08-05-2013 Council Work Session Minutes

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION August 5, 2013 APPRO VED 3 forward with an ordinance to change the city code to concur with state law. The council 90 directed staff to put the ordinance on the next council agenda. 91 92 8. Ordinance – Utility Fees for Vacant Propertie s (City Council Agenda Item 2A ) – 93 Finance Director Rolek recalled that the council received a request from a property 94 owner to review the city’s billing system for vacant property since the city was charging a 95 utility r ate they felt was not fair. Staff has review ed what other cities are doing and has 96 found that a minimum base charge is more appropriate. The ordinance before the council 97 would make that change in the city’s fee schedule. The policy would put the onus on the 98 property owner to inform the city of a vacant status. The property owner of the former 99 Bobby & Steve’s Auto World who brought this matter forward will also receive a 100 reduction in charges retroactive to the time when their building became vacant. Th e 101 council confirmed that property owners should be charged the base rate back to the time 102 their property is vacated. The council also confirmed that this type of base charge will 103 only apply to business properties. 104 105 10. 2014 Budget – Director of Finance R olek explained th at the first draft of the 2014 106 b udget is before the council. T his is a budget proposal, not discussion of a budget gap. 107 The budget presented is a 1.2 percent increase from the 2013 adopted budget, it maintains 108 service levels, maintains street maintenance efforts, includes funding for a t wo percent 109 wage increase , adjustment s for the sales tax exemption, maintains personnel at the 2013 110 level (with the exception of the Economic Development Coordinator position), presumes 111 increases in fuel a nd utility costs and no new initiatives. It does include use of general 112 fund reserve (not i n excess of the city’s reserve policy) and includes funding of a police 113 officer position wit h one -time forfeiture funds , and a slight increase in debt services. For 114 the first time, the voter approved levy for the two intersection projects is included. 115 Property values reflected in this budget decreased by under one percent , an improvement 116 over the past few years. There is an increase in levy amount due to the ad dition of the 117 voter approved projects. Mayor Reinert confirmed that without that voter approved levy, 118 the proposed budget is under last year’s. Mr. Rolek disc ussed a state levy limit projected 119 for the year and that the budget proposal falls under the lim it. He reviewed the estimated 120 levy chart, net tax capacity calculations, e stimated general fund revenues (building permit 121 revenue is expected to rise) and general fund expenditures. Mayor Reinert remarked that 122 an upgrade in cable equipment would be appro priate soon since some of that equipment is 123 literally failing during council broadcasts. Council Member Stoesz requested that line 124 items Fleet Management and Government Buildings under Public Services also be broken 125 down by department to allow a closer lo ok; Public Services Director DeGardner indicated 126 that he can do a f leet summary by month or year . May or Reinert asked for Council 127 Members Rafferty and Stoesz to review a new finance report showing the budget broken 128 down with Fleet Management and Governme nt Buildings under each appropriate 129 subheading showing the cost of Fleet Management and Government Buildings in each 130 individual budget heading. Once reviewed to be shown to the council for review. 131 132 Council Member Rafferty suggested that he remains interest ed in cost reductions t hat 133 could be accomplished without personnel reduction. The council will take some time to 134