HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-B&A-1990-11-12 - Budget Meeting r
-BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
BUDGET MEETING 7: 30 P.M. NOVEMBER 12, 1990
MINUTES
PRESENT:
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Booth, Cummings, Peterson, Golder,
Romanowski
OTHER ALDERPERSONS PRESENT: Johnson, Blanchard, Schroeder
OTHERS PRESENT:
Mayor - Nichols
Controller - Cafferillo
Deputy Controller - Thayer
Commons Coordinator - Deming
Fire Chief - Olmstead
Volunteer Coordinator - Lynch
City Attorney - Guttman
Personnel Administrator - Saul
A member of the Media
1. Opening Comments
Chairperson Booth opened the meeting by givinc; tb- Committee
the revised budget meeting schedule as follows:
11/12/90 7: 30 PM Budget Overview, Commons
Advisory, Finance Department
11/15/90 7: 30 PM DPW, Water, Sewer, Joint
Activity, Capital Projects,
Building Department
11/20/90 7:30 PM Human Services & Other
Agencies, Planning Dept. ,
INHS, Revenues
11/26/90 7: 30 PM Police Dept. , Fire Dept. , City
Attorney, City Prosecutor
11/28/90 7: 30 PM Public Hearing on Budget,
Youth Bureau, GIAC & Other
11/29/90 7: 30 PM Regular B&A meeting and any
budget carryover items
12/5/90 7: 00 PM Regular Common Council
meeting; adoption of 1991
budget
Chairperson Booth stated that tonight's agenda will be as
follows:
A. Mayor's Budget Statement and questions by Council
members
B. Council member's areas of concern for the 1991
budget
C. Specific Budget items - Commons Advisory
Personnel Dept.
BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
Mayors Dept.
Finance Dept.
Chairperson Booth stated that the following ground rules
apply to the budget process:
A. A motion will be made to accept the Mayor's budget
subject to all amendments.
B. Five members of Council will represent a quorum.
C. All department budgets will have the possibility
to be amended until the adoption of the final 1991
budget on December 5, 1990.
D. The vote on department budgets will be passed by
the majority of those members in attendance.
(i.e. , if ten members are present, it would take
six votes for a majority)
2 . Mayor' s Budget Statement - Overview of 1991 Budget
Mayor Nichols gave the Committee his 1991 budget statement.
Mayor Nichols stated that the budget was developed jointly
between himself and the Controller, but all decisions were
made by the Mayor. The following are the Mayor's highlights
of the 1991 Budget:
BUDGET PROCEDURE - Departments submitted request, the Mayor
and Controller met with Department Heads and asked for some
departments to cut their budgets, the Mayor's budget
recommendations were developed.
INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT BUDGETS do not include employee
benefits and debt service costs. Those costs are reflected
in separate sections of the budget.
STATE AID for 1991 will be decreased by approximately
$160, 000 relating to per capita aid and gross utilities tax.
SALARY INCREASES have been estimated for the three contracts
currently being negotiated (Laborer's Union, Assistant Fire
Chief and Executive Unit) and have been included in the 1991
Budget.
IN 1991 THERE IS A MAJOR INCREASE IN DEBT SERVICE
($406,000) . This increase represents 23% of the total
budget increase for the 1991 budget. Salary increases of
existing employees plus benefits ($1, 200, 000) represent 69%
of the total budget increase. Together these two items
represent 92% of the 1991 budget increase over 1990.
The 1991 property tax increase of 8.8% was computed as
follows:
A. The average property assessment increase for 1989-90 is
2 .77 based on the reassessment.
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BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
B. Take the 1990 tax increase of $19 per $1, 000 assessed
and divide it by the average assessment increase of
2 .77, you arrive at the reassessed tax increase for
1990.
C. If you take the 1990 reassessed tax rate of 6.847% and
compare it to the 1991 Mayor's recommended tax rate of
7.449% the result is a 8.8% increase from 1990.
D. If a property owners property was assessed for more
than the average assessment increase of 2 . 77, then the
property owner will pay more than the 8.8% increase in
taxes for 1991. If a property owners assessment
increased less than 2 . 77, then the taxes for 1991 will
be less than 1990.
The increases in Gas and Oil for 1991 have been estimated at
$50, 000.
The Human Service Agencies budget is exactly as it was
recommended by the Human Service Committee. The city
taxpayer is carrying an excessive share of the funding for
these agencies. The City taxpayer is paying for these
agencies through County and City taxes. The Mayor stated
that these agencies deserve increased funding, but they have
not asked the Towns of Lansing, Dryden or Ithaca to increase
their funding as the City has. In the future, funding for
these agencies should be done through the County.
