City Council

DocuSign Envelope ID: 0129AE6A-6892-4443-BEB8-958C9BCDCA0D MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SEAT PLEASANT SPECIAL SESSION BUDGET REVIEW SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2020 1:30P.M. 1. OPENING 1.1.1 Call to Order Council President Yeargin called the meeting to order at 1:43p.m. 1.1.2 Roll Call Present: Mayor Eugene Grant (Excused), Councilmember Charl Jones (Excused), Councilmember Hope Love, Councilmember Lamar Maxwell, Councilmember Shireka McCarthy, Councilmember Kelly Porter (Excused), Councilmember Gloria Sistrunk, Councilmember Reveral Yeargin Staff: Dashaun N. Lanham, City Clerk, Devan A. Martin, Acting Chief Operating Officer 2. PRESENTATIONS: 2.1 Proposed Fiscal Year 2021 Budget  Mr. Martin stated that the CPA has come on board as of last week and he will be reviewing the budget.  Mr. Martin begin the presentation on Page 10 stating a reduction in the following areas due to COVID-19 tax revenue, intergovernmental, interest and investment income, donations, miscellaneous income, grants. We removed the Other Financing Sources due to the completion of the construction project.  Mr. Martin stated that we have an increase in the following:  The Census has been extended until October 2020 and the grant revenue will be extended to coincide with the dates.  Councilmember Sistrunk inquired on the status of the audit that was due in November 2019.  Mr. Martin stated that he will provide the City Council with the letter from the auditing firm.  Mr. Martin read Page 11 Expense Summary  Mr. Martin stated that most of the departments had reduced their budgets with the exceptions of Administration and Environmental Justice due to Page 1 of 4 DocuSign Envelope ID: 0129AE6A-6892-4443-BEB8-958C9BCDCA0D addition of personnel, increase in City Clerk budget due to the Elections, increase in Human Resources due to the insurance. Finance department increase for NetSuite and the salary for the Chief Financial Officer position.  Mr. Martin stated that in the Council budget on page 13: Salaries were adjusted to reflect the approval amount in the Ordinance.  Mr. Martin stated that the overtime, office supplies was reduced at the recommendation of the Finance and Budget Committee.  Mr. Martin stated that the Professional Development was reduced, and we replaced the funding for Constituent Services in the amount of $14,000.  Mr. Martin stated that the Annual Audit was increased to $45,000 and the Strategic Planning was reduced.  Mr. Martin stated that the Capital Outlay remained the same and the new cost center of Legislative Initiative in the amount of $1500.  Councilmember McCarthy stated that the Budget Committee had reduced the money from Collaboration and Partnership, and she would rather have it included in PGCMA.  Councilmember McCarthy stated that she has contacted the surrounding municipality for Census, and they are not responsive.  Council President Yeargin stated that we can allocate $500 each to PGCMA and Collaboration and Partnership.  Mr. Martin stated that the City Clerk Budget on page 16 has the following changes, increase to the Election to $20,000 and it may not be enough due to the COVID-19 and the possibility of mail-in ballots.  Mr. Martin stated that we removed the funding for Meeting Refreshments and the total budget is $156,152.  Mr. Martin stated that the Mayor Budget on page 18, we reduced the Overtime and Promotional Activities cost centers.  Mr. Martin stated that the Administration Budget on page 21 has the following changes, increase the salary to provide an Administrative Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer.  Mr. Martin stated that we removed the association dues and increase to the General Liability Insurance.  Mr. Martin stated that we removed the funding for local travel, which was used to reimburse staff for traveling to MML and local meetings.  Mr. Martin stated that the Telephone and MML Dues will remain the same.  Mr. Martin stated that the Copier Contract cost center was moved into the Finance Department Budget. Page 2 of 4 DocuSign Envelope ID: 0129AE6A-6892-4443-BEB8-958C9BCDCA0D  Mr. Martin stated the Special Occasions cost center was reduced to $1000 and Legal Fees was increased to $40,000, the contingency cost center is $50,000 and the Capital Outlay was increased for new apparatus for new staff.  Mr. Martin stated that the Economic Development salary increased due to new staff. We removed the meeting conference and conventions funding, and the Housing Trust and USDA Loan was removed.  Mr. Martin stated that we reduced the Food and Beverages cost center and increased the Body Camera for the NCC division within the department.  Mr. Martin stated that the Smart Buy Program was unfunded, Grants was reduced, and the Bond Bill is new money from the state.  Councilmember McCarthy inquired on the number of staff members in the Economic Development Department?  Mr. Martin stated that the department has eight staff members.  Councilmember McCarthy stated that she is concerned with no money being funded for training with a new person in the position. She stated that the contingency in Administration can be used for training if required.  Mr. Martin stated that the language for training will be under professional development for the department.  Mr. Martin stated that the Finance Department salary was increased to attract qualified personnel for the Chief Financial Officer position. We have included training for NetSuite for staff and council. The capital outlay is to upgrade the equipment for the department.  Mr. Martin stated that the Human Resources Department Maryland Unemployment may change due to the COVID-19 and an increase in the Workers Compensation.  Councilmember Sistrunk inquired about the assistance needed for the department.  Mr. Martin stated that the assistance will be addressed through Contractual services and can be discussed in the Closed Session.  Mr. Martin stated that the Public Engagement department changed the language for CGS/IBM and added a new cost center.  Mr. Martin stated that Office of the Chief Budget has twenty-two full time employees.  Mr. Martin stated that under his leadership, he mandated that when an officer has accident that they pay the insurance deductible. Page 3 of 4 DocuSign Envelope ID: 0129AE6A-6892-4443-BEB8-958C9BCDCA0D  Mr. Martin stated that the Merit increase should be removed from Automated Speed Enforcement and will add the money from merit increase to the Fire Department contribution.  Mr. Martin stated that page 38, Environmental Justice Department Salaries increased, they added funding for gasoline, the Plant Material will be reduced to $10,000 and the difference will be allocated to the gasoline, and they reduced the tree removal.  Mr. Martin stated that the state will not be administering the mosquito control program, so we allocated funding for the program in the department budget.  Mr. Martin recommended adding more money to street signs and repairs $2500 to street signs and the difference in Street Repairs/Resurfacing.  Mr. Martin stated that he did not see the patrol side of public safety budget. He believes they merged it into the office of the Chief and may be patrol has been included.  Mr. Martin inquired if the City Council could meet on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 to have one final review?  It was the consensus of the City Council to meet on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 7:00p.m. 3. MEETING TOPICS 3.1 None 4. LEGISLATION 4.1. None 6. ANNOUNCEMENTS 6.1 Regular Work Session, Monday, June 1, 2020, Seat Pleasant City Hall by Zoom at 6:00p.m. 6.2 Public Session, Monday, June 8, 2020, Seat Pleasant City Hall by Zoom at 7:00p.m. 7. ADJOURN ADJOURN-The meeting was adjourned at 3:07p.m. Submitted by, Dashaun N. Lanham, CMC City Clerk Page 4 of 4