HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001 07-18Meridian City Council Special Budget Workshop July 18, 2001
The special budget workshop of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 9:30 A.M. on Wednesday July 18, 2001, by Mayor Robert Corrie.
Members Present: Mayor Robert Corrie, Keith Bird, Tammy de Weerd, and Ron Anderson.
Members Absent: Cherie McCandless.
Others Present: Stacy Kilchenmann, Janice Smith, Reta Cunningham, and Will Berg.
Corrie: I’ll open the special session of the Council for the hearing department reports for budget requests. Let the record show that all Council people are present except Cherie McCandless
who is still absent. First, we’ll start out on the administration, Mayor, Human Resources, City Clerk, and Accounting. We will hear from Stacy Kilchenmann from the major’s office.
Kilchenmann: Mayor and Council I’m going to start and I’m going to do part of it. Pauline will do the Human Resource part and she’ll talk to you about cost of living increase, the
Mayor increases, and insurance. Then Will has one enhancement and he will talk to you about that. If you could turn to your tab that says, admin then look at the page right after the
graph, the department summary. At your seats, I put a few handouts. The first one is a survey of Mayor’s salaries. The Mayors as full time have been put in the base so there are two
things that I want to talk to you about in the base. The first one is the Mayor’s salary. I put him it as 65,000 and if you look at the survey -- Janice took some like size cities,
called them this morning, and got their salaries. That’s just for documentation and for you to look at. Then I also gave you, under dues; I just wanted you to see what we’ve included
in dues. I have a second sheet in there that just says description of dues. It's got the various dues that basically the City pays for. I think most of those are included in other
government. I just wanted you to see that. Okay, the first enhancement that I’m going to talk about is actually yours. It's for laptops for Council and what we call LaserFiche Plus.
On your desktop, you’ll see I gave you a brief description of LaserFiche Plus then some specifications for laptops. The idea for this -- Anita actually brought this to me from the
Mayor’s office. She said we already have part of the technology available to do this. I think you got exposed to it yesterday when the police did their presentation. It would be a
similar idea. Information could be transported from the City Clerk’s office to CDs to your laptops and be easily accessible for you. You could sort. You could search. It would eliminate
a lot of the piles of paper that you transport around. Also, I think make it easier for you to access particular items that you wanted to look at without having to shuffle through a
lot of paperwork. It's kind of a direction the whole city is moving toward and it would help get you moving in that direction. So, that’s what that one is. The second
one is the Locust Grove overpass. We have it in here as an enhancement but it's really, it's something you are obligated to do. I would suggest that it be a reserve of the fund balance
so we just start showing that we need to reserve 1.8 million dollars in our fund balance. The senior citizen’s support I put in at the request of Tammy so I’m going to let her talk
about that one, for the 10,000.00 dollars. Yes.
De Weerd: I guess the senior center has been speaking with the city for the last several years about forming a partnership. Last year Council took a first step towards that with helping
with funding for the van. They’ve been struggling the last several years meeting expenses. Their volunteer base seems to be dwindling a little bit so that they need to reexamine that.
They’ve agreed to do an audit so that this partnership can be formed and would like to request 10,000.00 dollars for the partnership effort. I do have their financials and all of that
information so that I can share that with you. Most of their conversations have been with the Mayor. I think, a couple years ago didn’t they come and do a presentation?
Bird: Yes they did.
De Weerd: They’ve been trying to pursue this for some time.
Corrie: My only suggestion is to -- I think it's fine, the partnership for 10,000. To make it final I would like to see that new audit that they’re doing because basically there’s
500,000.00 dollars some place not showing up. That’s why they’re having the big problems over there. I think the Deputy Director of the senior citizen center called for an audit along
with the --
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Corrie: The one that has the funeral home.
De Weerd: Bill Brewer.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Excuse me. Don’t believe everything you read. I’m a citizen advisor on their board and have participated in these discussions.
Corrie: Okay. I’m just saying we want to be cautious because there’s something over there that they’re not making sense with. As far as the 10,000.00 dollars, I have no problem with
it. I just want to make sure that we’re not getting ourselves into a hot water situation over there.
De Weerd: Mayor, I appreciate that. That is why we strongly suggested that they have the audit before any formal partnership be entered into.
Corrie: Good point.
Kilchenmann: Mayor, Councilman de Weerd. I put it in capitol but you would probably want it to be in operating as something you would do each year so I need to change that. The other
thing that I wanted to bring up -- I’m kind of just sticking it in the administration part. We didn’t do our goals so we didn’t set a very good example for everybody else. Our goal
was just to get this budget done by now. What I would like to see for next year, well, maybe three goals. One is a technology plan for the city because I think we sort of need an overall
direction and try to unify things instead of having each department buying a different type of computer. You know have kind of a direction maybe a three year, four-year technology plan.
A study plan for replacement of computers, software that’s compatible with each other. That kind of thing. The police asked to do an intranet, which is an Internet internally. I
think if we approach something like that, we should do it citywide and not just have individual departments do it. The second thing would be strategic planning, which I think we should
probably start right away. Springing off of that would be a five-year capitol improvement plan so that we have our capitol budgeting done in advance. We would just know every year
what projects we were going to do and try to start allocating funds for that. Each year as new capitol needs came up, we would have our maintenance, which we would have to do every
year, or repairs. Then we could just refine that long-term capitol budget plan every year. Those are three things that I think we should start working for.
Bird: I think Stacy -- I think one thing in your technology plan of getting everything purchased. I don’t think we should stop there. I think we should purchase automobiles, all equipment
through a –
Kilchenmann: A fleet –
Bird: -- a fleet deal or anything that’s major. Each Department Head is running around to all these different places and you know we’re not I don’t believe getting the best buy by
doing that.
Kilchenmann: Yes, the state contract is available. All the work has been done and they have a lot more purchasing power than we do individually. So, it wouldn’t be too difficult to
springboard off of that.
Bird: I think for automobiles the police probably do use that. However, that’s a stepping-stone. You can go to a local merchant and say, you know can you match this?
Kilchenmann: Yes. We could choose—
Bird: And do that but I think we need to bring all that purchasing of vehicles or anything major into one roof, not each department out making it's wheeling and
dealing. I think that could be right along with the computers and stuff. That’s my personal opinion.
Kilchenmann: Okay, so I’m going to have Will speak next and then Pauline. Will we moved his money. He has a vacant position clerk specialist, I think. We moved the money down into
professional services to pay for the stenographer that we’re going to hopefully, as soon as Bill gets the contract done bring on board to do the P&Z meetings. Will still feels that
he needs that position, that he has enough work to justify it. So, he’s going to talk about it.
De Weerd: Stacy just one more comment. We kind of talked about the fleet –
Kilchenmann: Maintenance?
De Weerd: -- maintenance yesterday. I know that purchasing power kind of goes with all the departments too for supplies. I know Reta and I have talked about this in the past. I would
hope that that’s something else that can be pursued. I do know one other thing that we have kind of tossed around and that’s tracking contracts and change orders. That’s extremely
important. I think it's going to be an important aspect in the coming budget years in knowing where we’re at and why we’re not where we want to be and those kind of things and will
help discussions like yesterday on seeing projects showing up that are unrealistic in light of everything else that’s going on. I would like to see something like that.
Kilchenmann: Mayor, Councilman de Weerd, Councilwoman. I hope, not -- I won't make it next week but in the next month to start doing, reporting on the process we are with our capitol
projects. That’s kind of a best practices financial reporting standard that every month we report on how much we spent, where we are in the project and have engineering notes. We will
start doing that right away.
De Weerd: Thank you. One other thing I also heard yesterday and it's about zero base budgeting, or maintaining like we are but perhaps looking at budget incentives to encourage --
Kilchenmann: (Inaudible).
De Weerd: That’s probably something we should be looking at in the fall --
Kilchenmann: I think we could pursue that with our Strategic Planning.
De Weerd: Yes.
Kilchenmann: On the fleet maintenance, I was going to tell you too I actually have had a call from a Meridian vendor who would be interested in bidding on
that. I think that it probably would be something we should offer an opportunity for the vendors in Meridian to bid on doing that.
De Weerd: That’s great. Thank you.
Berg: Good morning. I guess Stacy pretty much explained. I was kind of confused about the flip-flopping of these things. It's been researched to contract out a stenographer for the
land use Public Hearing meetings which consist of two P&Z meetings a month, two City Council meetings a month and to pursue a contract with them. In all honesty, the workflow does not
decrease in my department. We still have a meeting every Tuesday that we still have to do minutes for. We’re increasing some of the minutes that we’re having with other agencies.
We still need to do that type of function. I don’t feel decreasing a person out of my department is going to keep the workload to the level that we need to have. Also, just the day
to day applications that come in, the increasing applications that we process through our department, sending out mailings, transmittals to agencies and the inquiries that we get. We’re
issuing more licenses. Those kinds of things are increasing. The other thing is the coverage that we need to have when people are gone during lunch hours as well as vacations. I don’t
feel I can afford and this is just the workload; afford to lose a full time person in my department. That’s, I guess why it's an enhancement to bring that person back on. So, do you
have any questions?
Corrie: Will, right now, you have one full time employee, right?
Berg: Yes.
Corrie: I mean you and -- is that Department Specialist, what is her title?
Berg: She is a Department Specialist.
Corrie: Okay and you need what two Department Specialists, a Deputy Clerk, and a full receptionist right?
Berg: Correct.
Corrie: So, you’re down right now. You need a Department Specialist. We need to get a Deputy Clerk and we need to have a full receptionist in?
Berg: According to my current staff this year, yes.
Corrie: Okay so, what you’re asking for is the other Department Specialist? I mean, don’t you have --
Berg: Excuse me. According to what Stacy had put together, she pulled out one Department Specialist and put in a contract for a stenographer.
Corrie: Okay.
Berg: So, all I’m asking is I want to keep my Department Specialist as well as contract out the --
Bird: Well, what about your receptionist? We’re hiring that on a contract labor?
Berg: Right now, there are temps but we are interviewing for a full time receptionist.
Bird: Okay. So, you need Deputy Clerk and one Department Specialist? This stenographer that we’re going to hire is going to be under contract so that is not an employee?
Berg: Correct.
Bird: They will be only working four nights a week?
Berg: What I want is to keep my current staff, which are Clerk, Deputy Clerk, two Department Specialists and a receptionist.
Anderson: You have five employees?
Berg: If I have full staff yes, in my department.
De Weerd: Have you ever had five employees?
Berg: It seems to rotate fast.
De Weerd: How many -- you’re saying the stenographer would be at each Public Hearing then?
Corrie: Only for four.
Berg: The way my understanding with the conversations with Stacy that the stenographer would be at the Public Hearing meetings for land use issues. Which would be the first and third
Tuesday of the month for City Council and the first and third Thursday of the month for P&Z, four meetings.
De Weerd: Then we have the non-land use, the workshop, and then any special meetings?
Berg: Yes. Those are the regular --
De Weerd: Which the Deputy Clerk has always handled in the past?
Berg: She hasn’t handled that in the -- for about a year she hasn’t handled that. It’s been the Deputy Clerk, excuse me the Department Specialists.
De Weerd: So, you were trying to transition that out of the Deputy Clerk’s responsibility?
Berg: Yes so the transcriptions would be passed between the two Department Specialists.
Bird: Now, this stenographer that we’re going to contract out, they will give us a completed set of minutes?
Berg: Finalized yes, for your approval.
Bird: It's going to be a completed set of minutes.
De Weerd: What kind of turn around?
Bird: What kind of turn around time?
Berg: Well, Stacy may correct me if I’m wrong. Originally, what we talked about was trying to get a draft to the attorney in one to two days. In other words before Friday of that
same week. If it's a Tuesday meeting before Friday the attorney would have a draft so they could do some findings. It would give them a full week to do findings.
De Weerd: So, we could have looked at my motion last night.
Bird: Where is --
Berg: If the temporary gal was not gone, she would probably have those minutes finished. She’s been working really hard to try to get caught up. If you can tell, we’re just kind of
one meeting behind.
De Weerd: Yes, it's been nice.
Bird: Where in the budget is this contract set aside for this?
Berg: I think it's under consulting.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Berg: Professional services.
De Weerd: It’s in the base.
Bird: Just a minute. I want to see it in administration.
De Weerd: Oh, it's under operating.
Bird: That’s what I’m wondering.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Berg: It's under my 1140 under contract labor.
Bird: Okay.
De Weerd: With the laptops and Laser Fiche for Council that will eliminate a lot of, I think. It's anticipated to reduce the amount of copy time and paper handling except maybe for
Keith.
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: Will that help reduce the staff time? It's not going to have so much of an impact?
Berg: Council Member de Weerd, I would hope that it would help the staff time but I couldn’t tell you that right now. We might have to have a more technical oriented person rather
than put it in the copy machine and copy. I would hope so. What I see that we’re battling is increasing workload anyway. Maybe it's going to counterbalance that you’re not spending
time on doing that but you’re increasing your productivity by doing more applications and also doing the packets electronically.
De Weerd: Yes.
Berg: Yes, I would hope it would reduce the labor intensely but I don’t know if that’s going to be a break even as fast as we’re working and more work coming in, that it's a trade
off that you don’t increase any more.
De Weerd: Okay well, I have one last question. That will be have you worked with Pauline. You know I guess it sounds like your Deputy City Clerk’s position is kind of changed, evolved
into something different than it's been in the past when we first converted it over. Do you have specific job descriptions for each of your job positions?
Berg: Yes we do. In fact, we modified the Deputy Clerk’s position before it went out for the job.
De Weerd: Okay.
Corrie: What was that modification?
Skeggs: On the job description? Basically that they would be responsible for doing some of the meetings.
Bird: That was in the original.
Corrie: I was thinking that was in the original.
Skeggs: But the job description, the Deputy Clerk that was in the position wasn’t doing all the responsibilities that were listed on the job description now. I feel if they did take
over those responsibilities that are listed that would actually help Will out a lot more in what he’s doing. I kind of looked at the other positions in his department too and I think
they would be better utilized. The receptionist basically answers the phone and she sits there a lot of the time doing nothing. I think that we need to utilize her to the fullest extent.
I know he’s looking at having her do some data entry when we hire the individual. I think that there could be more duties and responsibilities put on that position as well. That’s
just my own personal. I understand why the Department Specialist is supposed to be doing some of the meetings minutes and the other one was doing land use and P&Z. So, if the stenographer
comes in and does the P&Z and the land use, that puts all that position was really doing and making packets for it where the other position was suppose to be doing minutes as well.
I’m not real sure how an addition and a (Inaudible).
Corrie: That was one of my concerns. You’ve got two Department Specialists. I know you need one because it's very important that they make sure that it's all done. If you got a Deputy
City Clerk to take half the duties that the City Clerk is doing and then you have the Department Specialist doing what they’re supposed to be doing and you’ve got the stenographer that’s
the second Department Specialist. You’ve got a receptionist and a phone receptionist saying all they’re doing is answering the phone. It seems like we’re paying somebody just to sit
there and answer the phone when they could be doing other things in that office. Do we need the other Department Specialist? I mean, right now, you have one person and then two temps
right now doing it. I guess my question is that fourth person outside the clerk’s office, if you have the stenographer, that’s going to take a lot of workload off the Department Specialist
if all the other secretary whatever the case may be.
De Weerd: I do understand Will’s point with if we do go to the laptops you’re going to have to have someone who is more technically inclined. With the other position doing a lot of
the non-land use workshops and those kinds of things and front counter, it might be warranted.
Bird: I think that phone receptionist can be doing some other stuff but her primary job is to answer the phone and get it done which is being done very well as far as what I have called
in here. I think on our Deputy Clerk, the two that we have hired have been, when they’ve applied for the job it's always -- the description is always as Pauline said in there. Then
after they get the job all of a sudden they can't do all of the duties that they’ve been asked and when they applied for the job was sitting there. I think that when we hire a new --
we need to make sure that they can do this. There’s some people in this city that I think live down at this building and Will happens to be one of them and Gary Smith and a few others.
I think we need to let them have some nights out once in a while, at least home with their family. On the extra specialist, I don’t think this laptop stuff -- I think it is going to
take more technical. I don’t think it's going to be as really time saving as a lot of people think it is because you’ve got to run all this stuff off and get it in and you have to get
it set up and stuff like that. I don’t know. I personally believe legally, that that is probably one of our most important departments, the City Clerk. All legal papers by state statute
have to go through there, be kept through there, which I don’t know is being done now. All contracts should be on deal in there. I don’t know whether he needs another Department Specialist.
I think this stenographer is going to help us and I think the laptops will help us. In the same token I think you’ve got to get the laptops right. Technology is only as good as the
people putting it in. everybody gets a computer and thinks that’s an automatic solve all problems. Well it is not. I can show some cut lists off of a computer put in wrong. That’s
it Mayor.
Anderson: You’ve had two already.
De Weerd: Well, he keeps interrupting me.
Anderson: Oh, okay.
De Weerd: I can't continue my thought.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I would just like to weigh in on this issue before you two take all of the floor. I guess my thought is a couple of things. We got a letter a few months back from one of
the gals that used to do the minutes. She sent all the Council people a letter and I’m sure Will probably saw it too. One of the things that she talked about in that letter was that
the City of Meridian is tying up an enormous amount of staff time having minutes that are word for word minutes based off these tapes. My personal feeling on that is that minutes could
be summarized and then if you needed to have the actually word for word verbatim what was said somebody could pull the tape. I know that not everybody on the Council agrees with me
on that particular issue. In the letter, the gal indicated that that takes at least one full time person to do that. I feel like the hiring of this stenographer is going to free up
that one person. I also agree that I think there
are a lot of inefficiencies that are occurring in your office and that you need to look at the processes and how things are handled from all the paperwork and all the individual copies.
I mean, when we get our Council packets, a lot of times there’s things that have already been copied and put in there and we find two and three copies of things in there. Some of the
things like Pauline talked about, if the gal is just sitting there answering phones. I really think that hiring the stenographer that you ought to be able to look at your office and
go through the processes and you could probably cut one staff person out of there. I really would encourage you to do that and try to be more efficient. When I compare what you have
in your staff, you have four and Nampa has two that work in the City clerk’s office. Granted they don’t have to answer phones like you do but that’s a receptionist position. I see
you have more staff than Nampa does and I don’t know about the other cities. I think there’s probably some wasted motion going on there somewhere that if you really analyzed your department
you could find some efficiencies and could still do the job with a four person staff and the stenographer.
Bird: I’ll butt in on the minutes because I’m the one that’s against it. Last night was an excellent example, when the findings and facts come back and we sit here and we’re approving
finding and facts that don’t even match up to our minutes, we go get the minutes. We were able to go get the minutes word for word. We could have brought a tape out I agree with that.
I am one that wants to see -- all it takes is a summary to leave out one word and you’ve missed the whole process. If the stenographer can help with the major ones which is the land
use deals, if they (inaudible). The other ones we can probably summarize, our non-land use meeting and workshop. Workshop we can no big deal. I for one think that on land use when
you’re dealing with controversial subjects, you pass a motion word for word and there’s public sitting here that’s against it and for it. Then when you come back and you pull the Findings
of Facts and Conclusions of Law and they’re all together different from what the motion was and you pass on them, you’re not doing the public right. I’m not for, on land use, I’m not
for not having the full set of minutes.
Anderson: Even in summarized minutes, Keith the motions are wrote down word for word.
Bird: I hate to, I mean, Ron I hate to go back and compare cities for the simple fact is I feel that, as bad as we are, as more efficient in a lot of areas than other cities that we
do stuff. I think that our paperwork is a joke but I think that starts with ordinances, Planning and Zoning, and stuff that we require. I don’t like the paperwork any better than anybody
else does. However, I worry about Meridian, you know what do we need in our thing? If we go back and compare sizes of cities and stuff, some places we’re out, some places we’re under.
De Weerd: Well, we’re getting a little off track.
Bird: Yes, we are getting off track.
De Weerd: You know I know that Will hasn’t had a full staff to even see how it could be working. I guess that would be my first concern. I kind of get the feeling that, Will were you
involved in this decision for the stenographer to loose a position to put it over there?
Berg: Councilwoman de Weerd, I didn’t know I was going to lose a staff person. I thought it was going to, hiring a stenographer or contracting with him was going to take the load
off some of my department. Whatever the decision will be, I’ll work with whatever I need to work with but I would like to comment on a few comments that were made. One I don’t think
you should judge my department on the temporary people I have because they only get limited job duties to do. They don’t maybe understand the whole thing of what all a full time person
would be doing. For instance, the receptionist, I just want to make sure the phone is answered and they’re directed to the right direction and given the right information. That kind
of thing. I just want you to know that’s the case. Second, the minutes that you have talked about. When I started here in 93, we did summary because we were so busy and because of
the things that were said in Public Hearings by both staff and developers and the applicant. I think the staff was the biggest pusher trying to get them, not verbatim but close so that
they could get back on what were the conditions were or what was said by the applicant and those things. That’s why the push was to do it that way. If I’m not mistaken, I think Mr.
Nichols likes to look through it that way but that could be changed. I mean, whichever your direction is. Comparison to other cities. I don’t think some of the large cities actually
even deal with the processing of applications for P&Z and we do that. We actually get the application after it's okayed by the P&Z department and we send out the transmittals. We send
out the notices. I don’t have a problem with that but we do that and I don’t think some of the other cities do. The other thing, I think yes you need to review the process and the
procedures and fine tune it especially when you get the appropriate staff in there. I don’t disagree that you know you get the right people in there that you can save the labor. Any
other questions?
