISTIAN MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, WE DID RELAUNCH OUR FIRST, UH, OUR, OUR, UH, SMALL BIZ LOANS THIS YEAR TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS OBTAIN SOME CAPITAL, SMALL AMOUNTS OF CAPITAL TO HELP GROW THEIR BUSINESSES.

A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN BORROWING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR A MILLION DOLLARS, THEY JUST HAVE A PROJECT THAT WOULD MAKE THEIR BUSINESS MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL.

SO WE CLOSED OUR FIRST ONE FOR A BUSINESS THAT RECENTLY RELOCATED WITHIN THE COUNTY INTO THE WEST BEND AREA, BUT WHEN THEY RENTED THEIR PROPERTY, THEY DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE THEY NEEDED TO PUT IN A NEW MAKEUP AIR SYSTEM, AND THEY HADN'T BUDGETED FOR THAT.

AND WE HAD JUST RELAUNCHED AND THEY BECAME ONE OF OUR BETA TESTERS, AND WE CLOSED OUR LOAN WITH THEM.

AND DETAIL WOODWORKS COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.

UM, THEY HAVE THEIR MAKEUP AIR, THEY

[00:30:01]

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU, UNLESS YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.

ALRIGHT, GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SHERRY.

THANKS SO MUCH.

UH, REALLY A TEAM EFFORT, BUT SHERRY, UH, WAS JUST INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING ALL OF THESE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

THEY ALL HAD THEIR OWN, UM, CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, BUT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, FLEX AND, AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMPANY, UH, WHEN THEY NEEDED IT.

UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT THAT WHEN YOU SAW THE SMALL BIZ LOAN SEGMENT, TWO OF THE SUCCESSES THIS YEAR WERE FROM THE BROWNFIELD SEGMENT, WHICH I WANTED TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THIS COMMITTEE AND TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THAT BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT SEGMENT.

BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS WERE TARGETED WAY EARLY ON, UH, MANY YEARS AGO IN THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM AS HIGH PRIORITY SITES, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE, WE DOUBLED DOWN, UH, IN, IN EXECUTING ON PROJECTS IN THOSE TWO, TWO SPOTS.

AND THAT WAS, UH, HIGH PRIORITY SITES DESIGNATED BY THE SITE REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, OF, OF THE COUNTY.

UM, YOU WILL SEE HERE, NORMALLY OUR, UH, FEARLESS REVOLVING, UH, LOAN FUND COMMITTEE CHAIR SPEAKS TO THIS TOPIC.

BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GONNA QUICKLY HIT ON A COUPLE OF POINTS HERE AND WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON AND, UH, SAVE, SAVE HIS EXPERTISE FOR THE CLOSED SESSION REPORT.

BUT, UM, WE REALLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO AND HAVE THE SUCCESSES WE HAVE WITHOUT THE LOAN COMMITTEE.

THAT IS THE EVERYTHING OF THIS INITIATIVE AND THIS INCENTIVE.

AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, YOU'LL SEE ON THIS BULLETED LIST REALLY, UM, PRINCIPLES ESSENTIALLY DO NOT VIOLATE SETS OF VALUES THAT WE HAVE OCCUPIED FROM THE BEGINNING.

AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD THOSE STRONG OVER THE MANY YEARS, INCLUDING THROUGH SOME CHANGES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP.

WE ADDED TWO NEW MEMBERS THIS YEAR.

UM, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, YOUR FEEDBACK, UH, WAS, UH, FROM LAST REPORT WAS HEARD IN TERMS OF WANTING TO DIVERSIFY SOME OF OUR EXPERTISE AND, FOR EXAMPLE, THE AGRIBUSINESS AREA AS WELL AS, UH, SOME OF THE SMALL BUSINESS AND AND PRIVATE EQUITY AREA, STARTUP AREA.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WITH BOTH OF THOSE NEW MEMBERS OF THE LOAN COMMITTEE.

