City Council Workshops

Monday, Nov. 13, 2023 I. Call to Order The Wheaton City Council Budget Workshop Session was called to order at 7 p.m. by Mayor Suess. The following were: Physically Present: Mayor Suess Councilman Barbier Councilwoman Bray-Parker Councilman Brown Councilman Clousing Councilwoman Robbins Councilman Weller Absent: None City Staff Present: Michael G. Dzugan, City Manager John M. Duguay, Assistant City Manager Betsy Adamowski, Library Executive Director Robert R. Lehnhardt, Director of Finance Robert Brill, Fire Chief Peter Vassios, Assistant Fire Chief Princeton Youker, Chief of Police Ryan Conway, Deputy Chief of Police Brian Gabryel, Deputy Chief of Police Halie Cardinal, Public Relations Coordinator Department Heads II. Budget Overview City Manager Dzugan thanked City staff, especially the Finance Department, for their efforts in creating the 2024 Draft Budget. The Draft 2024 City Budget includes $120 million in revenue and $128 million in expenditures, including $8 million of capital work expenditures supported by fund reserves. He stated that the next steps involving the budget include the next City Budget Workshop Session on Nov. 18, Truth in Taxation Public Hearings for Special Service Area #8 and General Corporate tax levies on Nov. 27, tax levies first reading on Dec. 4, Budget Public Hearing on Dec. 11, and adoption of the budget and tax levies on Dec. 18. In preparation for the 2024 Draft Budget, City staff have presented the Benchmark Study, 5-Year Financial Forecast, and Budget Framework in August; the 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan in September; and the Property Tax Levy Estimates in October. BUDGET WORKSHOP SESSION MINUTES Monday, November 13, 2023 To measure the City’s financial performance, staff prepared a Benchmark Study comparing various financial data with comparable local communities. The study found that in all major areas, the City’s expenditures per capita are in good standing. In the 5-Year Financial Forecast, staff concluded that the City needs to work toward achieving long term financial stability, given increasing costs coupled with increasing infrastructure investment needs. Through the Budget Framework, staff sought the City Council’s direction on crafting the 2024 Budget. The Council’s direction included no new initiatives, no decrease in services, incorporating organic growth in revenues, and no property tax levy increase. In the 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan, for 2024, staff budgeted for 68 projects totaling $28.8 million in expenditures. Grant-funded improvements include Gary Avenue, Lorraine Road, the Library Plaza, and Roosevelt Road sidewalks. Public Works will continue the Lead Service Line Replacement program. For the New Sidewalk Program, the City spent $2 million prior to 2023; $1.6 million in 2023; and projects spending $6.4 million from 2024-2027. In October, staff presented an estimate of the Tax Levy, which included a proposed $200,000 increase to provide additional revenue to the library. The City Council requested a flat levy; therefore the $200,000 increase did not move forward. Two staff recommendations supported by the Council, and included in the draft budget, are the reallocation of the $1 million debt reduction to the General Purpose Levy and a $150,000 increase in SSA #8 to offset parking-related costs in the downtown. City Manager Dzugan stated that the City’s Strategic Priorities form the basis of the 2024 Draft Budget. Each department incorporated the Strategic Priorities into their budget through strategic goals, initiatives, and action items. New items for the 2024 Draft Budget include eliminating one full-time Public Works maintenance position; adding two full-time firefighters; adding four full-time positions to the library while eliminating eight part-time positions; conducting a Comprehensive Building Condition Study; and transferring excess fund balances of $6 million. City Manager Dzugan reviewed the proposed two new replacement floater firefighter positions, which would help to cover the time off of others. Replacement floaters will reduce the number of consecutive shifts worked; reduce mandatory holdovers; and reduce replacement costs. Also included in the draft budget is an estimated $100,000 for a Comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment to provide estimated costs of necessary work and a prioritization of that work. City Manager Dzugan stated the Building Renewal Fund has a fund balance of $1 million, which is far below the funding needed to address necessary work on certain buildings. The Capital Improvement Plan included 20 facility-related projects totaling $7.5 million over five years, but some of the larger projects slated for 2024 were removed