07-26-2021 Council Special Budget Work Session Minutes

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CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION APPROVED 45 46 Mayor Rafferty questioned the Alexandra House line item under the Public Safety budget 47 adjustments. Public Safety Director Swenson noted the services provided by the 48 Alexandra House shelter for women who are impacted by domestic violence. Mayor 49 Rafferty remarked that the City hasn't provided funds previously; it's important work but 50 it may be a better fit for county funding. 51 52 - Recreation and Special Events programming —highlighting what was cut during 53 COVID and what is currently not in budgets If the council would like to provide 54 certain events in the city in 2022, staff would recommend a .6 FTE recreation 55 programing position be included in the budget; warming house funding would 56 also have to be added if that service is desired; Federal funding is a possibility for 57 bringing back a position; 58 59 Councilmember Stoesz noted an increase in the WSB & Associates retainer and 60 suggested that figure should be going down. Community Development Director Grochala 61 noted that the retainer amount is strictly for in-house services. 62 63 - Capital Equipment Replacement — trying to move away from indebtedness and 64 toward operating levy funded. Ms. Lynch noted cuts agreed upon by staff before 65 this came forward; she noted the equipment requested; 66 - Mayor Rafferty asked about the cost noted of a police vehicle; he recalls the cost 67 at $56,000; staff explained the figure included now is an estimate and the cost of 68 the build -out is really not known at this point; Mayor Rafferty asked what the 69 Tahoe vehicle would be used for and Director Swenson noted that the Deputy 70 Director would drive this new vehicle and his vehicle would rotate down with one 71 being rotated out; the police vehicles are all used by the police staff. Mayor 72 Rafferty remarked that cross trained personnel have more gear and need more 73 room so, with some changes away from those duties, he wonders about using a 74 smaller police vehicle. Councilmember Lyden noted that the vehicle costs you 75 not just what you pay but what you will get from it when it is sold and he feels 76 - the Tahoe's will make up the extra expense at sale. A councilmember noted that 77 there was an issue with rust (with the Ford vehicles) and Mayor Rafferty 78 explained that there is a better washing system in place to deal with the rust 79 question. Councilmember Cavegn recalled that the council approved the vehicles 80 because they saw the Tahoe as a better vehicle than the Explorers; 81 - Page 4, this year there is a request of 10% in funds for the Street Rehabilitation 82 Program based on the Pavement Management Program; 83 - Surface Water Fund - if a storm water management utility is approved, there 84 would be a revenue impact; 85 - Park and Trail Improvements — requesting the budgeted amount rise to $90,000 to 86 increase that program. Additional funding would allow more work based on 87 recommendations from the Park Board. Councilmember Stoesz asked if 88 extension of the Hodgson trail should be considered; Public Services Director a