Loading...
02 Council Min 08-16-04 Spec. MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL August 16, 2004 The City Council of the City of Paris met in Special Session at 6 p.m., Monday, August 16, 2004 at the Love Civic Center, North Hall, 2025 S. Collegiate Drive, Paris, Texas. Mayor Fendley called the meeting to order with the following Council members present: Karen Wilkerson, Jim Bell, Don Wilson, Rick Poston, Jay Guest and Mary Ann Fisher. Also present were Interim City Manager Terry Townsend, City Attorney Larry Schenk and Assistant City Clerk Sherian Dixon. Mayor Fendley called for consideration of, discussion of and possible action on appointing an auditor to conduct the Independent Annual Audit as required by Section 35 of the Charter of the City of Paris. He called the Council’s attention to their packet’s, which contained the ad that was placed in the Paris News for proposal, as well as the proposal from McClanahan and Holmes, which was the only one received. Councilman Bell asked how the bid compared to last year’s cost. Mayor Fendley said it was $6500.00 less. Councilman Wilson made a motion to accept the bid, which was seconded by Councilman Poston. The motion carried 7 ayes, 0 nays. Next for consideration was discussion of, possibly taking action on or providing staff with direction regarding the position of Interim City Manager. Mayor Fendley said he had tried to contact Chris Hartung of the Water Consultant Group, concerning the placement of the new City Manager, but he would be out of the office until tomorrow. Mayor Fendley related that he had gotten a proposal from Texas First, headed by Don Davis and Kerry Sweatt, a former Paris City Manager. He indicated they had a pool of managers, who could work ten to forty hours a week. He said the charge was $55.00 per hour plus travel. He said they could go with his service or wait until they could contact Chris Hartung. Councilman Wilson wanted to table this until the meeting on Tuesday. Mayor Fendley said the agenda was already posted, so it was decided to put it on a later agenda early next week. City Council Meeting August 16, 2004 Page 2 Mayor Fendley opened the Budget workshop and announced that they would discuss Public Works. Terry Townsend, Interim City Manager and Director of Public Works, proposed cuts as follows in the Public Works Administrative Fund: 1. Postage - to $500 2. Food Humans - to $250 3. Travel Expenses - to $500 4. Publications - to $250 5. Associations - to zero 6. Training and Tuition - to $500.00 7. Janitorial Services - to $2000.00 He proposed raising Communications to $6000.00 and electricity to $2000.00 because they have already gone over budget this year. He said the cuts added up to $5400.00. On the Parks and Recreation Budget, Mr. Townsend proposed the following cuts: 1. Office Supplies - by $500 2. Food - Humans - to zero 3. Travel Expenses - to zero 4. Associations - to zero 5. Training & Tuition - to zero 6. Storm Sewers - to $10,000 7. Machinery, tools, equip. - to $48,000 He proposed the following increases in the Parks and Recreation budget: 1. Postage - to $1000 2. Gasoline - to $15,000 3. Communications - to $6000 4. Water & Gas - to $20,000 City Council Meeting August 16, 2004 Page 3 The line item for electricity was discussed, and Mr. Townsend reminded the Council that the lights at the new Sports Complex had not been turned on yet. It was decided to keep that item at $85,000.00. Mr. Townsend explained that the Program Instructor Expenses has an offsetting revenue account. He wanted to change that item to $65,000.00 because that is what they spent last year. He did mention that program brought in $101,000.00 last year. It was agreed to do this by the Council. Public Works Director Townsend said that several years ago, he and Finance Director Anderson broke the pool expenditures out of the Parks and Recreation budget to get an idea of what the pool was specifically costing. He said it was still a work in progress, trying to determine that. He said that the pool revenue had not been broken out. Councilman Bell said that the revenue should be broken out, also. Finance Director Anderson said there was a total increase of $43,000.00. On the budget for Parks, Recreation, and Right of Ways, Interim City Manager suggested that the Council send back the grant money from the State for the Lake Crook Trail. He said if the project is built, it will have to be maintained for years and years with those recurring costs. Councilman Wilson was concerned because Lake Crook was such an asset and felt this needed to be utilized. Mayor Fendley asked for some upkeep figures, a rough estimate. City Attorney Schenk said the State would require a formal letter declining the grant. Mr. Townsend explained this was a reimbursable grant, which meant they would have to spend the money and submit the receipts to be reimbursed. It was decided to discuss this further. In the Sanitation budget, the gasoline line item was raised to $46,000.00. Mr. Townsend suggested putting oil and lubricants at $2500.00, batteries at $400.00, and tires at $9000.00. He zeroed out the travel line item and put laundry at $50.00. He also suggested taking training and tuition down to $200.00 and making Utilities - Electricity $400.00. City Council Meeting August 16, 2004 Page 4 On a discussion of the landfill fee, Superintendent John Brunson explained how he came up with the projected cost. Councilman Bell asked what the alternative would be. Interim City Manager Townsend indicated they would have to find the next nearest landfill and work out a deal. Councilman Wilson explained that landfill fees had gone up times three since 1982, but the collection rate had gone up times five. Mr. Townsend