pending completion of the Facility Condition Assessment. The 2024 Draft Budget also calls for one-time excess reserve transfers from the Health and Liability Funds, which are projected to have excess reserves along with the General Fund and Budget Stabilization Fund. Staff recommended closely evaluating funds’ revenue, operating expenses, and capital needs in 2024. The tentative schedule proposes implementing a parking rate increase and an  BUDGET WORKSHOP SESSION MINUTES Monday, November 13, 2023 updated storm water utility fee formula in the first quarter; focusing on the Water Fund in the second quarter; focusing on the Capital Fund, Debt Service, and the Library Fund in the third quarter; and focusing on the Storm Fund in the fourth quarter. III. Library Christine Fenne, Treasurer of the Wheaton Public Library (WPL) Board, reviewed the library’s requested budget for 2024, which includes expenditures of $5,023,086 and revenues of $4,865,965, creating a deficit of $157,121. Cited budget challenges include rising costs in library staffing, digital content, and building and operations. Future budget considerations involve increasing the virtual and physical book collections, increasing the tech center and teen space, accommodating a history center, adding additional study rooms, and replacing carpeting. Laurie Metanchuk, President of the WPL Board, reviewed the WPL’s attendance and usage comparing January through September 2022 to the same timeframe in 2023. The library experienced significant increases in nearly all categories of use, including program attendance, digital checkouts, non- traditional services, study rooms and more. Ms. Metanchuk shared results comparing expenditures for the WPL with other local libraries of similar populations, showing Wheaton falls into the $1-5 million in expenditures category, whereas most others are within the $5-10 million in expenditures category. Council members acknowledged challenges such as the rising costs of e-books and encouraged staff to further explore resource sharing with other Illinois libraries and to continue to evaluate the best use of library space. In response to Council questions, Ms. Fenne stated that the WPL is conducting a visioning study to develop a long-term plan for best usage of space and the overall collection. IV. Review of Calendar Year 2024 Draft Budget A. Police Department Police Chief Youker reviewed the Police Department’s 2022 accomplishments and 2023 goals. The Police Department implemented the City’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Program with eight of the 20 cameras installed to date; completed training exercises with the Glen Ellyn and Carol Stream police departments; and utilized the Public Safety Analyst to provide analytical reports on data related to special events, 5-year employee injuries, DUI’s, decoy squad replacement, and patrol summer trends. The Police Department also implemented a marketing campaign alongside the Communications Department to promote submitting online police reports for non-emergency incidents. For 2024 goals, the Police Department plans to integrate security cameras throughout the City with Fusus to increase officer safety and provide evidence for investigations. The first step in this process is the new ‘Connect Wheaton’ Program, which consists of an online security camera registry where residents and businesses can register the location of their security cameras to help expedite emergency response and crime investigations. The Police Department will also update department policies to Lexipol standards and train all officers through the Lexipol Knowledge Management System. Additional 2024 goals include assisting the Engineering Department in conducting School Safety Studies at Wheaton elementary schools to improve traffic flow and student safety; deploying the Axon Fleet (squad) camera systems and integration with body worn cameras and ALPR systems; BUDGET WORKSHOP SESSION MINUTES Monday, November 13, 2023 implementing the 5th grade D.A.R.E. program; continuing the Neighborhood Roll Call events during the summer; conducting a combined active threat, rescue task force, and student reunification training exercise with the Fire Department and Community Unit School District 200; and conducting a town hall. He noted that the Police Department recently hired a part-time social worker. The total case referrals for the full-time social worker and new part-time social worker are approximately 650 projected for 2023 which is an appropriate workload for the two employees. Police Chief Youker also summarized the department’s plan for upgraded duty firearms with holographic red dot sights. In response to Council questions, Police Chief Youker stated that the new technology is waterproof, drop-tested, and