Minutes of The Special Price City Council Meeting

City Hall: Price, Utah

May 5, 2003, 8:00 a.m.

Present:

Mayor Joe L. Piccolo Joanne Lessar, City Recorder

Councilmembers: Pat Larsen, Finance Director

Betty P. Wheeler Gary Sonntag, Public Works Director/City Engineer

Stephen L. Denison Keith Wight, Human Resource Director

Richard Tatton Nick Tatton, Community Director

Aleck Shilaos, Chief of Police

Excused: Councilmember Don G. Reaveley, Jr.

Others Present:

Lisa Richens Francis Duzenack Sam White

1. BUDGET RETREAT - Fiscal Year 2003/04

Mayor Piccolo reported that a meeting with all city supervisors was held on Friday, May 2, 2003. He informed the supervisors that the budget for Fiscal Year 2003/04 was still out of balance and asked if they had any suggestions to further reduce their budget requests. He explained to them that this is not an emergency, just a preventative measure. Pat Larsen stated that it was a good meeting and some very positive comments were received.

Sam White, Public Utilities Supervisor, discussed the need for certified operators at the Water Treatment Plant. The Division of Drinking Water has mandated that a certified operator be present on each shift. Instead of hiring two temporary seasonal employees, he would like to hire two permanent employees that could become certified. They would work at the treatment plant when it is operating during the summer and on the water and sewer crews in the winter. He presented a flow chart explaining his four different crews, the number of employees on each crew and their duties. Sam stated that his job is in the field overseeing the crews, troubleshooting, etc. Mayor Piccolo questioned if as much manpower would be needed now that the new larger water transmission pipeline has been installed? There will not be any leaks to repair as in the past. Crews will have more time to complete other projects. Sam stated that there needs to be 24 hour coverage at the treatment plant as water is made all week. It is necessary to keep the water tanks full during the peak water season. Sam felt that the need for contractors needs to be reduced and the replacement of lines done inhouse. It would be a cost savings to do it internally. The line from Main Street to Airport Road needs to be replaced. There are constant problems on this line. Gary Sonntag stated that Sam has managed his department very effectively. He has shifted with the changes to fill the needs. He is aware that Sam is accomplishing more with less in the long run. The City has spent a half a million in north price replacing old lines. There have been instances where we get a bad contractor and the City has had to replace lines that a low bidder was hired to do.

Mayor Piccolo questioned personnel problems, as he has seen the majority of employee=s time augmented with vacation and sick leave. Some employees don=t use it at all and some use it all the time.

Francis Duzenack discussed his report that he compiled regarding the fees charged by other cities, such as rezoning, annexation, site plan review, Board of Adjustments, Conditional Use Permits, Home Operated Businesses, zoning verification, etc. In order to produce more revenue, he recommended that the City start charging a small fee for the above services.

May 5, 2003

Pat Larsen presented the list of items cut by the supervisors totaling $127,100. She revisited the amount placed in the budget for revenues and increased it by a small amount. There will be another savings of $23,036 by not hiring the temporary vacant positions in the Streets, Parks and

Cemetery Departments. The Council recommended that the requested permanent full time positions in the Water Treatment Plant not be funded and that two permanent certified employees from inhouse crews be transferred to the Water Treatment Plant during the summer months. Two temporary/full time employees could be hired to replace them and laid off in the winter when the plant is shut down and the two permanent employees return to their crews.

Pat Larsen stated that she would implement the above changes in the tentative budget and present it to the Council for adoption at the May 14, 2003 meeting. The cost of living, anniversary increases and promotions remained in the proposed budget. A special workshop meeting for the Council and supervisors is scheduled for the first week in June to brainstorm for additional revenues.

Meeting adjourned at 11:20 a.m.

APPROVED:

ATTEST: Joe L. Piccolo, Mayor

Joanne Lessar, City Recorder