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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.14.15 Work Session Minutes Council Work Session Minutes December 14,2015 Mayor Larson called the work session to order at 6:30 p.m. Present: Larson,Bartholomay, Bonar,Donnelly,Pitcher Absent: None Also Present: David McKnight, City Administrator;Robin Hanson,Finance Director;Randy Distad,Parks and Recreation Director;Todd Reiten,Municipal Services Director;Lena Larson, Municipal Services Coordinator;Cynthia Muller, Executive Assistant MOTION by Bartholomay, second by Bonar to approve the agenda. APIF,MOTION CARRIED. 2016 Budget and Tax Levy Council reviewed the final 2016 budget and levy at the December 7, 2015, Council meeting. A part-time position at the Rambling River Center was proposed to be eliminated. In an effort to keep that position,the Rambling River Center Board offered$11,000 to be used to fund half the position for two years. They also offered their stipends for the next two years. The 2016 budget and tax levy includes a 4.9%tax increase. Decisions made regarding the 2016 budget will also affect the 2017 budget. Staff has reviewed the 2017 budget and there are some big holes that will need to be filled. 1. Known tax levy increase of approximately$300,000 in debt payments. 2. Anticipated reduction in fiscal disparities of approximately$30,000. 3. The use of$200,000 in one time dollars in 2016 debt payments that will need to be reconciled in 2017. 4. Unknown status of building permit revenue and available lots for new construction. 5. Increased human resources costs from the four settled union contracts for 2017 and anticipated increases for non-union staff. This would total approximately$700,000. Councilmember Bonar asked based on what we know for 2017,would it represent a 7%tax levy increase? Staff agreed at a minimum it would be a 7%tax increase. Councilmember Bonar noted a preliminary staff estimate for a tax increase is over 13%. Staff stated we have been working on 2016 and realize Council would not approve 13%. The 7%increase is a real amount. Since 2008 there have been 19 positions eliminated,most in the general fund. One full time has been eliminated this year for next year and one half of a fulltime has already been eliminated. Council is discussing the other half of that fulltime position tonight. Councilmember Bonar noted the unspent balance of the 2015 budget would be$50,000. City Administrator McKnight stated that has grown a little and is closer to a six-digit number rather than five digits. Councilmember Bonar stated we spend approximately$50,000 per day, so we are within a day or two of not making budget. City Administrator McKnight stated we are still on the right side of zero and are well on our way to the state auditor's recommendations. Councilmember Bonar noted this is one of the tightest budgets in recent memory. Council Work Session Minutes December 14,2015 Page 2 Councilmember Pitcher reviewed the Rambling River Center portion of our website and noted the membership benefits include bi-monthly publication of The River,which highlights upcoming trips and programs, discounted trips and programs,and use of computer lab with high speed internet access. The membership renewal is $27 per year which works out to be$2.25 per month. He asked if that is an appropriate dollar amount. Councilmember Bartholomay stated many of the members are on fixed incomes so it didn't seem feasible to raise the rates. Mayor Larson stated we have been trying to increase the number of members so fees did not have to increase. Cities don't have pools and ice arenas to make money, it is an asset to the community. Councilmember Pitcher asked if it was possible to use liquor store profits to go towards the position. Mayor Larson stated the liquor store profits are slated to go other places. Staff explained liquor store profits have been moved around primarily in park and rec. Some were used for fire and police. Next year the plan is to use liquor store profits to pay for the city's portion of the trail along highway three. The concern with using liquor store profits for an ongoing item, is that if profits are down, a hole is created. So those profits can be used for the Rambling River Center, but there is some risk. Councilmember Pitcher asked if there was room for a couple more fundraisers. Parks and Recreation Director Distad stated it is possible,but volunteers are getting tapped out. They take a lot of work, especially with one fulltime staff person. They have raised good money in the past and staff can look at that. Councilmember Donnelly stated we are not going through the whole Rambling River Center budget and this is not the time to raise the fees. We should concentrate on the question in front of us. He was not willing to raise fees. We have to make a decision on the position. We had the position in the budget and it was a sudden decision to remove it, but we didn't take the money out of the budget. It was allocated elsewhere in the budget. He was okay with the budget before we took the position out and he is still okay with it. He would like to see the position put back. He does not want to take the$11,000 from the seniors or their stipends. Put the position in the budget, it was in there and taken out suddenly. The seniors have many more needs over there. As far as fundraising they are tapping out on energy and they work hard enough. Let's go back to where we were. Mayor Larson did not disagree,however he wanted to avoid hiring the position for 2016 and having to cut it for 2017. We cannot raise taxes 13%so something has to go. Councilmember Bartholomay asked if staff has checked with the attorney about the legalities of the proposal of the seniors to fund half the position. City Administrator McKnight stated we would treat it like any other donation and Council would allocate the use of it. Mayor Larson stated it is the city's job to fund positions and not anyone else's. If we do this, it is our job to fund it. Councilmember Bartholomay agreed it is not the right thing to do. By using that money, they would neglect the needs at the center. His concern is with 2017. Mayor