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082007 CC WS Min CITY OF SHOREWOOD CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2007 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD COUNCIL CHAMBERS 6:00 P.M. MINUTES 1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Mayor Lizee called the meeting to order at 6:02 P.M. A. Roll Call Present. Mayor Lizee; Councilmembers Callies, Turgeon, and Woodruff; Administrator Dawson; Finance Director Burton; and Direct of Public Works Brown Absent: Councilmember Wellens B. Review Agenda Woodruff moved, Turgeon seconded, Approving the agenda a presented. Motion passed 4/0. 2. 2008 DRAFT BUDGET Administrator Dawson stated Staff made the changes recommended by Council at its August 6, 2007, work session to the 2008 Draft Operating Budget. As a result of those changes, the tax levy decreased to 4.5 percent from 5.2 percent, and the overall General Fund expenditures decreased to 1.58 percent from approximately 1.9 percent. He stated a Council had been provided with a budget revisions document which explained the changes and answered the questions that had been asked. It was noted that Council had also been provided with a payroll allocation analysis, a document related to finance staffing, and a document addressing Public Works Snow and Ice Removal budget items. Director Burton eXplained the payroll allocation analysis was based on a payroll audit done for 2006 and the first six months of 2007. The staffing allocations in the draft 2008 budget were adjusted to reflect the audit. Director Brown stated the federal and state mandates had a significant impact on how Public Works staff were being used and would have to be used in the future. Councilmember Woodruff distributed a staffing budget analysis (of the staffing headcount) he had prepared. He was concerned that the analysis indicated that there was in effect no change between the 2008 budget and the 2007 budget, yet there were salary increases planned. He stated Director Burton had explained that some of the payroll allocation was found in the Enterprise Budgets, which made it difficult to track year-over-year staffing costs because the Enterprise Fund budgets would be done at a later date. Woodruff stated another approach would be to allocate all of payroll to the General Fund and then transfer the funds to the appropriate Enterprise Fund at year-end. Councilmember Callies stated she was not sure of the value Councilmember Woodruff's approach would have to her. She commented there were different budget methods that could be used and the one currently used had proven to be effective in past years. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 20, 2007 Page 2 of7 Director Burton stated to change the system used today to determine payroll allocation would be quite extensive. There was ensuing discussion with regard to payroll allocation. Councilmember Woodruff stated it was possible the City would have to raise its sewer and water rates to fund the payroll costs for staff allocated to work in those areas. There was a diversion from the budget discussion to the discussion of employee Chris Pounder and his rate of pay. The topic of Mr. Pounder's rate of pay was continued to sometime after he had taken the sewer licensure exam. Director Burton stated the pay rate difference between being licensed and not would be one dollar per hour. At Councilmember Woodruff's request, Director Burton stated she would add the staffing allocations (for 2006 and 2007) in the Enterprise Fund budgets to Woodruff's spreadsheet so he could have a complete staffing allocation on one document. Councilmember Turgeon stated she wanted to clarify her understanding of the proposed salary increases for 2008. All employees would get a semi-annual market-rate adjustment of 2 percent (which was approximately the equivalent of one 3 percent adjustment). Some employees would also receive a pay- for-performance adjustment. Administrator Dawson stated the pay-for-performance adjustment could range from .5 percent to 2 percent. Director Burton stated the draft budget reflected the market-rate adjustments only; additional money would need to be added to the budget for pay-for-performance adjustments. Burton stated staff suggested an amount of $20,000 be added to the budget for a performance-adjustment pool (that amount was approximately 1.5 percent of the gross salary budget of $1.5 million). Dawson explained employees were rated on a nine-point scale; employees that are rated at 5.75 points or higher could be recommended for a pay-for-performance adjustment by the department director and the recommendations would be reviewed by him. Director Burton highlighted a memorandum she had prepared which eXplained the current level of staffing in Finance. In an email, Councilmember Wellens suggested a full-time and not a half-time 2007 budgeted position in Finance be eliminated from the 2008 budget. Burton explained Finance had had two full-time equivalents (FTEs) since at least 1988. In 2002 Council authorized a half-time position to primarily work on utility