has a holographic projection sealed inside the device. He stated whenever an officer draws a firearm, their body worn cameras are activated. This new technology improves accuracy, and the cost is $450 per device. It is recommended to purchase a new firearm in tandem with the new device and a new holster. Police Chief Youker reviewed the number of arrests made per year by the department, and the use of force is on average less than 2% per year, pointing to the training and professionalism of Wheaton’s officers and the success of de-escalation tactics. In response to Council questions, Police Chief Youker stated that the City appears to be returning to pre-pandemic crime levels. i. General Fund Director of Finance Lehnhardt stated that the draft budget for the Police Department is increasing $1.3 million, which is 7%, the majority of which is for increased pension costs. With pension increases excluded, the budget would increase 1.8%. 1. Local Administrative Adjudication Director of Finance Lehnhardt stated that the Local Administrative Adjudication budget presented would increase $4,500, which is 6.3%. ii. Forfeiture Funds Director of Finance Lehnhardt stated that the Federal Forfeiture Fund has $720 in budgeted expenditures. Director of Finance Lehnhardt stated that the State Forfeiture Fund has a reduction of $93,000 in expenditures due to ALPR costs being moved to the General Fund. In response to Council questions, Police Chief Youker stated that forfeiture funds are challenging to predict as this revenue varies depending on each individual case. He stated that the Police Department participates in the DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group (DuMEG). This task force is made up of local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, who work collaboratively to identify and investigate drug trafficking organizations. However, any forfeiture funds acquired through this group are contributed back into the task force, not to the City of Wheaton. iii. Police Pension Fund Director of Finance Lehnhardt stated that the Police Pension Fund will have an increase in expenses of $39,000, which is less than 1%. B. Fire Department  BUDGET WORKSHOP SESSION MINUTES Monday, November 13, 2023 Fire Chief Brill reviewed the Fire Department’s 2023 accomplishments and 2024 goals. The Fire Department completed a firefighter overtime and floater analysis; completed an EMS billing and cost recovery analysis; multi-family occupancies have been identified, assigned, and scheduled; and have conducted multi-family occupancy inspections with 40% complete. In response to a Council question, Fire Chief Brill stated that the current recapture is approximately 85-88% for expenses per EMS billing. In response to a Council question, Fire Chief Brill stated that there are approximately 800 multi- family occupancies in the City of Wheaton. For 2024 goals, the Fire Department plans to continue building pre-incident plans for all multi-family and commercial occupancies; transition the records management system to a modern, comprehensive solution; expand the Community Risk Reduction program by taking advantage of public education opportunities; and collaborate with other City departments to develop a complete and current register of business, multi-family residential, and high-risk occupancies. In response to Council questions, Fire Chief Brill stated that the Fire Department is fully staffed as of Nov. 2023 and, if the new positions are approved, would have the full complement of floating personnel as of Jan. 1, 2024. The department would like to expand community engagement opportunities, especially in tandem with the Police Department. i. General Fund Director of Finance Lehnhardt stated that the budget for the Fire Department is increasing $726,000, which is 5.9%. If the fire pension increase is excluded, the budget would increase approximately 2.6%. ii. Wireless Alarm Network Director of Finance Lehnhardt stated that the Wireless Alarm Network expenditures are increasing $6,600, which is 2.4%. The overall program generates $660,000 in revenue with expenditures at $276,000. iii. Fire Pension Fund Director of Finance Lehnhardt stated that the Fire Pension Fund expenses are increasing $200,000, which is 7.6%. V. Public Comments There were no public comments. VI. City Council/City Staff Comments Mayor Suess thanked City staff for their time and effort with the presentations. He stated that the Budget Workshop Sessions allow for the City Council to gain a further understanding of the operations, goals, and accomplishments of the various City departments. VII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:02 p.m. BUDGET WORKSHOP SESSION MINUTES Monday, November 13, 2023 Respectfully submitted, Halie Cardinal