12/16/2002 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • • APPROVED COUNCIL MINUTES DECEMBER 16, 2002 Councilmember Carlson requested this item be tabled as the whole Council is not present and it is possible it would fail on a 2-2 vote. She stated she would like to discuss this issue further. She indicated she is concerned about the projected state deficit and uncomfortable with the figures in the plan and contingency figures. She suggested the City reduce the contingency figures. Finance Director Rolek advised this issue is not time sensitive and can be tabled. Councilmember Dahl stated she is not against tabling this issue. However, she is on the Charter Commission and they have been waiting a long time for the Five Year Plan. Councilmember Carlson moved to table the 2003-2007 Five Year Financial Plan to the January 13, 2003, City Council meeting. Councilmember Dahl seconded the motion. Councilmember Carlson stated she has explained her reasons for tabling this issue but it is possible the plan will pass this evening. Councilmember Dahl stated the Charter Commission has been waiting a long time for the plan but waiting a few more weeks will not make much of a difference. She stated she would like to see the full Council and vote 5-0 to approve the plan. Acting Mayor Reinert stated he was ready to vote on the plan this evening. However, since it is not a time sensitive issue it can wait. The original plan had larger increases. Staff has worked very hard to get those increases down. He stated he does support the plan but will agree to table it. Councilmember O'Donnell stated he is very surprised. He stated he does not want to count the endless hours staff and Council has spent on the plan. He stated he is very surprised after all the work that has gone into the plan that it has come down to tabling it due to additional questions. He stated the Council looks very unprepared. He stated he understands everyone wants to do the right thing but he will not support tabling this item. Councilmember Dahl stated she agrees with Councilmember O'Donnell. This item was on the work session agenda but there was no staff member to discuss it. She stated she believes Councilmember Carlson's concerns would have been addressed then. She stated she does not believe there will ever be a perfect Five Year Plan. Because this was not discussed at the work session, the right thing to do is table it. Councilmember Carlson stated she has been very consistent with her concerns regarding the plan. She stated that at the last meeting she said that she was waiting for final budget information. She stated she does not know if her vote will change with more time but she thought tabling the plan was better than it not passing. She stated she does not want to tell people the City is raising its spending this much over the next five years. Finance Director Rolek advised it is the Council prerogative to table this item. Discussing this at a work session will not change the plan because the City does not know what changes may be made by 10