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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/09/1982 Special Meeting 336 DECEMBER 9, 1982 SPECIAL MEETING - BUDGET REVIEW The City Council met-in session. on this date at 1:30,p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, Yakima, Washington. Council members present were Mayor Lynn Carmidiael, Clarence Barnett, Lynn Budhanan, Shirley Doty, W. K. "Pete" Moore and Jack Sparling. Council member Henry Beauchamp present after 1:45 p.m. Mayor Carmichael reminded Council that due to the lack of time when reviewing the Street Division's-budget on December 7, 1982, it was the consensus of the Council to continue that budget discussion at this meeting. PUBLIC WORKS - STREETS DIVISION Council member Barnett tegan discussion, asking questions on Service Unit 521 - Operating Rentals and Leases. Del Kary, Superintendent of the Street Division, responded to Council's questions. Council member Doty questioned Servide Unit .524 regarding the ice and snow portion of II/ the budget. She also questioned the zero amount budgeted for the Re- tirements portion of the budget. Council member Beauchamp questioned the equipment replacement costs budgeted for 1983. Dave Rhodes, Public Works Director, expanded on the current status of the equipaent. Dis- cussion followed regarding the condition of the street sweepers. Coun- cil member Doty questioned if the City is paying shift differential for night street cleaning. Dave Rhodes informed the Council that shift differential is paid only When overtime is involved. Council member Barnett questioned the ratio of sand/ salt used on streets for inclement weather. He expressed his concerns regarding the deterioration of curbs and sidewalks. Del Kary explained calcium chloride is used with salt to alleviate some of the problem. Discussion followed regarding different alternatives for sanding the streets. FINANCE DEPARTMENT - GENERAL ACCOUNTS DIVISION Assistant City Manager Wittenberg began discussion with a brief in- troduction informing Council of the different divisions Which comprise Finance and General. Administration. Council member Moore questioned the elimination of a Financial Coordinator position. Assistant City Manager Wittenberg expanded upon the duties performed by the Financial Coor- dinator, indicating that those were primarily payroll functions. He stated that due to the implementation of the new payroll system on the City's main computer, it was determined that the transfer of the pos- ition from Finance to Personnel would benefit the flow of data entry required for the payroll function. CONTINGENCY FUND City Manager Zais informed Council of the current status of the Con- tingency Fund totaling $201,639. Council member Barnett requested explanation of the Contingency and General Funds. City Manager Zais expanded on the different funds. Council member Sparling questioned auditing practices with outside services, i.e., Airport, etc. He ques- tioned how much revenue is received on outside contracts. FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING II/ City Manager Zais provided a brief summary of the 1983 Budget for Fed- eral Revenue Sharing. Council member Sparling questioned the $400,000 shortfall incurred for the 1982 Budget. Council member Moore expressed his concerns that the 2 mils of the 5 mils sales tax designated for the Contingency Fund may not go into that fund. City Manager Zais assured Council that the Contingency Fund would receive .2% of the .5% sales tax increase. TREASURY DIVISION Council member Barnett questioned the Impact/Productivity portion of the budget. Roxanna Price, Accounting Technician, was available to respond to Council's questions. Council member Doty questioned the Canmunica- tions portion of the budget, asking if postage and phones were included under this item. DECEMBER 9, 1982 337 CUSTOMER SERVICE City Manager Zais addressed the need to review Animal Control proc- ures, indicating this will be done the first of the year. He informed Council that Humane Society Board members will be attending the Council meeting next week with a proposal. Council member Barnett questioned - the number of leash law impounds recorded. Walt Feser, Manager, was available to respond to Council's questions, indicating there was a typographical error in the proposed budget for leash law impoundments. Council member Doty questioned staffing functions for Customer Services. Council member Buchanan questioned if the functions of parking checkers would remain after Diamond Parking assumed responsibility for City parking. Council member Doty questioned the increases indicated in the Impact/Productivity area. Walt Feser expanded on the individual in- II/ creases. Council member Doty requested explanation of the two sus- pension notices sent to customers of water-sewer services. City Manager Zais expanded on the procedures currently in the use, explaining the second notice is a "friendly" reminder issued before the suspension notice is sent out. He went on to explain he had received complaints regarding the receipt of suspension notices and felt the friendly re- minder would be good for public relations for the City. Walt Feser :indicated each friendly reminder costs 27. It was suggested by Council member Moore to try the system using the friendly reminder for a period of six months only and then have staff report back to Council with cost figures and savings incurred. YAKIMA HEALTH DISTRICT AND ALCOHOLISM REHABILITATION _ . City Manager Zais began discussion informing Council of the letter from Robert G. Atwood, M.D., Health Officer, of the Yakima Health District, outlining the 1983 preliminary assessment for Yakima. Council member Moore requested further explanation of the funding amount for alcoholism rehabilitation. Bob Wheeler, Accounting Manager, informed Council $14,300 was allocated