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Council approves $200,000 motion for YWCA shelter after debate over fleet funding
Summary
Vice mayor moved to reallocate $200,000 from infrastructure reserves to the YWCA for security and accessibility work; council debated underfunded fleet needs and eligible uses of railroad funds before the motion passed by roll call.
Vice mayor Kearney moved a council motion to reallocate $200,000 from the infrastructure and capital project reserve to the YWCA to address immediate shelter capital needs, including cameras, security doors, accessibility upgrades and basement work.
"This $200,000 for the YWCA really saves lives," Kearney said, urging urgency because the city’s shelter is the only local option for survivors of domestic violence. She framed the money as necessary to make the YWCA facility secure and usable for people fleeing violence.
Some council members pressed back that the same reserve had been identified for fleet replacement. Council member Jeffries cautioned that the city is underfunded on fleet needs — "we are underfunded this year by $15,000,000" — and warned that pulling from the fleet account could affect purchases for fire and sanitation trucks.
Council members and the city solicitor clarified financing restrictions. The solicitor explained that railroad-restricted dollars are limited to certain infrastructure expenditures and generally may not be used to buy new trucks; that constraint shaped the discussion about what other funding sources might be available for fleet needs.
Council ultimately adopted the motion on a roll call that recorded the following votes: James — No; Jeffries — No; Johnson — Yes; Vice Mayor Kearney — Yes; Owens — Yes; Walsh — Yes; Albee — Yes; Kramer Dean/Krammerding — No. The motion therefore carried, sending the $200,000 toward YWCA capital needs. No ordinance to transfer the funds was recorded in the meeting minutes at the time of the vote; city staff noted that a follow-up ordinance would be required for an actual reappropriation if council wishes to effect the transfer out of fleet replacement balances.
