Minutes: Common Council: Budget hearing; Sept 16, 2009

Common Council
Special Meeting – Budget Presentation
Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 6:30 p.m.
City Hall, 31 South Madison Street, Evansville, Wisc.

Minutes

1. Call to order. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm by Mayor Sandy Decker.

2. Roll call. Members present: Mayor Sandy Decker, Alderpersons Mason Braunschweig, Tom Cothard, Todd Culbertson, Barb Jacobson (arrived at 6:35), Janis Ringhand, Diane Roberts, Dennis Wessels, and Tony Wyse.

Others present: City Administrator Dan Wietecha, Finance Director Lisa Novinska, Water & Light Superintendent Scott George, Library Director Kathi Kemp, Municipal Judge Tom Alisankus, Police Chief Scott McElroy, EMS Coordinator Mary Beaver, Public Works Superintendent Dave Wartenweiler, Aquatics Director Rick Hamacher, Library Board member Susan Kruser, Dick Woulfe, and Kendall Schneider.

3. Approval of agenda. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion approved unanimously.

4. Citizen appearances. None.

5. 2010 Budget Presentations. Each department head and/or committee presented their proposed capital and operating budgets. The Council asked questions throughout the presentations.
A. Water & Light Utility
B. Library
C. Finance
D. Municipal Court
E. Police Department
F. Fire District
G. Emergency Medical Service
H. Public Works
• Building Inspection
• Public Works Department, general
• Recycling & Disposal
• Parks Department, maintenance
• Cemetery
• Wastewater Utility
• Stormwater Utility
I. Pool, Park Store, and Recreation
J. General Fund Revenues
K. Miscellaneous
L. TID #5-8
M. Debt Service

6. City Administrator. Wietecha said that the general fund deficit had been reduced from $132,000 to $33,000 with the budget requests. This was done through the payment schedule for the Lake Leota bonds, reduction in levy-supported capital expenditures, re-allocation of staff expenses from the general fund to the stormwater utility, reduction in planning and engineering expenses which had been high since work on the Smart Growth Plan several years ago, and various lesser expenditure cuts. Some of these actions are long-term, structural solutions; while, others are only one-time fixes to help the immediate budget.

Wietecha noted several minor corrections for the budget based on figures that came in after the proposal had been compiled. He pointed out several possible capital expenditures that had been discussed recently but not included in the budget.

Wietecha recommended a hiring freeze, freezing wages for salaried employees, eliminating the direct financial subsidy to the recreational baseball and softball programs, and looking first to reducing part-time and seasonal employees for additional cuts.

7. Adjourn. Roberts made a motion, seconded by Ringhand, to adjourn. Motion approved unanimously at 9:50 pm.