2009-11-24_PWETC_Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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attendance other than that needed to maintain licensing requirements; and requested review of additional inflationary costs projected for street maintenance supplies. Mr. Schwartz advised that there was little room to maneuver given past budget cuts and lack of evidence of reduced supply and fuel costs at this time. Mr. Schwartz noted that City Council level discussions continued as to the projected levy increase, whether it would remain at 8.8% as projected in the preliminary levy. Mr. Schwartz reviewed potential revenue sources, such as gas/electric franchise fees and street light utility fees that could be billed on utility bills, and reducing tax-supported needs that could be used for other programs and services. Commissioner Vanderwall questioned if consideration had been given for using local athletic associations as volunteer labor for maintaining outdoor skating rinks, with proper training and supervision provided by City staff under some circumstances. Bob Willmus, Representing the Parks and Recreation Commission Mr. Willmus noted that outdoor ice rinks are intended to service neighborhood areas surrounding those parks, and were not intended to be a branch of the Roseville Youth Hockey Association. Mr. Willmus advised that annual costs of operating and maintaining those outdoor rinks were $40-45,000, basically consisting of 80% labor in addition to use of City equipment and the tanker truck to flood them. Mr. Willmus noted that, while identified as a dollar figure, it translates into an employee who was also utilized to other duties when not maintaining outdoor rinks, with those impacts and ripple effects recognized by the City Council in their budget deliberations. Mr. Willmus advised that impacts of the ripple effect were of great concern to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Discussion among PWET Commissioners and Mr. Willmus included recognizing those items appearing to be cost-saving measures may not prove beneficial to the overall day-to-day operations within and among departments; similarities in deferring annual PMP maintenance activities shortening the life-span of roadways and costing more in the long run; level of service for snow plowing frequency impacting risk management, such as icy intersections, with snow and ice chemical response and environmental impacts; policies matching practices; impacts to the School Districts and bus routes; and reduction of salt and sand usage over the last decade saving time and equipment costs by managing the rate of application based on amount of precipitation in ice and snow, air and pavement temperatures, and advances in technologies for the type of materials and its applications. Further discussion included public perception of changing policies based on budget limitations creating situations impacting their driving habits; loss of life or major accidents based on reduced service levels; trade-offs in property taxes versus level of services provided; annual cost of snow plowing at this time estimated at $130,000; costs and other service levels Page 5 of 11