reduced contract services to zero and post-closure maintenance at the landfill to $5000.00. He proposed a decrease to $45,000.00 in Motor vehicles, which is for maintenance on the packer trucks. He also proposed a $1000.00 cut on Sweeper maintenance. He dropped tire repair to $1500.00. Councilman Wilson suggested looking at a rate increase in sanitation because, ten years ago, the revenue for that was $1.3 million and the expense was $1 million and this past year, the revenue was $1.3 million and the expense was $1.3 million. Councilman Guest said Paris had the highest rates in the area already. It was decided to discuss this further. Mayor Fendley called for a 10 minute break at 7:25 p.m. Mayor Fendley reconvened the budget session at 7:46 p.m. Mayor Fendley called for discussion of the Street Department Budget. Interim City Manager Townsend indicated that Rufus Hill, his street superintendent, has a position open, but suggested not filling it, if it would add to the garage. He said that one position would be eliminated in the Street Department contingent on keeping the garage, which would reduce the Street Department budget by $33, 547.00. Public Works Director Townsend mentioned lowering tires to $8000.00, batteries to $1000.00 and laundry to $500.00. He zeroed out travel expenses, testing and analysis, and training and tuition. He said they need to up water and gas to $2500.00. On bridges and culverts, Mr. Townsend explained that the bridge to Thrasher Road, which is a second entrance to the Water Treatment Plant, has been out City Council Meeting August 16, 2004 Page 5 a while and needs to be replaced, so there will be two entrances, in case one gets flooded. He said it would take $65,000.00 to replace the bridge and he would like to increase that line item to that amount. The total reduction in the street department was 55,000.00. For the Traffic budget, Public Works Director Townsend recommended increasing gasoline to $2800.00, electricity by $5000, and machinery and tools by $1000.00. He recommended dropping tires to $100.00. He zeroed out laundry and cleaning, training and tuition, and building and grounds. Mr. Townsend explained the increase in the signals and markers is due to them having to go back in after the Street scape Project is done to mark parking lines. Mayor Fendley said the Traffic budget increased by $3750.00. Public Works Director Townsend reminded the Council that the Police and Fire Departments had voiced their concerns about losing the Garage. He said that Public Works also used the Garage a lot and he did not believe they would be better off without a Garage. He proposed that the Garage be placed back in the Budget minus two mechanics. He said this would make corresponding line items less because of the decrease in the number of employees. Mr. Townsend zeroed out the food line item, travel expenses, training and tuition, and janitorial services. He called for decreases as follows: 1. Wearing apparel to $2000.00 2. Gasoline to 2500.00 3. Oil and lubricants to $100.00 4. Tires to $500.00 5. Laundry and Cleaning supplies to $500.00 6. Communication and Telephones to $2000.00 7. Tire repair to $100.00 He asked for an increase in Water and Gas to $20,000.00. Mayor Fendley asked Public Works Director Townsend to bring back the figures on salaries and benefits with two employees gone. Anthony Bethel, Director of the Health Department came forward to discuss his City Council Meeting August 16, 2004 Page 6 budget. He mentioned he had two new grants this year, totaling $43,000.00, which will help them to get part of their lab testing free. Mr. Bethel explained that local fees were down because collection was down. Councilman Wilson was concerned that collections were down. Finance Director Anderson said they have been working on trying to get someone to do that specifically, but have not been able to keep anyone. Mr. Bethel said they have never billed private insurance but were trying to do that now. Finance Director Anderson said that the grants that the Health Department gets from the State can only be spent for that specific item and if the money is not used, it must be sent back to the State. Health Department Director Bethel said he has been reducing personnel over the past seven, from 25 to 13. Finance Director Anderson said the State requires them to keep a log of how many hours the personnel works on each program, so they can allocate the personnel costs to the appropriate grant. Mr. Bethel indicated he had asked for increases in Insurance and Bonds. In the WIC program, he asked for an increase in telephone/communications and in water and gas. Mr. Bethel indicated there were decreases in lab costs in the Primary Health Care Program and in the Activity 3, ORAS. On a capital outlay, Mr. Bethel indicated that he had taken the mosquito truck out of the budget because Public Works Director Townsend had found him a truck. Councilman Wilson said he had gotten complaints from citizens who said they have been sprayed by the mosquito truck. Health Department Director Bethel said they have instructed the sprayers not to spray people. Mayor Fendley said the Council would discuss the budgets for the Band, PEDC, Think Child Safety and Water and Sewer. City Council Meeting August 16, 2004 Page 7 rd Monday, August 23 at 6 p.m. was set for another budget session. Mayor Fendley said the architect for the new Police Station could meet with the Council next week, preferably Tuesday. Council members indicated they would need to look at their calendars. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned. __________________________ CURTIS FENDLEY, MAYOR ATTEST: __________________________________ SHERIAN DIXON, ASST. CITY CLERK