Committee of the Whole

COLUMBUS COMMON COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MINUTES TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 1. Roll Call: Council President Gray called the meeting to order at 7:42 pm. Present: Council President Gray, Mayor Arnold, Alders: Albright, Motiff, Reid, Roelke, Steiner; Staff: City Administrator Ellefson, City Clerk Goebel, City Attorney Johnson, City Engineer Lietha, Meyers, Anding, Lentz, Weiner, Bledsoe, interested citizens. 2. Notice of Open Meeting: Noted as posted. 3. Approve Agenda: Motion by Arnold, second by Roelke to approve the agenda. Carried voice vote. 4. Citizen Comments: Joe Hammer, 162 E School Street, regarding item #12 Overhead Allocation Policy: W&L Utilities pays over half a million dollars in PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) as a private utility. Ruth Hermanson, attended CDA meeting and hoping to get funding for pavilion upgrades: vermiculite removal, insulate the building and move forward with heating and cooling system. Email from constituent read by Steiner: Sandy Curtis, 100 Brookside Lane: It is my understanding that the City Council will be receiving a comprehensive stormwater report from the City Engineer within the next month or so. I ask that the City Council / Committee of the Whole consider dedicating a portion of the City's ARPA funds to much needed stormwater improvements within the City. Thank you. 5. Department Reports: placed on file: DPW, Fire, Library, Lifestar, Police, Treasurer, WWTP 6. Review new Police squad: Chief Weiner requested to order a new squad for 2023 and use unused wages and benefits to fund and outfit the vehicle in the amount of $58,103; won't receive the squad until 2023. Countryside Ford has agreed to match the state contract pricing. Forward to 10/4 Regular meeting. 7. Updated Fee Schedule: Review current fee schedule. Some items will need further discussion (CUP renewal fees, Hillside Cemetery grave opening fees). Council also suggested reviewing building rental fees. Return to 10/4 COW. 8. Review CDA recommendations for ARPA expenditures: CDA presented ARPA funding recommendations to the Council for review. Some of the recommendations include pavilion insulation and HVAC, pavilion stairs, crossing light replacement, fire department air compressor, city telephone system, DPW tree nursery, and remaining funds be used to support residential development. Return to COW. 9. Review Draft Expense Line Policy update: Policy details the process to follow when any of the individual budget expense lines exceed budgeted amount. The update corrects staff titles, clarifies the police, and add flexibility at for low dollar expense lines. Forward to 10/4 Regular meeting. 10. Review Purchasing Policy Update: A significant change to the policy would adjust the dollar amount that require approvals. Currently, the administrator approves any expenditure over $1000 and Council approves expenditures over $10,000 – and only when money is available in the budget. Updates the policy would increase the dollar amounts to $1500 for department head approval, and $15,000 for Council approval, and funds must be available in the budget. Policy also updates staff titles, clarifies when charges can be made against another department's budget, and all expenses be properly coded. Forward to 10/4 Regular meeting. 11. Review Asset Disposal Policy Update: This policy is designed to ensure a consistent practice for disposing of assets the have become obsolete or no longer needed. There are corrections to staff titles, and additional language that streamlines the disposal of items; and consent of Administrator & Treasurer if the estimated value is less than $100. Forward to 10/4 Regular meeting. 12. Review Overhead Allocation Policy: This policy establishes the positions to be covered, as well as determining the share of expenses, based on a comparison between tax levy expenditures and utility expenditures with personnel costs subtracted to arrive at a comparable numbers. Forward to 10/4 Regular meeting.  Page 2 – COW – 9/20/22 13. Presentation of Draft 2023 Budget: A very rough draft budget was presented by Administrator Ellefson. There are pieces not included, as they have not been released by the state such as manufacturing assessments, DOT transportation aids, etc. Wastewater & Stormwater budgets not included as that will go to the Utility Commission first. Revenues & expenses from sidewalk fund not included as it was moved to capital fund. Total expenditures have gone up significantly due to retirement of TID 3. Insurance has increased, inflation on all lines items for services, supplies, equipment, labor, including our own. Right now a 3.5% wage adjustment is budgeted. Tax levy contributions right now are down in economic development, but up in every other category; increases in debt services (a lot of new debt), capital projects with levy and debt services, storm sewer. Capital expenditures include City Hall roof repair from one time TID 3 closeout funds, fire engine, Folsom Street reconstruction, sidewalk repair, pickup for fire dept, DPW mini-dump & lawnmower. Municipal Court's amount of taxes requested increased by almost $9000 and revenues increased by $2000. Consensus to bring this discussion back to next COW. Council emphasized everything is on the table to discuss. 14. Adjourn: Motion by Motiff, second by Albright to adjourn at 8:39 pm. Carried voice vote. Submitted by: Pat Goebel, City Clerk