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Home My WebLink AboutMN_CC_Budget Meeting 10-26-22COMMON COUNCIL Special Meeting Voting Record BUDGET MEETING #4 Date: Wednesday, October 26, 2022 Location: City Hall, 108 E. Green Street 3rd Floor, Council Chambers Meeting Called to order: 6:00PM Meeting Adjourned: 9:00PM YouTube Link(s): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v329k-RX3RQ&t=3467s Attendance Record of Voting Members Name Present (In Person) Remote Absent / Excused Acting Mayor – Laura Lewis x 1st Ward – Cynthia Brock x 1st Ward – George McGonigal x 2nd Ward – Phoebe Brown x 2nd Ward - Ducson Nguyen x 3rd Ward – Jeffrey Barken x 3rd Ward – Rob Gearhart x 4th Ward – Jorge DeFendini x 4th Ward - Patrick Mehler x 5th Ward – Robert Cantelmo x 5th Ward – Laura Lewis x Total voting members for this meeting 10 Agenda Item 1: Call to Order YouTube Timestamp: 0:21 Vote Pass: No Vote Discussion Summary: Motion still on the table. Went straight into Department Review starting with Youth Bureau Budget Agenda Item 2: Department Review Youth Services Youth Bureau YouTube Timestamp: 0:26 Discussion Summary: Presented by Youth Bureau Director Liz Klohmann. Thanked the city and expressed support for the Mayor’s Budget. Deputy Directors Suki Tabor and Jim D’Alterio present to take questions and comments. Gave a brief update on the increased contribution from the Town. Took questions and comments from council. Responded to Phoebe’s questions about the increase seen in people coming to the parks since the pandemic. Discussions continued about the value of recreation and outdoor leisure for people in the community. GIAC- Greater Ithaca Activities Center YouTube Timestamp: 9:36 Discussion Summary: Presented by Director Leslyn McBean-Blairborne. Leslyn expressed appreciation and support for the Mayor’s proposed Budget. Discussed the 3 additional positions that have been added to the budget. Asking for an adjustment for positions to start January 2023 instead of April 2023. Deputy Directors Kerry Phillips and Travis Brooks continued discussions with questions and comments from council. Finances Chamberlains Office YouTube Timestamp: 28:20 Discussion Summary: Finances discussed 10-20-2022 Budget Meeting. Mayor’s Office YouTube Timestamp: 28:35 Discussion Summary: Presented by Mayor Laura Lewis. Discussion opened with going over new positions, staff salary increases, one part-time position being a Homeless Outreach Coordinator, and the longevity increase for the Executive Assistant position in the Mayor’s Office. All new positions bring the Mayor’s Personnel number to Six (6). In depth discussion continued regarding the Homeless Outreach Coordinator part-time position. The City Controller addressed questions raised by Council regarding Discretionary Funds in the budget. Discussions continued with questions and comments from Council. Common Council YouTube Timestamp: 49:07 Discussion Summary: Chairman Robert Cantelmo began with bringing attention to a slight increase in budget being $3102, with much of the increase being in employee benefits. Discussions continued with comments and questions about the City Manager position and salary. Phoebe readdressed the discussion regarding Director of Sustainability position and had questions about the salaries for City Manager position. George talked about Council’s salaries not meeting living wage with increasing in the cost of living, strongly suggested to revisit discussing a system where Council’s salaries can increase with the cost of living and not having to vote it. Agenda Item 3 Proposed Amendments YouTube Timestamp: 58:17 Discussion Summary: Chairman Robert Cantelmo suggested to council to go down the list to discuss each item for discussion when making amendment to budge. Mayor Lewis asked council to identify priority items as was past practices. Mayor Lewis made a motion to address Top 3 Priorities from the list. Cynthia moved to changed top 3 to top 5. Motion to Address Top 5 Priorities from the list- Laura Lewis Seconded by: Patrick Mehler Vote Passed 6-4 Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock x George McGonigal x Phoebe Brown x Ducson Nguyen x Jeffrey Barken x Rob Gearhart x Jorge DeFendini x Patrick Mehler x Robert Cantelmo x Laura Lewis x Motion To Allocate ARPA Funds to fund DPW Capital Budget Projects- Patrick Mehler Seconded by: Cynthia Brock Vote Passed:10-0 All in Favor YouTube Timestamp: 1:18 Discussion Summary: Motion to allocate Two-Million, Fifty- Thousand dollars ($2,050,000.00) from ARPA funds to fund Pumping Stations, the Water Meter and Dam Replacement Projects made by Patrick saying this will save the city Millions over the next 30 years. City Controller confirmed this is all future debt savings; there is no impact on the 2023 budget, 2024 budget is all interest only payments, full impact principal interest would be seen in 2025. Discussion with comments and questions from Council. Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock x George McGonigal x Phoebe Brown x Ducson Nguyen x Jeffrey Barken x Rob Gearhart x Jorge DeFendini x Patrick Mehler x Robert Cantelmo x Laura Lewis x Motion to take $126 Thousand dollars from Restricted Contingency RPS funds to fund 3 Unarmed Positions and to take $42 Thousand dollars to fund Data Analyst position.- Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Ducson Nguyen YouTube Timestamp: 1:38:21 Vote Pass: 7-3 Discussion Summary: Questions and comments from council about Data Analyst position as to where this position will be located. Rob Cantelmo was able to provide more clarification and identifying the need for funding this position. Emphasized this is another Budget Neutral Amendment. Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Jeffrey Barken X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Patrick Mehler X Robert Cantelmo X Laura Lewis X Motion To Amend Thirty-Seven Thousand Four-Hundred Ten Dollars ($37,410.00) out of the Tax Rate Increase for GIAC – Patrick Mehler Seconded By: Phoebe Brown YouTube Timestamp: 1:48:36 Vote Pass: 10-0 All In Favor Discussion Summary: City Controller talked about the Fund balance and shared concerns and caution to council on using any Fund Balance. Discussion continued with questions and comments about sales tax and recession and going through the budget process during past recessions. Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Jeffrey Barken X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Patrick Mehler X Robert Cantelmo X Laura Lewis X Motion To Amend 7 IPD Positions George McGonigal- Motion proposed to Fund $158, 530.50 by eliminating the Housing Coordinator position, repurpose $50 Thousand Dollars, repurpose $25 Thousand Dollars from Black Hands Universal, and the balance out of the tax rate increase. Seconded By: Jeffrey Barken YouTube Timestamp: 1:48:36 Proposed Amendment, $158,530.50 be paid out of the Fund Balance. Sub-Motion Ducson Nyguyen Seconded By: George McGonigal YouTube Timestamp 2:19 Proposed Friendly Amendment- Patrick Mehler Proposed Amendment fund all 7 positions starting December 1st out of the Fund Balance with $52,843.50 Seconded By: Phoebe Brown YouTube Timestamp: 2:40:54 Motion to Fund all 7 Positions December 1st at $52,843.50 out of Fund Balance Vote Pass: 6-4 Discussion Summary: George wants to maintain the 7 IPD positions by eliminating the Housing Coordinator Position and eliminating funds from Black Hands Universal. Per George, eliminating IPD positions sends a message we do not hear the issues. Extended discussion with questions and comments from Council on where to move the money for funding positions. Discussions led up to Sub-Motions being added to discussion. Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Jeffrey Barken X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Patrick Mehler X Robert Cantelmo X Laura Lewis X Sub-Motion to Add $52,843.50 to Budget- Patrick Mehler Vote Pass 7-3 Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Jeffrey Barken X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Patrick Mehler X Robert Cantelmo X Laura Lewis X Unbroken Promise Initiative Youth Enrichment Program Jorge DeFendini: Motion Under Consideration Amendment to Add $100 Thousand Dollars to Budget out of Increased Tax Rate Seconded By: Ducson Nguyen YouTube Timestamp: 2:59:25 Sub- Motion: Motion to Amend Amendment- Laura Lewis Propose to revise $100 Thousand Dollars to $50 Thousand Dollars. Motion to Leave Amendment as Amended to $50 Thousand Dollars out of the Increased Tax Rate for UPI Projects. – Chairman Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: YouTube Timestamp: Vote Pass8-2 Discussion Summary: Jorge asked for a discussion before specifying funding source. Introduced Increased Tax Rate as funding source. Acting Mayor Laura Lewis proposed to revise $100 Thousand to $50 Thousand reason being UPI has not submitted their Scope of Work. Jordan present to answer questions and comments from council regarding funding. Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Jeffrey Barken X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Patrick Mehler X Robert Cantelmo X Laura Lewis X Stewart Park Splash Pad and Restrooms Motion to take $50 Thousand Dollars out of Increased Tax Rate- Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Jorge DeFendini YouTube Timestamp: 3:38 Friendly Amendment- George McGonigal Decrease $50 Thousand Dollars to $40 Thousand Dollars Seconded By: Jorge DeFendini Motion To Add $40 Thousand Dollars from Increase Tax Rate to pay for Projects. YouTube Timestamp: 3:43:50 Vote Pass : 10-0 All in Favor Discussion Summary: George brought out during their presentation Stewart Park indicated most funding is coming from private donations. George proposed to decrease funds from Fifty-Thousand dollars to Forty- Thousand dollars. Discussions continued with questions and comments from Council. Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Jeffrey Barken X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Patrick Mehler X Robert Cantelmo X Laura Lewis X Recess Motion to Recess until 6pm on 10/27- Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: George McGonigal YouTube Timestamp: 3:44:19 Vote Pass: 10-0 All In Favor Discussion Summary: No Discussion Member Approve Deny Abstain Table Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Jeffrey Barken X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Patrick Mehler X Robert Cantelmo X Laura Lewis X