Corrie: I don’t have a question. I have a statement that I think the stenographer on four meetings, two P&Z which is land use and the two of the Council that have land use. I think
it's very important that they have those minutes. I agree with both Ron and Keith. That sounds political but I think both of them have something to say that’s correct. The thing is
with the stenographer you can have the rough draft the next morning and in two days, probably three I believe. They said they would have the complete minutes that Council can read,
the attorney can read, Planning and Zoning has a print of and they can follow what was actually said. Like Tammy said, if we had it we could have done it last night and read it. I
think that is going to take some time away from the girls that sit there and try to listen to what's being said and distinguish who said what. With a stenographer, they’re going to
get the information and get the wording in right. I
feel that that probably is a good position for the City Clerk’s office to have is that stenographer to come to those four meetings. The others they can do with the staff. As far as
the fourth position, actually the fifth, two Department Specialists, that will have to be your decision. We already have you (inaudible). What you do then we can go from there? I
do feel that the stenographer is important because taking back and going through the figures trying to keep catching up we were going as high as 6,000 in one month trying to get caught
up and we’re still behind. That’s going to take that cost out of there.
Anderson: I guess the other thought I had there too is that this would be our first year trying this stenographer so that we ought to try that with less staff because I’m like Keith.
I mean, once government creates a position then we all feel guilty getting rid of it. If we gave you that full staffing that you wanted and kept it at five and we found out at the
end of next year that you’re more than able to keep up with the workload, nobody is going to want to lay that person off. You’re not going to want to fire her. We’re not going to want
to cut the position as a Council. It's easier to add a position than it is to cut one.
De Weerd: I agree. (Inaudible) of our most frugal Department Head you know this is probably very difficult for me because I really trust when Will brings something forward he really
strongly believes in it. You’ve never had a full staff and maybe the fault is you step in and fill in and every single aspect of your department. Sometimes that can come back to haunt
you and maybe today it does because you’ve been understaffed and I don’t think you’ve ever had that second position even staffed. Have you?
Bird: No.
Berg: No, we’re ready to hire somebody and then some other things change so we didn’t hire that person.
De Weerd: So, you know with the stenographer that’s going to already take a huge burden off your staff’s shoulders. So, I would be in favor of seeing how it works. I know you are
so frugal, or so tight you squeak and you wouldn’t be asking if --
*** End Of Side Nine ***
De Weerd: -- how it goes this year.
Anderson: Is part of the reason why you’ve had such a high turn over is it the pay? What is the reason for the turn over in your office? Do you have a feel for that? You can't be
that big an ogre to work for can you?
Berg: I am. When we first went out for a receptionist, we did not have a very good turn out of applicants so we redid that job description and it increased from
the very bottom of the pay level and moved it up one. In that situation, we got 44 applicants. That might have been a problem with some of the things. We have kind of changed a few
of the job descriptions and added to it. Just so you know how my department is, I do have a position step of a Senior Department Specialist. I’m not saying we hire it but a level that
we could promote people up if we needed to you know to create some steps. That’s just a step position not a position to hire. That might be a case too to look those over more carefully
or see if our wages are too low.
Anderson: The ones that have left, do you do like an exit interview to find out what their reasons are? Why do they leave? Pauline does that?
Berg: Yes.
Anderson: As a Department Head are you entitled to know those reasons why they leave?
Pauline: Normally if there are issues that I feel needs to be brought up to the Department Heads, it's confidential. Sometimes employees will refuse to do the exit interview. I tell
them it's on a need to know basis but there will be times where I will need to bring it forward to the Mayor or the Department Head if it becomes an issue. Will’s department, a lot
of it has just been interdepartmental personality conflict among the employees. They just didn’t seem to click right and get along well with each other. Some will get frustrated and
leave. What happens is he’ll have a full staff, a new person starts, and then one person quits. Maybe they’re a week or so overlap. Then he ends up with another open position. That’s
what's happened to him in the past year. If he has a full staff, then a week or two later one of them quit. It's been personality conflict between employees.
Berg: So, I’m hard to get along with.
De Weerd: I don’t think it's between you all the time Will.
Anderson: It sounds like you’re letting them bicker too much, not necessarily bicker with you.
Bird: I think we have sometimes too much interference from other places.
Berg: Are there any other questions concerning this? I think I’ve gotten some input there. Just one other thing that I want to bring up so it never dies. We’ve had in the past, dealings
with a municipal center that seems to get pushed back. I would encourage you not to put it back on the burner and always keep is somewhere close and be analyzing that. We didn’t budget
any money for it this year to look at things. If you want to get the departments back together or something we still need to look at that concept.
De Weerd: Thanks Will. I agree.
Bird: (Inaudible)
De Weerd: I think that’s going to be a big issue in the strategic planning.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: We realize that. Will let me ask you a question before you get down from there. Ron brought up a good suggestion. Let’s get you a full time in there. This time lets get a
Deputy Clerk. I realize the Council is the one that appoints the Deputy Clerk but lets get a Deputy Clerk that understands their job, does their job. If they don’t then you come and
report to us and we relieve them. They are all willing when they hire out. I think Pauline will back me up on this. Then when it comes time to do this kind of stuff that they’ve been
hired to do, they can't do it. So, we’ve got to find somebody that can do the deal.
De Weerd: Why does it fall on the shoulders of Will then he has to do it?
Bird: Well, as a Department Head it's just like all the Department Heads. Like I’ve said, they’ve got the City at heart and 99 percent of the employees do too. They’re going to do
their job and get it done if they have to do it. We need to make sure we hire employees that do it. We’ve kind of got bit the last two Deputy Clerks we’ve had. Just on that one reason.
I go along with that and I would entertain just summarizing the non-land use deals but Public Hearings I don’t want summarized. I don’t want somebody taking out what I said in context.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: That stenographer should take care of that.
De Weerd: We could never figure out what he’s saying anyway. How could they?
Bird: I can read it.
Corrie: It's going to help with your findings and facts too.
Bird: Last night to me was very embarrassing. It's never going to happen again because I’m going to make a motion that it goes away and comes back. I mean, we were so unprofessional
last night on that deal that we were a joke. That isn't the first time I’ve been a joke.
De Weerd: We were here too long.
Berg: Just one other comment. You talked about the appointment of a Deputy Clerk, I just asked Pauline, maybe when I hire this position they go through a six-month probationary period.
I didn’t want to use that word sorry. Maybe after that period maybe the appointment could be done so that you can see that person is --
Bird: Will, I think if you look at the ordinance they have to be appointed before they can use the stamp. They’ve got to be appointed and be on a probationary period at that time.
They’ve got to be appointed because it's just like now, you’re going on vacation. Who’s going to be stamping the clerk’s office on everything that comes in? Those papers have to be
stamped, every contract, everything has to be stamped. Who’s going to stamp it? Are you going to run down here every night from your vacation? Probably.
De Weerd: He’s going to be out of town I hope.
Anderson: Is there –
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Is there some reason why they couldn’t be appointed and still be on their introductory period?
Bird: Sure they can.
Berg: Yes.
Anderson: If their employment ceases with the City, they are no longer Deputy Clerk anyway. I wouldn’t be as worried as you are about appointing them Deputy Clerk ahead of them fulfilling
their introductory period because it wouldn’t be an issue if you terminated their employment.
Bird: After we appoint them Pauline we can give them six months can't we? However, we need to appoint them right up front, if you read the ordinance so they can do that legal stuff.
We can give them a six-month probationary period can't we?
Corrie: Yes, six months or a year, whatever the case may be. We can –
Bird: In the appointment we can do that yes.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Corrie: It only takes three Council People to do it. Other wise it (Inaudible).
Bird: Four Councilmen can take them out.
Corrie: You develop perhaps agree on what the situation is going to be as far as the job (inaudible). I think we need to look very closely at that job description and make sure whoever
is coming in can fill that whole thing. I think that’s Human Resources job, which she does very well. We’re going to (inaudible). You and I are going to have to get together and make
the decision who I appoint. Then the Council is going to have to be involved at the same time with that. We’ll keep them up to date but I think Human Resource, you, and I we should
come up with the correct person again. Hopefully, (inaudible).
Berg: Anything else?
Bird: No.
Berg: Thank you.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Skeggs: I’m going to start off with my goals and objectives because I don’t have any enhancements and I’m not asking for anything this year. I would like to thank the Council, Mayor
for allowing me to hire last year because that really made my department efficient and I did go through one individual that wasn’t able to do the job. After a couple months, and seeing
now with the individual I ended up replacing the individual and I have an individual now that is able to pick up the workload that I needed that person to do. It has made my department
really efficient. I do thank the Mayor and Council for allowing me to hire. This year I’m not asking for anything but I just wanted to go over the goals that I had set for this year.
I have completed five of the goals. I’m in the process of the other three completing them. In addition to the goals that I had completed, which it was I hired the staff employee.
I trained, I wrote department procedures for her, update the compensation program and I’m in the process of putting together an excel spreadsheet that will automatically update the
COLA and salaries for both the police and the city programs where it will -- you just put in a formula and it spreads it across. Then we’ll be able to, when we go through the budget
process, just put what the COLA is going to be and it will show you what the impact will be for salaries for all employees. It's just going to simplify it where you will just get it
computerized. Then I’ll make sure that accounting has that information. I updated the City policy manual. It's actually currently with the City’s Attorney’s office for review. Once
we get that finalized, we’ll make those changes and then that will be ready to go. The alcohol and drug policy has been completed and has also been accepted by the fire fighter’s union.
The next step is to choose a lab. What we’re doing is I sent out a memo with a copy of that and asked for certain departments to give me a representative where they can sit on a committee
so we can choose a lab. Once we choose a lab, basically it will be brought before city Council for approval. Once approved we’ll do the training for
the managers, supervisors and employees. Then we’ll have that in place for new hires and random and accidents and the whole system.
De Weerd: You’ll start with us right?
Bird: Yes.
Skeggs: Yes, you’ll be asked to volunteer to participate.
De Weerd: I think we should. Don’t eat poppy seed muffins.
Skeggs: I also implemented a criminal background procedure for new hires, transfers, and promotions this year. It has worked very well. So far, we’ve had one individual that was let
go because of a record but other than, that it's been working very well. The employees are made an offer of employment contingent on them going through that. It’s only certain positions
that require that such as if they are handling cash, accounts, or they’re dealing with children, like the police and fire dealing with the public and stuff or they’re driving city vehicle.
So, that’s in place. We also enhanced the city’s benefit program. We implemented a (inaudible) program to include a pre-tax premium only program plus the medical reimbursement and
dependent care program. Employees are really pleased with that. I know employees that didn’t participate last year have contacted my office to find out when open enrollment is because
now that they understand it more where other employees are in the program they said well I wish I would have enrolled. It will probably be more enrollments for next year. We actually,
I sat up and coordinated the recruitment process for the Chief of Police. That’s done. I think last night a person got appointed for that. Also, as a follow up to the employee opinion
survey, organized management training that happened last month. Actually, employees now are going to go through training what will start next week. I’ll put a memo in your box so if
there are any City Council Members that want to attend that training; you’re welcome to attend. I’ve also written and put together affirmative action program to gather statistical information
on recruitment. This was required because we have government grants. All these additional activities I was able to do because of the staff person that came in and could process the
day-to-day paperwork. I know that you guys are anxious as far as -- like I said, I don’t have any additions or enhancements to ask for. I know that you guys are anxious bout the compensation
program, the cost of living. So, what I will do is I’ve got some handouts for you.
Bird: More paperwork.
De Weerd: More treats.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: You just need to consolidate it.
Bird: Have you got this summarized?
De Weerd: In one paragraph.
Bird: In one paragraph.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Skeggs: That packet just goes over the goals, the history, and activities that I’ve done this year. It also has in there a memo that I had sent to Stacy in regard to the cost of living
increase. Basically, we implemented it with the western region last year. We took a look at it again. I had contacted Wade Larson with OLR who handled that with me last year. Last
year though he was working for IAC. He has now went on his own. He gave me some information on that and he said that we need to look at the western region urban BC index because the
population is 50,000 to 500 and that’s more in line with the Treasure Valley. For last year, the index shows the increase at 2.9 percent and so I’ve also contacted several cities to
find out what they’re doing with their cost of living if they’re giving one and also a merit increase. I found that other cities are giving a 3.37 percent for a COLA and the merit increase
or the step increase; the ranges are from three to four percent. So, to keep in line with that, I am recommending and proposing a three percent cost of living for the employees and
then the three percent merit. That’s why the performance based program. The way we set up the police officers, they’re in a step program so the merit portion is already built into
the program so when we shift the ranges to three percent they’ll get their three percent plus whatever the shift in that range is. So, it's already included in there.
De Weerd: The COLA has already been figured into the base budget. Is that correct?
Skeggs: Yes.
Bird: Pauline, this is the plan that you are working on, the step program for the rest of the employees. Am I not right?
Skeggs: Yes.
Bird: By the way, I want to tell you what a nice job you did.
Skeggs: We had looked at salary. We had to make some adjustments last year. I don’t anticipate any adjustments except for the wastewater. We have to review the mechanics positions.
Other than that, all other city employees have been adjusted to where they should be. The Department Heads think they need more but what we came out with we made all those adjustments.
Bird: Pauline on the adjustments and stuff, we’ve got ourselves up, pretty competitive with private, of course with private don’t have near the benefits that we do.
Skeggs: Right.
Bird: We have done that and I personally want to thank you for getting us up. It's helped out in our Public Works tremendously, as you know.
Skeggs: Right.
Bird: Hiring people.
Skeggs: Yes, we got several employees from other cities. Also, on the health insurance to give you an update there is a rate increase. The highest increase does impact our health
insurance. Blue Cross is recommending a 40 percent increase at this point. The broker now has it out to bid and we should get information on that next month. In the interim, we have
a benefits committee and we have met with the broker to find out and to kind of review some other options in case Blue Cross doesn’t go down. Either asking employees to contribute to
a higher portion of the insurance or looking at increasing the prescription drug. There are several areas. So, what we have done, like with the fire we did an 80 20. So that might
be something that we end up doing for City employees. What we did is the broker put together an actual employee survey to see how they like the programs we have in place. What are
they willing to pay? That’s going to be put into this payroll check. Hopefully from the information, we gather we’ll have more information on what the employees are willing to do.
Then the committee will meet back next month to discuss the options. We will have the actual quotes back from Blue Cross and they will bid them out with other insurance carriers.
The reason the increase for the health insurance is so high is that we had some really high claims the last past two years. We’re now experience rated on our own. We’re not group rated
because for a group rating the increase is an average of 18 percent. However, because of our high utilization they are wanting to increase it 40 percent.
Bird: Pauline, what would be the feasibility, you know the claims we’ve had in the last two years but what would be the feasibility of raising the city’s buy back to -- out in the private
world a lot of them have even raised it to 2,000.
Skeggs: If we had a higher deductible that would also reduce --
Bird: That’s what I’m saying and the city pays back --
Skeggs: We can also look at even eliminating the --
Bird: -- 75 percent of it.
Skeggs: -- that program because right now with our deductibles at 500 and 1000 but we pay back 400 or 800. 100 and 200 deductibles is unheard of.
Bird: You’re right.
Skeggs: That just doesn’t happen.
Bird: What would it do if we went to 2000 with 1000 payback?
Skeggs: We could do that. A lot of cities that have a buy back program, we’re paying 100 percent.
Bird: I know you are.
Skeggs: They only pay 80 20. You know they pay 80 percent and the employees are responsible for the 20 just like the medical program. Those are options that we are going to look at
with the benefits committee and discuss more once we have the survey results back.
Bird: Who is our broker?
Skeggs: Marsh.
Bird: Marsh?
Skeggs: It was Cederick. They became Marsh. We are also having an increase, like Delta Dental increases nine percent. Short-term disability is a 20 percent increase but they’re actually
bidding that out so hopefully we’ll get a lower rate. Again, high utilization, we had a lot of people go out. Business psychology, they’re increasing three percent. They haven't given
an increase in years. This is the first increase in a while. Then the life insurance is increasing eight percent and long-term disability as well. Those were the preliminaries.
Bird: What was the disability?
Skeggs: Eight percent, long term and then the life insurance.
Bird: What was the short term?
Skeggs: Short term is 20 percent.
Bird: 20?
Corrie: One of the things that we did look at in this committee is the prescription. If we go the 10 20, 10.00 dollar deductible for generics and 20 for the --
Bird: Great.
Corrie: -- other. That would probably (inaudible).
Skeggs: Right. It's decreased it five to nine percent decrease.
Corrie: -- that amount right there is -- again, like she said, we are looking at this possibility of this buy back because it's an unheard of benefit. We’ve got to do something because
it could start eating us alive.
Bird: I don’t know of any private industry that gives a 200.00 dollar deductible. I mean, it's not heard of any more. Out on the private world you can't afford the medical if you
have that kind of stuff. You can't afford it.
Anderson: Pauline I was just going to suggest too though that kind of setting back as an observer and watching what's happening over in Nampa with the City employees. I think it would
be good to do some education with our employees to not only try to funnel this information through your insurance committee but have meetings with various groups of city employees.
Whether you go the Waste Treatment Plant or you go to the Fire Department or the Police Department or City Hall or where ever but meet with various employee groups and explain to them
what’s happening with these premiums and what the costs are doing. Also explain about the three percent COLA and the three percent merit increases and say look we only have X amount
of money. You guys have to do something to help us control these costs. We were talking a little bit in the hallway yesterday out here too. I think a lot of people just feel like
because they have insurance, they go see a doctor for every little cut and hang nail and everything else. If they realize that our rates are being based off of our history then maybe
they would try to avoid some of those little costs that right now they don’t understand the significance of that. So, they go to the doctor for everything. If we can get them involved
and educated and on board about what the cost of these premiums are doing and what we’re going to have to do. We’re going to have to raise deductibles or eliminate the buy back program
and some of those things then they can help us with those rates also.
Skeggs: I agree. Once we get the data back from the survey and once we get the actual firm quotes then we can sit down and have meetings and discuss it with the employees and say this
is why this is what we’re doing. Also, if we can promote like the PPO plan and get more employees into it, those are lower rates. Right now, we only have 33 employees in that program.
Some employees just feel more comfortable with their traditional program but they’re not even utilizing the program. Therefore, if they’re in the PPO and they’re never going to use
their
deductible that’s a cost savings to the city. You’re right education, further education and making employees aware will probably help us in our process.
Bird: I think it's very important that you do it face to face with them –
Skeggs: Right.
Bird: -- and not through a letter.
Skeggs: Right.
Bird: Is this PEO or PTO or whatever you call it –
De Weerd: PPO.
Skeggs: PPO.
Bird: PPO? Is that –
Skeggs: Preferred Provider Organization.
Bird: Okay. Has that been done to them face to face in a deal?
Skeggs: Yes.
Bird: Okay.
Skeggs: Yes. They understand that.
De Weerd: But if they understood either they would participate in something like that or we have to look at other ways to reduce the price. I think that’s pretty compelling. I know
I’m in a PPO.
Corrie: A lot of the times it depends on what their decision is, if they’re in a PPO too.
Skeggs: With the PPO they have to manage their program really. If the go to a doctor and the doctor and the doctor refers them out, then basically what they need to do is to take the
book to the doctor and say okay you’re referring me to you know a specialist. These are the doctors on my list, who would you recommend? Some employees just feel if their doctor refers
them to somebody oh, they referred me and they go. They don’t look into it. I know in orientation I tell the employees you have to manage your own program. You have to manage your
own care. Even in the traditional program I said you can go to any doctor of your choice but the traditional program if they’re not in the provider list and you go to a doctor not in
there they could back bill you for the difference. Say you
have surgery and it's 15,000.00 dollars. Blue Cross says reasonable and customary is 9,000 well they’re going to back bill the employee the difference. I tell them I say you need to
still manage your care when you go into the traditional program. Most of the providers are in the traditional program. There’s only like 66 percent are in the PPO. That’s new to Idaho
and as it grows -- I also tell employees if you’re doctor’s not in there ask your doctor if he’s interested in becoming a provider. A lot of the times the doctor will say yes what do
I need to do. Give them the information and they can call Blue Cross and get all the information that way as well so they can get more providers in there. But you’re right, education
is important and we need to do more of that.
De Weerd: I know a couple of doctors backed out of the program last year. One of them was ours.
Corrie: Looking at the national level too, there are some things coming down from congress that make the changes (inaudible).
Skeggs: Right.
Corrie: Hopefully -- one of the bills is being tied in with the senior citizens bills. There are three trailers on there. If that goes through and the president signs we can take
advantage of that and save us quite a bit.
Bird: I think that as Ron stated earlier these employees need to know. I don’t believe that we can absorb the extra cost. It's going to have -- I mean, I know in our company that
if we get the thing we have to pay it, the extra cost. As bad as I hate to say it, I just don’t think we can absorb it within our budget and do right by everything else.
Skeggs: I know when we presented it to the union members we did say we can either give it to you in salaries or benefits. It's your choice what you want. They opted to choose salaries
to pay higher for the benefits.
Bird: Well, yes.
De Weerd: So, the cost that we have in our base budget at this point –
Bird: Shows the 35 percent.
De Weerd: -- shows the –
Bird: 35 percent.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Skeggs: 25.
Bird: 25.
De Weerd: 25.
Bird: I thought it said 35 over there.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: Okay. So, they’re still -- I mean there’s a huge possibility that it's going to be more than that?
Skeggs: Yes.
