08-25-2009 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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SPECIAL WORK SESSION August 25, 2009 APPROVED for charter commissions was passed in 1947. The commission is further requesting an additional $1,500 for the remainder of 2009 to fund attorney fees relating to the commission's efforts to frame and amend. Further,based on discussions at the joint meeting, the commission requests that the 2010 budget for the commission be set at $8,500 (to fund operating expenses, attorney consulting fees, frame and amend legal fees and strategic planning). The council could delineate that funding if they so choose. The commission requests that the items be added to the agenda and voted upon at the next regular council meeting. Ms. Sutherland also provided some written information for review relative to what the city has spent on legal fees for review of a proposed charter amendment as well as some information on costs gathered from other cities that have looked at tax cap amendments to their charter. It was confirmed that the budget request for 2009 is $6,070.35 (that includes the initial $1,500 appropriated in the approved budget). A council member noted that the 2010 budget isn't yet determined and is still well under consideration so the commission's request really becomes a part of that discussion. The council could appropriately make a determination on the 2009 supplemental request though. A council member noted that those council members present at the joint meeting agreed to put the matter on the September 14, 2009 council agenda based on discussion at the September 8 work session. It was noted that staff has not yet reported back on the council's questions and directives related to the charter commission audit and that information should be fully reviewed and understood as the council looks at the charter's budget. Staff was directed by Council Members Stoltz and Reinert to report on the charter commission audit directives at the September 8 council work session. Commissioner Sutherland requested that the council receive Charter Attorney Karen Marty's response to the charter audit as part of the background information for that item. Regarding the budget request for 2010, a council member recommended that the discussion should include how the council and commission will be working together as much as possible in formulating amendments, leaving the costly legal work to be done on a product agreeable to both groups. Is that an approach that is agreeable to the commission? Ms. Sutherland suggested that the concept of strategic planning could be helpful in developing collaboration. A council member suggested that it would be helpful to include more itemization on the $8,500 2010 budget request, as city departments would do. A council member requested a copy of Ms. Sutherland statement (as it was in writing)to be written into the record. She replied that she would provide the portion relating to numbers. The council returned to the overall 2010 budget discussion. It was noted that staff is recommending holding the budget at the 2009 tax rate (approximately$8,700,000). To move from the $8,400,000 proposed to that larger figure should probably be done through changes in the workforce reduction area to avoid reductions in services. The schedule was clarified—the maximum levy will be submitted to the state in mid-September after that and until mid- December the work will continue to finalize a budget.