Agenda' CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
BUDGET REVIEW MEETING -AUGUST 7, 2000
5:00 P.M.
AGENDA
Call to Order: Mayor Meserve
1. Plan for Budget Review Process
2. Summary of items to cover in first Budget Review Meeting
3. Highlights:
A. Current Year
B. Beginning Balances
C. Core City Project
~°°'^ D. Utility System Planning
E. Maintenance of City Facilities
H. Employee Issues
I. General Fund Overview
4. IT Plan Report
5. Police Department Budget
6. Grants
7. Recreation and Parks Budget
8. Building Department
9. Set next meeting date
10. Adjourn
/'"",
MINUTES OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOP HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, 800
SEMINOLE ROAD, ON MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2000
Cormnissioners Present: John Meserve, Mayor
Rick Beaver (7:15 p.m)
Mike Borno
Theo Mitchelson
Dezmond Waters (5:20 p.m.)
Staff Present: Jim Hanson, City Manager
Nelson VanLiere, Finance Director
David Thompson, Public Safety Director
Donna Kaluzniak, Asst. Public Works Dir.
Don Ford, Building Official
Timmy Johnson, Recreation Director
George Foster, Human Resource Dir.
Maureen King, City Clerk
The meeting, which was held for the purpose ofreviewing the proposed budget for FY
2000/2001, was called to order by Mayor Meserve. The Mayor complimented the City Manager
,,.~ and Finance Director on the thorough job they had done in preparing the budget, and reviewed
the process for reviewing the budget this evening.
City Manager Jim Hanson also commended Nelson VanLiere on the fine job he had done in
putting the budget together and gave an overview ofthe proposed budget. He reviewed
highlights of the budget including the current yeaz's budget and pointed out that the figures which
appeared in the budget were the estimated figures through the end of the fiscal year. He noted
that the City had set a contingency level of 25% and reported that reserves were well in excess of
that figure. He pointed out that based on Aikenhead & Odom's maximum estimate for the Core
City project, the city had plenty of funds to complete the project, and he hoped the project would
be well under way by next summer.
The City Manager reported that he had received the 60% plans for the Master Sewer Plan which
recommended over $10 million in sewer projects over the next ten years. $130,000 is included in
the proposed for the Water Master Plan and he expects to start work in mid fall. He pointed out
that a high priority of the City Comrission at their goal setting sessions, was an increased level of
maintenance. He said he was proposing some modest additions for maintenance of city facilities
and sought Commission input in this regazd.
Regarding employee issues, the City Manager said he was proposing to add three new employees,
two in the maintenance area and one painter. He reported he had included a 4% increase for city
employees. The Mayor said that it was difficult for a painter to work alone and felt it may be
,..~, necessary to consider adding two painters. The City Manager also reported that he had received
the proposed new health insurance rates for next year and indicated that the premiums would be
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Minutes -Budget Workshop
August 7, 2000
increased by 50%. He pointed out that the City pays the full premium for employees but
employees pay for family coverage. He reported that only one in four city employees has family
coverage which he felt was probably because of the high cost. He also pointed out that the 4%
raise would not cover the increase in the health insurance premiums for many employees.
The City Manager pointed out that for budgeting purposes several employees had been moved to
different departments, but there was a net increase of two employees. He said the budget was
based on maintaining the existing millage rate and indicated he planned to review the
miscellaneous fees for service and would recommend adjustments where necessary. He noted that
in some cases fees were not sufficient to cover expenses.
City Manager Hanson then reviewed the General Fund Revenues and Expenditures. He pointed
out that the Public Works budget would reflect a reduction since stormwater funds were now
identified in a stormwater account and $310,000 had been taken out of Public Work budget. The
Mayor agreed with this change and said he felt fees should pay for utilities and "profits" would
then be available for capital projects.
Information Technology (IT) Plan Report
David Thompson gave an overview of the city's currern situation regarding the City's IT system.