De Weerd: Those are the meetings that your committee will facilitate so when we go into this budget year, we’re setting the limit here. Then anything else will be a reorganization
of benefits through the input that you get back from the employees –
Skeggs: Exactly.
De Weerd: -- and your committee? Okay.
Bird: Okay, very good.
Anderson: Have these, all the salaries that we’ve been looking at in all the different departments, have they been based off of this three percent --
Skeggs: Three percent.
Anderson: -- COLA and three percent merit?
De Weerd: Not the merit.
Bird: No, not the merit.
Skeggs: Not the merit. You just put in the COLA right?
De Weerd: On our budget sheet for the enhancements in the summary it shows it, you know two, three, and four.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: That would be for all the people covered under the general fund for that one section? Okay.
Bird: I have no more questions. Very nice job Pauline.
De Weerd: Yes. Thank you for all your work. You have made some wonderful strides this last year. We appreciate that.
Bird: The last two years.
Skeggs: Well, it has helped to have help. When you have an efficient department and you have individuals that will work really hard at it, it does make a difference because we don’t
have time to goof off. I mean, we run to the bathroom. We run back. That’s it.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Skeggs: Yes.
De Weerd: You had some good challenges.
Anderson: You’re allowed to take bathrooms breaks?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Skeggs: But we run to the bathroom.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: They’ve got those little bags now. You can strap them right to their waist. They don’t even need to leave the workspace.
Bird: Order an A company, to put in her office.
Corrie: Okay. We’ll do that.
De Weerd: I think it's covered by insurance too.
Corrie: Short term disability.
De Weerd: Bathroom break.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I would like to thank Pauline personally. She was a big help during the fire fighter negotiations. Thank you Pauline.
Bird: Mayor, can we take a little break?
Corrie: No.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Corrie: Yes. Let’s take a break. Then we’ll have Stacy (inaudible).
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: I’ve got to run and come back?
RECESS AT 10:50 A.M.
RECONVENED AT 11:10 A.M.
Corrie: Okay. We’re back from our recess. Stacy with the Treasurer’s Department I guess, you three ladies. Janice and Reta.
Kilchenmann: Mayor and Council the next step is (inaudible). We have the general fund and on the list of enhancements (inaudible). (Inaudible) because I don’t know how you want to
do that. (Inaudible) if you want to discuss it department by department. However you normally (Inaudible).
Bird: Stacy –
De Weerd: That’s important.
Bird: Stacy, you’ve done such a good job, you gals have of getting this budget through. You tell us how you want to do it. That’s my opinion. How do you want to include it?
Kilchenmann: (Inaudible) and maybe there’s some that you (inaudible) and we can eliminate those and some that you feel (inaudible). Then we can just start looking (inaudible).
De Weerd: Where we’re at?
Bird: Okay. Is that fair with everybody?
Anderson: You bet.
De Weerd: Sounds good to me.
Anderson: They don’t call me slash Anderson for nothing.
Bird: Say what?
Berg: We (inaudible).
Bird: I would like to see his slashes in the Nampa fire budget. Wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you guys like to see that?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: I’ll bet there are no slashes in that.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Maxine probably says the same thing. I don’t see any slashes in the fire department.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: I like our budget out there. It's what we make and what we can spend.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Once in a while we spend more than we make.
Anderson: I like the (inaudible) we should get the same dollar value of whatever property we have saved. We’d have millions.
De Weerd: How profound. What a profound thought.
Bird: Coming from a mattress back that’s a pretty –
Anderson: Coming from a peeping Tom glass cleaner who only works one day a week.
Bird: Yes, I’m not on the fire department.
Corrie: This meeting will be adjourned in five seconds.
Kilchenmann: (Inaudible).
Bird: Do you want us to use that chart there?
Kilchenmann: (Inaudible).
De Weerd: Can we get a print? I didn’t bring my glasses.
Anderson: I’ll read it to you.
Corrie: Don’t ever say I don’t share with you.
Anderson: It's on the front page.
De Weerd: I wondered how you saw out of those things.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: It's right there on the front page.
Bird: Here’s the fire. I’d offer you mine but they’re dirty.
De Weerd: I can't see through yours either. Both of you I remember saying (inaudible).
Corrie: Okay. Here we are at fire.
Anderson: If I had my choice –
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: -- I would leave the opticom.
Bird: Just a second Ron let me get a note pad her to write it down.
De Weerd: Just use your summary sheet.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Obviously the reason being is as new intersections or stoplights are put in, in Meridian’s area they have, ACHD doesn’t fund the equipment. Using the dollar figures anywhere
from about 2,000 to 4,000 per intersection, that would do about three or four intersections that may possibly go in. I think that’s something that’s needed.
De Weerd: Yes.
Anderson: Kenny has trimmed that a lot, because he used to always put 30,000 in there every year. So, he’s being more realistic now about the number of intersections.
De Weerd: Thank you (inaudible).
Anderson: The three new fire fighters, I feel like that’s something as Keith indicated that we had kind of made a promise in the meeting that we did with the rural fire district commissioners.
I also am very concerned about that we don’t
add too much under that personnel column up on there because as the numbers pan out in there there’s roughly a half million dollars in personnel enhancements that all the departments
are asking for. I’m very cognizant of that fact and I guess I would say if we can swing it and we all feel comfortable I would leave the three new fire fighters in there. The reason
being is this would offset considerably the amount of overtime. We would in a sense see a little bit of savings on that three fire fighters from reduced overtime cost that will be incurred
if we don’t hire those three. The fire inspector that would be one position. I know they’ve got it rated pretty high on their priority list but it would be one position that I would
cut at this point just because, again I don’t want to add too much to the personnel. There’s no doubt in my mind that the work is there and it's a justifiable position. I also feel
like too that the fire department is kind of like Will’s office in the sense that they haven't really been full staffed at any of the three years that I’ve been on the Council. They’ve
always been either looking for an assistant chief, in charge of operations of training or they’re replacing a fire marshal or somebody else. This would give them the opportunity to
at least get a year under their belt working full staff and find out just how much they can do. The other thing is I think if you create that position then you naturally, there will
be the tendency by the on duty crews to say well we don’t have to do the inspections because you’ve got a fire inspector to do that. I think it's important to keep them active in that.
When you cut the fire inspector position then it automatically, cuts the last one down there, the office addition because they don’t need that at that point if they’re not going to
hire the fire inspector.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Bird: Thank you.
Anderson: The equipment, the 75,000 there. I think -- I’m trying to find that list.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Do you want my list?
Anderson: I found it here.
De Weerd: I like other miscellaneous. I always love miscellaneous categories.
Bird: Yes, I do too.
De Weerd: They’re my favorite.
Anderson: Other miscellaneous.
De Weerd: We have 21,000 in the miscellaneous category.
Corrie: 21,000 for a (inaudible).
Anderson: I do know that they have a shortage of hose and also if we do approve the purchase of the one fire engine, they’re going to need to buy equipment to put on that.
Bird: This also includes the computer server doesn’t it Ron that they need also in that equipment?
Anderson: Right. That’s in there for 12, 5.
Bird: Do they need the full 75, or could you --
Anderson: That’s what I was thinking that we might be able to cut them down to like 60,000.
Bird: Okay.
De Weerd: Take out the miscellaneous. Yes. Then they can shop and be frugal and whatever they can get by without. The four-wheel drive unit that is for the existing position that
we’re in the process of filling now, the assistant chief slash training officer. I think they have 38,000 listed there. I would think they could probably do fairly well with that 38,000.
I was trying to think. I think they did equip their other deputy chief’s car with an opticom. They probably would need the 38,000 for that vehicle.
Bird: They put a light bar on it Ron.
Anderson: Light bar and radio and opticom.
Bird: Remember they are going full size too this time. They’re not going small one.
Anderson: Yes.
Bird: 38 will cover it?
Anderson: Probably because like I said, on state bid you can buy one of those suburbans for 28, 5. So that gives them about 10 to buy the light bar, the radio, the opticom, the console,
the whatever else they need in that. On the fire engines, we were going to cut that to one and that would be 300,000. Then the fire training props I guess I would probably cut that
down to about 50,000 from the 300,000 which would allow them to build a couple of props and do some planning and get started on the process there.
De Weerd: So, on the fire engine, you would not need additional money to equip it?
Anderson: I think that’s covered under this other equipment.
De Weerd: Okay.
Corrie: (Inaudible).
Anderson: Because they told us that they needed about 30,000 to equip an engine. They’ll have to just tighten the belt and see what they can come up with for that.
De Weerd: Then we want to asterisk the 300,000 right? That would be added to the fire trucks?
Anderson: That would come out of the fire truck fund.
De Weerd: So, Ron we’re at the ten five for the opticom, the 156333 for the fire fighters, 60,000 for the equipment, 38,000 for the vehicle and 300,000 for the fire engine?
Anderson: Yes.
Corrie: We’ve already had money in then for the 300, so that would be part of the fire truck fund that’s already there, right?
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: Right.
Bird: If I added up right their enhancement as Ron stated there would be 314,833.
Anderson: 314833?
Bird: Yes. That’s taking the 300,000 out of the --
Anderson: There shouldn’t be a three at the end of it because nothing starts with a three. There should be a zero at the end –
De Weerd: No, it's 264833.
Bird: How much?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Yes, you’ve got 156333.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Keith.
Bird: What?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: 314?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: That’s good. You guys are right on top of it.
De Weerd: You guys are cool.
Corrie: Can I have a copy of that now?
De Weerd: Yes, I can't see it.
Corrie: Okay.
Anderson: The fire engine, okay you’ve got it out to the side. Okay. All right.
De Weerd: How come I keep getting 264?
Bird: I don’t know Tammy. Are you putting the 156333 in there?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: The computer is never wrong.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Well, lets see what everybody can do.
Bird: Yes.
Anderson: Let’s see what Tammy can do on parks. They’ve got a lot of enhancements.
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: Where am I wrong?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Okay that’s what I don’t have.
Bird: He cut it from 300 to 50.
De Weerd: Oh, okay.
Anderson: That 314, the three is already pulled out of that?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Yes, lets see what (inaudible).
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Oh, I have this in front of me. That 833? (Inaudible). So, park’s enhanced presentation, he did delete down to --
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: He had between 250 to 300,000. Phase one came in at 250,000 so the high end of that would be including 50,000 to get the playground group started in a fund raising activity.
It would only be used for that playground.
Bird: Just a second, what are we talking about?
De Weerd: Phase one of the 56 acres.
Bird: That’s 500,000 and what did he cut it down to?
De Weerd: He had it between 250 to 300. The 250 are strictly for the diagram that he showed you. Do you still have what he gave you in your packets?
Bird: Yes.
Anderson: Yes.
De Weerd: Then the 50,000 would be towards the playground equipment that this playground group is raising for.
Bird: What do you want to put in 300 or 250?
De Weerd: Well, if we could put in 300, and then take a look at things.
Bird: Okay.
De Weerd: We do need to start setting money aside for land acquisition. Not that 100,000 is going to buy us a lot but we do need to start establishing the sinking fund that when something
does come up or when a developer is willing to donate a certain a property and we need to add little bit to it that we have something that we can pull out of. I don’t see that as happening
this year but you never know if it's going to happen or not.
Bird: How much do you want to stick in there?
De Weerd: 100,000.
Bird: 100?
De Weerd: Yes, these two amounts are out of impact fees.
Bird: So, we shouldn’t count them?
De Weerd: Well, --
Bird: Wait a minute now, like the truck fee.
Anderson: She can fund up to 400 -- How much was it 400 and what you had in impact fees?
De Weerd: It’s 400,000.
Anderson: 400 even?
De Weerd: And in this, it says that park impact fees are 522, 529.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Bird: 500,000?
De Weerd: Yes, can I get some of that interest in my account? Now, we had then the Storey Park project. He’s been talking about this for over two years now. Last year was the first
phase of that with the irrigation for –
*** End of Side Ten ***
De Weerd: -- in that number. I hesitate to put a number on it yet because Council approved 60,000 this last year. He said he had money for it and now he’s re-budgeting it. Is it
to be re-budgeted or is to be carried forward?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: So, he was short that much to carry over.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I don’t think Tom really understands like fund carry over, when he carries it over and if he used part of that. I mean, you guys need to explain that to him.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: (Inaudible)
Bird: He can't spend it out of his line item without coming to us.
De Weerd: He did come to us and we did approve it.
Anderson: But, that’s because we asked him the question do you have this in your budget? In reality, he doesn’t have it in his budget if he spent part of it the year before.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: But it's money that we have committed to the Chamber.
Anderson: I think for clarification purposes in the future what we need to do is it's an enhancement if they never start a project it should be considered an enhancement. It would
be a carry over if they actually start to expend funds for that particular project. Then they would have to fill out the paperwork and make that a carry over.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: Yes, there has to be money expended out of that to make that a carry over. That indicates they’ve started that project. If they never started the project, then they might
as well start it from scratch and it's an enhancement again for the next year.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: I thought in our audit that like if we started a contract in August for 100,000. We signed the contract there we had it in the budget for that fiscal year. I thought according
to Balukoff and them that that money didn’t have to be -- that money didn’t have to be accounted for until that contract was done regardless if it
went for a year or where it went. I mean, it's in that fiscal year budget. Am I not right on that Reta? Did I misunderstand him?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Bird: Yes, but that’s out of that fiscal year. He don’t bring it forward or you don’t show it on the next year’s budget because it was out of the -- you’ve got a contract and you maybe
paid out of that 100,000 20,000 for a months draw. That’s the way I understood it when I talked to Balukoff.
Corrie: You’ve still got to add it into your budget because it wouldn’t be there.
Bird: No, it's in your budget that year and you’ve got a contract that takes care of all that.
Corrie: But you’ve got to back it off though.
Bird: I must have misunderstood Balukoff when they did that and we were talking about it.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: Because that’s how long it took the project --
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: Unfortunately in the Parks Department because of the seasons that’s generally how the parks budget works quite similar to some of the enterprise departments. One thing that
this Council has committed to is that 60,000 and 80,000 I think for Bear Creek. Our accounting staff says those funds were available. I think he’ll spend the Bear Creek money this
year. He anticipates it. It's just that 60,000. Do I just make the Storey Park 120 or do I add the 60,000 to it to make it 180? In that park, we can't use impact fees because it's
an existing park.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Bird: What do you want to put in there?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: I wasn’t there. At the workshop he asked for money?
Anderson: Yes.
De Weerd: For what? For Bear Creek?
Bird: We didn’t approve it. We couldn’t approve it.
De Weerd: 63,000 more?
Bird: No, 3500.
De Weerd: Oh, yes 3500. He said that was within the budget.
Bird: That’s what he told us.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Bird: No wait a minute. Yes.
De Weerd: The 3500? No, I asked specifically is that part of the 100,000 that was budgeted or the 80,000 that we additionally gave you? He said it's within budget. So, I assume it's
within that 100,000 and he’s not taking it out of the pathway. The 80,000 came out of the pathway but that 350 or 3,500 that came out of his 100,000. Yes. That’s how I specifically
asked it but I’m not going to depend on my memory after last night’s fiasco.
Bird: How much do you want to put in there?
De Weerd: If it can be carried forward, I would like it to be carried forward.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: Yes. What 63?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: Oh, (inaudible) for carry forward on Bear Creek?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: He can work that out with you guys. I don’t see it on here. If he wants it added he needs to come and talk to you guys and then you guys will tell us. If you guys want to
approve it then I’m okay with that. But, I’m more concerned with the 60,000 that we committed this year. I would like to see that carry forward. Then we budget the 120,000 for the
Storey Park playground slash whatever.
Bird: What do you want to write down here?
De Weerd: 120,000.
Bird: Okay.
Anderson: Just for the playground?
De Weerd: For the playground. He’s taking that lower road out, not the restroom, chamber expansion but the parking and playground.
Bird: It's just below it. 60,000 for the Chamber is right below it.
De Weerd: I know. That’s carry forward.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: We okayed it this year out of -- he came to Council with it.
Bird: We okayed it for this year.
De Weerd: Yes, but Nampa Meridian delayed the Chamber and the Chamber is going through P&Z in August. They still think they might start on it before October. So, you know it's hard
to say Keith but we committed this year. I would like to keep it in this year’s commitment.
Bird: I have no problem but I’m not going to add it in as an enhancement this year and then get it out this year and give the department an extra 60,000.
De Weerd: I’m not asking for an enhancement this year.
Bird: Okay.
De Weerd: It’s just a carry forward. If some of it is taken -- whatever is not taken before the end of the budget year will be carried forward.
Bird: Okay.
Anderson: I thought that Chamber restroom, our part of it was 25,000.
De Weerd: No.
Bird: It was 60 Ron.
De Weerd: Yes.
Anderson: It's a nice bathroom.
De Weerd: Well, it's got to be ADA, right now we’re not ADA compliant with the bathrooms.
Bird: It's got to be (inaudible).
De Weerd: They’re adding more.
Bird: Holy cow, man you know what the bathroom is like when we tried to get you in there and get you watered down on your fire.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Yes.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: We tried to (inaudible).
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: We’d get water on him and gees you could hardly get in the thing. One thing about that bathroom, you don’t have to worry about any (inaudible).
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Okay. Skate Park, I really hesitate on that one because when we were approached last year he said anything over and above what we gave him would be fund raising.
Bird: I’m not for giving it a penny.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: I’m not for giving a penny.
De Weerd: No.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: That was a statement that he sat right here and told us.
De Weerd: That’s the statement he gave us.
Corrie: The kids will do it.
Anderson: We seem to have a recurring problem with Tom or whoever his architect is that every project, when we get an estimate then they all seem to come in over budget. Whether he’s
adding stuff to those afterwards or what but he needs to realize that when he gives us a number that he has to stay within a budget. I feel like we gave them a fair number of what they
presented to us and if they have to cut some of the amenities, cut the size, or raise private donations, then they need to meet the budget.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: I agree with you Ron.
De Weerd: I don’t feel that the 20,000 is justified. That’s just on the discussions that we had with him yesterday.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: He wanted to reduce his --
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Yes.
Anderson: That’s what he asked on that.
De Weerd: The large mower, I would support that and not support a half, a part time grounds maintenance additional person. I do think that we do need the mower and that can help.
It's kind of again, like the fire inspector position and Will’s position. You know let’s see how we are when we get this equipment that is supposed to save time. We don’t have extra
ground yet. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Bird: Amen.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: How about the –
De Weerd: I’m so anxious to see it.
Bird: How about the seasonal recreational aide?
Anderson: She said take that out.
Bird: She said grounds keeper.
Anderson: No, recreation.
De Weerd: No.
Bird: I’m for taking that out too.
De Weerd: Well, the recreational aide, if you have taken a look at how she has grown and the anticipation for next year. I think it's justified and he did say yesterday among any of
those that is one of their highest priorities. So, I’ll leave it for your discussion but after reading the material she gave us and just seeing the huge increase in the adult programs
this year. That does take a lot of time to run.
Bird: You’re right.
De Weerd: She’s being conservative. She’s reducing the amount of revenues versus expenses for next year. I think it's a good investment at this point. We’ll see how it goes next
year.
Anderson: If you look at the cost of that 6,000 is (inaudible).
Bird: It’ll pay for itself. If she does it it’ll pay for itself.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Bird: What about the project design services, 35,000?
De Weerd: I know he had the survey in the budget last year and we wanted him at that time to get this master plan through the process and approved. We still haven't gotten to that
point but if we’re going into Strategic Planning and the five-year long-term capitol, you know this survey might be beneficial to setting some direction.
Bird: I thought he had it started and then have we paid for it?
De Weerd: No. The master plan is almost done.
Bird: And it's been paid for?
De Weerd: Yes. This is a survey for –
Bird: Rec center?
De Weerd: -- community center and recreation program.
Anderson: (Inaudible) it says a project design survey.
Bird: Yes.
Anderson: I mean that leads me to believe that he’s designing a project, not getting consulting (inaudible).
De Weerd: There were a couple of things. If you look at his request it also, he was approached this year by a veteran’s group. They did some work in Storey Park for a memorial area.
They believe they can get it in kind. I think the survey itself was 25,000. The commission didn’t have it ranked real high. He didn’t rank it; it's down there towards the bottom
of his list.
Anderson: Community center assessment, 25,000. I personally don’t think that we ought to pay to have an assessment done for that. I mean, I think that would be $25,000.00 that he
could spend towards a project.
Bird: Playground equipment.
Anderson: It's to me a no-brainer that the community wants a center. It's a matter of when we can afford a center. I mean, there’s not even a question in my mind that there would
be a high percentage of people in this community says we want one. It's just how do we pay for it.
De Weerd: And how do you define it? That’s what a lot of it was. If you support such a facility, what do you want to see in it because I know a number of years ago when the Mayor
had his adhock committee everyone in that room had a different idea of what it should be. That’s kind of, what the survey was trying to assess, not only for the community center but
for other design aspects in the parks. What kind of amenities does the community want to see? If they want to escalate that process, would they be willing to support it through a bond
effort or through various different financing options? Or a serial levy like what they’ve done with the greenbelt and the foothills. It was more of a very comprehensive and un-challengable
type of approach to gauge what do people want and not just in a community center but in the park system and in the recreational offerings. It was more comprehensive than just focusing
on the community center. As we say in the Mayor’s committee people had different ideas. How do you start pooling it all to know what people want? That’s what was even suggested to
Council and none of us were on there at the time. That’s a recommendation that his committee finally brought to Council is that’s what we need to do.