billing; that position was filled. When one of the FTEs resigned in July of2005, the half-time employee was appointed to the position of Senior Accountant and the half-time position was not filled; the two full-time employees assumed those responsibilities. There were times when additional temporary help was required to complete tasks that could not be done by the two FTEs. The transition to the new payroll and utility billing systems would consume a tremendous amount of the FTEs time in 2008, as would the sales tax audit of the City. Also, there needed to be someone available to perform certain finance tasks in the absence of someone else. A comparison of finance staffing levels for eleven smaller metropolitan cities had been distributed; all had at least a minimum of two full-time employees. Councilmember Callies stated the City's audit report recommended the City maintain a segregation of financial duties, which would require two staff members. Councilmember Turgeon suggested that other City employees be cross-trained to do the simpler tasks in Finance should both Finance employees be gone at the same time. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 20, 2007 Page 3 of7 Councilmember Woodruff stated a lot of good analysis had been done regarding staffing allocation. He suggested that be reviewed again after the new payroll system and utility billing software had been implemented; the upcoming automation of tasks should result in a reduction in some amount of staff time or a redeployment of some time. Councilmember Callies stated there may be an improvement in what was done rather than a reduction in staff. Woodruff stated the justification for the radio read meter project included savings in staff time and an increase in water revenues; some of the cost for the project needed to be recovered. Callies stated there were times when things had to be replaced for a cost without there being any savings. Woodruff stated every time the City considered making a significant investment in the purchase of something new the return on investment should be considered. Director Brown stated he could calculate the ROI for the radio read meter project. There was ensuing discussion with regard to asking for proposals for contract services if there was not a serious intent to change from the current provided. The topic would be discussed at a future Council meeting. There was ensuing discussion regarding how major road reconstruction projects should be funded (e.g., bonds, tax levy). With regard to snow and ice removal, Director Brown distributed a memorandum explaining what the cost-per-ton for sand and deicing chemical was in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 projected, and 2008 budgeted. The increase in costs was largely the result of the rising cost of fuel. Also, contract law stated suppliers were allowed to apply a fuel surcharge when there were significant changes in the cost of fuel not anticipated in the contract pricing. He stated the Chanhassen weather site or the Climatological Office had information on snow falls that would be more closely related to the City's snowfall events. He explained insurance companies required the City to have policies which stated the order in which streets were plowed and the frequency. Public Works could have to plow or deice a street even though the snow fall was not significant; an increase in the number of traffic accidents related to the roadway conditions would dictate that. He stated in the last few years the number of snow fall events had decreased; therefore, the supplies and materials budget for 2008 could remain at the 2007 budget level. The amount of sand/salt mixture that could be held in the City's storage bin was approximately 400 tons, and that amount would handle 2 - 2.5 full events; the City fills that bin at the send of a snow season. The following noteworthy clarifications were made in addition to those made in the budget revisions document. ~ The property tax revenue figure was a forced number - the figure was what was required to balance the budget. ~ The rental income from the City-owned house was reflected in the budget summary under Revenues/Charges for Service ($16,000) and the associated expenses were reflected under General Government/Municipal Building ($5,000). In the detail budget, the expenses were included in Municipal Building/Support Services. ~ It was customary to take the remaining funds in a debt service account (the funds remaining after the debt had been paid in full) to pay another debt service obligation. ~ Under funds transferred out of the General Fund, the $5,000 that had been transferred to the Land & Open Space Fund in previous years would be transferred to the Park Capital Improvement Fund instead starting in 2008 per previous Council direction. ~ The $100,000 expense under Expenditures and Other Uses in the budget summary was a transfer to the Street Reconstruction Fund per previous Council direction. ~ Government mandates were projected to require the Public Works Director to spend more of his time on water, sewer, and stormwater related activities. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 20, 2007 Page 4 of7 ~ General Government/Staffing was adjusted to reflect 55 percent of the Deputy Clerk's time. ~ Professional Services/Support Services increased $7,000 from the August 20th draft budget to reflect an increase for audit services if the City were to engage a different firm, and the likelihood that the cost audit services from a new firm would be more due to its unfamiliarity with the City's finances (Councilmember Woodruff had recommended the City request proposals for audit services). ~ Various parts of a major road reconstruction projects were funded out of the appropriate fund (i.e., water main installation, storm water improvements, roadway improvements, and sanitary sewer improvements would all be funded out of a different fund). The Streets and Roadways budget was for maintenance. ~ For bonds issued in 2008, the first debt service payment would occur in 2009. ~ The Polymerized Emulsion Asphalt Pavement Coating (slurry) technology should help extend the life of some of the City's streets. If the "slurry" technology proved to be as effective as the information on it said it was, future sealcoating and overlay efforts would be replaced with "slurry" coating. ~ The cost for sealcoating was $1.75 per square yard, and the cost for "slurry" was $4.00 per square yard for roadway. The following noteworthy changes or clarifications to the 2008 operating budget were recommended by Council. ~ There was agreement to pay off the remaining debt service obligation due in 2008 for the Southshore Center with funds remaining from the 1993 Improvement and Refunding Bonds (which had been paid in full). That would occur when the 2008 General Fund Operating Budget was approved in December 2007. Staff would prepare a recommendation for Council regarding the use ofthe remaining funds. ~ The $37,500 in the draft budget for the above debt service payment would be retained in the Municipal Facilities Department budget for possible City Hall maintenance. ~ The Trail Capital Improvement Fund and the Land & Open Space Fund would be collapsed under the Park Capital Improvement Fund. The Trail Fund could be re- established if there was a major need. Future trail improvements would be funded out of the Park Capital Improvement Fund. ~ $20,000 would be added to Administration/Staffing for potential pay-for-performance adjustments. Staff would provide Council with an explanation of the process for allocating those funds in November or December. ~ General Government/Supplies would be reduced by $5,000. ~ Approximately ten percent of the Senior Accountant's time would be allocated to liquor Operations for 2008. None of the Finance Director's time would be allocated to Liquor Operations. ~ The transfer to Street and Roadways would be increased from $445,000 to $645,000 to be used for "slurry" coating or sealcoating and overlays. ~ Snow and Ice Removal/Supplies for 2008 would be reduced to be the same as the 2007 budget ($44,500). Staff will provide Council with the 2007/2008 event statistics for the 2009 budget process. ~ The funds for contract services for tree and brush disposal under Tree Maintenance will be moved from Staffing to Support Services. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 20, 2007 Page 5 of7 3. CITY HALL - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES In response to a question from Councilmember Woodruff, Administrator Dawson stated there were funds to pay for the detailed design services for the "bridge" concept in the Municipal Buildings Public Facilities Capital Fund. Councilmember Woodruff suggested the City hire an organization to provide owner's representative services for the City Hall project; the firm could coordinate the request for proposal process to select an architectural firm as well as the construction process. He stated he had received a proposal from a company to provide those services. Mayor Lizee stated the City's normal request-for-proposal process should be followed if the City were to do that. Councilmember Callies stated she still thought it was appropriate to have future discussion on the future of City Hall before anything else was decided upon. She stated Council was more than willing to have continued discussions on the Amlee Road/Manitou Lane/Glen Road Street Construction Project; she thought the future of City Hall warranted further discussion. Councilmember Woodruff stated he disagreed with Callies' suggestion; a decision was made to do a project and the current discussion was regarding how to do it. Callies questioned the sense of urgency to move forward without further discussion. Woodruff stated the Council had not made a decision on the future of City Hall for three years. Mayor Lizee stated a proposal for design services was in the process of being prepared by Staff. In response to a question from Councilmember Turgeon, Administrator Dawson stated the process that was followed for the Public Safety Facility project was an architect was first retained and later a construction manager (owner's representative) was