Committee of the Whole-Budget Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Committee of the Whole met on May 14, 2009, at 4:00 p.m. in Lexington, Kentucky, with the Vice Mayor presiding. The meeting included two agenda items, both of which were approved: a General Services Link Report Out and a Public Safety Link Report Out. During the session, the committee took two motions to a vote and heard four public comments from members of the community.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on May 14, 2009:

Council Members: - Council Member Lane - Council Member Feigel - Council Member Martin - Council Member Henson - Council Member Stennett - Council Member Blues - Council Member Myers - Council Member Beard - Council Member Gordon - Council Member Lawless - Council Member McCord - Council Member Croglie - Council Member James

Other Officials and Staff: - Commissioner Kimra Cole - Chief Bastin - Chief Hendricks - Director Bishop - Commissioner Bennett - David Jarvis - Rama

No members were reported absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

Approval of recommendations from the General Services Link Committee 21:23

Council Member Lane moved to approve the recommendations from the General Services Link Committee, with Council Member Martin seconding the motion. The motion passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Approval of recommendations from the Public Safety Link Committee 2:38:28

Council Member Crosby moved to approve the recommendations from the Public Safety Link Committee, with Council Member McCord seconding the motion. The motion passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting on May 14, 2009 included the following financial actions and appropriations:

Equipment and Purchases - Purchase of six radar trailers for police use: $69,000

Fire Department Funding - Personal protective equipment: $100,000 - College scholarship reimbursement: $35,000 - Paramedic nurse coordinator salary: $11,850 - Firefighter recruitment and training: $1,280,000

Fund Transfers and Amendments - Transfer of $1.28 million from the overtime fund to the regular personnel fund for firefighter recruitment - Use of $60,000 from the 2006 B bond for design of relocation of Station 2 - Use of $125,000 from the 2006 B bond to reduce debt service in FY10 general fund

Code Enforcement and Animal Control - Funding for two nuisance control officers for code enforcement: $93,800 - Relocation of code enforcement division to a more secure location: $11,100 - Funding for 10 animal control officers: $110,180

The financial actions reflect significant investments in public safety personnel and equipment, including substantial firefighter recruitment funding and expansion of code enforcement and animal control services.

Public Comment

Council members raised several budget and operational concerns during the meeting:

911 Radio System and Emergency Operations Center Council Member Stennett 1:26:06 emphasized the need for a major decision regarding a $10 million investment in a new radio system for public safety communications. Stennett highlighted concerns about the Emergency Operations Center timeline and the risk of technological obsolescence, underscoring the urgency of this capital expenditure decision.

Asset Forfeiture Fund Budgeting Council Member Myers 1:51:45 advocated for a more proactive budgeting approach to the asset forfeiture fund. Myers suggested that funds be allocated to actual needs rather than placeholder items, with the goal of improving transparency and accountability in how these resources are managed.

Fire Department Staffing Council Member Martin 2:30:44 requested data on the number of firefighters needed to fill a single shift for a full month. Martin's inquiry focused on understanding staffing efficiency and establishing a clearer cost basis for fire department operations.

Animal Care and Control Staffing Council Member McCord 2:27:17 stressed the importance of maintaining 10 animal control officers following a significant increase in calls and improvements in response times. McCord warned against reducing staffing back to six officers, indicating that the higher staffing level has demonstrated operational benefits.

Contested Items

PeopleSoft Implementation and Division of Enterprise Solutions

Council members raised significant concerns about a proposed PeopleSoft implementation and the creation of a new Division of Enterprise Solutions. The primary dispute centered on the complexity and scale of the initiative. Council members requested that a full presentation be delivered to the entire Council before any recommendation could be made, indicating that the proposal had not yet received comprehensive review by all members. This procedural dispute reflected concerns about the magnitude of the undertaking and the need for broader deliberation before moving forward.

Fire Department Paramedic Training Suspension

A split vote occurred regarding whether to suspend paramedic training for new firefighter recruits. The proposal aimed to reduce training time and manage budget constraints during what appears to have been a period of fiscal pressure. However, the vote was divided, reflecting substantive disagreement among Council members about the wisdom of this approach. Concerns were raised about the legal implications of suspending such training and the potential long-term impact on fire department staffing levels. The debate highlighted tension between short-term budget management and the operational and legal consequences of reducing training requirements for emergency personnel.

General Services Link Report Out

The General Services Link Committee presented a comprehensive report on the reorganization of the Department of General Services 2:41. The presentation, which included input from Commissioner Kimra Cole and Council Members Lane, Feigel, and Martin, addressed significant operational and financial changes within the department.

Key Topics Presented:

The report outlined several major initiatives and challenges:

• Budget reductions and employee downsizing measures
• Recommendations for improved real estate management practices
• Fleet operations improvements
• Implementation of PeopleSoft software system

Committee Recommendations:

The General Services Link Committee made specific recommendations for departmental improvements, including:

• Funding a Deputy Director of Enterprise position
• Re-titling existing positions within the department
• Implementing user-based charging for occupancy costs

Outcome:

The report was approved by the council.

Public Safety Link Report Out

The Public Safety Link Committee presented recommendations addressing multiple aspects of police, fire, and emergency services operations. 1:09:57

Key Presentations and Recommendations

The committee brought forward several operational initiatives for consideration:

• Purchase of radar trailers for traffic enforcement
• Firefighter recruitment efforts
• Overtime management strategies
• Code enforcement staffing adjustments

Committee Members and Speakers

Council Member Crosby, Council Member McCord, and Council Member Stennett participated in the discussion alongside Chief Hendricks and David Jarvis.

Additional Items Requested

During the report out, the committee requested a presentation on the PeopleSoft implementation and raised the proposed Division of Enterprise Solutions for discussion.

Outcome

The Public Safety Link Report Out was approved.