HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-B&A-1989-11-02 - Budget Meeting BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION
COMMITTEE
BUDGET MEETING 7: 00 P.M. NOVEMBER 2, 1989
PRESENT:
Committee Members: Schlather, Hoffman, Killeen, Cummings
Committee Member Excused: Romanowski
Other Alderperson Present: Lytel, Johnson, Peterson, Booth, Nichols (late)
Others present:
City Controller - Cafferillo
Deputy City Controller - Thayer
City Chamberlain - Parsons
City Attorney - Nash
Personnel Administrator - Walker
Fire Chief - Olmstead
City Engineer. - Gray
A member of the media
1 . Budget Overview
Chairperson Schlather opened the meeting allowing for any public input. No one
from the Public attended the meeting. Chairperson Schlather explained to the
Committee that the 1990 Budget is very tight and there is not much room for
movement or addition of expenditures. Chairperson Schlather asked the Alder-
persons present if they had any other major concern areas to add to the sheet
that listed the budget concerns to be discussed at some point throughout the
budget discussions. The items listed below are the original major concern items:
1 . Consolidation of Finance, Purchasing and Personnel
2. Full-time City Attorney
3. Consolidation of DPW (General) and Water & Sewer
4. Consolidation of Bus Operations with Tom-Tran
5. Use of vans for bus service on lesser-used routes
6. DPW equipment funding, including computerization
7. County takeover of recycling
8. Garbage disposal fees
9. Additional fire fighters
10. Capital reserves funding
11 . INHS funding and Eddygate proceeds
12. Planning Department contractual services
13. Building Department - additional personnel
14. Self-Insurance (liability and property)
15. Deletion of City Historian
16. Increased revenues: parking meters, garages and fines;
other user fees; sales tax
17. Capital Projects - 1990 (GIAC, City Court, bikeway, etc.)
The Committee members added the following concerns to discuss during the
seven Budget meetings:
18. Permanent Funding - Homeless Shelter (Booth)
19. Youth Bureau Revenue (Booth)
20. Establish Unappropriated Reserve (Booth)
21 . Long Term Reduction in DPW Personnel (Booth)
B 6 A COMMITTEE - BUDGET MEETING - Page 2 NOVEMBER 2, 1989
22. Housing Planner (Killeen)
23. Other Revenue Sources for
each Department (Cummings)
24. Grant Funding (Cummings)
25. Parking Structure Rates (Cummings)
26. Capital Items (Cummings)
27. Six Mile Creek Protection Measures (Hoffman)
28. Housing Trust Fund (Hoffman)
2. Consolidation of Personnel and Finance Departments
City Controller Cafferillo presented information regarding the consolidation plan
for the Personnel and Finance Departments. Cafferillo gave some reasons why
this plan is needed:
1. Better utilize current personnel
2. Cut back in the number of staff needed
3. Improve the efficiency of the two departments
4. Save some money for the City
5. Give a model for other Departments to follow
6. The timing is right because of new and vacant positions
within these departments.
The reclassifications that would take place if the consolidation were to be approved
would be the following: '
1. Current Purchasing Steno would be reclassified to City Buyer
2. City Clerk's Office - Connie Holcomb's position to be reviewed
and reclassified
3. City and Deputy Controller would take on added responsibilites
involved with the major purchases of the City - while the City
Buyer would handle day to day purchasing operations
4. Personnel Administrator and Personnel Associate would take on
added responsibilities in the employee benefits and insurance
areas
The consolidation of the two departments has the support of the Committee Members
but some concerns still exist. The concerns of the Committee were as follows:
1. Is there a system of checks and balances
2. Will future goals of the two departments be retained -
would there be conflicts in the future if certain
positions changed in personnel
3. Civil Service or Independence problems with the consolidation
4. Concerns over hiring in the future
The concerns were addressed by the City Controller, City Chamberlain and the
Personnel Administrator. After some lengthy discussions on the consolidation
issue and the budgets of the Finance, Personnel, Traffic Violations, Purchasing
and City Historian, the following motions were made:
B & A COMMITTEE - BUDGET MEETING - Page 3 NOVEMBER 2, 1989
Approving the consolidation of the Finance and Personnel Departments
and approving the Finance, Traffic Violations, Purchasing and Personnel
Budgets as modified at $646,577 spread over the 100, 200 and 400 lines
by the City Controller as proposed. Motion approved 9-0. Effective
date January 1, 1990.
Amendments were as follows:
Approving the elimination of the City Historian position and Budget of
$200, Account A7510. Amendment approved 8-0.
