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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-04-14 Council Packet - Budget Work SessionKenai City Council Work Session April 14, 1994 KENAI CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION APRIL 14, 1994 KENAI SENIOR CENTER PRESENT: Mayor and Councilmembers present were: Bookey, Swarner, Monfor, Measles, Bannock, Smalley and Williams. Staff Present: Freas, Brown, Graves, Howard, Kornelis, McGillivray, DeForest, Ernst, Burnett, Morris, Manninen, and Springer. Public Present: B. Thomson, R. Goecke, E. Clausen. EMPLOYEE RAISES: Williams opened discussion in regard to a 4% cost -of -living - allowance (COLA) raise for city employees. Williams asked if there were objections. Swarner stated she did not object to 4%, but considering the state budget crunch, she would feel more comfortable with a 2%. Bookey agreed with 2%. Smalley stated in line with declining revenues, he suggested a 2% or 2k% raise. Smalley added he would like to give more than 4% for the employees' service and dedication to the city. Williams referred to Exhibits 1 and 2 included with Brown's memorandum (city COLA history, including a 4% increase and without a 4% increase). Manninen passed a memorandum to councilmembers which Finance Director Brown prepared for him late in the afternoon. The memorandum included an extensive amount of information regarding wages, etc. Monfor stated she did not have a problem with a 4% increase because she felt next year or the year after there may be no money for any increases. Monfor pointed out her objection to the $5,800 insurance costs per employee. Monfor stated she thought there must be better prices for comparable coverage now received. Brown stated he has discussed the insurance costs with the broker and requested he investigate for other companies. Swarner suggested the Christmas party be reviewed. Perhaps it would be better to give gift certificates or something like that instead of having a party to which the amount of employees attending is diminishing. -1- Williams asked if there were any hard objections to a 4% COLA increase for the employees. Smalley stated he could move up. Swarner stated she needed to think about it more. Williams stated there are sufficient funds to carry the city through this raise. Administration has done an excellent job to pull the city through one time after another. The city can go through this year without concern. Next year it may not. 4% COLA INCREASE WAS APPROVED. PERSONNEL CHANGES: Library: Monfor stated she would like to add a department assistant in the library. Monfor reminded Council last year they decided everyone that felt they needed additional help should be able to ask for it. Monfor asked if that happened. Manninen stated every request received for additional personnel was considered. Some didn't make it to the draft budget. The library assistant was not included in the budget. Monfor requested to include additional library personnel for council discussion. Communications: Request was to make a one-half time position, a full-time position. Morris discussed the reasons for the increase (time involved for training, scheduling, cost effectiveness). It was pointed out the part-time employees do not receive benefits. The full-time dispatcher package includes benefits at a cost of $43, 575. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS TO THE CHANGING THE PART-TIME POSITION TO FULL-TIME DISPATCH POSITION. Engineering Technician/Public Works: Kornelis passed out a memorandum which justified his request to make the part-time temporary engineering technician a full-time permanent position. The memorandum was reviewed by Kornelis and council. Kornelis stated the engineering technician and city engineer together would be working on many of the items listed. The engineering technician would also be doing much of the reporting required by new laws, safety requirements, etc. Kornelis was asked if he would come back later and request another one-half time position. Kornelis answered no. Williams -2- reviewed the position to move from a five -month position at Range 8 to a full-time position at Range 9. Williams asked Kornelis if that was what he was requesting. Kornelis answered it was. Williams asked if Kornelis considered having the work done on a contract basis for a year as projects will become fewer and fewer. Kornelis stated the projects will become fewer, but the paperwork is increasing. Swarner reminded council when they first discussed adding a personnel director position, they included safety reporting, etc. with that job description. That was why Swarner thought the personnel director position should be in the budget. Discussion on this position was held. Streets• Request was for deletion of the half-time employee formerly split with the Airport. Now all costs would be charged to the Airport. NO OBJECTION. Sewer: Request was for the deletion of the six-month temporary at Range 11 and add a full-time at Range 12, splitting the costs with the Sewer Treatment Plant. Kornelis stated additional help was badly needed for the STP. The job will require someone with major training. The position will be paid out of the water/sewer fund. Control of the lift stations and the telemetry system will be through a computer at the STP. Measles stated he had a minor objection to the personnel change. POSITION CHANGE WAS APPROVED. Airport• Request was for change of the half-time employee shared with Streets to full-time at the Airport. Ernst reminded council the position was originally funded as a full-time position three years ago. The job responsibilities have increased. The position now has taken over building maintenance, mowing of grass inside the safety zone, etc. POSITION CHANGE WAS APPROVED. -3- Library: Monfor stated she discussed the personnel request with the Library Commission. Monfor requested council be aware the Library lost three volunteers who each worked eight hours about five days a week. There have not been any other volunteers who have taken up that amount