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
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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
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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.
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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
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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."
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