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HRA Meeting Minutes – Tuesday, August 19, 2014 Page 3 1 2 Ms. Kelsey noted highlighted several items of note, including the 2014 budget not including 3 the NEP program, as that staff person was doing the rental licensing program inspections, but 4 the NEP program would be incorporated in the 2015 budget as the first year in the upcoming 5 cycle; staffing costs had gone down with the combination of the Housing Coordinator and 6 Executive Director positions with former HRA Executive Director/Community Development 7 Director Pat Trudgeon moving to the City Manager position; and the 2015 levy request 8 compared to the proposed 2015 budget. 9 10 Discussion included rationale for building the HRA reserve funds to address timing of Ramsey 11 County tax receipts, with the City’s Finance Director recommending 35% in reserve to avoid 12 internal loans to maintain cash flow, with the proposed reserve amount still not at the full 35%, 13 but closer than in past years and causing dependence on the City’s cash reserves; cash 14 carryover estimates from 2014 with more refined numbers available later in the year; how 15 estimates were determined for upcoming studies, used only as placeholders now and until it 16 was determined if an intern was needed for implementation as a result of the graduate student 17 program with the U of MN for the SE Roseville and Hotel/Motel studies to be done through 18 Craig Waldron, Professor of that program. 19 20 Ms. Kelsey advised that staff was in the process of providing a report to the HRA on their 21 recommendation to modify the rental licensing program, and would be seeking authorization to 22 apply for a grant in November of 2014, which would require budgeting for an intern to 23 perform research if the grant was successful. 24 25 At the request of Member Masche, Ms. Kelsey reviewed the projected impact for a median 26 valued home in Roseville ($215,340) with the proposed levy increase, approximately $4 more 27 than in 2014, or $38.48 annually for the HRA portion of the property tax levy. 28 29 As a member of the HRA Finance Subcommittee, Member Masche spoke to the budget detail 30 provided by staff and delineation of implementation of work plan items, as supported by the 31 City Council, and the application of the 2015 budget toward those goals and tracking. 32 33 As the HRA continued those cooperative efforts with the City Council, Chair Maschka opined 34 that the work plan and budget would be clearer going forward to achieve those goals. 35 36 Member Masche noted the significant projects accomplished to-date and those proposed going 37 forward, and opined that they represented great achievements for the City and HRA in meeting 38 those joint goals. 39 40 Member Majerus opined that the annual budget and levy detail should be incorporated as an 41 explanation of program goals. 42 43 Chair Maschka noted that the HRA budget, in the past, had been more flat, but spoke in 44 support of bringing the HRA funding reserves up to the Finance Director’s recommended 45 level. 46 47 Ms. Kelsey noted that, while the 2015 HRA budget was taking on an additional $80,000 in 48 expenditures beyond 2014, the budget was actually only increasing by $40,000, accomplished 49 by utilizing carryover dollars from 2014, as well as carrying HRA staff costs as an 50 organization for payroll purposes, as the HRA has been able to built up its reserves. 51 52 While there was some philosophical disagreement on the reserve level numbers among 53 individual Councilmembers that needed to be dealt with by that body, Chair Maschka 54 expressed his satisfaction with the proposed budget, opining good explanations were provided 55 for those expenditures.