City Council

CITY OF TAKOMA PARK, MARYLAND CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION Monday, May 3, 2021 Minutes Adopted October 20, 2021 CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Stewart, Councilmember Kovar, Councilmember Dyballa, Councilmember Kostiuk, Councilmember Seamens, Councilmember Smith, Councilmember Searcy Also present: City Manager Ludlow, City Clerk Carpenter, Deputy City Manager Jessica Clarke, City Police Chef DeVaul, Public Works Director Braithwaite, Sustainability Manager Gina Mathias, Economic Development Manager Samira Cook Gaines The City Council convened at 7:30 PM via Zoom. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS The City Manager Ludlow’s comments are attached. BUDGET WORK SESSION 1. Budget Reconciliation Mayor Stewart began the session by explaining the purpose of budget reconciliation. Councilmember Searcy proposed eliminating the K-9 unit. Police Chief DeVaul commented against elimination without a comprehensive review. He also discussed the safety policies around the K-9 unit. Councilmember Seamens supported maintaining the K-9 unit and explained his concern about use of K-9 units from other jurisdictions which have different standards. Councilmember Searcy supported putting the proposed elimination of the K-9 unit on hold until receiving recommendations from Public Safety Task Force and wanted to ensure agreements were in place in the event the Department needed to call on dogs from other jurisdictions. Councilmember Kostiuk moved that the removal of the K-9 unit remain on the reconciliation list. Mayor Stewart called a vote. The motion did not carry (VOTING FOR: Kovar, Dyballa, Kostiuk). Mayor Stewart clarified that she does not support the City having a K-9 unit but wants to Page 1 of 2 ensure that its discontinuation is done in an appropriate way. Councilmember Searcy proposed reallocating the additional police pension contribution amount of $50,490 from the pension to implementation of the Public Safety Task Force recommendations. Councilmember Seamens commented in opposition to reduction of the supplemental funding for the pension. He supported adding $50,000 for the Council to implement its priorities for reimagining public safety. Mayor Stewart called for a vote on reduction of the supplemental police pension contribution by $50,490. There was unanimous support for the reduction. There were no objections to adding $50,000 towards implementation of Council’s priorities for reimagining public safety. Public Works Director Braithwaite commented that $150,000 for stormwater engineering on private property would be sufficient. Mayor Stewart called vote on whether to budget $150,000 or $200,000 to stormwater engineering on private property. The majority supported $150,000 and the was decreased to $150,000. Councilmember Kostiuk proposed $10,000 for a plaque at Heffner Park Community Center and a sign with a new name for Jackson Boyd Park. It was supported, 6-1. Councilmember Smith voted against. Ms. Stewart requested $36,000 for a tree canopy pilot program. There was no objection from Council. Councilmember Dyballa spoke in support of a building energy benchmarking study. Ms. Braithwaite noted that the Sustainability Manager was not recommending the study in the next fiscal year. The majority of Council supported funding the study at $60,000. Mayor Stewart proposed putting $50,000 in the budget for a Community Ambassador/ Navigator program. The majority of Council supported. After discussion of funding racial equity coordination/community engagement work, additional economic development support, and increase to Library services, the Council supported $125,000 for racial equity coordination/community engagement work, $50,000 for economic development, and $20,000 for Library services. The Council discussed possible items to place on hold list including the police camera trailer. Final Budget Reconciliation List (attached). ADJOURNMENT Page 2 of 2 The Council adjourned for the evening at approximately 10:50 PM. Page 3 of 2 Preliminary Fiscal 2022 Budget - Reconciliation Worksheet FISCAL YEAR 2022 RECONCILIATION ITEMS RECONCILIATION ITEMS BY FUNDING CATEGORY PROPOSED BY AMOUNT NOTES General Fund Revenues $ 27,404,881 Orig Proposed GF Budget Revenues $ 27,404,881 Orig Proposed GF Budget Expenditures $ 35,667,922 Difference Prop Tax Revenue assuming 55 cent rate $ 14,182,877 in Revenue Revised Revenues $ 27,404,881 Prop Tax Revenue assuming 53.97 cent rate $ 13,917,271 $ 265,606 Change in revenue $ - Prop Tax Revenue assuming CY 52.95 $ 13,654,243 $ 528,634 Prop Tax Revenue assuming ECI/CY 54.17 $ 13,968,845 $ 214,032 Change in revenue from proposed budget $ - General Fund Expenditures $ 35,667,922 Expenditure savings listed $ (265,345) -1.03 Decrease: Council Priorities Set-Aside City Manager $ (300,000) Decrease: Capital outlay - Unidentified Housing Project City Manager $ (250,000) If the goal is to keep the current 53.97 tax rate, Decrease: Duplicate capital funding for Neighborhood Improvements City Manager $ (58,000) expenditure savings need to be: $ (265,606) Decrease: Community Legacy Loan Debt Service savings City Manager $ (19,855) Decrease: Police Fringe City Manager $ (138,000) Decrease: K-9 Unit Talisha $ (10,870) Difference bet. expenditure savings listed & goal $ (261) Decrease: Police pension Talisha/Kacy $ (50,490) Increase: Funds for Re-imagining Public Safety Task Force Talisha $ 50,000 Increase: Flooding and Stormwater Engineering on Private Property Multiple $ 150,000 Increase: Heffner Community Center Plaque & Jackson-Boyd Park Sign Kacy $ 10,000 If the goal is to go to the Constant Yield 52.95 tax rate Increase: Tree Canopy Pilot Kate $ 36,000 expenditure savings need to be: $ (528,634) Increase: Building Benchmarking Study Cindy $ 60,000 Increase: Community Ambassadors/Navigators Kate $ 50,000 Difference bet. expenditure savings listed & goal $ (263,289) Increase: Racial Equity Coordination/Community Engagement Work Kate $ 125,000 Increase: Economic Development Support Talisha $ 50,000 If the goal is to add ECI to the CY expenditure Increase: Library Services Jarrett $ 20,000 savings need to be: $ (214,032) Difference bet. Expenditure savings listed & goal $ 51,313 Notes: $257,870 equals a cent on the tax rate FY21 tax rate is $0.5397; the Constant Yield Tax rate for FY22 is $0.5295 The ECI for wages and benefits combined is 2.3% Adding the ECI to the Constant Yield tax rate equals a rate of $0.5417 Revised Expenditures $ 35,402,577 Proposed General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance $ 2,792,736 Revised General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance $ 2,792,736 Stormwater Management Fund Revenues $ 704,500 Revised Revenues $ 704,500 Stormwater Management Fund Expenditures $ 908,126 Revised Expenditures $ 908,126 Special Revenue Funds Revenues $ 7,302,755 Revised Revenues $ 7,302,755 Special Revenue Funds Expenditures $ 1,245,510 Revised Expenditures $ 1,245,510 Speed Camera Fund Revenues $ 801,000 Revised Revenues $ 801,000 Speed Camera Fund Expenditures $ 874,762 Revised Expenditures $ 874,762 Each cent of the tax rate equals $257,870.