HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-B&A-1999-10-14 - Budget Meeting 1
BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
BUDGET MEETING 7:30 P.M. OCTOBER 14, 1999
MINUTES
Present:
Committee Members: Marcham, Hershey, Taylor, Blumenthal,
Vaughan, Farrell, Sams, Spielholz,
Shenk
Committee Members Excused: Manos
Others Present:
Mayor Cohen
City Controller Cafferillo
Deputy Controller Thayer
Supt. of Public Works Gray
Asst. Supt. of Public Works Ferrel
Asst. Supt. of Water and Sewer Fabbroni
Director of Human Resources Michell-Nunn
Recreation Facilities Manager Doyle
Director of Economic Development McDonald
Members of the public
Members of the media
1 . Opening Comments
Chairperson Marcham stated that the agenda for this meeting
is as follows:
A. Capital Projects Review
B. Departmental Budget Review
• Department of Public Works General Fund
• Water and Sewer Division
• Solid Waste Division
• Joint Activity Fund
Members of the public were asked to speak on the 2000
Budget; the following individuals spoke:
1 . Gary Ferguson and John Schroeder from the Ithaca
Downtown Partnership (IDP) spoke to the Committee
regarding a request of funds for the Downtown Youth
Horticultural Program through the Cornell Cooperative
Extension. They are requesting $33, 100 from the City
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.,_ ._. BUDGET MEETING MINUTES - OCTOBER 14 , 1999
as a 50% match of the Horticultural program total cost
for 2000 of $66, 000. Ferguson stated that the
plantings on the Commons in 1999 were part of this
program. The funds in 2000 would help expand the
program. The City funds in 1999 were derived from
tree work revenue the City did as part of the Lake
Source Cooling Project.
No other members of the public spoke.
2 . 2 . Capital Projects Review
The Mayor proposed a Year 2000 Capital Project
Authorization as follows:
General Fund Projects $ 2, 871, 500
Water Fund Projects 7, 000, 000
Wastewater Projects 1, 546, 000
Total Proposed $11, 417, 500
Mayor Cohen explained that he followed the CIRC
recommendations until he ran out of funding ability. The
Mayor did explain that he added $20, 000 in funds to the
2000 Computer Network Project for additional hardware and
software acquisitions . The Mayor also included $800, 000
for West State Street Reconstruction and $600, 000 for
Water/Sewer Improvements of West State Street.
The Mayor also added to the CIRC recommendations the
following Capital items :
Commons Improvement Project $400, 000
DPW/Police Equipment Acquisitions 401, 500
Sidewalk Program (Expanded to catch
up on backlog of sidewalk repair) 300, 000
Mayor Cohen explained that the sidewalk program does
include funds to hire a sidewalk engineer, which will be
done to move the program forward. He further explained
that he will be proposing that the City take over the
sidewalk replacement program. That proposal will be made
in 2000 .
Alderperson Blumenthal stated she was concerned over the
$30, 000 Southwest Natural Area Development Project. She
felt the amount was too high and suggested additional
information be gathered by the Planning Department and
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BUDGET MEETING MINUTES _ _ OCTO$ER 14 , 1999
information be gathered by the Planning Department and
brought back next week for discussion. The Committee
agreed.
Recreation Facilities Manager Doyle presented a request to
add to the 2000 Capital Project Authorization the
following:
3/ ton Pickup Truck $23, 000
Cass Park Playground $82, 000
It was noted that these items did not make it to the
Mayor' s Budget, but were ranked 13th and 15th on the CIRC
recommendation. The Mayor funded the top 10 projects.
Doyle explained the need for the replacement pickup truck
at Cass Park. He stated the truck is experiencing high
annual repair bills due to its use as a snow plow for the
Cass Park parking lots and park roads. A discussion
concerning the request followed. It was suggested that the
Controller' s Office, in conjunction with John Doyle and
DPW, come up with some numbers and recommendations for
replacement. It was agreed that this item will be
discussed at the last budget meeting.
Doyle explained the Cass Park Playground project requests
for $82, 000. He stated the request included replacing the
current Cass Park playground with new safe equipment near
the Cass Park large pavilion and a second playground near
the pool. Doyle stated that $48, 000 would tear out the old
equipment and replace it with new equipment near the large
pavilion. He said that he could delay the request of
$34, 000 for a playground near the pool until 2001 .
After a discussion regarding the playground equipment, the
following motion was made:
RESOLVED, That the 2000 Mayor' s Budget include a Capital
Project Authorization in an amount not to exceed $48, 000
for the replacement and acquisition of playground equipment
at Cass Park, and be it further
RESOLVED, That funding for said Playground Equipment
Project be derived from the reduction of $48, 000 from the
Mayor' s proposed $400, 000 Commons Improvement Project,
leaving a project balance of $352, 000 and/or a reduction in
the Southwest Natural Area Development Project.
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_ BUDQU MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 14 , 1999 - --•
The motion passed 9-0 .
Chairperson Marcham presented a request to establish an
$80, 000 project for Central Fire Station improvements.
Marcham explained that the project is for immediate
improvements to the station and a larger renovation project
will be needed in the near future. She also explained that
she did not want to add this to the 2000 Budget at this
time, but rather is looking for comments back from the
Committee and a possible addition sometime in the year
2000 .