Anderson: I understand that. The problem I have with doing that at this point before you’re ready to build it is the players will change, people will change. If you would have come
ten years ago into this community and you wanted to build a park, a Skate Park wouldn’t have even been an option because people didn’t in line skate and skating wasn’t that big a thing.
Until we’re ready to build it -- I agree when you get ready to build it then you ought to get a committee together.
You ought to do a survey, okay what do you want in it? At this point, I feel like we would just be wasting that money because we don’t have the money to build a community center at
this point. I do agree that it would be nice to have some expertise to explore some funding avenues for that but I think you could do that without all the citizen involvement. Just
get some expertise on financing and what your options are there to look at that. I don’t think that would take 25,000 dollars in consulting to do.
Bird: I think also that personally I would like to see us, one year instead of worrying about having a bunch of consulting fees and stuff through the parks, lets get out and finish
what we’ve already got planned. Take care of, throw the money at that, and let’s show some progress in a fiscal year of what we’ve done. I know you believe in that just as much as
I do. I mean, we can sit here and plan and have surveys and have survey and throw money at it. He’s got 35,000 for project design services. That 35,000 would go a long ways to putting
in playground equipment, putting in a soccer field or putting in a lot of stuff that I think -- what I’m hearing from the public out there is they want to see the finished product right
now. We’re so far behind in parks Tammy as you know as much as I do that it's not funny. They want to see the finished product that they can go and enjoy.
De Weerd: We all would like to see the finished product Keith.
Bird: Anyway, what do you want on that 35,000?
De Weerd: Mayor, do you have anything to add?
Corrie: I didn’t say anything at all.
De Weerd: Okay.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Bird: Softball equipment trailer.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: He took the trailer out? Okay.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: Zero.
Bird: Zero.
De Weerd: I feel strongly about asphalting the shop yard. Again, it's a commitment that our City is trying to advocate paving graveled areas for air mitigation reasons. If we’re not
going to do it ourselves, how can we be asking other people to do it? I would suggest the 10,000 that he has listed there. The Bear Creek softball bleachers, I do not support. I think
that Bear Creek has accelerated far above and beyond what we even talked about last budget year. I know the developer is doing a lot of it at a reduced cost for labor and stuff but
they can sit in their own chairs and watch the games out there.
Anderson: I had a question on that asphalt Tammy.
Bird: What about the sweeper attachments?
Anderson: I mean, they’re in the old water yard down here right? There are no plans in the next five years to move them anywhere else? They’re happy there? They’ve got plenty of
room? I mean I don’t want to money asphalting and then have him come in next year, oh we’ve got to go to a bigger shop.
De Weerd: No. I haven't -- I think they belong there until we have a City Hall and even at that point, --
Bird: You’ll still need the shop.
De Weerd: -- we’ll need the shop.
Bird: All you will move is your administration into City Hall.
De Weerd: I mean, I haven't heard anything unless he has been talking with the Mayor about it.
Anderson: Will this asphalt everything there? Is there still going to be some gravel? I know a lot of times, on like parks office they want some gravel so if they have to bring in
some trees form a nursery or something that they’re going to plant in the next week, they can set them on gravel instead of asphalt where it just bakes the trees and the plants and that
kind of stuff. I don’t know if they --
De Weerd: I don’t know. I can't answer if it's total asphalt or not. It seems to me I remember he did want to ask for all of it because he was afraid he would get turned if he’s trying
to do half of it. In the sheet that he turned in it just says asphalt a portion of the shop yard so I don’t know.
Anderson: That might just be something that you talk to him about in your meetings and recommend that he maybe leave a little bit of area for storing plants or something.
De Weerd: It sounds like it is. It's a partial job.
Bird: How many square feet? What is (inaudible)?
De Weerd: Did he give you any detail on it?
Bird: How many square feet or anything?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: Can we just highlight it and you know get a little bit more detail to see if Elroy has any more information on it?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: He’s so efficient but maybe you know we can have that information after lunch. Okay. Thanks Janice.
Corrie: What about that sweeper attachment?
Bird: Yes, what about that sweeper attachment?
De Weerd: I think we’re over attached in parks. We just bought a whole bunch of attachments to a big piece of equipment. I think he’s got a real nice set up over there. I don’t know
too much about (inaudible).
Bird: We’re one of the top construction companies in the world.
De Weerd: I wouldn’t support it but if you guys want to.
Bird: No.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: So, I guess the 10,851 is out. The 35,000 is out. The 1500 is out and the 3500 is out. He as asking for one computer I think. He gave us a handout didn’t he?
Bird: I don’t know.
De Weerd: Both of them?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Bird: Yes, he had two.
De Weerd: I don’t know about the computer.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: And what?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: And one computer and a mower.
Bird: He took them out.
De Weerd: He took out one computer and he took out the vehicle. He wanted the mower and the computer. I think we’re giving him the big mower.
Bird: I don’t think we need to give him another mower.
De Weerd: Maybe John Shawcroft will give him his mower.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
De Weerd: Oh.
Corrie: They’re not very forgiving back there.
Bird: Well, I’ll tell you one thing before we get to that and we go through that. The parks department buys the equipment to maintain all our yards. That includes Public Works. I
don’t care whether --
De Weerd: Well, then you give them another area to maintain Keith.
Bird: I’ve given them another area to maintain before we’ll give them a $58,000.00 mower.
De Weerd: Well, they can't (inaudible).
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: That’s what the Parks Department does. Go see what Boise does and Nampa does.
De Weerd: Okay. Then give them that extra person then.
Bird: What, seasonal ground maintenance?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I think we may have that formula they were still based on (inaudible). Part of that was park impact fees.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Have you got that totaled yet?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members
Bird: Have you got the total?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: No.
Bird: No leave it out.
De Weerd: Only if Keith makes parks take care of the wastewater treatment plant.
Bird: Then we can –
De Weerd: Then he should get it.
Bird: Then they can pay for it.
De Weerd: Then Wastewater can pay for it?
Bird: Pay for their maintenance guy.
Corrie: It's easier to do that (inaudible).
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: Enterprise fund has more money. We’ll get them to buy the big mower.
Bird: No, we get them to pay for the seasonal person and have them take care of it. Why do we have -- every department has their own maintenance people, lawn maintenance.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: You want another jog to do on your nights off?
Berg: No I didn’t.
Corrie: (Inaudible).
Bird: Okay, so his enhancement without the carry over and the impact fees is 193983?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: So, we’re at 120, 58,000 5983 and 10,000. Then the other expenditures are out of the park impact fees. At 300,000 and 100,000. Is everyone okay with that?
Bird: I think it's great.
Anderson: On the chart up here, what is the 193,000 represent?
Bird: All the enhancements?
Anderson: That’s the ones that are left in the column there?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: Those are the ones that would come out of the –
Bird: Enhancements.
Anderson: -- 1.1?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Corrie: So, we’re 158,000 plus over right now.
Anderson: Did you adjust that to 1.1 from the 1.5 original?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: So, it needs to be adjusted down?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: So you need to take the park impact fees out of that 1.5 because those aren’t available. Okay. Now that looks more like it.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Okay.
De Weerd: 558,000?
Bird: That’s all we’re under.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Should we go through the police or go through the administration first?
Anderson: Let’s eat lunch before we do anything else.
De Weerd: Okay.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: Can we just pause while we eat?
Bird: Yes.
Anderson: Is that okay?
Bird: Are you going to allow us to do that?
RECONVENE AT 12:36 P.M.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Bird: That has what?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Bird: How many square feet?
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Anderson: You said they asphalted the front (inaudible) and they need to replace it.
De Weerd: No.
Bird: No. That’s been there since we bought it.
De Weerd: They asked for 20,000 last year to do all of it.
Bird: We left it in there.
De Weerd: Thanks Janice.
Bird: Thank you. Okay, start with the police. Number one item, is the new police station.
Anderson: A new police station?
Bird: That’s the equipment and stuff. What is the 27,255 in operating? Is that the phone system and computer wiring and stuff?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: What is the what?
Bird: 27,000.
(Inaudible discussion from staff members)
Kilchenmann: Extra space, electricity, gas, moving expense and transfer and set up (inaudible). The increase of the janitorial is 16,000. The electricity is 3,500, gas 2,000, moving
expense 4,000, and the (inaudible) transfer 1,600.
Bird: Let me ask you a question. On that janitorial is the 16 based on a 12 month?
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Bird: They won’t probably be in it over two months in the next fiscal year because if we get in by September 1st we’ll be pretty fortunate.
Kilchenmann: And this is in addition to what they currently have, that they currently pay for janitorial.
Bird: But what I’m saying is that they’re adding for a year and they’re actually going to have to be spending only for two months additional. If you take that if I’m calculating right,
that’s about 1,300 a month more.
Kilchenmann: So they would only need 2,600?
Bird: So they would only need 2,600 there. Is that right somebody with a computer.
Corrie: Well yes if it’s only 1,300 (inaudible).
Bird: That’s 16. The moving I think is legitimate at four.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: So it’s about 2,700 for two months of janitorial.
Bird: Yes 2,600.
De Weerd: Well 26 and 92.5.
Bird: 1,300 divided by 12 isn’t’ that 1,300? 16,000 divided by 12.
De Weerd: 1,600 times 12.
Bird: 16,000.
De Weerd: Is (inaudible).
Bird: No, 1,300 times 12.
De Weerd: 1,300 times 12 if 1,560.
Bird: So you’re right, 2,700. 4,000 –
De Weerd: Now electricity and gas.
Bird: Electricity and gas (inaudible).
De Weerd: They’re figuring –
Anderson: -- you can call Idaho Power and Intermountain Gas. We did that with new building (inaudible) and gave them the square footage and then did a formula that they went through
and it can tell you pretty close what to budget for.
Bird: And they budgeted so much but see you’re only using a sixth of what they’re budgeting. You’re only going to be in two months out of the fiscal year I believe. I believe if we’re
in there by September 1, 2002 we’ll be very fortunate. You’re just going to start breaking ground (Inaudible) in the middle of August.
De Weerd: So you’re only there one month if you move in –
Bird: -- that’s right Tammy you’re right so it would only be 13. That’s right you only have one month.
Anderson: Do we know the bill time yet is it six months?
Bird: No it’s the Kreizenbeck (inaudible) about a year. So, if they start in August given a good year I mean why push it? Why not get a quality job with (inaudible) pushing it?
Anderson: I agree but I’m just trying to give us two or three months flexibility either direction.
Bird: It might not go ahead.
Kilchenmann: The police actually did this only for four months. These represent four months.
Bird: Now wait a minute we’re going to pay 4,000 more a month? What are they paying now a month for janitorial? 1,000 a month and now we’re going to be paying 5,000 and we gained
less than 20,000 square feet?
De Weerd: 4,000 a month.
Bird: No, if they figured 16,000 for four months that’s 4,000 a month. They’re paying 1,000 now so that’s 5,000 dollars that they plan on paying a month for janitorial. They’ve got
1100 square feet right now and they’re moving into a 30,000 square foot. We are going to pay four times more when we’re not getting over 20,000 more square feet? That doesn’t make
sense.
Kilchenmann: He did tell us that the contract he had now is going to go up, increase substantially.
Bird: I thought the police was under the same contract that everybody else was. When did that come about? When did we change that?
Corrie: That was quite awhile back because of the security that we had (inaudible) couldn’t (inaudible). They were under a different and so is Public Work’s is that correct?
Kilchenmann: Public Work’s is part of their building.
Bird: What?
Corrie: It’s part of their building now but they weren’t.
Bird: Stacy that’s another case to get back in and get everybody under the same maintenance contractor or something where you have a little pull or – somebody can give you a lot better
deal if they’re doing 50,000 square feet than if they’re doing 10,000 square feet.
Kilchenmann: I think Will tried to do that didn’t you Will?
Berg: We have them under one.
Bird: I thought we – when I first came on Council I thought we did.
Berg: We originally did and then the police switched over to their previous one.
De Weerd: Because?
Corrie: The others weren’t doing the job for one reason and the other one they couldn’t’ – two of them couldn’t’ past security in the Police Department.
De Weerd: They weren’t doing the job but they’re doing it over here?
Corrie: Well not necessarily.
Berg: Everybody else is under this janitorial service. When the Public Work’s and Building Department moved that was in their agreement.
Bird: That was in part of their Lease Agreement –
Berg: -- that portion was deducted. Then the Water Department added on and added more offices so there is a little (inaudible).
Bird: But they’re all under the same group.
Berg: The two ladies yes.
De Weerd: What do we pay a month? Why does it turn out that we pay under our contract per square foot and what does the police pay for square foot?
Bird: How much do we pay Will?
Berg: I’m not sure because see the other thing that it’s based on is how many times you clean. City Hall’s cleaned every day, Water Departments cleaned twice a week, Wastewater twice
a week, Park’s is twice?
Cunningham: Two or three times I don’t know.
Bird: That’s the –
Berg: See it varies.
Bird: I think we need to get it back under one contract when they’re all done regardless of who it is.
Kilchenmann: Should we put for now just put 4,000 in there and that would give them an extra thousand a month for those four months? That would double it.
Anderson: (Inaudible) cleaned once a week and about 200 a month.
De Weerd: 200 a month?
Bird: And how much square foot are you responsible for?
Anderson: (Inaudible) square foot.
Corrie: That’s less than what I pay for the house.
Bird: Yes but a house is a lot harder to clean.
Corrie: Not mine because I’m not there neither is my wife.
Bird: Yes but you’ve got more knacks and cronies and more dusting down.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Yes I’m sure you Mayor wouldn’t – you and Jerry wouldn’t accept commercial (inaudible).
De Weerd: Well and you’re kind of partial to your cleaning.
Corrie: To what?
De Weerd: (Inaudible) cleaning.
Corrie: Partial to my cleaning.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Eyelets is a fixed cost.
Bird: Let’s just take the 396478. I can’t –
De Weerd: Now how about that 218?
Bird: Which 218?
De Weerd: The 218853.
Bird: where are you looking at I’m looking at the overall. Do you want to go back to the Police – what page (inaudible)?
De Weerd: I’m on Department request Number 3. I prioritized it just for you. I just went to their request Number (inaudible). That was that amount that we thought was coming out
this year wasn’t it?
Bird: 218?
De Weerd: Yes.
Corrie: Where are you seeing this.
Bird: New building cost associated with cost variance. That doesn’t go in there at all does it?
De Weerd: It’s that – can you explain that one?
Kilchenmann: That is the amount that the building will go over to the 3.5 million. If you took the amount that you set aside and did the bond for this is the amount that would be in
addition to that. you wouldn’t have to budget.
De Weerd: I thought they told us they were within budget. I guess –
Bird: -- they don’t have an idea.
De Weerd: -- they are within budget if they budgeted it this year.
Cunningham: Yes that’s right.
Bird: No, they don’t know until the bids come in July 26th. I would question that 218.
Anderson: I asked him about that yesterday if you remember and he said that Kreizenbeck was now telling them that that was considerably less. It was down to 28,000 and he said but
we don’t know where they’re getting that number. They were using the number of 3,777,000 and that’s where they were coming up with that variance or the difference between the 3.5 million
that we had budgeted and – 3.7.
De Weerd: Where did they get the idea to have 3.7?
Anderson: Because of what that difference showed from Kreizenbeck. On the second page, right here. This one right here. This projection cost sheet. Now Kreizenbeck has revised this
down to the total variance of 21,000 now. If the variance is 21,000 now instead of 218 then there’s a big chunk of savings there.
Bird: I think we ought to knock that enhancement down to about a – at least take 200,000 out of that for right now. The 26th after the bids are in – well not even – it will probably
be the 1st of August. You’ll have a good idea of what the cost is going to be.
Kilchenmann: They did say they have a contingency plan. He didn’t approve that but there (inaudible) that they can leave unfinished.
Bird: That they can what?
Kilchenmann: Leave unfinished.
Bird: I think there's quite a few rooms they could leave unfinished, I mean unfurnished. Not unfinished.
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Bird: This bid is core and shell finished.
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Bird: They need the telephone system.
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Bird: I think that maybe they’re going to have to use some of the furniture and computers that they think are outdated. They’re going to have to move them I think. That’s my personal
opinion. I don’t believe that we’re going to have to do that. What do you want to knock that first one down to?
De Weerd: Well, so you have 27255 in operating costs request. So you want to –
Bird: Tammy we know that isn't right.
De Weerd: I know but we need to adjust that, right?
*** End of Side Eleven ***
Bird: Chief knocked it down to 196 (inaudible).
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: Mayor, you’ve worked on this budget so jump in here and if you see something that is a real heartache. I know I talked with Bill last night. I know what his number one priority
is excluding the police station.
De Weerd: What?
Bird: He needs vehicles.
Corrie: I think probably 196478 would probably be a pretty close figure. Until we actually know what they’re doing, we won't know. I think if you put that in there you’re going to
be (inaudible).
De Weerd: So, if you put 1965 for capitol and 12,000 for operating?
Bird: No, no that’s total.
Corrie: That’s total, 1965.
Bird: 1965 is total period in that column.
De Weerd: But you need to add to operating somewhere.
Bird: Put ten in for operating and 185 for one-time expenditures.
De Weerd: 1865?
Corrie: Why don’t you just round it off to 200,000?
Bird: What?
Corrie: Round it off to 200,00.
Bird: 200,000 that’s fine.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Anderson: 10,000 in operating and 190 in one time?
Bird: Yes one time. Okay, the two new civilian personnel, that was their number two priority. Mayor can you enlighten us on that?
Corrie: I have a list of (inaudible).
De Weerd: I think they need to evidence lab.
Bird: It was –
Corrie: I think your two civilian personnel is going to open up some police officers for doing that job for a heck of a lot less than (inaudible).
Bird: Okay.
Anderson: Well, but it was, a detective is who he said is doing the evidence now about half time. He said it's going to clear up a detective and not a patrol officer.
Bird: No, but they need to, as I understand --.
De Weerd: They need the detective. What was the other position for? Oh, community policing post.
Bird: Community policing, which is basically relieving a detective too because right now we’ve got an SRO office, isn't that right Mayor that does it?
Corrie: Yes.
Bird: We will be --. So that would free an SRO.
Corrie: See, you’re paying 54,000 but you have two officers you’re probably paying 120 for what they’re doing.
Bird: Yes.
Corrie: That actually will free up one full time police officer.
Bird: So, you feel this is a --?
Corrie: Yes and I think they’ve got it at a high place there. They’ve even got it higher than four new officers.
Bird: Well, yes.
Anderson: But are these people fully benefited employees?
Bird: They’re part time so they would not be.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: Stacy, at 19 and a half part time how much benefits do we have to pay if any?
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: Half hours a week. Janice?
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: Part time employee, under 20 hours a week, how much in benefits do we have to pay?
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: FICA is all? Okay.
Anderson: But if they work them more than how many hours than they --.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: But, the thing is they’re going to work --. Ron has got a very good point there that I can see, especially the guy in the evidence room, except they also explained to us Ron that
they’ve got a record gal in there that does a lot of that work. Let me ask you a question. Does this under 20 hours have to be a 40-hour week, or can it be in a month?
J. Smith: 40 hour week. But they do have (inaudible).
Bird: So, if we work somebody 24 hours one week and then only worked him 15 hours the next week, would that four hours have to pay benefits?
J. Smith: They look at, they look at each month, but it is per week. So, if they see that one month when you’ve got one in there or even if you have two weeks in there over the 19 and
a half, they’re going to watch that. They look at it for five months. If you drop back down, you’re okay.
Bird: Mayor do you think this person is going to be able to take care of that evidence in 19 and a half with the help of that record clerk?
Corrie: (inaudible).
Bird: How about the community policing officer?
Corrie: At this point, yes.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
De Weerd: There’s no reason --.
Anderson: I’m just concerned because I have a part time person like that that’s 19 hours. If the secretary takes off and I have her fill in for a day. Then if I do that for five pay
periods in a row, then I’ve got a problem. Then she becomes a benefit. You’ve got to be real careful about that if they’re going to use these part time people when somebody else takes
off. I know the police department has a lot of overtime.
De Weerd: But, they do that, in code enforcement. So, they’re already --.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: And they do watch and make sure that they don’t go over?
J. Smith: Yes.
Bird: Because I’ve got a real concern like Ron does.
J. Smith: In the past (inaudible).
Bird: Don’t get me wrong, I have no --. If they have to work in 22 hours I have no problem with it but we’ve got to consider the benefits. In the City of Meridian our benefits is a
pretty good sized chunk of costs.
De Weerd: Yes.
Corrie: They keep a pretty good watch. Like you said they have a five-month work window there as well.
Bird: Okay.
Corrie: (inaudible) they’d let me know and we’d let the department (inaudible) let them know that we’ve got to cut back (inaudible).
Bird: Okay. I just don’t want to under-enhance it and I don’t want to get ourselves in trouble.
Corrie: I think that they can --. If they start the two civilian personnel then they can watch it. Like I say in our department head meetings they can keep pretty close tab on it.
They say look be careful you’re coming across and they back him off.
Bird: Okay.
Corrie: I think you’re (inaudible) is probably well done.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: Okay.
Kilchenmann: Remember that bottom line number, the 361,000. All the replacements are still in for all the departments. That would include all the police vehicles and all the other things
--.
De Weerd: Oh, you’ve included the replacements in that?
Kilchenmann: Right we haven't gone through those yet.
De Weerd: We haven't included any of them.
Bird: No.
Kilchenmann: Do you want to go back to the --?
Bird: Explain that again to us Stacy. I couldn’t hardly hear you.
