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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-08-09 - City Commission Budget Workshop Meeting Minutes7525 NORTHWEST 88TH AVENUE 0 TAMARAC, FLORIDA 33321-2401 TELEPHONE (305) 722-5900 August 5, 1988 NOTICE OF CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETINGS There will be City Council Budget Workshop Meetings with the following Department Heads in Conference Room #1 at City Hall, 7525 N.W. 88th Avenue, Tamarac, Florida on the following days: Date Time Department Monday August 8 10:30 a.m. City Manager "1110:45 a.m. City Attorney " 11:00 a.m. City Clerk • " " 1:30 p.m. Engineering " ------------------------------------------------------------ 2:00 p.m. Fire Department Tuesday August 9 1:00 P.M. Finance " ------------------------------------------------------------ " 1:30 p.m. Police Department Thursday August 11 9:00 a.m. Public Works " it 11:00 a.m. Community Development of ------------------------------------------------------------ if 1:30 p.m. Building Department Carol E. Barbuto City Clerk CEB/nr cc: Mayor & Council AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER POLICY OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAPPED STATUS CITY OF TAMARAC CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1988 TAPE 1 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Abramowitz called this Workshop meeting to Order on Tuesday, August 9, 1988 at 1:00 P.M. in Conference Room #1 (City Clerk's Office). PRESENT: Mayor Norman Abramowitz Councilman Dr. H. Larry Bender Councilman Bruce Hoffman Councilman Henry Rohr ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Vice Mayor Jack Stelzer ALSO PRESENT: John P. Kelly, City Manager Ken Burroughs, Finance Director Pauline Walaszek, Special Services Secretary Finance Department Mayor Abramowitz asked why the Budget was increased $17,000.00 more than the Department Head requested and City Manager Kelly said when the Budget was drafted, it did not include an increase for the Confidential employees. Mayor Abramowitz asked how many people in the Finance Department were in the Union and Ken Burroughs, Finance Director, said there were 5 people that were in the Union. C/M Hoffman asked if the Department would have less employees and Mr. Burroughs replied, no. He said the only changes recently made in the department were job titles. C/M Rohr asked why the Data Processing costs were so high and Mr. Burroughs said his department used the Data Processing Services more than the other departments except for the Utilities Department. He said this price was derived by figuring each department's use of the Data Processing Department. C/M Hoffman asked why Contractual Services was reduced to --0- and Mr. Burroughs said there were two items cut from the Budget, Financial Management Software and Contractual Services. He said the software was needed to improve the present system and the software was the state-of-the-art software; however, the present system was adequate at this time. He said the Contractual Services was seed money for an Internal Audit Department. He said the City would need this type of Department in the future because of the increasing growth. He said an Internal Audit Department would assist the City in cutting costs, etc. Mayor Abramowitz asked if outside Auditors would be able to do this type of work and Mr. Burroughs said the City will always need an outside Auditor; however, it would be Page 1 1 more efficient and cost saving for the City to have their own Audit Department. Mayor Abramowitz suggested that the City Manager inform the public at the Public Hearings of all the needs in the City which were cut from the Budget because of the lack of money. Mayor Abramowitz said even though equipment, etc., was state-of-the-art, it did not decrease the cost in Fiscal operations and City Manager Kelly said new equipment created jobs more than decreased them. C/M Bender said computer systems eliminate time and helps with communications by exchanging data. He said the only problem with computers is that they are operated by people and if people input the wrong information, there are errors. City Manager Kelly said he was pleased with the Finance Department's Budget. Police Department Mayor Abramowitz asked why there was an Account for Temporary Employees and Joe McIntosh, Police Chief, said this Account was used for Crossing Guards and Summer Employees. Mayor Abramowitz asked if the City was getting a subsidy from the State for the Crossing Guards and Chief McIntosh said there was a subsidy being received; however, the laws changed and the City was receiving very little. Chief McIntosh said the School was constantly requesting extra Crossing Guards. He said there were 9 Crossing Guards at the present time; however, it has been very difficult to keep the employees because Tamarac was the lowest paying for the position; therefore, the hourly wage had to be increased from $4.00 to $7.00. Mayor Abramowitz said if the Guards were needed, they should be available; however, the City Manager and Police Chief should monitor the requests for the Crossing Guards. Chief McIntosh said he was presently doing this by allowing a Crossing Guard to attend the area requested to see if the need was feasible. Mayor Abramowitz asked the City Manager to monitor the areas being requester: "nu if --ho areas aid not need a Crossing Guard, he would inform the School. C/M Hoffman asked if the Budget provided the Police Departments urgent needs anQ Chief 1"'X nt csh s.:.id b-asicni ly the needs have been met. Chief McIntosh said V/M Stelzer expressed his concern regarding the Special Detail Account being decreased to -0-. He said the presently, the Police Officers worked Special Detail assignments while they were off duty. He said the charge for this service is $17.00 per hour in which the Police Officers received $14.00 and the City received $3.00. He said after discussing this matter Page 2 f I L 1 8/9/as with the City Manager, they agreed that they would eliminate this service and ask that the persons requesting this service pay the Police Officers themselves. C/M Hoffman had concerns with the City's liability if the Police Officers were hurt during these services