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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBudget/Finance Committee Minutes 01.15.2013 MINUTES BUDGET/FINANCE COMMITTEE JANUARY 15, 2013 5:30 P.M. COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM MEMBERS PRESENT: Doug Poehls Tom Nelson Emelie Eaton Mark Mace OTHERS PRESENT: Shirley Ewan Mayor Olson Kurt Markegard Chairman Mark Mace called the regular meeting of the Budget/Finance Committee to order at 5:30 p.m. There was no one from the public present. The minutes of the January 2, 2013 meeting were presented and approved via motion by Doug, seconded by Emelie, and passed unanimously. The Utility Billing adjustments were reviewed by the Committee. Shirley noted that there were no unusual adjustments. The Mayor has reviewed and approved the December journal voucher. Doug made a motion to approve the Utility Billing adjustments and the December journal voucher, seconded by Tom. All in favor, motion passed. The order of agenda items was changed to accommodate Kurt's explanation of his purchase requisition. Kurt would like to purchase 15 radios to be ready for the narrow band radio frequence deadline of January 17 The public works department currently has 32 radios and 20 of these can be reprogrammed, but 12 cannot. He would to replace these 12 radios and purchase 3 portable radios for the supervisors. Two quotes have been obtained and he would like to purchase Motorola radios from Industrial Communications. These radios are approximately $500 more expensive than the radios from Acorn Technologies. Industrial Communications has the capability of reprogramming the 12 other radios and the receiving distance is much better than the other dealer. This will also give the department a standard radio for everyone. Doug made a motion to approve the purchase through Industrial Communications, seconded by Emelie. All in favor motion passed. The November financial statements were reviewed by the Committee. Shirley briefly went through the financial statements andstated that 1 /2 of the year has expired and the city as a whole has received 63% of anticipated revenues and has expended 43% of budgeted expenditures. She briefly went through the funds that need to be watched over the next 6 months and funds that have already received more than 50% of their expected revenues and why these events have occurred. At the end of the written report to the Committee are the changes in personnel over the past 6 months. This report has been handed out to all Council members, not just the Committee members. Shirley requested that the Committee spend a couple of minutes to read the report when they have time. There were no specific questions at that time. Motion was made by Doug to approve the financial statements, seconded by Tom. Motion passed. 1 Budget/Finance Committee January 15, 2013 The Comp /OT reports for PPE 1/06/13 were reviewed by the Committee. Shirley stated there were 2 holidays on this payroll. Tom asked about the time slip on the Public Works overtime. The Mayor stated that a Union Employee was called to the fire watch on Alder. He did not mention that at the time he was on vacation and stated that he would do the overtime. After the overtime it came to the supervisor's attention that an employee was called in from his vacation and an on call employee missed the overtime. Thus the time slip and the other Union Employee was paid for the overtime also. The Mayor stated that measures have been taken to alleviate this problem in the future. The Payroll Register for PPE 1/06/13 totaling $180,060.32 was reviewed by the Committee. Shirley noted that the reason the payroll was so high was because of the comp time payouts this month. Motion was made by Emelie, seconded by Tom, to recommend Council's approval of the payroll register. Motion passed unanimously. Clerk/Treasurer's Comments: Emelie inquired as to whether the Auditors had given their exit interview yet. Shirley stated that they have not. The Mayor will contact them in regards to this. Mayor's Comments: Budget Process Workshop Update The Mayor is still planning on the workshop but is interested in whether the Committee and Council are willing to participate in the workshop, or is it a waste of their evening. The consensus of the group is that they all plan on attending. The Mayor will ask the same question at the Council meeting after the Budget/Finance meeting. If there are not at least 6 willing to participate, he will consider not having the workshop. He has had no questions or items requested from the Council so he was not sure if they were even interested. Doug stated that the Committee receives more information than the other Council members but he thinks it would be beneficial for the others. Emelie is interested in wanting to know how much do the Council members need to know and will the workshop give them the knowledge that they need to respond to citizen's questions. The Mayor would like to give the Council enough knowledge to give the public an educated answer, and if they don't have the answer to tell them that they will find the answer and get back to them. Mark feels that a lay person needs to know how the money comes into the City and how it is determined how that money will be spent on City services. The Mayor would like to make up a booklet for each Council member that will explain how to read the budget in simple terms. Mark stated that he has not been asked any budget questions since he has been on the Council. The average person wants to know when the street is going to get plowed? Mark plans on attending on Tuesday, but he feels that most people don't even know what questions to ask. 2 Budget/Finance Committee January 15, 2013 Purchasing Policy Handouts: The Mayor informed the Committee that the Purchasing Policy and Cheat Sheets have been put in this week's packet. The CAO met with the Staff last Tuesday and the policy was discussed, as well as the changes that most department heads would like in the policy. The Mayor will bring the changes to the next Budget Finance meeting. For the Next Agenda: Purchasing Policy update. The next regular Budget/Finance meeting will be on Tuesday February 5, 2013, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 1 L Ce atc) Shirley Ewan, City Clerk/Treasurer 3