UM, ONE OF THE KEY FEATURES HERE IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RECRUIT SOME OF THE TOP EXPERTISE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY, THEY DO REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL AND THAT THE DELIBERATIONS THAT THEY DO ARE MADE ON THE BASIS OF BUSINESS DECISION AND NOT POLITICS.

AND THAT, THAT, AGAIN, HAS BEEN A KEY PIECE OF THE PUZZLE HERE.

WE HAVE CONTINUED TO ADVANCE OUR WORK.

UH, UH, YOU WILL GET AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE SLIDE SO YOU CAN SEE IT IN MORE DETAIL IN TERMS OF REALLY ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE EXPERTISE ON THAT COMMITTEE THAT'S NECESSARY TO CARRY THIS FORWARD FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

AND YOU'LL SEE HERE WE'VE, UH, OUTLINED VARIOUS, UM, TARGETED TALENTS THAT WE NEED FROM THE COMMITTEE AND THAT WE'RE COMPARING COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE TALENTS ON BOARD.

THE ROLES OF THE COUNTY EDWC AND OUR LOAN COMMITTEE HAVE NOT CHANGED.

UM, AND YOU SEE THOSE HERE BY WAY OF REINFORCEMENT.

THEY'VE CONTINUED TO STAY THE SAME.

WHILE SOME THINGS CHANGE THAT HAS NOT, UH, HERE IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE PORTFOLIO WITH CLOSINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING AS OF THIS WEEK.

UH, THERE'S ONE THAT WE'RE PROJECTING WE'LL BE ABLE TO CLOSE AS WELL TOMORROW.

THAT, AGAIN, WE'LL BRIEF AND CLOSE SESSION.

UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 46 PROJECTS WITH THOSE DECEMBER CLOSES AND A 43% UTILIZATION RATE AT 8.4 MILLION CURRENTLY DEPLOYED.

UM, YOU'LL SEE IN THE PIPELINE REPORT, AGAIN, IN CLOSED SESSION THAT, UM, THAT DESCRIBES SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE'VE GOT COMING UP.

THERE'S QUITE A FEW BIGGER PROJECTS.

I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE KEY OBSERVATION TO OFFER YOU.

WHEREAS 2024 HAD, I WOULD SAY, SMALLER PROJECTS IN OUR PORTFOLIO IN TERMS OF OUR PARTICIPATION SIZE.

THE NEXT ROUND OF PROJECTS FOR 2025 IS LOOKING TO BE IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SOME CASES.

SO VERY, VERY LARGE SCALE PROJECTS THAT, UH, WE'RE MANAGING.

YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT THE SEGMENTS HAVE REALLY BEEN BOOSTED IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF LOANS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

AGAIN, UH, ADDITIONS IN THE BROWNFIELD SEGMENT IN PARTICULAR, JUST BY A WAY OF QUICK REFRESH, WE RISK SCORE EVERY NOTE, NOT JUST AT THE TIME OF INCEPTION, BUT ONCE A YEAR AS PART OF OUR, OUR RISK REVIEW.

AND THAT SCORE IS A, IS BASICALLY A ONE THROUGH FIVE.

THE HIGHER THE NUMBER, THE MORE, UH, RISK IS BEING CARRIED.

AND YOU SAW THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THAT RISK SCORING THERE.

THIS IS THE WAY THAT OUR PORTFOLIO STANDS AS OF TODAY.

UM, FOR, UM, OUR, OUR YEAR, I'M SORRY, THAT SHOULD SAY FISCAL YEAR 2024 FOR Q1 23 AND FOUR.

[00:35:01]

MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT.

UM, UH, BUT NO DEFAULTS ARE REPORTED FOR THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH, UH, HERE.

SO, UH, 2024 WILL BE A DEFAULT YEAR, UH, DEFAULT FREE YEAR.

THE DEFAULT THAT OCCURRED IN 2022 MADE ITS WAY THROUGH THE COURTS.

UM, AND WE WILL BE DOING A WRITE OFF AND HAVE WRITTEN OFF 16,822.

THAT WAS ONE MICROLOAN.

SO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE IMPACT FUND, THERE IS A WRITE OFF, UH, IN THE PORTFOLIO THAT, UH, WE HAVE CERTIFIED, UH, AND, AND HAS ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN OFF.

