Comments from the members: Rushton

Rushton, asking the Manager: how close are we to settling with the WPD (re: Quinn Bill)? "I'm an eternal optimist" is the short answer. He hopes we can get to that $2.2 million gap through contract negotiations and departmental restructuring.
Warned by the Mayor that they have an executive session coming, Rushton calls his question "lame" and then tries to ask about departmental restructuring, which the Mayor attempts to rule out of order, which he persists in asking, which the Manager more or less answers the way that he already has (fully vetted plan, adjustments...)
Hopes that they can resolve the Quinn bill deficit

grant fee of 3% only applies to non-stimulus money for this year; stays at 1% for the stimulus funding...FY10 budget assumes no increase in the grant fee, Boone says.

Much close questioning on the projected 10% health increase...
Eddy interrupts to ask if we are operating under the 5 minute rule of Council meetings, as the Council meeting starts in about 15 minutes. Or doesn't, if they keep going.

"Only one more comment" from Rushton..."good fruitful discussion"