Board of Mayor & Aldermen

MINUTES BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN SPECIAL MEETING JUNE 28, 2011 Board present Staff present Mayor Billy Paul Carneal City Manager Paul John Nutting Vice-Mayor Bruce Head Asst. City Manager Regina Holt Alderman Willie Mason City Recorder Jane Shugart Murphy Alderman Jerome Ellis City Attorney Jim Balthrop Alderman Ann Schneider Alderman Shane Shoemaker Alderman James Hubbard 1.1 Mayor Billy Paul Carneal called to order the special meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at 7:00 p.m. The meeting opened with the pledge of allegiance to the American flag. 2.1 Alderman Hubbard moved to consider and discuss Ordinance 11-08 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance adopting the annual budget for the City of Springfield and establishing a property tax rate for the fiscal year July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The City Manager informed the Board of several budgeted expenditures that have been authorized during the current year but will not be paid until the new fiscal year. He stated that this is not uncommon and any expenditure from the previous year will be rolled into the next year’s budget. In cases where the money has been borrowed it is shown as an increase in appropriated reserves. Carryover expenditures from the prior fiscal year should be added back to next year’s budget as new line items. Mr. Nutting discussed the Police Department forensic services line item that was included in the original proposed budget for FY 2012. He stated that the state will not be charging cities for TBI forensic services but is going to recover the cost for those services by applying a fee in the amount of $13.75 for every ticket that is litigated. Mr. Nutting advised that this will reduce our City Court revenue by approximately twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and he recommended that an additional fee of $13.75 be added to court charges to help offset the impact of the revenue reduction. If the Board agrees to consider the addition of a fee of $13.75 to each of the litigated tickets, an ordinance will be presented at the July Board meeting for possible action and approval. Mr. Nutting also informed the Board that a rate study will be required in order to set fees for the new storm water management utility fund. He stated that money will be borrowed from the General Fund to help fund the study and initiate some of the required mapping. Once the storm water fees are implemented and collected, the General Fund will be reimbursed. He briefed the Board on two (2) grants that are on the agenda for action and will have to be included in the FY 2012 budget if approved. Mr. Nutting informed the Board that the budget ordinance in the packet reflects the Board’s approval on 2nd reading at the last meeting. The property tax rate is $0.83. Alderman Shoemaker moved to amend the budget by increasing the property tax rate by six cents ($0.06), from $0.83 to $0.89. He stated that revenue generated from the increase is to be designated as follows: $0.03 for road materials for the street paving program, $0.01 for demolition of blight, $0.01 to offset the use of reserves and $0.01 to be split between the Police Department and Fire Department overtime to help maintain shift coverage and fire inspection. The motion was seconded and passed by 4-3 roll call vote. Ayes: Carneal, Hubbard, Shoemaker, Mason. Nayes: Schneider, Head, Ellis. Mr. Nutting recommended a number of offsetting revenue and expenditure amendments that need to be included in the proposed fiscal year 2012 budget as follows: General Fund revenue – the addition of $180,000 from the City of White House for dispatch services, the addition of $31,000 in appropriated reserves for the new walking track at The Center, the addition of $57,000 in appropriated reserves for the acquisition of property for drainage improvements, the addition of $23,450 in appropriated reserves for the Roadscape Grant match, the addition of $30,395 to note proceeds to pay for a sidewalk improvement grant match, and the addition of $18,875 for JAG grant proceeds. General Fund expenditures – the addition of $180,000 to the Dispatch Department for City of White House dispatch personnel costs, the addition of a line item in the Parks and Recreation Department in the amount of $31,000 for a walking track, the addition of a line item in the Street and Drainage Department in the amount of $57,000 for the acquisition of property, the addition of a line item in the General Government. Services Department in the amount of $23,450 for the Roadscape Grant match, the addition of a line item in the General Government Services Department in the amount of $30,395 for the sidewalk improvement grant match, and a new line item in the Police Department budget in the amount of $18,875 for JAG expenditures. He also recommended changes in special funds to reflect amendments already approved in the proposed General Fund budget. These included a reduction in Industrial Development Fund expenditures to $91,544 and an increase in Cemetery Fund expenditures to $98,000.  Alderman Hubbard moved to amend the budget to include the changes recommended by the City Manager. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. The original motion as amended was brought back and passed by 4-3 roll call vote. Ayes: Hubbard, Shoemaker, Carneal, Mason. Nayes: Ellis, Schneider, Head. The fiscal year 2012 budget has been adopted with a tax rate of eighty-nine cents ($0.89). 2.2 Due to the passage of the budget, no action was taken on Resolution 11-16, a resolution adopting the continuation of appropriation and budget for fiscal year 2011-2012. 3.0 Administrative 3.1 Alderman Shoemaker moved to authorize the acquisition of property for easements for the construction of a new water main on New Chapel Road. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.2 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve a request from the Robertson County Schools to waive a water tap fee of $1,500 and the $1,500 fee for the installation of a fire hydrant to assist in the renovation of the building to house the new Alternative School. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-2 roll call vote. Ayes: Hubbard, Schneider, Carneal, Shoemaker, Mason. Nayes: Head, Ellis. 3.3 Alderman Hubbard moved for approval to provide proof of local matching funds for the TDOT grant to construct sidewalks in the central business district. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. The City Manager informed the Board that this street grant is an 80/20 match. The City’s part would be 20% or $30,395.00 and the state share would be 80% or $121,580.00. 3.4 Alderman Schneider moved to authorize the submission of a Justice Assistance Grant application for the Police Department in the amount of $18,875.00. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.5 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the interlocal agreement between the City of Springfield and Robertson County with regard to the Justice Assistance Grant application. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 4.0 City Manager’s Report The City Manager recognized Assistant Police Chief, Danny Johnson as the new acting Police Chief. He informed the Board that the search for a new Police Chief will take approximately five months. Mr. Nutting updated the Board on the progress of actions of the Library Board with regard to the design of the proposed library expansion and the Library Board’s request to meet with the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the Robertson County Commission to discuss the funding of the expansion and a construction schedule. 5.0 Adjournment With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________ Billy P. Carneal, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Jane Shugart Murphy, City Recorder