City Council

CITY OF POCATELLO, IDAHO CITY COUNCIL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT JUNE 13, 2019 AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Mayor Brian Blad called the City Council Budget Development ROLL CALL meeting to order at 2:10 p.m. Council members present were Heidi Adamson, Rick Cheatum, Jim Johnston, Linda Leeuwrik and Beena Mannan. Council member Roger Bray was excused. Mayor Blad announced that Mr. Bray was out of town on business. However, Mr. Bray asked Mayor Blad to read a few recommendations he had for the Fiscal Year 2020 budget. ADDITIONS TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 JULY BUDGET AMENDMENT Ashley Welsh, Deputy Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer announced the Fire Department had additional requests for placement on the Fiscal Year 2019 July Budget Amendment. The additions are: $5,830.00 Fire Investigation Course fees, $11,467.00 for the fire prevention jeep, and other items, $8,320.00 Fire prevention jeep customization, $1,602.00 backpacks for Fire Prevention through a license plate grant; and $500,000.00 in the event Fire staff is deployed to fight a neighboring fire. (100% reimbursable if utilized.) A motion made by Mr. Johnston, seconded by Ms. Mannan, to add the items identified by the Fire Department to the Fiscal Year 2019 July Budget Amendments as presented. Upon roll call, those voting in favor were Johnston, Mannan, Adamson, Cheatum and Leeuwrik. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: Ashley Welsh, Deputy Financial Officer/Treasurer; was present FISCAL YEAR 2020 to review the tentative Fiscal Year 2020 budget draft from the BUDGET DEVELOPMENT May and June 2019 Budget Development meetings. She noted this review is prior to submitting totals for publication and preparing materials for the public hearing scheduled for August 1, 2019. Ms. Welsh reported the market evaluation information from Bannock County has not been received. She reviewed the timeline the County has to provide the market evaluation figures to cities. Unfortunately, Ms. Welsh must have the City’s publication request to Idaho State Journal soon to properly notice for the August 1, 2019 public hearing. She is looking for direction from Council regarding the budget amounts to publish. Council was supportive of taking full 3% of property tax in the amount of $894,342.00 at this time. In response to questions from Council, Levi Adams, Water Pollution Control Superintendent, explained costs are built into the utility rate study for future infrastructure needs. The infrastructure concerns in the Johnny Creek area may meet the criteria to use these funds to design a sewer system. Mr. Adams mentioned that once a plan is known, grants and other funding may be available to correct the septic tank issues in the Johnny Creek area. Mayor Blad announced the Pocatello Free Clinic Board is asking the City of Pocatello to fund their organization in the amount of $3,500.00. Clarification has been received since their past request and they would like the Council to reconsider their request. Discussion followed regarding the use of City funds for the Free Clinic while it housed within a Bannock County facility. CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION 2 JUNE 13, 2019 In response to questions from Council, Chris Sorensen, Chief Information Officer, explained the need to have sufficient storage space to back-up the City’s data/computer systems. He noted the amount of data has increased greatly and costs have risen. The City is currently paying a monthly cost of $1,100.00 for this service. The cost is going up to $3,000.00 per month. Having an adequate back-up system is critical especially with the potential of computer attacks on the City’s system. Mr. Sorensen reported staff should be able to back-up a year’s worth of data with the proposed storage. The budget spreadsheet was reviewed and items discussed one-by-one. Adjustments were made as identified and instructed by Council. Council member Cheatum asked to be recognized in the minutes that he is opposed to the proposed wage increase for City Council members. Vehicles on the budget spreadsheet will be discussed in more detail under the Fleet Department budget at a later date. No decisions will be made at this time. Mayor Blad suggested publishing the budget numbers high in order to meet the proper noticing timeline requirements. Ms. Welsh gave an overview of the proposed Fiscal Year 2020 budget. Items were reviewed on the Fund Solution Ideas spreadsheet. Ms. Welsh explained she is seeking Council guidance in order to publish notification of the budget hearing to be held on August 1, 2019. Council discussion followed regarding property tax information still needed from Bannock County. As a result, Council instructed Ms. Welsh to publish the public hearing notice with high budget numbers at this time with the understanding that the final budget is subject to change. Once information is received from Bannock County, the Fiscal Year 2020 budget amounts may be modified based upon the information received. The Fund Solutions Ideas Spreadsheet and Fiscal Year 2020 Property Tax Summary Sheet are attached as a permanent part of the minutes (see Attachment “A”). Mayor Blad adjourned the meeting at 3:49 p.m. APPROVED: BRIAN C. BLAD, MAYOR ATTEST AND PREPARED BY: RUTH NEWSOM, CMC, CITY CLERK