Minutes of the Special Price City Council

Tentative Budget Meeting

City Hall Council Chambers- Price, Utah

April 27, 2007 7:00 a.m.

 

Present:

Mayor Joe L. Piccolo                                                                                                                                         

Councilmembers:                                                                                                                               

                Jeff Nielson                                           John Daniels, Human Resource Director

Richard Tatton                                    Pat Larsen, Finance Director

Jeanne McEvoy                                Gary Sonntag, Public Works Director/City Engineer

Rick Davis                                            Laurie Tryon, City Recorder

Kathy Hanna-Smith                           Aleck Shilaos, Police Chief

                                                                Nick Tatton, Community Director

                                                                Bret Cammans, Customer Service Director

                                                                                Paul BeDont, Fire Chief

 

TENTATIVE BUDGET WORKSHOP- Fiscal Year 2007-2008

 

Pat Larsen recommends maintaining the water fund to have a minimum of $100,000 in the budget carried forward each year for repairs and maintenance. The budget is $643,500 out of balance at this time.

 

PERSONNEL

 

The budget is lower this year than last year by approximately $100,000. Employees are becoming more productive and efficient in combining duties without cutting services.

The four positions that are in review for possible additional staffing are:

 

New Building Tech-

This position would enhance building services. The Building Maintenance department has taken many cuts in the last year and although service has not decreased, it is the long term maintenance that needs to be evaluated. Cleaning services has been contracted out this year which has been cost effective and productive. The Building Technician position would be geared for long term preventive maintenance to prolong the City equipment.

 

School Resource Officer (SRO)-

This position would be used to offset costs and time the Police department is currently handling with over 60% of the dispatch calls in Carbon County. The junior high D.A.R.E program has been cut due to the increase in police response calls and the lack of police officers. The growth in the community is the reason for the increase in calls and violence. With a School Resource Officer’s presence on campus, school violence and drug issues would decrease. This person would take direction from the Police Department and coordinate with the school officials. The SRO would be on the school campus ˝ hour before school starts, in a police car, wearing a soft uniform to handle drug and violence issues.  If he or she had an emergency, they would call for police assistance. Problems would be coordinated with school counselors and assistance offered where intervention is needed. The SRO would have complete access to all school records in order to coordinate other services and departments in the City for assistance. This officer would be available to all public schools in the area.  The coordination between this officer and the schools would be extremely helpful to the Police Department in response to school problems.

 

Facility Security- Part-time

This position would be to take preventive measures for the safety of City buildings, equipment and property. This person would provide security watch for vandalism and other security issues from the cameras that are stationed throughout the City.

 

Labor/Streets Person

The streets department needs an additional full-time person to assist with the street services and response of resolving issues. The growth of the community will have an effect on the City streets, sidewalks, parks and buildings. Contract, seasonal and part-time employees are no longer an option for this position. Necessary work and maintenance issues are beginning to fall behind.

 

Price City cannot afford to make any more personnel cuts. The City needs to keep up with the demands of citizens. The added amenities to our City with parks; pavement; sidewalks, and subdivisions have increased the workload tremendously. Certain things that are offered to the citizens may need evaluation as to how they are handled, such as: offering City cleanup two times a year; curb/gutter/sidewalk additions; Christmas tree pickup; banner and sign hanging on City streets. A cost analysis needs to be completed on all of these issues. There are always financial, social and political risks to each cut that a City makes and each item needs to be evaluated in order to review how each item is being covered financially. The items are economically balanced for the citizens, but not the City budget. This item will be evaluated by the Mayor, Council and Staff.

 

Tentative Budget Cuts-

Facility Security- $8,300.00

Police O.T. -         $5,000.00

Police Vehicle      $28,000.00 (to be funded by Drug Task Force Restitution Money

 

Tentative Budget Changes-

Domes Repairs      $250,000 (from $175,000)      Add to 2008-2009 Budget

                                Homestead Blvd.   $372,000                                 Add to 2008-2009 Budget

                                Addition - Airport Sewer-Industrial Park          $1.2 million (from $980,000)

 

Petty Cash-

Increase the availability of funds from $200.00 to $500.00 and the allowance from $50.00 to $100.00 at any given time. Pat Larsen, Finance Director was not in agreement of this increase and did not want the availability or allowance to change. This change will be made in the petty cash policy. MOTION. Councilmember Hanna-Smith moved to raise the minimum petty cash amount from $200 to $500 and to raise the allowance from $50 to $100.  Motion seconded by Councilmember Nielson. Motion carried.

 

Economic Development-

Nick Tatton had an original request of $23,500 for the Economic Development budget for 2007-2008. This amount would be used for the conference room facility renovations; the Demand Site Management program (DSM); the city participation in the BEAR program, and the travel fund for the Community Director position. He would like to total to be placed back in the final budget. It was requested that Nick Tatton report back to Council after further research on the travel activities. The amount of $5000 was deducted for the conference room chairs. The conference room renovations cannot be done at this time. MOTION. Councilmember Tatton moved to approve $8,000 be placed back in the Economic Development budget for 2007-2008 for DSM and $3500 for the BEAR program. Motion seconded by Councilmember McEvoy. Motion carried.

 

MOTION. Councilmember Davis moved to adjourn the public tentative budget meeting. Motion seconded by Councilmember Nielson. Meeting adjourned at 12:09 p.m.

 

                                                                                                APPROVED:

 

 

                                                                                                _____________________________

                                                                                                Mayor Joe L. Piccolo

 

ATTEST:

 

 

________________________________

City Recorder, Laurie Tryon