CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
WORK SESSION
2007 APPROPRIATION BUDGET
OCTOBER 24, 2006
The
meeting was called to order by President Gore at 6:30 p.m.
MEMBERS
PRESENT: Mr. Marshall, Mr. Gore, Mr.
Burke, Mr. Reams, Mr. Pleasant, Mr. Fogt
Excused: Ms. Sellers
OTHERS
PRESENT: Mayor Kruse, Director of
Administration House, Finance Director Morehart, Public Service Director
Davies, City Engineer Roush, Assistant Police Chief Nicol, Fire Chief Johnson,
HR Manager Dostanko, Law Director Aslaner
2007
APPROPRIATION BUDGET
OPERATING
BUDGET
Pg.
5 – Mr. Fogt noted that the City is going to spend $1M more than it’ll be
taking in in 2007, but still leaves the City unencumbered cash totaling
$2.5M. He said he was surprised that
we’re left with that much at the end of 2006.
Mr. Morehart responded that the City ended 2005 in the affirmative. Looking at this year’s budget, we thought we
would end up with less than $3M. The
number will come in a little better than that due to expenditure control and
certain areas running more favorable than forecasted. We should end up in pretty good shape at the
end of 2006.
Pg. 9 – Intergovernmental Receipts. Mr.
Marshall asked if this number takes into account the dwindling of State and
Federal funds. Mr. Morehart said the local
government and local government revenue system line items pretty flat since
2000/2001 when the State froze those.
There is some consideration to remove that situation and may see some
relief as far as some growth in those funds as early as 2008. Anticipate funds to still be flat next
year.
Pg.
11 – City Council. Remove the $1,000 in
Overtime.
Pg.
13 – Mayor - Mr.
Fogt is not in favor of the money budgeted in Dues, Conf. & Training for an
Administration/Council Strategic Planning Retreat. He does not want to have a retreat outside of
Marysville. He asked about the employee
picnic and how that was handled. Mayor
Kruse stated that is budgeted for in Employee Relations. Mr. Fogt asked if the City solicited local
businesses for door prizes. Response was
yes, for the summer picnic. Mr. Fogt
does not like doing business that way.
City should not be soliciting local businesses to support City
employees. For the 3rd
Friday’s and other public functions, it’s okay. He asked for that to be cut back quite a
bit. Regarding the $11,000 for Dues, Conference
& Training, he said he was okay if the meetings with
Mayor
Kruse said the $9,500 in 2006 for Dues, Conferences and Training included the
Retreat. In 2007, the $11,000 also
includes money for a retreat. He feels
we got a great deal of value out of the retreat that was held and are
continuing to derive value. He doesn’t
feel you can get the same kind of value holding a meeting here in Council
Chambers, trying to do the same thing.
He feels it’s money well spent and would like to keep the money in the
budget. Having a meeting away from the
City, you don’t have the distractions that you may have if held in the
City. Also the social aspect of a
retreat is very good. Everyone gets to
know each other a little better. $11,000
is a small portion of $14M and it’s well worth the
effort.
Mr.
Fogt feels we can do the same thing here at home.
In
terms of employee relations, he feels we get so much value when treating our
employees and recognizing the fact that they add value to the City and value to
our efforts to the public and the quality of life, it’s a very small amount of
money. He noted the employees have done
an outstanding job, not only doing their job, but doing it economically. The last two years, we’ve come in about $1M
under budget.
Mr.
Gore stated having been a government employee for a number of years, you don’t
get treated like the private sector and sometimes there are benefits you don’t
get to take advantage of. On the other
hand, when you enter into public service, you also understand there are
restrictions. He expressed concern for
soliciting door prizes and/or gifts.
He’s afraid that people may feel pressured to give when the City
solicits a donation.
Public Relations - $12,500. Mr. Gore
asked for the breakdown on that figure.
Ms. House stated that was for newsletters. Mr. Reams asked if part of that was for the
Rt. 33 Corridor meetings? Response was no. Mr. Gore stated the first newsletter was
approved coming out of the 2006 budget.
If for some reason it’s decided not to do further newsletters, how is
this money removed? Mr. Morehart said he
could reduce the appropriation. Mr. Fogt
would rather take the money out of the budget now and put it back in if we
decide to go forward with future newsletters.
Mr.
Reams asked about adding dollars for the Rt. 33 membership. Mr. Reams will check on the cost of
membership. It can be added at a later
date before passing the budget, if necessary.
Mayor
Kruse stated the newsletter is important.
It’s a way of getting accurate information out to the public and
information that the City feels is important.
His hope is that it would be as A-political as possible, and it has to
be if we use City funds. If City money
cannot be used, he will get donations to put together a newsletter. It then becomes a Mayor’s newsletter, which
he didn’t want it to be. Mr. Gore said
that was discussed and as long as the first newsletter stays a City newsletter,
it would not be a problem.
Pg.
19 – Mr. Morehart noted that a line item was missing. Longevity - $1,800, however, the total of
$147,565 is correct.
Pg. 21 – Information Technology. Mr.
Gore questioned the $65,000 figure. He
asked if this is the contract with Liberty Tech Systems? Response was yes. Mr. Gore asked if the City could find a good
technical person to hire for that kind of money then we’d have their services
five days a week. Mayor Kruse said that
is being discussed. Mr. Dostanko doesn’t
feel we could hire a person for less than $75,000/$80,000, because that person
would have to be trained and certified.
