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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-07-15 - City Commission Special Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC SPECIAL WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2009 UTILITIES COMPLEX 10101 STATE STREET TAMARAC, FL 33321 Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco opened the special workshop meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at Utilities Complex, 10101 State Street, Tamarac, FL 33321. PRESENT: Mayor Beth Flansbaum-Talabisco, Vice -Mayor Patricia Atkins -Grad, Commissioner Pamela Bushnell, Commissioner Diane Glasser, and Commissioner Harry Dressler. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Jeffrey L. Miller, Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Michael C. Cernech, Assistant City Manager Diane Phillips, Assistant City Attorney Julie Klahr, Public Works Director Jack Strain, Utilities Director Ray Gagnon, Interim Fire Chief Jeff Moral, I.T. Director Levent Sucuoglu, Director of Human Resources Maria Swanson, Chief Building Official/Director Claudio Grande, Parks and Recreation Director Greg Warner, BSO District VII Chief Marc Duguay, Community Development Director Jennifer Bramley, Public Information Officer Andrew Berns, Division Chief -EMS Tom Sheridan, Management and Budget Analyst Kareyann Ashworth, Management and Budget Analyst, Sheron Stewart, Marion Swenson, City Clerk, and Patricia A. Teufel, Assistant City Clerk. City Manager Miller gave an overview of the day's discussions, which would include the following: 1) Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech and department directors to present individual department budgets to show where reductions have been made; 2) review of the personnel complement page in front of the budget; 3) Director of Utilities Gagnon and City Manager Miller to discuss the 18% water conservation surcharge and options; 4) Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech to discuss implementation of the roll -back rate and review the statute; and 5) Management and Budget Analyst Ashworth and City Manager Miller to review the legal advertisement for budget hearings and preliminary budget resolution. Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech recapped previous discussions regarding reductions. Chief Building Official/Director Grande gave a presentation on reductions in the Building Department. 1 Community Development Director Bramley gave a presentation on reductions in the Community Development Department. Commissioner Dressler left the room at 9:53 a.m. and returned at 10:00 a.m. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco said she would like to see the Code Compliance Division restructured immediately to go out on weekends. Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech gave a presentation on reductions made in the Financial Services Department. Interim Fire Chief Moral gave a presentation on reductions in the Fire Department. Commissioner Dressler left the room at 10:14 a.m. and returned at 10:25 a.m. Vice Mayor Atkins -Grad left the room at 10:20 a.m. and returned at 10:23 a.m. Assistant City Manager Phillips gave a presentation on reductions in the Mayor and City Commission Offices. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco said she would like to see what is being paid for dues and memberships. Commissioner Glasser said she is not comfortable with lobbyist services as a line item in the Mayor and City Commission budget. After discussion, City Manager Miller said staff would look into the matter and perhaps find another area in which to place this item. There was discussion about the grants and aid and possible discretionary amounts for each Commissioner to make donations to the organization of their choice with approval of the Commission. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco said we are working with taxpayer dollars, and Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech suggested the Mayor and City Commission give to organizations that requested funding. Staff will make minor adjustments in the budget to accommodate the Mayor and City Commission. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco called for a recess at 10:55 a.m. and reconvened the Special Workshop meeting at 11:15 a.m. with all present as before. Assistant City Manager Phillips gave a presentation on reductions in the City Manager's Office. Public and Economic Affairs Officer Berns gave a presentation on reductions in the Public Information Office. Assistant City Attorney Klahr gave a presentation on the City Attorney's budget. City Clerk Swenson gave a presentation on reductions in the City Clerk's budget. N BSO Chief Duguay gave a presentation on the BSO contract. Human Resources Director Swanson gave a presentation on reductions in Human Resources and Risk Management. I.T. Director Sucuoglu gave a presentation on reductions in the I.T. Director of Parks and Recreation Warner gave a presentation on reductions in the Parks and Recreation Department. Public and Economic Affairs Officer Berns and Community Development Director Bramley left the meeting at 10:10 p.m. Commissioner Bushnell questioned the savings as a result of closing Satellite City Hall, and City Manager Miller and Director of Parks and Recreation Warner said they would get back to the Mayor and City Commission with the information. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco called for a recess at 12:30 p.m. and reconvened the special workshop meeting at 1:10 p.m. with all present as before except Public and Economic Affairs Officer Berns, Community Development Director Bramley and Assistant City Clerk Teufel, who had left the meeting. Public Works Director Strain gave a presentation on reductions in the Public Works Department. There was discussion regarding elimination of the security guard. City Manager Miller said staff would get back with the Mayor and City Commission between now and October 1 St with a recommendation. Director of Utilities Gagnon gave a presentation on reductions in the Utilities Department. City Manager Miller discussed the water conservation surcharge and said while we are not in a drought situation at this time; we still follow SFWMD's suggestions. SFWMD has struggled with taking us off drought regulations because of various special interest groups. City Manager Miller said if it is the Mayor and City Commission's pleasure, staff would prepare the appropriate paperwork for the August meeting to relieve our rate payers of the 18% water surcharge until the next drought. Director of Utilities Gagnon added he is proposing a more generically written resolution so the Mayor and City Commission have more control over whether to assess a surcharge or not. The City is credited for having a surcharge for purposes of conservation so we would like to keep the ability to add it to the bills, if necessary. Mayor Flansbaum- Talabisco asked what the average savings would be and Director of Utilities Gagnon said he would research it and get back with the Mayor and City Commission. 