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COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - MINUTES - 10/2/1997 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - CITY OF MUSKEGO MINUTES OF MEETING HELD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1997 The meeting was called to order at 7:10 P.M. by Chairman De Angelis. Also present were Aldermen Pionek, Slocomb, Wooward, Salentine, Patterson and D’Acquisto and Finance Director Dawn Gunderson. Ald. Sanders arrived at 7:30 P.M. Other department heads in attendance were Planning Director Matt Sadowski, Building Director Chuck Dykstra, Information Systems Director Joe Sommers, Assessor Laura Mecha, Librarian Holly Sanhuber and Lt. Paul Geiszler representing Police Chief John Johnson. Finance Director Gunderson reported that the meeting was noticed in accordance with the Open Meeting law. The minutes of the previous meeting were reviewed and no changes were made. Phil Dibb and Jeff Verburgt from the Tess Corners Volunteer Fire Department appeared before the committee to present their 1998 Operating Budget. Ald. D’Acquisto relinquished his chair on the committee to act as a citizen for discussion. The Mayor requested that information be presented to the committee on how the dollar amounts spent for insurance is used in the calculation for rescue service rates, since it is included in the budget for volunteer fire service. Jeff Verburgt also presented to the committee information on the actual 1996 costs the department incurred for rescue service. After considerable discussion, the committee requested that the Treasurer for the Volunteer Fire Department provide information to the City’s Finance Director on how the rate per rescue call as charged to the City is calculated. Following the discussion, Ald. D’Acquisto returned to his seat on the committee. Ald. D’Acquisto presented information he had obtained from the City’s Bookkeeper regarding the costs that the City paid for rescue service during 1996 and historical information on the write off due to amounts not paid by Title IXX or other uncollectible charges. He also presented his proposal that the City consider funding the full costs for Ambulance Service and include it in the City’s Tax Levy. Ald. D’Acquisto expressed his concern that there were people who need medical treatment and chose not to be transported because they could not afford the costs. Mr. Verburgt discussed some of the department’s experience in the past when the service had no charge and the number of non-emergency calls increased. He also pointed out that the purpose of department was for emergency response not taxi service. He suggested that the City look into a policy for hardship instead of placing the full costs to the taxpayer. He also pointed out that several of the transports are for non-residents of the City of Muskego because of the traffic that travels through our community. Ald. D’Acquisto welcomed any suggestions that the other Aldermen and the Fire Departments had to offer for future discussion on this issue. Mayor De Angelis temporarily adjourned the meeting for a short recess at 8:20 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 8:30 P.M. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 10/2/97 PAGE TWO Finance Director Gunderson had distributed a packet of materials to the Aldermen to assist in the discussions for the meeting. She explained that the packet included a summary of the proposed budget by revenue type and service area, a summary of the budget expenditures by department, a recap of the departmental budgets by personnel and benefit related costs and non-personnel costs along with their requested changes, the detail of the proposed budget, memos relating the five departments as requested by the Aldermen along with a summary of the associated costs, and a summary sheet of the costs associated with the departments request for additional staff. Finance Director Gunderson explained that the figures did include the proposed increase in Utility costs, the costs for the departments requested personnel changes, but not the five added department heads and approximately $23,000 for Library transition costs that were planned to be a part of capital costs, but would benefit the City in terms of its reimbursement for non-resident use if those costs were included in operating. The Mayor advised that an additional $1,430 was added to his budget. $810 for shared dispatch study and $620 for a benefits study for health insurance. The Mayor also advised that the budget did not reflect any transfer from the Landfill fund as has been done in the past. As has been discussed in the past, he suggested that it would be better not to rely on these funds for operating, but instead used for capital. The Mayor explained that the information presented included $475,000 in undesignated fund balance. He also explained that an equivalent amount had been included in the 1997 budget. If all of those funds are necessary, one more year, and the undesignated funds would be depleted. The Mayor explained that this could have a very negative effect on our Bond rating and affect all future borrowings done by the City. Ald. D’Acquisto expressed his concerns about this and directed the Finance Director to contact Dave Anderson of Ehlers & Associates and Don Vilione of Conely McDonald to find out from them when they felt Moodys would factor this into our bond rating. Following additional discussion, Ald. Pionek moved to accept the non-personnel budget expenses for the City departments in the amount of $3,356,838, as presented. This representing an increase of less than 1% over the 1997 amended budget. Ald. D’Acquisto seconded. Motion carried with a roll call vote 6-1 with Ald. Patterson voting against. Mayor De Angelis temporarily adjourned the meeting for a short recess at 9:50 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 10:15 P.M. The Mayor presented information to the committee on the salary paid to Aldermen in other communities within this part of Wisconsin. The committee directed the Mayor to contact the following nearby communities and inquire about any allowance or expense reimbursements they have for their Aldermen: Germantown, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Mount Pleasant, New Berlin, Oak Creek, and Franklin. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 10/2/97 PAGE THREE The Mayor addressed the information on the costs associated with the addition of the staff requested by various departments and included in the proposed operating budget. Ald. Patterson moved to remove the request by the Parks Director for a full-time maintenance III position in lieu of two part-time 26 week employees. Seconded by Ald. Slocomb and carried 7-0. Ald. Slocomb moved to accept the other six positions, which include increasing the hours for the interns for both the Mayor’s office and the Plan Department, adding a Police Officer, a promotion for the Police Department and an additional Highway Maintenance position for the Public Works Department in Lieu of a part-time employee. Seconded by Al. Salentine, carried 7-0. The Mayor requested that the Council spend the next year reviewing the merits of each of the five department head positions that they are considering adding before a decision is made for two reasons. 1. The financial impact on the budget, especially for a year when things are tight and 2. Space considerations. Ald. Slocomb agreed with exception of the Engineer position. He explained that there was space available at the Department of Public Works facility and that he felt that the long-range impact would be a reduction in costs to the City. Ald. Slocomb moved to Create an Engineer position effective June 1, 1997, eliminating the proposed clerical position and associated costs and the cost for rental of space. Seconded by Ald. Pionek. A roll-call vote was taken and the motion carried 5-2 with Ald. Patterson and Ald. Sanders voting against. Ald. Slocomb moved that the Attorney, Economic Development Director, Human Resources Director and Fire Chief not be included in the 1998 budget and consideration for adding these positions be in a future budget year. Seconded by Ald. Patterson, carried 7-0. This completed the discussion on personnel issues. The Mayor advised that at the Monday, October 6, 1997 meeting revenue transfers, Capital Budget and Special Revenue Budgets would be discussed. As a part of Communications and Miscellaneous business, the Mayor advised that he and Ald. Salentine met with representatives of the Tess Corners Volunteer Fire Department the day before. He reported that Tess Corners would like to meet with the full Council at their location and also at the Muskego location to view and discuss their operations. The committee agreed that the meetings at both locations should be set for Thursday COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 10/2/97 PAGE FOUR October 16, 1997. The Mayor advised that he would not be in attendance, but would arrange for the date and time. Ald. D’Acquisto moved to adjourn at 11:25 P.M. Ald. Slocomb seconded. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Dawn R. Gunderson Finance Director