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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBudget/Finance Committee Minutes 08.15.2017 MINUTES BUDGET/FINANCE COMMITTEE AUGUST 15, 2017 5:35 P.M. COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM MEMBERS PRESENT: Emelie Eaton Chuck Dickerson Doug Poehls OTHERS PRESENT: Bethany Keeler Mayor Mark Mace Judge Kerr Monica Salo Chairman Eaton called the regular meeting of the Budget/Finance Committee to order at 5:40 p.m. There was no public present. The next scheduled meeting will be September 5, 2017, at 5:35 p.m. The minutes of the August 1, 2017, meeting were presented. Judge Kerr stated that the minutes were incorrect. Chairman Eaton stated she would remove the Budget/Finance Committee minutes of August 1st from tonight's Council Consent Agenda to the Council agenda of September 5th for consideration. She asked the Judge to work with the Clerk/Treasurer to correct the minutes. The Mayor has reviewed and signed the July journal vouchers. Chuck made a motion to approve the May journal voucher, Mark seconded, motion passed. The Utility Billing adjustments were reviewed by the Committee. Bethany noted that there was nothing unusual about the adjustments. Chuck made a motion to approve the UB adjustments, Mark seconded, motion passed. The monthly fmancial statements were reviewed by the Committee. Bethany briefly walked the committee through the reports. Doug made a motion to accept the financial statements, seconded by Chuck, motion passed. There were no Purchase Requisitions presented to the committee. Claims entered through 08/10/2017, totaling$262,065.95, were presented to the Committee. Chairman Eaton went through both the claims detail and the check register to verify they matched. Chuck made a motion to approve the claims, Doug seconded the motion, all in favor, motion passed. The Comp/Overtime report for PPE 07/30/17 was reviewed by the Committee. There were no comments or questions regarding the Comp/Overtime report. The Payroll Register for PPE 07/30/17 totaling $203,791.42 was reviewed by the Committee. Doug made a motion to recommend approval of the payroll register to the Council, Chuck seconded the motion, motion passed. Clerk/Treasurer's Comments: Bethany had no comments. Mayor Comments: The Mayor reminded everyone that there were no meetings next week. 1 Other: Continued discussion about the Judge's salary: Emelie started by stating that the departments were held to zero dollar increases within their budgets because the City cannot afford raises at this time. The Judge stated that the budget had better reflect that statement when it comes out. Bethany stated that she felt Heidi was saying that all departments were asked not to increase their budgets, other than wages and health insurances, to zero dollar increases. Since Heidi was not at the meeting, this statement could not be verified,but that was the Clerk/Treasurer's understanding. Chuck asked where it indicated that elected officials get raises, as he would not find that in the MCA. He stated that it states what the pay is when an elected official is elected. Council doesn't get raises because the budget doesn't justify it. He asked again where it stated that the Judge gets a yearly increase. Chuck also stated that he assumed that the Judge was ok with the wage matrix since she agreed to it. Doug stated that you know what the pay is going to be when you're elected. We are talking about a position, not a person. As a person you may feel that there should be a raise, but it can only happen prior to an election. If you want to ask for a salary increase due to the workload, you need to send a proposal and it should go through the budget process prior to an election. The position would have that pay for four years. The City Council would have to approve or deny based on the budget. Chuck stated that the salary is announced when the position is up for election. He also stated that a newly-elected Judge would then make the current Judge's ending salary. Doug reiterated that we pay the position and not the person. A new Judge will get paid what the current Judge is getting paid, and if a new Judge would get paid less, it would hinder the election. A new person running for Judge would use the fact that they would make less money to help win an election. Emelie then stated that she was just going to get to the bottom line and cut to the chase. She stated that the General Fund does not support a raise for the Judge. She thanked Judge Kerr for her services and her time presenting her case to the Budget/Finance Committee, but that at this time the answer is no to her raise request. She then asked if the committee wanted to discuss doing away with the matrix at the next meeting. The committee agreed to discuss the matrix at the next meeting. Judge Kerr asked about the wages being done by ordinance and then moved to being done by resolution. She stated that you could see when these were done because they were in Laserfiche. She stated that the issue came about when she didn't attend a meeting to discuss her raise. She stated that the Billings' Judges get raises annually. She stated that the matrix came into effect in 2013 because a newly-hired Judge would make a huge wage without any of the experience. She stated that Shirley told her, prior to her leaving, that she didn't have anything to do with the matrix. Bethany stated that she had emails showing Shirley's involvement with creating the matrix. Judge Kerr stated that Bethany had given her a different matrix than the one that was approved when the Judge asked for a copy. 2 Bethany stated that there were multiple matrixes created but only one was approved. Emelie stated that the committee had to move on and thanked the Judge for her time. For the Next Agenda: FEMA Funding update, Contracted employees and longevity, Planning Department wages, Judge's Wage Matrix discussion. The meeting adjourned at 6:27 p.m. Res$ectfully submitted, ' Bethan, '" eeler, City Clerk/Treasurer 3