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Home My WebLink About02/26/1996City Council Work Session February 26, 1996 4:30 p.m. Large Conference Room Members present: Getty, Jordan, Krizek, Murphy, Anders, Mollenhoff Members absent: Collier It was moved by Jordan, seconded by Mollenhoff to approve the agenda as proposed. Ayes: Six. Absent: Collier. Motion carried. City attorney Jim Walsh reviewed the correspondence requested by Councilperson Getty regarding the authority of the airport commission. The airport commission is an autonomous entity and able by statute to set its, own revenues and expenditures. The airport commission may raise fees without council approval. The city may change the form of authority from a commission form to an administrative agency. Getty indicated that the request has been made to review the airport due to the lack of compliance with financial policies set for all city departments. The city council and finance office has policies regarding pre -authorization and bidding procedures which don't seem to have been followed by the airport commission. Councilperson Anders asked if the airport director reports to the mayor and council or to the airport commission. Walsh stated that this is a gray area as the director is an employee of the city but the airport commission does direct his daily duties. The airport commissioners are appointed by the mayor and council. Councilperson Mollenhoff expressed that the council is not looking for other duties in assuming control of the airport but that the current structure doesn't provide for direct accountability to the council and thereby to the citizens. Mollenhoff supports the council having direct control over the airport commission but would like to hear the airport commission's views on the matter. Bob Petersen, chairperson of the Airport Commission, stated that there appears to be many issues on the table. He feels that there has been more communication between the council and airport commission now than ever in the past. The airport commission has been operating in compliance with FAA and statutory regulations with regard to financial transactions. The commission is willing to increase the level of communication on financial issues. Petersen stated that the airport commission is accountable to the general public in the same manner that private business is. Customer satisfaction makes the airport be accountable. The airport must comply with FAA regulations on bidding and contract letting to receiving funding. The airport is currently operating as a business in the black and paying back the city for funds which were bonded for improvements along with paying for fire fighters staffed at the airport. Petersen stated that this indicates the commission is acting responsibly and isn't broken so why change the process. Councilperson Anders asked if the city taking over the financial process would inhibit the airport's ability to operate. Petersen responded that the commission feels the airport must operate as a business. The commission is required to establish a five year planning cycle to receive FAA funding and so to put these plans at the whim of elected officials may jeopardize FAA funding. He feels that the airport needs to satisfy its customer base and if the city inhibits that action then it would hurt the airport. Councilperson Murphy asked if a private business would be allowed to carry a $200,000 debt without being fiscally responsive to the financing authority. Airport Director Terry Lorenzen stated that the alleged debt came from', $200,000 bonded in the 1980's when hangars were blown down. The airport commission doesn't agree to Council Work Session February 26, 1996 Page 2 obligation but has made a commitment to repay the $200,000. There is currently approximately $110,000 left to be repaid out of PFC's. Councilperson Getty stated that he has a problem with spending a great deal of money on airport development without have direct accountability to the mayor and council. Petersen responded that the mayor and council has set up the AADA and by doing so effectively tied up full control of all development projects. Mayor Rooff stated his agreement that the AADA should control the development and has expressed to the airport commission the need to follow city financial policies and to work in coordination with the city's long term goals. Councilpersons Anders and Jordan felt the city needs to meet with the airport commission to discuss the expectations on both sides. It was moved by Krizek, seconded by Jordan to set up a joint work session with the airport commission and the city council within the next sixty days to iron out the roles and responsibilities of each. The meeting will be set up on a Tuesday which coincides with the airport commission meeting dates. Ayes: Six. Absent: Collier. Motion carried. Councilperson Mollenhoff expressed his gratitude to the airport commission for the time spent on city functions. Mayor Rooff indicated that there is a need to share financial information and long term funding projections to match the city and the airport's long term financial plans. The five year financial plan and capital improvement programs need to be in unison. With no further discussion, it was moved by Getty, seconded by Jordan to adjourn the meeting at 5:20 p.m. Ayes: Six. Absent: Collier. Motion carried. Susan Fangman City Clerk City Council Work Session February 26, 1996 5:00 p.m. Large Conference Room Members present: Mayor Rooff, Mollenhoff, Anders, Getty, Krizek, Murphy, Jordan. Members absent: Collier It was moved by Jordan, seconded by Anders to approve the agenda as proposed. Ayes: Six. Absent: Collier. Motion carried. Mayor Rooff asked city attorney Jim Walsh to provide his experience with voice mail as a business owner. Walsh stated that speaking from his experience with voice mail there are some pitfalls to beware of through misuse or lack of use by employees. A monitoring system needs to be established to identify how much its being used and how fast responses are made to the voice mail. Networked voice mail allows messages to be broadcast to specific groups such as departments heads therefore eliminating repetitive phone calls. Mayor Rooff asked if networked voice mail is a feature that can be added later. Steve Schmitt, Digital representative, indicated that if a voice mail system is bought without networking it can not be upgraded and you would be throwing away the purchase of today if networked at a later date. Schmitt explained that the systems for police and fire departments need to be networked to allow the non- emergency call transfer in and out from central dispatch. Approximately fifteen to twenty thousand dollars of the forty thousand dollar networking cost is due to the technical equipment portion of voice mail which allows the transfer. Councilperson Jordan stated that he feels the voice mail box system has not been adequately tested with the public at this time. He would like to see a trial period of six to eight weeks to see if voice mail meets the needs of the citizens. Police Chief Koehrsen reported that after the first full twenty-four hour period of using the voice mail system there were no calls in the mailboxes for the investigations or administration sections of the department this morning. Councilperson Anders stated that he feels he has adequate information to vote on the issue and feels it is fail safe to vote to approve the contract not to exceed $216,000 to meet the needs of the city and to rely on staff analysis of the needs as the system is purchased. Councilperson' Getty reported that he feels the issue is ready for approval and feels the staff recommendations should be approved. With no further discussion on the matter it was moved by Getty, seconded by Murphy to adjourn the meeting at 5:40 p.m. Ayes: Six. Absent: Collier. Motion carried. Susan Fangman City Clerk