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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-08-12 - City Commission Budget Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1992 Tape 1 CALL TO ORDER : Mayor Bender called the City Council Budget Wor s op to order at 1:05 P.M. in Conference Room #1, City Hall. PRESENT : Mayor H. L. Bender .Vice Mayor Henry Schumann Councilman Norman Abramowitz (arrived at 1:07 P.M.) Councilman Irving Katz Councilman Joseph Schreiber ALSO PRESENT : Jv n P. Kelly, City Manager Dina McDermott, Assistant City Manager Mitchell S. Kraft, City Attorney Mary Blasi, Finance Director Kelly Carpenter, AICP, Director of Community Development Dan Wood, Chief Building Official Phyllis Polikoff, Secretary Page 28 PLANNING Page , Department Personnel Total Personal Services #120 - Regular Salaries Mr. Kelly said Ms. Carpenter's proposed transfer into the Building Department reflected the difference between $115,174 and $164,673. Ms. Carpenter said Ruth Russo would also be transferred into the Building Department but her position would be left vacant and a Development Review Planner with a $25,000 salary would fill that position. She said Me. Russo, Zoning/Landscape Inspector, would function better in the Building Department. C/M Abramowitz asked if'Ms. Russo did the work of a Development Review Planner and Ms. Carpenter said Mike Vonder Meulen did that and he would now have more responsibilities. C/M Abramowitz asked who in the Building Department was doing what Ms. Russo would do and Ms. Carpenter said, no one. She said Ms. Russo would fill an already budgeted vacancy left by Caroline Gilbert and she wanted to hire a Development Review Planner. C/M Abramowitz said he did not want to hire a Development Review Planner with a $25,000 salary. Ms. Carpenter said her departure from the Planning Department would leave a void and an entry level person would be hired to fill that void. C/M Abramowitz asked who did Ms. Russo's work in the Building Department. Ms. Carpenter replied, Ms. Russo, who was being paid from the Planning Budget. C/M Abramowitz reiterated he did not want to hire someone unless the Department could not function otherwise. Ms. Carpenter said her Department had been understaffed for several years. C/M Abramowitz suggested leaving Ms. Russo in the Planning Department. C/M Schreiber said the new position was being created because the Planning Department was short-handed and that Ms. Russo could do her job in either Department. Mr. Kelly said Ms. Carpenter was physically working in the Building Department. Mayor Bender asked why she was moved without J City Council. Budget Workshop 8/12/92/PP Page 2 Council approval and Mr. Kelly said he could physically move someone to an Acting position but he did nothing which affected salary. Ms. Carpenter disagreed and said the Code Enforcement people were physically moved although their positions were unaffected. Mayor Bender asked if a private contractor was assisting Fredalyn Frasier, the GIF Specialist. Ms. Carpenter said, no. C/M Schreiber asked if it was worth the salary for the person and the equipment. Ms. Carpenter said, yes, and Me. McDermott agreed. C/M Katz said much of the money expended could be recovered because people from the outside would be charged for its use. He said Council approved hiring the person and purchasing the education and equipment. V/M Schumann asked when the MAP Graphics system would be operational. Ms. Carpenter said anywhere up to two years. C/M Abramowitz asked if someone else could be trained to work on this system and if Ms. Frasier would have other functions. Ms. Carpenter said someone could be trained and Me. Frasier would have other functions after the system and information was installed. C/M Schreiber asked if Ms. Frasier could also function as the Development Review Planner. Ms. Carpenter said Me. Frasier could not do both jobs at the same time. C/M Abramowitz recommended eliminating the $25,000 Development Review Planner. C/M Katz agreed. C/M Schreiber said that the vacant position should remain vacant. Mayor Bender agreed and suggested that $25,000 should be removed from the budget. Mr. Kelly said the total amount of $35,310, including FICA and benefits, would be removed. Mr. Kelly stated that the proposed budget indicated the amounts if Council approved the recommendation to reorganize the Department. He said Council had to