The Mayor added $25, 000 to the Human Service Agencies for
the seed money for a Youth Employment Coordinator. The
Mayor stated that through the Opportunity for Youth
Commission employment sub-committee, the businesses, Chamber
of Commerce and the schools have been brought together to
work jointly on school business relationships and jobs for
young people. The need for this program is great and space
and funding will be an issue with the County and the City.
The Mayor felt that the City should assist in this program
which will help the future of our young people.
The Mayor stated that the County has turned down the City's
request for additional funding for youth services. The
County took the City's Youth Bureau contract for last year
and increased it by five (5%) percent.
The Mayor funded the Community Arts Coalition for their full
request of $10, 000. The Mayor cut $1, 000 from the Human
Services Coalition, Human Services Committee request. The
SPCA contract amount was increased to $38, 000. The mayor
cut $1, 000 from the Tompkins County Labor Coalition, Human
Services Committee request. Also $250 was deducted from the
Dewitt Historical Society's request.
The City Prosecutor has requested a half time secretary at
$7, 000. The Mayor included this amount in the budget.
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BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
In the Law Budget, the Mayor recommended that the assistant
attorney become a full time staff member and that the City
Attorney position be moved from a 15 hour per week position
to a 20 hour per week position. No increase in salary costs
are requested.
The Board of Public Works made cuts to the DPW budget and
came in with a requested budget of above six (6%) percent
including salary increases. The budget was then cut by
Bernie Carpenter and Bill Gray and the BPW approved the
final cuts which came in below six percent.
The Police Department budget includes one additional police
officer for traffic enforcement. This position is reflected
in an increase in fines.
The Fire Department budget includes the addition of four
firefighters. These four firefighters would help put two
career firefighters at each of the two new stations. The
Mayor also recommended that there shall be no more increases
in the Fire Department' s personnel for at least the next
three years. The Board of Fire Commissioners has agreed to
the personnel freeze for the next three years as long as
four new firefighters are approved for 1991. The four new
firefighters would be phased in during 1991.
The Building Department budget includes the addition of a
Building Inspector which should assist in speeding up the
building permit process. The Mayor suggested that an
improved relationship with the public is needed in the
Building Department.
In the GIAC budget an additional youth worker position was
included. This position would have a major role in
developing a recreation program for teens.
The Planning Department budget includes a minor change in
bookkeeping which does not effect any increases for costs of
salaries. The Planning Director Van Cort was previously
paid in part by the IURA. In 1991, this will no longer
occur. The City will pay for all of his salary, but will
bill the IURA for a portion of his salary.
The Commons Coordinator budget does not include the new
position requested.
Alderperson Cummings was excused for the remaining portion
of the meeting.
The Mayor suggested that there is a possibility of savings
in State Retirements Benefits per the State, however, he has
been convinced by the Controller that the costs should
remain in the budget at the same level as in prior years
because the possibility exists that in the future this
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BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
payment, to the State Retirement System, would increase and
if the money was deleted for 1991 it would make it that much
more difficult to raise money to put back into a future
budget.
The account, Transfer to Capital Projects, has been
increased to $101,800. This amount represents the five (5%)
percent down payments needed to fund each of the eight
projects recommended by the Capital Improvement Review
Committee. It also includes a five (5%) percent down
payment for the possibility of the acquisition of a building
for Daycare purposes. It was noted that no changes were
made to the Capital Improvement Review Committee's
recommendations of projects to be funded.
The Mayor estimated the sales tax increase for 1991 to be
about five (5%) percent which is consistent with prior
years.
The Mayor stated that one of the reasons the tax rate was
kept down was by deleting various 1990 Restricted
Contingency items. The total amount of $148, 641 will not be
carried over to 1991. The restricted contingency items to
be deleted are as follows:
Elmira Road Drainage $12, 500
Bikeway R.O.W. & Bridge 40, 000
Southwest Access 75, 000
Development Impact Fee Consultant 16, 500
Planning Contractual Services 2, 141
Other Service Agency Allocation 2, 500
$148, 641
An item that was not included in the budget is the
possibility of a grant to perform Architectural studies for
downtown. The matching grant portion of this grant may be
as much as $20, 000. This item was overlooked and may need
to be added to the 1991 budget.
In the DPW Water and Sewer portion of the 1991 budget there
are funds for hiring a new Director for Water and Sewer.
This position is equivalent to the Assistant Superintendent
to Streets and Facilities.
