HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.03.2008• •
COUNCIL WORK SESSION
March 3, 2008
4:30 p.m.
Council Chambers
Members present: Mayor Hurley, Cole, Getty, Greenwood, Steve Schmitt, Welper, Reggie
Schmitt, Hart.
Moved by Reggie Schmitt, seconded by Greenwood that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved.
Ayes: Six. Absent: Hart. Motion carried.
Mayor Hurley updated the council on the FYE09 Budget. Mayor Hurley reviewed the process
which included meetings with each department head reviewing his/her budget line item by line
item. Mayor Hurley noted from those meetings he cut some budgets deeper and added some
items. Mayor Hurley explained that the budget at this point has a $148,081.00 gap in order to be
legal.
Mayor Hurley explained that the following items have influenced the General Fund budget:
wages, salaries, benefits; health insurance premiums, fuel, utilities, minimum wage, GASB 45
provisions, frozen sick leave, downtown maintenance activity and Road Use Tax fund relief via
the General Fund. In order to help the RUT fund, Mayor Hurley moved the ROW mowing into
the General Fund.
Mayor Hurley explained that the following items have taken pressure off preparing this year's
budget: state property revaluations, real growth, Isle of Capri revenues, budgeting all of the
cable franchise fees and lower city contributions for the 411 pension. Mayor Hurley noted that
the city has seen an increase in real growth of 3.65 percent, the city receives a little over
$700,000.00 from the Isle of Capri and the required city's contribution to the Municipal Fire &
Police Retirement System will decrease from 25.48 percent to 18.75 percent.
Mayor Hurley reviewed his proposed adjustments to city departments' budget. Mayor noted that
the Airport budget shows a break even. Mayor Hurley explained that the original amount
proposed for fuel citywide was $650,000.00 and he has lowered that amount although it is an
increase over this year's budget. Mayor Hurley budgeted a fourth Code Enforcement Officer to
be paid out of sanitation funds.
Councilperson Hart now present at 4:43 p.m.
Mayor Hurley noted that for the first time the General Fund will be supplementing the Cable TV
budget in the amount of $35,000.00. The Fire Department budget was reduced by $20,000.00
for a retirement that may not take placed until 2010. The Ambulance budget revenues were
increased, and an additional $9,000.00 was added to the Human Resources safety activity for
training. An additional $24,000.00 was added for downtown maintenance, $13,000.00 was
added to the Library budget for security, $25,000.00 was added to the Mayor/Council budget for
a citizen survey, $6,000.00 was added to the Planning/Economic Development budget for
professional services. The Police Department was reduced in the estimated retirement expense,
overtime, travel, and other changes. The Road Use Tax budget was reduced by $95,000.00 and
that expense was moved to the General Fund for forestry ROW mowing. Mayor Hurly budgeted
$96,000.00 to fund salary gap closure for non -bargaining employees, $44,000.00 for Pathways
support and $12,000.00 for the Eastside Ministerial Alliance. KBBG is in the budget but for less
than last year. With the changes, the levy would be $18.54641, which is a decrease of 1.22
percent from the FYE08 Budget. Mayor Hurley noted that departments used a three-year
average and the first six months of this year's budget.
Mayor Hurley reviewed the Enterprise Funds. Council members will need to adopt a storm
water management fee for residential, commercial and industrial users which could generate
$900,000.00 per year. The additional funds would be used one-third by the Engineering
Department. The fee would also be used to fund the street sweeping activity because the
sweeping keeps materials out of the storm water basins.
Council Work Session
March 3, 2008
Page 2
Mayor Hurley noted that the Sanitation, Sewer, Waterloo Housing and Local Option Sales Tax
budgets are all in good shape. Additional funds have been added to the Fair Housing Budget to
increase a part-time position from 25 hours to 40 hours. This will be a one-year trial period as it
is hoped that the position will generate enough revenues to pay for the additional hours.
Mayor Hurley noted that council could accept the budget as is and asked the council to notify
him by Thursday, March 6, of any additions, reductions or changes. Mayor Hurley encouraged
council to get needed support from colleagues for changes before the budget hearing.
Mayor Hurley reviewed the FYE2008 and FYE2009 Proposed Budget Comparison spreadsheet.
Councilperson Getty asked why the additional Code Enforcement Officer was being funded with
sanitation funds when the spreadsheet shows that the Building Department budget always gives
money back. Michelle Weidner, Chief Financial Officer, explained that the Building
Department fees are used to pay $8.10 levy departments. The Code Enforcement Officers used
to be under Sanitation, but years ago it was requested that they be moved under Lou Cutwright.
Mayor Hurley applauded all the department heads as they followed his instructions, there was no
fluff in the budgets, and the freezing of manpower. Mayor Hurley explained that the budget
hearing is Monday, March 10, with the requirement to certify by Monday, March 17, 2008.
Mayor Hurley requested that council forward any changes to him by Thursday.
Councilperson Cole thanks all the department heads, Mayor Hurley and Michelle Weidner.
With no further business before the council, it was moved by Getty, seconded by Cole that the
meeting be adjourned at 5:10 p.m. Ayes: Seven. Motion carried.
Nancy Eckert
City Clerk