Kilchenmann: The replacements are still in there. As you’re going through and trying to balance that bottom line number, you still have all the replacements in there. So, all the police
vehicles are still in there.
Corrie: How much is that replacement?
De Weerd: 202.
Kilchenmann: For the police it's 200,000.
Corrie: 200,000?
Anderson: 201,000.
Kilchenmann: 201.
Bird: Now with the civilian personnel, that is just strictly --. There is no vehicle in that because on the two new (inaudible) then also down there we’ve got the four new officers
plus vehicles.
De Weerd: That’s additional. Plus one vehicle, not plus vehicles. It's just one.
Bird: Okay we leave the 54357 in?
De Weerd: So, we’re over 361 at this point?
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Anderson: And all the replacements were included in the original stuff?
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Anderson: Okay.
De Weerd: That didn’t include the truck fund or the park impact fees right?
Bird: That’s all been taken out.
De Weerd: I know --. But we haven't spent $1.1 million yet.
Bird: No, we haven't as long as you leave that on.
Cunningham: Enhancement right now as they stand is 1.2, down there at the bottom right there, 1.228. The replacements is 223,000. Also subtracted out of that is four percent for a merit
increases 54,400.
De Weerd: Oh, I thought the recommendation was three percent.
Kilchenmann: Yes, we just heard that base, so we just put the optimistic four percent in there.
Anderson: So, you were hoping?
De Weerd: You’re definitely worth four percent but this budget is already difficult enough.
Bird: I would second that but in the same token you’ve got to look at what our cost of living increase is this year. It wasn’t, with the COLA and your merit increases is double what
the cost of living if we go to the four percent. We have got, when we only get three percent in here total on our budget --. Don’t get me wrong, I would like to give you ten percent
but --.
Kilchenmann: So we can move that --?
Anderson: The thing that you’ve got to look at is it's not a three percent raise, it's a six percent raise. It's three percent COLA and three percent merit. If you’re doing your job
and get a satisfactory performance appraisal, it's a six percent raise.
Bird: We know that. But I said we only get a three percent with our budget.
Anderson: Right.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: So, anyway, that don’t get to come out of the general fund Mayor.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Kilchenmann: Okay, there you go.
Bird: Okay, we’ve got that 54? Okay. The two new invested vehicles.
Anderson: I think we could leave those but I think we ought to knock it down to 40,000 instead of 45. The 5,000 in operating costs, to me you’re going to go our and buy two brand new
vehicles, if you think you’re going to spend 25000 on each of those the first year, just maintaining them, I don’t think you would spend that much.
Bird: I don’t think you got a very good buy then if you did. I’m with you Ron. I’d knock it down to 40. Agree Mayor?
Corrie: Where are we at now?
Bird: On the two new vehicles. We know they need them.
Anderson: For the investigators.
Corrie: Oh, yes 40 is fine. They’ll get by with it.
Bird: Okay, now –
Anderson: Lets let Reta catch up.
Kilchenmann: (inaudible)
Corrie: Reta, you need to print out the –
Bird: the 45,000.
Corrie: --two new investigative vehicles that’s 40.
Anderson: 40.
Bird: And take out of the operating take the 5,000 out of it.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Anderson: Just make it 40 and we’re taking the 5,000 out of the operating.
Cunningham: So, you’re giving them the vehicles?
Anderson: Yes.
Cunningham: But not any extra maintenance (inaudible).
De Weerd: No that should already be in there.
Anderson: I think they can cover the fuel in their normal operating. That also included tires and maintenance. That’s $25,00.00 per vehicle. Their brand new vehicles, they shouldn’t
need $2500.00. What are they spending on fuel a year on a vehicle?
Cunningham: Well they actually figure, it depends on whether it's patrol (inaudible).
Corrie: Is that 5,000, is that radios (inaudible)?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: It wasn’t for them was it?
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: No it was for --.
Kilchenmann: They’re putting –
Bird: It's replacing.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Kilchenmann: 1200 a vehicle per year.
De Weerd: No it's not a replacement. These are two additional ones.
Anderson: A year?
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Corrie: Yes but that’s for the investigation.
Anderson: Are these additional or replacements?
Kilchenmann: Additional.
Anderson: Did we hire two additional people? What are they driving now?
Cunningham: No, these are for their detectives. They said they were short two vehicles.
Anderson: They must be driving something now.
De Weerd: This is for their elementary school SRO and their PAL person.
Bird: Wait a minute. PAL? How much do they --?
De Weerd: They don’t (inaudible).
Bird: The only time I’ve ever seen other than meetings Tammy you can go down to the soccer field and stuff, those officers take a police car out there and get paid to go out.
Corrie: Yes, two investigative vehicles will give them --. What they are using now, if I understand this correctly, they’re using a patrol car for their SROs, investigation. So, they
will have two new vehicles for the investigators or detectives and they will be --. Are they using those old blue ones now?
Kilchenmann: If you go to the section right before the pink sheet, --
Corrie: Yes?
Kilchenmann: -- there's a vehicle list and a staff list.
Bird: Okay.
De Weerd: So, how do we --? Oh there we go, patrol.
Bird: Here’s the investigative.
De Weerd: That’s one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven (inaudible).
Cunningham: Keith the criminal drug and resource officers are investigative officers. Also special services are considered investigation.
De Weerd: So, you include, when you count you include the crime prevention and then all of the investigative right? So, they have 12 vehicles and how many people?
Anderson: In which division are you talking about?
Bird: Investigative.
Cunningham: 14.
De Weerd: They have 14 investigative positions? And 12 vehicles?
(inaudible discussion from staff)
De Weerd: Do they all need their own vehicles?
Cunningham: We asked that. That’s what they said.
Corrie: They all do different things.
De Weerd: But do they all work at the same time?
Bird: No.
Corrie: Most of your detectives are during the day. They can do some at night but unless it's a stake out and other than that. It looks to be like they’re going to try to replace that
Chrysler. No, it doesn’t show it. It was donated.
De Weerd: They want to replace number eight, 22 and 29.
Cunningham: These two enhancements here are in addition.
Bird: I was going to say, these replacements are in a different --. This is not part of this deal right here. These additions, elementary resource officer, 20, a Pal, a Canine and a
Patrol. That’s in the enhancements. But I mean, eight has got two of them, or canine’s got one and eight’s got one. Mayor, I really question a new car for PAL.
Corrie: No, it's not for, just for PAL, I guess. I can't answer for them.
De Weerd: That’s all they had on –
Bird: That’s all they have on the report.
De Weerd: That’s where I got that.
Anderson: Vehicle for the (inaudible) and vehicle for the ESRO.
Bird: The elementary resource officer and a PAL officer.
De Weerd: I mean, I’m supportive of PAL but –
Corrie: Matt Miller is the one that does all that.
Kilchenmann: She’s going to call and find out for sure.
Corrie: He’s a detective too. Okay.
Kilchenmann: She’s going to call.
Bird: I’m supportive of PAL but not the (inaudible) for a vehicle.
De Weerd: I know.
Bird: You’ve been involved with the PAL.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: Did we have an officer assigned to us that was there at all the activities and all the games and everything?
De Weerd: No.
Corrie: They’re not assigned to a game and stuff like that.
De Weerd: I see them when they come for pictures. I have seen them down at the office. Ray Chackow and Matt Miller every time I’ve been at the PAL office (inaudible).
Anderson: While she’s calling and getting that clarified can we jump down there –
Bird: Yes.
Anderson: -- to that bottom number, the four new officers? That one they put as their eighth priority. It wasn’t a very high priority for them and they felt like their main goal was
getting the station done. I would think if we’re going to hire these other two civilian people to help free up some additional time that we could cut the four officers this year.
Bird: Okay, Ron I think Chief would agree with that but again it goes back to the fact that he felt he needed a new patrol vehicle.
Corrie: How about a canine vehicle?
Bird: That comes with the canine. He’s not for cutting the canine.
Anderson: He’s saying if you hire four new officers he needs a vehicle. But if you go back to the replacements, he’s got new vehicles in there already.
Bird: Yes but those are not in the budget any place.
Kilchenmann: Yes they are.
Anderson: Yes they are. That’s what they were telling us. That’s already included in the base budget number that we have for them.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Anderson: The replacement, replacements are included in the base number. So, you’re already buying one, two, three, four, five, six cars. You’re already buying them six cars right
now.
Bird: Well then that’s --. I’m not –
De Weerd: I think we need to zero out replacement and talk about that.
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: When we get to it.
Bird: I think so too. That’s 180,000 I think. But as I understood talking to Chief last night that they needed three patrol cars and of course the canine if we allow them the canine
officer. Then the two investigative. That’s six.
Anderson: And right here Keith in that base, they have the three –
Bird: I see.
Anderson: -- patrol cars. Then they have –
Bird: Then we can take them out of base and put them in the enhancements.
Anderson: Then they have three investigator cars.
De Weerd: I think it's more important we have patrol cars then investigative cars.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Kilchenmann: Do you want to do the cars first?
Anderson: I do too. Lets just talk about that bottom line item.
Bird: that’s right.
Anderson: Four new officers.
De Weerd: Yes.
Anderson: That vehicle there is for hiring four new officers.
De Weerd: For the new officers.
Bird: I’m not for that.
Anderson: (inaudible) cut that line item?
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: Cut that line item completely.
Anderson: Okay. That’s zero.
Bird: Zero item eight. Lets go through the thing before we get to the cars. The animal shelter finish work.
Anderson: I think it's needed to save the building.
Bird: I think it's necessary. I would leave that in.
Anderson: The canine, yes.
Bird: I think it's necessary. Canine too.
Anderson: Digital camera, he said he could buy one for less. Maybe give them –
Bird: 2500?
Anderson: 5,000 or 4,000.
Bird: 2500 to start with?
Anderson: I was thinking –
Bird: You guys are experts on digital cameras. Can you get a pretty nice one for 2500?
Anderson: Well the camera was 53. I don’t know. I think you could probably buy --. Then there was some other stuff for the other couple thousand.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: What?
Cunningham: Public Works paid 700 two years ago.
Bird: Is it a nice --?
Corrie: You can buy the same pixel, 3.1 pixel for about $900.00.
Bird: Mayor what was his --? Have you discussed it with him, this digital thing? What is it --?
Anderson: Most of your digital cameras are not high pixel. So, the resolution on them is not very good. My understanding is they want to use this for crime scene –
Bird: That’s right.
Anderson: -- photography. Well, then you need the higher pixel. That’s going to cost you more money. So, the digital camera that I bought and like Reta’s talking about for 5 $700.00
doesn’t give you that high of a resolution. But I still think you can buy a pretty good one for, instead of 53, maybe around 3,000.
Bird: What do you want to give him, 4,000? 3,000? 3500?
Anderson: Okay. Let’s cut that to $4,000.00
Bird: 4,000 on the 72.
Corrie: Is that digital camera and camcorder kind of --? Is it a camcorder with additional facilities?
Kilchenmann: They have two –
Anderson: There was two. One is a camcorder and one –
Bird: Is it all the same thing?
Anderson: No, there's two different cameras they’re buying.
Bird: Okay now can you get those two, pretty good ones for 4,000 Ron?
Anderson: I don’t know.
Bird: Okay. Let’s put it down there and see what they –
Corrie: (inaudible)
Bird: Okay.
Anderson: The software for archiving.
Bird: The software archives. I’ve got a question. That will free up some of those officers overtime as I think Captain Bowman explained to us.
De Weerd: Why?
Bird: Because they won't be having to fill out a bunch of paperwork when they come off shift.
De Weerd: No. This is archiving records.
Bird: This is that LaserFiche.
De Weerd: But that didn’t have anything to do with that other thing.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
De Weerd: Yes, it's more of a space thing. You’re confused.
Bird: I am confused I guess because I understood this was the type that –
Berg: You’d save time retrieving documents.
Bird: Retrieving documents. I understood it saved time of reporting, of turning in reports. You didn’t have a bunch of paperwork because you put it in this computer and it had the report.
Corrie: They wouldn’t have to come over here to look through files.
Bird: What?
Corrie: They wouldn’t have to go through files down here in the basement for stuff.
Anderson: I don’t see it as reports. It's archiving old records.
De Weerd: Yes. It's just a record thing.
Anderson: So that they don’t have to have volumes and volumes. It will all be on digital of file cabinets and boxes.
De Weerd: Yes. This just talks about saving space.
Bird: Now wait a minute, that 18912 is the LaserFiche.
Anderson: Which is that record archiving. It's not for doing the reports. It's for archiving records.
Bird: No, that you put it in. I know it don’t do the reports Ron.
Kilchenmann: One other advantage of it was that they could email around the country to other departments. It was for storage and for easy retrieval and so that if they got requests from
other law enforcement they could easily email them. It's seven in their packet.
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: Yes. I don’t see –
Bird: Do you want to cut that?
Corrie: If you want to go back up to enhancements, the clerk file coordinator, you’re cutting out 30,000 right there. Is that what you had asked for, the 30,000 enhancement for the
other person? Is that that 30,000?
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Corrie: Was it? So, if you cut that one out which you said you were going to. Then that brings you probably about 3,000 over.
Kilchenmann: The cars (inaudible)
Corrie: If you keep the –
De Weerd: And the cars are still in there right?
Corrie: Yes.
Bird: We haven't got to the vehicles yet.
De Weerd: Okay. But we haven't gotten to the canine officer yet?
Bird: Yes, we said canine stays.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
De Weerd: Okay.
Corrie: Everything you’ve got there showing is what you’ve got.
De Weerd: Okay.
Bird: The only thing we’re questioning right now is the 18912.
Corrie: If you leave that alone, you’re 3,000 over.
Kilchenmann: The car that you were asking about that is just for PAL. Janice just verified it.
Bird: Is what?
Corrie: Is just for PAL?
De Weerd: For PAL.
J. Smith: Because if he’s on patrol, he goes and (inaudible).
Corrie: Say that again, I didn’t hear you.
Bird: 40,000 for one car for PAL?
(inaudible discussion from staff)
De Weerd: No 20,000. So, he can't take his patrol car over there so he would need a second car to go over there.
Corrie: Is that what they are saying now? I don’t want to cut that out if that’s not what they’re saying. So, they want just one car just for going to PAL (inaudible)?
J. Smith: If he’s on patrol he can't get into a patrol car.
De Weerd: Why can't he just go to PAL in his patrol car? I don’t understand it.
Bird: We’ve got a new chief (inaudible).
Cunningham: He’s not in the patrol division, he’s in the investigative division.
Corrie: And he needs a car?
Cunningham: They like to keep the cars separate.
Anderson: I think we could probably cut that to one car.
Bird: I’m with you Ron.
De Weerd: Well, then PAL can buy him a car.
Anderson: 20,000.
Bird: Cut that to 20. One car for investigative.
Cunningham: Can we give them some operations?
Anderson: Yes, give them –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
De Weerd: 2500.
Anderson: 25, so make it 4250.
Bird: No 2250.
Anderson: Or 22.
De Weerd: Yes. (inaudible)
Corrie: Now you’re staring to make –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: Now on the archiving software, do we want to leave it?
Anderson: Yes.
Bird: Lets leave it for now and see how many cars we finalize in.
De Weerd: That’s fine.
Cunningham: Okay, you want to go to the replacements?
Bird: Now let’s go to vehicles period.
Cunningham: Here is their replacement.
Anderson: I think the three patrol cars ought to stay.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: I would agree with you. That’s 120. We give them one car in the enhancement for investigative.
Anderson: Then these are what they want to replace either because of high mileage or whatever.
Corrie: One is that Chrysler that was donated.
De Weerd: Yes. Let’s replace one.
Bird: Lets replace --. Well, we’re actually giving them five cars, six cars counting the canine.
Anderson: One, two three, --
Bird: See, you call the canine a patrol car too.
De Weerd: I know.
Corrie: Yes, but that’s only for –
De Weerd: But it's only –
Bird: I know that but it's still another car out on the streets.
Anderson: It is. So, you’ve got one, two, three, four, one enhancement (inaudible).
Corrie: But you’re not going to use that car other than for canine.
Bird: Yes but it's another car on the patrol.
Anderson: Six new vehicles if you cut two of these investigator cars.
Corrie: Where’s that cars (inaudible).
Bird: I think that’s fair.
De Weerd: I think that’s fair.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Corrie: You said they were trying to replace two.
De Weerd: Oh.
Corrie: Because there's one that’s (inaudible).
De Weerd: They’re replacing the 92 Chrysler, the 74 Capri, and a 94 Caprice.
Bird: We’re giving them six cars. Three patrols, a canine, and two investigative total.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: So, that figure there would go down –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: -- to 140,000.
Cunningham: So, go ahead and take off two of the investigative cars?
Bird: Yes two of the investigative, the 15,000 and the computers, I guess. I don’t know. Wait a minute take that off. Leave the computers on for now. Is that right in the cars on the
replacements?
Corrie: What's that?
Bird: Three patrols, one investigative?
De Weerd: On replacement yes.
Bird: Because we’ve given one canine and one investigative in the enhancement.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: Is that right?
De Weerd: Yes.
Anderson: I feel that’s fair.
Bird: I do too.
De Weerd: Now, what's the 15,000 for a computer server?
Bird: Do you know what that is?
Anderson: That’s that intranet that they were talking about. That’s what Stacy was talking about that we ought to look at City wide –
De Weerd: Yes, lets do City wide and not departments.
Anderson: -- systems because all that will do is that server will link their station but –
De Weerd: But not with anybody else.
Anderson: But it doesn’t link them with the other City departments.
Bird: Well, I thought we were working with getting this within the whole City. Janice didn’t we talk about that last year? Of looking into this internet thing? Well, Mayor you were
doing it within the whole City. An internet service where these guys were –
Corrie: Or internet but they’re not –
Cunningham: You still have to have a server.
Corrie: Server.
Cunningham: This one is replacing their (inaudible). They are planning to replace that server. They purchased it back in 94.
Kilchenmann: So, they probably need to replace it.
Bird: They need to replace this Stacy? Okay.
Anderson: But the Spellman is a software. This is a server. This is a computer server.
Bird: Yes.
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Anderson: Then you load that Spellman software on the server.
Kilchenmann: Then everybody networks.
Anderson: Yes.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
De Weerd: But not with anyone else.
Bird: Within the City. Basically the City wouldn’t need that anyway. We’d have no reason to do this.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: But Stacy said they need to get a new one.
Anderson: I don’t know. That number seems a little bit inflated. Our IS guy tells us they can buy servers for 10,000 a piece. This is 15,000.
Bird: Do you want to knock it down to 10?
Anderson: Might knock it to 12 or something. I don’t know, maybe they –
Bird: How much?
Cunningham: We’ve never paid that high because –
Bird: Will 12 do it?
Cunningham: With inflation.
Bird: 12?
Anderson: Put it at 12.
Bird: Okay, they’re showing they need four new computers replaced.
Cunningham: They still have a lot of the old RJMs. They’ve taken a lot of ours.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: Okay. Do you think that’s legitimate, price legitimate?
Corrie: I do, yes.
Cunningham: Yes, very.
Anderson: I’m paying 16 for a rebuilt computer, or a put together component computer.
Bird: Are you kidding me? I just bought my complete thing with scanner and everything for 15. It's Dell’s top of the line one, 19 inch screen.
Anderson: It depends what (inaudible) you get in.
Bird: Come by and look at it when I get it set up. Okay, we leave it in. Okay that should change your capitol total then when we go back to the –
Cunningham: Yes. So, here you guys want to drop down to 160?
Bird: So, we’ve got 20,000 over?
Corrie: 60 now.
Bird: 60,000?
Kilchenmann: (inaudible)
Anderson: Haven't done what?
Kilchenmann: Admin.
Bird: We haven't done that. Well that’s no problem that’s all gone.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: Council laptops.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: Are we paying 2500 for laptops?
Kilchenmann: Laptops were more expensive.
Bird: What?
Anderson: They’re more expensive.
Corrie: If you want my opinion, we are at the bottom, I would say in case this works out we leave it alone. If it doesn’t we (inaudible). Because if this other works out where you
can just put it all in the computer and get away from this paperwork, you’re going to save probably 2 to 3,000 in paper.
Bird: I’m for that 100 percent.
Corrie: If it doesn’t, you’re 10,000 to the good and you can move it somewhere else.
Bird: Do you want to leave it in?
Corrie: I would for you.
Bird: Ron?
Anderson: I don’t because I think those next Councilmen ought to have to pack paper the way I did for four years. No, I think we ought to leave it in. I think it would be a good deal.
Bird: I’m for it.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: Okay, what's this service center support?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: Senior center support.
Anderson: If you weren’t so old maybe your eyes could read that.
Corrie: If he cleans his glasses –
Bird: If I could glasses, I could see. Ask Tammy. I’m like the Mayor, I don’t mind budgeting for it but there's going to be a lot of questions answered before I –
Corrie: Well, there's still a lot of work –
Bird: A lot of work left to be done before I would write it out them.
Corrie: I’m going to turn it – work it through my office. If it gets to where it works out fine, then we can move it over. But that’s already been taken care of.
Bird: I believe, Mayor and I don’t think they would have any problem. If we give that kind of money we ought to have an ex-officio sitting on their board.
Corrie: On the --?
Bird: Senior citizens.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: This clerk file coordinator.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Anderson: We already took it out.
Bird: No we didn’t take the coordinator.
Anderson: Did you have a different name for it?
Berg: Department Specialist.
Anderson: Department specialist.
Bird: Department specialist.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: That’s the deal we decided to try without and see how this new system works.
