FINANCE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
CITY
HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD
THURSDAY,
NOVEMBER 16, 2006
REGULAR
MEETING
7:30
P.M.
1. ROLL CALL. Mr. Wisniewski called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M., with roll call as follows: Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Fix, and Mr. Smith were present. Mr. Hackworth was absent. Others present were Mike Sabatino, Judy Gilleland, Lynda Yartin, Linda Fersch, Tim Hansley, and others.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF October 19, 2006, Regular Meeting. Mr. Fix moved to approve; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Fix, and Mr. Smith voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
3. FINANCE DIRECTOR:
A. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance amending the 2006 appropriation, Ordinance 2005-98. Mrs. Fersch stated the Committee had received a draft appropriation ordinance and most of them are the beginning of the end-of-year clean-up appropriations. Mrs. Fersch stated she would be happy to answer any questions the Committee may have. Mr. Wisniewski moved to approve and forward to Council; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Fix, and Mr. Smith voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
B. Finance Director’s Report: Mrs. Fersch stated she had provided a report to the Committee and she would be happy to answer any questions.
(1) Impact Fee Report. Mrs. Fersch stated a report had been distributed to the Committee, and since that report was distributed we have received some additional monies and we now have $192,000 in the Police Impact Fee Fund.
(2) Investment Report. Mrs. Fersch stated interest rates are about the same and we are earning 5.12 percent on our checking account.
(3) Review of Vendor Report. Mrs. Fersch stated the Committee had received the Vendor Report and she would be happy to answer any questions.
(4) Health Insurance Update. Mrs. Fersch stated Mr. Lombardo would be monitoring claims to make sure they are paid. Mrs. Fersch stated we have several employees who have opted for the Core Plan that will give the City a savings of about $10,000. She stated further we have other employees who are not taking insurance through the City as they have a spouse that has insurance. Mrs. Fersch stated it appeared the City will have a savings of about $113,000.
C. Review and request for motion to approve nine draft ordinances to authorize the issuance of (1) not to exceed $225,000 Park Land Acquisition Bond Anticipation Notes, Second (2007) Renewal, (2) not to exceed $330,000 Building Improvement Bond Anticipation Notes, Second (2007) Renewal, (3) not to exceed $1,900,000 Sanitary Sewer System Improvement Bond Anticipation Notes, Fifth Series, First (2007) Renewal, (4) not to exceed $2,120,000 Street Improvement Bond Anticipation Notes, Twelfth Series, Third (2007) Renewal, (5) not to exceed $3,087,500 Water System Improvement Bond Anticipation Notes, Second Series, (6) not to exceed $290,000 Police Building Bond Anticipation Notes, Eighth (2007) Renewal, (7) not to exceed $260,000 Traffic Signal Bond Anticipation Notes, First (2007) Renewal, and (8) not to exceed $420,000 Real Estate Acquisition Bond Anticipation Notes, First (2007) Renewal, as a consolidated Various Purpose Note issue for sale purposes. Mrs. Fersch stated because our debt is due in March we need to start these ordinances through the process now. She stated they are renewal issues with the last ordinance authorizing consolidation of all of the notes into one so we can save a considerable amount of money by bidding them together. She stated they will however be brought forward as individual ordinances. Mr. Wisniewski moved to approve and forward all nine ordinances to Council; Mr. Fix seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Fix voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
4. PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT:
A. New Employee Update. Mrs. Fersch stated Bradley Frost has been hired as our new police officer and part-time employee Brianne Dreisbach is moving into the full time Dispatcher position vacated by Sharon Griffith. Mrs. Fersch stated we received 18 applications for the Code Enforcement position and she hoped we would be able to begin interviewing so the individual selected will be on-board by the first pay period of the new year.
B. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance adopting an Employee Pay Plan and Authorized Strength for 2007 and declaring an emergency. Ms. Gilleland stated she would like to discuss this in Executive Session. Mr. Wisniewski stated we would come back to this item on the agenda.
5. DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT:
A. Development Director’s Report. Mr. Hansley stated his report had been distributed and he would answer any questions. Mr. Hansley stated we have been working on a new Development Guide and we took the final draft to the Chamber of Commerce to review. He stated the Guide will mainly be for small businesses and gives an insight into what we require and how to go through the process.
