HomeMy WebLinkAboutBudget/Finance Committee Minutes 03.27.2002 MINUTES
BUDGET/FINANCE COMMITTEE
MARCH 27, 2002 7:00 P.M.
OLD COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MEMBERS PRESENT:
OTHERS PRESENT:
Acting Chairman Bud Johnson
Gay Easton
Mary Embleton Dan Mears
Peggy Arnold Steve Klotz
Library Board members Margret Freund, Bonnie Latham,
Marilyn Minch, Katherine Kucera, and Gail Brice
The Budget/Finance Committee meeting was called to order by Acting Chairman Bud
Johnson, at 7:05 p.m., to discuss the following pre 'luninary budgets:
Library Library Aid Grant
Parks Swimming Pool Solid Waste
Peggy began by introducing the Library Board members to those in attendance. She
distributed a hand-out describing their mission statement and goals. Public libraries are a
source of information as well as recreation. She then reviewed the Library budget.
Intemet service helps reduce the cost/need for expensive reference books. However, the
library may need to purchase filtering software to comrol access to the Intemet.
Questions were asked regarding Library Donation funds. These dollars are kept in a
separate cash account (101080) in the General Fund and are only used to purchase library
items as per Peggy's direction. The unused cash balance carries forward each fiscal year.
Discussion also ensued regarding the city's health insurance costs.
Peggy then presented the budget for the Library Aid Grant. She explained that the
revenue is based on per capita per square mile and population, plus coal severance tax
monies through the various library foundations. Travel expenses can come out of this
fund. The library is considering joining the Montana Library Network, but fees have not
been determined as yet. The committee thanked Peggy for her presentations, and thanked
the Library Board members for attending.
Steve presented the Solid Waste budget using Power Point. He presented a listing of the
department's dkeetion and goals, along with charts showing revenue, expenditure and
capital outlay for a new side-loading garbage truck. It is proposed to purchase the track
outright for $171,000. Small rate increases will be proposed in the furore to minimize the
impact on the community. The proposed budget is for $513,800 in revenue, $665,147 in
appropriations, with beginning cash anticipated to be $316,000. Some questions and
discussion followed.
Budget Work Session
March 27, 2002
Page 2
Steve then presented the Parks and Pool budgets. Revenues were reviewed, with Public
Works stating that they did not want to raise the swimming pool fee from $1.00 so that
swimming remains affordable to everyone in Laurel. A modest increase in camping fees
is anticipated. Some of the park appropriations incIuded a walking sprinkler for $1500
and a new mower for $8500. Pool appropriations do not include any overtime. More
equipment is needed to complete the upgrades for the pool, such as a chlorinator, acid
pump, pH controller, and a toddler slide, totaling $6500. Some of the equipment may
come out of the current budget. Steve aiso showed a 3-year comparison of expenses for
the pool. The total appropriations were $153,125 for the parks and pool in the General
Fund. In conjunction with the General Fund parks and pool budgets, Steve presented
requests from the Capital Projects Fund (4000): $18,000 for playground equipment in
Thomson Park and $20,000 for a sprinkler system in Kiwanis Park. No funding sources
were presented for these requests. Discussion and questions followed.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. The next regular BudgetJFinance Committee
meeting will be Monday, April 1, 2002 at 7:00 p.m., and the next Budget work session
will be on Wednesday, April 3fa, at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Clerk/Treasurer