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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08311988a City of Sebastian POST OFFICE BOX 780127 D SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 32978 TELEPHONE (407) 589-5330 MINUTES SEBASTIAN CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1988 - 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1225 MAIN STREET, SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA ALL PROPOSED ORDINANCES AND INFORMATION ON iTEMS LISTED BELOW MAY BE INSPECTED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, CITY HALL, 1225 MAIN STREET, SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA. 1988/89 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET REVIEW Mayor Votapka called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Councilman George Metcalf Councilman Robert McCarthy Vice Mayor Peter Vallone Mayor Richard Votapka Absent: Councilman Kenneth Roth (excused) Also Present: City Manager, Robert McClary 3. REVIEW OF THE 1988/89 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET Upon questioning by Vice Mayor Vallone, the City Manager said the city had received approximately $177,000 in back taxes from Oyster Pointe Resort which would impact the '89 fiscal budget, although he had been unable as yet to revise the budget. He said this may affect the rein- statement of positions which previously were proposed to be eliminated and a possible reduction of the proposed millage rate increase. Vice Mayor Vallone said he may be unable to attend the PBA and CWA executive caucus on Thursday, September 1, 1988, at 5:00 P.M. 1 CITY CLERK Vice Mayor Vallone questioned 1) item #1400 Overtime and why the Deputy Clerk was being paid to attend Council meetings if this is the City Clerk's responsibility; 2) why the City Clerk had two clerk's office employees paid double time and a half for the VIP breakfast on the 4th of July when the Clerk had volunteered her time for this; and 3) the cost effectiveness of Florida Data Bank. He went on to reiterate that Council needs to implement an evaluation of department heads and would not support this budget until these questions were answered. The City Clerk responded that the overtime amount is for the Deputy Clerk's attendance at Council meetings in lieu of not being made unlimited time status and the possibility of temporary help as occurred in the past. Mayor Votapka said it was commendable to see a decrease in the overall City Clerk's budget and praised her for the efficiency she has brought to the office. Councilman Metcalf said the City Clerk is the most cost effective thing that's happened to the city in years and that to quibble over a few overtime dollars is unnecessary. Discussion took place on the Capital Outlay request for a records vault. The City Manager said this request had no relation to Florida Data Bank and records destruction. Councilman McCarthy said all personnel records, including Police Department, should be in this vault. Mayor Votapka questioned the sufficiency of item #3110 Legal at $30,000; pointed out that the 87/88 estimates for item #s 4841 Fourth of July and 4842 Christmas Lights needed to be amended; and questioned item #8200 Aid to Ambulance Squad. The City Manager said this had been a separate budget and he had placed it here for lack of anyplace else to put it. POLICE DEPARTMENT Vice Mayor Vallone questioned the 814,900 overrun in the 87/88 fiscal year for item #1400 Overtime. The Chief of Police responded with a report on overtime and stated that arrests are up which require additional deposition and court time. He said overtime also covers special events and holidays. Councilman McCarthy requested a copy of the report read by Chief Carter; requested an itemization of overtime for the Police Department in the current fiscal budget; questioned scheduling lieutenants which requires overtime, and; questioned personnel hired without Council approval. 2 Councilman Metcalf referred to a memo from the City Manager to the Chief of Police dated July 15, 1988 regarding these concerns as expressed by Councilman McCarthy. The Chief of Police said these concerns had been worked out with the City Manager. Vice Mayor Vallone concurred with concerns as expressed by Councilman McCarthy. He suggested that $100,000 be automatically cut from the total proposed Police Department budget. Mayor Votapka requested further 3ustificat±on for item #s 1400 through 2040. Councilman McCarthy emphasized further 3ustification on item #2020 Retirement. The City Manager explained that the figure of 825,000 is based on 5% of wages and salaries for Police Department personnel in line item #1200. Councilman McCarthy requested the percentage figure used for item #2040 Workmen's Compensation. Discussion took place on the need for updated hand manuals for all officers. The City Manager expressed the need for an overall operating manual and remarked that the cost for this could rise as high as $1500. Mayor Votapka stated that the lid needed to be put on item #4000 Travel and Per Diem. The Finance Director said this item for 87/88 estimate should be actually approximately $2000 lower. Councilman McCarthy requested a list of all education and who attended in fiscal 87/88. The City Manager expressed