City Council

April 17, 2017 Budget Work Session A special meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia, was held on April 17, 2017, in Council Chambers, Municipal Building, at 6:00PM, to conduct a budget work session with Mayor Gene Teague presiding. Council Members present included: Mayor Teague, Vice Mayor Chad Martin, Council Member Kathy Lawson, Council Member Jennifer Bowles and Council Member Sharon Brooks Hodge. Staff present included: City Manager Leon Towarnicki, Clerk of Council Karen Roberts, Assistant City Manager Wayne Knox, City Attorney Eric Monday, and Finance Director Linda Conover. School Board members included Donna Dillard, Eric Hruza, and Joan Montgomery. Additional school personnel included School Superintendent Zebedee Talley, Executive Director of Administrative Services Travis Clemons, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Angilee Downing, and Clerk of Board Janie Fulcher Mayor Teague opened the meeting. Dr. Talley shared a power point explaining the school board’s vision statement, four division goals, general fund revenue and expenditure estimates, average student membership – down from 130 to 7 students below the goal, local funding history, general fund expenses, function summary, cost center summary, school budget request for FY18, primary expenditure adjustments, remaining budget deficit, and Community Eligibility Provision Program. The school board requests a $380,734 budget increase plus $135,000 in expected fund balance. April 17, 2017 Budget Work Session April 17, 2017 Budget Work Session April 17, 2017 Budget Work Session City Manager Towarnicki and Finance Director Linda Conover went over a summary of budget fund balance highlights and answered Council’s questions. Towarnicki clarified the position cut recommendation for the Police Department and explained that there would not be a reduction of police staff according to the current roster of 50 employees (45 officers and 5 staff), but would not allow funding of the 6 positions unfilled since 2011. Towarnicki explained that he is waiting for the Police Department to get back to him on this reduced budget cut request. City Manager Towarnicki shared additional budget reductions that would total $106,458 that could be plugged back in as a reduction of expenses. Council Member Hodge made a motion to remove the proposed real estate increase. Vice Mayor Martin seconded the motion with all council voting in favor. Council Member Bowles made a motion to pull funds from the utilities cash reserve to allow level funding for the schools, level funding for the Police Department and level funding for the Fire Department, deviating from the Council’s policy. Council Member Hodge seconded the motion. Mayor Teague requested Towarnicki research and present projections on what that would do to the future budget and requested the April 17, 2017 Budget Work Session motion be held until the public hearing to allow additional information be presented. Bowles stated that she stands firm on her decision but is willing to table the motion until additional information can be presented. Bowles requested that the original motion be tabled; Hodge retracted her second. Bowles made a motion requesting City Manager Towarnicki to research the utilities cash reserve request to provide level funding for those departments; Council Member Lawson seconded the motion with all Members in favor. Council Member Hodge made a motion for level funding for Social Services instead of the requested increase; Council Member Bowles seconded the motion with all Council Members voting in favor. Council Member Lawson, having looked over the Henry County contributions to outside agencies, pointed out that Piedmont Arts receives $19,240 from the City while Henry County gives them $8,500. Council Member Lawson made a motion to drop funding for Piedmont Arts to $8,500 to match Henry County’s contribution. Council Member Hodge seconded the motion. All Council Members voted in favor of the motion with the exception of Council Member Bowles who voted against it. Council Member Lawson made a motion to drop funding for Longwood Business Development from $8,550 to $4,513 to match what Henry County contributes. Council Member Hodge seconded the motion with all Council voting in favor. City Attorney said the parking lots have been subleased to other agencies. Finance Director Conover says the only payment received for lot usage is from the phone company. Mayor Teague asked to revisit the parking lot option to see which ones the City can eliminate and which we are under contract for. Mayor Teague confirmed that the Senior Program would not be cut. He asked Towarnicki to recap approved motions. There being no further business, Council Member Hodge made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Vice Mayor Martin seconded the motion with all Council Members in favor. The meeting adjourned at 8:39pm. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Karen Roberts, Clerk of Council Gene Teague, Mayor