THE, UH, AVERAGE RISK SCORE IS HELD VERY STABLE DESPITE SOME OF THE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE ECONOMY AND THE INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT.

UH, 2.79 IS VERY CLOSE TO WHERE IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST.

UH, EVEN WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF, UH, SOME OF THESE SMALLER PROJECTS AND, AND SOME ADDITIONAL KIND OF UNIQUE GAP FINANCING SCENARIOS, IT HAS NOT CHANGED THE, UH, RISK SCORE.

SO WITH THAT, BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS SEGMENT.

OTHERWISE, UM, WE'LL SAVE THE REST FOR, FOR LATER.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE REPORT? I'M GOOD.

GOOD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU THE STATUS.

YOU ARE WELCOME.

WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, A CLOSED SESSION IN WHICH WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, INCLUDING THE, UM, COUNTY, THE EDWC BOARD, THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COUNTY STAFF.

AND WE HAD A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR KEL AND A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR SCHUL.

[Closed Session]

[01:02:09]

[01:02:09]

[01:02:09]

[01:02:09]

[01:02:10]

SO MOVED, SECONDED.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, SIR.

AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.

IS THAT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT?

[ Entertain a motion to Convene in Closed Session Pursuant to §19.85(1)(e), Wis. Stats., deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session, specifically; an economic development opportunity ]

EILEEN.

GOOD.

YEAH, THAT WORKS.

OKAY.

AND YOU'RE BOTH STILL IN FAVOR? VERY GOOD.

YES.

[Action(s) on Items Discussed in Closed Session]

I GOTCHA.

THANK YOU.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOPE.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER EIGHT ON THE AGENDA IS TO MOVE BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION FOR THE NEXT EDWC ITEM TO INCLUDE, AGAIN, THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, UH, SUPERVISOR TOOMA AS PRESENT, UM, COUNTY STAFF AND EDWC STAFF.

I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE SESSION, SECOND MOTION FROM SHARIN, SECOND FROM SICE AND A ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH AYE.

AYE.

[ Entertain a motion to Convene in Closed Session Pursuant to §19.85(1)(e), Wis. Stats., deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session, specifically; "to consider proposals and the appropriateness thereof for the use of Economic Development Washington County Revolving Loan Fund Program".]

AYE.

WE ARE IN CLOSED SESSION.

THANK YOU.

[01:24:08]

[01:24:08]

[01:24:09]

[01:24:09]

SO WE WILL RETURN TO ITEM THREE C ON THE AGENDA UPDATE ON STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

UM, SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS SIMILAR TO WHAT, UH, YOU'LL ALL BE SEEING, UM, IN YOUR COMMITTEES THAT, THAT YOU ALSO CHAIR.

UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING AN

[c. Update – 2024-2025 Strategic Priorities ]

SO, UM, FOR, FOR MY PORTION HERE, UM, I JUST HAD TWO TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, WE'LL UPDATE THE FULL BOARD NEXT MONTH WITH ALL OF THE PROJECTS.

UM, SO THE, THE FIRST INITIATIVE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON IS

[01:25:01]

UM, SO THAT GOAL IS ON TRACK.

UH, WE'VE GOT A DRAFT OF A WHITE PAPER PREPARED.

UH, WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN THE INTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS, UM, THAT, THAT DRAFT IS WITH THE EXECS OFFICE.

WE'RE REVIEWING THAT INTERNALLY.

UM, SIMULTANEOUSLY WE'VE BEEN SORT OF, THE STATE'S GOT A NUMBER OF AI STUDY COMMITTEES THAT WE'RE MONITORING.

WE'RE, WE'RE ATTENDING EVENTS IN THAT SPACE AS WELL.

UM, AND THE COMMITTEE, THIS COMMITTEE AND THE FULL BOARD, UH, WILL HEAR MORE, UH, ON AI AFTER OUR INTERNAL REVIEW.

