[0:00] Good evening, everyone. Good evening. Good evening.

[0:04] September 18th. It's 5.05 PM. This is a budget hearing.

[0:08] This is December. This evening, we'll be going over the budgets for the executive office,

[0:13] the elected body, IT, the assessor's office, the tax collector, and finance.

[0:20] And first on the docket this evening, is the executive office.

[0:29] everything.

[0:33] So moving right along on 1230, there's my own salary there. I budgeted

[0:40] next year for a potential raise of $10,000, which was, we'll be discussed further

[0:47] towards the end of the year during an evaluation, but I just wanted the potential

[0:51] for it to be budgeted appropriately.

[0:53] So that speaks of that increase.

[0:56] The new request below that is for a deputy city manager,

[1:01] and that would be a great in step 7-1.

[1:06] And this is something that I think

[1:08] would be very beneficial to the city for many different reasons

[1:13] that would allow for the city to continue to move forward

[1:16] to get a stronger grasp on some of the oversight that is needed from the executive office

[1:22] with the remaining departments and prove to be cost efficient.

[1:28] Okay, so can we interject or...

[1:31] My own means.

[1:32] Or should we go through the whole thing and then, how do you want to do it?

[1:35] How are you, however you prefer?

[1:38] Okay, so on the Deputy City Manager, because I understand that when Harry Ford was here,

[1:46] that he had one. So I'm just curious about the job description for this person, especially

[1:54] as we consider in some of the other departments how we're putting staff members in place.

[2:02] Hopefully we'll have the human resources person in there soon. And what I really wanted to do

[2:08] for transparency, sake, is I wanted to compare the deputy city manager with the public safety

[2:16] commissioner, which I noticed wasn't listed anywhere, to see how those roles differentiate.

[2:25] And, you know, so when we're thinking about our dollars, we're who best spend them.

[2:30] Right, yeah, I concur with Councilman Grace's sentiments,

[2:37] I don't have a position or I don't disagree with a deputy city manager, but I think a job description of roles and responsibilities, so we can compare and contrast the deputy city manager, jobs or job or role and responsibilities to the city manager.

[2:58] And then I too had requested a public safety commissioner for oversight and to particularly deal with some of the concerns, budgetary concerns, and our public safety department regarding overtime,

[3:23] so that definitely should be on the table as a request.

[3:33] Yeah, no, you know, overall, I think now that we're getting more into the different departments

[3:40] that have asked for sort of senior staffing, it would be helpful if along with, you know,

[3:46] the information that's been requested so far. We had a sort of list of breakdown of the additional

[3:51] cost, because these are all new positions. So the cost of the new positions that got added versus

[3:57] and the cost savings from last year with the vacant ones.

[4:02] So I think that that would help me.

[4:05] I rent my own numbers, but I want to make sure

[4:07] that they're, you know, I play with numbers,

[4:10] but we have a professional.

[4:11] Yeah, by all means, I'll have a contract.

[4:13] The contract was offered to be certain to get

[4:16] to work with civil service commission,

[4:18] to get those overall figures.

[4:20] I mean, generally speaking, it's 23 or 24 positions added.

[4:29] Yeah, it's 2.3 million in personnel, um, new personnel request.

[4:35] How much is it?

[4:37] 2.3 million in personnel request.

[4:39] In additional.

[4:40] That includes benefits and everything, salary benefits and everything.

[4:45] Obviously we're not going to be able to come to you.

[4:47] No, but so, but it's project to those 2.3, it's added new to our budget from last year.

[4:53] if we're compared, you know, as we compare 2019 to 2020, and so where would be the additional

[4:59] 2.3 million that would come in, potentially fund those staff?

[5:04] So for the Department request phase, we're just presenting the Department request, so that you

[5:09] have a chance to see everything that the Department wants. By the time we get to the managers

[5:13] propose, I will present a balanced budget. Either Department request phase is not meant to be

[5:19] balance against revenues. It just gives you an opportunity to see everything that's been requested so that once you see the managers proposed and

[5:27] Several items will not make it into that. You can then determine hey, where was that item?

[5:31] I saw in the department request. Why wasn't an added or hey, these items are in here and I'm glad to see them. Yeah, in my in my

[5:39] comments

[5:40] Yeah, my comments to the council in some of our one-on-one

[5:44] discussions

[5:45] This is a wish list

[5:47] I think that's a very accurate way of describing it, and I apologize if there was any confusion

[5:54] here by all means.