for alcoholism rehabilitation and was included in the_Healtb.District's estimated assessment for 1983 of $141,475. (Coun- cil, members Beauchamp and Sparling absent after 3:40 p.m.) _ . LIBRARY • City Manager Zais informed Council that the figure budgeted for 1983 is the figure requested by the Library. He indicated that the budgeted m amount is less than the amount contemplated by the contract the City has with the Library. EMERGENCY SERVICES Council member Barnett requested clarification regarding the amount budgeted for 1983. City Manager Zais provided background infoination regarding previous budgeted amounts for this item. CITY COUNCIL II/ Council member Barnett addressed the Legislation Expenditure Summary amount that ount of $87,655, requesting at the portion relating to City Council be separated fran all other membership fees, assessments and dues. City Manager Zais indicated the service units could be split to have a ser- vice unit for Council and a service unit for other legislation. Council member Buchanan questioned Capital Outlay expenses, requesting further explanation. City Manager Zais indicated miscellaneous items such as leases on typewriters would fall under Capital Outlay. Council member Barnett questioned if Council is utilizing the .25 clerical position in r tbe Clerks ,.Office. CITY MANAGER Council member Doty questioned the mileage reimbursement portion of the travel budget. City Manager Zais expanded on his travel for 1982. Council member Doty questioned if the $5,200 budgeted for travel in 1983 is for two people. Discussion continued regarding the travel portion of the City Manager's 1983 Budget. 335; DECEMBER 9, 1982 PERSONNEL DIVISION , Council member Barnett questioned the increase in staff for the Per- ' Soririel Division. Bob Weaver, Personnel Officer, was available to clar- ify the staffing changes which occurred in 1982. Council member Barnett ,.„qpestioned how many industrial accidents had occurred in 1982. Council W-oaMber Doty requested clarification regarding the elimination of the Affirmatisie Action Specialist position as indicated in the budget. RECORDS DIVISION Council member Doty questioned the expense involved regarding a special ejection: 'karen Roberts, City Clerk, was available to respond to Coun- cil's questions. Discussion followed regarding costs associated with Petition No. 990, filed by citizens opposed to Ordinance No. 2637 regarding _garbage collection regulations. LEGAL DEPARTMENT Council member Barnett began discussion, questioning the status of a law suit filed against the City Council members. Fred Andrews, City Attor- ney', infOrMed Council that the Judge had ruled in favor of the City, ruling that the Executive Sessions Council held were legal, valid and Austified_and there was no personal liability on Council's part. He - Also infOiMe Council an appeal has not been filed to-date. Mayor Car- michael questioned how many indigent defense cases were handled in 1982. Fred Andrews informed Council that Fred Porter, Attorney, who is handl- ing indigent defense for the City, wished to be present today to be available to answer any questions Council may ask regarding indigent defense, however, he was called out of town. Consequently, Mr. Porter has provided a letter to Council answering anticipated questions re- garding indigent defense. Fred Andrews informed Council that there re 460 _indigent defense cases held in 1981 and an estimated 501 cases for i982.' Council member Barnett questioned how many traffic and crim- inaLcases have been filed in court. Fred Andrews indicated 8,520 cases were filed in 1982. Council member Moore questioned the percentage of those cases filed that go to court. Mayor Carmichael questioned haw is it determined when a person needs indigent defense. Fred Andrews in- formed Council of the procedure that is followed by the courts regarding indigent defense. Discussion followed regarding Fred Porter's contract with the City for handling indigent defense cases. (Council member Moore. absent after 4:40 p.m) Robert Bounds, City Prosecuting Attorney, Was Available to respond to Council's questions regarding Mr. Porter's contract with the City. INFORMATION SYSTEMS DIVISION Cbundil Member Barnett requested explanation regarding the workload addressed in the Policy Issues of Division 052. Dave Kohr, Manager, informed Council the anticipated workload cannot be done with the cur- rent staff. Larry Wittenberg, Assistant City Manager, expanded on the history of the City's data processing needs and requirements. City Manager Zais informed Council of the emphasis he placed on Data Pro- cessing this year and expanded on the accomplishments to-date. PUkcHASING:DIVISION II/ Jean Shipman, Purchasing Agent, provided a brief summary of the Pur- dhasing Division's 1983 Budget. Council member Doty questioned the 7% , increase in salaries noted in the proposed budget. Jean Shipman ex- plained the increase was due to step increases experienced in the div- ision in 1982. Council member Barnett questioned the step increase system. Council member Doty questioned the travel portion of the bud- get, suggesting travel to conferences be cut from two conferences a year to one conference a year. City Manager Zais expressed the importance of ehdouraging management to participate in professional associations and obtaining officer status. He indicated this kind of participation brings conferences to the City, providing additional revenues. It was MOVED by Barnett, seconded by Doty that this meeting be adjourned at the hour of 5:00 p.m., to then meet on Monday, December 13, 1982 at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Beaudhamp, Moore and Sperling absent. DECEMBER 9, 1982 339 READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY • DATE / PJ f COUNaL MEMBER A ut. DATE 472 -1-4 3 NaL EMWMR ATTEST: flyt)_ INct.,(0 CITY CLERK tj MAYOR 1 - - ' CI