Budget COW-Links and CMs Recommendations, Revenue Update, Mayor's Late Items

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Budget Committee of the Whole met on June 7, 2011, at 11:00 A.M., with the Vice Mayor presiding. The committee addressed nine agenda items during the session, taking 24 motions and votes. The meeting included one public comment.

The committee approved five items: the Revenue Update, the Mayor's Late Items, Council Link Financial Recommendations, Councilmember Recommendations, and Possible Bond Projects. Additionally, the FY 12 Council Budget Schedule was approved. Three items were deferred for later consideration: Resolution 194-2011 regarding Berry Hill & Constitution Pools, Non Budgetary Recommendations, and Other Business.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on June 7, 2011:

Council Members: - Council Member Stinnett - Council Member Martin - Council Member Lawless - Council Member Lane - Council Member Farmer - Council Member Kay - Council Member Ford - Council Member Henson - Council Member Myers - Council Member Ellinger - Council Member Mullis - Council Member McCord

Other Attendees: - Commissioner Driscoll - Mr. Bill O'Mara - Mr. Ryan Barrow - Paul Schoeniger - Connie Underwood - Chief Bastin - Mr. Jim Combs

No council members or attendees were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

All motions during this meeting passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition or abstentions.

Procedural Motion

The Vice Mayor moved to start with a revenue update and work up the agenda, which passed 1:40.

Fund Approvals

The council approved the following fund adjustments:

• Urban Services Fund 1115, moved by Council Member Stenner and seconded by Council Member Ellinger 38:55
• Police Federal Confiscated Fund 1131, moved by Council Member Stenner and seconded by Council Member Ellinger 39:27
• Spay and Neuter Fund 1134, moved by Council Member Myers and seconded by Council Member Ellinger 39:59
• Municipal Aid Fund 1136 (including corrections and $3.99998M paving increase), moved by Council Member McCord and seconded by Council Member Ellinger 43:43
• Sanitary Sewer Revenue and Operating Fund 4002 (corrections), moved by Council Member Stenner and seconded by Council Member Lawless 44:14
• Sanitary Sewer Construction Fund 4003 (account reclassifications), moved by Council Member Kaye and seconded by Council Member Lawless 45:26
• Public Facilities Corporation Fund 4022 (rental income reduction due to property sale), moved by Council Member Ellinger and seconded by Council Member Henson 47:01
• Water Quality Management Fund 4051 (bad debt and personnel corrections), moved by Council Member Stenner and seconded by Council Member Lane 57:19
• Landfill Fund 4121 (correcting $200K annual transfer to general fund), moved by Council Member Mullis and seconded by Council Member Ellinger 59:09
• Right-of-Way Fund 4201 (personnel corrections), moved by Council Member Ellinger and seconded by Council Member Lawless 59:40
• Extended School Program Fund 4202 (personnel correction), moved by Council Member Ellinger and seconded by Council Member Myers 59:40
• Enhanced 911 Fund 4204 (radio system project and personnel corrections), moved by Council Member Stenner and seconded by Council Member Lane 1:07:49
• Police and Fire Retirement Fund 5003 (personnel correction and revenue increase), moved by Council Member Lane and seconded by Council Member Myers 1:08:20
• Health and Dental Fund 6002 (one-dollar personnel correction), moved by Council Member Ellinger and seconded by Council Member Myers 1:08:52

Late Items

The council approved various late items on pages 2 and 3, including items 8, 9, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, and 6, with motions between 1:13:11 and 1:36:44.

Other Business

Council Member Farmer moved to hear a police presentation and citizen input on Thursday, seconded by Council Member Lane 1:39:59.

Council Member Stinnett moved to adjourn 1:46:06.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included several budget amendments and appropriations affecting multiple funds and departments:

Paving Allocation An amendment increased paving allocation by $3,999,980 from the Municipal Aid Fund.

Enhanced 911 Fund An appropriation of $1,000,000 from the Enhanced 911 Fund was approved for police and fire 911 radios, with AK Associates identified as the vendor or recipient.

911 Radio System Bond proceeds totaling $3,500,000 were reallocated for the 911 radio system.

Landfill Fund Transfer A correction amendment addressed the annual transfer from the Landfill Fund to the General Fund in the amount of $200,000.

Police and Fire Retirement Fund Corrections Two separate amendments corrected entries in the Police and Fire Retirement Fund: - A personnel expense correction of $97 - A revenue increase correction of $92

CIO Administration Budget An amendment corrected the CIO administration budget by $442,000.

Public Comment

1:41:34 Mr. Jim Combs, a former council member, addressed the council regarding police funeral escorts. Mr. Combs urged the council to retain police funeral escort services, emphasizing their importance for both public safety and showing respect during funeral processions. He opposed any proposal to shift the cost of these services to families through utility fees.

Contested Items

The June 7, 2011 meeting included three significant areas of disagreement among council members and the public.

Elimination of CIO Office

Council members were divided on whether to eliminate the Chief Information Officer (CIO) office. Council Member Martin strongly opposed the elimination, arguing that the CIO office was essential for managing city systems and supporting transparency initiatives. Other council members supported the move as part of the mayor's fresh start plan. The vote resulted in a split decision among the council.