concern for the lack of written policy on training dollars which he said must be rectified. He said item #4000 and #5440 have had charges to them which under normal circumstances would not, i.e, classes which would normally have been charged to second dollar fund which had only $170 in the carry-over to this fiscal year. Mayor Votapka requested a further itemization for item #5290 Trade Supplies which showed a substantial increase. He suggested the Police Department show proper explanations for cost overruns and requested line item increases in its future proposed budgets. Vice Mayor Vallone suggested that a reduction could be implemented in Vehicle and Equipment Expense by changing the policy on police vehicles and all other city vehicles leaving the city limits. The City Manager said this would need to be discussed in caucus because it relates directly to the PBA union contract. 3 Mayor Votapka said, for the record, that Council was presented in June with figures on vehicle and equipment expense totaling $86,680 now reduced down to $71,500. He said there have been a few other cuts made since the June proposal but there are some items of concern which will result in scrutiny of the Police Department budget. Councilman Metcalf noted there are eight supervisors, twelve officers and nine administration and communications personnel and that, in his opinion, there are too many chiefs and not enough indians in the Police Department. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS City Clerk Mayor Votapka noted that requests had been cut by approximately $5000 from the original proposal. There was no discussion on the City Clerk's requests. Public Works The City Manager said that the Acting Public Works Director was unable to attend this meeting as requested. The City Manager said the mower requested for the cemetery was to remain in the proposed budget at the request of the cemetery sexton and the recommendation of the City Manager to replace the mower currently being used. When asked by Councilman McCarthy if it was the City Manager's recommendation to leave the Public Works mower in the budget, the City Manager said it was, and Councilman McCarthy responded that he would vote against the purchase of two mowers. Vice Mayor Vallone concurred with Councilman McCarthy. The City Manager said he would consider the purchase of one riding mower for use by both Parks and Cemetery. After a brief discussion of Parks Improvements in the amount of $15,000, and a request from Councilman McCarthy for an itemization, the City Manager said he would change this item to "Parks Improvement (Upgrade of Park Facilities Only)". The City Manager said he did not want to get detailed with these items since these funds can be leveraged against other grants and wanted to maintained some flexibility. He remarked that in his experience no Capital Improvement items can be expended without Council approval. Police Department Discussion took place on the $100,000 that was set aside for a new police facility which the City Manager proposed be taken from restricted funds to capital projects. The City Manager said what was not in this budget was the 4 $148,000 set aside in the current fiscal year for the police facility which had never been restricted of which $15,000 was expended for the mobile home currently being used as an addition to the police facility. He said the $148,000 never existed in cash and perhaps the purchase of the Boone property may have depleted reserves. Mayor Votapka suggested that future capital project funds will have to be designated as restricted reserves so that they don't roll back into the general fund. The Chief of Police explained his revised Capital Outlay requests item by item for a total of 858,700 as stated in the outline he presented to Council at this meeting. Upon questioning by Vice Mayor Vallone, the Chief of Police said he would check into the validity of portable breathalyzer units. During discussion of replacement of ballistic vests, Mayor Votapka suggested establishing a system of staggering the purchases. Councilman McCarthy commented that the city should never skimp on purchase of vests. Mayor Votapka called recess at 9:15 P.M. and reconvened the meeting at 9:25 P.M. All members present at recess were present at recall. Upon questioning by Councilman McCarthy, the Chief of Police said he was turning units one and two over to officers and would purchase lease or demo vehicles for Lt. Puscher and himself, in addition to three others. Councilman McCarthy questioned the purchase of used cars for $10,000 each if new cars could be purchased for slightly more. The City Manager concurred that $10,000 may be too high for used vehicles. Mayor Votapka suggested that in the future the Chief justify expenditures against repairs for requested vehicle purchases as was done by the Building Department. Vice Mayor Vallone recommended discontinuing the use of canines by Police Officers. He said if this was not done he would not vote for this budget. Councilman McCarthy again requested an explanation of Public Works' request for 836,000 for traffic control devices. 4. Mayor Votapka ad3ourned the meeting at 9:40 P.M. 5 Approved at the September 14, 1988 Regular City Council meeting. Richard B. Votapka, Mayor