AND, UM, AS THIS PROJECT DEVELOPS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, UM, MOVING ON TO THE SECOND INITIATIVE, UH, WHICH IS THE SHARED SERVICES GRANTS.

UM, THE FIRST TWO GOALS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

SO THAT FIRST GOAL IS A REPORT ON THE PROCESS, UH, AND THE DASHBOARD, UH, ITSELF.

SO, UH, I'VE GIVEN SEVERAL PROGRESS REPORTS ALONG THE WAY.

UM, AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I SHOWED THIS COMMITTEE, THAT DASHBOARD, UM, THAT, THAT'S ONLINE AS WELL.

SO THAT GOAL IS COMPLETE.

THE SECOND GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE ONGOING SAVINGS OF 1 MILLION.

UH, HAPPY TO REPORT THAT.

UH, THIS YEAR WE'LL HAVE HIT 1.2 MILLION IN ONGOING, UM, ONGOING VALUE PROVIDED TO OUR MUNICIPAL PARTNERS.

AND THEN NEXT YEAR WE'RE POISED TO ACHIEVE $1.7 MILLION.

SO THOSE TWO GOALS ARE COMPLETE.

UH, THE REMAINING GOALS ARE PARKED OUT IN THE FUTURE, BUT, UM, WE'RE PREPPING FOR THOSE AND WE'RE, WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY WITH THOSE AS WELL.

SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU'VE GOT 'EM.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.

THANK YOU.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 3D, UPDATE ON THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH CENTER.

OKAY.

THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN.

UH, I HAVE WITH, WITH US TODAY, UH, OF COURSE AARON DAHL, WHO JUST REPORTED, AND ALSO, UH, TODD SCOTT, UH, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

UM, AS, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED, UH, IN THE PAST AS REGARD TO OUR MASTER PLAN, UM, AND THE ONSITE CLINIC.

UM, SOME OF YOU WERE INVOLVED, UH, WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE ONSITE CLINIC.

I THINK IT'S ALMOST EIGHT YEARS AGO ALREADY.

UH, IT'S BEEN A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF WEST BEND AND WASHINGTON

[d. Update on the Employee Health Center]

UH, MOST RECENTLY WE'VE, WE'VE CHANGED PARTNERS.

IT WAS QUAD MED WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, IS NOW FREIGHTER.

UM, IN OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT THE LAST YEAR, UM, WE HAD SOME RUMBLINGS AND EVEN CONVERSATION.

AND BY WE, I REALLY MEAN, UH, TODD, UH, WITH THE HR DIRECTOR FROM THE CITY OF WEST BEND PRIMARILY.

UM, AND INDICATING THEIR CONSIDERATION OF REMOVING THEMSELVES FROM THE PARTNERSHIP .

UM, WHEN THAT HAD ORIGINALLY HAPPENED LAST YEAR, UM, THERE WAS COMMUNICATION BACK THAT THERE'S SOME TERMS WITHIN THE AGREEMENT, UH, WHERE WE NEED CERTAIN TIMELINES TO BE MET BEFORE, UH, THE CITY COULD GET OUT OF THE AGREEMENT.

UM, THEY WERE ALREADY PAST THAT DATE, IF MEMORY SERVES THE LAST, LAST YEAR, UH, IN REGARD TO THAT.

AND SO FAST FORWARDING TO THIS YEAR, UM, WE HADN'T HEARD A WHOLE LOT UNTIL ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR AND THEN KIND OF THINGS WENT RADIO SILENT.

UM, WE OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN STARTING OUR PROCESS WITH OUR MASTER PLAN ON MOVING THAT CLINIC, WHICH FOR US IS A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

AND OF COURSE, IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE THAT MOVE, UH, UNDER THE, UH, CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS IN THE PARTNERSHIP, UM, WE ARE PLANNING ACCORDINGLY.

AND SCOTT AND HIS TEAM ARE DOING THAT WORK, AND I KNOW CHAIRMAN CHADRON IS BEGINNING TO, TO DIVE IN ON THAT AS WELL.

UM, KIND OF, UH, ABRUPTLY, WE RECEIVED A LETTER, UM, DATED DECEMBER 3RD.

