Mayor & City Council

CITY OF GREEN RIVER CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS February 11, 2014 The Governing Body of the City of Green River met in workshop session at 6:30 pm in the City Hall Council Chambers. Mayor Castillon called the meeting to order. The following Council Members were present: Mark Peterson, Tom McCullough, Brett Stokes, Gary Killpack, and Lisa Maes. The following were present representing the City: City Administrator Marty Black, Director of Public Works Mike Nelson, City Engineer/Utility Manager Mark Westenskow, Director of Finance Jeff Nieters, Director of Community Development Laura Leigh, GIS Specialist Jason Brown, Chief of Police Chris Steffen, and Parks and Recreation Director Allan Wilson. Updated Aerial Photography Presentation Mr. Brown said there hasn’t been an update to the GIS mapping in Green River since 2004. There have been many changes to the area. The completed aerial mapping provides new high resolution color aerial photography, updated and new mapping, newly mapped areas, digital terrain model/break line surface data, and eight large wall mount hardcopy aerial photographs. These are the areas that have changed the most:  River Cove Subdivision/FMC Spur Road  Green River Recreation Center/Ridge Subdivision  Hunters Run Subdivision  Infill Area – New Mexico Street  First Springs Canyon/Towers Subdivision  Wild Horse Canyon Road/Visitors Center The practical applications are slope analysis of the Lucy Estates Subdivisions, turf areas, identifying areas of disturbance and proposed access routes in the Killdeer Wetlands, water utility updates, and project drawings such as the fiber connections from City Hall to the new Police Department building. All city employees can have access to the Arc Reader application. If anyone would like to have this application let him know. The Map Server web mapping application is available to employees and to the public. The Community Development Department is planning to have an information kiosk in the very near future. Council Member Peterson asked how long the new aerial mapping will be good for before it needs to be updated again. Mr. Brown said 5 to 7 years at the most. The Mayor thanked him for is presentation. Financial Report and Five-Year Trend Mr. Nieters said the mid-year review is showing that the sales tax revenue is going down. It is at around 1% less than predicted for the budget. The sales tax revenue will have to be budgeted lower in the next budget year. Operating accounts are all below the 50% mark which shows departments are not spending all of their budgets to mid-year. They are coming in lower than budgeted. Enterprise Accounts are doing well and are making money. Five-Year Plan In the 2015 budget he has estimated the revenues to be lower than 2014. He has dropped the sales tax revenue to around $700,000. He has used the same numbers from 2014 budgeted revenues except the one-time funding. It is not included until he knows the governor has approved it and how much the city will receive. The revenues came down from $18,551,292 in City Council Workshop Proceedings February 11, 2014 Page 1 of 4 2014 to $16,851,292 for 2015. The expenditures are all the same except for the addition of the Police Department building. He has estimated $235,000 for those costs. Council Member Maes asked where he came up with the $235,000. Mr. Nieters said it is based on the maintenance costs, facility costs, and utilities costs. Mr. Wilson said it is probably high but he would rather be high than not to have enough. Council Member Peterson asked how much the utilities and maintenance is for the Child Development Center. Mr. Wilson said around $20,000 per quarter. The Mayor asked him to clarify the CDC building costs. Mr. Wilson said the city does not pay for any of the operations or maintenance on the CDC building. It is paid by the 6th penny reserve account through the city but it is not an expense to the city. Continuing with the 5-year plan discussion, Mr. Nieters said the operations ratio is around 75.51% personnel and 24.49% operations. The city starts to go downhill with the Capital Project accounts. If the city stays with the same amount of funding on the Capital Projects and the Risk Management Accounts, the city is at a loss of $3.5 million. The council provides funding for community programs every year and they have discretionary authority on the funding of those programs. Some of the programs are not discretionary such as any leases, loans and grants, and the consolidated dispatch center. The total for these programs is $1.7 million, if funded at the same amount as 2014. If you take the $1.7 million from the $2 million revenue from the General Fund there is only $300,000 to spend on capital projects. Essentially, the city should be using the Risk Management account as it should be so the $200,000 should go there for the insurance. Council Member McCullough asked if the city has been in this same situation before. Mr. Nieters said yes, and projects were delayed. Council Member McCullough said if some projects are delayed and revenues stay steady then the city should be fine. Mr. Nieters said he would rather be cautious now than be way behind later. Council Member Peterson said he admires what Mr. Nieters has been doing. The legislature needs to help cities, and towns. Council Member McCullough said the governor is proposing $1.75 million be given to cities and towns in Wyoming. How much would the city receive from that? The Mayor said around $1 million. Mr. Black said the point is there are $3.5 million more in requests for 2015, and the council needs to decide what can be funded or not. Council Member McCullough said Council has expressed that they will not support any layoffs. Mr. Nieters said after the community services and leases there is not much money left. He said the city needs to prioritize the projects. City Council Workshop Proceedings February 11, 2014 Page 2 of 4 Council Member Killpack asked for clarification on the early retirement program. Mr. Nieters said the early retirement program is listed because the employees were offered health insurance or a payout. There are four people who are still getting insurance until they turn 65. Mr. Black said they could delay the depot for five to six months and there are other items that can be reduced if needed. There are going to be some things that cannot be reduced or delayed, such as, the Fire Department respirators since they will no longer be certified after they expire. The city needs to get used to a different spending pattern. Mr. Nieters said the Solid Waste Fund will be looking at the transfer station funding possibilities along with the post closures. The Wastewater Fund will be looking to do a loan and a grant for the new wastewater facility. These accounts are a lot more flexible on how much you can borrow. Mr. Black said there is a 4% physical constraint on how much money an entity can borrow. Council Member Killpack asked where the city is on borrowing. Mr. Nieters said the city can borrow up to $3 million for all funds. The Solid Waste Fund is showing a deficit in 2015 because the city does not have any funding set for the transfer station. Once the funding is found, then it will change the numbers. The account will still need some sort of rate increase to keep it making money and not going in the red. The Wastewater Fund will be pursuing grants in 2015 to complete the Wastewater Treatment Facility Master Plan. A rate increase has already been approved but the final amount will have to be decided. The account is healthier than it was before. If the rates increase gradually, but steady, the fund will continue doing well. The Water Fund will need to be increased gradually also. The Risk Management Account has the interest income but other than that there have been no transfers in to increase the fund. Council Member Peterson said he is concerned that account is so low. Mr. Nieters said the account was at $1.8 million but they transferred money out for the Police Department building. Council Member Killpack asked if the city has operating reserves. Mr. Nieters said yes, all accounts have an operating reserve except the Risk Management Account. Council Member Killpack asked if they have to have a specific amount in reserves. Mr. Nieters said it isn’t a required amount but he thinks 25% is what needs to be the reserves. The Mayor asked if he knows how much health insurance will be going up 2015. Mr. Nieters said they are estimating an 7% increase. The Mayor asked him to explain what one-time money is. Mr. Nieters said one-time money is money given from the legislature for use as the cities, counties, and towns choose. It is called one-time money because it is not guaranteed every year. The city has always used the money they receive for projects. City Council Workshop Proceedings February 11, 2014 Page 3 of 4 City Administrator’s Report Mr. Black said he, the Mayor, and Council Members Peterson and Stokes will be traveling to the Legislative meeting on Wednesday, February 12, 2014. Mayor and Council Reports Council Member Stokes and Peterson had nothing to report. Council Member Killpack asked Mr. Black if he is still looking at layoffs even though council has showed no interest in laying employees off. Mr. Black said he is not looking at immediate layoffs but will look at it if needed in the future. Council Member Maes reminded everyone the Crystal Classic Winter Festival event is this Friday and Saturday. Council Member McCullough said the Streets Department will be patching the pot holes around town so be cautious. He asked if the lights will be turned on at the Island during the Winter Festival. Mr. Wilson said yes. The Mayor encouraged everyone to attend the Crystal Classic Winter Festival and if anyone is interested in the legislators contact list to let him know. Council Member Killpack asked if the council needs to have a formal action in order to pay for the new timers that were requested by the Visitor’s Center for the River Festival. Mr. Black said they need a formal letter from the Visitor’s Center requesting the funds for the timers. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 7:43 pm. ______________________________ H. Castillon, Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ Jeffrey V. Nieters, City Clerk City Council Workshop Proceedings February 11, 2014 Page 4 of 4