HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 09/29/2009CALL TO ORDER -
SPECIAL MEETING:
ROLL CALL:
PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE:
WORK SESSION:
2010 Preliminary
Budget - Draft 1
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
Port Angeles, Washington
September 29, 2009
Mayor Braun called the special meeting of the Port Angeles City Council to order at 5:00
p.m.
Members Present: Mayor Braun, Deputy Mayor Wharton, and Councilmembers
Di Guilio, Kidd, Perry, Rogers, and Williams.
Members Absent: none
Staff Present:
Public Present:
2010 Preliminary Budget - Draft 1
- 1 -
Manager Myers, Attorney Bloor, Clerk Hurd, G. Cutler, T.
Gallagher, D. McKeen, N. West, Y. Ziomkowski, R. Bonine,
B. Coons, L. Dunbar, T. Pierce, M. Puntenney, and S. Sperr.
C. Blevins, P. Downie, M. Karjalainen, P. Lamoureux, S.
Long, B. Nelson, E. Petersen, and R. Springer. All others
present in the audience failed to sign the roster.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Di Guilio.
Manager Myers used PowerPoint slides to present the 2010 Preliminary Budget to
Council. I-Ie reminded Council that staff had scheduled two more meetings to address the
Budget on November 4 & 17, 2009. Councilmember Williams requested that Council
discuss the Core City Services Proposal before the presentation by staff. He explained
that his memorandum regarding Core City Services was separated into three categories:
essential core city services, basic governmental functions, and discretionary programs and
activities. He requested that Council go through an exercise categorizing the City's
services to give direction to staff on the Budget. Following brief discussion, the Mayor
recommended following the Agenda and addressing Councilmember Williams'
memorandum later in the meeting.
Manager Myers provided an overview of the 2010 Preliminary Budget. He described
new items and increases to the budget, decreases in expenditures, challenges, and future
steps staff will take in the budget process. He gave an overview of fund balances and
staff's process of balancing the budget. He listed the loss of the Pool, previous cuts made
to the 2009 Budget, decreases in front counter hours, and the pursuit of grants as
contributions to balancing the budget this year. He described four major goals: maintain
high quality public safety, grow local economy by expanding economic development
programs, make sustainable enhancements so the City is recognized as a leader in
preserving environmental assets, and create and maintain a sustainable long range
financial plan. Additional cost reductions included the following: decreases in seasonal
labor, a PERS rate reduction, decreases in funding for outside organizations, surplus
revenues to balance the General Fund, new grants, no new full time positions,
implementation of budget saving ideas by employees, reduction of costs for IT services,
reduction of fuel costs, and many others.
Director Ziomkowski stated that the City wide Preliminary Budget was approximately
$100 million, which was down from 2009 due to fewer capital projects. She explained
that the budget included some reserves, but that they were only being used for capital
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CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
September 29, 2009
WORK SESSION:
2010 Preliminary
Budget - Draft 1
(Cont' d)
projects not operational expenses. She stated that her presentation would mainly focus
on the General Fund tonight, and they would focus on the Utility Funds in October. She
listed some of the changes to revenues and expenditures from 2009 to include the
following: decreases in Sales and Utility Tax, limited increases in property tax and
charges for services, large increase in grant revenue, decrease in overtime, decrease of
PERS rate, increases in medical insurance rates, and a cost of living increases for
employees. She stated that the General Fund will use $200,000 from reserves for capital
projects for street improvements. She summarized all the different funds in the General
Fund, addressing reserves used in the Preliminary Budget and ending fund balances.
Manager Myers added to the summary by showing Council the following lists: increased
costs and new expenses, cost reductions, and items requested but not included in the
Preliminary Budget. Director Ziomkowski provided an overview of the upcoming
challenges the City faces, such as Initiative 1033, which would limit overall growth in the
General Fund. She mentioned how other cities are decreasing their expenses related to
core services to prepare for this Initiative. She used tables and graphs to project the
impact to our city if Initiative 1033 passes. Manager Myers discussed the future steps in
the budget process: future budget meetings, cost of services studies, public hearings, and
the final adoption of the budget in December.
Break Mayor Braun recessed the meeting for a break at 6:45p.m. The meeting reconvened at
7:18 p.m.
2010 Preliminary The Mayor opened the meeting to Councilmembers for any discussion, or questions for
Budget - Draft 1 staff. Lengthy discussion ensued regarding the following topics: vehicle costs, expanding
(Cont'd) tourism, seasonal employees, Economic Development, increases in Fire and Police
Departments, Street projects, purchasing, Legal and Economic Development departments
costs, the Parks Department, long term financial plans, School Resource Officer,
affordable housing and zoning issues, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, medical insurance
increases, the feasibility study to create our own district court, the Senior center budget,
the $20,000 message board for the Street Department, reduced funding to the Clallam
Business Incubator, and many other subjects related to the Budget.
Manager Myers addressed the upcoming schedule for budget discussions, suggesting that
more dates be added to cover all of the material. Councilmember Perry mentioned that
he wanted to expand on Councilmember Williams' proposal of core services. Council
addressed the future schedule of budget meetings, suggesting the continuation of the
October 6 meeting to October 7, at 5:30 p.m., to add time to cover more discussion on
the 2010 Preliminary Budget.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 8:29 p.m.
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Gary Braun, Tvt 'or
Jan
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Hurd, City Clerk
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