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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBudget/Finance Committee Minutes 08.01.2017 MINUTES BUDGET/FINANCE COMMITTEE AUGUST 1,2017 5:35 P.M. CONFERENCE ROOM MEMBERS PRESENT: Emelie Eaton Tom Nelson Chuck Dickerson OTHERS PRESENT: Mark Mace Bethany Keeler by phone Judge Jean Kerr Scot Stokes Heidi Jensen Chairwoman Emelie Eaton called the regular meeting of the Budget/Finance Committee to order at 5:35 p.m. The next regular Budget/Finance meeting will be on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at 5:35 p.m. The minutes of the July 18, 2017 meeting were reviewed. Chuck made a motion to approve the minutes, Tom seconded the motion, all in favor, motion passed Claims entered through 07/28/2017 and totaling$136,070.01 were presented to the committee. Tom reviewed both the Claims Detail Register and the Check Register to ensure accuracy. Chuck made a motion to approve the claims, Tom seconded the motion, all in favor, motion passed. Tom stated that Emelie will be reviewing the Claims Detail Register and Check Register for the next meeting. Bethany will have both printed and put into Emelie's box on August 11th. No purchase requisitions were presented to the committee. The Comp/OT report for PPE 07/16/17 was reviewed by the Committee. There were no questions or comments regarding the Comp/OT report. The Payroll Register for PPE 07/16/17 totaling$189,737.45 was reviewed by the Committee. Chuck made a motion to recommend Council approval of the payroll register, seconded by Tom, all in favor, motion passed. Clerk/Treasurer Comments: Bethany briefly went over where the City stood regarding FEMA funds. The State did agree to release an additional$500,000 to the City. This will leave approximately$1.5 million being held for retention until final closeout of the intake project. Bethany stated that Sheri with DES is ready to close out the project as soon as the punch list items are completed on the intake. Bethany answered a question regarding the Planning Department wages that was brought to her attention during the July 18th Budget/Finance meeting. After reviewing the Excel sheet, Bethany found that a formula error was the problem. The Excel sheet was not taking the total annual salary and multiplying it by the department percentage. Bethany corrected the problem, noted the Excel sheet and presented a new sheet to the committee. Bethany thanked the committee for bringing these questions to her. Mayor's Comments: The Mayor had no comments. 1 Other: Judge Jean Kerr spoke regarding the salary matrix for the Judge's salary and how she would like her salary to be changed. The Judge stated that her annual increase used to mirror those of the non-union employees. A couple of years ago, due to administration changes, she did not receive a raise due to the fact that she didn't personally appear to a meeting no raise was wanted by the Judge. Judge Kerr stated she never had to appear to any meetings in the past unless she was asking for a raise above what the non- union employees were receiving. She was automatically given a raise annually. She also reminded everyone she does not receive money in a health reserve account, longevity, paid vacation or paid sick time. Due to the battle that had ensued every year since she was not given her raise she has asked for some sort of a formula, that would be fair and ensure her yearly increase in salary. The formula would also ensure that if a new Judge was elected their rate of pay would not be equal or higher than Judge Kerr's, as this was a concern. There was a matrix formed and adopted to which the Judge was not an active participant in its creation. [At the Council meeting on August 15, 2017,Council Member Eaton removed the Budget/Finance Committee minutes of August 1, 2017, from the Consent Items to the Council Agenda of September 5, 2017. The original Budget/Finance Committee minutes are included here, with the following addition as submitted by Judge Kerr.] Judge Jean Kerr spoke regarding the salary matrix for the Judge's salary and how she would like her salary to be changed. The Judge stated that her annual increases used to mirror those of non- union employees. A couple years ago, due to administration changes, she did not receive a raise due to the fact it was perceived if she did not personally appear to the Council meeting, then she did not want a salary increase. Judge Kerr stated she never in the past had to appear unless she was asking for a raise above what the non-union employees received, which was always automatically given to her yearly. She also reminded everyone she does not receive money in a health reserve account, longevity, paid vacation and sick leave. Due to the battle that had ensued every year since she was not given the raise, she asked for some sort of a formula that would be fair and ensure her a yearly increase in salary and yet assure the City if there was a new Judge elected that the newly-elected Judge would not start at the higher salary as that was a concern. The matrix was formed. The Judge was not an active participant in its formation and calculation. In fact, she was not aware there were two matrixes until Bethany gave her a copy of them last year. The matrix basically gives the Judge a $.12/hour wage increase yearly, yielding $249.60/year. The Judge was presented a copy of the matrix before it went to Council. At the 2013 Council meeting, Councilman Stokes made a comment it was a shame the Judge was only getting approximately $.10/hour raise and he felt it should be addressed at a future council meeting. Councilman Nelson also said this should be addressed. Judge Kerr made calculations on the side of the matrix that showed the wage increase the non-union salary employees received with the yearly increases. She stated she went through the past budget books with Cindy Allen, who showed her where the information she was asking for was found. The Judge stated in the past, the Chief of Police requested a wage increase for himself and his Sgt. Zuhoski because the other officers' wages were very close to their supervisors. Sheri Phillips, the head clerk, wage is very close to the Judge's wages now and next year she will make more than the Judge. The Judge stressed she does not receive longevity, medical savings plan account, paid vacation and sick time. The Judge would like to have her wages increase as they did in the past and start with the figure she has calculated on the matrix as to where her wage should be or to be given a$4.00/hour wage increase and then either way, go off the matrix and go back to the yearly increases as were always done in the past before the matrix began. She pays City water, sewer and taxes so her money 2 stays within the City. She has not received a cost of living increase and feels the matrix is not fair. [The original Budget/Finance Committee minutes continue at this point.] Chuck asked about the elected positions receiving cost of living increases because the council had not received an increase to their wage in years prior to this current fiscal year. The Council President requested an increase and the council received an increase just under 2%. Bethany stated that she is not familiar with the differences between elected officials and City employees' salaries and how they work. Emelie stated that the City Council adopts the matrix for the Judge's wages. Bethany asked what would happen if one elected official's salary followed non-union wage increases but not all elected officials did. Chuck asked if the Judge had any input regarding the matrix. The Judge stated that she had no input on the matrix. Scot asked why the City went away from increasing the Judge's wages like non-union employees. The Judge stated that one year she didn't receive an increase. When she asked why, she was told that she didn't get an increase because she had not come to the meeting. This is why she requested the matrix. Emelie requested that this topic be added to the next Budget/Finance committee agenda. Emelie asked about the contracted employees receiving longevity. Heidi stated that contracted employees have employee rights and they receive all benefits of other City employees. For next agenda: Judge Jean Kerr's wages Management Budget questions The meeting adjourned at 6:23 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bethany ler, Clerk/Treasurer 3