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Regular City Council Meeting <br />Monday, December 5, 2016 <br />Page 17 <br />monies to address ongoing expenses was not a responsible budget process unless <br />something else was removed from the budget to do so. <br />Councilmember Etten stated that he was not supportive of cutting staff pay. <br />Councilmember McGehee seconded what Councilmember Etten stated regarding <br />allocation; and while having no problem allocating reserve funds to the CIP, <br />opined that it had to be levied for and to ensure taking care of ongoing expenses. <br />Councilmember McGehee noted that the City Council needed to levy for those <br />additional and ongoing expenses since they weren't going to go away; and the <br />city needed to be cognizant that unexpected windfalls weren't guaranteed annual- <br />ly. As noted by Councilmember Etten, the actual budget and revenue was pretty <br />close every year, but the CIP continued to be a challenge. <br />Regarding his proposals for the levy, Councilmember Willmus encouraged a sub- <br />stantial allocation to CIP needs with some of the remaining carry forward availa- <br />ble; and as a potential discussion item as part of the next step in the budget pro- <br />cess tonight. <br />Specific to the CIP point made, Councilmember Etten noted that 20% of the levy <br />increase after the first $400,000 of one-time money should be considered by the <br />City Council as a separate issue and not part of the rampant increase in inflation <br />and daily operations of the city. Councilmember Etten noted that this was ad- <br />dressing key things not previously taken care of in past decades and included the <br />$225,000; and represented even less of a levy for extra expenses versus taking <br />care of massive CIP needs. By using this much from reserves, Councilmember <br />Etten noted that the city didn't have another $400,000 — or an $800,000 windfall <br />projected at the end of 2017 to make up for ar justify cutting the levy percentage, <br />and therefore should be put back in the mix for 2018's budget process. If not, <br />Councilmember Etten noted that the city would be starting from a 2.55% hole if it <br />approved that part of the Councilmember Willmus motion; severely limiting what <br />the city could do in 2018 without any other inflationary considerations or other <br />unknown or scheduled needs. Councilmember Etten opined that this did nothing <br />more than defer these problems long-term further down the road versus taking <br />care of CIP needs in the short term. <br />At the request of Mayor Roe, City Manager Trudgeon advised that of the <br />$405,000 reserve use proposed in the City Manager-recommended budget, <br />$30,000 was set aside for the transportation plan as part of the comprehensive <br />plan update (a one-time use) with the remaining $375,000 or reserves allotted to <br />plug the deficit. Mr. Trudgeon noted that the reserve funds were not set aside for <br />CIP use. <br />With $225,000 in additional dollars far CIP, Councilmember Etten noted some <br />level was involved in making up that difference — an additional $800,000 versus <br />