of volunteer time. More people are using the library. The additional person would do the work previously done by the volunteers. Discussion followed regarding charging non-residents for library cards, etc. Swarner suggested a $10 charge. Swarner stated her support for the additional personnel. DeForest stated adding two part-time persons would be better for scheduling. COUNCIL APPROVED TWO PART-TIME 9 POSITIONS AT $11,886. Engineering Technician, Continued: A short discussion continued. NO OBJECTIONS TO UPGRADING THE POSITION TO FULL-TIME, RANGE 9. GENERAL FUND: Council discussed Brown's memorandum reviewing the budget. There were no comments on pages 3-11. BREAK TAKEN: 8:03 P.M. BACK TO WORK: 8:20 P.M. Visitors Center (page 12): Monfor reminded council they received a letter from Fred Braun requesting an additional $25,000 to develop a City of Kenai brochure. Monfor requested the letter be discussed. Monfor added she felt the development of the brochure should be a joint effort between the Visitors Center, the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Kenai. All would be benefitted from the brochure. Manninen stated that was a good point. Manninen mentioned the many brochures prepared by different entities in the area (EDD, Tourism & Marketing, etc.) Manninen stated it would be better to have one brochure instead of so many different ones. Williams asked how much space would be given to the City of Kenai and would the brochure be totally about the City of Kenai. Monfor stated the brochure would be totally for the City of Kenai. Pictures of all the new buildings to be included, etc. -4- Barry Thomson suggested doing a master brochure about the City of Kenai and then pass out the design to other entities with pages available for their information. Thomson stated as a Chamber representative he would be amenable to a joint brochure. He was not aware of money included in the Chamber's budget. A brochure would have to be discussed by the Chamber body. Bannock asked if the City instructed the Visitors Center how they must spend their money. Answer was no. Bookey explained $50,000 was for maintenance, operation, etc. and $25,000 is for promotion of meetings and conventions. Monfor added she represented the city on the Visitors Center board of directors. Bookey stated his support for a joint brochure (City, Chamber and Visitors Center). Different amounts of space for each entity. Williams stated council needs to think of what they will want to do with the brochure. More information is needed first. It is too late to do a brochure for this year. Bookey stated it was not too late to plan a brochure. Measles requested the $25,000 in the Visitors Center budget be defined specifically as "Meeting and Convention Promotions." LEGISLATIVE: Barry Thomson requested council put membership dues to the Resource and Development Council back into the Legislative budget. A short discussion followed in which Thomson pointed out topics the RDC has been watchdogging. Cost is normally $.25 per person. However, he has the authority to offer membership to the City of Kenai for $1,000. Williams stated he supported RDC. Swarner suggested trading the Kenai Peninsula Caucus dues for the RDC dues. Williams stated he has not been going to Caucus meetings, but will to RDC meetings. However, he doesn't mind having the Caucus membership dues taken out. Smalley asked Manninen what benefits the City gets from the Caucus. Manninen stated he thought there are benefits in the all -Borough contact. Bookey asked if the Caucus dues are taken out, will someone be asking to put them back in six months. Smalley stated he was thinking the same thing. COUNCIL APPROVED THE ADDITION OF MEMBERSHIP DUES TO RDC FOR $1,000. Caucus was not decided. -5- Sister -City Dues: Williams requested Sister -City dues of $200 be included in the budget. Williams also informed council the 93-94 dues will be included in the next council packet for approval. Williams requested council's approval. COUNCIL APPROVED THE ADDITION OF SISTER -CITY DUES OF $200. ALPAR• Swarner suggested more be given to ALPAR and remove Peninsula Winter Games from the budget. Williams stated he wanted to increase the Legislative budget. Swarner suggested not cutting the budget, but redistribute the donation previously made to Peninsula Winter Games. NO CHANGE MADE. Lobbyist• Measles suggested omitting the lobbyist for the next few years. Williams agreed and stated he did not think the City was receiving its full benefit from the lobbyist. Williams stated he would like to transfer the money budgeted for the lobbyist to economic development for traveling to companies or bringing people to Kenai to make presentations. Monfor suggested the city video needs to be updated also. REDISTRIBUTE $24,000 FROM LOBBYIST TO LEGISLATIVE TRAVEL, ETC. FOR LOBBYING EFFORTS. REMOVE LEGISLATIVE REPORT SERVICE COSTS AND REDISTRIBUTE $300 TO ALPAR (DONATION TO BE $800 IN TOTAL) AND $500 TO ADVERTISING (TO RE -RUN CITY INFORMATION PUBLICATION LIKE WAS DONE LAST YEAR). Christmas Party: Swarner stated she thought the Christmas Party should be changed. Swarner added it should not be up to the Council to decide whether to have it or not. If the employees don't want to come to it, they shouldn't have it. Do something else. NO DECISION. Speaker Phone• NO OBJECTION. Q. Portable Display: Councilman Measles suggested the cost would be more like $3,000 than $1,500 which was stated in the budget. NO CHANGE MADE. FINANCE DEPARTMENT: Swarner asked why there was a large increase in the office supplies costs. Brown explained he will be ordering checks, purchase orders, etc. which he buys every two years. NO OBJECTIONS. LAND: NO OBJECTIONS. NON -DEPARTMENTAL: Swarner asked how the phone system was working. Brown stated it was fine. Next fiscal year it will be purchased. Williams requested a telephone calling card. CALLING CARD FOR MAYOR APPROVED. PLANNING & ZONING: NO OBJECTIONS. POLICE DEPARTMENT: It was noted the Police Department was requesting one new police car. Smalley asked if the Wednesday night