HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 05/17/2001May 17, 2001 Vol. 36, Page 143
1 ~ City of Petaluma, California
2 Minutes of a Special
3 '~ Cify'Council Meeting
4
5 Budget Workshop
6 Thursday, May 17, 2001
7 ~ Council Chambers
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10 The Petaluma Cify Council met at 7:00 P.M. on this date in the Council Chambers.
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12 ROLL CALL
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14 PRESENT:. Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson; Council Members Healy, Maguire,
15 Moynihan., O'Brien; Mayo"r~Thompson.
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17 ABSENT: Council Member Torliaft
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19 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
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21 At the request of :Mayor Thompson, Dick Lieb led the. Pledge of Allegiance.
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23 PUBLIC COMMENT
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25 Dick Lieb,, 1 Highland. Road, announced a ceremony renaming Hill Plaza Park as Penry
26 Park, to take ,place Monday, May 28, 2001..
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28 Tom Healy, 304.Kentucky Street, spoke regarding the importance of adequate funding
29 for City parks.
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31 COUNCIL CO'MMENT,`.
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33 Vice Mayor Cader-Th"ompson -asked that the meeting adjourn by 9:00 P.M.
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35 UNFINISHED'BUSIIVESS
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37 1. Budget Workshop .
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39 I•iuman Resources
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41 ~ Acting Human Resources Director Gene Beatty summarized the FY2001-2002
42 budget for'the ~Human`Resources Department', and described the restructuring of
43 the department, which inVOlved the risk management` and employee benefit
44 functions being reassigned'to the Finance Department.
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46 ~' Council Member Moynihan asked why the Human Resources Departmenf was
Vol. 36, Page 144
May 17, 2001
1 receiving Transient Occupancy Tax {TOT) funds..
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3 Finance Director Bill Thomas explained that TOT funds~we;re traditionally
4 allocated among various City departments.
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6 Council Member Moynihan thought this was improper use of TOT`funds.
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8 Mayor Thompson reminded Council that the meeting was a budget workshops no
9 decisions would. be made:
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11 Council Member Fealydid not understand the logic behind s_hiftmg~money from
12 one area of the budget to another, ifi the bottom'lne was the ame.
Council Member Maguire pointed out thaf.anyactivities involving tourists also
involved City services - and wou)d.~therefore be appropriate use of TOT funds:
Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson. thought that use TOT' funds was intended to 6e
flexible,.
Council Member Moynihan asked why TOT funds were not being discussed at
the.. meeting:
Finance Direefor Thomas thought that the TQT Subcommittee needed to
determine allocations before Council .discussed TOT funds.
Council Member Moynihan asked that discussion of TOT funds be clearly
indicated on the agenda for the budget workshop'following the meeting of the
TOT Subcommittee.
30 City Manager Fred Stouder reminded Council that the-City of Petaluma, receives
31 only one=half as much gas tax; per capita, as it did 5.0 years ago (adjusted for
32 inflationj. He sfressed that it was not possible to reform the~financial situation ofi
33 the City overnight; by "tinkering with the budgef._"
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35 Police Department .
36 .
37 Chief :of ;.Police Pat Parks introduced the FY2001-20:02 budget forthe Police
38 Department, and., noted some of the department's accomplishments during the
39 pasf year, which include reduction in crime and injury accidents. Fie noted.. that it
4Q was a very difficult year for the City, budget-wiser
42 .Council Member- Maguire; asked Chief Parks about: the progress of the
43 Community Oriented Policing Program..
44 ,
45 Chief Parks explained thaf.it was going well..
46 Council' Member Maguire thanked Chief Parks and encouraged him fo "keep up
May 17, 2001
Vol. 36, Page 145
1 the good work."
2
3 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson thanked Chief Parks and noted that the "good
4 atmosphere" at the Petaluma Police Department was largely due to his efforts.
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6 Chief Parks noted the need for the City to increase revenues in order to build and
7 repair infrastructure.
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9 Council Member O'Brien was very impressed with the Police Department's
10 budget and with what both the Police and Fire .Departments accomplish.
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12 Chief Parks thanked Captain Steve Hood for his work on the budget.
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14 Council Member Moynihan, noting that the benefits figure had increased 38%
15 since the previous year, asked Chief Parks if'this was a reflection of the 3% at 50
16 retirement benefit.
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18 Chief Parks replied. that it was, and explained that this benefit was put into place
19 in lieu of'salary increases.
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21 Council Member Moynihan asked why the capital equipment amount was much
22 lower this year than last year.
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24 Chief Parks .replied that last year's budget included funds for the CAD/RMS
25 system, even though th`e project was not completed last year as expected.
26
27 Council Member Healy announced that the Sonoma County Transportation
28 Authority (SCTA) Ad-Hoc Subcommittee met that morning. At that meeting, it
29 was announced that Governor Davis might freeze previously allocated transit
30 funds. This could affect the Novato Narrows and .SMART projects.