look at each line -item. #161 - Longevity Pay #170 - Paid Vacation Mr. Kelly said if the transfer was approved, the decrease would reflect Ms. Russo's position. #172 - Paid Sick Leave #230 - Health insurance Ms. Carpenter said #172 represented Ms. Russo and #230 represented the 15% proposed increase in health insurance. C/M Abramowitz said #230 also included the proposed Development Review Planner. Tape 2 Total Direct Operating_Expenses #318 - Engineering Services Ms. Carpenter said $3,500 of the $5,000 represented retainer fees for Traffic Engineering Services and a Traffic Impact Fee Study. #323 - Planning Services Ms. Carpenter said to -date nothing had been expended but the balance of the Grant monies would be spent on the Consultant working on the Land Development Code. #402 - Travel - Other Ms. Carpenter said this amount was over -estimated but in 1993 it world be used for the American Planning Conference. She City Council Budget Workshop 8/12/92/PP Page 3 recommended reducing the 'amount to $1,100. #463 - Office Equipment Repairs #470 - Printing and Binding Ms. Carpenter said #463 was self-explanatory and #470 would be for printing the new Land Development Code. #515 - Office Equipment -Minor Ms. Carpenter said this was for additional equipment. Total Personal Services (Continued) #225 - Deferred Compensation Plan C/M Katz asked who no longer was on Deferred Compensation. Ms. Carpenter referred to herself and said her dollars were in the Building Department's budget. Page 53 BUILDING Page 100, Department Personnel Ms. McDermott said changes such as moving Ms. Carpenter and Ms. Russo into the Building Department were indicated in this budget. Total Personal Services #120 - Regular Salaries #340 - Other Contractual Services Ms. Carpenter said about $62,000 would be saved if Planning and Building stayed as they did last year. Mr. Kelly said Councilmembers had asked if the Inspectors were needed and he said, yes, because it was cost effective. He said consideration was given to contract Inspectors on a part-time, as needed basis, but insurance and risk factors were involved and the idea was dropped. Ms. Carpenter suggested eliminating Item #340 and using those funds to hire a permanent, part-time Inspector. C/M Katz asked what protection did the, City of Tamarac have if another City erred with a plan review or inspection. Ms. Carpenter said a Mutual Aid Agreement between the Cities of Tamarac and Oakland Park for Building Inspections and Plan Review was on this evenin 's Agenda and more information could be ascertained at that time. Dan Wood, Chief Building Official,.said a Mutual Aid Agreement between the Cities of Tamarac, Lauderdale Lakes and Lauderhill was already in effect. C/M Katz said he was confused because inspections could not be done because the Staff was short-handed and a part-time Inspector was needed but the City was able to do Inspections for outside Municipalities. Ms. Carpenter said 371 electrical permits were being withheld due to FP&L's on-call.disruption installations and she did not know if or when the Department could catch up'without additional assistance. C/M Schreiber disagreed and said the delay was due to a procedure which needed to be resolved. C/M Schreiber said the Department had a Chief Building Official and a Chief Building Inspector. He asked why they could not be the same person. Mr. Wood said the Chief Building Inspector, reviewed plans, answered questions at the counter and did physical inspections. He said the Chief Building Official mainly functioned in-house and sometimes did physical inspections. Mr. Kelly said the Chief Electrical Inspector would be out a great d City Council Budget Workshop 8/12/92/PP Page 4 deal. Ms. Carpenter agreed and said last year Lou Marks, an Electrical Inspector, was cut from the budget and put into Public Works but she needed part of that person back. C/M Katz asked about Mr. Marks's qualifications. Mr. Wood said Mr. Marks was a certified electrician but not certified to review plans and he could do inspections on a temporary basis. Ms. Carpenter agreed. #140 - Overtime Pay Ms. Carpenter said this was,when the Building Inspectors worked weekends. Mayor Bender asked if the work week could include Saturday and Sunday and taking two days off during the week because service should be given seven days a week. Ms. Carpenter said the Inspectors would lose a benefit if this was done but it