brought on to manage the project. He explained that was the only way that process could have been done based on the project timeframe. Dawson then stated another process that could be followed would be to hire an owner's representative at the front end of a project; that individual would work with Staff on preparing the RFP for design services and do the evaluation process. Dawson stated that for the Public Safety Facility project a full-time person was needed for the project; the construction manager was responsible for obtaining the best bid for each bid division (there were 33 trades involved). Councilmember Turgeon questioned if Administrator Dawson would view an owner's representative as an asset to the Staff. Administrator Dawson stated for a relatively small project such as the "bridge" concept, an architect should be able to handle the construction phase. A construction manager would be able to devote more time to oversee the project; with this approach a decision would have to be made with regard to who would take the lead on selecting the architect for the project the City or the construction manager. Councilmember Woodruff stated the City could hire an owner's representative and have them prepare the RFP for design services and the Council would select the architectural firm (after receiving a recommendation from that individual); or Staff could prepare the RFP for design services and hire the owner's representative for the construction phase. Administrator Dawson stated historically Staff had worked with an architectural firm; that would be Staff's preference for this project also. If the City had hired an owner's representative prior to the selection of a firm, that individual could work with Staff on the RFP process. Dawson explained for the Mound Public Safety Facility project, Mound chose an architect and a separately chose a construction manager. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 20, 2007 Page 6 of 7 Administrator Dawson stated there were some funds available for design services, and there was a likelihood that some debt would be issued for the project. No additional funds would be added to the 2008 budget. Councilmember Callies stated she wanted to return to a suggestion Councilmember Turgeon had made at an August 13, 2007, Council meeting which was to replace the HV AC, siding, windows, and carpet; paint the interior; fix the drainage issues; and do the necessary landscaping. She asked that Council consider that option instead of the "bridge" option. She stated there were uncertainties regarding the Southshore Center. Councilmember Turgeon stated it was her idea, but a vote was taken and approved to do the "bridge" concept. She was not willing to ask Council to consider that idea again. She wanted to move forward with doing something, and a decision had been made on an option. If the architect were to provide information that indicated the "bridge" concept was not a sound approach, then maybe future discussion would be warranted. She commented that in previous years she and Councilmember Wellens wanted to consider something other than the proposed renovation/addition option and new/replacement option, but there was not consensus to do so. Administrator Dawson stated he had distributed to Council a brief draft RFP for architectural services to allow for creativity; the proposal was to work within the existing footprint of City Hall. Councilmember Woodruff stated he had spent little time reviewing the RFP. He would prefer to delay discussion ofthe RFP until Councilmember Wellens would be present. Administrator Dawson clarified that a request for proposal was typically prepared by Staff and sent out for responses, without any direction from Council other than to send out the RFP. Mayor Lizee stated she was willing to let Staff prepare the RFP and send it out. In response to a question from Councilmember Turgeon, Administrator Dawson stated the RFP would not be sent out before August 27, 2007. Administrator Dawson stated he would have a draft available for Council at a future work session. Councilmember Woodruff stated he would send Administrator Dawson his comments; the comments were not binding. 4. OTHER Councilmember Woodruff asked what the status was of finding a broker to sell the City's liquor operations businesses. Administrator Dawson stated he had received two recommendations and another broker sent 111 information. Staff would have a recommendation to Council at its September 10,2007, meeting. Councilmember Callies questioned what was for sale. Administrator Dawson stated the inventory, fixtures, equipment, and goodwill. Director Burton related that the City Attorney had recommended the City register the trade name Shorewood Liquors, which was being evaluated. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 20, 2007 Page 7 of7 5. ADJOURN Woodruff moved, Turgeon seconded, Adjourning the City Council Work Session Meeting of August 20,2007, at 8:24 P.M. Motion passed 4/0. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Christine Freeman, Recorder Ok~ ~~ Christine LiZl~e, Mayor