Berg: So, what do I do in the mean time?
Anderson: Hire your help.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Berg: Right now if that’s the case, I’ve got to get rid of one of my temps.
Corrie: No you don’t. If you get rid of your temp, you’ve only got one person left over there.
Bird: How many full time employees do you have? You and Tara? Okay, you’ve got a receptionist to hire. You’ve got a deputy clerk to hire.
Berg: Right now I have four bodies (inaudible).
Anderson: So, you don’t want either of those people to be full time, then yes they are temp and they can go away.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Anderson: You just changed. You said you had four people in there. Now you’re saying you have three temps.
Berg: I said besides myself I have four people working in the office.
Corrie: You have one that’s doing the minutes, right? Then you have one that’s on the phone and you’ve got one that was trying to clean your office up. So, you’ve actually got three
temporaries in there right now.
Berg: (inaudible)
Corrie: What you need to do is get on the stick and hire your people.
Anderson: Because you only have four full time staff in your budget.
Bird: We need to get the Deputy Clerk on board and you need to --. Is your receptionist full time now? She’s just temp? Let’s get that hired. Then Will lets see when are we going to
bring that gal on that is going to do the stenographer?
Corrie: It's a man I think. Is it a man?
Kilchenmann: Yes and we’re just waiting --. Bill is writing the contract.
Corrie: Okay.
Kilchenmann: As soon as he gets it done, the person is ready to –
Bird: Then we’ll take a look and I’m one that if it's successful, we won't need the other person. But if it is not successful, --. I hope that within the contract, which I want to read
the contract that they have time limits that they either get them out or they don’t perform.
Kilchenmann: He does.
Bird: Okay.
Corrie: It's in there.
Bird: So, actually Will, then he’ll bring you a set of minutes that all you have to do is stamp and hand out. If they’re wrong, we go back on him. You will have the tape.
Kilchenmann: You know when we get a little further down the road and we get them done, maybe we could make our first transfer the capitol improvement plan with what we have left over.
Bird: I beg your pardon Stacy?
Kilchenmann: Maybe if when we get done and you’re comfortable and you set the budget, maybe that left over part could be our first transfer to the capitol improvement fund? It's just
something to consider.
De Weerd: That was Cherie.
Corrie: Cherie?
De Weerd: McCandless. Glen’s doing okay. He looks like he’s getting pneumonia. His appendix ruptured on Saturday and didn’t go into until Monday.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Corrie: (inaudible) set in yet?
De Weerd: So a lot of the poison has gone through --. No, he had a temperature last night that they were concerned about and he’s starting to get signs of pneumonia. You know, she said
–
Corrie: (inaudible).
De Weerd: He was throwing up blood last night.
Corrie: (inaudible). They didn’t say anything about (inaudible) ?
De Weerd: She didn’t say anything about it and I don’t know anything about it to even ask.
Bird: It's dangerous.
De Weerd: She appreciates everyone’s thinking of her. She’ll keep us informed.
Bird: Basically right now, over our general budget of what we had, the 1.1 and enhancement, we’ve got 60,000 left over.
De Weerd: We got the more detail on the 10,000 for the asphalt shop yard.
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: So, that’s okay now.
Bird: You can raise that now.
De Weerd: That’s pretty nifty thanks.
Kilchenmann: So, now you’re ready for the enterprise fund?
Bird: Yes.
Kilchenmann: Oh, boy.
Anderson: We had a couple more things we wanted to talk about.
Bird: What do you want to talk about?
Anderson: Didn’t we want to talk about the Council and the Mayor’s salary?
Bird: Yes that’s right.
De Weerd: How did we do on the computers for the police station?
Bird: We left them.
De Weerd: Okay.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: Okay. Have you got that on computer, the operating for the Mayor and the Council?
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Anderson: You didn’t change that four percent back to three percent yet, did you?
Kilchenmann: Yes.
Bird: Yes.
Anderson: Did you?
Cunningham: I just have your summary up there that shows total personnel for the Mayor 130,000 and then operating 20,000.
Anderson: What about Council, we know how much we make.
Bird: I don’t see no changes in that.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council)
Bird: What's your feeling Council and –
Corrie: Where’s that sheet that shows what the Council (inaudible).
Bird: Well, Nampa makes 7500. Boise makes 17556. Idaho Falls makes 10. Meridian makes six. Twin Falls makes nine. They don’t have Coeur d’Alene in here, Pocatello in here. I don’t what
they do. Nampa has a mill levy of 89. They’re over probably, their budget that they oversee is probably three times ours. They have, I would have to guess probably three times the employees
we have to oversee. They have a street department that they have to oversee that we don’t. Right now I can't justify Council taking a raise.
Anderson: I guess my thoughts on it are that, I mean, I don’t think anybody ever takes this position because they’re interested in the money. I mean, I didn’t even know that there
was pay involved in it when I took the position. If I look around the rest of the state and I look at what the other cities are paying their Council People and when I look at the amount
of work that’s required to be a Councilman in Meridian. I mean, I can tell you from firsthand experience that Council People in Meridian are attending a lot more meetings and doing a
lot more work than the ones in Nampa are just because of, I think the growth rate and all that that requires in the extra meetings and planning and stuff that goes on there. There are
Council Members, you know like in Nampa, they don’t even know where their revenues come from or anything else in the budgeting process. They just pretty much, everything is handled for
them and handed to them on a platter. They don’t do near the work that we do. If I look at the pay as some type of a compensation for the work that you do, then Meridian ought to get
a little bit more. Whatever that amount is, it's going to be a token amount, even if we make 500 a month now. If we change that to 600 or 700, it's still a token amount compared to what
you’re going to be requested to do. I don’t have any problem if we want to leave it the same. I don’t have any problem if we want to add a little bit to it. Everybody in the City is
getting more compensation, our employees, our Mayor, everything has gone up. The Council People just end up being the token people that we feel guilty because we don’t have much funds
that we always bypass any opportunity to get any extra compensation just because of the guilt.
Bird: I don’t know Ron. My feeling is I’ve served on a lot of --. I can speak for Tammy and you both have served on a lot of committees or organizations that’s benefited the communities
and the youth and everything else and spent probably more time than we spend in Council at freebie and I feel that this is the way you pay back a community that has been very, very good
to me for 36 years, to me and my family. I know it's just a token. I don’t think --. I would personally sooner take that $100.00 a month or $200.00 a month that we were to get a raise
on and see it go into some program within the City. Do that, I mean, we keep comparing with Nampa al the time. They’re 1500 a month more than us which amounts to about 100 and a quarter,
or 1500 a year which amounts to 100 and a quarter a month more. I don’t know. I just, lets let Tammy be the in between decider. She’s the new one on here that’s got three more years,
two more years to serve.
Anderson: If nothing else, the other thing too is, you know when you and I came on the Council Keith is they always put typically $1,000.00 in whatever department that you were the
liaison of. When we first started we were only the liaison for one department. Now we’re the liaison for two departments. I’ve always felt guilty even using that money because you feel
like you’re taking $1,000.00 away from that department. I know that being educated enough on the issues is important as a Councilperson. If nothing else, maybe under the Council budget
we should take the $1,000.00 that we had put into those other department’s budgets and put that back under the Council for educational funds. You could just have a line item for schools
and seminars or something.
Bird: I would have no problem with that.
Anderson: Then when you do draw from that money, you don’t feel like you’re robbing money from your department that you’re a liaison for. Maybe then, at least there's the opportunity
to go out and get some additional education that you need.
Bird: I have no problem with that at all.
*** End of Side Twelve ***
De Weerd: -- and I’m probably one of the most active on Council because I have the time to do that and to go to the programs and the serve on me’s outside committees. So, I would
have more of an interest in the expense thing. I know when I had my cell phone it was mainly all on City issues time. You know I don’t claim mileage and I probably should start claiming
mileage. I more look at is as, I know a lot comes out of our pocket to do it and time is a different commodity than really actual expense. I don’t want to burden my family with. Looking
at even if, you could join something to represent the City that might be considered as well. I guess one thing that we do need to kind of look forward to and why we’re changing the Mayor’s
to begin with. You know we’re a professional City. We’re a growing City and we need to start reflecting some of that professionalism. Unfortunately , or fortunately, I don’t know which
one. A lot of that is reflected in your commitment to the people that serve. We have elections coming up. Is this an item? Not everyone has the opinion --. You’re not going to run to
get rich. That’s certainly not it. I think both your and Keith’s points, I would more look at it in terms of trying to at least cover the expense that an official incurs to be higher
profile in their community and to be more accessible and that sort of thing.
Anderson: Some of these other departments, Tammy talked about how they give their Council people --. There's this one I have here that says. Like the City of Nampa. Will got a deal
that said they give their Council people 625 per month but they also give them $125.00 per month for expenses. I guess I don’t know how that works but some of that stuff that you’re
talking about whether it's for gas to travel to meetings or if it's to cover your cell phone bill. I mean, I’m not sure how they do that but you could check into something like that.
There could be some reimbursement for out of the pocket expenses. Maybe there's an avenue to do that.
Bird: Ron I would be more interested in something like that. I’m fortunate; you’re fortunate because we have jobs with a lot of benefits that cover us here. Where Tammy and Cherie you
know, they don’t have anybody reimbursing them for gas or oil or driving the company vehicle. I would be more in favor of starting out with maybe 75 or 100 a month in expenses to a Councilman,
or even --. Tammy what would you suppose you burn in gas a month within the City? $50.00?
De Weerd: I’ve never kept track of it.
Bird: Then another thing – I think another thing, deservingly so, the Mayor and Will, is if you’re together they usually pick up the deal but I think you should have some money if you
want to take somebody to lunch or something to buy lunch. If you’re on City business that you could pay for. So, in that expense money you could do that. I would go along with that over
a raise.
Anderson: What if we did a deal where we put into the Council’s budget $100.00 per month per Councilman and then that would be budgeted. Then you could keep track of you mileage and
if you bought somebody meals or your cell phone bill, then you could bring in the actual receipts at the end of the month and turn them in. then you can be reimbursed for –
Bird: I’m for that 100 percent.
Anderson: -- your out of pocket expenses.
Bird: I’m for that and I would encourage somebody like Tammy or Cherie to take care of their mileage and stuff like that so they are reimbursed.
Corrie: Let me ask you this. What do you think you’re worth to the City of Meridian for what you’re doing? Do you think you’re worth $500.00?
Bird: Do I think I’m worth the $100? I think I’m worth –
Corrie: No, I didn’t say 100. This is expenses. I mean, what do you think that you give, your worth to the City is valued at?
Bird: Lets put it this way, personally if the hours I put into the City I was paid overtime at the job I’ve got now, probably I would triple my salary. But that’s not what I got elected
for.
Corrie: No, I didn’t ask you that.
Bird: What I am worth to the City? We can all probably call around 100 people and 50 might say I’m worth a dollar and the other 50 say I’m worth nothing and then some.
Corrie: You’ve got to be realistic.
Bird: I’m being realistic. I think as the City of Meridian, what we’re trying to do as I see in a two year period, we’re trying to jump to be a Boise, Nampa, Caldwell who has worked,
have had this system going for 60 years that I know of. We’re
trying to catch up with them on the lowest mill levy, the lowest budget; we’re trying to jump up to them in two years.
De Weerd: I agree with you Keith but you also look at what this Council does versus a Council not too long ago. We’re putting a lot more time and effort. I’m not saying that I want a
raise.
Bird: When Bob –
De Weerd: What I am saying is unfortunately my husband tracked my hours for two weeks. I think he tracked it all wrong but I do spend a lot of time on my community things. I understand
that.
Bird: (inaudible) City Council.
De Weerd: It’s my decision. A lot of it Keith.
Bird: I spend a lot of time too.
De Weerd: I know what it's value is but I know what I get back personally for doing that. I do it not for the money. I do it for my kids. I do it for my family. You know I do it to give
back to a community that I love. That’s why people go into public service. I don’t think they do it for the compensation. I know how I feel when I have to look at myself in the mirror.
Sometimes when someone tells me to pack my bags, I don’t look at myself quite the same.
Anderson: Especially when it's your family.
De Weerd: No, you know fortunately they haven't told me that. But you know I know that I’m giving a unique commodity to my community and it makes me feel good. I’m pleased that I have
that opportunity to do it.
Corrie: Okay, so where are we?
Bird: Where are we? Lets get going.
Anderson: It sounds like –
Corrie: Your expense is 100 –
Anderson: -- both Tammy and Keith would be amenable to taking the $1,000.00 or whatever we’ve been putting in each of our departments and putting that back into the Council’s budget
as far as for educational but then in addition putting $100.00 per month per Councilman allowance for any out of pocket expenses that they could be reimbursed for. I would doubt very
much that anyone would
actually end up using $100.00 a month but at least it would be there if you did need it.
Bird: Ron, you hit it just exactly. 8800 bucks I would go, which is a total of 8800 bucks in. That would be for 1000 for seminars, education, anything like that. Then 1200 per Councilman,
which is $4800.00 for incurred expenses at a rate of $100.00 a month.
Kilchenmann: The money that is in your liaison you probably don’t want to transfer because that’s in the enterprise –
Bird: I beg your pardon?
Kilchenmann: Some of the money for you that’s in the enterprise fund, you probably don’t want to transfer.
Bird: See that’s the problem we’ve got so I would say that --. Because we can't transfer that.
Anderson: Just take it out of the enterprise fund.
Bird: Just take it out of the enterprise fund. But then how does the enterprise fund reimbursed the general fund back for my --?
De Weerd: Just like personnel and accounting does.
J. Smith: How about every month we give you a travel voucher to fill out and track you know how many times you come here. It's real simple to do. (inaudible)
Kilchenmann: You can even do it now because you have 2500 in your budget and you’ve spent like $166.00. You should all start turning in your expenses now and we can pay them.
Bird: I think that’s a personal decision. I personally can't. I can't turn in expenses. I would be double paid for my vehicle.
Kilchenmann: Oh. But like if you bought a lunch or (inaudible).
Bird: Oh, yes that’s no problem. I have another --. Like I said, I hope Tammy and Cherie would use it because these people are out doing a lot of the City PR work. I would hope that
they would use it and get their lunches and stuff like that.
Corrie: What you’re saying is you’re staying at the $500.00 a month?
Bird: Yes.
Corrie: Plus 100 in expenses. You’re making a total of $7200.00 a year that can be drawn on? You’re getting 6,000 for wages and 1200 for expenses?
Bird: Yes. Then we put another 4,000 in, 1,000 for each person for education. Then that could be seminars. That could help pay for our AIC, when you get good seminars there that’s education.
Corrie: Okay. That’s fine.
Bird: Isn't that what we said Ron? Wasn’t that basically what you said?
Anderson: Yes.
Bird: Okay.
Anderson: Plus I think that ought to get you a baseball hat.
Bird: What?
Anderson: Baseball hat, a shirt and a jacket once a year.
De Weerd: Yes, maybe we can have a shirt every once in a while.
Bird: I give you a shirt every year.
Anderson: I’ve only got two.
De Weerd: It says Ranger Shootout on it though.
Anderson: No, I mean, the City one, only got two in three and a half years. I’m a shirt and a half between.
De Weerd: I never got a shirt so you’re ahead of me.
Anderson: You got one of those blue ones.
Bird: You got two more years to serve.
De Weerd: Can I have the shirt off your back?
Anderson: You’ve got those denims.
Bird: You’ve got two more years to serve.
Anderson: Because I saw you in them.
De Weerd: I wanted the shirt off you back.
Bird: I kind of like those public work shirts those guys were wearing last night.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Anyhow, okay.
Bird: Okay, we got that taken care of.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Okay moving on to the Mayor.
Bird: Let’s go to the Mayor.
Anderson: Major.
Bird: Major. Which page is major on?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Well, I haven't heard him present it for justification. Although I think we all know.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: I’m ready.
Anderson: Okay.
Bird: The major’s?
Anderson: Stacy said she had put 6500 in there.
Bird: 65,000?
Anderson: Or 65,000. Yes. 6500, you’re getting a cut.
Corrie: Is that 6500 a month? Is that a cut? All in favor say aye?
De Weerd: No, we just made you comparable to our wages.
Corrie: I was thinking that was per month.
Bird: Okay.
De Weerd: That’s why you were so quick –
Corrie: Yes.
Bird: Mayor, what did --. I know they put 65,000 in there. What were you kind of expecting?
Corrie: 82.
Bird: No, I’m being serious.
Anderson: Serious, what do you think you’re worth to the City?
Bird: What do you think you’re worth?
Corrie: Stacy has hit it right on the head I think. You’ve got probably your highest department head is making what? I forget what it was. 70 –
Bird: 76.
Corrie: 76, I think the police chief is at 71 2 or 72 1, fire is close to 70,000. So I think technically speaking it should be somewhere in there. Not up that high.
Bird: No. Mayor, this is no offense to you okay?
Corrie: Okay.
Bird: I worked out a system. We want to compare to Nampa all the time. Okay. We’re comparing to Nampa.
Anderson: Wait a minute. You are always comparing Nampa’s Parks and Recreation and now today you’ve got a problem with comparing to Nampa.
Bird: No, I’m not –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: What is your problem today?
Bird: I’m comparing to Nampa. But seriously, if you go --. You can compare to Pocatello and stuff like that. According to our 2000 census, we are 68 percent of their population. Now
as I understand Maxine just got raised to 61,200. That’s what is wrote down here, or will be raised.
Kilchenmann: That’s with her car.
Bird: What?
Kilchenmann: I did that because she gets –
Bird: That’s a lot different than the figure I got a week ago.
Anderson: She doesn’t want to drive a City car.
De Weerd: Yes, that includes, you see they added in the $6300.00 to make it 61 –
Bird: That leaves that out. Anyway, if you take the 68 percent of her 61 2 and she has --. Don’t get me wrong I know she don’t work any harder put any more time in than the Mayor of
Meridian does. We’ve had a good deal because we’ve had you on part time pay. That works out to about 44 45,000. I know a year ago, or two years ago when we talked about this before I
said I would be embarrassed to give a Mayor an undervalued salary.
De Weerd: Than how come you gave him 20,000?
Bird: Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
De Weerd: Just thought I would ask.
Bird: I realize for part time compared to what the other Mayors were getting part time, that was high. But we felt and Mr. Anderson was right with me. We felt that he was putting in
enough hours that as a part time Mayor he deserved that.
De Weerd: Again, I have always said, it's not part time or full time. You put in what you need to and he’s been working full time.
Bird: We’re talking about what his salary is.
De Weerd: Okay, but this is today.
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: discussion.
Corrie: I still say 65 is right because you’ve got Idaho Falls at 66 and we’re going to be over Idaho Falls within two years anyway.
De Weerd: I hope not.
Bird: I hope not.
Corrie: I mean, you’re going to be – the population.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: They’re 50,000. We’re 35?
Corrie: Idaho Falls is 43,000.
Bird: No, Idaho Falls is 50,000.
Corrie: I’m sorry.
De Weerd: They’re almost 51,000.
Corrie: I’m sorry. I’m looking at the wrong line. Okay.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Another thing I look at is the employees. Maxine is over the road departments. I don’t know what the --. Ron do you have any idea what their employees --? How many their employees
are?
Anderson: A little over 500, 550.
Bird: Okay. How many employees does the City of Meridian have? Are we at 200 yet?
Anderson: About 150.
Kilchenmann: 155.
Bird: 155?
Corrie: Okay.
Bird: That’s the only (inaudible). That’s the way I justify it and that’s all I have to say.
Corrie: The way I look at it, you’ve got a CEO That’s working with department heads and making that amount of money. You’re full time. What do you think the Mayor is worth? 40,000?
I don’t. I think that’s an insult.
Bird: That’s just what I told you.
Corrie: I’m not taking it as an insult what you’re saying. I don’t think that’s right and I don’t think that’s fair.
Bird: Mayor.
Corrie: There's too much to do and for what (inaudible) 40,000 people. I think it should be higher. (inaudible)
Bird: That’s what I told you. Don’t take it personally.
Corrie: I’m not. I just think that (inaudible) level is not fair.
Bird: Do you think that all these Mayors are making more than they’re --? I can tell you Brent Coles is not making --. That 85,000 is less than some of his department heads are making.
I’ll guarantee you Maxine Horne is making less than the majority of her department heads. Don’t get me wrong. I know it's wrong. It's a deal that –
Anderson: Lets go back to like our salary survey that we had done. If you look at a position and you look at the requirements for the position, you look at the responsibilities. You
look at how many people they supervise. You look at the educational requirements for those positions. I mean, that’s kind of how --. That’s the scientifical information that they use
to come up with that. You’re right. I mean, I know in Nampa that the department heads, the police chief, the fire chief, the City Engineer, and the public works director, they all make
more than the Mayor’s salary does. Even though you have a degree in public administration if you look at what would happen if --. All you have to do is be a registered voter and live
in the City of Meridian. So you could get that job on a popularity vote with absolutely no education.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I would hope not but that is a possibility. So, when I look at it from that standpoint --. I mean, if I look at Gary Smith for example. The educational requirements to be
an engineer to have a degree in engineering and be the public works director, is significantly higher than some of the other department heads in the City and probably as well as the
Mayor. From that standpoint I would say that probably the Mayor’s position doesn’t warrant as high a salary as some of the department heads in a city. That’s my personal feeling. I think
from what I see here, it looks like Gary’s salary is 76 but police chief is 74, the fire chief 66. We have a big disparity there. I guess –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I just looked it was 66.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Corrie: -- three percent.