Mr. Hansley stated he had also distributed a memorandum regarding the incentive program involving the waiver of impact fees for a local medical office building. He stated he was looking for the approval of the concept from Finance Committee, and if so he would then prepare legislation to take to Council with the details. He stated we would basically offer the terms that are in the memorandum with some language in reference to a rebate if they do not achieve the employment goals stated. Mr. Hansley stated he felt this was a development we would want to work with and he would recommend approval of the concept. Mr. Sabatino clarified as he understood it, we would waive the impact fees and put us where we were before impact fees. Mr. Hansley stated that was correct. Ms Gilleland stated along with the wavier, the City would need to reimburse the Impact Fee Fund. Mr. Hansley stated that was correct and the legislation would contain language that you only have to pay it back once the income tax come in and the General Fund receives the money. He stated it could be paid back in the second or third year, once you actually collect the income tax fees. Mr. Fix moved to approve the concept identified in the memorandum; Mr. Wisniewski seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Fix, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
(1) Rt. 33 Alliance – Update. Mr. Hansley stated he had provided the report for the Alliance for everyone to review. He stated they have done a lot of work already, and this is the first step of getting into the fund raising mode. Mr. Hansley stated he would answer any questions anyone might have.
6. CHAIRMAN:
A. Review of Legal and Engineering services invoices. Mr. Wisniewski ascertained there were no questions on the invoices.
B. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance regarding Road and Bridge Levy. Mr. Wisniewski stated he does not have this ready to bring forward at this time, and requested it remain on the agenda for the next meeting.
Mr. Wisniewski asked Mrs. Fersch to have Mr. Schwallie give us an analysis of what would happened if we stopped building homes in the next six or seven years, what would happen with the Police Fund as far as debt retirement, what would happen to our Road Fund, etc., since we are relying on impact fees to pay down the police debt and for Diley Road. Mrs. Fersch inquired if he would like it to show zero growth or graduated growth. Mr. Fix stated we have 1800 homes already on the books and he would like to see how much that will bring in as far as impact fees, and then assuming it ends after the 1800, use the 175 or whatever we are using as an estimate now. Mr. Hansley stated it does appear that interest in the commercial, retail sites, seem to be getting stronger. He stated it was to early to tell how it would impact the impact fee fund, but it does seem there is a lot of discussion and energy in the commercial development side right now. Mr. Wisniewski stated what he would like is an analysis of where we are now, what is possibly projected for the next five to ten years or when we are theoretically built out from a residential standpoint. Ms Gilleland clarified he is looking at this in terms of debt service.
7. OTHER BUSINESS: Mrs. Fersch stated she would request the December Finance Committee meeting be moved up so it will come before the last Council meeting. She stated this will allow her to take care of any items that need to be completed before the end of the year. She stated she would suggest having the meeting on December 13th if that would work for everyone. Ms Gilleland stated further we will need Committee approval or a Committee waiver of the 2007 budget prior to its final reading. Mr. Wisniewski moved to schedule the regular Finance Committee meeting for December 13, 2006, at 7:30 P.M.; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Smith, Mr. Fix, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
8. MOTIONS:
A. Motion for Executive Session under Section 121.22(G)(1)(b), Matters involving an employee’s or public official’s employment, Section 121.22(G)(2), Purchase or sale of public property, Section 121.22(G)(3), Conference with law director regarding pending or imminent court action, and Section 121.22(G)(4), Matters involving bargaining sessions with public employees. Mr. Wisniewski moved for Executive Session under Section 121.22(G)(1)(b) and Section 121.22(G)(4); Mr. Fix seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Smith, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Fix voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
Finance Committee went into Executive Session at 8:10 P.M. and reconvened in open session at 8:45 P.M.
Mr. Fix moved to approve the ordinance adopting an Employee Pay Plan and Authorized Strength for 2007 and declaring an emergency and forward to Council; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Smith, Mr. Fix, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
9. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, Mr. Fix moved to adjourn; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Mr. Fix, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wisniewski voted "Aye." Motion carried, 3-0. The Finance Committee adjourned at 8:48 P.M., November 16, 2006.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
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