01-30-1988 (City Council) Minutes 394
CALLED CITY COUNCIL
MEETING - MINUTES
JANUARY 30, 1988
The Wylie City Council met in a called session on Saturday,
January 30 , 1988 at 8 : 30 A.M. A quorum was present and
notice of the meeting had been posted in the time and manner
required by law. Those present were Mayor Chuck Trimble,
Mayor Pro Tem SAndra Donovan,Council Members John Akin,
Calvin Westerhof , Chris DiTota, Kent Crane, and Marvin
Blakey, City Manager John Pitstick, City Secretary Carolyn
Jones, Finance Director James Johnson.
Mayor Trimble called the meeting to order and City Manager
John Pitstick gave the invocation.
Mayor Trimble recessed the open meeting and convened Council
into executive session at 8:45 A.M. under the authority of
Article 6252-17 V.A.C>S. Section 2 paragraph "g" personnel
matters regarding employees in the 87-88 budget in all
departments.
Mayor Trimble reconvened the open meeting at 10 : 55 A. M. and
invited the citizens wishing to speak about the budget to
come forward at this time.
Mrs . Jill Tomek of 511 Rustic Place, asked Council to give
what had happened in executive session. Mayor Trimble said
what Council did was to go over some employee positions in
order to save the library. There were no decisions made at
that time. Mrs. Tomek asked about the Mayor' s car
allowance. Mr. Johnson said it was part of his
compensation. Mrs. Tomek asked about the trash bag sales.
Mayor Trimble said the City makes money on the,
approximately $600 or $700 profit . Mrs. Tomek asked about
the insurance for employees and how long it has been since
staff has gone out for bids. Mr . Johnson said we belong to
Texas Municipal League and acquire insurance through their
state program and an annual competitive bid process.
Mr . Ortie Messenger of 504 Rustic Place said last year he
paid $45 .00 a month for a family of four to have insurance
and this year it is going up to $60 .00 a month. I do not
think it is unreasonable to have employees contribute toward
insurance. Mayor Trimble said Texas Municipal League
researches each year for insurance.
Mrs . Tomek asked about uniforms , there is $1 ,600 . for park � ^
uniforms . Mr . Johnson said it has not been spent since
there is no park department.
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Mr . Ortie Messenger said in department 204 what is the
salary. Mr. Johnson said it is for five (5) dispatchers and
salary for the relief dispatchers .
Mrs. Tomek wanted to know why plaques and awards for Council
budget and police have none. I have a neighbor that will do
the plaques for you free. Mrs. Tomek asked about under
ground sprinkler system that is falling apart. I know a man
that volunteered free labor to fix this system, and he has
not heard from you. City Manager John Pitstick said he has
never talked to the man, he talked to the Park Board and
they were to get with him.
Mr . Bud Naish 512 Rustic Place said since you are located in
the new complex , how many copy machines. Mr. Johnson said
most of the coffee machines are at no charge except the new
one in the Council room. City does not have to maintain
them.
Mrs . Tomek wanted to know about using high school students
to do some work. Councilman Crane said that the Council was
looking at some programs.
Mr . Bud Naish wanted to know if we can cut some secretaries
since everyone is in the same building. mr . Naish said in
utility billing there looks like there are some places to
cut.
Mrs . Tomek wanted to know about the revised budget, when
would a copy be ready.
Mr. Bud Naish said utility billing there is a lot for
salary.
Mrs. Tomek wanted to know what ceremonial services are. Mr .
Johnson said for receptions , such as Sanden, Business
Appreciation Day and open house for new complex and for
other things like this during the year .
Mrs. Tomek wanted to know if the budget could change to
something besides General .
Mrs . Bud Naish said you can' t tell what department paid for
what because you spend money from one department to another
department.
Mr . Ortie Messenger said the reserves for City Council , City
Manager and the reserve in the utility fund, the merit pool ,
police under cover, all these should be looked at and some
eliminated, put a wage freeze on the employees this year .