[5:55] I mean these are literally the requests of the departments.

[5:59] By no means is this the, even a draft of the city manager's budget, so to speak to

[6:09] some of the other concerns about some other positions that I know were referenced by council

[6:13] and the mayor, I mean, being that this is a department request, should there be a position

[6:25] for anything related to public safety, the city does not have a department of public safety.

[6:29] So, so the time for that request would be later in this process, not necessarily from a specific department that we have.

[6:36] Great.

[6:36] Yeah, and they may be some overlay, Mr. Donut, in terms of that request for public safety commissioner versus a deputy, so they may be different in titles, but we may be able to achieve the same thing with the deputy city manager, just a different title from what we requested.

[7:01] And that's exactly why I was

[7:04] acting for the job description,

[7:06] because I do understand that there's a wish list.

[7:10] Mayor Harvey and I had a discussion last night

[7:12] about how my youngest son wants a very expensive gift.

[7:16] And so that means that sometimes you have to make

[7:19] sacrifices in other areas.

[7:22] So I do understand that this is a wish list,

[7:24] but as we are deciding that wish list,

[7:28] I think it's just very appropriate

[7:30] that we have job descriptions so that we know how they fit where they fit, especially when

[7:38] it's additional staff at 2.0 something million and when you consider the taxpayers wanting

[7:47] for us to at least not go above the tax cap and the possibly lower their tax rate when you

[7:54] consider other things that we're trying to do while moving this city forward. I just want to be

[7:59] very, very careful about how we're hiring, who we're hiring, where when, what, who, what,

[8:06] when, where, how why, you know, the W's.

[8:10] Just now the, I might be a clerical thing, on that page, the HR director doesn't show a

[8:15] cost for 2020.

[8:18] Was that?

[8:19] Yes.

[8:20] So, so, in previous years, the part-time position of HR was within the executive office.

[8:28] this year, we in the process of respecting the position of the full time, we moved it.

[8:36] I can't tell if it's obvious.

[8:38] So we'll be hearing more about the full time position with finances budget later on this evening.

[8:45] Excuse me, I have a question.

[8:47] I'm sorry, I just walked in.

[8:50] So again, Joe, just so I understand the HR position is a full time position, correct?

[8:56] That is correct, yes.

[8:57] And is this correct?

[9:00] This is not the cell or is it correct?

[9:02] No, it's on page five.

[9:03] All right.

[9:05] All right.

[9:09] I know, I already know the answer, but I just want to be clear.

[9:13] So the HR person full time would report to the controller.

[9:21] Yes.

[9:22] The position will report.

[9:24] Can you talk a little bit about the rationale for that?

[9:27] Sure.

[9:27] There are a few staff already within the control of the office at Handel personnel issues,

[9:34] so we were looking to give both staff some supervision as well, too.

[9:42] And the logical area for payroll and benefits and some other personnel related matters

[9:47] would be to have a human resource of supervisor.

[9:52] And, Joe, is that typically how it's set up in a municipality, because that's not typically

[9:58] in a...

[9:59] It varies.

[10:01] It varies.

[10:02] Some municipalities do have human resources within its finance, or, or, or, control their

[10:08] office, in our case, and others do not.

[10:10] I know, for example, the city of Peckipsy does have a human resources sort of division,

[10:16] I guess, if you will, within its finance office.

[10:20] Yeah, and I've seen it in organizational structures with different municipalities and even for institutions of higher learning, as well, where the human resource person is a subdivision of the finance department.

[10:36] It's it's it's it's correct. I mean ultimately the the if you look at the chain of command

[10:46] Because the Comptroller reports to the city manager in the you know, so that human resource person indirectly does as well or wood

[10:55] If you put it in the finance department or if that person was in the executive staff, they're still a part of that

[11:01] And the human resources administrator would more or less be acting as a department head as well too.

[11:09] So it's a little murky so far as as an org chart is concerned, but I mean this this more or less is a department and what we would be doing would be sort of fortifying that department with additional staff members by moving it to finance.

[11:25] So, just a quick, for geographical purposes, where would this person, here she be, where would that person's office be?

[11:41] There's space, there's space within the, the controllers office, there's also space within the executive office as well, too.

[11:48] because the reason why I'm asking is being

[11:51] familiar with other organizations and HR things.