UM, IT IS DIRECTED TOWARDS, UH, TO TODD SCOTT, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR FROM MICHELLE HOY, THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR IN THE CITY, NOTIFYING THAT US THAT, UM, AS OF EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2025, UM, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO TERMINATE OUR AGREEMENT AND SERVICES WITH THE COUNTY AND FREIGHTER.

UM, SO THIS OF COURSE CREATES A NUMBER OF ISSUES FOR THE COUNTY.

THE FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, BEING, UH, THIS IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM.

THEY, ACCORDING TO THAT AGREEMENT, THEY NEEDED TO NOTIFY US, UM, BY OCTOBER 1ST, UH, AS MEMORY SERVES.

LET ME JUST DOUBLE.

YES, OCTOBER 1ST.

UM, SO THIS IS A BREACH OF THAT CONTRACT.

IN ADDITION, JUST A KIND OF TECHNICALLY, UH, SILLY MISS, UM, ON THEIR PART WAS, IT WAS THE LETTER ONLY WENT TO TODD, UH, BY CONTRACT.

I THINK IT HAD TO COME TO, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE AS WELL, ALTHOUGH IT SAID COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

IN ANY EVENT, THIS IS A BREACH.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WITH THE CITY OF WEST BEND, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

UM, AND FOR US, IT CREATES ISSUES WITH

[01:30:01]

UM, THE, THE BENEFIT OF THE PARTNERSHIP HAS, HAS BEEN IMMENSE, I THINK, ON NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS WE'RE ABLE TO BOTH COLLECTIVELY GET A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE THAN WE COULD GET INDIVIDUALLY.

UM, THAT IS TO SAY, RATHER THAN, FOR EXAMPLE, A A MEDICAL ASSISTANT, WE GET A, A NURSE PRACTITIONER.

AM I GETTING THAT RIGHT? IT'S PROBABLY THE AMOUNT OF HOURS WE CAN HAVE.

THREE QUARTERS HOURS IS FULL-TIME.

OKAY.

SO ADDITIONAL HOURS RATHER THAN STAFFING NECESSARILY, BUT GIVE OR TAKE IN ONE WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, WE CAN GET HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE.

UM, THIS'LL FORCE US TO EITHER A, CONTEMPLATE LOWER LEVELS OF SERVICE HOURS, TYPES OF STAFFING, UH, OR, AND OR, UM, WHAT THAT REMODELING PROJECT LOOKS LIKE, AND WITHIN MONTHS OF HAVING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS COMPLETED AND SO FORTH.

SO, UM, THIS PUTS US IN A, IN AN UNFORTUNATE POSITION.

I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE MAYOR, UM, FIRST THAT HE KNEW THAT THIS LETTER WAS GOING OUT.

UM, HE WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS.

WHAT I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT WHETHER THE LETTER ITSELF WENT OUT, BUT CERTAINLY HE KNEW, UM, THAT THEY WERE BEING ADVISED AS SUCH.

UH, I'VE SINCE COMMUNICATED TO HIM WHAT THIS MEANS TO US.

I DID SHARE WITH HIM THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH YOU TO MAKE YOU AWARE, UM, FOR, UH, OF ALL THE IMPACTS.

SO HE DOES KNOW THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENED TODAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO BE BLINDSIDED THAT WE WERE HAVING A DISCUSSION OF THIS NATURE.

WE WANT TO KEEP A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND THE CITY OF WESTMAN AT LARGE.

UM, MAKE IT DIFFICULT.

THE, UM, LOOKING AT THE CONTRACT AND THE TIMING, UM, AGAIN, UM, IF AS THE CONTRACT READS, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS NOTICE, UM, WOULD ACTUALLY, UH, APPLY TO, THEY COULD GET OUT AS OF JANUARY 1ST OF, UM, 2026, NOT 2025, BECAUSE THEY MISSED THAT DEADLINE.

UM, WE CURRENTLY ASSUME THE COST IMPLICATIONS ARE, WE HAVE ABOUT 500 EMPLOYEE VISITS ANNUALLY.