De Weerd: But you look at Idaho Falls and Pocatello. They’re at 65,000 and they have a substantial population more than we do.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: I would support more than what Keith mentioned. 65,000, if we were at 50,000 like these other cities with those wages, than we’d have a better population base and hopefully
better tax base to support. I don’t know. That’s a hard one because you know I value your office. I know what you’re worth --. I know we’re all worth more than we get paid.
Anderson: I’ll be brave. I’m going to throw out a number, a range. 55 to 60.
De Weerd: See I was going 50 to 55.
Anderson: I just want to see what the reaction is.
Bird: Ron, if you use logic I can't --. I mean, how do you bring that up logically, number one? How do we justify that number wise? We went with our department heads and we’ve had the
surveys and like you said we justified by this, this, and this.
Anderson: How do I justify it? Because it's in the range of what a lot of these other cities are paying. It's lower than our department heads because it doesn’t require the education
that some of them do. What are you using --? You don’t think it should be that high?
Bird: I don’t to start with. Bob don’t take it as a personal thing but I don’t really believe that --. I mean, we have taken and we’ve went through and we cut out some enhancements
that we could have used within the City in the deal. Nobody gets paid what they think they’re worth or are probably worth right in our City. I was thinking between 45 and 50. Tammy is
50 to 55. You’re 55 to 60. As far as I’m concerned if you go to 60, why not give the other 5,000 and go to 65? I think you’ve --. Okay, you start at 65 this year. Are you going to hold
that for the next ten years?
Anderson: He has to hold it for two years.
Bird: I know it can be raised every year. Why can't it?
Anderson: I thought you could only increase the Mayor and Council’s salary every two years by ordinance.
Corrie: It's got to be –
Anderson: So, whatever salary we pick is for two years.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: The resolution will be but the ordinance right now don’t say a word about every two years.
Corrie: The resolution does your salary. The ordinance just makes you full time. The resolution sets your salary for Council and Mayor. You’re not looking at raises again, so until
a new Mayor is elected. Then it's up to the Council whether to do it at that time. Every two years the Council does by resolution what the pay is going to be.
Anderson: That’s why we can only look this year at raising the Council pay. They won't be able to look at that again for two years.
De Weerd: Okay. I have a formula here.
Bird: Give us your formula.
De Weerd: In Boise, they pay their Mayor by population 45 cents a person. In Idaho Falls it's 1.3 per person. In Pocatello it's also 1.3 per person. Nampa is 1.12. If we went with our
population at the last census and times it by the 1.3 you have 45 5.
Bird: I really went down that solution.
De Weerd: (inaudible) I shouldn’t have done my math?
Bird: Well, I’ll tell you one thing, if you want to go off of the population and work, like an overall deal at 65,000, Brent Coles should move to Meridian Idaho. I didn’t want to throw
Boise in. now lets face the facts. Who has the most work on their plate as a Mayor in the state of Idaho?
Corrie: I don’t know. Mayor Coles has five aides. So, they pay them (inaudible).
Bird: But Mayor he’s got a population of six times what (inaudible).
De Weerd: I would say the Mayor of Middleton right now.
Bird: That’s a guy that I wouldn’t want to be.
De Weerd: Poor Frank. I don’t envy him.
Bird: Anyway, that’s basically what I did was I went back and this is how I came up with mine. I felt that that was, by comparison to other cities that --. I looked at Boise’s too and
we would be down at 38,000.
Corrie: Well, I’ll tell you something.
De Weerd: You’re not going to quit are you?
Bird: We’ve got you regardless.
Corrie: I really think that people are going to look at this and say the City, the fastest growing City --. We’ve got the most work that needs to be done. The Council has increased
and I think that the Council should be paid more. I honestly feel that way. I think if you give anything less than 55 or 60 you’re wrong because whoever is going to be in this job after
I am here, they better know what they’re doing because there's a whole lot of work out there. It’s being done probably not being seen under the circumstances. I still think that if you
do anything less than 55 or 60, you’re off. I think you’re giving whoever is going to be Mayor a say that you’re not worth anything other than that. I think the Mayor whoever it is whether
it's whoever, is worth voting for.
Bird: I don’t disagree with you Mayor but I’ve always said anybody that runs for office can't be too smart because who in the devil would spend $2million to be elected a representative
from the State of Idaho that you earn 135,000? Why would we a little Council here, pay –
Corrie: It has nothing to do with that.
Bird: You know what –
Corrie: Everybody has got to look at what the job is being done. I’m not looking at mine, I’m looking ahead. If you want to get somebody here that’s got any value to the City that
wants to do it, has got to be paid for it. I think if you do it in the 55 to 60,000 range, you’re going to get good people that’s coming in here. I know that the ones that are looking
at it coming to that is worth every penny of that with what they’ve got. If you give something away, the value is not there for the people. If you pay for it there's some value there.
They’re going to work. I think whenever you say that the Mayor of the fastest growing city in Idaho is going and it's going to keep going and I don’t think it's going to stop that much.
I think it needs to be in the range that Ron has made.
Bird: Mayor, I don’t disagree. But let me tell you –
Corrie: You do disagree or you wouldn’t be (inaudible).
Bird: I don’t disagree with what you’re saying. I disagree with --. Let me tell you something and this includes you. This includes Ron and I and Tammy. I think and this includes you
more than it does Ron and Tammy and I. We did our biggest, probably out of that 264 percent of growth, three years was probably 200 percent of it. If you go back and look at the building
departments, which you at that time was the Mayor. I think you were the Mayor for one year and a Councilman for the four years. I think we did a – we have our problems but I think we
did a heck of a job with a part time Mayor and a hard working Mayor and a lot of good employees. I almost feel like 45,000 is a token and it probably is a token. But I cannot justify
to our taxpayers, which you guys want to go back in November and ask for another mill levy increase. I cannot justify to our taxpayers of paying, if we go to Ron’s range of paying 20
to 25 percent more than all the other mayors by going by comparable employees and stuff like that. I have a hard time justifying it. It certainly is not --. I told you up front two years
ago, that it would be a slap in the face to anybody. I mean, I would like to sit and think about it. Lets keep the 65,000 in the budget, what we’ve got right now. I don’t see any reason
we have to cut it right now. Let’s think on it and do some checking. Right now, we’re all confused.
Corrie: I’m not confused.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: I think we could pretty much wrap a lot of this up though Keith today. Why don’t you take a break and think about it. Let’s make a decision.
Anderson: Or we can move on to enterprise fund and come back --
Bird: Let’s go to the enterprise fund.
Anderson: --after you’ve had a little time to digest it a little bit. I’m like the Mayor I mean it just that really to me --. I mean it just doesn’t reflect well of us and it is in
my mind almost an insult. I think 55 would be the low end of what I could support. I mean, that’s, I‘ve had many conversations with Maxine. That’s what she makes and she definitely feels
like she is under compensated for the hours that she works. I don’t disagree with that. I’ve always maintained that if we want to have good quality people running for the Mayor, the
salary has got to be there. I agree with you. People don’t do this for the money but it is also insulting in many cases to say that we only feel like your only 40 or 45 but yet we’ll
pay our police chief and our fire chief 70,000 a year. That just doesn’t make sense. It's not proportionate. It’s not commensurate. Lets move onto the enterprise and come back and visit
it a little later.
Corrie: Okay.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Okay, secretary equipment, that’s yes.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Software upgrade, that’s a necessity, I believe. AutoCAD software – well unless anybody from public works --. Does anybody have any problem with this 37,200?
De Weerd: No.
Bird: I think it's all necessary. In the water department –
Anderson: what is the one well, is it 25 that –
Bird: The 26 was to be taken out. 26 is out and we cut down 25 to 200,000 because that’s all they would get done next year. The bypass, they didn’t have a real heartache one way or
the other. You guys start saying something if you agree. The well 10 bypass, do you think it's necessary because Rick didn’t think it was you know that we could do it or forget it?
Anderson: Was that the one that dumped it into the drain if –
Bird: Yes sir Ron. I think it's a necessity myself.
Anderson: I think after that problem we had at the water tower and flooding out Zamzow’s, I think we need to do that. Yes.
Bird: okay. Now back to the wastewater treatment.
Corrie: Are you going to keep in the back flow prevention officer?
Bird: I believe we need to Mayor.
De Weerd: I do too.
Bird: I believe that is something that if we don’t get on the stick and get Joe some help, --. It was your recommendation too to get a new guy because Joe is buried.
Corrie: We went down that pretty fast. I was not following the other day. Okay.
Bird: Do you have any problems with it?
Corrie: No.
Bird: Okay.
Anderson: What's the SCADA program upgrade?
Corrie: Is that that wand, that magic wand?
Bird: Yes that is getting our upgrade so that we can read all our meters with the wands. They’ve already got some of them.
Anderson: I thought we were there. We’re not there yet?
De Weerd: That was just two of them right?
Bird: Yes sir.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: Yes Ma’am I mean.
De Weerd: That’s all right.
Anderson: Two wands were 5,000 a piece, that was –
Bird: The SCADA program upgrade is --. Reta help me out.
Cunningham: I bet it's the software.
Bird: That’s the software for the --.
Kilchenmann: It tells which --. If you look at it, it has all the wells and it (inaudible).
Bird: That’s right.
Kilchenmann: (inaudible) they’ve added so many wells it's gotten fragmented.
Bird: Yes.
Kilchenmann: So, he wants to go in and make sure and upgrade the whole program and make sure –
Bird: That was (inaudible). You guys agree with that?
Anderson: Yes.
Bird: Okay. Come on down. Fire hydrant replacement, I believe we need that don’t you Ron?
Anderson: Yes because really what that is, is when the fire department identifies that there's a shortage of hydrants in an area --. That only includes about 20 installations. This
gives the water department the ability to go out and contract for someone to put those hydrants in if they’re needed. Now, if they had their own backhoe and could dig those they could
save a little money. Let’s not go there.
Bird: Lets don’t go there. We’ve already argued enough today. Water Main extension, that’s a necessity in there because you never know when you’re going to get hit with one of those.
Those could be a burden. Well No. 25, we cut that down. Well 10 bypass we felt. The 26 we took completely out. Okay. The laboratory database. That’s a real necessity. Anything in that
lab I think is a necessity. Does anybody disagree?
Corrie: They wrote that second on the list yes.
Anderson: That plant (inaudible) and Manual, is that ---
Bird: That is a necessity.
Anderson: Well, it's a necessity but it sounds to me like they’re taking a very high tech approach to that. I mean, you can have the manuals. What they are talking about is contracting
with somebody and going in and putting all this computerized, like it's some kind of a virtual reality tour thing that you go into a computer and have all your operation stuff on how
all the valves and everything work.
Bird: Let me tell you something Ron.
Anderson: Doesn’t that sound to you too like that was a pretty high tech version of a manual?
Cunningham: We questioned it. (inaudible)
De Weerd: It’s animated too right?
Bird: Each one –
De Weerd: That’s how we got the Baby Ruth.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: As they’ve done each expansion out there they have got O&M manuals on every piece of equipment and everything that’s been put in there by the contractor.
Cunningham: They have?
Bird: They should. You bet.
Cunningham: Well, Jon talked like that the manual that they have is outdated.
Bird: It can't be outdated if it's the existing equipment that they put in there. That is under every contract. Have you not received all of the O&M manuals for the fire department?
Anderson: Yes but what they do – I mean, I all comes in if you add a new piece of equipment then you get an operation and maintenance manual with that. Then you have to put that into
your overall book –
Bird: That’s right.
Anderson: -- that this is a piece of equipment that’s in this facility. The way I understand this, what Jon is doing is he’s going to hire somebody, instead of him assembling that manual,
they’re going to do some high tech computerized version of this manual. Didn’t you get that Keith?
Bird: Yes, that’s what I got and that’s why I’m questioning the 150,000.
Anderson: That’s what I think.
Bird: If you’ve got the stuff and all you have to do is –
Anderson: Is read it in the book.
Bird: -- into a book. If they want to put it on a fish or something like that, I would have no problem with that but I can't believe 150,000 for an O&M manual. That’s pretty high tech.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Corrie: Did they give you any reason why it was that high?
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: Because they were going to have it all hired out.
Anderson: Because it's – yes. Like I say it’s a virtual reality.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I mean, I would think that for a lot less money and I don’t even know what that would cost. Somebody could manually put that manual together.
Bird: You should be able to hire part time construction managers too that could put that complete building going in manual together. If it was me, I would throw in about 15,000 and
tell him to go figure out how to do it.
Anderson: Lets do it.
Bird: What?
Anderson: Lets do it then.
Bird: Change that to 15,000.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
De Weerd: That’s really cool.
Bird: The waste thickener, we know is a necessity. Street crossing –
De Weerd: Just remember what we did last year.
Anderson: That thousand-gallon diesel tank needs to go up.
Bird: To 10,000.
Anderson: Well, it's 10,000 now. The price of it –
De Weerd: We needed a new price on that.
Anderson: He was going to get us a new price but lets put 20,000 in there for now.
Bird: You know Ron I was talking to Brad last night and we could get --. While we’re putting that tank in we need to put as large a one as we can get in there and get all the EPA things
all done. If you get, say a 10,000 tank and you only need 2,000 now. You just take a weld and weld in a plate and have --. I know it costs you more in and outs. You’ve half the battle
by getting it in and setup. You get al the licensing you need.
Anderson: You can actually order those with two compartments and you could have different grades of fuel in there if you wanted to or the same. Landscape, mower.
Bird: Landscape and lawn mower.
Anderson: It was 10,000 for a mower in there. Do you want to cut it?
Bird: He’s got four and a half acres of mowing. Did I not pick that up right?
Kilchenmann: Yes. This also includes –
Bird: Beg your pardon?
Kilchenmann: This includes finishing the –
Bird: It's the landscaping, yes.
Kilchenmann: Yes.
De Weerd: Yes.
Corrie: How much are they asking for landscaping?
Anderson: 27. If we give them a mower, I think it ought to be about half of what they’re asking because they’re asking for a $10,000.00 commercial mower. I don’t think four acres is
all that much to maintain.
De Weerd: Yes, let’s reduce it by 5,000.
Bird: I was going to say if we’re going to do that, lets give them the old parks mower that’s pretty good sized and let them buy the park a new $10,000.00 one because the parks mow
a lot more ground in a week than that’s ever going to get mowed.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: For the existing ones they’ve got now.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Not that big one though.
Anderson: Do you want to reduce that by 5?
Bird: I would love to reduce it down by five.
Anderson: Okay. We’ll make that 32?
Bird: Let’s go to 30.
Cunningham: 30?
Bird: 32, I got out voted. Three to one.
Anderson: Asphalt repair.
Bird: That’s a necessity Ron. See that’s what gets me is he is asphalting a whole bunch of area, square footage and he’s doing all the stuff for 80,000 and Tom’s – that’s why I wonder
how much you get for 10,000?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Yes that’s pennies a square footage. Then also the more you lay the cheaper it's going to be.
Anderson: Tuiterary Filter bypass line.
Bird: Need that or you can't clean at times.
Anderson: Oh, you can't find a third way around that filter.
Bird: Remodel breakroom.
Anderson: 30,000?
Bird: I didn’t think there was that much to remodel in the breakroom.
De Weerd: Is that the breakroom we were sitting in?
Bird: No it's not.
Anderson: That doesn’t need repairs.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Oh, the one to the west of that?
Bird: Yes.
Anderson: Do you want to trim that down.
De Weerd: Isn’t that where he said the operators work out of?
Bird: Yes that’s where they have their break.
De Weerd: And they wanted to do some controlled remodel as well?
Bird: No.
De Weerd: What is that 30,000?
Bird: That was just the breakroom remodel.
De Weerd: I remember hearing it differently because I thought the breakroom sounded ridiculous that we were –
Cunningham: That is just the breakroom. They are going to take the old lab and combine it with the breakroom.
Bird: But is it –
Cunningham: The old lab has like a breakroom –
Bird:
Bird: But is it –
Cunningham: The old lab has like a breakroom –
Bird: Yes.
Cunningham: -- it has like a little file room and then the lab.
Bird: And they were going to make it all to one breakroom weren’t they?
Cunningham: Yes.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: 20,000.
Bird: Yes 20,000 is plenty. The small pickup he does need.
*** End of Side Thirteen ***
Anderson: Mill drill small equipment.
Bird: That is just, they need for the repairs out there. Digester bypass –
Anderson: Is that like shop equipment Keith?
Bird: I think so.
Anderson: Like the milling machine?
Bird: The small equipment that they use as I understand it is half inch drill here and there or something like that.
Cunningham: I understood --
Anderson: I hope not for 18,000.
Cunningham: That mill drill was like $4,000.00 and he said it was actually to fabricate metal. He said it bends.
Bird: Yes it bends and everything.
Anderson: I think its so they can machine and build different parts that they need.
Cunningham: Yes.
Anderson: I’m thinking that’s a little over inflated.
Bird: 8,000?
Anderson: 18, no that’s 8,000.
Bird: 8,000.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: It's 4,000 for the mill.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Miscellaneous in there again. Digester bypass line. It never covers everything.
De Weerd: Out of all those they are the top priority?
Bird: You better believe it. All three of those are top priority.
De Weerd: Especially the lighting unless any of you want to go out there and walk at night.
Anderson: I was working in the lab late one night.
Cunningham: (inaudible).
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Cunningham: Do you guys want to look at replacements?
Bird: We probably better.
Anderson: Yes.
De Weerd: Four computers –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: That backhoe went bye bye.
Bird: Yes the backhoe went bye-bye.
Anderson: Is that one computer or two?
Cunningham: That was one.
Bird: One computer.
Cunningham: It includes a computer and a printer (inaudible) the whole package.
Anderson: Doesn’t that price seem a little inflated to you?
Cunningham: We thought it was high.
Bird: It does to me.
Anderson: What kind of printer are they looking at?
Cunningham: It was just a DeskJet but they had $799.00 for it.
De Weerd: What kind of computer?
Bird: What kind of computer?
Cunningham: the computer was a Compaq, it's basically what public works is using. It's a little higher end. It also includes their installation costs –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Cunningham: they were also paying $650.00 for Windows 2000.
Anderson: Is that software, is that part of this?
Cunningham: Yes.
Anderson: Because I thought he had something else.
Bird: Doesn’t Windows 2000 come with the computer?
Cunningham: it did for us.
Bird: I got it on mine. I got a colored printer, I got a scanner.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Anderson: lets make it 25 just to be mean.
Bird: I was going to say two.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Make it 2,000.
De Weerd: You are having way too much fun over there.
Anderson: Oh, Keith is really mean.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Cunningham: Yes, you took his backhoe.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: He knew the backhoe was gone.
De Weerd: 2500.
Bird: I got out voted again three to one.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Cunningham: just to replace –
Bird: Mayor didn’t we already approve the prevention (inaudible)?
De Weerd: Yes, we’re just looking at the replacements.
Anderson: That’s just the stuff above that.
Bird: Okay.
Anderson: Okay, where’s the wastewater? Do you have any enhancements?
Bird: Wastewater replacements.
Cunningham: He just had that pickup.
Anderson: That one was the 93 and it had 100,000 and they used it for what?
Bird: They use it to haul and to run around. They’re on their second transmission is the problem.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: So, they need to get a new one.
Anderson: Oh, that was the one that needed a transmission and a motor and breaks for 300 and –
Bird: 8,000 is what we put into the 62,000 backhoe.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Okay, next.
Corrie: (inaudible)
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Anderson: Two computers. I think they need to.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Corrie: They get two of them for the price of one.
Bird: I was just going to say, how come they’re getting two because they’re not buying everything else with it are they?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Cunningham: They don’t need printers or anything. They’re just wanting new computers. Then this is Public works.
Bird: Gary’s got –
Anderson: 1500 a piece.
Bird: Your hardware and secretary equipment.
De Weerd: Those are all enhancements.
Bird: Yes.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: What is secretary equipment? Nail files and --?
De Weerd: And you tell me that you taught sexual harassment class?
Anderson: That’s right.
Bird: You taught what?
De Weerd: Sexual sensitivity –
Anderson: Who better?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Oh, you played good guy bad guy?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Yes both of you do a really good job. Oh, you need to get the merit increases in there too, right?
Bird: What?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Oh, yes did you put their salary increases in there since they didn’t? Did that include the merit increases? Didn’t Jon Shawcroft say that they didn’t have anything in there?
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Cunningham: -- two vacant positions and he wants to increase those and (inaudible).
De Weerd: Didn’t they need to look at the operators --?
Bird: Pauline is getting in a new schedule.
Kilchenmann: Pauline said that she was going to look at those mechanics. There's only two of them.
Cunningham: Yes I gave her that enhancement that showed one, an operator and mechanic. Jon had taken both of them at 25, or 20.
Bird: Yes.
Cunningham: For a wage. You need (inaudible).
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Cunningham: So, we know the mechanic needs to go up 6,000.
Bird: Yes and how much does the operator?
Cunningham: The operator needs to go up 6,000. The mechanic, Jon thinks that probably could stay there because he has current mechanics –
Bird: He what?
Cunningham: - he has a current mechanic that had been there a year and is only making 27,000. He doesn’t want to bring him up above that.
Bird: No.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Bird: That’s not a good idea.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Cunningham: -- this year and look at whether or not they’re in range.
Bird: How much do we need to add to personnel then?
De Weerd: Then is she going to have to adjust it during the budget year?
Cunningham: If it comes back that there needs to be some kind of increase.
De Weerd: Last year we had a line item for salary adjustments.
