HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-04-13 WS CC Minutes - Approved
City Council 2011-04-13 7:40 p.m.
Minutes of Work Session
Present were Mayor Tom Wilharber, Council members Jeff Paar, Steve King, D Love,
and Ben Fehrenbacher. Also present were Mark Statz of Bonestroo & Assoc., City
Attorney Kurt Glaser, Finance Director Mike Jeziorski and Public Works Director Paul
Palzer.
Budget Update
. Finance Director Mike Jeziorski presented a draft budget for 2012
and reviewed the assumptions that were used. No COLA for employees(for the third
year), no insurance increase for staff(for the third year), inflation adjustments are
included in supplies and utility costs, estimates of permit fees were further reduced to
reflect current conditions, and Market Value Homestead Credit is expected to
continue at a severely reduced level. Capital expenses included $10,000 for election
equipment, $30,000 for replacement of two trucks and $75,000 for crack sealing and
seal coating. Bond levies are slightly reduced due to the recent debt refinancing. The
resulting combined tax levy is up about 3.6% over the current year.
Public Works Director Paul Palzer reviewed his estimates to maintain city streets. He
expressed concern that the stability of city streets is not uniform, even where
specifications were the same and a high level of soil correction was done. He
suggested that cost of maintenance using current standards of construction the city
would need to spend about $1.7 million annually. He suggested an alternate plan that
would require an annual budget of about $260,000. Seal coating would be curtailed
and instead an overlay would be installed about every fifteen years. The council
seemed interested in allocating more funds toward street maintenance, but wished to
have more time to review the suggestions.
Council discussed the issue of laptop computers and whether the city should reduce
council pay and use some of the savings to purchase computers for council. The
savings for printing and distributing council packets would be about $800 per year. It
was noted that two members had their own computers that were being used for the
purpose. City Attorney Glaser indicated that there is a possibility the computers could
be subject to discovery in the case of a lawsuit against the city. The reason that city
emails were issued to council members to try avoid this. Consensus was that Council
members should decline having their agendas printed, if they are using a portable
computer for this purpose, but that the city would not provide computers at this time.
The council discussed the insurance benefit provided to city employees. Consensus
was that new hires should not be allowed to take any unused insurance benefit if they
did not need family coverage, as deferred compensation or taxable wages. Future
labor agreements will take this guidance into consideration.
Council discussed whether any city trucks should be replaced next year. Consensus
was that we should further investigate the replacement of the two oldest trucks but
that the one-ton would likely be the only one with justification.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:05 p.m.
Dallas Larson, Administrator