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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.12.11 Work Session Minutes Council Workshop Minutes September 12, 2011 Mayor Larson called the workshop to order at 6:30 p.m. Present: Larson, Bartholomay, Fogarty, May Absent: Donnelly Also Present: David McKnight, City Administrator; Teresa Walters, Finance Director; Brian Lindquist, Police Chief; Tina Hansmeier, Economic Development Specialist; Cynthia Muller, Executive Assistant MOTION by Fogarty, second by May to approve the agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. CDBG Fundin!! Economic Development Specialist Hansmeier gave an overview of the CDBG program. Dakota County receives a total of$1.5 million for Community Development Block Grants. Farmington receives $39,800 for fiscal year 2011. The fiscal year runs :from July 1,2011 - June 30, 2012. Staff is waiting for approval :from the County on the proposed uses for the funds. Staff reviewed the process for obtaining the funds, requirements, and eligible activities. If older funds are not spent, the County can reprogram them. Last year staff requested $18,000 in the commercial rehabilitation fund be re-allocated to the residential rehabilitation fund. There is $17,510 left in the business development grant fund which is going away so one maximum grant can be given for this program. The Business Reinvestment Grant Program was created in 2007 as a loan program and was modified to a grant program in 2010. This can be used for improvements to older buildings to prevent deterioration, code issues, fayade improvements, handicap access, etc. At that time, the County wanted to include a provision that retail businesses were not eligible. Some of the terms of the grant are a 1:1 match, and a maximum grant amount of$15,000. Staff would like to increase that amount. The fund contains $53,000. Other requirements attached to the program increase the costs of the project. Council asked staff to check if senior home care is eligible for this grant or ifthere is another program for senior group homes. As one of the uses for the CDBG funds, staff had proposed using a portion of the money to fund a part-time position at the senior center. The requirements have changed and that use no longer qualifies. The defmition of a senior changed :from 55 to 62 years of age. A certain percentage of those served at the senior center have to be over 62 years of age or a certain percentage of members are of low/moderate income. Staff proposed to open the business reinvestment grant program to all businesses including retail. Councilmember Fogarty agreed to include retail businesses and asked staff to contact the County regarding a business development grant to help businesses expand. Councilmember Bartholomay agreed to include retail. Councilmember May had a concern that downtown has the best access to these programs. She wanted to make sure all businesses in the community are 13 Council Workshop September 12,20111 Page 2 aware ofthe program. Mayor Larson agreed with removing restrictions and deal with the businesses one by one. This will be advertised in the newspapers, on the website, City newsletter, and at business meetings. Councilmember May asked that an explanation of the program be mailed to all businesses. Councilmember Fogarty asked that the Farmington Business Association and the Chamber also receive information. Advertising will be done after Council approval. Council agreed to increase the grant amount to $50,000, which would wipe out the balance. Staffwill request the money in the Riste redevelopment fund be reprogrammed to the business reinvestment grant program. This will be brought to the September 19,2011, Council meeting. 2012 Police Deoartment Bude:et Council had requested to meet with the Police Chief again to review the Police Department budget to fmd efficiencies and get some help with reducing the budget. Mayor Larson was at a meeting where some cities keep their squad cars for seven years. Police Chief Lindquist stated our squads are used by two or three officers at a time and are kept until they reach 90,000 - 100,000 miles. One car that was to be replaced this year had to be kept, because a transmission was bad on another car. Police Chief Lindquist compared Farmington with other cities as far as population and number of officers. Farmington is slightly below average in the number of officers and civilians per population and below in the amount budgeted. Councilmember May noted some ofthe cities are much more dense than us. Staff stated out of 11 Dakota County cities on average population wise we are tied for 8th jlace. We are 10th out of 11 for total number of officers. We are 7th for officers/1,OOO. We are 6 in total number of crimes/officer at 243 crimes/officer. Councilmember May stated the Police Department is a huge piece ofthe budget and we have to have an honest conversation about what we can do. Mayor Larson asked if we have redundancy in administration and is the number of sergeants comparable to other cities. Police Chief Lindquist stated in some agencies sergeants are replaced with lieutenants or captains. In administration we have 3.5 FTE and .5 CSO so there are 4 total in administration