Larson stated either we agree to have a senior center and we fund it the way we should, or we don't. Councilmember Pitcher agreed with Councilmember Donnelly. There is$27,692 in the Rambling River Center improvement fund. Staff noted this is to be used towards a list of equipment and building improvements. Right now the main need is new chairs. Councilmember Bartholomay would not be in favor of using the$27,000 to fund the position. Councilmember Pitcher noted on the preliminary tax levy motion there was an amendment made to eliminate a position. He asked if it was correct procedure to not follow through on that Council Work Session Minutes December 14,2015 Page 3 amendment. City Administrator McKnight stated it is Council's decision. Councilmember Pitcher stated we do have a couple ways to fund it, but we don't want to go down that road. We could use liquor store profits, fundraisers, capital improvement fund or increase the membership fees. Councilmember Bonar stated we do the organization and the individual a disservice knowing with a high degree of confidence we will have to cut hundreds of thousands of dollars from our 2017 budget. Today we talk about$22,000,the challenges ahead of us are 20 and 30 fold that number. Our current net allocations are$96,000 to the Rambling River Center, $63,000 to the pool,nothing to the arena,and$40,000 to the EDA which is more of an allowance rather than an allocation and economic development is the number one talking point. Mayor Larson stated it is an important position to have,but he does not want to create it just to cut it. Councilmember Donnelly stated three months ago the position was in the budget,we had the same holes, and none of that has changed. We will have to do something grand to get out of the hole next year,more than this position. We could shut down the senior center, close the pool and still not fix the problem. This one position will not break the budget; it is .0018%of the budget. It impacts people. We are going to have the senior center and fund it to a certain level. If we don't want to do that,then we don't do it. It could be any position next year. Next year will be difficult whether we add this position or not. Councilmember Bartholomay agreed with Councilmember Donnelly. He wanted to make sure the seniors are aware, if the position is put in now, it may not make the next budget. Councilmember Pitcher stated because of the points raised by Councilmember Donnelly,he has thought about what else can be done. It doesn't sound like the door is closed to using liquor store profits. Mayor Larson stated then we take them away from what they have been allocated for. Councilmember Bonar stated we have$30 million in facilities and set aside$15,000 per year for their maintenance. It should not come as a surprise that some of our older facilities are having issues. We have yet to fund that. His decision is to not fund the position. Councilmember Bartholomay stated if we put the position back in,can we do a couple more fundraisers? Parks and Recreation Director Distad will have to check with staff,but if you have too many fundraisers,the less they will raise. Mayor Larson recalled the fundraisers were set up for things to be fixed at the building and supplies. Staff noted that is what is in the capital improvement fund. Ms.Joanne Weber, stated she heard the Mayor wanted to keep the membership up,and she offered Council to make out an application for membership as they are all of age. It will be a start and a little support. Ms.Marilyn Briesacher, stated if we don't get the part-time position we will not be able to serve the community as well as we have. There are a lot of things that will be cut as Nicole cannot do it all. She was hired with the idea there would be a part-time position. It has not been fair to her and it is not fair to the facility. We feel it is very necessary to have that part-time position to continue doing what we are doing right now. That is to bring members into the community and Council Work Session Minutes December 14,2015 Page 4 bring the seniors in. If we don't have those opportunities they will not come. If they don't come for activities,they will not shop here;they will not come to Farmington. They will go elsewhere. Ms.Marjorie Koski, stated she is on the board and works at the center a lot as a volunteer. She sees the people that come in and how much they enjoy having a place to go and activities. They rent the rooms for banquets,receptions, etc. She has been to Lakeville's center and Rosemount is building one. Our people would be going there and we would have some very unhappy seniors. She asked Council to hire a part-time person,as it would affect so many people. Ms.Blanche Reichert, stated if we do not have a senior center in Farmington,the seniors that come here will go to other cities for their activities and shopping. In the long run our community will suffer. Mr.David McMillen, stated after Thanksgiving they have their Trains and Treats which is a small fundraiser. Staff was not available so we had a seasonal staff member who did an awesome job. If we don't have help like that, people will not come to fundraisers and they will drift away. His wife used to have that position and many times it is an eight hour job versus four hours. There is a lot of effort and work involved. It would be unfair to not fill this position as Nicole cannot do it all and has other commitments. Seniors need and deserve to have that help. They used to have tax help and flu shot clinics, and if that is not there it is a disservice to our seniors who have made this community what it is. Mr.Trent Wood, asked how the ice arena would run with half a staff. The seniors paid for that building not once, but when it was built for city hall,police and fire station. Then it was turned over to them and they paid for it again to be remodeled. They deserve the part-time position. Ms.Dorothy Schmidtke, stated they had a tea last week at the center and it was not a fundraiser. It was a fun afternoon to have tea, food and entertainment. Everyone had a good time and we want to continue to have those kinds of times at the senior