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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/24/2000 COW minutes MINUTES COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OCTOBER 24, 2000 i. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Gerald Farley. Present at the meeting were: Trustees Timothy Corcoran, Paul Hoefert, Richard Lohrstorfer, Dennis Prikkel, Michaele Skowron and Irvana Wilks. Staff members present included Village Manager Michael Janonis, Deputy Finance Director Carol Widmer, Police Chief Ronald Pavlock, Deputy Police Chiefs Thomas Daley and Ronald Richardson and Secretary of the Finance Commission Vince Grochocinski. Also present were two persons from the print media. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes of the October 10 meeting were accepted by unanimous vote with Trustee Timothy Corcoran abstaining. iii. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD No citizens were present wishing to address the Village Board. IV. 2001 BUDGET DISCUSSIONS Opening Remarks Mayor Gerald L. Farley opened the Budget process by indicating that the Village Board would be reviewing the proposed 2001 Municipal Budget over the next three Committee of the Whole meetings and then undertake the formal adoption of the Village Budget and Tax Levy during the month of December. Mayor Farley indicated that review and adoption of the Municipal Budget was the single most important function of the Village Board. The Mayor also encouraged interested citizens to participate in the review process by attending Committee of the Whole meetings or phoning in questions during the live Committee of the Whole broadcasts. Mayor Farley also acknowledged the important work of the Finance Commission in reviewing the Budget from a citizen's perspective. Bud,qet Overview Village Manager Michael Janonis provided an overview of the 2001 proposed Municipal Budget. Mr. Janonis began with a brief review of the 2000 fiscal year which will end on December 31, 2000. He indicated that the Village remains in sound financial condition with Fund balances in all of the major Fund categories expected to end the year at target levels. Both expenditures and revenues for the 2000 Budget year were also tracking as expected. Mr. Janonis noted that the only extraordinary expenditure for the year involved the clean up after the May 2000 windstorm which cost the Village $360,000. $80,000 of that amount was recovered through reimbursements from the State of Illinois with the balance being absorbed in the Budget. He also reviewed the status of various projects and ongoing programs including Downtown Redevelopment, Flood Control Program and Street Improvement Program. Mr. Janonis further indicated that the proposed 2001 Budget totals $68,781,717 and represents a 7.8% increase over the 2000 amended Budget. He noted that much of the increase is earmarked for new or ongoing Capital Improvement Projects. The Village's operating Budget (that part of the total Budget which funds the day-to-day operations) is up a modest 3.4% or $1,322,000 over 2000 totals. A total of $15.8 million in Capital Projects are included in the proposed Budget including continuation of the Village's Street Improvement Program, Flood Control Projects, Downtown Redevelopment, Streetscape Improvements and a number of major Streetlighting Projects. Mr. Janonis noted that the Property Tax Levy is scheduled to increase 3.5% while a 4% increase in water and sewer rates is proposed. No other increases in Taxes, Licenses or Fees is proposed. It was also noted that $664,000 is earmarked to be transferred from the General Fund to the Capital Improvement Fund, thereby, continuing an effort to provide regular funding for Capital Improvement Projects. Finally, the Village Manager noted that a $15.4 million Bond sale for a new Village Hall/Senior Center and parking structure is scheduled for late in 2001 assuming that the Village Board gives a final okay to the project. Mr. Janonis also reviewed Personnel-related costs in the Budget. He noted that a 4% general wage increase is included for both Union and non- Union employees. This was in line with recent wage settlements with Village labor groups and market trends in both the public and private sector. Mr. Janonis also stated that six new full-time positions are included in the proposed Budget. Mr. Janonis noted that the Police Records Clerk had previously been approved by the Village Board during calendar year 2000. The proposed addition of three Fire Lieutenants is the result of implementing the Fire Department Five-Year Plan and the addition of a Human Resources Director is necessary to handle the increasingly complex nature of personnel management. A proposed Personnel Assistant will be staffed through the deletion of an existing secretarial position. Mr. Janonis noted that the proposed Budget incorporates all of the Village Board's directives and continues to provide residents with high-quality municipal services. Finally, he noted that the Village continues to rank very favorably in the annual Park Ridge Survey which compares the cost of municipal government per capita for 11 neighboring communities. Bud.qet Revenue/Expenditures Deputy Finance Director Carol Widmer provided Village Board members with more detailed explanations of major Revenue and Expenditure categories. She also reviewed the Budget process and the way in which the Budget is prepared. With regard to Revenues, Ms. Widmer indicated that 2001 Revenue estimates totaled $81,103,503. This represents a 26.8% increase over 2000 Revenues. The major increase is the anticipated $15.4 million sale of Bonds for the construction of a new Village Hall/Senior Center/parking garage. Other Revenue increases are attributed to the strong economy. She noted that Revenue estimates take into account the possibility of a slowing economy and are purposely conservative but realistic. With regard to Expenditures, the Deputy Finance Director presented information to the Village Board regarding operating Budget expenditures by Department as well as by Expenditure type. The Capital Improvement Budget of $15.8 million includes, among other things, Street Improvement Projects of $4.9 million, Flood Control Projects totaling $2.9 million, Downtown Redevelopment improvements totaling $1.4 million and vehicle and computer replacements of $1.35 million. Ms. Widmer noted that Police and Fire Pension Fund expenses are up approximately 12% due to the increasing size of the retiree population. She also noted that the proposed 2000 Property