The Mayor stated that there is no allocation of money for a
Superintendent of Public Works in the 1991 Budget. However,
there is money allocated to supplement a salary of either
the City Engineer or Water/Sewer Director to act as the
Superintendent of Public Works.
A study will be performed to examine the DPW management as a
whole. This study is also including the possibility of a
DPW consolidation at some point in the future.
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BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
Chairperson Booth suggested that a motion to accept the
Mayor's Budget should be made. The following motion was
made:
Move the Mayor's Budget subject to all changes which may be
made in the budget discussions. The motion passed 7-0.
This motion allows the items not voted on in the Mayor's
Budget to remain as they are recommended by the Mayor.
3 . Common Council Members Concerns for the 1991 Budget
The following items represent the areas of concern that each
of the Common Council members have with the 1991 Budget.
Alderperson Blanchard presented her concerns as follows:
A. Absence of a Superintendent of Public Works Salary
B. Fire Departments additional four firefighters
C. Youth Bureau equipment requests
D. GIAC's additional youth worker
Alderperson Romanowski presented his concerns as follows:
A. Youth Bureau equipment requests - computers
B. GIAC's additional youth worker
C. Human Services budget total
Alderperson Johnson presented his concerns as follows:
A. Lack of a Superintendent of Public Works
B. Fire Departments additional four firefighters
Alderperson Schroeder presented his concerns as follows:
A. Fire Departments additional four firefighters
B. The absence of a Superintendent of Public Works
salary
C. Capital Projects - Commons capital project - no
contingency added to the project/playground
concerns/bus shelters not included
D. The increase in parking fees
E. The matching planning grant not included in the
Budget.
F. Restricted Contingency - Bikeway Bridge allocation
Alderperson Golder presented his concern as follows:
A. Restricted Contingency - Development Impact Fee
Consultant. Alderperson Golder was excused for
the remainder of the meeting.
Alderperson Peterson presented her concerns as follows:
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BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
A. Restricted Contingency - Bikeway Bridge
B. Vehicle requests for all Departments
C. Capital Projects - the Parking Study and Design
project and the Monroe/Marshall bridge
Chairperson Booth presented his concerns as follows:
A. Tax rate of 8.8% is too high - should be around
5%.
B. the Unappropriated Fund balance is lower than it
should be
C. Fire Departments four additional firefighters
D. The number of new positions Citywide. In the last
ten years the City has grown by 90 positions
E. Recycling Revenue - County revenue in question and
there is no contract in place for City recycling
F. Reassessments 0- there are many challenges to the
reassessments that may change the total property
assessment total for the City
G. Capital Reserves - no money is being put into
these reserves for 1991.
H. Sales tax increase of 5% is a good estimate given
the current and future economic conditions
I. Loss of revenue for capital expenses related to
the Youth Bureau
J. the closing out of Restricted Contingency items
K. The garbage costs being transferred to the trash
tag
L. Parking fee increase
M. No money in water fund for land acquisition
N. Overtime in the Youth Bureau and Citywide
O. Transit study
4 . Commons Advisory Budget
Commons Coordinator Deming presented her 1991 Budget to the
Committee. Coordinator Deming stated she understood why the
Mayor deleted her request for an additional staff position,
but felt that because of this some programs might have to be
cut back. She stated she will set priorities for 1991 based
on the funding she has available.
A discussion on summer workers and possible modification of
some of her programs followed. it was noted that the Mayor
recommended a $1, 000 increase in the hourly parttime salary
line. This money will be used for summer positions. No
amendments were made to the Mayor's recommendation for the
Commons Advisory Budget. The following motion was made:
To approve the Commons Advisory Budget as recommended
by the Mayor, of $37,873 .
The motion passed 6-0. The following voted in favor of
this motion: Booth, Blanchard, Johnson, Schroeder,
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BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
Romanowski and Peterson
5. Personnel Budget
Personnel Administrator Saul discussed the Personnel Budget
and stated that the major changes include the following:
A. Two positions that were in Finance are now in
Personnel (no new salary amounts or positions
are added with this move)
B. Advertising expense was increased $6, 000 to a
total of $14, 000. This reflects the actual cost
of advertising.
Personnel Administrator Saul reminded the Committee that
when firefighter positions are approved it affects the
Personnel Budget because physicals and related activity are
expensed against the Personnel Budget. It was noted that
the Personnel Budget did not account for the possibility of
the four additional firefighters that may be hired as a
result of the Fire Department's Budget for 1991.
A discussion on advertising cost, contracts, affirmative
action and civil service items followed. Personnel
Administrator Saul stated that the merging of Civil Service
with Personnel has worked out well with no complaints thus
far. No amendments were made to the Mayor's recommendation
for the Personnel Budget. The following motion was made:
To approve the Personnel Budget as recommended by the
Mayor of $188,719 .
