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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-01-26 City Council Minutes BOOK 55 PAGE 10 MID-YEAR BUDGET REVIEW WORKSHOP January 26,2015 6:00 p.m. The Mayor called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Attendance: Mayor Nancolas,Jeremy Feucht, Shannon Ozuna, Rob Hopper,Dennis Callsen,Mike Pollard,Terrence Biggers,Mark Wendelsdorf,Brent Orton,Brian Billingsley,Monica Jones,Debbie Geyer,Lacey Welt,Chris Allgood, E1Jay Waite,and Frank Wyant. Absent: Steve Fultz (DISCUSSION ITEMS CONCERNING BUDGET MATTERS) MAYOR NANCOLAS: The Mayor addressed issues regarding Caldwell's levy rate in comparison to other Idaho cities and its consistent reduction for the past few years as directed by City Council. He instructed the department heads to address capital improvement needs,five year goals,and technology upgrades tonight in their presentations based on the continuance of a reduced levy rate. CHRIS ALLGOOD—POLICE DEPARTMENT: • Continue to improve safety services. The crime rate has remained steady and not increased this year. • Approximately 30 calls per day are received for CPD responses. • Five years goals: ✓ Building is in good condition—maintenance needs only. ✓ Desirous of purchasing the parcel located behind CPD(owned by Hobson Family) for parking purposes. Projected cost of the parcel is approximately$43,000 plus improvements. ✓ Vehicle replacement schedule is on a five-year rotation basis. • Chief Allgood reported that the projected dispatch costs from the Canyon County Sheriff's Office are unclear. • The IT Department for the City needs to be expanded. • It has been a challenge to keep website items up-to-date with inner department personnel. • Constant IT equipment repairs and training issues could addressed with addition staffing of the IT Department. • The Mayor proposed that consideration be given concerning a CPD sub-station in the proposed CFD Station 93. CPD is currently occupying space at the Canyon County Paramedic Station on Cleveland Boulevard/Happy Day Boulevard. • In response to questions from Councilman Hopper,the Mayor stated that Mark Hilty has been researching the legality issues concerning 911 funds being returned to the City of Caldwell. MARK WENDELSDORF-FIRE DEPARTMENT.- • Capital needs: A long-range projection spreadsheet was distributed to the Council Members: • Technology needs would include increased bandwidth. On-line webinars could be accessed more readily with an increased bandwidth allowance. • The construction of Station 93 is needed for improved response time to dispatched calls on the east side of Caldwell. • Additional firefighters are needed to cover the number of dispatched calls for Caldwell and promote community training for fire prevention methods. • Discussion was held concerning the need for residential fire sprinkler systems and fire sprinklers within the downtown historical buildings. • In response to questions from Councilman Biggers,Chief Wendelsdorf stated that there has been an increase of firefighters following through with completion of required certification educational courses. • The Mayor recommended that"configuration of manning"issues need to be addressed in the upcoming budget. BRIAN BILLINGSLEY—PLANNING&ZONING DIRECTOR: • Technology: o Would like to offer the policies/manuals to the public on a thumb drive rather than hard copies thereby reducing printing costs. It was suggested that those materials be placed on the website for easy access rather than by thumb drive. • The department would like the availability of having applications and payments submitted electronically through the appropriate software. • Capital needs: o A new car is needed for departmental business,especially as it relates to code enforcement duties. LACEY WELT—LIBRARY • Technology: o Upgrades to the equipment are underway by in-house staff. • Would like to offer payments by PayPal on the website. BOOK 55 PAGE 11 • The library website needs to be upgraded.The possibility of a mobile website is being researched. • The purchase of additional computers for public access center is needed. The bandwidth is adequate for the computers. • Goals: o A new Strategic Plan document will be drafted. The document will include long-range goals dealing with electronic content materials. • Looking to increase community partnerships. • Capital Improvements: o HVAC system looking to be replaced by June 2015. BRENT OR TON car ROBE MACDONALD—CITY ENGINGEER car PUBLIC WORKS Engineering:Building:Mapping-Modeling: Street:Airport:Water: Sewer-POTW: Sanitation: Street Lights:Irrigation:(Also assisting Parks:Forestry:Cemetery). Outline was provided to the Council Members for discussion. • Technology • Field resource(have some in testing now)Geographic Information System(GIS)in hand. • Objective:Maintain Manpower Base,but increase capabilities • Improve Data Availability—Automate and semi-automate data acquisition • Infrastructure location o Signs,Valves,Catch Basins,Manholes,Junction Boxes, Conduits,Water lines,sewer lines,irrigation lines,stormwater lines,etc • Infrastructure incidental data collection • Sweeper Breadcrumb trail,Vactor-Jetter tracking • Valve location for main breaks,valve state tracking,etc • Track inspections on Building Permit projects,Subdivisions,and Public works construction. • Time efficient inspection • Thorough digital records(pictures,descriptions) • Information for customers • Electronic Plan review—in progress for building permits only. • Simultaneous review by multiple departments • Customer Convenience • Additions to Accela to represent Subdivision/entitlement process and field inspection/construction process. • Programmer working under Jose to work on reports for Accela etc. • Outward Facing GIS available to Public ■ Cemetery,Parks,Pathways,Zoning,etc. • Department Specific Vision/5 Year Planning elements: • All Departments: ■ Maximize Efficiency;Utilize appropriate equipment and technology to minimize and maintain staffing needs. • Engineering: • Restaff the Engineering department by filling vacant positions. • Persistent Training for Engineering Department to continually enhance serviceability to other departments. • See Budget Capital Series for Other Department 5 year Planning. • Building: • Threshold for needing additional staff • Improve and enhance Accela Software for Staff and Customers • Mapping-Modeling: • Computer and server rotations. We may have to ramp up hardware in order to get outward facing. Internal with own servers or something hosted on a third party server. • Aerial Photography-Paying for in our COMPASS Dues. Should we get our own data at the intermediate term-every two years,four times in 10 years. COMPASS is on a three year rotation roughly that is altered by the census.will definitely do a 2020 flight. Should we supplement it with pictometry. COMPASS will alter its cost allocation model in the future. Our share has been 7k with COMPASS-Pictometry 14K. • Street: • Municipal Separate Storm Sewer(MS4)Compliance • Data Driven Maintenance and Decisions BOOK 55 PAGE 12 ■ Improve efficiency,finding new funding. • Airport: • Economic Engine • Emergency Preparedness • Water: • Standardized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition(SCADA) • Backup server for WWTP SCADA • Radio Read and Staff Reduction • Sewer-POTW: • Standardized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition(SCADA) • Backup server for Water SCADA • Digesters,Filter,Lab,Dewatering • Sanitation: • Street Lights: ■ LID Streetlight conversion at every touch. • Irrigation: ■ Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition(SCADA) • Parks: ■ Keep properly equipped,forestay staffing needs. • Forestry: ■ Will need a new Stump Grinder in the five year horizon. • Cemetery: ■ Outward Facing Geographic Information System • Locate Plots • Search Owners/Occupants. • Downtown o Fire line issues. MONICA JONES-HUMAN RESOURCES: • Monica reported her concerns: o Personnel training expenditures: Is the training relevant to the job? • Issues dealing with budgeting for retirement and succession planning/training. • Research the possibility of external hiring procedures or cross training staff for ample departmental coverage. • Review of expenses in light of levy rate reduction: How does the City keep wages competitive? How do we address merit pay? • Individuals within the departments need to receive adequate IT training. Inner departmental personnel need to keep abreast with department software programs and updates for the website. • Continue to look at the employee's benefits vs.wages. DEBBIE GEYER—CITY CLERK: • Goal 91 -Technology: Purchase software to provide availability of streamlining the application process for various licenses. Online access for applications and fees. • Goal 92—Revising the administrative process for the Caldwell Cemetery. City Clerk to administer the records for the cemetery at City Hall. This could require additional hours for part-time staff in the City Clerk's office. • Goal 93-Continue to develop the archiving process for vital documents. ELJAY WAITE-FINANCE DIRECTOR: • A discussion concerning levy rate reductions was held. It was noted that commercial growth is mandatory. • "Cash Balances by Fund"spreadsheet was distributed to the Council Members and discussed. • Councilman Hopper asked that a comparison spreadsheet be made available indicating: o How do we compare to other neighboring city's taxes for an average-size residence? • What is the breakdown for personal property taxes/commercial property taxes within the neighboring cities? (EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO IDAHO CODE, SECTION 67-2345, SUBSECTION (A) FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING THE HIRING OF A PUBLIC OFFICER,EMPLOYEE, STAFF MEMBER OR INDIVIDUAL AGENT,SUBSECTION(C)FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY NOT OWNED BY A PUBLIC AGENCY, AND SUBSECTION (F) FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING PENDING LITIGATION OR WHERE THERE IS A GENERAL PUBLIC AWARENESS OF PROBABLE LITIGATION) MOVED by Hopper, SECONDED by Callsen per to convene into Executive Session pursuant to Idaho Code, Section 67-2345,Subsection(a)for the purpose of discussing the hiring of a public officer,employee,staff member or individual agent, Subsection (c) for the purpose of discussing acquisition of real property not owned by a public agency, and Subsection(f)for the purpose of discussing pending litigation or where there is a general public awareness of probable litigation at 8:20 p.m. BOOK 55 PAGE 13 Roll call vote. Those voting yes: Hopper,Callsen,Biggers,Feucht,and Ozuna. Those voting no: none. Absent and/or not voting: Pollard. MOTION CARRIED The Mayor noted that there were no decision made or action taken and the Executive Session was conducted per Idaho State Code. (ADJOURNMENT) MOVED by Hopper,SECONDED by Biggers to adjourn at 9:12 p.m. MOTION CARRIED APPROVED AS written THIS 2nd DAY OF FEBRUARY ,2015. Mayor Councilperson Councilperson Councilperson Councilperson Councilperson Councilperson ATTEST: City Clerk