HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 05/24/2004 May 24, 2004 Vol. 40, Page 63
~ p' I' UrL1.
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a " ~ City of 'Petaluma, California
MEETING OF THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL
j85:8
City Council Budget Workshop Minutes
Monday,.May 24, 2004 - 6:00 P.M.
Regular Meeting .
1 CALL TO ORDER
2
3 A. Roll Call
4
5 Present: Glass, Harris, Healy, Moynihan, O'Brien, Thompson,. Torliatt
6 Absent: None
7
8 B. Pledge of Allegiance
9 C. .Moment of Silence
10
1 1 PUBLIC COMMENT -There was no public input.
12
13 CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS
14
15 Council Member Torliatt commented on having attended the Water Advisory Committee
16 Meeting and noted there would be an upcoming meeting with Randy Poole, SCWA
17 Director, the City Manager, and Michael Ban to discuss the Master Water Agreement.
18 She noted she had requested a redlined copy of the new Master Water Agreement to
19 be provided to the City Council for reference.
20
21 Mayor Glass reported on having attended the St. _ Vincent DePaul Choir Concert and
22 noted that the choir will be taking a trip to Washington, D.C. and performing there on
23 Memorial Day Weekend.
24
25 CITY MANAGER COMMENTS .
26
27 There were none.
28
29 NEW .BUSINESS
30
31 A. Continuation of Discussions and Overview of. Proposed FY 2004-2005 Budget.
32 ~.f~
33 City Manager Bierman noted information had been distributed to the City
34 Council regarding vacancies by department. He added the street maintenance
35 funding information had been previously distributed to the Council on May 18tH,
36 and the information; requested .regarding compensation, health benefits and
37 PERS will be distributed in the near future.
38
39 Council Member Torliatt indicated if Pentamation (the computer program utilized
40 by the Finance Department) can provide this information with the coinciding
41 percentages for those accounts, it would be very helpful.
Vol. 40, Page 64 May 24, 2004
1
2 1. Police Department
3
4 Police Chief Steve Hood provided. an overview and indicated they have
5 reduced staffing in order to meet the financial constraints that challenge the
6 City. He noted they have eliminated four police officer positions, one civilian
7 position, reduced part-time civilian personnel hours, and .reduced their
8 overtime allocation: He added their- budget proposal and subsequent
9 restructuring wps based on the premise that the highest priority is their-
10 responsibility to answer and respond fo calls of. crimes in progress. They have
1 1 sufficient staffing to meet this obligation, but will not be able to continue to
12 provide some services the community has become accustomed to, and
13 other programs will be scaled back'substantially.
14
15 He.continued by stating the reduction in overtime funding means there is less
16 opportunity for discretionary programs, neighborhood meetings, and, other
. 17 events in which the' Police Department routinely participates. He sfressed they
18 intend to continue to emphasize traffic enforcement to reduce traffic
19 collisions, injuries and ensure ,pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and wherever .
20 possible limit the impact of-these reductions to the public.
21
22 City Council discussion ensued regarding; the Domestic Violence Position and
23 it was noted the position had been previously funded by various grants for a
24 number of years.
25
26 Vice Mayor Moynihan questioned what special revenue sources the
27 department could possibly utilize. It was noted most,grants_expice in June of
28 this year and that their funding is for the most part through General Fund - ,
29 monies.
30
31 Council discussion ensued regarding vacancies and funded_ positions. It was
32 noted salaries are down and benefits are up. '
33
34 Vice;Mayor Moynihan expressed concerns regarding overtime and the Chief
35 responded they would be eliminating a cover shift .and well. as all meetings
36 when an officer is not on duty.- Vice Mayor Moynihan expressed additional
37 concerns that the elimination of;positions will result in more overtime.
38 .
39 Chief Hood..made it very clear that .service levels will drop, as they are doing
40 less with fewer people.
41
42 Council Member Torliatt .commented salaries went down by 2% and the
43 benefits increased based on contractual obligations. She also inquired about
44 capital equipment needs. ~ _
45 .
46 Chief Hood .commented on the number of- .people. going to other
47 departments and the .cost to the City to train additional personnel.. With
48 respect to capital equipment, he noted additional vehicles would be needed
49 in the next couple of years.
50
51 Council Member Healy .acknowledged the issues affecting employee
52 retention. It was noted the reasons for employees moving to other
May 24, 2004 ~ Vol. 40, Page 65
1 departments ,included salary, benefits, commute distances; and greater
2 opportunities for,promotion.
3
4 Chief Hood noted that the City of Petaluma's salary for police officers 'is
5 approximately 25% below comparable cities.
6
7 Council Member Healy .commented these are serious issues that need to be
8 addressed over the long term. He also clarified with the Chief that the City
9 can continue to utilize the services of the County Drug Task Force even if the
10 City no longer has an officer participating.
11
12 It was noted there would ~be some real service level reductions that will be
13 noticed in the community:
14
15 Council Member O'Brien commented on benefits and salaries and noted
16 there are contractual obligations to meet. He thanked the Chief for keeping
17 the budget in line.
18
19 Chief. Hood commented on the small pay increase they have received the
20 last couple of years and reminded :the ..Council that sworn employees pay 9%
21 of the PERS benefit themselves and that other cities pay it for them.
22
23 Council .Member Torliatt inquired as to the amount of money the City receives
24 as it relates to seizure dollars and indicated that should be factored into the
25 revenues and indicated; although it fluctuates from year to year, she would
26 like that to be looked at as a revenue resource.
27
28 Mayor Glass commented on the .great job the department did in putting
29 together the budget and acknowledged the message to: the community is
30 we are "doing less with .less." He indicated he looks forward to when the City
31 can go back to fully funding the department and. adding the personnel
32 needed.
