City Council

October 29, 2012 CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS Budget Workshop City Council Room 9:30 AM PRESENT: Scott Johnson, Mayor Michele Madigan, Commissioner of Finance John Franck, Commissioner of Accounts Christian Mathiesen, Commissioner of DPS STAFF PRESENT: Shauna Sutton, Deputy Mayor Lynn Bachner, Deputy Commissioner, Finance Sharon Kellner-Chille, Deputy Commissioner, Accounts Eileen Finneran, Deputy Commissioner, DPS EXCUSED: Anthony Scirocco, Commissioner of DPW Tim Cogan, Deputy Commissioner, DPW RECORDING OF PROCEEDING The proceedings of this meeting were taped for the benefit of the secretary. Because the minutes are not a verbatim record of the proceedings, the minutes are not a word-for-word transcript. BUDGET WORKSHOP Mayor Johnson opened the workshop at 9:43 a.m. PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Johnson opened the public comment period at 9:44 a.m. No one spoke. Mayor Johnson closed the public comment period at 9:44 a.m. BUDGET WORKSHOP DISCUSSION Commissioner Madigan advised this is the 4th budget workshop on the 2013 comprehensive budget. Commissioner Madigan provided the Council with a list of requests received. Finance, Accounts Department, and the Department of Public Safety have made no change requests to their expensebudgets. The Mayor’s Department requested 3 items be restored for a total of $40,304; funds for outside legal counsel, comprehensive plan review, and a part time administrative aide for the city attorney. All these items were in the comprehensive budget but at a lower amount lower than originally requested. Commissioner Madigan advised that the Department of Public Works requested $171,481 be restored to the DPW budget and an additional $6,250 to its DPW recreation budget. Most of these requests were for labor. Budget Workshop 10/29/12 Commissioner Madigan advised the total of the requests from the 2 departments is $268,035 to either other expense lines, revenue lines, or an increase in property tax. If all requests are included the inside district tax rate will go from a small decrease to an increase of 1.45%. She will not bring this budget to the table for a vote. Commissioner Madigan advised the mortgage tax payments were very strong through mid summer but have now taken a dip and are being re-evaluated. Sales tax is still showing a strong 9% increase over last year. She is also reviewing hospitalization and health insurance expenses as increases are lower than our brokers originally thought. Commissioner Madigan announced the next budget workshop will be November 1st. Mayor Johnson stated he is aware that right now all proceeds from the National Grid rent must go into a reserve fund. He feels as a Council they can redirect that if they wish. He would be supportive of making that resolution. Commissioner Madigan stated she has been looking into this for a couple of months. She does know that since the money is currently in a capital reserve account it can only be moved to another capital reserve account. We need to come to a decision as a Council with the new revenue stream that is coming in from the re-negotiated rents. Mayor Johnson also requested, if possible, that revisions to the comprehensive budget be circulated prior to the next meeting. Commissioner Madigan advised she would; she is waiting on the health care numbers. Commissioner Franck stated he agrees with the mayor that there are other capital projects that we can use the rent money for. We may not want to move the whole amount currently in the capital reserve account; we may want to leave some in there. Mayor Johnson suggested they could keep the old rent going into the present reserve and put the additional rent into a new fund. Commissioner Madigan stated she is thinking to move it into the capital reserve for buildings; it gives us more flexibility. Commissioner Franck stated we have to be careful with a replacement fund that is too large. There may be legal issues if they don’t do something with this money. Commissioner Madigan announced again the next budget workshop is November 1st at 6:30 p.m. and the second public hearing will be held at 6:40 p.m. before the next City Council meeting. The workshop concluded at 10:05 a.m. Commissioner Mathiesen moved and Commissioner Franck seconded to add an item to the agenda to discuss various aspects of the emergency response to the hurricane that is threatening our City. Ayes – All Commissioner Franck stated the most important thing that occurred the last time was wind. It took down trees and power lines. A lot of things have changed to make things better. Commissioner Mathiesen confirmed the generator for City Hall powers all of City Hall. Page 2 of 3 Budget Workshop 10/29/12 Mayor Johnson advised he believed this is correct. Chief Williams stated the media has done a good job with the information they have put out to prepare the people. People should have water and batteries. According to the information they are getting, most of the hazard is going to be wind related. Mayor Johnson stated it has been brought to his attention that the matters that will be discussed with police, fire, and IT should be discussed in executive session. Mayor Johnson moved and Commissioner Mathiesen seconded to adjourn to executive session on City preparedness on a national emergency level at 10:38 a.m. Ayes - All Respectfully submitted, Lisa Ribis Clerk Approved: 11/20/12 Vote: 5 - 0 Page 3 of 3