Water Quality Management Fund Reserve

Council members engaged in a heated discussion regarding whether to build a reserve in the Water Quality Management Fund for future bonding purposes. The debate centered on competing priorities: some members wanted to establish the reserve to support future capital projects, while others expressed concerns that doing so would reduce the fund balance available for personnel expenses while simultaneously limiting capital projects. No clear resolution was documented in the meeting materials.

Police Funeral Escorts

A former council member and citizen testified in favor of retaining police funeral escorts, arguing they serve vital functions for both public safety and as a sign of respect. The speakers opposed a proposal to shift the cost of funeral escorts to families. This item generated community opposition to any changes in the existing police funeral escort program.

Revenue Update

The committee reviewed updated revenue projections for fiscal year 2012. Mr. Bill O'Mara and Commissioner Driscoll led the discussion on this agenda item 2:10.

The presentation included adjustments to several revenue categories:

• Employee withholdings
• Net profits
• Insurance premium tax

A proposed total revenue figure of $273,967,062 was presented to the committee for consideration. This figure incorporated the various adjustments discussed and was recommended as a preliminary baseline for use in budget amendments.

The committee approved the revenue update, accepting the proposed total revenue of $273,967,062 as the preliminary figure for budget planning purposes.

Mayor's Late Items

The committee reviewed and approved multiple late items during this agenda section. 33:57

Items Reviewed

The late items encompassed several special fund allocations and adjustments:

• A $3.99998 million paving increase
• A $1 million allocation for 911 radios
• Various corrections and omissions across special funds

Process and Organization

The items were organized using color-coded categorization and cross-referenced with prior link recommendations to ensure consistency with earlier committee guidance.

Key Participants

Commissioner Driscoll, Council Member Stinnett, Council Member Lawless, and Council Member Lane participated in the review and discussion of these items.

Outcome

The committee approved all late items presented during this section.

Council Link Financial Recommendations

The committee discussed and approved several financial recommendations related to Council Link operations. 1:32:41

Key Speakers

Council Member Martin and Council Member Farmer participated in this discussion.

Recommendations Discussed

The committee considered the following financial recommendations:

• Elimination of the CIO (Chief Information Officer) office
• Restoration of key staff positions in government communications
• Restoration of key staff positions in economic development

Debate and Discussion

The discussion included debate over the necessity of the CIO office for city operations, with committee members weighing the operational needs of the city against budgetary considerations.

Outcome

The financial recommendations were approved by the committee.

Resolution 194-2011/Berry Hill & Constitution Pools

The committee discussed Resolution 194-2011 regarding the costs associated with keeping Constitution and Berry Hill Pools open. 0:00

Discussion Topics

The discussion focused on the financial requirements needed to maintain operations at both pools. Specific cost considerations included:

• FICA expenses
• Unemployment insurance
• Operating expenses

Key Participants

Council Member Gorton, Council Member Kay, and Council Member Ford participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

Outcome

The resolution was not formally voted on during this meeting. Instead, the matter was deferred, with the resolution referenced in the context of broader budget adjustments being considered by the committee.

Councilmember Recommendations

Council members presented individual requests during this agenda item, with discussion centered on funding priorities and program support.

Speakers and Presentations

Council Member Gorton, Council Member Kay, and Council Member Ford each brought forward recommendations for consideration.

Key Requests

The recommendations included requests for funding to support police officers in neighborhoods and youth programs. These items were discussed in the context of late items and link recommendations presented to the council.

Outcome

The council took action on the presented recommendations, with some items approved and others deferred for further consideration.

Possible Bond Projects

The committee reviewed potential bond projects during this agenda item, with Council Member Henson and Council Member Stinnett serving as key speakers 1:05:00.

The discussion centered on two main areas of focus: the 911 radio system and infrastructure improvements. Committee members examined these projects in relation to available funding sources and how they aligned with existing bond proceeds.

The outcome of this discussion was approval of the possible bond projects under consideration.

Non Budgetary Recommendations

The committee reviewed non-budgetary items during this agenda item, which included discussion of reorganization of managerial attorneys and internal audit improvements. These matters were considered as part of broader governance reforms.

Key Participants

Council Member Stinnett and Council Member Martin were the primary speakers during this discussion.

Items Discussed

The committee addressed two main non-budgetary topics:

• Reorganization of managerial attorneys
• Internal audit improvements

These items were discussed within the context of broader governance reforms being considered by the committee.

Outcome

The discussion on non-budgetary recommendations was deferred, meaning the committee did not reach a final decision on these items at this meeting and postponed further consideration to a later date.

Other Business

The committee received public input regarding police funeral escorts and discussed scheduling a follow-up meeting to further address the issue. 1:41:34

Mr. Jim Combs and Chief Bastin were the key speakers during this discussion. The committee determined that additional input from police leadership and citizens was needed to fully consider the matter.

The outcome of this agenda item was deferred, with plans for a subsequent meeting to hear further perspectives on police funeral escorts from both department leadership and members of the public.

FY 12 Council Budget Schedule

The committee discussed the timeline for upcoming budget meetings during this agenda item. 1:35:03

The Vice Mayor led the discussion on the FY 12 Council Budget Schedule, outlining the planned meetings and work sessions needed to complete the budget process.

Meeting Schedule

The committee noted a General Government Committee meeting scheduled for 1:00 PM as part of the budget review process. Additionally, a follow-up session was planned for Thursday to continue work on outstanding budget items and related links.

Outcome

The FY 12 Council Budget Schedule was approved.