Minutes; Evansville Finance: July 7, 2011

City of Evansville
Finance & Labor Relations Committee

Regular Meeting
Thursday, July 7, 2011, 6:30 pm
City Hall, 31 S. Madison St., Evansville, Wisconsin

MINUTES

I. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 6:35 pm by Chair Mason Braunschweig. Present: Alderpersons Mason Braunschweig, Todd Culbertson, and Jim Brooks. Also present: Mayor Sandy Decker, City Administrator Dan Wietecha, Carrie Leonard of Johnson Block, and members of the public.

II. Approve Agenda. Culbertson made a motion, seconded by Brooks, to approve the agenda. Motion approved unanimously.

III. Minutes of June 9, 2011. Culbertson made a motion, seconded by Brooks, to waive the reading of and to approve the minutes as presented. Motion approved unanimously.

IV. Citizen Appearances. Fred Juergens, President of the Friends of Eager Free Public Library, encouraged FLR to increase the budget for the library in 2012. He said they should not need to fundraise for basic operations like they did last year. Dick Wolfe commented that the neighboring townships should help pay for library operations like they do the ambulance.

V. 2010 Audit. Leonard presented an overview of the audit for the year ended December 31, 2010. It is an unqualified opinion. The unreserved, undesignated general fund balance is approximately 37% of total general fund expenditures. Public safety expenditures continued their trend upward in 2010; while, other general fund and debt service expenditures remained in line with 2009 levels. General fund revenues were greater in 2010 than 2009. The rate of return on the water and light utility is pretty low at 2.2%. The audit includes a single audit in compliance with the US Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133 due to the amount of federal funds used during the year.

VI. Water & Light Bills. Brooks made a motion, seconded by Culbertson, to accept the Water & Light bills in the amount of $1,153,803.06. Motion approved unanimously on a roll call vote.

VII. City Bills. Brooks made a motion, seconded by Culbertson, to accept the City bills in the amount of $546,349.40. Motion approved unanimously on a roll call vote.

VIII. Unfinished Business:
a. State Budget. Wietecha explained the state budget included a reduction of about $90,000 in intergovernmental revenues to the city. Employee retirement contributions balance most the cut revenues. However, with much of the cost savings in enterprise funds and all of the revenue cuts in the general fund, there is a mismatch. In interest of some degree of parity with union employees who begin making retirement contributions in January, he expects to recommend (in August) some supplemental payment to offset the retirement contributions that non-represented employees will begin making in late August. Overall, the city’s 2012 budget appears doable.

b. Teamsters 695 Grievance. Wietecha said the arbitration hearing is scheduled for August 3.

c. Donations & Fundraising Policy. Wietecha repeated the importance of having a consistent policy for donations and incorporating it in the budget.

IX. New Business:
a. Mid-Year Budget Amendments. Brooks made a motion, seconded by Culbertson, to recommend to Common Council adoption of Resolution 2011-11, Approving Mid-Year Budget Amendments to the 2011 Budget. Wietecha explained the proposed mid-year budget amendments. The park improvements are simply a swap in categories with no fiscal impact. The Police/EMS garage did not include some door and plumbing work; still waiting on a quote for the plumbing, the figures listed in the resolution are not final. The bridge, watermain, and electric line are improvements already approved and financed by the city council but needing to be reflected in the budget. The Youth Center positions had not been explicitly budgeted but are within the dollar amount of their current budget. Motion approved unanimously on a roll call vote.

b. Signs During Bridge Construction. Brooks made a motion, seconded by Braunschweig, to approve use of $1,000 of Bridge Construction Project for directional signage and maps. Brooks explained that this had been requested by the Economic Development Committee. Wietecha said the project budget has room to include this. Motion approved unanimously on a roll call vote.

c. Youth Center Position Descriptions. Brooks made a motion, seconded by Culbertson, to approve the position descriptions for Youth Center Director and Youth Center Coordinator. Wietecha explained that the Youth Center Advisory Board had developed an operating budget which would use the city’s funding to cover the basic facility and staff and fundraising to cover the operations and programming. Having two positions would allow more attention to administration of the Youth Center, fundraising, recruiting volunteers, and provide better supervision. Not being limited term positions, they should not have pay rates listed as part of the descriptions. Motion approved unanimously.

d. Youth Center Hiring. Brooks made a motion, seconded by Culbertson, to approve hiring of Youth Center Director and Youth Center Coordinator. Wietecha noted that under the Budget Amendment Resolution these would be considered budgeted positions. Motion approved unanimously.

e. Personnel Policy/Employee Handbook. Wietecha explained that the personnel policy/employee handbook is four years old. In some places, such as retirement contributions and grievance policy, it needs substantial revisions due to changes in state law. In other places, such as hiring of budgeted positions, it may need some simple updating. The policy should be revised by city staff over the coming month or two for recommendations.

f. Retirement Contributions. Culbertson made a motion, seconded by Brooks, to recommend to Common Council adoption of Resolution 2011-12, Designating Employer Pick-Up Contributions to Retirement Plans. Wietecha explained that retirement contributions required under the new state budget are to be treated as pre-tax contributions. The state budget does not address retirement contributions which have been negotiated by the city. This resolution would make all retirement contributions consistent. Motion approved unanimously on a roll call vote.

g. 2012 Budget. FLR noted the budget scheduled calendar. Wietecha explained that department heads and committees should consider a lean budget when making their requests. The public budget suggestion email will be reset.

X. Adjournment. Culbertson made a motion, seconded by Brooks, to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 8:10 pm.