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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-06-26 Budget Workshop City Commission Meeting MinutesM!NUTES DANIA CITY COMMISSION BUDGET WORKSHOP MEET!NG JUNE 26,1997 The meeting was called to order by Mayor Mikes at g:15 a.m ROLL CALL Present: Mayor: Commissioners: City Manager: City Clerk. Bob Mikes John Bertino John Etling Bill Hyde Mike Smith Marie Jabalee Absent Vice Mayor:Jim Cali (excused) City Manager Smith reported that City Attorney Adler received a reply from the Attorney General regarding Vice Mayor Cali's attendance at Budget Meetings. The decision was turned over to the State of Florida, Commission on Ethics, to handle and an answer should be forthcoming by the next Budget Workshop Meeting in July. New Positions: City Manager Department - One Assistant to the City Manager - Person will assist the City Manager with issues relating to the Recreation Department, Community Development, grants and special projects. Growth Management Department - One Parttime Clerk for records management. Data Processing - One Part{ime Computer Systems Technician - Person will assist Vern Johnson, lnformation Systems Manager, with general computer maintenance. 1MINUTES-BUDGET WORKSHOP JUNE 26, 1997 1. Budget review for 97/98 fiscal year. City Manager Smith presented an overview on Capital Projects with an emphasis on upgrading the City's vehicle fleet by buying new vehicles and selling them within two years to reduce maintenance costs. City ClerUFinance Department- One AccountanUAdministrative Assistant to the City Clerk/Finance Director - Person will handle day to day bookkeeping and accounting work. Public Works - ln an effort to improve the general appearance of the City, City contract with an outside firm for groundManager Smith recommended to maintenance services for an estimated $170,000.00 a year. The company would maintain median strips, right-of-ways, landscaping and parks. The City will save on one position that is being eliminated in the Parks & Recreation Maintenance Division due to an employee retiring. Public Works Employees will be divided into teams who will focus their attention cleaning up specific neighborhoods and Crew Leaders will work as limited Code Enforcement Officers to site property owners for overgrown lots and trash violations. The change will reduce the impact on Code Enforcement Officers dealing with citing loVtrash violators. Discussion followed on the need to provide Code Enforcement training for the Crew Leaders, the procedure to be used to notify property owners on mowing lots or removing trash, and the overall bad condition of the City. Commissioner Bertino suggested hiring two more Code Enforcement Officers since the City will be spending $130,000 after the one position is eliminated from park maintenance. After further discussion, the City Commission generally agreed to try the team concept with the hope that there will be better accountability on trash pickup, notification, and clean up. The City Manager agreed to bring back a map describing the divided zones for each crew at the next Budget Workshop. Accountant - Administrative Assistant Mayor Mikes expressed concern that minutes from City Commission Regular and Workshop Meetings are not being completed on a timely basis. Commissioner Etling asked whether the requested accountant position was going to alleviate the over-load in the City Clerk Department. City Clerk Jabalee explained that the City Clerk position was never replaced with an additional person when Wanda Mullikin retired in 1994. A Minutes Summary is prepared after each City Commission Meeting for public distribution. Minutes have been delayed due to staff overioad and additional responsibility in handling the Commission Agenda from the City Manager's Office. City Clerk Jabalee expected to shift some of the accounting and payroll duties currently handled by Ronnie Lipman over to the new accountant person and to utilize Mrs. Lipman's secretarial skills in the City Clerk Department. Further comments related to the time that is wasted to train part{ime people who leave for full-time positions. The new accountant would be comparable to an Administrative Assistant and must possess accounting and computer skills. There was discussion regarding selling the Bell Stock and possibly having the City Manager sign-off on investments. Discussion followed on the need to hire a Computer Technician to assist Vern Johnson, lnformation Systems [\/anager, with computer breakdowns. Commissioner Hyde questioned whether the City's computer systems are more complex than is necessary. Mr. Johnson advised that the current technology provides employees the opportunity to function more efficiently and Dania is in a 2I\iI I NUTES-BU DGET WORKSHOP JUNE 26, '1997 Citv CIerk/Finance Dept.. Computer Technician better technical position than most municipalities who are trying to upgrade theircomputer systems. lt was agreed that the new part{ime position would require baslc computer skills. Munis Upgrade - Mr. Johnson explained that there is a need to upgrade the MUNIS software program for the Finance Department to a windows platform at a cost of $35,000.00. As an incentive to the City, Computer Center, the manufacturer of the MUNIS software, will not charge the City for the cost of the software if the purchase is completed within a year. Otherwise, the City will pay over $50,000 for software in addition to the $35,000 upgrade. The City Commission generally agreed to have Commissioner Hyde meet with Mr. Johnson on the technical aspects of the computer program and provide a written report to the City Commission for the next budget meeting. Discussion followed on whether department heads should be using lap top computers for their administrative needs and the process for data being transferred into the main system. Fire