which is less than the average. We run a lean ship. The budget was reduced by $50,000 over four years in supplies. There will be a $15,000 reduction this year because of the records management system. Overtime in 2008 was $134,000 because we participated in the Republican National Convention. We had a $50,000 reimbursement from the federal government so the number was actually $184,000. As of the end of July 2011 the over time is $35,000 which is 40% ofthe amount budgeted. Where there is an opportunity to reduce, that has been done. We have two more officers this year than in 2008. People have been taken from patrol to fIll other positions and not backfilled. Councilmember May asked about the Administrative Sergeant position being created because we would lose an administration position. Police Chief Lindquist stated no, that was never to replace the Administrative Supervisor. When the Supervisor retires, it will be replaced by an administrative support position. The supervisor portion will not be replaced. There has been a great push for technology and it changes quickly. The Administrative Sergeant is involved county-wide and metro-wide with technology. Mayor Larson asked the Police Department to look for efficiencies to help the budget. Every department has reduced over the past two years and Council is looking for the Police to help. Police Chief Lindquist stated for 2011 the administration total is $230,055 which does not 14 Council Workshop September 12,20111 Page 3 include salaries. Out of that $204,505 are attorney fees, LOGIS fees, water for the building, memberships, and contracts. That leaves $25,000. For the 2011 patrol budget, $427,289 are musts and that leaves $38,000. Councilmember May asked if we are then talking about reducing the force. Councilmember Bartholomay stated he would not lay off an officer. Mayor Larson stated ifwe are going to get a reduction, that is where it will be. Councilmember Bartholomay asked if there were options for early retirement. The Police Chief stated ifhe thought we were over staffed, he would say so. In previous years we have said we do not need more officers. We stayed with what was necessary to do the job. Other cities increased their force and have enough where any lay offs can be absorbed. Councilmember May noted the number of investigations have increased. She asked why and what is the school board's stand with the SRO. Staff stated after July 2012, the school will go down to two SRO's for the following school year. That person would be used to backfill for patrol to replace spots not filled in previous years. As far as investigations, crimes have increased tenfold due to technology. Patrol over the last four years has not increased. We have moved people out of patrol and put them in investigations. Mayor Larson asked what it would do if we reduced one officer. Staff stated it is possible overtime would go up. Councilmember Bartholomay asked what we would lose in training. The Police Chief stated a five year officer is a $4 million investment because oftheir experience. Ifwe reduce staffby one officer, the following year he will ask for them to be replaced. Mayor Larson was hearing in order for the Police budget to go down, it would be personnel. The Police Chief stated that is the only place left. Mayor Larson asked Council if we let the Police department run as efficiently as possible or reduce. Councilmember Bartholomay felt that was up to the Chief. Councilmember May stated the rest ofthe staffhas not received any increases. In addition to the largest budget there are wage increases. City Administrator McKnight stated we agreed to them. Councilmember Fogarty knows the value of an officer. We are very lean and public safety is expensive. Mayor Larson came into the meeting believing there are no extra people, but wants them to look for efficiencies, anything to reduce the budget, keep cars an extra year, reduce overtime, etc. The Police Chief stated as far as phones we found a product that is $80/month cheaper. We bought our own entry mats rather than using the mat service. We now do our own dog catching services and saved $20,000. Mayor Larson asked if we are getting our money's worth out of the commercial vehicle scales. The Police Chief replied yes; he can show traffic stops and tickets, but cannot show the savings on the wear and tear of the roads. Councilmember May felt we should get rid of it. It is a high cost piece of equipment and felt there is not enough return on the investment. She is more interested in the number on patrol and is not against cutting one officer. She will hold tough on any future increases. Councilmember Bartholomay stated we need the vehicle for winter and we already own the scales. Police Chief Lindquist noted it is not the intent to make money. The life expectancy of the scales is 25 years and we expect an eight year return on investment. Spring and fall are our biggest times for commercial vehicle inspections. Commercial vehicle inspection is part of the patrol duties. The Police Department will continue to look for efficiencies. MOTION by Fogarty, second by May to adjourn at 7:58 p.m. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, Cynthia Muller Executive Assistant 15