Mrs. Rita Smith, member of the Library Board, said as we
have told you, we are working hard to keep the Library open
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and that we understand there is no money, you have to make .
cuts, but we hope you do not cut us more than anyone else.
Councilman DiTota said that since all the talk about cuts,
do you think that more people realize we have a library. Is
there any talk about promoting our Library. Mrs . Smith said
yes, the board has been talking about being more visible in
the future.
Mrs. Betty Stephens, member of the Library Board, said she
appreciates the Council listening when she has come with a
concern. We are very concerned about the Library, we do not
want it closed and the board wants to continue with a
degreed librarian to maintain the credibility of our
Library. If this is not possible, than a full time
certified librarian. We appreciate the people volunteering
but I would hope that we would be selective about choosing
the people in order to maintain a professional library. We
appreciate any consideration you would give the board in
choosing these volunteers.
Councilman DiTota said with more exposure do you fell more
revenue from programs during the summer. Mrs. Stephens said
we have a lot of ideals and we need someone to promote them.
Mayor Pro TEm Donovan wanted to know if the board could man
a volunteer system. mrs. Stephens said that is why we need
a full time person because there is more to running a
library than just checking out books .
Councilman Akin said he appreciated Rita and Betty and that
volunteers were good except after a while you look behind
you and there are no volunteers .
Mrs. Rita Smith said we do have Friends of the Library and
we are beginning meetings with them. The City of Rockwall
has this and they do lunches and dinners to make money for
the Library. We hope that this is just a temporary thing.
Mayor Trimble said to summarize about the Library, the staff
is to maintain one full time certified librarian with 40
hours per week and use volunteers to help. This is a
temporary situation.
Mayor Trimble called a recess at 11 :45 A. M. for lunch.
Mayor Trimble reconvened the meeting after lunch at 1: 12
P.M.
Mayor Trimble asked City Manager John Pitstick to give the
Council the recommendation from staff on where to make cuts.
City Manager John Pitstick said he wanted the Council to
decide what should be cut ie. the amount of money. Finance
397
Director James Johnson then went over the revenues
recommended to Council for cuts. These cuts were as
follows :
Current Ad Valorem Taxes Cut $184 ,000 .
Delinquent Taxes Cut $ 65,000 .
Penalty & Interest Cut $ 8 ,000 .
Sales Tax Cut $ 40 ,000 .
EMS Fees Cut $ 8 ,500 .
EMS Transport Fees Cut $ 5,500 .
Interest on Investments Cut $ 5 ,000 .
County Reimbursement EMS Cut $ 12 ,000 .
Cable TV Fees Increase $ 600 .
Sanitation Franchise Increase $ 1,000 .
Other Misc Revenues Increase $ 1,400 .
Total Net Cuts $325,000 .
Mr . Johnson pointed out to the Council there was no
projection on the building permits, electrical , mechanical,
zoning , plat fee or development fees, etc . It was to early
to determine if these revenues would come through, but if
they do not then there could be further cuts. j
City Manager John Pitstick stated that the following were
recommended budget reductions:
Master Plan-Engineering Service Cut $ 31 ,500 .
Emergency Medical Service Cut $ 65,000 .
Fire Department New Equipment Cut $ 10,000 .
Park Improvement Capital Cut $ 15,000 .
Sod & Seed Municipal Complex Cut $ 5,000.
Merit Pool Cut $ 10 ,000 .
Animal Control Cages Cut $ 2,935 .
Police Cut $108,400 .
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4 Patrol Officers
Clothing allowance
Police Fuel
Special Purpose Equipment
2 Vehicles
Use of County Jail
2 Police Radios (cars)
Add back Vehicle repairs
2 Librarians Cut $ 29,000 .
Code Enforcement Cut $ 10 ,300 .
1 Vehicle
1 Camera
Food & Ice Cut $ 1 ,600 .
Travel & Training Cut $ 10,300 .
(All departments)
Furniture (all departments) Cut $ 9 ,875 .
Equipment
Terminate Lease (no equipment) $ 52,600 .
Refinance Lease (keep equipment) $ 52 ,600 .
Total Budget Reductions $374,510 .
City Manager John Pitstick made a third presentation on the
borrowing of funds 87-88 as follows :
Landfill - Engineering and legal fees $150,000.
Engineering design priority sewer lines $150,000.
Sewer Truck $ 35,000 .
Street Reconstruction 2 miles $160,000.
Public Safety Equipment ( Pay off of
-0- with 88 ,000 Fund Balance and
Debt Service Payment) -0-
Equipment refinancing undetermined
City Manager John Pitstick stated that the engineering
design for priority sewer lines to begin on March 1 , this is
part of the enforcement order from TWC, it will take 3 or 4 --�
months for design and 3 or 4 months for right-of-way
acquisition.
399
After some discussion, Mayor Trimble stated that one
librarian' s salary needed to be added back into these cuts
at $12 ,000, total add back $14 ,000 at Library. This was to
be a certified librarian. Also needed to lower the sales
tax from $40,000 . to $50,000 , and add $4 ,000 . to revenues
for leasing of a section of the building to Lifeline. Mayor
Trimble also stated that Council wanted to establish a
$50 ,000 reserve or a two week cash flow which the auditors
have said we need . Mr . Johnson said even if you get the
revenues , you will still have a short fall at the year end.
Mayor Trimble said fine, but Council wanted to try and
establish a reserve as the auditors have said to do . Mr .
Johnson said two weeks reserve would be $65,000 . Mayor
Trimble said $65,000 . instead of $50,000 .
Mayor Trimble then asked the Council if they had any
suggested cuts from the budget .
Councilman Crane said in account 107 which is Engineering ,
car allowance of $2,100 . , drop this and give him one of the
vehicles that is just sitting . Over time pay $68,000 . can' t
we hire one or two employees full time for this . Under
finance for legal services, $14 ,000, cut legal fees back by
asking city attorney to come to only one meeting per month.
In department 450 , $4 ,400 veterinarian services. Mr .
Johnson said part of this is charges to Garland Humane
Society. In Utility Billing the fuel item. Mr . Johnson
said it would not help to cut the utility fund, and that the
$14,000 legal services was the amount budgeted for legal
services for delinquent tax collections . Councilman Crane
said in department 510 there is a pickup. Mr . Johnson said
this is to replace the jeep that Utility Billing took from
engineering .
Mr . Johnson said in department 420 , emulsion in the amount
of $23 ,310 could be cut and moved to the reserve and add
this amount to the amount you borrow to do the street
reconstruction program.
Councilman Blakey said in department 310 Parks , heavy
equipment lease. Mr. Johnson said $9 ,100 . is for payments
on the mowers and the remainder is for contract services.
It was also discussed to cut the gravel and rock from the
park budget in the amount of $1 ,290 .00 and move this to the
reserve.
Mayor Trimble instructed City manager John Pitstick to get
the other $10 ,000 . or whatever the amount needed for the
reserve from what was discussed in executive session. Mayor
Trimble went back to the merit pool of $23 ,000 , Special
purpose equipment for police department $4 ,000 . General
overview from the Council was to leave the special purpose
equipment of $4 ,000 for the police department, cut $10,000 .
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from the merit pool which would leave $13,000 for merit
raises, cut from the park contract services $4 ,000 .00 and
cut additional $8,000 .00 from the park budget.
Mayor Trimble said to set up a meting with the Park Board,
WSA, and Council to put together a new agreement . Mayor
Trimble also stated that after all the cuts and moves, there
has been $53,790 . set aside for the reserve that the
City Manager has been instructed where to ge he st from.
There being no other business or discus , the meeting was
adjourned at 5 :00 P.M. /
ICY
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�� Chuck Trimble, Mayor
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