Minutes - 2005/01/24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council January 24, 2005 Regular Meeting Page 21 • Finance Director Hanson stated that the Finance Department was largely working on preparing the budget for 2005 during the fourth quarter. He stated that they had received an upgrading in the City's bond rating from Moody's Investor Service to a rating of A-1. He stated that they had implemented the variable sanitary sewer rate that the Council had been requesting for some time. Finance Director Hanson stated he would like to discuss replacement of the City's financial, payroll, utility billing, and fixed asset softwear. He stated that the softwear is becoming obsolete because the existing client base for that softwear is switching over to newer products, and it will eventually become cost-prohibitive to maintain it. He stated that searching for new softwear is very time-consuming, and before he started on that, he wanted to have some indication from the Council as to whether or not they would be open to going ahead with the project. He stated that the anticipated cost would be in the neighborhood of $75,000-$100,000. He stated that there is about $90,000 earmarked in the CIP, so it is something that is in the long-range financial plan. Mayor Many asked where the money would be coming from. Finance Director Hanson stated that about $70,000 of it is plugged into the Special Projects Fund, and $10,000 each in the Water Fund and the Sanitary Sewer Fund. Mayor Marty stated that Finance Director Hanson could begin looking at this to see what he could come up with, and then they could make more of an educated judgment as to whether it would be cost effective for the City or whether they should wait a year or so. Finance Director Hanson stated that this had been one of the worst roducts he had ever worked p with in his career, and that 20 years ago he had been working with products that had better reporting capabilities than this one. Council Member Stigney asked what softwear had been purchased previously for their department. Finance Director Hanson stated that they had bought a piece of software for $900 two years ago for doing the TIF reports to the State Auditor. Council Member Flaherty stated that he was disappointed that there hadn't been more forward thinking back when this softwear was purchased seven years ago. He stated he agreed with the Mayor that they should move forward and start looking at some alternatives. Council Member Gunn stated that she agreed. Finance Director Hanson stated he would start looking, and when he had enough information, he would report back on it. Mayor Marty stated that that the Finance Director had said that the special assessments for H2 • were financed with the sale of the 2004 improvement bonds, and he hadn't realized that they had