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Home My WebLink About2008-11-24 - Council MinutesCITY OF CORCORAN BUDGET WORKSHOP / CITY COUNCIL MEETING November 24, 2008 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Call to order The Corcoran City Council met on November 24, 2008, at City Hall in Corcoran, Roll Call Minnesota. Present were Mayor Guenthner, Councilor Jacobs, Councilor Hudok and Councilor Thomas. Also present were Interim City Administrator Bodem, Police Chief Gormley, Public Works Superintendent Meister. Councilor Grabowski had an excused absence. Mayor Guenthner called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. BUDGET WORKSHOP Budget Workshop Councilor Jacobs presented the chart from Joe Rigdon's presentation from the November 14 Council Meeting, showing the Mill Rate. Councilor Jacobs recommends keeping with the 3% cap as last year resulting in cutting $83,000 dollars from the budget. Councilor Jacobs presented recommendations on where the City could make the cut. He suggested that we hire a City Administrator as an independent contractor. This will reduce payout of benefits and payroll taxes which will save the City around $35,000 /year. Mayor Guenthner stated that having a contract employee was meant to be temporary and that by law you cannot have contract employees long -term. Councilor Jacobs also recommends combining planning and engineering and having only one person saving around $6,000 /year. Councilor Jacobs recommends asking the City Attorney about the legal aspects of hiring the City Administrator as an independent contractor. Interim City Administrator Bodem presented the proposed 2009 Budget for the City Operations. The budget shows the approved 2008 budget, 2008 performance (through November) and the proposed 2009 Budget and levy maximum. City staff recommends the same level of service ending as in 2008. The City wants to mirror what was adopted for the 2009 proposed levy certification for submission to the Hennepin County Auditor, as follows: General Fund Levy $2,330,962 Equipment Certificates Debt Levy $ 216,979 Facility Expansion Debt Levy $ 41,108 Total $2,589,049 Given that our general fund cash reserves are lower than what is recommended by our Auditor's, staff believes this is not the time to cut what was preliminarily proposed. City staff recommends approving the maximum levy going into the December 116 TNT Hearing. Council direction to City Hall Staff is as follows for the 2009 expenditure budget: • Determine what it costs to produce a newsletter and multiply it by 3 newsletters for 2009 budget. • Provide a breakout for each Auditor (Abdu and KDV) and the different functions. • Cut the Attorney Budget from $45,000 to $37,000. What ever is left can help build up the reserve fund. • Make sure operating supplies all tie out for all departments. Need to track and identify. Page -1- CITY OF CORCORAN BUDGET WORKSHOP / CITY COUNCIL MEETING November 24, 2008 • Determine why planning and zoning is over budget in 2008 by $4320.54. Also determine if the overage is because of the Comprehensive Plan billing. • Discussion began about how to fund the heating/cooling system and whether to repair, or replace the system. Suggested to budget $25,000 for the repair of the system to get through until spring and capitalize for the rest. • Suggestion made to breakdown the $10,000 grant under Planning and Zoning to identify Met Council in /out on expenditures and revenues. Then a discussion can occur for the $32,000 for comprehensive plan unrestricted. • Research whether Engineering if there should have been a budget number under the Comp. Plan. Interim City Administrator Bodem to call Engineer and ask for a list of current unbilled for the year and tell them 10% over budget so that it can be discussed what they cannot do for rest of the year. Meeting went into recess at 6:55 p.m. to be reconvened at 7:00 p.m. for formal City Council Meeting. Meeting reconvened at 7:00 p.m. followed by the pledge of allegiance. 