was a Management decision. Mr. Kelly agreed. #172 - Paid Sick Leave #225 - Deferred Compensation Plan Mr. Kelly said the increases were due to the proposed transfers of Ms. Carpenter and Ms. Russo, although #225 referred only to Ms. Carpenter. V/M Schumann asked about #172. Ms. Blasi said it was accumulated sick leave not used and 50% of its worth over the cap would be reimbursed to the employee at the end of the fiscal year. There was discussion regarding #172 - Paid Sick Leave. Total Direct Operating Expenses #340 - Other Contractual Services Mr. Kelly said almost the entire amount would be reduced if a part=time employee was hired. Ms. Carpenter said the City secured the services of an outside Electrical Inspector --Plans Examiner and a Mechanical -Plumbing Inspector and Plan Reviewer. She reiterated Mr. Kelly's comments regarding the insurance and risk factors and the matter was dropped. Ms. Carpenter said two part-time permanent Inspectors, on call, would cost a total of $26,486 per year plus 50% of benefits and no health insurance. She said the two people would function as Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Inspectors. Mr. Kelly said #340 would be reduced to zero and $26,486 would be carried over to #120 - Regular Salaries. There was discussion regarding a salaried employee versus the insurance, liability and risk factors for the contract employee. Tape 3 Ms. Carpenter said she did not believe vendors would provide the limits of liability which would allow the Risk Manager to comfortably sign an agreement. C/M Katz said if the reorganization was approved, Joann Zambuto and Pam Allen would move into Building and Planning, respectively. Ms. Carpenter agreed and the moves would cost an additional $2,000 annually. Page 56 CODE ENFORCEMENT Page 101, Department Personnel Total Personal Services #120 -- Regular Salaries 11 a City Council Budget Workshop S/12/92/PP Page 5 Ms. McDermott said effective July 10, 1992, BSO was issuing parking citations and Mary Falor, who handled parking citations, was no longer needed to function in that capacity. Mr. Kelly recommended putting Ms. Falor into Code Enforcement as an Administrative Secretary at a salary of $30,615. C/M Abramowitz asked if Ms. Falor could be placed elsewhere in the City at a lower salary. Mr. Kelly recommended retraining Ms. Falor as an Administrative Secretary. C/M Abramowitz suggested moving Ms. Falor into Telecommunication Services at a salary lower than $30,000 and moving Lillian Marcus into the City Clerk's Office. He said it was wrong to pay Ms. Falor an entry-level salary. There was further discussion regarding Ms. Falor and Mayor Bender suggested that a position should be found for her with a salary range no higher than $25,000. C/M Katz asked about Judy Yacobellis' salary and Ms. Carpenter advised Ms. Yacobellis was an Occupational License Supervisor and her salary was the same but it would be reduced. She said Ms. Yacobellis and the three Code Enforcement Aides would be reclassified to Code Enforcement Officers. She said Ms. Yacobellis's present duties would be divided among the four Code Enforcement Officers, the City would be divided into four Districts and one Code Enforcement Officer would service each District. C/M Katz said he believed Jerry Weinreb was not qualified as a Code Enforcement Officer and asked why Mr. Weinreb was being reclassified. Ms. Carpenter said she proposed having Ms. Falor fill the Administrative Secretarial position and Ms. McDermott agreed that Mr. Weinreb was qualified as an Administrative Secretary. Ms. Carpenter said if Council disapproved her proposal, Mr. Weinreb would revert back to Administrative Secretary. Mr. Kelly suggested having Ms. Falor fill the Code Enforcement Officer position. Ms. Carpenter asked if Council approved her proposal of the four Code Enforcement Officers and also to reduce Ms. Yacobellis' salary because her current position was being eliminated. V/M Schumann asked why the Code Enforcement Aides were being reclassified to Code Enforcement Officers. Ms. Carpenter said it was due to Occupational Licensing duties being incorporated into their job descriptions. She said Millie Hammel, Josephine Forti and Gary Phaneuf would get an additional 5% above the C.O.L.A. and Occupational Licensing inspections would now be part of the Code Enforcement Officers' responsibilities. She said their job descriptions would be amended