03-16-2009 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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APPROVED 1 CITY OF LINO LAKES 2 SPECIAL WORK SESSION MINUTES 3 4 DATE : March 16, 2009 5 TIME STARTED : 5:35 p.m. 6 TIME ENDED : 6:20 p.m. 7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Members Stoltz, Gallup, 8 O'Donnell, and Mayor Bergeson 9 MEMBERS ABSENT : Council Member Reinert 10 11 12 Staff members present: Director of Finance, Al Rolek; Director of Administration, Dan 13 Tesch; Director of Public Safety, Dave Pecchia; Police Captain Kent Strege; Police 14 Community Relations Coordinator, Karen Anderson; City Clerk, Julie Bartell 15 16 FINANCIAL PLANNING 17 18 Finance Director Rolek noted that economic conditions and projected shortfalls in the 19 State's budget will have an impact on the city's 2009 budget. Staff has examined 20 potential revenue changes and explored the potential for savings related to personnel 21 attrition and reallocation of levy dollars. He reviewed a listing of proposed 2009 budget 22 adjustments,based on conditions known this day. The directors assembled, looked at all 23 areas of the city budget and forwarded these ideas. 24 25 When the council asked if the current scenario of state reductions is the worst possible, 26 Mr. Rolek remarked that the Market Value Homestead Credit reduction is one hundred 27 percent so that can't go down; there is some maintenance and police pension funding that 28 the city receives from the state but that is not expected to be reduced. 29 30 The council discussed the city fund reserves. Mr. Rolek acknowledged that some cities 31 are looking at reserves to fill deficit gaps. The council wants to have a dialogue about 32 reserves including what the city has, how it compares and possibility of use. It was 33 clarified that the small budget surplus from 2008 went into fund reserve. 34 35 Mr. Rolek noted that the following items are possible discussion topics for strategic 36 financial planning: franchise fees, stormwater utility and administrative fines. Police 37 Chief Pecchia added that the Joint Law Enforcement Council will be supporting an 38 administrative fine system in case the state stops doing court enforcement. Some cities 39 have instituted diversion programs. He stated that the Police Department will move as 40 directed by the council. 41 42 The council discussed the fire department (Centennial Fire District)budget and staff 43 explained that the city's relationship with the district (including budgetary) is controlled 44 by a joint powers agreement so while discussion is occurring about the district budget, 45 that is appropriately happening within the structure of the steering committee.