33
34 Vice Mayor Moynihan commented he looks forward to recovering specialty
35 services and suggested partnering with the: County to try to address those
36 needed. He referenced the City of Sonoma moving 'toward utilizing the
37 Sonoma County Sheriff's Department personnel.
38 ~ _
39 Chief Hood stressed the City of Petaluma has the .number of .calls. of the
40 entire County and that when an agency-goes to a Task Force Operation,
41 they- lose local control.
42 •
43 ~ Vice Mayor Moynihan continued by expressed concern with the high cost of
44 PERS premiums and questioned if there are ~ alternatives to discuss in
45 negotiations-next year.
46
47 Council Member Torliati stressed that is only one Council Member's opinion
48 and indicated the Council would be talking about the issue of employee
49 compensation at the end of the budget discussions.
50
51 Council, Member O'Brien noted the Police and Fire Departments have a 3% @
52 50 retirement package. He also indicated Vice Mayor Moynihan was of a
Vol. 40, Page bb May 24', 2004
1 minority opinion and concluded by`stafing he does not see this as being part
2 of negotiations.
3
4 Council Member Harris agreed with Council Member O'Brien.
5
6 Mayor Glass clarified any change in the POA contract would have to be
7 negotiated and it'would be premature to dis""cuss the matter this year.
8
9 2. Fire Department .
10
1 1 Fire Chief Chris Albertson gave an overview of the budget and indicated over
12 the pat decade, the City's population .has. increased by approximately 32%:
13 At the same time, the number of emergency ces"ponses has increased, bq 88%.
14 Since °the late 1980's, the Fire Department's staffing levels have rerridined
15 unchanged'. He continued by staling to meet the targeted Jollac figure .for
16 budget `reduction the Fire Department will reduce its overtime expenditure
17 from the previous. $700,000 to a figure of $200,000. In an effort'fo achieve this
1$ goal, ;the Fire Department will conduct an aggressive recruitment activity for
19 Firefighter and Firefighter/Paramedics and fill .all 51 uniform. .,positions.
20 Subsequeritly, fhe Fire Departmenf will monitor alf scheduled and
21 unanticipated personnel leaves, training and special 'projects so 'that paid _
22 .overtime remains within the targeted figure.
23
24 Vice Mayor Moynihan _gUestioned where the detail is in the budget for the
25 reduction- in overtime, and continued with staffing questions regarding
26 recruitment for firefighter/paramedics.
27
28 Vice Mayor Moynihan also inquired, as to what revenue resources other than
29 the General Fund the Fire Department might have.
30
31 - It was .noted the General Fund and Ambulance Enterprise Funds fund the Tice
32 Departmenf.
33
34 Vice Mayor Moynihan. then inquired what the impact is to their apparatus
35 with regard to the poor condition of city streets.
36
37 Chief' Albertson conceded thaf the condition of the roads does contribute to
38~ the cost of maintenance of`fi~e apparatus.
39 _
40 Council' Member Harris: commended the Fire Chief Arid thanked him -for
41 dealing'with fewer resources in this year's budget.
42
43 ~ Counc'iI Allember Toirliatf commented on the salary discrepancy with regard to
44 , . the ambulance 'p'ortion of the budget..: Sh'e then inquired about overtime
45 costs and it: was noted that all overtime costs, from. each 'division come out of
46 the same fund. Council Member Torliatt indicated it would be helpful to see
47 detail on the overtime costs by division/cate.gory.
48 - .
49 Council. Member Torliatt also inquired about how capital equipment
50 replacement 'is shown in their budget. and indicated a desire for detailed
51 information on the equipment replacement fund; suggesting a iine item with
52 revenue coming in and an expense going out would be helpful in the future.
May 24, 2004 Vol. 40, Page 67
1 She concluded by stating the Fire Department is doing a great job and she
2 appreciates it.
3 ~
4 Mayor Glass ..stated concern with firefighters working 120-hour shifts on
5 occasion aril questioned how capable a firefighter would be in that
6 instance.
7
8 Chief. Albertson responded that staffing situations dictate these circumstances
9 and they are working toward full staffing and that they try to dvoid those .
10 types of situations.
- 11
12 Public Input
13
14 Diane Reilly Torres; Petaluma, addressed the City Council, asking when the
15 Council will be taking action on the budget. She commented that the Police
16 and Fire Departments are not revenue generating, entities and she is upset
17 that Council is asking about them'6ringing in revenues. She noted there are
18 untapped revenue sources, which are the citizens of the community. She
19 expressed .concern with the ,potential loss of a Domestic Violence Advocate
20 and questioned how much of an impact new development has had on the
21 City's resources.. In conclusion, she asked for- information on where the City's
22 Proposed 2002-2005 Budget is available for the public to review.
23
24 Geoff Cartwrighf; Petaluma, addressed the City Council, suggesting, tongue in
25 ~ cheek, that the Councif take money from service departments and put it in
26 the road budget for Rainier. He then commented on the City's contractual
27 obligations with the various employee groups and mentioned the proposed
28 decrease in salary and increase in the cost of benefits. He stated the City's
29 department heads have done a great job with. their budget presentations.
30
31 Council Member.Torliatt confirmed with the City Clerk that copies of the
32 budget are available for review at' the City Clerk's Office, City Manager's
33 Office, at the back of the Council Chambers, at the Public Library and at the
34 Recreation and' Parks. Community Center.
35
36 Council Member Torliatt also confirmed with the Police Chief that the
37 Domestic Violence Advocate is still available.
38
39 ADJOURN
40
41' The meeting adjourned at 7:12 p.m.
42
43
44 ~ ~ i~ '
45 avid Glass, Mayor
46
47 Attest:
48
49
50
51
52 Gayle Pet rsen, City Clerk