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: Do we need to put something there?
Kilchenmann: We don’t want to do that because I think it gets that budgeting for the what if kind of thing. Then it's hard for Pauline when people come in and want to make a salary change
(inaudible). That’s what we talked about if we could handle that. If we do a serious (inaudible) and it comes out that we need to make an adjustment, especially in the enterprise fund,
if they could come back to you and say okay here’s the hard numbers. We need to make a budget adjustment.
Bird: (inaudible)
De Weerd: Okay. That sounds fair.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
De Weerd: I need to take a break from this.
Corrie: Six percent interest (inaudible).
Bird: Okay, so we got everything pretty well taken care of there, in the enterprise fund? I believe.
Cunningham: Yes.
Bird: Okay that looks okay. Now we need to go back to administration.
Corrie: Six percent money, that’s half a million dollars.
(inaudible discussion from staff)
Corrie: That’s the interest on that. (inaudible)
Bird: (inaudible)
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Keith, what if on the loan that we’ve got right now at the police station, or the loan that we’re going to get is based off of our current fund balance? What if we took like
any fund balance that occurred after this year and paid on the principle?
Bird: (inaudible)
Anderson: Do what?
Bird: Oh, you mean after this (inaudible)?
Anderson: Yes. When this budget year --. Because we don’t know how much fund balance there will be at this point. That would be an option that future Councils could look at, at the
end of the year after you get your audit. You could say instead of adding this to our fund balance we want to pay this on that principle.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: You take 200,000 (inaudible) you put it into Buffington Moore (inaudible)
Anderson: We’re drawing more interest than what we’re paying?
Bird: There's no penalty after, what was it Mayor, two or three years? We can't pay (inaudible).
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: -- if everything goes to pot and our fund balance is only drawing four and a half, or five percent then yes you want to pay the thing off. That’s what they had told me. The only
thing we’ve got left is the Mayor’s salary.
Anderson: I think.
Bird: Oh, man.
Anderson: The other salary that I know of that we’re going to have a little problem with is going to be Joe Silva because with these new adjustments in the union contract, I think
Joe makes 52 and the captains are going to make 50,000 and Kenny is making 66 or 69 you said. So, there's going to be a big split there that Joe should probably be in that mid 50 range
or 55 to 56. The other Deputy Chief position, if you look in the budget is 47. You’ve got captains making more than the Deputy Chief position now.
Bird: Yes but you (inaudible). Really and truthfully, --
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: He gets a three percent increase. (inaudible).
Anderson: He’s going to make –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I was looking in the wrong column. The one with the increase, he’ll be making 54 4.
Bird: That’s right.
Anderson: Kenny is making 69. The captains will be making 50,300.
Bird: Ron I can tell you right now that you’ve got firefighters that are going to make more than Kenny does this year because of their overtime.
Anderson: But the vacant deputy chief is 49, so you’ve got captains making more than that position.
De Weerd: Well, the captains make too much then.
Bird: No. The captains have got a lot of responsibility, not that this guy won't.
Anderson: There's no doubt he’s going to have more responsibility (inaudible).
Bird: -- how many years does our captains have? How many years have they got?
Anderson: Some of them will have one.
Bird: How long have they been with the fire department?
Anderson: I don’t know.
Bird: They come up through the ranks, right? We’re starting this guy at 49 years. How long did it take Steve (inaudible) to get (inaudible)?
Corrie: You can't look at it that way.
Bird: Well, I do.
Anderson: There has to be a –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: You’ve got to have the base salary. I mean, just your right. There might be people with overtime but that’s not your base. Overtime is not a guarantee. The base has to be
–
De Weerd: (inaudible)
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: The base has to be higher than the –
Bird: Ron, you’re telling me that the inspector that’s – or the second chief that is just coming on?
Anderson: He’s a chief officer. He’s going to have responsibility over the top of you. He’s going to give you orders and you’re going to make more than him.
Bird: Over the captains. I guess you go back to the construction trade. I don’t know very many journeymen that are out working the field that don’t make more than the project manager
or the estimator.
Anderson: I think it's two of those positions that Kenny ought to come to Pauline and the Mayor and see if there's an adjustment that needs to be made.
Bird: See, your adjustment --. The only thing you can make adjustment on is your new guy. You can't make it on the captains because we’ve already negotiated with them.
Anderson: No that’s not what I’m talking about. It's the two deputy chief positions that need to be looked at.
Bird: I think that needs to be done then.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: If you think they’re under --. See I think they are second in command. I think that they should be making as much --. The deputy chief should be making as much as our police captains
are. I know they’re not.
Anderson: They’re not, no. I think the police captains are 66,000.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: I think they need to probably be about that, around 56,000. That’s something Kenny can address. I just didn’t know if we needed to put something in the budget to make it
so they could –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Pull up the police personnel wages, or fire I mean. I’m sorry.
Cunningham: The fire one?
Bird: Yes.
Cunningham: I didn’t put everything on the disc so hang on.
De Weerd: Just pull it up in your book there.
Cunningham: Yes it is in the book (inaudible)
Bird: I want here to run it on the computer so that we get the change and we see what it does to the budget.
De Weerd: Okay.
Bird: We need to put about 15 to 20,000 more in personnel.
De Weerd: We don’t need it per person --. You know we don’t need to identify it person by person.
Bird: No, we just need the overall.
Cunningham: Yes.
Bird: Isn't that right Ron?
Corrie: You only need to put ten in.
Bird: Put ten in wages but you’ve also got to do the benefits.
Corrie: That’s what I say, you’ve got two so you should have already added about 15 or 16. (inaudible).
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: What do you have figured for (inaudible)?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: On that nine and ten --. On lines nine and ten there, are we looking at what it would take if we bump those salaries to somewhere around that 56,000 range? If you changed
them on here, does it change it on all your other sheets?
Cunningham: No.
Anderson: They’re not linked?
Cunningham: No.
Kilchenmann: So, we can just change it on the other one.
Cunningham: I can change it here and then calculate (inaudible).
De Weerd: So, the first one, the one that’s currently occupied is 56 and the other one like 54? Or do you want them both at the same level?
Anderson: I mean, the one would not make exactly what the other one because the other one has two years or three years or something in there. We’re just trying to get a ballpark figure
what we have to add.
Bird: What would you --? Take the existing to 58 and the other one to 55? The starting one.
Corrie: You mean the top wage?
Bird: No I mean for the existing deal, take that to about 58,000. Take the 49 and bring him up to about 55.
Cunningham: Do you want me to do that?
Anderson: Well, lets see what that looks like. That would change all your benefit numbers?
Cunningham: Yes. Okay, then for your admin total wages, benefits is going to be 263.
Bird: We’ve got to increase it?
Anderson: It was 259 before?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: How do we only increase it 4,000?
Anderson: That doesn’t sound right.
Cunningham: Yes, that didn’t sound right.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Oh, you went 49 and that should be 55.
Bird: 55.
Cunningham: this one here?
Anderson: Yes.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: Yes. Now --. The Mayor was about right, 12,000.
Cunningham: (inaudible) 271.
Anderson: That looks closer.
Bird: What does that do to our overall budget?
Cunningham: Increase it 6,000.
Bird: We were okay under that weren’t we?
Cunningham: Yes we had 53.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: At least it's budgeted.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Anderson: Okay. Let’s go back to the Mayor’s salary then. Do we need a break first? Are we ready to --?
Bird: I would go for it.
Anderson: Okay. Let’s do it.
Bird: You’re at 55 to 60. I’m at 45 to 50. Tammy is at 50 to 55. The Mayor --.
Anderson: Okay, you give a little bit and I’ll give a little bit. That closes our range.
Bird: We’ll just come down to Tammy’s range.
Anderson: Then we’re between 50 to 55.
Bird: That’s what I’m saying. We’re between that and I have no problem doing that. Pick a number Mayor between 50 and 55.
Corrie: 55.
Bird: 55? Come on now. That was Ron’s 55 to 60. Mine was --. Why didn’t you pick my 50? It's got to be between 50 and 55.
Corrie: Do you not think the Mayor’s position is worth 55?
Bird: Mayor, I told you –
Corrie: No, I’m just asking you a question. Don’t you think that’s worth 55,000, the Mayor of this City?
Bird: I have no doubt that it is.
Corrie: Then why don’t you do it at 55?
Bird: I’ll do it –
Corrie: We’ve still got one Councilperson not here. I’m telling you that’s where I’ll go. You asked my opinion.
Cunningham: You’ve got 55, you just dropped the Mayor’s budget 12,000.
Bird: Yes but we –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: We added 8800 back into ours.
Cunningham: That’s right.
Anderson: Do we have any money --?
Bird: That’s fine (inaudible). Put it in there.
Corrie: What?
Anderson: Do we have any money in the budget for special projects that are (inaudible) like hiring this guy to do Strategic Planning?
Kilchenmann: (inaudible)
De Weerd: Yes it should be in there.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: But do we have any payments that haven't been made that are going to get snuck out of that? Like this year, they didn’t complete the fire evaluation. That got taken out and
the police evaluation. So we didn’t even have enough left this year to do the strategic evaluation. So, is there anything that’s going to carry over into this figure that we need to
be considering? Jon already gave his figure didn’t he?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: It was around 20,000? About 25?
Corrie: About 20 25,000.
De Weerd: Okay, so we have some left over. Although do we have a reason to have it at 45,000? What's the justification?
Bird: I think –
Anderson: Because I’m going to kill you and I’m going to need psychotherapy when I’m done.
Bird: No I think there's (inaudible) we need to have taken care of.
De Weerd: Okay. Well you wouldn’t give Shari it because she isn't specific on ordinances but we put in 20,000 extra in ours and we’re not justifying it?
Anderson: We are the supervisors.
Bird: We are the supervisors and don’t have to justify it.
Anderson: We are the keeper of the gate.
Bird: You didn’t hear that (inaudible)
(inaudible discussion from staff)
De Weerd: Oh, it's kind of like at home, the parents have different rules than the kids?
Bird: That’s right.
Anderson: Yes. Now you’re catching on.
Bird: Now you’re catching on.
Anderson: Boy, it’s taken you long enough.
Bird: Where have you been all these times?
Cunningham: Okay we increase, increase fire, decrease the Mayor’s. So we net the 60,000.
Bird: I’m sure we’ll find something for that.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Corrie: (inaudible) I think you should make that 65 now.
Bird: I’m not that –
Corrie: Let’s ask the general public. Knowing Kendra she will not say a word.
De Weerd: She’s not going to go there.
Corrie: Okay.
Anderson: If we do have 60,000 I did have one concern on the fire about the equipment budget that we sliced 15. If you guys wouldn’t have any heartburn I would go back to 70. That
way we would only trim that five.
Bird: I don’t have no heartburn if you need it.
Cunningham: 70?
Anderson: Yes because I know they are really short on fire hose.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Let’s see the parks. Go to the parks. I’ll tell you what folks. We did the same thing as we’ve done the last two years. We shortchanged the parks compared to the other ones.
Anderson: Well, then give them the other, whatever they needed for the Skate Park.
Bird: No, let him go raise that. There’s other things that –
Corrie: Why don’t you leave the 50,000 alone?
De Weerd: At least give him 10. If they want to (inaudible)
Bird: Which one Mayor?
Corrie: I would say, if you think that you’re going to give it to them during the year. Why don’t you keep your 50 where you are and then adjust it accordingly? Or you can give them
another --. See everything you have down at the bottom you can use as a cushion.
De Weerd: Can you give them ten on the Skate Park and 20 in the parkland?
Anderson: Here’s a revolutionary idea. Why don’t you call it capitol improvement fund? Then we put that 50,000 away in to start to build towards a new City Hall or whatever other capitol
(inaudible) we need.
Bird: I think that Mayor had it hit on the deal. Let’s just leave things like they are. Tammy the reason I don’t want to give that to, any on that (inaudible) Skate Park because you
know darn good and well if they only have to raise ten that’s all they’re going to have to raise. If they have to raise 20, they’ll go raise 20. You know that. Lets just keep that in
a reserve, that 50,000 and I’m sure we’ll have something come up within the year that we’ll probably need it for.
De Weerd: That was 144 something. So, at least give them five.
Bird: Where?
Corrie: What you do not want to do –
De Weerd: The Skate Park.
Corrie: -- close your ears here. What you do not want to do is go into this budget with 50,000 or 60,000 over and then go to the people –
Bird: Oh, I know.
Corrie: -- and ask for a mill levy. But like Ron said if you put whatever is left there as a capitol improvement –
Bird: Capitol improvement.
Corrie: -- or future then you’re coming right out to the dollar –
Bird: That’s what we’ve got –
Corrie: People are saying you guys have really been cutting it and you’re doing slashing. That’s good. You do need that. But if you come out with extra money in this budget they’re
going to take a different look at that.
De Weerd: I’m not suggesting extra money.
Corrie: I know. I’m saying –
De Weerd: (inaudible)
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: But can we at least put 5,000 to the Skate Park?
Bird: No. Let him raise it.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: 20,000 is what we’re asking him to raise.
De Weerd: No, because the price came in at 144.
Bird: You don’t know what the price --. It has not been bid. It's the same thing as the police station. You’re assuming what they did.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Okay.
Bird: Lets leave it like it is with that 50,000 --. In the Skate Park you can give him $323.00. Let’s put that in capitol improvements.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: We’ve got to start here. Can you arrange that gals?
Corrie: Or you can do one other thing.
Bird: Put it in the Mayor’s budget –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Now you want 105?
De Weerd: Into a City Hall.
Corrie: Put it in the City Hall budget.
Kilchenmann: We’re putting it in the accounting budget.
Corrie: For a future City Hall budget.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: That’s capitol improvement.
Corrie: (inaudible) I’m just saying it's (inaudible)
Bird: That’s going to (inaudible)
De Weerd: City hall.
Kilchenmann: Accounting budget.
Bird: We can start that anytime.
De Weerd: City Hall planning.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: You’re not going to be able to bond fund that –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
De Weerd: Remember Rich Allison came to you for that railroad –
Bird: Mr. Mayor.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: If we are done with --. Are you girls now what to go back and print right?
Kilchenmann: Yes. You didn’t do special services.
Bird: What?
Anderson: On those enhancements do you want to change like where it said two fire trucks? Do you want that to say one fire truck? You’ll change those kind of things?
Kilchenmann: (inaudible) personnel and operating costs. She’s changed the totals. So, we’ll need to go through and change it all.
Bird: Okay. You’ll get that all and then print it out to us?
De Weerd: You put that in City Hall, right?
Bird: Put that in a capitol improvement.
De Weerd: For City Hall.
Cunningham: Do you want to definitely earmark it?
Bird: (inaudible)
Anderson: Yes we want a specific cause but I don’t want it to say City Hall. I want it to say capitol because it's that’s more broad.
Bird: (inaudible). I’m there, capitol.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Kilchenmann: We can do our own reports –
Bird: Yes.
Kilchenmann: Off balance sheet reports that show (inaudible).
Bird: Girls, do we need to do anymore?
Kilchenmann: Special services.
Corrie: So, when are you going to set the –
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Corrie: The 30th?
De Weerd: 29th?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: 29th, we already set it.
Corrie: I thought we did but I didn’t know –
Anderson: What was that? The computer?
Cunningham: Computers at public works (inaudible).
Anderson: Again, it's an over inflated computer. Is this one a printer too? So, 25 like we did with the other one?
Bird: Yes.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: On performances, we’re going to go on the three percent?
Cunningham: Yes and we already switched that.
Bird: You already switched that didn’t you Reta?
Cunningham: Yes.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Bird: Do what?
Cunningham: 125,000 will go into capitol improvements.
Bird: Good.
De Weerd: That could be drawn when Shari justifies her –
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: Okay.
Bird: Thank you. Ladies, any more?
Kilchenmann: NO.
Bird: Listen, this is Ron and I’s fourth year, third year putting on a budget. Fourth year, it's got to be our fourth year. The smoothest it's ever went. It is all because of you three
ladies. Well, Stacy in turn gives credits to you guys. We’ll give all three of you credit. I for one certainly appreciate it. I haven't had to grow one extra greedy hair this year. If
Ron and the Mayor keeps on I might have to. Thank
you very much from the bottom of my heart for what you have done and how easy you have made this budget process for us.
Kilchenmann: Okay. We’ll get all this put into (inaudible). Councilman Anderson are you going to do the presentation?
Anderson: You can if you would like.
Kilchenmann: It doesn’t matter to me. If you want to do this (inaudible).
Anderson: I feel fine with you doing it. You’ve done a great job of putting this together so far. I would just like to say from me personally. I mean this process Keith and I have
been so frustrated with it for the three and a half years that we’ve been on the Council. I have dreaded the budget process every year since the first year. Every year we’ve gotten a
little bit better. But I echo what Keith is saying. This has been the easiest, and we’re not completely through it. We’ve still got he Public Hearing process there. But as far as I mean
working with each of the department heads I think you guys have done an outstanding job. Instead off us having to go line item by line item through the budget and do you need $1200.00
for electricity or can you get by on 1,000? It's been great not having to do that and only dealing with the enhancements and replacements. I really like the process that you guys have
come up with. I think each year as we do this, we’ll get better at it and keep the department heads on track because they like to stray from it if they can. If you keep them doing it
according to how you want it done then it's going to make it a lot easier for future Council people. If it wasn’t just all the time commitment on the Council right now, you’ve even made
think about gees that might not be that bad to be on the Council now. I appreciate the work that you’ve done. Would it be possible then that we could give you back our budget books?
Then as you update these numbers that you could put those back in the books for us. Then we would have the most current numbers.
Kilchenmann: (inaudible)
Bird: Do you want us to write our name in them?
Anderson: We can just write our name on the front cover on that slip in?
Corrie: I would like to say one thing. No, I’m going to say two things. One is –
De Weerd: Okay, I was going to count.
Corrie: Thank you. I’ve been at this for ten years now. It's (inaudible) for me. I didn’t look forward to many of those because we sat here and tried to figure and re-figure. We all
sat and then we had to refigure again. So, I’m not going to rehash what they said. Again you’ve made a professional thing out of this than we’ve ever had before. I thank you for that.
I’m having a senior moment here. I
forgot what the heck the second one was. Anyway, I thank the Council for what they are doing here and putting their time in. I realize that you don’t do it for them money but believe
me the people are looking at the Council. They’re seeing how much they’re doing. They’re doing more every year. I want to just say thank you to the Council for putting the time in. it's
been a great Council to work with. Thank you guys again. We’ll just continue to keep working. I would like to see in the future possibly working on the two year rotation basis very similar
to Boise. Then working out the two three five year. Makes it even that much easier for you as well as the Council. Thank you very much.
Bird: I agree with you on that Mayor.
De Weerd: Now the baby can speak. I’ve been here one year. Last year was the ugliest thing I’ve ever been in involved in. I’ve done university budgets and I’ve done budgets in small
business and that had to have been the most depressing experience I’ve ever had. I think I can even speak for several of the department heads that I’ve spoke to during this process.
They have really appreciated how this process has gone this year. They look forward to next year after we have some strategic planning under our belts and we have goals and we set our
budget with those goals in mind. I just can’t tell you enough how much I have appreciated this. We’ve invested two days. I think last year we invested a good week.
Bird: Probably a month –
De Weerd: I mean, total. This has just been phenomenal.
Kilchenmann: You are a lot more cooperative than the state legislature.
De Weerd: Thanks.
Bird: There isn't as many of us.
Anderson: Thank you very much.
Bird: Have you adjourned us Mayor?
Corrie: Okay.
Berg: I just want to make a (inaudible).
Corrie: Go ahead.
Berg: Looking at our schedule, are we going to try to have a tentative budget for the Council to adopt next Tuesday?
Kilchenmann: No.
Berg: We have the --. I’ve got to get it advertised in the paper, the 6th of August.
Kilchenmann: We have to close the month. (inaudible)
Bird: Can we come in the 31st on a special meeting. (inaudible). Can we do that?
Corrie: Yes, because that would have been a P&Z and Council and they don’t have enough people so we could have a special meeting on the 31st, adopt the tentative budget and do it all
at one time. Does that give you enough time?
Bird: Will that give Will time to get it published?
Corrie: This is the 18th? One, --. When do you have to have it in to get it in the paper by the --? You have to have it a week ahead of time Will?
Berg: I have to have it Tuesday at noon on the 7th. Can we have a special meeting on the 6th? That would take a few minutes.
Bird: Would that give you enough time Will?
Berg: Yes because I would hope that we would have the tentative budget almost in the format that it's going to be advertised so you can approve. The idea is that you need to approve
a tentative budget so that they have something to present to the people and we can publish.
Corrie: We can have it the 6th and then have our regular meeting the 8th.
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Berg: Maybe have it at like 5:00, 5:30 or something.
Bird: 5:30 right after work (inaudible).
Berg: Is that okay? Would that work out for you and give you enough time?
Cunningham: Yes.
Berg: I just don’t want to lose any more time because we’ve got to get it advertised.
Corrie: Okay.
De Weerd: What date are we talking about?
(inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Berg: Monday August 6th at 5:30. Is that best for you? 5:00?
Corrie: 5:30.
Berg: 5:30? Okay. Thank you.
Corrie: I’ll entertain a motion to adjourn the special meeting.
Anderson: So moved.
Corrie: Second? All those in favor say aye.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 3:10 P.M.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
APPROVED:
/ /
ROBERT D. CORRIE, MAYOR DATE APPROVED
WILLIAM G. BERG, JR., CITY CLERK