Approving the deletion of $2,600 from the 435 line, Contractual Services,
from the Personnel Budget. Amendment approved 8-0.
Alderperson Booth wanted to make the record clear that individual department
budgets are not final until the entire 1990 budget is approved in December.
Departmental Budget adjustments can be made even after the Committee has
reviewed and accepted the department's budget. All Council members agreed on
this procedure.
3. City Attorney Budget
City Attorney Nash answered questions regarding the Committee's request to have
a full time City Attorney with the City. Attorney Nash felt that the transtition
from the current status of the City Attorney to a full time position might be
difficult. The right person would have to be found, someone with 3 - 5 years
experience and without an established private practice. Lengthy discussions
followed on the possibility of part time and full time City Attorneys and the
current attorney salaries in the Ithaca area. Also discussed were the possibility
of eliminating the City Prosecutor and transferring some of that budget to the
City Attorney's budget to assist in funding a full time staff attorney and a
part time City Attorney.
After the discussions it was the consensus of the Committee that conceptually
the possibility of abolishing the City Prosecutor position in the interest of pro-
viding funding for a full time staff attorney could be an appropriate solution
to the City Attorney problem.
The following motions were made:
The establishment of a full time staff attorney at an annual salary of $32,000.
Motion passes 10-0.
A motion to reduce the City Attorney position to 15 hours at a annual contract
amount of $24,000. Motion split 5-5.
The overall motion that was the general consensus of the Committee for the
conceptual possibility of abolishing the City Prosecutor position in the interest
of providing for a full time staff attorney for the City was approved 10-0.
B & A COMMITTEE - BUDGET MEETING - Page 4 NOVEMBER 2, 1989
It was noted the above amendments were only a consideration by the Committee
and that a final determination on the City Prosecutor and City Attorney positions
was tabled until the November 20, 1989 budget meeting. At that time further
input by the City Prosecutor and City Attorney will be requested and a final
decision will be made. The City Prosecutor and the City Attorney will be
invited to attend the November 20, 1989 budget meeting.
4. Mayor's Budget
The Mayor's Department budget was presented by City Controller Cafferillo.
Discussion followed on the future staff change in Mayor and how that might
effect the Mayor's secretary. Apparently, the change in Mayor should not
have an effect on the Mayor's secretary.
Concerns were raised by Committee members over the Staff Development and
Travel lines. It was felt that the $250 budgeted for line 440 and the $250
budgeted for line 445 were not enough for an activist Mayor. The City Con-
troller stated that the current budget of $250 for each line 440 and 445 had
already been overspent by approximately $700. Because of this the consensus
of the Council was to increase the Mayor's Department budget line 440 and 445
by $350 each.
A motion to approve the Mayor's Department budget with an addition to
account 440 of $350 and account 445 of $350 for a total addition of $700.
Motion was approved 10-0.
5. Election Budget
The election budget was presented and after a brief discussion was approved
as is.
A motion to approve the Election Budget of $17,935 as is. Approved 10-0.
6. Special Items
City Controller Cafferillo presented the special items area of the 1990 Budget for
all funds. He explained that these items, Insurance, Employee Benefits and
Debt Service, etc., were non discretionary items that Council did not have
much control over because they were established by State and Federal Agencies.
The Controller explained why the State Retirement payment will decrease by
$234,000 in 1990 because of a change in the billing procedure by the State.
A discussion on undistributed Insurance, Hospital Insurance, Social Security,
City Property Taxes and the City's Contingency Account followed. The Council
made no formal vote on the special items portion of the budget.
7. Report from Executive Session
The Committee went into executive session and discussed Insurance and City's
Unrestricted and Restricted Contingency accounts. No formal action was taken.
After the Committee came out of executive session the meeting adjourned at
10:25 P.M.
B 8 A COMMITTEE - BUDGET MEETING - Page 5 NOVEMBER 2, 1989
Following is a Summary of Budget Adjustments:
Mayor's Recomm. : $20,889,696
(
80,236 Reduction resulting from Reorganization
$20,809,460
15,783 Net increases in Finance, Personnel, Purchasing
$20,825,243
(
2,600 Decrease in Personnel relating to Arbitration
$20,822,643
( 200 ) Delete City .Historian position
$20,822,443
700 Increased Staff Development and Travel S Mileage
in Mayor's Office budget
$20,823,143 As of Conclusion of November 2, 1989 B 8 A/
Committee as a whole meeting
($ 66,553) Net Reduction in Mayor's Budget