Mr. Gore stated after the training and certification that figure would
decrease. He feels there are a lot of
people out there skilled in the computer field.
Mr. Dostanko said the $65,000 is likely to decrease to about $50,000,
because the current Information Manager is taking more training so that the
City won’t have to call on Liberty Tech as often.
Pg.
23 – Mr. Gore asked about mosquito control.
He recalled a few years ago he was told that it really didn’t do any
good to fog. Ms. Davies said they do
larvae control which lasts about a month.
Mr. Marshall asked if $13,250 was enough to keep up with the
replacement/retirement of mowers. Ms.
Davies said the $7,800 figure is incorrect; it should be $12,000. Mr. Marshall asked if she had considered
investing in a bushhog-type mower to do some of heavy-duty mowing so as to not
wear out the batwing mower as quickly.
Ms. Davies said no.
Pg.
25 – Mr. Gore pointed out that $39,483 was being appropriated for Joint
Recreation District. Mayor Kruse met
with them and was quite impressed with their proposal. This is the amount they requested.
Pg.
27 – Medicare – Employee pays 1.45% and City matches it.
Pg.
29 – Commission Members – Mr. Gore asked if the $12,000 includes Design Review
Board Members. Mr. Morehart stated
before the reorganization, Design Review Board and Planning Commission were the
same Board and have been paid out of that line item
and is included in this number.
Pg.
39 – Mr. Fogt asked if the City is still a member of
Pg.
41 – Mr. Marshall asked if the City was using energy-efficient light bulbs for
the street lights. Mr. Roush will check
into it.
Pg.
42/43 – Remove SUV ($30,000) in capital improvements since we’re buying it now.
Pg.
45 – Mr. Fogt is not sold on closing the downtown fire station and building one
out on
Mr.
Gore questioned the $160,000 for Planning, Design and Engineering of new fire
station. He commented that he was not
aware that City was going to build a new fire station. He didn’t know it was a done deal. Response was, it is
not. Mr. Marshall clarified that as far
as timelines once we get there, a decision has not been made as to where it
will go, but in 2007 it can be decided.
Money is needed for the design part of the fire station no matter where
it ends up. Safety Committee is still
working through this process. Looking into joint needs for the Court, Police, Fire and City Hall.
Mayor
Kruse stated there is a short term and a long term
issue here. We’re looking in the short
term to position ourselves where we can respond to the public with our
emergency services as best as possible with limited money. In the long term, we may need several fire
stations. We’re not in a position to man
two fire stations. We need to start
moving with the short term with the long term in mind.
Mr.
Gore said he had no problem with planning, but has a problem with designing if
we don’t know where it’s going to go and we’re in agreement that we’re going to
build one. A location should be agreed
upon, then design of the building. He
feels the design of the building may be dictated by the site selected. We need to decide if and where we’re going to
build it.
Mayor
Kruse stated we’re going to build a fire station. We can design that fire station and put it
basically anywhere where it fits appropriately on the piece of land
selected. What Administration has tried
to do with this budget is knowing what our financial
picture is and how good a shape we’ve been in, we’ve included all the proposed
capital improvements into the budget right up front. In the past couple of years, we’ve waited
until everything shakes out to the end of the year then come back to Council
with additional appropriations. He hopes
that with this budget, there won’t be too many additional appropriations on
down the line.
Mr.
Marshall said the Safety Committee will continue to work on this project.
Mr.
Burke expressed concern about where this is located in terms of how this helps
resolve a parallel issue with the Police Department. He feels they are in a worse situation in
that they don’t even have a structure of their own. They are operating on hand-me-down space,
which is extremely limited.
Chief
Johnson reminded everyone that the Fire Department not only services the City,
but the County as well.
Ms.
House stated we have to keep in mind that the Police Department needs to be
near Court.
Mr.
Burke said it concerns him that this is a line item within the Fire Division,
not Police,
Mr.
Marshall commented that the Committee is looking at that to have shared
space.
Pg.
49 – Questioned the $5,500 for Other Expenses, no explanation. Mr. Roush explained that is for Dues,
Conferences and Training and Auto Expenses.
Increase is due to an additional car.
Just received a hand-me-down police car.
Pg.
57 – How will the strike at Goodyear impact the agreement the City has with
them in terms of the number of employees that they have to have. Mayor Kruse said probably no affect; they are
still employees. Wages may be
reduced.
Pg.
77 – Will the $1M for paving be borrowed. Mayor Kruse responded yes and we may be
adding some to it.
Pg.
91 – Mr. Fogt stated the Sewer Fund Interest cost is noted on this page and the
revenue from the borrowing is on this page but the cost for borrowing is on a
different page. Why can’t
those be combined on one page.
Mr. Morehart feels more comfortable including all the debt service
whether it’s water or sewer, in the Operating Funds.
Pg.
97 – Mr. Reams questioned the $100,000 for updating the Wastewater Master Plan
for the County area. Ms. Davies
explained the City does not have a good handle on what the needs are for the
County systems, so can’t tell the developer what we need.
Pg.
101 – Mr. Marshall stated the money coming in through Municipal Court is
earmarked; it’s not necessarily profit.
There are commitments the Judge must make as far as whether it pays for
a translator or certain funds, etc.
Pg.
128 – Mr. Fogt stated he would like the City to look for a used Freightliner
tractor to save money.
Mr.
Gore complimented Administration and staff for doing an outstanding job for the
citizens of this community.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m.