PICKERINGTON CITY COUNCIL
CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2007
COUNCIL BUDGET
WORK SESSION
6:30 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Smith opened the Council Budget Work
Session at 6:30 P.M., with the following council members present: Mr. Fix, Mr. Hackworth, Mrs. Hammond, Mr.
Sabatino, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wisniewski.
Mrs. Yartin stated Mrs. Riggs was not present due to a family
obligation. Others present were: Judy Gilleland, Lynda Yartin, Linda Fersch,
Chris Schornack, and Ed Drobina.
Mr.
Smith stated this work session was scheduled to discuss the Capital Improvement
Program proposed budget. He stated
Finance Committee’s regular October meeting is scheduled for 7:30 P.M., and if
the work session is not complete, he will recess the work session to convene
Finance Committee at that time. Mr.
Smith stated the Finance agenda is very brief so after that meeting is
adjourned, the work session would continue.
Mr. Smith stated he would ask Ms Gilleland to begin the discussion on
the Capital Improvement Program proposed budget.
2. SCHEDULED
MATTERS:
A. Review and Discussion regarding proposed budget for Capital Improvement Program. Ms Gilleland stated she would review the CIP by each section and answer any questions anyone might have. She also stated she had distributed a handout showing the proposed borrowing for 2008. Ms Gilleland stated we have five projects we would need to borrow for if we are going to do those projects. Ms Gilleland stated the first four projects are Phase II of the ACS lighting system traffic control improvements, police garage, D-Line II force main, and the Long Road detention basin outlet upsizing. She stated these four projects total approximately $1 million dollars. Ms Gilleland stated our financial advisor has given us the parameters of $1 to $1.5 million to borrow annually if we have the revenue stream to repay. She further stated the decision that needs to be made is if we are going to go through with the Refugee Road/S.R. 256 intersection improvement project. She continued that if we are going to do that project we would need to cut $893,000 from the first four projects if the $500,000 grant is not received, and $393,000 if the $500,000 grant is received. Mr. Drobina stated we should hear within the next two weeks if we are awarded the $2 million safety grant and we have also applied for a $500,000 Issue II grant, but we will not hear if that is going to be awarded until July of next year. Mr. Drobina stated Ms Frommer had stated we definitely need the $393,000 this year to begin engineering on the Refugee Road project. Mr. Fix clarified the $393,000 was in addition to the $1 million cost of the first four projects and, therefore, cuts must be made to those projects. Mr. Fix stated he felt the $393,000 was close to the $400,000 proposed for a police garage so that appeared to be the project to be cut. Mr. Fix further clarified if we do not receive the $2 million safety grant, then we will not do the Refugee Road project. Ms Gilleland stated it is Ms Frommer’s recommendation that, above all, the Refugees Road/S.R. 256 project is funded. Mr. Hackworth stated that was correct as that intersection is failing. Mrs. Hammond stated the reason we were fairly sure we would receive the $2 million safety grant is because the State feels the intersection is enough of a hazard that it is worth putting their money into. Mr. Hackworth clarified this project would be on Refugee Road from Windmiller Drive down to Melody Lane. Mr. Smith clarified that of the first four projects, it seemed the first priority to fund would be Phase II of the ACS Lighting system, and then the D-Line II force main, with the Long Road detention basin and police garage being the lowest priorities. Ms Gilleland stated staff would work out the details, she had just wanted to determine if Council wanted to proceed with the Refugee Road intersection project and it appeared they did. Ms Gilleland stated the other projects would be put on the contingency list to be funded if the funds are available.
Ms Gilleland reviewed the Lands and Buildings portion of the CIP. Mr. Sabatino inquired what the council chamber renovation project was and Ms Gilleland stated this would be new carpet, a reconfiguration of the council seating, and new chairs for the spectators. Mrs. Fersch clarified these funds would be coming out of the General Fund. Mr. Sabatino stated he felt this was a waste of $75,000 and that money could be used to better advantage. Mrs. Fersch clarified we have approximately $14,000 to $15,000 left in the Municipal Building Fund. Mr. Smith stated in 2011 we have the other wing of City Hall extension projected, and he questioned if there was a way to combine the two in that project. Mr. Sabatino, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Hackworth stated they did not feel this renovation was necessary, and Mr. Sabatino stated he felt the funds that were still in the Municipal Building Fund could be used for whatever it would cover, and leave the rest for another time. Ms Gilleland stated she could zero out this project. Mr. Hackworth questioned what was planned for the 2011 renovation and Mr. Smith stated he felt it would make sense when we build the new wing, to actually build council chambers in that wing and then convert the current council chamber space into offices or whatever.
