Agendas and Minutes

Citizens' Budget Committee (View All)

Regular Meeting

Agenda
Monday, May 03, 2004

Budget Committee Meeting
Draft Minutes
May 3, 2004, 7:00pm
Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 East Main Street

CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Marty Levine called the Budget Committee Meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. on May 3, 2004 in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street Ashland, Oregon.

ROLL CALL: Councilor Laws, Amarotico, Hartzell, Jackson, and Hearn were present. Budget Committee Member DeBoer, Christensen, Olsen, Silbiger, Stepahin, and Moore were present.

ABSENT: Councilor Morrison and Budget Committee Member Williams were absent.

STAFF PRESENT: GINO GRIMALDI, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
LEE TUNEBERG, FINANCE DIRECTOR, BUDGET OFFICER
CINDY HANKS, PROJECT COORDINATOR
KEITH WOODLEY, FIRE CHIEF
DAVE HARD, ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF
GREG CASE, EMS DIVISION CHIEF
MIKE BIANCA, POLICE CHIEF
RICH WALSH, POLICE LIEUTENANT
DON ROBERTSON, PARKS DIRECTOR
BRYN MORRISON, ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY

PUBLIC INPUT
None

CITY RECORDER 0000000000 3-33 to 3-35

00000Departmental Presentation

Barbara Christensen, City Recorder presented the City Recorder budget. She spoke to the increase in the technical portion and that it is due to the need for an upgrade to Laserfiche, which is shown in the Equipment Fund. Annual maintenance is shown as a supply line item that includes the banking services, an RFP that they will be doing for banking, and an increase due to this being an election year.

00000Committee Questions

The Committee questioned the rise in Personal Services and Lee Tuneberg, Finance Director, explained that was due to the status quo rise. The Committee questioned the upgrade for Laserfiche in last years budget and Ms. Christensen explained that she suggested the upgrade last year, but chose to wait until this year to proceed due to technology advancements. The Committee asked about the upgrade functions. Ms. Christensen responded that it will be a SQL database search engine and will make future online use more accessible. The upgrade will allow linking to GIS and the Utility Billing database.

00000Public Input

None.

00000Approval of Departmental Budget

Hartzell/Moore m/s to tentatively accept budget as presented.

Mr. Tuneberg spoke to two questions that were carried over from the meeting on April 29, 2004. On page 3-7, the decrease in Personal Services was due to an error that one Councilor was not accounted for. On page 3-13, the question regarded the line item 610 for 2002 and 2003, those figures were for how the City Source was placed in budget, and currently it is on 3-9, under Programs. The move was due to the person that does the City Source is in Administration not Human Resources. Mr. Tuneberg explained that the health insurance would increase only 8% rather than the projected 20%. It is one-year reprieve and next year will increase. The estimated savings will be $250,589. He recommended putting those funds into the Insurance Fund for reserves.

POLICE 0000000000 3-37 to 3-43

00000Departmental Presentation

Mike Bianca, Police Chief and Rich Walsh, Police Lieutenant presented the Police Department Budget. Mr. Bianca spoke of the clerk position that he would like to add. Overall there was a 2.5 % increase over the 2004 amended budget; with a 3% Personal Services increase.

00000Committee Questions

The Committee questioned page 3-41 line item 605 and the increase in Miscellaneous Charges and Fees. Mr. Bianca responded that the Committee should review page 3-43 and the decrease in Miscellaneous Charges and Fees; this was due to the separation of the Support and Operations Divisions. The Committee asked if the cost of dispatch was located in Contractual Services and Mr. Bianca responded that it is and it is $335,960. The Committee asked on page 3-43, if the change in Personal Services was the changes in the transference of dispatch. Mr. Bianca responded that it is the reflection of the reorganization, and some officers moved from Support to Operations. The Committee asked about the position profile and the changing in staffing and the cost. Mr. Bianca responded that the change would about even out in cost. He explained that the SRO is still 100% funded by Police. The Committee asked why that officer is not a patrol officer. Mr. Bianca responded that the SRO is a huge benefit for school and needed in that function. He explained that Parks funds the CAP officer 100%, and the CSO 50%. The Committee asked about the forfeiture revenue and that would pay for the two temporary employees. Mr. Bianca responded that it is $65,000 and more funding will come. The Committee asked if there was a lack of that revenue and Mr. Bianca answered that he would not proposed those positions if that was the case. Mr. Bianca explained the functions that the dispatch did for their Department as far as clerical duties. The Legal Division now accomplishes these duties for the Police Department. The Committee asked about page 3-40 and the goal related to reducing drug related crime and what they are doing differently to accomplish the goal. Mr. Walsh responded that they are involved with the DEA, they have a skilled detective on staff, and they are targeting methamphetamine houses. The Committee asked how they are providing assistance to clarifying roles to students. Mr. Bianca responded that they have to ask themselves what does community want in school and look toward accomplishing that. Mr. Bianca referred to the Citizens Academy and they are trying to attract a younger group of citizens to participate. The Committee asked how the Department knows the staffing level is right for the size of the town. Mr. Bianca responded that they look at the wait time, and it is complaint driven. The Committee asked if the level of crime is relatively the same from last year. Mr. Walsh explained that it goes in waves. When groups that commit crimes get caught the level slows down, then the jail releases the inmates, and the level rises again. Mr. Bianca explained that it is at the same level as last year. The Committee asked about the shift schedule change to overlap on hours. Mr. Walsh responded that there is a overlap of coverage for 2 hours in the evening hours. Russ Silbiger, Budget Committee Member would like to see performance measures included in future years.