to reflect the new responsibilities with an increase in salary. C/M Abramowitz disagreed with reclassifying the Aides to Officers. C/M Katz said in his opinion, Code Enforcement Inspectors were not qualified or trained to know what occupational license to look for. C/M Abramowitz suggested that Building Inspectors should also know what occupational licenses to look for. C/M Katz suggested that Building Inspectors should also be cross -trained. There was further discussion regarding the Code Enforcement Aides/ Officers and the responsibilities they would now have. C/M Schreiber asked if it was cost effective or would it cost the City more for the same services. Ms. McDermott said four people would do what three people were already doing and have a better control of their areas. V/M Schumann suggested that each Code Enforcement Aide/Officer J City Council Budget Workshop 6/12/92/PP Page 6 should carry a checklist. C/M Abramowitz said Ms. Yacobellis was experienced to know what to look for and suggested that a form, indicating which types of occupational licenses were applicable, should be completed by each business. Tape 4 Walter Rekuc, resident, expressed his opinion and concerns with regard to Code Enforcement. Mayor Bender expressed his concerns regarding job classifications and suggested that job titles should remain the same but that the descriptions should be rewritten. Mr. Kelly said it was a monumental task and the Union had to give their input. C/M Abramowitz said Broward County would be asked not to issue their own licenses only unless the City issued theirs or for the City to issue a Broward County license and get paid for it. He agreed with Mr. Kelly's suggestion about reclassifying Ms. Falor as a Code Enforcement Officer. C/M Katz disagreed. Page 44,'POLICE SERVICES r.r...r..rrr.� Page 96, Department Personnel um��r�rrr.0 urwurumui. wwri Total Personal Services #120 - Regular Salaries #161 - Longevity Pay #170 - Paid Vacation #174 - Paid Annual Leave #175 - Incentive Bonus #220 - Pension Contribution #240 - Beath Insurance #235 - Life Insurance #270 - Benefit options Ms. McDermott said these were all zero because they reflected Ms. Falor's salary. #155 - Temporary Employees Wages Ms. McDermott said the School Crossing Guards would stay in this budget which included the 4% C.O.L.A. Ms. Carpenter said the Senior School Crossing Guard supervised the other Crossing Guards and the vacant School Crossing Guard position would be filled. Total Direct Operating Expenses #340 - Other Contractual Services #463 - Office Equipment Repairs #470 - Printing and Binding #494 - Photographic C/M Schreiber asked if these items were part of B5O's contract. Ms. McDermott said they were used by Ms. Falor and all these items would come out. Mr. Kelly said I.D.'s would be done through the Personnel Department. Ms. McDermott agreed. Ms. Carpenter suggested moving #470 and #494 to the Personnel Department Budget. C/M Abramowitz suggested leaving the I.D.'s status quo and that Mr. Weinreb should do it. Mr. Kelly said he would look into the matter. #33D - Police Protection Services Mr. Kelly said the Estimated Budget was reduced from the Amended Biidget because Judy Kitograd left BSO. He said the difference was City Council Budget Workshop 8/12/92/PP Page 7 absorbed by BSO because Ms. Kitograd's position would not be refilled and the City was reimbursed. C/M Katz said the six-month probationary period was. over and he asked what the status was with regard to the people who moved from the Tamarac BSO Office to cover Unincorporated Fort Lauderdale. Mr. Kelly said the 11 people were currently doing their job and the City was not paying for the service. Mayor Bender said the City should revisit the agreement with BSO and a new agreement should be prepared. C/M Abramowitz requested that BSO should pay the City. Mr. Kelly said he would research this matter as soon as possible. Pa a 46 POLICE BUILDING Total Personal Services V/M Schumann asked what these charges represented. Ms. McDermott said the City budgeted these Items and BSO paid for maintenance services. Mr. Kelly said this was over and above the rental contract. Ms. McDermott said the entire POLICE BUILDING budget was $75,851 but the City was reimbursed $70,000. She said the maintenance was for their entire building, inside and out. Mayor Bender ADJOURNED the Budget Workshop at 3:30 P.M. 40L A. EVANS .� CITY CLERK =` -r