3. AGENDA APPROVAL Councilor Jacobs added 7a. Public Safety Signs under New Business Interim City Administrator added Resolution 2008 -43 and Resolution 2008 -44 under 9d. and 9e. Consent Agenda. Mayor Guenthner added under 6b. Accounting Services — Balancing account under Unfinished Business. MOTION made by Hudok, seconded by Thomas to approve the agenda. Voting Aye: Hudok, Thomas, Jacobs, and Guenthner (Motion Carried 4:0) 4. OPEN FORUM None 5. PRESENTATIONS None 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Budget Levy Public Works Superintendent stated that there were no significant changes from last presentation for Public Works and Parks. Councilor Thomas recommended adding $5000 to start the process for planning for a new facility for public works. Mayor Guenthner stated that we need to find a way to either capitalize or put money into operating expenses to fix the Shannon Lane Bridge. He suggested putting $60,000 in the budget under a repair item and replacing the reserve later. The $60,000 is the Cities portion of the State matched funding. Interim City Administrator to contact City Engineer look into the funding cycle from the state. Police Chief Gormley stated that there were no significant changes from the last Pledge of Allegiance Agenda Approval Open Forum Presentations Unfinished Business Page -2- CITY OF CORCORAN BUDGET WORKSHOP / CITY COUNCIL MEETING November 24, 2008 presentation for the Police Department. Councilor Thomas complimented the police chief and stated he deserved a competitive wage. He recommended bringing the chiefs salary up to the next step level. Interim City Administrator presented the revenue side of the budget. Mayor Guenthner suggested breaking out revenue item Other Grants and aid by Grant items instead of combining the totals. Under Zoning and Subdivision change the budget number to $5000 based on 2008 performance. It was also suggested to change the budget under Public works Permits /fees to $3000. Staff is to go forward assuming that we maintain the levy at the maximum allowable level. Staff plan to partner with council in discussion that takes place at the next meeting. The city needs a presentation to the public for truth —n-taxation hearing. 6b. Accounting Services — KDV MOTION made by Thomas, seconded by Guenthner to hire KDV (Joe Rigdon) to balance all the accounts. Voting Aye: Thomas, Guenthner, Hudok, and Jacobs (Motion carried 4:0) 7. NEW BUSINESS 7a. Public Safety Signs Councilor Jacobs presented an email from a resident asking the City to look into putting a 4 way stop sign at Willow Drive to control the speed for through traffic. There was discussion between the council and Chief Gormley about the different suggestions from reducing the speed limit to posting a 4 -way stop sign on the road. Chief Gormley suggested a study on the road to determine the speed. Councilor Hudok stated that conducting a study will take time and resources. Mayor Guenthner directed to Councilor Jacobs to communicate back to the resident to come for open forum at a council meeting. 8. CLAIMS AS PRESENTED 8a. Escrow Claims (Fund 500) MOTION made by Hudok, seconded by Jacobs to approve Escrow Claims (Fund 500). Voting Aye: Thomas, Hudok, Jacobs, and Guenthner. (Motion carried 4:0) 8b. Building Inspection None 8c. All Other Claims as Presented MOTION made by Thomas, seconded by Hudok to approve All Other Claims. Voting Aye: Thomas, Hudok, Jacobs, and Guenthner. (Motion carried 4:0) 9. CONSENT AGENDA a. November 13, 2008 Draft Minutes New Business Claims as presented Page -3- CITY OF CORCORAN BUDGET WORKSHOP / CITY COUNCIL MEETING November 24, 2008 Page 4, 7a. Change motion to seconded by Grabowski. MOTION made by Thomas, seconded by Hudok to approve November 13, 2008 Draft Minutes. Voting Aye: Thomas, Hudok, Jacobs, and Guenthner. (Motion carried 4:0) b. October 23, 2008 Draft Minutes Page 2, change the sentence under the Motion to read "add that property has no building rights ". MOTION made by Thomas, seconded by Hudok to approve October 23, 2008 Draft Minutes. Voting Aye: Thomas, Hudok, Jacobs, and Guenthner. (Motion carried 4:0) c. November 10, 2008 Canvassing Board Minutes Councilor Jacobs stated that he was present at 6:30 for the meeting and that the meeting was started early. Mayor Guenthner stated that the meeting was started at 6:30 by the clock in the council chamber and that it was only a 30 second meeting. MOTION made by Hudok, seconded by Thomas to approve November 10, 2008 Canvassing Board Minutes. Voting Aye: Thomas, Hudok, and Guenthner. Voting Nay: Jacobs (Motion carried 3:1) d. Resolution 2008 -43 Certifying the 2008 Delinquent Recycling Fees e. Resolution 2008 -44 Certifying the 2008 Delinquent Dust Control Fees MOTION made by Thomas, seconded by Hudok to approve Resolution 2008 -43 and Resolution 2008 -44. Voting Aye: Thomas, Hudok, Jacobs, and Guenthner (Motion carried 4:0) 11. COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS a. Melinki Letter City Building Inspector not at meeting. This is to be discussed at the next meeting. 12. UNSCHEDULED ITEMS None 13. ADJOURNMENT MOTION made by Thomas, seconded by Hudok to adjourn at 8:30 p.m. Voting Aye: Guenthner, Jacobs, Hudok, and Thomas (Motion carried 4:0) Kim Bachmeier, City Clerk Consent Agenda Council and Staff Reports Unscheduled Items Adjournment Page -4-