The motion passed 6-0. The following voted in favor of
this motion: Booth, Blanchard, Johnson, Schroeder,
Romanowski and Peterson
The Committee voted in favor of going into executive
session, 6-0, to discuss the possibility of a building
purchase for Daycare.
6. Report From Executive Session
The Committee discussed the acquisition of a building
purchase for the purpose of using it as a potential Daycare
site. The consensus of the Committee (six votes in favor)
was to have the City Attorney make a purchase offer for this
building at an amount of $160, 000.
7. Mayor's Budget
The Mayor's Department was presented. It was noted that the
overall Mayor's Department Budget is down $1, 049 from 1990.
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BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
The Commissions Expense included in the Mayor's budget is
recommended at $5,450.
A discussion on the Mayor's Office Expense line followed.
The Office Expense was recommended at $3, 500 which is
increased from $2, 100 in 1990. It was noted that currently
$1, 500 has been spent for office expense in 1990. After a
brief discussion, the following motions were made:
Delete $1, 000 from the Mayor's office Expense,
Line 425, leaving a balance of $2, 500. The amending
motion passed 6-0.
To approve the Mayor's Department Budget with the
amendment of $1, 000 for a new total of $62, 127.
The motion passed 6-0. The following voted in favor
of this motion: Booth, Blanchard, Johnson, Schroeder,
Romanowski and Peterson
8. Legislative Board Budget
The Legislative Board Budget was presented. The only change
in this budget is an increase in the contracts line of
$13 , 000. The $13, 000 increase represents the first payment
of the City's Code recodification. The remaining $5, 000
represents the annual maintenance costs to update and
maintain the City's Code and Charter. It was noted that the
second payment will be made in 1992 for the remaining
$13, 000 of the contract.
The Committee suggested that an office for the Common
Council members needs to be provided somewhere in City Hall.
The office should include a telephone and a couple of desks.
Chairperson Booth recommended that the Mayor investigate the
possibility of getting an office for the Council members in
City Hall and report back to the B&A Committee on this
issue. The following motion was made:
To approve the Legislative Board Budget as recommended
by the Mayor of $81, 300.
The motion passed 6-0. the following voted in favor of
this motion: Booth, Blanchard, Johnson, Schroeder,
Romanowski and Peterson
9. Election Budget
The Election Budget was presented and after a brief
discussion the following motion was made:
To approve the Election Budget as recommended by the
Mayor, of $18, 065.
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BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
The motion passed 6-0. The following voted in favor of
this motion: Booth, Blanchard, Johnson, Schroeder,
Romanowski and Peterson
10. Purchasing Department Budget
The Purchasing Budget was presented. A brief discussion on
the consolidation of the Purchasing Agent followed. The
following motion was made:
To approve the Purchasing Department Budget as
recommended by the Mayor, of $29, 198.
The motion passed 6-0. The following voted in favor
of this motion: Booth, Blanchard, Johnson, Schroeder,
Romanowski and Peterson
11. Traffic Violations Budget
The Traffic Violations Budget was presented. The increase
in costs in the office expense account reflects expected
increases in postage costs for 1991. It was noted that the
hand held computer proposal is separate and is not presented
in this budget. The following motion was made:
To approve the Traffic violations Budget as recommended
by the Mayor, of $63, 472 .
The motion passed 6-0. The following voted in favor of
this motion: Booth, Blanchard, Johnson, Schroeder,
Romanowski and Peterson
12 . Finance Department Budget
The Finance Department Budget was presented. It was noted
that the overall Finance Department Budget came in at two
(2%) percent above last years budget.
Controller Cafferillo stated that increases in postage costs
for 1991 are reflected in the office expense account and
represent the increase in that account from the previous
year.
A discussion on Staff Development and personnel costs
followed. The following motion was made:
To approve the Finance Department Budget as recommended
by the Mayor, of $443 ,456.
The motion passed 6-0. The following voted in favor of
this motion: Booth, Blanchard, Johnson, Schroeder,
Romanowski and Peterson.
The meeting adjourned at 11: 05 P.M.
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J
BUDGET REVIEW MEETING 11/12/90
The following is a summary of budget adjustments:
Mayor's Recommendation: $23,873, 211
Reduction in Mayor's Dept.
A1210-425 Office Expense Account ( 1, 000)
As of conclusion of 11/12/90 B&A/ $23, 872,211
Committee of a Whole Meeting
Net Reduction in Mayor's Budget
through 11/12/90 ($ 1, 000)
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