Finance Committee (Meets 4th Tuesday of each month at 4:30 p.m.)

Finance Committee Proceedings City of Superior May 13, 2021 Members Present: Jack Sweeney, Tylor Elm Staff Present: Ashley Puetz, Jean Dotterwick, Deborah Kamunen, Others Present: Terry Johnson, Shelley Nelson, Sue Heskin, Jenny Van Sickle, Jim Paine, Dustin Heckman, Taylor Pedersen and Ron Lamb Members Excused: Jack Sweeney called the meeting to order at 4:30 pm with a quorum present. Attendance was done by sign in and virtual meeting. 1. Election of committee Chair and Co-chair positions. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to elect Jack Sweeney as committee Chair. Motion was made by Jack Sweeney, seconded by Tylor Elm and carried to elect Tylor Elm as committee Co-chair. 2. Discussion and approval of the time for Finance Committee meetings every month. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to move the time for Finance Committee meetings every month to 5 p.m. 3. Approval of the April 8, 2021 Finance Committee Meeting minutes. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to approve the April 8, 2021 Finance Committee Meeting minutes. 4. Mayor Paine and Nick Raverty, Chief of Staff, to discuss the city-wide branding effort. Mayor Paine discussed branding goals, both internally and externally, with the Committee and how to connect with the community. A discussion ensued. 5. Request from Councilor Van Sickle – Wisconsin Department of Revenue Form SL-304 – Room Tax Report filings for tax years 2016 to 2020. Van Sickle discussed the annual room tax report, Form SL-304, which the Department of Revenue receives annually from the City. Puetz indicated that the last few years of filings have listed Superior-Douglas County Area Chamber of Commerce as the tourism entity receiving funds, but that it should have been updated to Travel Superior when that entity was created. Puetz stated that the tourism entity name on next year’s filing will be updated. Pedersen stated that in 2018 the Superior-Douglas Area Chamber of Commerce separated and split into three different entities – Travel Superior, The Chamber, and the Chamber Foundation. Pedersen also noted that The Chamber does not directly receive money from the City of Superior. Van Sickle is requesting proof be provided that the City of Superior is correctly paying Travel Superior and not the Chamber. The Mayor suggested someone other than the Finance Committee review the option of building more walls between the organizations, including separate governments. A request was made for the City attorney and the Mayor to review this item and to bring back to the Committee their findings. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to receive and file the request from Councilor Van Sickle – Wisconsin Department of Revenue Form SL-304 – Room  Tax Report filings for tax years 2016 to 2020. 6. Request from Councilor Sweeney – Sue Heskin, Library Director, Superior Public Library, to present information regarding Northern Water Library Service. Sue Heskin, Library Director, provided a presentation for the Committee with information on the Northern Waters Library Service. A question and answer period followed. 7. Request from Councilor Sweeney – Terry Johnson, Assessor, for a discussion regarding properties that participate in payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT). Terry Johnson, Assessor, explained the Wisconsin Legislature concerning payments in lieu of taxes and the agreements with the City. A discussion ensued. 8. Director Puetz to discuss the refunding analysis from Sean Lentz, Senior Municipal Advisor at Ehlers. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to receive and file the refunding analysis from Sean Lentz, Senior Municipal Advisor at Ehlers. 9. Superior Business Center Q1 2021 financial statements – receive and file. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to receive and file the Superior Business Center Q1 2021 financial statements. 10. 2021 1st Quarter reports from Travel Superior, TDF and Bong Museum – receive and file. Taylor Pedersen, President/CEO of Travel Superior, indicated tourism numbers continue to steadily climb and Dustin Heckman from the Bong Museum also indicated an increase in visitors in the first quarter of 2021. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to receive and file the 2021 1st Quarter reports from Travel Superior, TDF and Bong Museum. 11. Golf Course Financials – receive and file. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to receive and file the Golf Course Financials. 12. Review April, 2021 check register. Motion was made by Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to receive and file the April, 2021 check register. 13. Review General Fund Financial Statements – 2020 & 2021 Expenditure vs. Budget Analysis. Motion was made Tylor Elm, seconded by Jack Sweeney and carried to receive and file the General Fund Financial Statements – 2020 & 2021 Expenditure vs. Budget Analysis. 14. General Financial Overview. Update on top 3 financial concerns or updates. a. Puetz is reviewing the 2021 ARPA guidelines for the approximate 17 million the City will be receiving. b. Payroll software should be live with some departments near the end of May. 15. Other financial matters. Sweeney handed out an article – The 7 Deadly Sins of Public Finance for the committee to peruse. Having no other business, the Finance Committee Meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m. Minutes respectfully submitted by Jean Dotterwick