HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/06/1997CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
June 6, 1997
6:00 p.m.
Large Conference Room
Members present: Mayor Rooff, Jordan, Murphy, Krizek, Getty, Anders.
Members absent: Collier, Mollenhoff.
Moved by Jordan, seconded by Getty to approve the agenda as proposed. Ayes: Five. Absent: Collier,
Mollenhoff. Motion carried.
City Clerk Sue Fangman reviewed the proposed policy on use of' city -owned vehicles. The policy prohibits
personal use of city owned vehicles. Vehicles are not permitted for use in commuting to and from work for
lunch or break purposes. While in the course of employment personal stops are prohibited and when an
employee is authorized to take home a city -owned vehicle it may not be used for any personal use other
than commuting use only.
Any vehicle taken home to be used for commuting purposes must be reported as a taxable benefit to the
employee according to Internal Revenue Service guidelines. Exceptions to the taxable benefit regulations
are clearly marked police and fire vehicles, unmarked law enforcement vehicles, utility trucks, bucket trucks
or dump trucks.
Murphy asked if there are any provisions to limit taking vehicles outside the city limits? Fangman reported
that there are no such limitations. City policy states that emergency personnel must be able to respond
within thirty minutes which is the only policy which structures where employees may live. Murphy stated
his concern with the additional mileage which could be shorten the life of city vehicles if employees are
allowed to commute outside the metro area. Fangman stated that there are few cases of 'vehicles going
outside the city limits but the requirement to transport drug or arson animals in a city vehicle would impact
such a provision. Mayor Rooff supported leaving the decision on the allowance for commuting to the
discretion of the department head which has assigned duty.
Anders asked if there is currently a list of locations where vehicles are being driven for on call duty.
Fangman reported that there isn't any written documentation in a central location. Mayor Rooff requested
that a list of city -owned vehicle use for commuting be developed at the same time the annual asset
verification is taking place. It was the consensus of the council to proceed with placing the policy on the
agenda as originally proposed for formal adoption.
Finance Manager Bruce Meisinger reviewed the policies on the council agenda tonight which will be
adopted to clear up exceptions listed in the annual audit. The city must adopt a resolution to accept the
Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) pronouncements for reporting in compliance with
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. This would require compliance with GASB regulations but
allow the city to opt out of using Financial Accounting Standards Boards (FASB) pronouncements for the
annual audit.
The second policy is to formalize the language for compliance with the Davis -Bacon Act requiring payment
of prevailing wage for all laborers and mechanics hired by contractors on city projects financed by federal
funds. The city already has in place the formal procedures and data gathering elements of the act which is
monitored by the Contract Compliance Officer in Community Development. The auditor is requiring that a
resolution be adopted to document the city's policy in complying with the Davis Bacon Act.
With no further discussion on these matters, it was moved by Getty, seconded by Jordan to adjourn the
meeting at 6:25 p.m. Ayes: Five. Absent: Collier, Mollenhoff. Motion carried.
Susan Fangman
City Clerk