31
32 Fire Department
33
34 Fire Chief Terry Krout noted that all City departments came together and worked
35 . hard to produce a balanced budget for f=Y2001-2002. He highlighted the
36 accomplishments and challenges the Fire Department faced during the year.
37
38 Council Member Healy asked Chief Krout if the Fire Department was
39 experiencing employee retention problems, and if so, was this due to housing
40 costs or other reasons.
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42 ,Chief Krout explained that several Fire Department employees are due to retire
43 in the near future. The Fire Department competes with twenty-one other
44 agencies for employees: The 3% at'50 retirement benefit has helped attract and
_ 45 retain employees.. Public Safety employees are moving farther~away from their
46 jobs to find affordable housing. He .noted the Fannie Mae loan program available
Vol. 36, Page 146 May 17, 2001
for Public Safety employees.
Council Member Moynihan asked how the goal of cross-training firefighters as
paramedics was p,rggressing. .
Chief Krout replied 'that the Fire 'Departmenf was making strides with the
program..
9 Council Member Moynihan asked if Advanced Life .Saving (ALS) equipment w,as~
10 installed on -all the Fire Department's. engines.
11
12 Chief Krout explained. that.a complex se_ ries if bureaucracies,needed fo be
13 navigated before this could happen.
14
15 Council Member O'Brien reiterated: that he was impressed with the .Fire
16 Department's lean budget, and he appreciates the fine job the Fire Department
17 does.
18
19 Council Member Healy asked Chief Krout if the seismic..analysis of .Fire S:fation
20 #1 hadbeen completed: -
22 Chief Krout answered that he had. received the= initial estimate from the 'engineer,
23 but the project had not ,progressed beyond that.
25 Vice Mayor Caller-Thompson explained that she had gone on a "ride-along" with
26 the Fire'Department and was impressed at how well -the.. Fire and Police
27 Departments worked togefher.
28
29 Recess: 7:53 P.M.
30 Reconvene:: 8:01 P.M.
31
Finance Department
34 Finance, Director Bill Thomas outlined the FY2001=2002. Finance Department
35 budget.
36
37 The financial managementlpayroll software system will be replaced: New
38 standards from the. Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) change
39 the way cities .must present their f inancial statements: Funds have .been allocated
40 for consultants to help the transition to the new format. -
Council Member Moynihan asked if the replacement:. of the financial
rnanagement/pa_yroll software could'be "fast-tracked:"
45 Mr: Thomas replied that it was preferable to converf to the new system at certain
46 points'in the accounting cycle. -
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May 17, 2001
Vol. 36, Page 147
Council Member Moynihan was concerned about the reliability of the payroll
system.
Mr. Thomas:agreed that the system was problematic, but assured Council
Member Moynihan that the problems were "workable" and back-up measures
were in place.
Council Member Healy asked the status of the cosf allocation study
Mr. Thomas replied that. the study was. still in process. He expected it to be
complete within the next .couple of weeks..
Council Member Healy asked for confirmation that the.. cost allocations in the
budget document were not taken. fromthe cost allocation study.
Mr. Thomas agreed. The cost allocations in the budget document were from an
earlier study.
Council Member.; Moynihan asked for clarification of some cost allocation issues.
He mentioned the possibility of contracting out the liability area of Risk
Management once. Risk. Manager Mike: Acorne retires.
City Manager Stouder noted that the City had bought down the deficit on Risk
Management during the last two years.
Council Member Moynihan noted. that the benefits. figures in the cost allocation
summary were: way up from last year.
Mr. Thomas explained that over $600,000 was placed there for potential
retirement payouts. These amounts were formally allocated to the individual
departments where retirements were anticipated.
City Manager Stouder .pointed out that this was a common practice, and was a
funded. liability.
Mr. Thomas added that this. was budgeted on an "as you go" basis.
Council Member Moynihan asked ifithe City'a FERS contribution was being
increased due to the 3% at 50 retirement benefit.
Mr. Thomas confirmed that it was.
Council Member Moynihan asked if funds could be set aside for this in the future.
Mr. Thomas replied that if there funds to be set aside, they could be; however,
VoL 36, Page `1'.48 May 17, 2001:
1 local governments,generally cannot afford to do this.
2
3 Council .Member M'oyn'ihan asked if this issue was addressed in the cost
4 allocation study.
5
6' Mr. Thomas replied thaf it was not., ~~.
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8 Vice Mayor Caller-Thompson thanked Mr.'Thomas.for his work on'.the budget.
9
10 ADJOURN
1T .
1.2 The meefing was adjourned at 8:25'P.M.
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15 E. Clark Thompson, Mayor
16
17
18 ATTEST:'
19
20 .,
21 Claire Cooper, Clerk Pro'
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28 ******