3 Commissioner Dressler said he would like to make sure there are no financial consequences or regulatory impacts on the utility bonds. Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech responded staff will come back to the Mayor and City Commission at the beginning of the year for a rate study to make sure the residents are paying what they should. Assistant City Attorney Klahr said the City Attorney's office would research the Code of Ordinances. There was a unanimous expression of interest to move forward with a resolution to relieve our rate payers of the 18% water surcharge until the next drought. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco called for a recess at 1:50 p.m. and reconvened the special workshop meeting at 2:00 p.m. with all present as before. Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech presented following alternative reductions to the budget, which staff did consider but is not recommending. Service: Head Count Reduction: Total Reduction: Para -transit services 5 employees $355,000 Social Services 2 employees $154,000 Special events 3 employees $300,000 Close Tamarac Community Center and parks two days a week Eliminate local/state/federal lobbyists 5+ employees $500,000 $50,000, $66,000, $95,000 AADRC $75,000 Tamarac Chamber of Commerce $7,500 Eliminate HPO/Sterling Initiative 1-2 employees $165,000 Eliminate Tam -A -Gram/ Public Information pieces 1 employee $180,000 Building Department personnel reductions 3 employees $200,000 Benefit options $500,000 Financial Services personnel reductions 8 employees $750,000 Compensation (including contractual obligations) $580,000 Fire Rescue personnel reductions 8 employees $750,000 Total alternative reductions 36+employees $4,177,500 Unintended consequences from alternative reductions: No or drastically reduced summer camp Federal appropriations/grants/State aid dramatically reduced or eliminated Most residents get City information from the Tam -A -Gram Communication with the community will be dramatically diminished 4 Building Department service levels decrease while inspection time increases Fire Union will vigorously oppose reductions in personnel and reduced staffing on rescue units Must declare fiscal urgency to deal with the Unions if contractual obligations are not honored Employee morale will suffer and as a result customer service will suffer and your citizen satisfaction will decrease Elimination of para transit/social services — fire rescue transports will increase Youth typically in summer camp will be left unattended Does not serve to improve property values Increase in citizen complaints/calls to City Commission Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech said in focus group discussions, which consisted of the current and prior Tamarac University students, advisory board members, members of the Chamber of Commerce, and volunteers, it was determined that the majority of the residents are willing to pay more to retain the services we have now. There was discussion regarding the average taxable value of residences in Tamarac and tax implications. There was discussion regarding the maximum 10% reserves allowed by Charter. There was discussion regarding the roll back millage rate and the consequences if we do not go to the roll back rate. Commissioner Dressler left the room at 3:06 p.m. and returned at 3:09 p.m. City Manager Miller said this FY10 proposed budget is 1.4% lower than last year's budget, which was 5% lower than the previous year's budget. Government is getting smaller and it is hopeful we will be able to advertise the roll back rate after Wednesday's Commission meeting. The final rate will be set once the budget is approved in September. Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech added we will try to get information from the property appraiser's office as to what affect this will have on condominiums/townhomes, and ask the property appraiser to tell us the ._percentage of homes in Tamarac where the market value remains above the save our homes. Commissioner Dressler asked is if there is some appeal process to the property appraiser that can be made with regard to mitigation on increased taxes. Assistant City Attorney Klahr responded the only appeal process is for the amount the property appraiser determines an individual's property is worth. The website shows the proposed assessed value. In September, the property appraiser will post the final value, and then there is a time period within which one can challenge the assessed value. Commissioner Bushnell asked how the foreclosures fit into the scenario and Deputy City Manager/Interim Financial Services Director Cernech explained we still get paid the taxes on the property either from the bank or the purchaser or both. City 5 Manager Miller reminded the Mayor and City Commission there are no fee increases included in this budget. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco called for a recess at 3:30 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 3:45 p.m. with all present as before. Commissioner Dressler suggested the unfunded positions be removed and if required, staff can come to the Mayor and City Commission to add them back. City Manager Miller explained that should there be a need to fill the positions, a budget amendment would be required. City Manager Miller explained on Wednesday the preliminary millage rate resolution will come before the Mayor and City Commission for a vote and staff recommends the roll back rate. The resolution, after it is approved by the Mayor and City Commission, goes to the property appraiser, and when she receives it the TRIM notices are created and sent out in August; there is no millage rate on the notice. Management and Budget Analyst Ashworth added the TRIM notices go out beginning August 24th along with the Fire Assessment rate. The notice includes the date, place and time for the first public hearing and does not show the proposed millage rate. Two to three days prior to the second public hearing, which will be held on September 23, the City advertises the second hearing in the newspaper, accompanied by the budget summary. The notice tells the millage rate, as well as the time and place of the second public hearing. The following expression of interest was given for the proposed roll back millage rate of 6.3752: Commissioner Glasser "yes", Commissioner Dressler "yes", Commissioner Bushnell "yes", Vice Mayor Atkins -Grad "no", Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco "no decision". There being no further business to come before the Mayor and City Commission, Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco adjourned the Special Workshop Meeting at 4:05 p.m. 1