08/31/2000 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • • DeGardner reviewed budgets for Special Revenue Funds, including Recreation, Water and Sewer. A Council Member asked if the City's rates for water and sewer are higher than in other communities. DeGardner noted that Powell is completing a three-year rate study and recommendation. Powell added that it would be brought to Council in November. DeGardner noted that the largest expense in the sewer fund is the fee paid to the Metropolitan Council for wastewater treatment. Additional staffing is being requested for the utilities funds, including an additional one half FTE for a maintenance worker and an additional one half FTE for a utility billing clerk. Public Safety Public Safety Director Dave Pecchia presented the proposed budgets for Police and Building Inspections. The Police budget includes an additional Sergeant. That would be a promotion from patrol and a new officer would be hired to backfill. To accommodate budget constraints, the Sergeant position would be created in September 2001. The position would allow supervision during all hours of the day. Pecchia went on to explain the vehicle replacement schedule. He noted squad cars are replaced on a three year cycle. Then they are either used as staff cars or auctioned. He explained the fleet is being reduced by two vehicles, partly because a vehicle will be shared by Building Inspections and Police Reserves. The Building Inspection budget is essentially unchanged from last year except for salary adjustments. Administration Administration Director Dan Tesch presented the proposed budget for the divisions in Administration. The Mayor and Council budget shows a significant increase because newsletter production is now centralized in this cost center. There is also an increase in dues to organizations such as the League of Minnesota Cities. The Administration division is requesting the addition of an Administrative Assistant to start mid -year. Tesch noted this is the sixth year for the request. Bergeson noted it has been approved in the past but the money has always been spent on something else or the position assigned to another department. The Elections and Voter Registration budget shows a decrease in Personal Services, largely because there are three elections scheduled for 2000 and only one in 2001. The capital outlay is for additional voting booths. The Cable TV budget is essentially unchanged.