Ms
Gilleland reviewed the Water section of the CIP. Mr. Hackworth clarified that if we do the
water tower, Project No. W-15, that could be the only project done next
year. Mr. Sabatino clarified that we
would do the water tower based on the fact that we are required to have so many
hours of storage above ground. Mr.
Sabatino further clarified that we have to have water storage for our users,
and this may have been planned based on the projection of more users than we
actually have. Mr. Drobina stated by the
end of 2008 he would have more facts, and as this is a 2009 project, he would
really know if the construction was necessary in 2009. Mr. Wisniewski clarified that Project No.
W-25 was installing meters on our existing wells so we know how much water is
taken from each well. Mr. Drobina stated
currently we know the total amount of water taken out of all the wells, but we
do not know how much we take out of each individual well except for the well we
put in this year, and EPA required us to put a meter on that one. Mr. Wisniewski questioned if the EPA were
requiring the meters be installed or if they were recommending they be
installed. Mr. Drobina stated it was a
recommendation by the EPA last year when they did their annual inspection. Mr. Fix clarified that the benefit of having
the meter is that we would know when each well was declining in production, so
we would go in and clean the well. Mrs.
Hammond inquired if we would be better able to maintain the wells we have by
having the meters. Mr. Sabatino
clarified cleaning the wells cost about $15,000 to $20,000 and we clean them on
a rotating basis now. Mr. Wisniewski
stated the funding for this project would come out of the Water Capital Fund,
and Mr. Drobina stated this was included in the CIP last year as well. Mr. Sabatino ascertained our next inspection
by the EPA will be next spring and Mr. Drobina stated he could contact the EPA
and see how strongly they felt about installing the meters. Mr. Smith clarified that based on Mr.
Drobina’s conversation with the EPA, the installation of the meters could be
pushed back one year.
Mr.
Smith stated he would recess the work session at this time for a brief Finance
Committee meeting.
The Budget Work Session recessed at 7:25
P.M., and reconvened in open session at 7:43 P.M.
In
review of the Streets section, Mr. Hackworth clarified the traffic signal
improvements included the ACS light system, the hardware, software, and the
controller.
In
review of the Parks section, Mr. Hackworth ascertained there is approximately
$363,000 in the Parks Impact Fee Fund.
Mr. Hackworth questioned what the projected cost for parkland
acquisition was for and Ms Gilleland stated staff is gathering information on
some land, however, she does not have the details to bring forward at this
time. Ms Gilleland stated further once
she has all of the information this can be a discussion during an executive
session with Council.
In
review of the Stormwater section, Mr. Hackworth questioned if the Long Road
Stormwater project, No. SM-06, were still a viable project with the Corps of
Engineers. Mr. Drobina stated he was
considering deleting that project or changing it in some way. Mr. Hackworth clarified that by adding the
tiles we have, most of the serious flooding problems have been eliminated.
In
review of the Wastewater section, Mr. Sabatino clarified that for project
WW-11, the WWTP engineering and construction, the $5,000,000 figure showing in
the City funds allocated for 2007 was an error.
Mr. Hackworth stated that would be our only major project for the next
several years.
Ms
Gilleland stated Project No. UF-40, Heritage Place Ditch Enclosure, is the only
new project included on the Unfunded list.
She stated if Council had any project that they felt should be put on
the list this would be the time to add it.
Ms
Gilleland stated if there were no additions, then another work session would
not be necessary prior to Council on November 6th. She stated the next Budget Work Session would
be November 13th, at 6:30 P.M., and Mr. Bob Cramer would be present
to answer any questions Council may have at that time.
3. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, the Council Work
Session closed at 8:10 P.M., October 25, 2007.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
______________________________
Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk
ATTEST:
____________________________________
Keith Smith, Council President Pro Tempore