07-31-2017 Council Budget Work Session Minutes

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION July 31, 2017 APPROVED 1 CITY OF LINO LAKES 2 MINUTES 3 4 DATE July 31, 2017 5 TIME STARTED 6#00 p.m. 6 TIME ENDED : 9:15 p.m. 7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Member Rafferty, Kusterman, 8 Maher, Manthey and Mayor Reinert 9 MEMBERS ABSENT None 10 11 Staff members present: City Administrator Jeff Karlson; Public Safety Director John 12 Swenson; Community Development Director Michael Grochala; Finance Director Sarah 13 Cotton; Public Services Director Rick DeGardner; City Clerk Julie Bartell. 14 15 1. 2017 Budget — Finance Director Cotton first distributed replacements for Pages 1 and 16 3 of the draft budget packet and also one new page containing information on personnel 17 levels. 18 19 Mayor Reinert remarked that budget discussions have generally started with an overview 20 of the current year. It's a good idea to see where things are standing and look for 21 savings. 22 23 Director Cotton noted the budgeted use of reserves in the past. This year the reserve 24 level is at 54% which equates to about $325,000 available for use in 2018 while 25 maintaining a 50% reserve. For 2017 building permit revenues are high, having met the 26 year's forecasted revenues in July. Also notable is that much of the pick up last year in 27 expenditures was due to vacancies (personnel) and there aren't any this year. 28 29 Community Development Director Grochala remarked that building permit revenue in the 30 future is somewhat tied to lot availability which is low. Another factor impacting that 31 revenue line is storm damage. He doesn't expect the second half of the year revenue to 32 be as high as the first half. 33 34 Police and Fire —. Mayor Reinert said Public Safety is one third the budget so he hopes 35 the Chief will check over the budget well. 36 37 Public Works — Mayor Reinert remarked that the street sign budget has had savings in the 38 past. Director DeGardner said he'd watch for savings, however, they are working on old 39 sign replacement that is well needed. Mr. DeGardner added that he expects the salt and 40 sand line item will have a savings of about $10,000. Also there should be professional 41 services savings in the amount of $4,000. Mayor Reinert noted that fleet/vehicle/fuel has 42 had some savings in the past but he expects that was due to fuel costs coming down and 43 the budget for 2017 probably reflects that. Park utilities and environmental temporaries 44 were savings areas in the past; directors said they didn't see any savings in those accounts 45 this year. i