Station - Manny Synalovski, Architect, presented a site plan showing the additions, site improvements, and parking changes being recommended for the existing fire station. Discussion followed on removing the old Boy Scout Building, possibly building a second story or using the '1500 square foot existing (Chamber) building to minimize the costs to build admrnistrative offices. BSO Chief Frey advised that BSO is requesting a 5% increase according to the contract and there being a need to adjust for the increase in salary and benefit costs overthe past fiscal year by $197,000.00. City ManagerSmith mentioned his intentions to meet with Vicky Peterson, BSO Budget Department, and Colonel Carney in regards to the justification for the full 5ol0. Chief Frey reported on the increase in calls being handled by BSO to service the City. Mayor Mikes stressed the need to conduct a Public Safety Services study based on the City being impacted by tourism and transient traffic from the surrounding areas of Fort Lauderdale, Hollpvood and Broward County. Chief Frey agreed to provide the number of calls for service by patrol zone but had to check into whether a breakdown on the types of calls for service is being collected. City Manager Smith was asked to have the Fire Department provide a breakdown on the types of calls for service to determine how resources are being used. Chief aIVII NUTES-BUDGET WORKSHOP JUNE 26, 1997 Fire Department Ken Land, Acting Fire Chief, explained that overtime will be reduced by 40% from last year by hiring two new paramedic/firefighters. With the two new hires, there will now be 3-men engine crews and 3-men rescue crews. Chief Land advised that the Fire Department budget has been reduced by some $50,000.00 from last year even with the new hires. Battalion Chief Mulford reported that the transport revenues are expected to be well over the projected amount and that there is an increase in inspection fees. Discussion followed on the types of calls being handled by the Fire Department. Frey responded to questions from the City Commission in regards to roadpatrols, staffing levels and drug dealing problems in the City. P blic Works Leo Williams, Superintendent, reconfirmed the recommendation to hire an outside firm at a cost of $170,000.00 to handle ground maintenance of the parks, cemeteries, beach, right-of-ways, administrative buildings and minor sprinkler repair. The change will free up 7 men who will be utilized for drainage, sewerage, water distribution as well as creating cleanup crews in each neighborhood to reduce the calls handled by Code Enforcement on lot mowings and trash removal. All equipment will continue to be retained, maintained and stored away. Public Works staff will continue to handle the planting of new trees. Mr. Palm advised that there were several bidders on the ground maintenance but only one bidder qualified. The RFP for the project was prepared according to specifications from Pembroke Pines. Mr. Williams mentioned that the maintenance company would provide fertilizing services three times a year on the lawns and twice a year on the trees. Ground maintenance and littering services will be provided five days a week. Skid Loader and Dump Truck- Mr. Williams mentioned that the Skid Loader is a constant maintenance problem and that the dump truck is over 20 years old and cannot pass emissions testing. Commissioner Hyde suggested looking into using alternative fuel vehicles and recycling strategies. Discussion followed on the maintenance of landscaping throughout the City and there being a need to have a landscape architect to assist in new planting projects. Stormwater Management - Mr. Palm estimated it costing $100,000 to cover a new well, the electric, and running the line back to the plant. Permits can be obtained from South Florida Water Management as long as the City abandons the cemetery well. Mr. Palm advised that he is still looking for a new pump to replace the pump at Meadowbrook Lakes Condominium. Donations: -City Manager Smith advised that a line item was added for contributions in the amount of $5,000.00. The City Commission generally agreed to have the Human Relations Board evaluate the request and rank the organizations that should receive the donations. The City Manager was directed to present the criteria to be followed by the Human Relations Board and to have the agencies make a presentation before the board. Discussion followed on the Chamber of Commerce using bus bench funds and the City's future sponsorship for their use of the Nyberg/Swanson House. 4M INUTES-BUDGET WORKSHOP JUNE 26, 1997 Front End Loader -Mr. Williams recommended to purchase a new Caterpillar Front End Loader for an estimated $100,000.00 and retain the old equipment. Mr. Palm agreed to look into purchasing a used loader for around $75,000.00. Discussion followed on the difficulty in using the street sweeper to clean alleys and the possibility of using work release prisoners, through BSO, for cleaning major problems in the City. 9itv Commission- Mayor Mikes commented on the costs involved to attend Cityfunctions and the need to increase the base salary amount for the CityCommission and retain the expense amount. The City Commission generally agreed to set the Commission salary amount at glO,OO0 for each Commissioner and $1 1,500 for the Mayor. Mayor Mikes mentioned the need to attend the next National Noise Meeting in Minnesota from July 25 through 2g relating to airport issues City Clerk Jabalee advised that September I is in conflict with the Schoot Board for the first budget pubic hearing and that she needs the date for the next budget workshop. The City Commission agreed to September 10 for the first budgetpublic hearing and July 23 for the next budget workshop. This meeting was adjourned. CITY CLER DITOR 5 YOR M SIONER MI NUTES-BUDGET WORKSHOP JUNE 26, 1997