[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE, AND THIS  IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 20.  [0:10] ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON’S  NEW CITY MANAGER ZACH WALKER WAS SWORN IN.   [0:15] IT WAS ALSO ZACH’S FIRST OFFICAL DAY ON THE  JOB, AND WE’RE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM ON BOARD.  [0:20] CERTAINLY VERY EXCITING, VERY HUMBLING  TO STEP INTO THIS ROLE AND TO BE PART   [0:25] OF SUCH A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY AND BUILD  UPON THE SUCCESS THAT YOU’VE ALL HAD.  [0:28] ZACH BRINGS NEARLY TWO DECADES OF EXECUTIVE‑LEVEL  LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE, MOST RECENTLY   [0:34] SERVING AS CITY MANAGER OF INDEPENDENCE,  MISSOURI — A FULL‑SERVICE CITY OF MORE THAN   [0:38] 1,200 EMPLOYEES AND A $454 MILLION BUDGET. DURING HIS TENURE HE LED MAJOR INITIATIVES   [0:45] INCLUDING A $1 BILLION INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT  AND A $36 MILLION COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT,   [0:51] AS WELL AS LAUNCHING A CITY‑WIDE HOUSING STUDY AND  EXPANDING MENTAL HEALTH AND HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH.  [0:57] BLOOMINGTON HAS A WELL-DESERVED REPUTATION  IN MUNCIPAL CIRCLES FOR HAVING LONG-TENURED   [1:03] AND HIGHLY RESPECTED CITY MANAGERS. THE AVERAGE  TENURE FOR CITY MANAGERS IN MEDIUM SIZED CITIES   [1:09] LIKE BLOOMINGTON IS BETWEEN FIVE AND EIGHT YEARS.  ZACH IS BLOOMINGTON’S FOURTH CITY MANAGER SINCE   [1:16] 1960. FOUR CITY MANAGERS IN 65 YEARS IS PRETTY  IMPRESSIVE. THAT LONGEVITY COMES FROM THE SUPPORT   [1:24] OF THE BEST CITY STAFF IN MINNESOTA, CONSISTENTLY  STRONG ELECTED LEADERSHIP, AND RESIDENTS WHO ARE   [1:31] INFORMED AND APPRECIATIVE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT. WE’RE SO EXCITED TO OFFICIALLY WELCOME ZACH   [1:37] AND ARE CONFIDENT THAT HIS LEADERSHIP WILL HELP  BLOOMINGTON CONTINUE TO GROW, EVOLVE AND SERVE OUR   [1:43] COMMUNITY WELL. I CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TO MEET HIM. ALSO ON MONDAY, WE CONTINUED THE DISCUSSION OF   [1:48] THE 2026 BUDGET, FOCUSING ESPECIALLY  ON THE WORK OF OUR EXTERNAL SERVICES   [1:52] TEAM AND UPCOMING UTILITY‑RATE CHANGES. THE STUDY SESSION COVERED HOW THE BUDGET SUPPORTS   [1:58] ESSENTIAL SERVICES LIKE COMMUNITY  DEVELOPMENT, PARKS AND RECREATION,   [2:03] PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC WORKS — BUT ALSO  HOW INFLATION, RISING SERVICE COSTS, AGING   [2:09] INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITY OPERATIONS ARE PLACING  INCREASING PRESSURE ON RATES AND SERVICE LEVELS.  [2:16] OUR EXTERNAL SERVICES TEAM IS WORKING TO  IDENTIFY WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE EFFICIENCY,   [2:20] ENSURE RELIABILITY, AND KEEP COST INCREASES  AS MODEST AS POSSIBLE. AT THE SAME TIME,   [2:26] WE’RE EVALUATING PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO UTILITY  RATES THAT ARE TIED DIRECTLY TO THE OPERATIONS,   [2:32] UPKEEP AND REPLACEMENT OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? AS WE FINALIZE THE   [2:38] BUDGET THIS FALL, WE’LL SHARE CLEAR  INFORMATION ABOUT ANY RATE CHANGES,   [2:42] THEIR TIMING, AND THE REASONS BEHIND THEM — SO  YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE PAYING FOR AND WHY.  [2:48] STAY TUNED: THERE ARE MORE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS  AHEAD IN THE COMING WEEKS, CULMINATING WITH THE   [2:53] TRUTH IN TAX…