center. Ms. Lacelle Cordes, stated there are certain things that cities do that cost money where you don't make money,but you do it to provide quality of life for residents. A senior center is one of them,just like the pool,arena,parks and trails. The$22,000 is miniscule in your overall budget. To take away this position will not only hurt the seniors,but the community as a whole. Councilmember Bartholomay noted the seniors do a lot of outreach to the hospitals that they do not get enough credit for. It is not just local. City Administrator McKnight summarized we have one Councilmember in full support of filling it right now,one concerned about 2017 and not filling it,the other three leaning towards filling it if there is a way. He gave Council some options: We have a$26,000 reserve line item in the Administration budget. It is a$26,000 reserve for an almost$12 million budget. If the direction is to put the position back in the budget,that is one option to pay for the position. He still has a concern for 2017 and setting a person up for working here today,but not tomorrow. That issue will exist for all of us in 2017. If Council chooses that route,we could advertise it as a long-term temporary position. He doesn't want someone to quit a job,take a job and lose it within 12 months. We could also look at current Council Work Session Minutes December 14,2015 Page 5 staffing programs and re-prioritize them to allow 16 to 20 hours of coverage at the senior center from current staff members. If we go that route,there are things we would not do at the city. City Administrator McKnight was not saying we are going to do more with the same or more with less,we are going to either do different things with the same or different things with less. Mayor Larson was in favor of the second idea. City Administrator McKnight stated we have impacted 19 families since 2008 and he does not want to make it 20. Councilmember Donnelly asked if that is the preferred route. City Administrator McKnight would prefer that as opposed to the Administrative reserve because it will impact the 2017 budget less. Councilmember Donnelly clarified the city will not do something and staff will decide what is not going to be done in order to use someone half time. He agreed with that. Councilmember Bonar placed his confidence in staffs ability to manage the budget. It is not his preferred choice,as we do have a challenge ahead of us in 2017. He encouraged Council to consider the budget process as soon as possible. In his term,this is our greatest challenge and if we wait until mid-year to address it,we will be beating a clock. He did not favor a 4.9%increase because he realized 2016 precedes 2017 and knew what was ahead of us and felt we should make a first installment and prepare ourselves for what will be a very difficult year. Councilmember Pitcher liked the proposal if staff feels it would be best to do that as a whole or in part with another funding possibility. Councilmember Bartholomay also agreed with the second option. Mayor Larson stated it will put a half-time person in the senior center through an existing employee. City Administrator McKnight stated it should occur within the next month. Farmington Lacrosse Association Proposal City Administrator McKnight was approached by Rob and Sara Junker of the Farmington Lacrosse Association about them purchasing a turf to install in the arena for April and May for use by different lacrosse groups. They will take out a loan for$30,000 to purchase the turf and pay it out in one to three years through user fees. Lacrosse is proposing a rate of$80 per hour. While they are paying off the loan,revenues would be split as follows: $10 to the city for staffing $10 to the city for operating expenses $60 to FYLA for loan repayment until the loan is paid off. FYLA is proposing a 60% discount for their hours during the loan repayment phase as well. Staff would like to negotiate this more to bring more to the city side to build up funding to replace the turf in the future. Once the loan is paid off,they would donate the turf to the city. At that time the following split is proposed: $10 to the city for staffing $10 to the city for operating expenses $10 to FYLA for turf storage and handling $25 to the city for TBD $25 to FYLA Staff is in support of this as it gives us a 12 month facility. We will have to fmd a place to store the turf once we own it. While lacrosse owns it,volunteers will install the turf and store it. Council was in favor of this proposal. It will be brought to the second Council meeting in January and this will start in April 2016. Council Work Session Minutes December 14,2015 Page 6 Waste Delivery Agreement with Ramsey/Washington Recycling and Energy Board Municipal Services Director Reiten stated Washington and Ramsey counties took over the waste facility and raised the rates from $59 to $70 per ton for tipping. This raises our cost by$85,000 for 2016. Municipal Services Coordinator Larson stated originally the facility was owned by Ramsey and Washington counties,then it was purchased by RRT with the option for the county to purchase it back,which they chose to do. Now it is owned by the Ramsey/Washington Energy Board. Councilmember Bonar stated Ramsey and Washington counties owned a landfill, sold it to private entity, bought it back and raised the rates. Staff stated haulers that are hauling waste for Ramsey and Washington counties will be receiving a$12 per ton rebate. So their rates will be $58 per ton. However,that is not an option for Dakota County waste unless the county offers the rebate. We will need to raise solid waste rates for 2017 and staff also suggested not collecting electronics on clean-up day as that costs us $45,000-$50,000. Electronics can be taken to the Recycling Zone. The county does accept electronics at hazardous waste clean-up day. This will help offset the$85,000 increase. Council agreed with this proposal. City Administrator Update There was an armed robbery at the Amcon station Friday night. MOTION by Bartholomay, second by Donnelly to adjourn at 7:49 p.m. APIF,MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, Cynthia Muller Executive Assistant