Tax Levy is scheduled for a 3.5% increase. Of the $343,000 raised from the increase, only $85,000 is going toward operating expenses. The bulk of the increase is being used to cover expenses for increase pension costs. Ms. Widmer also reviewed with Village Board members historical trends in major revenue areas including Sales Tax, State Income Tax and Property Taxes. In closing, she concurred with the Village Manager that the Village is in sound financial condition. Mayor Farley thanked Ms. Widmer for her presentation. Police Department Police Chief Ronald Pavlock presented the Police Department Budget. He began by reviewing Department functions as well as the Department's organization and staffing configuration. Chief Pavlock also reviewed the Department's accomplishments for calendar year 2000 as well as the Department's 2001 objectives. Chief Pavlock noted that the 2001 Police Department Budget showed an increase of 3.7% over 2000. No new personnel are being requested. The Chief continued by reviewing significant changes in Department accounts or programs including an increase in the employment testing line item for an anticipated promotional test in 2001. The Department is also due for reaccredidation with CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies). He also noted increased expenditures for Police Officer body armor purchases as well as new in-car computers. Finally, the Chief indicated that the Department is scheduled to purchase ten marked Patrol cars and one unmarked Detective squad for approximately $345,000. Village Board members had a number of questions for Chief Pavlock and his staff. There was considerable discussion regarding the status of the computer skills of Patrol Officers. It was noted that the upgrade of in-car computers to laptops has proven very popular with Officers and that they are being utilized in ways that increase Officer efficiency. The other area of discussion involved ways to improve the new hire recruitment process. Chief Pavlock noted that it is becoming increasingly difficult to attract large numbers of qualified candidates for Patrol Officer positions. This is a phenomenon that is being experienced throughout the country. Several suggestions were made to increase the attractiveness of a career in law enforcement. Trustees asked that the Police Department senior staff work on a comprehensive plan for attraction and retention of Patrol Officers. Several comments were made regarding the outstanding efforts of the Police Department in dealing with traffic congestion associated with the Route 83 Reconstruction Project. It was acknowledged that placing $100,000 in extra overtime funds in the Budget for 2000 was an extremely wise decision. Villa,qe Administration Village Manager Michael Janonis reviewed with Board members the Budgets for Public Representation, Village Administration, Public Information, Management Information Systems, TV Services and the Village Clerk. Mr. Janonis provided information regarding the proposed Budget of each of these operations. The Public Representation Budget is increasing 4.3%, or $4,404. This Budget includes salaries for the elected officials as well as membership dues for a number of organizations to which the Village belongs. Mr. Janonis reported that the Village Manager's Office Budget is increasing 24.1%, or $164,503. The majority of the increase results from the proposal to hire a new Human Resources Director and Personnel Assistant. Also included in the Manager's Budget is increased funding for employee training and a $30,000 contingency for market salary adjustments. Mr. Janonis noted that the strong economy makes it difficult to retain key staff and these funds would allow for adjustments to maintain competitive salary levels. The Management Information Systems Budget is decreasing 5.3% or $9,750. The decrease is due to the completion of major software purchases. The Public Information Budget is proposed to increase 24.6% or $31,735. Almost all of the increase is due to expansion of the Village Newsletter. The increased funding would allow for six 18-page Newsletters to be produced over the course of the year. This funding increase was actually discussed in the summer of 2000 and the Village Board at that time directed staff to provide for an expanded Newsletter. The TV Services Budget is scheduled to decrease 16.3% or $32,321. The bulk of this decrease reflects the deletion of an existing secretarial position which funding will be used to hire the Personnel Assistant provided for in the Village Manager's Budget. Finally, the Village Clerk's Budget is proposed to increase 4.4% or $6,000. The bulk of the increase reflects salary adjustments dictated by the market place. Village Board members indicated general support for the Budget as presented. Finance Department Deputy Finance Director Carol Widmer presented the Finance Department Budget. Ms. Widmer noted that the Finance Department Budget totaled $1,321,370; up 5.1% or $64,214,000. She noted that one of the expenses charged to the Finance Department is General Fund property and liability insurance expenses. Excluding those expenses, the Finance Department Budget is up less than 3%. It was noted that no new personnel are being requested. Ms. Widmer provided background information on several line item increases and decreases throughout the Budget. Village Board members indicated their support for the Finance Department Budget as presented. Mayor Farley invited Mr. Vince Grochocinski, Vice-Chair of the Finance Commission, to present any recommendations that the Finance Commission wished to pass along to the Village Board. Mr. Grochocinski advised the Board that the Finance Commission has been in the process of reviewing the proposed Budget. He noted that the Finance Commission had almost completed its review of the entire Budget. Mr. Grochocinski indicated that of the Departmental Budgets presented this evening, the Finance Commission had unanimously approved each of the Budgets as presented. He noted that the Finance Commission, as does the Village Board, reserves the right to modify its recommendations before the Budget process is completed. Mayor Farley thanked Mr. Grochocinski for his input. V. ANY OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business offered for consideration to the Village Board. VI. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Farley adjourned the Committee of the Whole meeting at 8:42 p.m. Respectfully submitted, MICHAEL E. JANONIS Village Manager MEJ/rcc H:\GEN\Cow\MinutesV102400 COW Minutes.doc