Constantine Minutes

March 14, 2011

 

The Monday, March 14, 2011 Budget Work Session began at 6:30PM in the Village Hall. In attendance: Trustees Robert Brewer, Cindy LaFluer, Dick Larrance, Gary Mathers, Sarah Moore and President MacKenzie Strawser. Absent: Willie Harder. Also present: Manager Honeysett, Police Chief Bedell, Treasurer Strawser and Clerk Strawser.

Manager Honeysett led discussion of the proposed 2011-2012 budget saying there were some changes to some funds.

Manager Honeysett said that by losing Rexam, the Village lost a big water customer so the Village may need to adjust water rates in a year.

The need to move the Police Clerk’s computer from the main office to the police department because of security/privacy rules.

Possibly raise the Water Bond Debt millage to increase the chance to pay off the bond in a year or two, thereby eliminating one Debt Service.

Monsanto is putting out feelers re: hooking up to our water system.

Manager has increased fuel budget by $1,000; may have to cap road time for police, etc. depending on fuel costs.

Proposals from the Village Manager to balance the budget - approx. $47,000 shortfall in revenue:

Proposal #1:

  • No change to the Water Bond Debt millage
  • Raise Sewer Bond Debt #1 to 2.3 mills
  • Raise Sewer Bond Debt #2 to 2.35 mills
  • Raise the General Fund by ½ mill
  • Layoff 1 DPW worker
  • Reduce 1 office clerk to 32 hr/wk. (retain full-time benefits)
  • Reduce 1 police officer to 30 hr/wk. (retain full-time benefits)
  • No school-liaison police officer

Proposal #2:

  • No change to the Water Debt millage
  • Raise Sewer Bond Debt #1 to 2.3 mills
  • Raise Sewer Bond Debt #2 to 2.35 mills
  • Raise the General Fund b 1 mill
  • Layoff 1 DPW worker
  • No school-liaison police officer

Proposal #3:

  • Raise Sewer Bond Debt #1 to 2.3 mills
  • Raise Sewer Bond Debt #2 to 2.35 mills
  • No change to the General Fund millage
  • No change to the Water Bond Debt millage
  • Layoff 1 DPW worker
  • Layoff 1 office clerk
  • Cut part-time DPW worker hours
  • Cut Police officer hours
  • No school-liaison police officer

Discussion points led by elected officials:

  • The Police Department would find scheduling easier if 1 officer was laid off rather than spread hours reduction across the department. The Chief preferred layoff of the Police Clerk while keeping a Police officer.
  • Reduce Council meetings to 1 per month – or keep 2 scheduled, but cancel one per month if nothing pressing for agenda.
  • Ways to reduce insurance costs.
  • Keep or increase furlough days, including the Manager and Police Chief.
  • Layoff both part-time DPW workers
  • Pay reduction without reducing benefits.
  • Redistribute workload (especially office work) to reduce work hours for management and employees.
  • The need to keep employees/management happy to keep best people.
  • Rescind TIFA.
  • Eliminate Rental Inspector (duties resumed by Manager).
  • Eliminate DDA Director (duties resumed by Manager).
  • Foot patrol and bicycle patrol.
  • Cut Big Trash Day Pickup.
  • Reduce Leaf Pickup to ½ time.
  • Reduce professional memberships.

Discussion of the 4 th of July – last year’s golf outing was done by Manager Honeysett and Police Chief Bedell and the parade by Tami Kufeldt (as opposed to members of the Cool Cities Committee), suggestion that the DDA & Downtown Brainstormers assume oversight of the 4 th of July, moving the 4 th of July to the 3 rd or 5 th to save on holiday police pay, the dearth of the Cool Cities Committee, burn-out of Harvest Festival helpers contributing to its demise, and the Downtown Brainstormers suggesting they’d help with/prefer a festival later in the year, the impact of having the DDA & Downtown Brainstormers focused solely on the downtown area as opposed to the entire DDA District, Downtown Brainstormers focus on monthly events. (Downtown Brainstormers is a private merchant association using private money only.)

Commercial tax increase approximate costs = General Fund: $42,655 & Debt Funds: $18,000

Industrial tax increase approximate costs = General Fund: $361,000 & Debt Funds: $153,113

Residential tax increase approximate costs = $44 average per household

Need to publish the required notice before Council approves it because the proposed millage increases were not included in the original notice as required by law.

The indispensability of Diana Lammott in three administrative functions.

The rights of the Council in altering and adopting the Budget; what happens if the budget is rejected as opposed.

Mark Brown, in the audience, said that it would be a better sell [to the citizens] if the tax increases were prefaced with a cut in hours and not services.

Treasurer Strawser shared the actual tax increases to some individual Council member’s taxes should the millages increase as first proposed. Discussion ensued as to use of average versus median as a realistic evaluation.

Work Session ended at 9:00PM.

Ruth Strawser
Village Clerk