Finance Committee

Office of the Clerk of Council City of Gahanna 200 South Hamilton Road Gahanna, Ohio 43230 Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Michael Schnetzer, Chair, Karen J. Angelou, Ryan P. Jolley, Thomas R. Kneeland, Brian D. Larick, Jamie Leeseberg, Stephen A. Renner Kimberly McWilliams, CMC, Clerk of Council Monday, June 23, 2014 Council Committee Rooms Immediately Following Committee of the Whole Present 6 - Brian D. Larick, Jamie Leeseberg, Karen J. Angelou, Michael Schnetzer, Stephen A. Renner, and Thomas R. Kneeland Absent 1 - Ryan P. Jolley PENDING DISCUSSION - 1. Comprehensive Plan Teal discussed one-time expenses and one-time resources as part of ongoing sustainability; know there are a lot of things desire to accomplish of a one-time nature; compiled list of possible projects from different sources; capital needs assessments are classified and ranked by number to analyze data; urged to visit current Capital Needs Assessment on website to see changes. Goal tonight is to share revised list; think of it as a menu not a plan; just an accounting of current situation. From long-term picture we will be bringing updated Capital Needs Assessment in fall; need to make sure project for fall are still the right ones; start collaborative conversations to discuss at next committee; Mayor said Council and administration are tasked together to create appropriations passed January 2 of every year; administration starts working now on appropriations and presents to Council in October or November; important to start discussing now so we are transparent and really thinking through; what priorities are important given our current resources; prefer public and collaborative process over next few weeks. Question about items in Bucket #2; nothing there that has to be done in next 6 months; Jones said some infrastructure projects may be affected by Economic Development Plan; Mayor said lot of items in Bucket #2 may become more important when developers say ready to City of Gahanna Page 1 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes June 23, 2014 build; may go from speculative to need to do now. Teal said just want everyone to digest information and email questions to her before next committee meeting. Larick said do not see sidewalks on Flint Ridge as a project, and that was included in Hamilton Road TIF; Teal said we may have missed it; also don't see pool on list; Teal said did not include capital to support operations we did not plan to continue; long-range plan; Teal said pool expenses are under contract services instead of staff where originally budgeted; pool cost is unchanged but have offsetting revenue; Collins said pool is still being supervised by City but only for one more year; lost boiler last week at Hunter's Ridge and will cost $10,000-$15,000 to replace; also membership sales are down this year. Will discuss further in next committee. Kneeland asked about status of the Parker property portion of Big Walnut Trail from McCorkle Park to Creekside; Collins said real challenge, will go by golf course clubhouse through property not currently owned by City; have looked at different routes, but now looking at south of clubhouse east of cemetery (behind open field with boardwalk); boardwalk is on Parker property, too; trail will connect with boardwalk. Jones discussed Comprehensive Plan; how do you get revenue to accomplish goals of City; need to update Economic Development Plan from 2007; economy has changed dramatically since then; reduction in tax abated property; perform market assessment of community, identify private development areas; i.e. Buckles Tract, Central Park, Agler/Stygler Road, etc.; identify incentives necessary to generate interest; retention strategies; will help give fiscal assessment of revenue capability; will give City framework to make decisions on zoning issues and eliminate risk. At this time I'm requesting Council's feedback on request for an updated Economic Development Plan and if there is a consensus will move forward with an RFP to identify a consultant qualified to do the work. Schnetzer said common thread throughout conversations regarding a plan is that we need more revenue as a City; really think focus should be on economic development as means to increase revenue; Jones outlined several projects completed from the 2007 plan; RFP would include and expand on what is already there considering market conditions today. Mayor said this is something we can start soon and accomplish in decent amount of time; lots of issues come back to economic development; important that this will identify our upper limits of both development and our residents' tolerance for increased density. City of Gahanna Page 2 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes June 23, 2014 Schnetzer asked what timeline are we looking at from now through RFP process and report; Jones said depends on what we decide to do. Mayor said we could wait a couple of weeks or we could request RFP; Jones said not ready for legislation but has started researching RFPs. Teal said this year we are compiling annual financial statements in different way; went from bare minimum to best practice; anticipating submitting CAFR by June 30th deadline; will get official copy after approved by auditors; CAFR helps understand financial health of community; was group effort to transition budget process; almost all of work was done by Deputy Director of Finance; really proud to have that expertise and ability in Joann; will share CAFR as soon as it is released. Mayor said completing first CAFR is real accomplishment and we have received an award I would like to present to City and I have one for Jennifer Teal and I have further invited members of budget committee to next meeting on July 7 so they can be recognized; big step for city. Schnetzer said works with CAFR's on daily basis and it really is dividing line between a small time town and a grown up town. Donna Jernigan, MMC, reporting City of Gahanna Page 3