discussion regarding computers for Communications was reflected in this budget. Morris stated those computers were included in the Communications budget. NO OBJECTIONS TO POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET. -7- FIRE DEPARTMENT: Brown asked if the request for a tanker truck was added or was Council still considering the purchase. Council stated they wanted it in the budget. Brown stated the funding would come from the reserve. NO OBJECTIONS TO FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET. COMMUNICATIONS: Morris informed Council the Borough is requesting $48,000 to pay for one Kenai dispatcher. This amount is still in their budget. Morris referred to the discussion from Wednesday night in regard to the request for purchase of four computers for Communications. Council, during that discussion, had approved the purchase of two computers. Morris stated the four computers in the Department are inter -related. If only two computers are upgraded, they will end of up with two systems on DOS and two on Windows. Morris suggested all four computers be purchased this year in order to share software, printer, etc. Having the upgrades will allow more complete operation of the E-911 system, etc. as well. Morris added all computers are tied in to the mini computer. The amount requested is $8,800. COUNCIL APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF THE FOUR COMPUTERS FOR COMMUNICATIONS. ANIMAL CONTROL: Swarner stated she didn't like the fact that the City houses animals from outside the city. Swarner suggested non-residents who bring animals to the shelter be charged for the service or a raise in animal control fees. Council discussed the possibility of building a new animal shelter. Williams informed Council he would be traveling to Juneau next week. Williams asked Council if he was offered funding toward the animal control shelter, and it wouldn't be enough to pay for the whole cost, would the City be interested in taking money from its capital improvement budget to pay for the remaining cost. Bannock suggested if the city could get $350,000, Williams should take it. The plans perhaps could be re -worked to build a $350,000 shelter instead of a $550,000 shelter. A decision could be made at that time. WILLIAMS WILL TRY TO GET MONEY FOR THE SHELTER. -8- PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION: Bookey remarked he believed $1,400 is a lot for a video camera. Kornelis stated he budgeted $1,000 for the camera, and the rest for a case and perhaps a tripod. COUNCIL HAD NO OBJECTIONS TO THE PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION'S BUDGET. SHOP: Council discussed the requested funding for an oil/water separator. Monfor suggested Administration investigate a possible savings from Enstar and HEA. The School District will receive substantial amounts in savings from decreases in charges. NO OBJECTIONS TO SHOP BUDGET. STREETS: Monfor questioned amounts budgeted for dust control. Kornelis stated there is enough included in the budget for one treatment. Measles noted the area needing treatment has decreased. NO OBJECTION TO STREETS BUDGET. BUILDINGS: It was noted $25,000 was removed from the budget for maintenance and repair of city buildings. Bookey questioned why electric heat is being placed in one office of the Visitors Center. Bookey noted he has discussed his concern in regarding the building's heating system a number of times. Bookey stated the heating problem is either a contractor or architectural design problem. Monfor stated the Recreation Center parking lot was not addressed in the budget. COUNCIL DIRECTED $25,000 BE REINSTATED IN THE BUILDINGS BUDGET FOR CRITICAL BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF CITY BUILDINGS. mm Flags: Freas requested money be placed in the Buildings budget for purchase of City, state and U.S. flags. $1,500 TO BE ADDED TO THE BUILDING BUDGET FOR PURCHASE OF FLAGS. Heating• Swarner stated her concern about the heating problem at the Visitors Center. Williams stated the heating system should be reviewed again. See what's wrong with it and get it fixed. Kornelis stated he would speak with Kluge to check it out because Council believes there is a problem. Springer discussed problems he found and measures taken to repair the problems with Council. It was suggested circular chart recorders be purchased to record temperatures in different areas of the building. Bannock asked if there is a problem in the building. Kornelis stated there was a problem and they thought it was fixed. Bookey stated he feels they are headed toward a solution. However, he just doesn't think the City should put money into it as it is not the City's problem. Computers• Swarner questioned the computer for Springer. Discussion of the previous night was reviewed. Kornelis stated the amount included was for the cost of the computer and networking of a printer. Kornelis stated they discussed the purchase of a plotter ($4,500), one printer, and replacing his MacIntosh. Williams stated he agreed the previous night Council approved the purchase of one printer, one plotter and a computer for Springer. The MacIntosh replacement was not approved. Street Lighting: Monfor asked if there was street lighting planned for Dolchok. Williams suggested the school bus drivers be surveyed as to possible need. Computers• Freas and Brown requested clarification of what computers were approved, etc. Some were discussed during Wednesday night work session, but were not discussed at tonight's meeting. Clarification needed. -10- Administration was requested to bring to the Monday night work session a list of computer needs. Forget what was okayed in the budget. Compare with the plan and come back with some realistic view of what the needs are and what they want to purchase. Measles suggested Administration look at the plan and put together a three-year plan. Put in it the amount of money in the budget for computers. ADJOURNMENT: Work session ended at approximately 10:15 p.m. Work session notes submitted by: 6e� Carol L. Freas, City Clerk -11-