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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAUGUST 24, 2016 COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA BUDGET WORKSHOP AUGUST 24, 2016 The Common Council of the City of Jeffersonville, Indiana met for Budget Workshops in Room 101, 500 Quartermaster Court,Jeffersonville, Indiana at 6:00 pm, on Wednesday, August 24, 2016. Council President Owen called the Budget Workshops to order at 6:00 PM. ROLL CALL:The roll call was conducted and those present were: Councilperson Jahn, Councilperson Maples, Councilperson Gill, Council President Owen, Councilperson Hawkins, and Councilperson Samuel. Councilperson Zastawny arrived shortly after the proceedings began and Councilperson Rodriguez arrived later due to his work schedule. Council President Owen said this year the Administration wanted to be able to present a Revenue Neutral budget. The Mayor, along with Controller Metcalf met with Department Heads and worked on the budgets so that the Council would not have to cut things as they have in the years past. Due to that, Council President Owen advised the Department Heads to let the Council look over the budget and if there were any additional questions they would be contacted for discussion. Parks is still not Revenue Neutral. It started out around 1.1 million dollars in the red and the Authority has worked to get that down to being about$200,000 over. City Attorney Les Merkley presented the Council with the 2017 Budget. Attorney Merkley stated the Administrations objectives for the budget was to be balance, revenue neutral. It also allows to maintain 12-15%of the reserves fund. These numbers used realistic revenue projections and allow the City to maintain quality services as well as invest in the quality of life projects. This fully funds six new police officers and establishes a Greenspace Maintenance Crew. This budget adds six police officers, a Greenspace Maintenance Crew, a Public Arts Administrator, a City Partners Coordinator and an employee for the Ordinance Violations Bureau. The total budget for 2017 is$28,475,274. The estimated revenue is$28,475,180. City Attorney Merkley stated that the Greenspace Crew are current employees and their funds will be moved. There will be four full time laborers, a manager and then 4 seasonal employees. The General Fund will remain at the same balance with these changes. Additionally the 22%for the Council Budget is slightly misleading because it accounts for the Circuit Breaker and also for the insurance cost of the City. The Mayor's increase allows the purchase of a needed copier. The Law Department's increase is to cover the cost of subscriptions. The Engineering Department is dropping$240,000 because a onetime project was completed. Police is the most significant increase and it includes the hiring of 6 new officers. This number is fully funded (does not include cars). The Fire Department does not include any new hires. City Clerk Conlin stated the Workers Comp is going to go up per the recent audit. Mr. Merkley stated the health insurance was over budgeted last year and that will account for that difference. 1 The increase in the Animal Shelter is to cover getting a new used van. The increase for City Hall is to accommodate an increase in utilities and we need to fund the reserves. The Department Heads all have a wish list but this is reality. The TIF funds will pay for the final Vissing Park Bond payment. The Greenspace Team will have some extra expenses to start up but these are not additional employees, they are previous employees that are already funded. Councilperson Samuel mentioned that once UEZ gets their increase we could ask them to help fund that team. Mr. Merkley stated right now UEZ helps to fund the maintenances of Big 4. Parks Director Northam wanted to keep this team under the Parks Department for oversite. Council President Owen stated that even after going through the budget and cutting back Parks is still $187,243 in the hole. Councilperson Samuel asked if this accounted for the estimate for the Circuit Breakers. It does. Council President Owen stated we are over estimating from the information we have from the State. Councilperson Samuel asked if there were any raises being proposed across the City? There are some who are getting an increase in order to accommodate new Federal Regulations concerning Salary employees. They were not significant increases but it had to be weighed if the increase would outweigh the required overtime. Some of these employees will be kept at their current rate and some will get the increase. The performance increase is included at 3%and is in the Departments budgets from January 1. We know we are not going to cut that money so it makes sense to give it to them at the beginning of the year. Councilperson Samuel asked if there were any categories that we know will have to be adjusted later, like utilities. Council President Owen stated the Council could still go through the budget line by line to check those items. Councilperson Hawkins said he is a little concerned because the Chief of Police was just before them saying they don't have enough cars as it is and now we are approving six more officers but not including six more cars. Councilperson Maples recommended bringing the Chief in to answer that question. Mr. Merkley said the Council can do that but to be prepared for the additional things that the Department Heads want. They are eager to get before the Council and lay out all of their requests. It was decided that all questions would be funneled through Mr. Merkley and he could discuss with the Department Heads and report back. Councilperson Gill said she is concerned about what will happen if the Circuit Breakers come back over what is estimated. Clerk Conlin stated that what was presented shows that 1,000,000 has been spent out of the insurance line but really to date 2,000,000 has been spent. Councilperson Samuel said that parks is$180,000 in the hole. Did the Parks Authority have any recommendations on how to lessen that? Council President Owen said that the Authority shaved it down as much as they could and this was the final number that they came up with. Clerk Conlin asked if the City gets any money from Abby Road on the River since it will effect police overtime and we are using our resources for it. Abby Road will have their own Security service and the Police said they will have sufficient overtime when you take into account the events that are not being done next year. It should even itself out. Council President Owen said the next step is to look over all of this and digest it and see if there are any Department specific questions. They can be emailed to Mr. Merkley and he can gain clarification for them. The Council will meet again on August 29th, however the Budget Workshop for September 6th at 5 will be canceled. It does not seem like it will be needed. 2 Councilperson Samuel asked when this needed to be passed. The Public Hearing is the first meeting in October and it will need to be passed the second meeting in October. Mr. Merkley will check with all parties to see if the Redevelopment Workshop can be moved to September 6 at before the Council Meeting since the Budget Workshop is canceled. As there was no more business for the Council to conduct Councilperson Hawkins made a motion to ADJORN at 7:21 PM. APPROVED BY: Matt O r t ATTEST: Vicki Conlin, Clerk 3