City Council

CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY COUNCIL ROOM TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2005 9:00 A.M. PRESENT: Commissioner Thomas Curley, DPS Mayor Michael Lenz Commissioner Matthew McCabe, Finance Commissioner Thomas McTygue, DPW Commissioner Stephen E. Towne, Accounts ABSENT: Phil Klein, Supervisor Anthony Scirocco, Supervisor STAFF PRESENT: Lynn Bachner, Deputy Commissioner, Finance Frank Dudla, Deputy Commissioner, DPS Alicia Farone, Deputy Mayor Debbie Harper, Deputy Commissioner, Accounts Matthew Dorsey, City Attorney CALL TO ORDER Mayor Michael Len called the meeting to order at 8:57 a.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Firefighters’ Contract Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Stephen Towne seconded to adjourn to executive session at 8:57 p.m. for discussion on the firefighters’ contract. Council members returned at 9:10 p.m. and reported that no action was taken. PUBLIC HEARING West Avenue Fire Station Mayor Michael Lenz opened the public hearing on the West Avenue Fire Station facade renovation. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Michael Lenz closed the public hearing. MAYOR=S OFFICE Nothing at this time. ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT Nothing at this time. FINANCE DEPARTMENT Revenue Anticipation Note (05-159) Page 1 of 3 Commissioner Matthew McCabe moved and Commissioner Stephen Towne seconded to approve the Revenue Anticipation Note of $2 million at 2.6 percent interest rate for 62 days to mature on September 29, 2005. Ayes all. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Utility Bills Bill McTygue, Director of Public Works, distributed information to Council members on utility bills for the larger accounts for 2005. He explained that in some cases the City has already expended their entire budgeted line. He said this has been a cumulative problem in that the accounts have not been funded appropriately for the last few years and it progressively just gets worse. He said there have been efforts to reduce consumption. Bill McTygue said in 2002 the City Hall account was budgeted at $63,369, in 2003 at $85,000, in 2004 at $70,000 and in 2005 at $76,000. He said each year the line was underfunded and made up in the following year’s budget. He noted that some of the problems are that the City now pays three providers (Niagara Mohawk, Select Energy & NYSEG). Commissioner Thomas McTygue said his budget was cut last year in these line items. Joanne Carlow noted that the City Hall utility line item had been completed used up for the year and it was only June. Commissioner Stephen Towne asked if this was due to an increase in rates, consumption, etc. He said that Select Energy/NYSEG had come to the City with a proposal to stabilize rates, however, it is a fluctuating market. He suggested getting Gordon Boyd or Gene Salarni make a presentation to the Council on this matter. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said that all of the recent utility bills have been sent to Salarni & Boyd for their review. He said though the problem is that the line has been underfunded for several years. He said the deficit this year could be as high as $100,000. He said that perhaps the contingency fund should be used. Commissioner Matthew McCabe said it was not his job to find money but he could look into ways to reduce wasteful spending. He suggested that there might be some grant money available. He also said there is waste in City Hall with air conditioners running over the weekend. He said conservation could help. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said that was not true in his department. He also said that maybe there is some merit in looking at selling City Hall. He said that Commissioner Matthew McCabe should not be making broad statements with anything to back up the statement. Commissioner Matthew McCabe said the City should look at increasing fees at some of the facilities. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said that has been done. He said the Casino brings in a lot of money and it all goes directly to the general fund. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said he would like to look into charging the costs of running the building back to each department. He also noted that the ice rinks are using the methane gas. He said his department has requested to have the line items appropriately funded, however, there have been reductions. He said this is an issue that needs to be addressed before the end of the year. Bill McTygue said that under funding the line was the issue. He again said that we are paying three different companies and wondered if paying one might alleviate part of the problem. He also noted that departments are working on budgets much earlier in the year it is sometimes difficult to predict expenditures for the end of the year and for the following year. Commissioner Thomas Curley said that he would have his department look at their utility bills this year to see how they are running. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said DPS has looked at their bills and there has been an increase but not as severely as DPWs. Mayor Michael Lenz reminded everyone that NYSERDA is doing a survey of the building. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY West Avenue Fire Station - Amend Capital Budget (05-160) Page 2 of 3 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, July 26, 2005 Commissioner Thomas Curley moved and Mayor Michael Lenz seconded to amend the 2005 capital budget in the amount of $105,000 for the West Avenue Fire House repairs. Commissioner Stephen Towne clarified that this $105,000 is a net of $50,000 that was already appropriated in the 2005 capital budget and approximately $7,300 available (per Deputy Commissioner Lynn Bachner) from other line items in DPS. Ayes all. Hourly Rate for summer Traffic Personnel (05-161) Commissioner Thomas Curley moved and Mayor Michael Lenz seconded to adopt the hourly rate for the summer traffic personnel at $10.00/hour. He noted that the funding had been included in the 2005 budget, however, the actual pay increase had not been addressed by the Council. Ayes all. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Thomas Curley seconded to adjourn the meeting at 9:40 a.m. Ayes all. There being no further business, Mayor Michael Lenz adjourned the meeting at 9:40 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Kathy Moran Clerk Approved: Page 3 of 3