3. DPW/Water and Sewer/Solid Waste/Joint Activity Budget
Review
Superintendent of Public Works Gray, Assistant
Superintendent of Streets and Facilities Ferrel and
Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer Fabbroni point
out the following important points of the DPW 2000 Budget:
• Several additional items have been added to the DPW
responsibilities;
• Additional hours of operation for Dryden Road Garage;
• Funds and staff for Stewart Park Carousel operation;
• Budgets getting much tighter with not much room for
adjustments or additions;
• Octopus Project si4nal light budget increases;
• Water rate 10% increase to $2 .21 per 100 cubic feet;
• Sewer rate 10% increase to $1 .87 per 100 cubic feet;
• Only changes in the Water and Sewer budgets are 2%
increase in salaries and slight increase in chargebacks;
• Water Fund includes $318, 903 transfer to Water Capital
Reserve;
• $3 million cost for Octopus Project water/sewer
improvements, but a $6 million value;
• Major capital expenditures in water/sewer in near future;
• Moving the Water and Sewer Fund into the electronic age;
• Joint Activity Fund 0&M recovery rate increased . 425% to
. 589 per 100 cubic feet;
• No change in trash tag rates, $10. 50 for 6-tag sheet of
20 lb. and $18 . 00 for 6-tag sheet of 30 lb.
• Solid Waste Fund includes a transfer of a truck driver to
another DPW division and will require a change in
operations as some operating accounts were reduced.
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� . BUDGET MKETING_. MINUTES OCTOBER 14 , 1999
A discussion concerning the Dryden Road Garage followed.
Mayor Cohen explained that the additional staff person at
Dryden Road Garage allows for an additional two hours of
staff coverage, 5 nights a week. The garage will now close
at 3: 45 A.M. Tuesday - Saturday. Alderperson Hershey
suggested that we just close the garage for the hours we
cannot cover with staff. A discussion concerning the
parking equipment at the Dryden Road Garage followed. It
was noted that the DPW will investigate various parking
alternatives at the Dryden Road Garage, including new
equipment, staffing issues, and hours of operations. It
was noted that the downtown equipment is better than what
we had previously, but has had some problems.
A discussion regarding the Solid Waste Program followed.
Alderperson Taylor was concerned over the transfer of staff
in the Solid Waste Fund and the complications it will
generate. The transfer will require a change in operation
either by schedule changes or changes in yard waste
collection. A discussion regarding solid waste staffing
and yard waste collection followed.
The Committee discussed the possibility of charging for
yard waste collection. Most of the Committee was against a
fee for yard waste collection.
A Spring or Fall collection day was suggested. Mayor Cohen
explained that currently nothing is in the budget for such
a collection. However, he explained that he is working on
an idea that would use the National Guard for labor and
trucks to assist with a collection day. Cohen explained
that he has discussed this possibility with the bargaining
unit and they have agreed to allow this to happen. He is
hopeful this collection day will occur next Spring.
Mayor Cohen stated that it is not the City' s intent to lay
off any workers in the Solid Waste Fund, but rather
transfer a position to a different division.
The Committee discussed snow removal, carousel activity,
Parks and Forestry accounts and the Southside Center
budget. It was noted that the carousel activity will be
summarized shortly and reported to Council . The Stewart
Park concession stand activity will be looked at for the
potential of bidding that activity out in 2000. The
Southside Center maintenance activity was examined by the
Committee. It was noted that the maintenance staff is
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4 $U}�GF.T M A TING MINUTES f :? OCTOBER 14 , 1999
split between the Southside Center and the Streets and
Facilities garage. The Committee agreed to discuss the
maintenance activity at Southside Center as part of the
last budget night items .
At this time, the DPW Budget remained unchanged.
Alderperson Shenk suggested adding the following items to
the discussion on the last Budget night:
• Establishing an amount for the Management Compensation
Plan in Restricted Contingency;
• Extend Cass Park Pool operation to Labor Day.
The Committee agreed to add these items for discussion.
The meeting adjourned at 10: 30 P.M.
6
2000 Budget Adiustments
Revenues Amount
Mayor's Recommendation $28,237,789.00
Net increase in Mayor's Budget Revenues through 10/12/99 meeting $ -
Balance Mayor's Revenues prior to Budget meeting of 10/14/99 $28,237,789.00
Action taken during meeting of 10/14/99:
No changes made
Mayor's adjusted Revenues as of conclusion of 10/14/99 Budget meeting $28,237,789.00
Net increase in revenues from 10/14/99 meeting $
Combined net increase in Mayor's Revenue after 10/7, 10/12 and
10/14/99 meetings $ -
Combined net increase in Mayor's Budget(Revenues and Appropriation)after
10/7, 10/12 and 10/14/99 meetings $ -
City of Ithaca Schedule 1
2000 Budget Adiustments
Appropriations Amount
Mayor's Recommendation $28,904,504.00
Net increase in Mayor's Budget Appropriations through 10/12/99 meeting $ -
Balance Mayor's Appropriations prior to Budget meeting of 10/14/99 $28,904,504.00
Action taken during meeting of 10/14/99:
Capital Projects:
Establish Capital Project for Cass Paris Playground Equipment$48,000 $ -
Reduce Capital Project for Commons Improvements by$48,000 $ -
Mayor's adjusted Appropriations as of conclusion of 10/14/99 Budget meeting $28,904,504.00
Net increase in Appropriations from 10/14/99 meeting $ -
Combined net increase in Mayor's Appropriations after 10/7, 10/12 and
10/14/99 meetings $ -
City of Ithaca Schedule 2