HomeMy WebLinkAboutBudget/Finance Committee Minutes 07.16.2001 MINUTES
BUDGET/FINANCE COMMITTEE
JULY 16, 2001 7:00 P.M.
DPW OFFICE
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairman Bud Johnson
Chuck Rodgers
Gay Easton Mark Mace
Ken Olson
OTHERS PRESENT: Mary Embleton Gary Temple
The regular meeting of the Budget/Finance Committee was called to order by Chairman
Bud Johnson at 7:00 p.m.
The minutes of the July 2na regular meeting and the July l0th and 12th budget work
sessions were approved as presented.
Mary informed the committee that the city had received a fax from the Dept. of Revenue
regarding the city's taxable values. Eliminated property had not been included in the
Newly Taxable Property figure, so the fax instructed to add an additional $7,276 to the
previous figure of $132,011 for a total of $139,287. This figure is critical in calculating
the "floating mill". The City/County Planning taxable value will change as well, adding
$19,444 of eliminated property to the previous figure of$411,508 for a total of $430,952.
Next, Mary distributed figures on the average monthly cost per employee on health
insurance, comparing the current plan with the three proposed plans. The committee
instructed her to call other cities of like size to see how their proposed premium dollars
compare to Laurel's.
Mary reported on the latest event on the Lighting Districts. The city attorney and the
attorney fi.om Montana Power met on Friday morning to begin drafting the contract.
During a meeting later in the morning with Pat Murtaugh, Mike Reichman, Lany and
Ma~y it was discovered that the large parcel assessments needed to be revised. Instead of
assessing the total area of large parcels, the city intends to assess only the first 140 feet in
depth since that is the area that benefits from the l!~?t. Pat will revise his figures. This
postponed the resolution of intent to the August 7 meeting, which is the last day of this
year that it can be passed and still meet the time requirements for the rest of the process.
Another issue has complicated the matter, that being Ace Electric wants to submit a
proposal for the lighting districts. This raises some legal questions that need to be
addressed by the city attorney.
The June Financial Statements were reviewed. Motion by Ken, seconded by Mark that
the committee recommends to council that the June Financial Statements be approved.
Motion passed unanimously.
The June Journal Vouchers #136-140 were reviewed and approved. Mary mentioned
that there will probably be more J.V.'s for June as she begins the year-end closing
procedures.
Budget/Finance Committee Minutes
July 16, 2001
Page 2.
The following purchase requisitions were reviewed and approved:
GENERAL FUND:
Grant writing fee for FWP grant application - DPW
(committee will ask Larry if this is for only one application)
$1,255.00
WATER FUND:
Computer program upgrade for Wonderware - plant
Liquid alum - plant
$ 2,100.00
$ 2,800.00
SEWER FUND:
Methane compressor and accessories - plant
Repair of 18" sewer main at BN Road and S. Juniper - system
$ 7,000.00
$ 5,500.00
Mapj asked if the garbage dumping fees need to continue to come forward as a purchase
requisition. In her opinion, this can be viewed as a utility, under contract, with the only
variable being the tonnage. Discussion followed resulting in the consensus that no
purchase requisition is required, but that this expense should be charted separately.
The Comp/OT reports were reviewed for pay period ending 7/8/01. Mary provided the
dollar figures, which showed the high cost of the July 4th activities to the police
department. She also mentioned a few non-union employees who are approaching the
60-hour maximum on comp time.
The Payroll Register for PPE 7/8/01 totaling $106,949.24 was reviewed and approved.
Under Other matters, Gary asked if capital outlay expenditures made lastyear should be
factored out of the percentage allocation method proposed at the July t2Wmeeting. He
believes it gives an advantage, or higher percentage, to those departments, which had
capital outlay expenditures last year, but none planned for this year. Discussion followed
during which Bud emphasized that the main goal is to get to the $2.1 million. There are
many factors, which come into play, but the main objective is to have the department
heads set their own budgets to the $2.1 million. Other issues discussed briefly pertained
to water issues: the Federal line item for funding the intake is gone, the Project Impact
funding is for a study only, and the WRDA grant is still a possibility.
The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. The next regular Budget/Finance Committee
meeting will be Monday, August 6, 2001 at 7:00 p.m.
f/L/2ectfully Submitted, ~ . ,
Mary K. Embleton, Clerk/Treasurer