He reported the city had hired a consultant (Essential Net Solutions) who had conducted a
complete evaluation of the city's IT systems and computer equipment. Mr. Thompson reviewed
the recommendations and areas which ENS had identified as priorities, and for which $120,000
has been included in the proposed budget, as follows:
• Standardization of computer hardware and software
• Improved security -virus software, and also security to prevent employees from changing
or installing software
• Maintenance - we need to have someone on staff who is qualified to handle routine
problems and it is proposed to possibly train someone already on staff so that
another position would not be added
• Improved connectivity between Public Works, City Hall, Buccaneer, etc.
• Training
Also recommended, but not included in the proposed budget because of the price tag, were
rebuilding the web site and installation of a document management system.
Police Department Budget
Dir. Thompson explained that he had not requested any additional manpower in the proposed
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Minutes -Budget Workshop
August 7, 2000
budget as two additional officers were approved last year. He explained he was trying to get an
FDOT grant to put video recorders in all police cars. He has proposed phasing out five police
cars and purchasing two new vehicles.
Grants
Dir. Thompson explained that because of the administrative and other related costs, the city did
not apply for all grants available. However, he reported that the combined efforts of city staff had
resulted in securing $1.8 million in grants in the 1999/2000 fiscal yeaz. He reported he had met
with PBS&J, the firm hired by the city to assist with grant applications, and had identified some
grants which they could apply for on behalf of the city and this may be brought to the City
Commission in the neaz future. $20,000 is included in the proposed budget for grant writer
assistance.
Recreation and Parks Budget
,~, Timmy Johnson gave an overview of some of the items in the Parks Maintenance budget. He
explained he proposed to replace the bleachers and replace the ball field lights at Donner Park. He
also planned to repair the fencing azound the baseball fiekls at Jack Russell pazk, resurface the
temus courts, and rehabilitate the old restroom building. He said he had received an estimate for
this work since he submitted his budget and found that he would need an additional $13,000. The
City Manager felt that the old restroom building in Russell Park either needed to be rehabilitated
entirely or torn down. Discussion ensued and it was felt that if the existing structure was torn
down and a new structure built behind the racquetball courts, it would open up additional
recreational green space. The City Manager said he would come up with an estimate to construct
a new building or a more accurate figure to rehab the existing building, before the next budget
workshop.
Timmy Johnson explained he had two full time employees and one part-time employee to maintain
over 80 acres of park land. With the addition of new park lands, beach accesses and additional
landscaping, he had included one additional employee in the Pazks Maintenance Department.
Discussion ensued and it was felt that one additional employee would be insufficient to provide
the desired level of maintenance.
The City Manager also reported that the Beautification Coordinator, Susan Dunham, felt that the
Beautification portion of her job conflicted too much with her family, and while she would
continue to attend board meetings and take minutes, she no longer wanted to be responsible for
the Beautification duties. As a result, the gardener has been moved into the Recreation
,-~, Department and has taken on the responsibility of testing sprinkler systems. This position is not
included in the Parks Maintenance budget and it was estimated that this position, including a
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Minutes -Budget Workshop
August 7, 2000
vehicle, would add $40,000 to the Parks Maintenance budget.
Discussion ensued and it was felt that the current level of maintenance was unacceptable and
should be increased, and the Mayor asked the City Manager to look into this matter fiuther and
come up with recommendations regazding what it would take to provide a level of maintenance
that would be acceptable to the City Commission. Commissioner Beaver felt that three full-time
employees who would work as a dedicated team to maintain public areas could provide an
acceptable level of maintenance; however, it would have to be understood that they could not be
pulled away for other responsibilities.
The City Manager then reviewed items which were not included in the proposed budget:
No fimds were included for Adele Grage Community Center remodeling
No funds were included for recommendations of the Recreation Advisory Board (A copy
of the recommendations of the Recreation Advisory Boazd is attached hereto as Exhibit
A)
~ Regarding property acquisition, (#5 on Recreation Boazd recommendations), the Ciry Manager
explained that a suitable piece of property had been located and he would ask the City
Commission to authorize negotiation for its purchase.