and Chief McIntosh said the City would be responsible for the Police Officers. C/M Hoffman said the City should not allow the Police Officers to work the special assignments off duty and Mayor Abramowitz asked if this has ever been done. Chief McIntosh replied, no; however, the Sheriff's Office would assign the services through the City. C/M Bender asked if a Hold Harmless Agreement could be drafted and when the Police Officers perform these services, they were to sign the Agreement. Chief McIntosh said a Police Officer is considered on duty 24 hours a day and C/M Hoffman said a Disclaimer form should be provided to the Police Officers stating that the City was not responsible for off -duty assignments. Chief McIntosh said the law does not provide this and this type of request would create several problems with the Union. TAPE 2 C/M Rohr asked if other Cities ever used a Disclaimer Agreement and Chief McIntosh said this matter should be discussed with the Attorney. C/M Bender asked if the Police Officers used City equipment for off -duty services and Chief McIntosh replied, yes. He said the Police Officers took radios home with them; however, the Police Officers used the uniforms, radios and, sometimes, the cars. C/M Bender said the City should refuse the Police Officers the use of the equipment while off -duty and C/M Rohr said the Police Officers took radios home with them; therefore, they were on duty 24 hours a day. Mayor Abramowitz said this matter would create problems with the Union; therefore, he would like to handle this matter without depriving the Police Officers. C/M Bender said he was concerned with the Police Officers using the equipment for personal use and Mayor Abramowitz said the City was giving the Police Officers permission to use the equipment on these assignments. Chief McIntosh said the Attorney General stated several times that the Police Officers were on duty 24 hours a day and working for the citizens of the City was considered a duty. C/M Rohr suggested this matter be left in the budget; however, the cost of the service and the City's portion should be increased. Mayor Abramowitz asked Chief McIntosh to discuss the City's liability and the possibility of a Hold Harmless Agreement for the services. Page 3 / _J 1 8/9/88 C/M Hoffman said he would like the employers responsible for the Police Officers and Chief McIntosh said he would like to eliminate the Police Department's responsibility for this service. Chief McIntosh said he was concerned with getting more Police cars because of the mileage presently on the cars. He said the Union Contract stated that the cars were not to be over 100,000 miles and many of the cars would soon reach that figure. He said when the cars are ordered, it would take 6 months before they are received. Mayor Abramowitz asked if the money had to be in the Budget before they could be ordered and Ken Burroughs, Finance Director, replied, yes. Mayor Abramowitz asked if there was another way to obtain the cars and Mr. Burroughs said the cars could be obtained through a Lease/Purchase program. City Manager Kelly said this type of program may be cheaper for the City. Mayor Abramowitz asked if the money for the Lease/Purchase had to be available and Mr. Burroughs said the monthly cost would be needed. C/M Bender suggested the City obtain a survey from the different car dealers stating what the mileage requirement for vehicles should be. He said he would like to get the City away from the 100,000 mile requirement as provided in the Union Contract. C/M Bender asked if the City could use motorcycles until there was enough money in the Budget for new cars and Chief McIntosh said there were three motorcycles presently being used; however, they were only used during the daylight hours. Mayor Abramowitz had concerns with the leasing companies providing cars that were low in mileage. He suggested the City look into the possibility of overhauling the cars completely. Chief McIntosh said he would need to discuss these matters with the Attorney. C/M Rohr asked if the Union would deny overhauling the vehicles and Chief McIntosh said they would probably not agree to this. Chief McIntosh said the were several items cut from the Special Equipment Account such as, I.D. Camera, two radar units and night vision device. Mayor Abramowitz asked what City Manager Kelly said the Budget: was placed in the Budget and following was placed in the 25 hand held portable radios 3 vehicles Police management computer system telecommunications for the deaf I.D. camera 4. point radios 3 IBM typewriters PC dialog software video equipment paper shredder Page 4 1 1 1 8/9/88 II Chief McIntosh said the Department had a night vision device which was paid for by the Fraternal Order of Police Associate Lodge. He said the night vision device was constantly being repaired and it was a very important piece of equipment. C/M Bender asked if anyone contacted the Government regarding certain equipment. He said the Government provided certain equipment for the Police Department and he would get this information for Chief McIntosh. Mayor Abramowitz suggested Chief McIntosh inform him of the Police Department's needs for equipment and he would inform the public. He said the Police Department may be able to get donations for some of the equipment. C/M Bender said the City would be receiving monies from the Sheriff's Office; therefore, the monies could be given to the Police Department for their needs until the money was received. Chief McIntosh said the monies from the Sheriff's Office was for the Police Department only. City Manager said there may be Police cars available at a lower cost. He said the Caprice was a very expensive car. Chief McIntosh said the City went out to bid for the Police cars and the Caprice was the lowest bid. Mayor Abramowitz suggested that other types of cars be investigated as well as the leasing of the vehicles. With no further business, Mayor Abramowitz ADJOURNED the meeting at 2:30 P.M. CAROL E. BARBUTO, CITY CLERK "This public document was promulgated at a cost of $90.00 or $2.50 per copy to inform the general public, public officers and employees of recent opinions and considerations of the City Council of the City of Tamarac." Page 5 IN