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081103 CC WS Min t' . . . CITY OF SHOREWOOD CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MONDAY, AUGUST 11,2003 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD COUNCIL CHAMBERS Immediately following Regular Council Meeting MINUTES 1. CONVENE WORK SESSION MEETING Acting Mayor Garfunkel convened the meeting at 7:53 P.M. A. Roll Call Present: Acting Mayor Garfunkel; Councilmembers Lizee, Turgeon, and Zerby; Administrator Dawson; Finance Director Burton; and Planning Director Nielsen Also present: Deputy City Clerk Panchyshyn, Excelsior Fire District (EFD) Chief DuCharme (arrived 8:03 P.M.); and South Lake Minnetonka Police Department (SLMPD) Chief Litsey (arrived 8:47 P.M.) Absent: Mayor Love, Attorney Keane, and Engineer Brown B. Review Agenda Without objection from Council, Acting Mayor Garfunkel proceeded with the meeting. 2. PROPOSED 2004 GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET A. Overview Finance Director Burton explained the 2004 General Fund Operating Budget was being presented for review by Council. She noted the budget requests were the result of careful consideration by Staff, guided by direction of Council at its budget work session in June. She noted Shorewood continued to provide essential services at a very reasonable cost, with a very lean budget and small staff. Staff members continue to perform at a high level with economy and efficiency; professional staff consistently spent countless extra hours to meet and exceed the high expectations of performance. She next reviewed the budget preparation calendar, including the Truth-in-Taxation process to be completed by year-end. Next, Finance Director Burton explained the anticipated highlights of budget revenues and expenditures for the Year 2004. She noted the City was subject to levy limits, and noted the City was allowed to raise the levy by an amount equivalent to 60% of lost State Aids. This amounted to an increase of about $56,000 or 2.19% from the Pay 2003 levy. She also stated the City was permitted to add a "special levy" to accommodate the debt service payment that would be made annually to fund the new public safety buildings. For 2004, Shorewood's share of this special levy amount was estimated to be $510, 480. Finance Director Burton also explained potential fund transfers and other funding sources for the Pay 2004 Operating Budgets. . . . CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES August 11, 2003 Page 2 of 3 With regard to Budget Expenditures, Finance Director Burton explained most of the changes to the 2004 budget would be incremental for the continuing cost of doing business. Significant changes included expenditures associated with police and fire services, as well as changes to the Park and Recreation, Employee Pay Plan and Benefits, Information Technology, and Land and Open Space Acquisition Fund portions of the 2004 General Fund Operating Budget. Because the Chiefs of the SLMPD and EFD had not yet arrived, Finance Director Burton reviewed the Budget found in Item 2D. B. South Lake Minnetonka Police Department This item followed 2C on this evening's Agenda. SLMPD Chief Litsey complimented City Staff for support of the Public Safety Facility Project. He then explained the history of the preparation of the Operating Budget for the Year 2004. He noted failure by all cities to approve the budget would result in the cities' contributions being the same as in 2003. He stated he was quite concerned for this potential action as the budget was already quite lean. At the direction of the Coordinating Committee, he had revised his budget to include a $20,000 contingency that would increase the operating expenses to 1.9% over 2003. This contingency would be utilized in operating costs for the new Public Safety Facility and overtime-related costs for the department. The overall operating budget increase would be from 4.8% to 6.3%. Similarly, according to the Joint Powers Agreement, the cities had agreed to pay their obligation for the SLMPD's lease obligation for the new police station. The amount each city paid toward that figure was based on property values. As a result, Shorewood's portion would $258,200. This payment was considered a special levy and would not be subject to levy limits. C. Excelsior Fire District This item followed 2D on this evening's Agenda. EFD Chief DuCharme explained the proposed draft Operating and Capital Equipment Plan Budget for the EFD for the Year 2004. He detailed the revenues and expenditures and noted the Operating Budget for the EFD would increase by $5,850, approximately 2.92% in 2004. Also, he stated the lease payments to the Shorewood EDA would increase to $585,000 should the funding formulas remain as they had been for the past year. He also explained the anticipated revenues and expenditures for providing fire services to the City of Orono beginning January, 2004. Councilmember Zerby thanked him for his efforts in preparation of this budget. Councilmember Turgeon requested clarification about the necessity of certain vehicles as part of the budget. She noted certain expenditures associated with larger vehicles were difficult to justify for local residents. D. City Budget Review This item was discussed following Item 2A. Finance Director Burton reviewed the City Budget in detail, specifically noting the highlighted changes referenced in Item 2A. ". . . . CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES August 11, 2003 Page 3 of 3 Councilmember Turgeon stated she did not consistently see value in having a monthly newsletter for residents, as she believed it needed to include more information or a choice needed to be made to reduce the frequency of newsletters as a cost saving measure. Councilmember Zerby commented he appreciated the efforts made by Staff to show where choices had been made to reduce the cost of equipment by sharing with other municipalities. Additionally, he thought it important to show where the budget had been scrutinized for economy as part of the budget preparation. Councilmember Turgeon questioned the $5,000 allocation toward the Land and Open Space Acquisition Fund referenced in the budget. She stated she would like to see monies set aside for Right-of-Way Acquisition in addition to the Open Space designation. She encouraged Staff to be proactive in acquiring right-of-way as properties were sold so that future Councils did not have to deal with associated costs of acquiring right-of-way whenever projects were taking place ip. the City. Councilmember Lizee agreed, noting consideration also should be given to providing incentive programs to residents for dedicating right-of-way to the City. 3. OTHER Finance Director Burton then reviewed the process that the budget would be subjected to as a result of changes and clarifications made this evening. Council thanked Finance Director Burton and City Staff for its hard work and dedication in preparing the budget for review, and thanked them for their continued efforts toward economy in City operations. No further work sessions on the 2004 budget were deemed necessary prior to setting the 2004 proposed tax levy on September 8. 4. ADJOURN Lizee moved, Turgeon seconded, Adjourning the Work Session Meeting of August 11, 2003 at 10:00 P.M. Motion passed 4/0. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Sally Keefe, Recordinl!: Secretarv Woody Love, Mayor Attest: