08-11-1988 (City Council) Minutes 91
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
AUGUST 11, 1988
The City of Wylie City Council met in a called workshop
session on Thursday, August 11, 1988 at 7 : 00 p.m. in the
City Manager ' s Conference Room of the Municipal Complex . 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, Councilman Bud Naish, Councilman Ortie
Messenger , Councilman Jim Swartz, Councilman Marvin Blakey,
City Manager John Pitstick, Finance Director James Johnson,
and Secretary Candi White. Councilman Chris DiTota arrived
late at 7 : 20 p.m.
Mayor Trimble called the meeting to order and City Manager ,
John Pitstick gave the invocation .
DISCUSSION AND WORKSHOP ON THE 1988/89 BUDGET FOR THE CITY
OF WYLIE City Manager, John Pitstick, explained to the
councilmembers that staff was presenting a study of area
water and sewer rates , along with current tax rates for area
cities . Mr . Pitstick told the council that his
recommendation was a 51 .25 cent tax rate on the base budget .
Mr . Pitstick explained that the major changes in the budget
as he was recommending are as follows :
- One police officer to help patrolling levels .
- Two police cars to replace older police cars with over
100 ,000 miles .
- Striping all police cars .
- Shift the police administrative assistant to city
manager ' s office to serve as receptionist , code clerk
to city secretary, assist court clerk and perform
various secretarial duties .
- Upgrade the records clerk position to administrative
secretary and add a computer to the police department
to accomplish both duties of administrative secretary
and records clerk.
- 2% semi-annual merit increase, which is an effective 3%
and is consistent with proposed increases in area
cities .
- $10 ,000 for required city-wide training .
- Transfer Fire Marshall ' s office under code enforcement
and hire professional services from outside the city
for fire marshall certification .
City Manager , John Pitstick, also expressed to the council
his recommendation on the needed new programs for 1988/89
and their approximate cost estimate. Those programs are as
follows :
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- Crime prevention unit - two police officers for twelve
months out of the year, who could be utilized in a
number of ways , such as one officer undercover for six
months and then on the street for six months and the
second officer could go to crime prevention . This
program could be done for $69 ,000 .
- Major fire equipment such as air bags and breathing air
bottles; the cost being $13,000 .
- Council reserve - three weeks of emergency operating
expenses , which would amount to approximately $65 ,000 .
- One full time park employee and park equipment would cost
approximately $30 ,000 .
Mr . Pitstick also recommended to the council that $100 ,000
be added to the landfill certificates to pay for
construction and the first year ' s operation of a community
pool . Mr. Pitstick explained again that his recommendation
for the tax rate was 51 .25 cents per hundred , but that if
council wished to fund the new programs listed above, it
would require a tax rate of 58 cents .
Councilman DiTota suggested waiting until February or March
of 1989 to hire a park employee , which would save four
months salary and benefits . Mr. Pitstick agreed that the
park employee would not be necessary until February, and the
salary saved would be approximately $7200 .00 , which would
bring the cost to $22 ,800 .00 .
Councilman Naish questioned the reason for the building
insurance going down. Finance Director, James Johnson
explained that when the original insurance policy was
written on the building, the sprinkler system was not
approved by the state. After the policy was written, Mr .
Faires secured the sprinkler system okay from the state fire
marshall , which had a significant impact on the premium.
Mr . Johnson said that last year the insurance was $96 ,000
and was reduced to $82 ,000 this year , but if there was to be
a significant increase in insurance passed on by the state
insurance board , the city wouldn ' t know until January 1,
1989 .
Council Budget . Mr . Johnson explained that $40 ,000 was
moved from the city council budget to department 230 , which
is ambulance contribution, leaving no council reserve.
Councilman Naish wondered if $2700 was really needed for
travel in the council budget . Councilman DiTota felt that a
big problem in the past has been that the council has not
been visible to make an image for Wylie to neighboring
cities . Councilman Naish asked why there was no money
budgeted for ceremonial services , when $2329 was spent last
year . Mr . Johnson explained that the ceremonial services
were for employee functions , such as the Christmas party and
was cut out completely. Mr . Pitstick explained that the
$3000 in food supply and ice is for receptions. Councilman
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Naish felt that the $3000 should be shown in ceremonial
services rather than food supply and ice, since it is used
for receptions .
Mayor Trimble felt that membership dues should be raised
from $1800 , since $2097 had already been spent year to date.
Council agreed that membership dues should be changed to
$2100 .
Mayor Trimble asked why the line item for gravel , rock and
sand was in the city council budget . Mr . Johnson explained
that the line item was added to the budget to build the "W"
flower bed on Hwy 78 . Councilman DiTota suggested that the
line item be completely deleted from the council budget .
City Manager Budget . Councilman Naish was concerned about
the car allowances that had been budgeted for department
heads and the possibility of using the fire marshall ' s car
as a pool car . Councilman Blakey expressed his concern
about using an older vehicle as a pool car, due to
maintenance costs and down time. Councilman Naish felt that
Mr . Pitstick and Ron Homeyer, Engineer , did not drive
anywhere near enough to need as large a car allowance as was
budgeted . Councilman DiTota said he didn' t have a problem
with Mr . Pitstick' s allowance, as it was part of his
contract when he was hired , but that car allowances for
department heads had not previously been budgeted .
Councilman Blakey suggested doing a comparison with other
cities to determine how they handle car allowances for their
department heads. Councilman Messenger felt that department
heads should be compensated at 22 .5 cents per mile . Mr .
Pitstick said that staff would survey other cities , along
with asking department heads what their actual mileage is .
City Secretary Budget . Councilman Messenger asked if City
Secretary, Carolyn Jones , was going to be paid a car
allowance. City Manager, John Pitstick said he would prefer
to use a car pool , rather than a car allowance or
compensation of 22 .5 cents per mile. Councilman Naish
questioned the increase in line item 3240 . Finance
Director, James Johnson , explained that the city' s history
for elections has not been good , having a record number of
elections, and that there was a possibility of a new voting
place, requiring more election supplies . Councilman Naish
added that Southfork Mobile Home Park is requesting a
satellite voting place for city elections .
Code Enforcement Budget . City Manager, John Pitstick,
explained that there was $500 in line item 2610 , which was
the only outside travel , the rest being budgeted in
personnel . The travel money in code enforcement was to get
Code Enforcement Officer, Roy Faires , certified as fire
marshall . Councilman Naish felt that the $500 should be
moved to the training line item rather than travel . Finance
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Director , James Johnson , explained that there was $3000 in
02390 , contractual employee, for the contractual services of
the outside fire marshall . Mr . Pitstick said the $3000 was
based on fifteen hours a month at $15 .00 per hour .
Mr . Pitstick explained that enough money had been put in
code budget for brochures and also for updated manuals .
Engineering Budget . City Manager , John Pitstick, explained
that the engineering budget did not include topo maps , but
did include $750 for a 1-500 scale, black and white aerial
map . Councilman Swartz said that he was under the
impression that the Wylie water and sewer system map was
very important . Mr . Johnson said that it could possibly be
paid for in the utility budget .
Finance Budget . Councilman DiTota asked why $3000 was cut
out of overtime pay. Finance Director , James Johnson, said
that he planned to move the tax assessor/collector to a
salary position, rather than hourly.
Councilman Messenger asked why there was an extra $7000 in
line item 02220 for legal fees . Mr . Johnson explained that
the legal fees for tax collection increased to obtain an
aggressive tax enforcement policy, but the city will get
back all legal fees for tax collection .
Councilman DiTota asked what dues and membership fees went
up $150 from last year . Mr . Johnson explained that the
increase was due to memberships and dues for the tax
assessor/collector .
Personnel Budget . Councilman Messenger felt the need to
eliminate the whole personnel department , as he had
contacted Sachse, Rockwall and Rowlett , and their personnel
matters are handled by the department heads, and they do not
have a personnel employee. City Manager, John Pitstick,
explained that there would not be a savings of funds , as the
personnel specialist spends 85% to 90% of her time in
payroll and the money for her salary would be needed for
payroll anyway. Mr . Pitstick also explained that the city
had no evaluation system in the past , and he felt that it
was very important and put Debbie, Personnel Specialist , in
charge of the evaluation process , to ensure that evaluations
were done in a prompt manner . Councilman Swartz said that
personnel should be the function of the city manager .
Councilman Messenger felt very strongly that Debbie should
concentrate solely on the payroll function, due to the
letter received from the auditors , which said that there
were some major problems in payroll . Councilman Swartz
added that if the finance director and the auditors say that
there are problems in payroll , then payroll needs to be
under finance in order to have control over it .
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Mr . Pitstick said that merit raises and training and travel
would be transferred to city manager ' s budget , and the
personnel salary would be transferred to finance budget .
Municipal Court Budget. Finance Director, James Johnson,
explained that the large expense in municipal court budget
is legal services , due to the large reduction in fines .
Mayor Trimble said the council needs to talk to the judge,
and get very specific about what they want from his
services . Mayor Trimble also said that one of the problems
is that the court must have a strong prosecutor . Mr .
Pitstick explained that at the time, the city attorney' s
office was sending whichever prosecutor was available on our
court dates , rather than consistently using David Berman , as
was the plan .
Police Administration Budget . Councilman DiTota asked if
the budget reflected the salary transfer of the
administrative assistant from the police department to city
manager ' s office. Finance Director , James Johnson , said
that the transfer of funds had not been made at that time.
Councilman Naish asked if a transfer needed to be made for
the records clerk who would be assuming extra secretarial
duties , as well as records, and would be paid out of
administration. Mr . Johnson explained that the monies would
need to be transferred from communication/records budget to
administration .
Police Patrol Budget . Councilman Naish asked if the budget
reflected the salary of the new officer . Finance Director ,
James Johnson, said that the salary had already been added .
Councilman Naish felt like vehicle repairs may need to be
cut , due to the fact that $10 ,000 was allocated last year ,
but only $1484 had been used year to date . Mr . Johnson
explained that more would be used in the next few months ,
due to the vehicles with high mileage, and that the danger
in cutting it is that everything will break down. He also
explained that less money had been used in vehicle repairs
because the city mechanic had been utilized to repair the
vehicles , rather than sending them out in many cases , and
more funds have been used out of vehicle repair parts , for
the same reason .
Police Investigations Budget . Councilman DiTota seemed
concerned that so much money was spent for vehicle repairs
for only one vehicle. Detective, Ed Snead , said that the
repairs were for two vehicles ; his car and an undercover
vehicle.
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Police Communications/Records Budget . Councilman Naish ,,am„,
asked why there was still have $1900 dollars in line item
02880 for maintenance contract . Finance Director, James
Johnson, explained that it was for the state communication
system, in which we pay part and then there is also a
maintenance contract on it . Mr . Johnson also explained that
the system is a single source item, which the city bought
through the state of Texas .
Fire Department Budget . Councilman DiTota asked what the
parttime salaries increase was based on . Finance Director ,
James Johnson, explained that it was for additional fire
runs . Mr . Johnson said that he talked to Texas Municipal
League about the workman' s compensation on the fire
department , who told him that the city must specifically
sign a release saying you will not carry workman' s
compensation on volunteer fireman , or you are automatically
given it , and asked council if they want to carry such
compensation . Mayor Trimble asked what the cost was . Mr .
Johnson said it was $104 per fireman for 30 fireman, making
it approximately $2800 , and this would cover any injuries
that might occur when responding to a fire. Mr. Johnson
also explained that they would still get disability pay if
workman' s compensation coverage was canceled, but it would
not cover any medical expenses . Councilman Naish felt that
this was something that needed to be looked into further .
Emergency Medical Budget . Councilman Blakey asked if $40 ,000
is a set figure for an annual subsidy for Lifeline
Ambulance. City Manager, John Pitstick, explained that the
maximum is $50 ,000 , but the city had been talking about
$40,000 . Mayor Trimble said the city might want to have a
contingency plan in case Lifeline doesn' t make it , as the
city doesn' t need back in the ambulance business. Mr .
Pitstick said that it might be a good idea to look at
proposals .
Library Budget . Councilman Messenger asked why there was a
raise in salaries . Finance Director , James Johnson said
that the budget reflects current salaries . Councilman Naish
suggested hiring a fulltime librarian and use a parttime
aide to avoid paying benefits. City Manager, John Pitstick
stated that the problem with one fulltime and one parttime
is that if the library director is promoting the library
within the community, she will be away from the library for
several hours .
Park Department Budget . Councilman Messenger asked that if
one fulltime employee was hired in February, would there
still be a need for a temporary/seasonal employee. City
Manager , John Pitstick said that there would still be a need
for another employee to help with all the mowing in the
summer .
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Street and Drainage Department Budget . Finance Director ,
James Johnson explained that the budget included full
staffing .
Landfill Budget . Finance Director , James Johnson , said that
council still needed to consider adding funds for additional
debt for the second phase of closing the landfill and
probably pay the additional debt over the next several years
as the closure is completed .
Animal Control . Councilman Naish said that inexpensive
repairs such as , roof , cat cages , water heater and exhaust
fan, need to be made to the animal shelter .
Councilman Messenger asked if the budget , as presented ,
could be funded with a .51 tax rate. City Manager, John
Pitstick said that he was recommending .5125 tax rate , but
that there still was a need to make adjustments to add a
council reserve.
Finance Director , James Johnson , stated that the budget , as
presented, was a very slim budget and if there was any
significant variation , the city would have problems .
There being no further budget discussion , a motion was made
to adjourn , with all in favor .
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ATTEST: Chuck Tr i `1L1 , ____.
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