Commissioner Beaver requested that $200,000 be included in the budget for the Adele Crrage
Community Center. He felt that additional funds could be raised from the community and grant
funds. Commissioner Mitchelson felt that if $100,000 was included in this budget, the city could
move ahead with the design this yeaz, and then build the new structure the following fiscal year.
Commmissioner Waters felt that a second floor should be included and $400,000 included in the
budget, which he felt would fimd a facility which would meet the needs of the City.
Commissioner Beaver explained that the proposed building was intended to replace the existing
building, which did not function very well, with a building of similar size which would function
better, but it was not intended to meet all the needs of the city.
The Mayor said the City Commission needed to set priorities and not spend outside the budget,
and recapped items which had been discussed for possible inclusion in the proposed budget -new
employees, $400,000 for Adele Crrage Community Center, $13,000 for restrooms, $25;000 to
upgrade web site, $100,000 for document management system, $100,000 to acquire property for
fields and parks.
Recreation Programs
,.~, The City Manager felt the city did a good job providing facilities for groups such as Little League
and explained that the programs provided by the City were summer programs and various one
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Minutes -Budget Workshop
August 7, 2000
time events. He sought the wishes of the City Commission in regazds to programs.
Discussion ensued and Commissioner Mitchelson agreed that the city did a good job in providing
facilities, but he would like to see the use expanded to include more concerts, etc. He also said he
would like to see a skate board park developed. DeJean Melancon, Chairman of the Recreation
Advisory Board, requested that the City Commission consider including some of the boazd
recommendations regazding programs, in this proposed budget. He felt that while the city
provided well for children there were no on-going programs for others. Conunissioner Beaver
felt the city did not have facilities to expand programs much at this point.
Building Department
The City Manager explained the responsibility for administering the tree ordinance had been
transferred to the Building Department. The budget, therefore, included two new positions. He
was proposed to change the part-time contract building inspector to afull-time position. Also he
proposed to add afull-time painter, which is a new position. He explained that labor for painting
,,,._,, projects had been cut out of other department budgets. Don Ford said he had done some research
some yeazs ago regarding the addition of a painter position and found that it did save money to
have a painter on staff. Again, Commissioner Beaver stressed the importance of not pulling such
employees for other jobs.
Cornrnissioner Beaver reported that the chairman of the Tree Board had been most complimentary
of Don Ford's efforts in enforcing the tree ordinance.
Fee Structure
The City Manager said he intended to look into the fee structure and make revisions where
necessary. He poimed out that the fee for a reinspection was currently less than the cost to the
City to perform the reinspection. Don Ford pointed out that a permit fee is mentioned in the tree
ordinance, however, there is no established permit fee.
Next meeting date
The next meeting was set for 5:00 p.m. Monday, August 21, 2000 at which time the Public Works
budget will be reviewed.
Other discussion:
'°"""` Bull Memorial Park
Discussion ensued regarding the newly erected signs at Bull Memorial Pazk and it was agreed by
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Minutes -Budget Workshop
August 7, 2000
the City Comrission that the signs were too large and that there too many of them. It was the
consensus of the City Commission that two of the signs should be removed. Connsrissioner
Beaver preferred the location neaz the children's playground.
Commissioner Beaver pointed out a sidewalk which he felt would be a hazard because it went
over a rise and would be obscured by one of the signs. He suggested this sidewalk be deleted
from the design. No objections were expressed.
• Drainage in Selva Marina area
The Mayor pointed out there were some drainage problems in the Selva Marina azea and the City
Clerk was researching the matter to see what action had already been taken by the City
Commission in this regard. He said that while he did not feel that the city needed to bring the
roads up to city code, the Selva Marina residents were paying the same tax rate as other citizens
and he felt the City needed to maintain the azea. He said the City Commission needed to address
this matter and give staffclear directions regarding maintenance. Also, he said the City
Comnssion needed to decide whether this area should be included in the City's stormwater
~ master plan.
Dezmond Waters, however, felt that if the city repaired the streets, then the project should be paid
for by assessments against the property owners.
There being no further discussion, the Mayor declazed the meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m
Maureen King
City Clerk