00000Public Input

None

00000Approval of Departmental Budget

DeBoer/Hartzell m/s to tentatively approve budget as presented. All Ayes.

Mr. Levine called for a break until 8:00.

FIRE 00000000003-45 to 3-55

00000Departmental Presentation

Keith Woodley, Fire Chief, Dave Hard, Assistant Fire Chief, and Greg Case, EMS Division Chief presented the Fire Department budget. Mr. Woodley explained that they have included goals and objectives for each division and pointed to the graphs starting on 3-52. He spoke to the proposal to rebuild station #2, and that it will go before the voters in Ashland as a bond in 2006. It will replace the Ashland Street station that is there currently. The Committee questioned the increase in cost for that station from last year. Mr. Woodley explained that the figure was adjusted after Fire Station 1 was built and he believes that the figure is accurate now. The Committee asked about the expense of the AM broadcast station. Mr. Woodley explained that it would be $20,000 and the purpose is to be able to communicate with the public and help develop evacuation routes due to the threat of wildfires and other emergencies. They will be able to broadcast information to Ashland via cell phones from the field. The Committee asked about accomplishing the emergency communication goal. Mr. Woodley explained that the emergency communication is budgeted and the AM station is part of that. The repeater system is also in that item for communication with Medford and dispatch. The Homeland Security Grant will receive to pay for repeater system. Alan DeBoer, Budget Committee Member voiced his support of the AM radio system. The Committee asked if there was an annual cost for the station. Mr. Hard responded that there wasn't an annual cost. On page 3-47, Capital Outlay is the most significant increase in the budget and without the grant requests; it would be $60,000. The Personal Services increased in wage and benefits and is associated with the contract renewal. The line item 602 Rental Replacement has increased $46,000 and is for the future repair of the urban interface vehicle that was recently purchased and the engine that will need to be replaced that was purchased two years ago. Maintenance has increased $9,000 and custodial has increased for the new station. Contractual Services has increased for cleaning and certifying the professional equipment once per year and for the confined space training. Mr. Hard spoke to the auditor's recommendation of 12 personnel shown in the EMS budget. The base salary is in Fire Operations, but the overtime is in EMS. The Committee questioned the fringe benefits being decreased and Mr. Tuneberg explained that it is due to the back off of PERS and cost sharing on the benefits with employees. Mr. Case spoke to the EMS budget reduction in personal services due to auditor's suggestions. Materials and Services have decreased 10%. Capital outlay is the EMS portion for the AM station. Don Laws, Councilor, suggested presenting the EMS budget differently with the additional costs only shown for the specialized training. The Committee questioned the revenues decreasing on page 4-8. Mr. Woodley explained that with the implementation of Medicare/Medicaid ceilings. Mr. Case explained currently we are at 80/20. At the end of 2005, the new fee schedule would allow them to only bill what the accepted rate is and they would not be able to retain the 20%. The percentage of the transport calls continues to rise for the population of Medicare/Medicaid patients and they are at 50.5% now. The City will renew their rate contract with Jackson County in December 2005. The Committee asked if it was possible to train the staff at the new station #2 or at locations outside the City. Mr. Woodley explained that they will try to implement training facilities at station #2 and it would not be beneficial to train outside the City due to operational needs.

00000Public Input

None

00000Approval of Departmental Budget

Hartzell/Silbiger m/s to tentatively approve the budget as presented. All Ayes.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:33 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Bryn Morrison
Administrative Secretary, Finance Department

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