[11:55] I know that certain things require a certain amount

[11:57] of privacy, with dealing with, you know,

[12:00] so our entire office is confidential, the finance department.

[12:13] It was there, sorry.

[12:14] Just any recommendation, I'm just trying to find out, right?

[12:20] Because it's a different model, and then what

[12:22] normally used to seeing for a director, right, an HR director to be under the law.

[12:28] So it's not an HR director, position is an HR administrator position.

[12:35] So I'm looking human resource director.

[12:38] What pages is that on a file that was taken to have partying?

[12:42] That's that's the position that existed previously.

[12:46] I'm looking at that file.

[12:47] I'm looking at the file.

[12:48] I'm looking at the file.

[12:52] So, that's where my questions are coming from.

[12:56] So, so that's a minor error that should read full-time HR administrator.

[13:00] Okay.

[13:04] All right.

[13:04] Now, I'm going to digest the administrator portion, right?

[13:07] Because I'm, was digesting based on what you did.

[13:09] We have both titles, and we went with the administrator.

[13:14] Okay.

[13:15] All right.

[13:15] And that makes my question about civil service mood.

[13:19] Okay.

[13:23] And can you share that job description just because I don't, it's not an awesome

[13:30] and you'll correct this right for

[13:32] All of the corrections are actually updated right here on the master for the next book, not on the screen, but here

[13:39] So from every meeting we just make the updates right into the

[13:45] Okay.

[13:46] Okay.

[13:50] Yeah, and I'm just kind of wondering where the cognitive dissonance is, whether if there's an issue with HR

[13:59] our administrator reporting to the Comptroller directly or in and which would mean indirectly

[14:06] to the city manager because the Comptroller reports to the city manager.

[14:11] So I'm just trying to figure out where the dissonance is with some of my colleagues.

[14:16] No, it's just clarity about, I mean there's a difference between administrative and director.

[14:21] Just an organizational language and based on duties.

[14:25] Okay, that's what that issue was.

[14:26] Okay.

[14:26] And in the typo that we have on page five, I'm sure added to the confusion as well, so I promise for that.

[14:34] No, no problem.

[14:34] Well, I mean, other people have different information, and I do them.

[14:37] That's different, right?

[14:38] But, you know, I can only go base on what is in front of me.

[14:40] You're right.

[14:42] So...

[14:42] Point to you.

[14:44] And I notice here that you're requesting a new account.

[14:48] A new account?

[14:49] Well, sorry, that's all it's about.

[14:51] Oh, you should...

[14:52] Yeah, if you wouldn't...

[14:54] If you wouldn't mind, let's just continue with the executive portion

[14:58] then we could go to the elected move.

[15:00] Move forward with the hearing. Before we go on, Councilwoman Monteverdi wants to revisit the rationale for the deputy, deputy of the city manager.

[15:14] I just, you know, and the salary amount, I mean, I just don't understand that.

[15:23] Okay.

[15:24] I can't justify.

[15:26] Understood.

[15:29] There have been some discussions and I apologize, whether or not you were involved this

[15:34] time or not about perhaps bringing this position back, it did exist a number of years ago

[15:39] within the city.

[15:41] It's role and the job description will gladly be shared with the council.

[15:45] It would be providing additional oversight and assistance to the manager's office.

[15:52] I don't

[15:55] mind being supporting that.

[15:57] Right, no, and then I was brought to everyone's attention

[16:01] that this is just proposals.

[16:04] This is pretty much a wish list if there was an in a perfect world.

[16:10] And then Mr. Vinnie mentioned there are two point three million

[16:14] dollars of additional requests or personnel request.

[16:19] So not that that's what's going to make it to the final

[16:24] city manager's proposed budget, but these are just a wish list.

[16:31] Todd, did you miss the venue?

[16:33] Did you mention your statement at the end of this time?

[16:37] I did not.

[16:37] I didn't see that I had a mic in front of me.

[16:39] I was looking for the wireless mics.

[16:42] What statement was the record again?

[16:44] Yeah.

[16:45] I always like it.

[16:46] So I just want to remind everyone that the budget is a living document.

[16:49] It's intended to be reviewed throughout the year.

[16:53] Obviously this is a department request phase.

[16:55] is the wish list phase. We'll then go back and prepare a balanced budget based on the revenue

[17:01] estimates for 2020 for the managers proposed and then after that point we'll take the input

[17:07] of the council and the city staff to create the council adopted budget which is a part of

[17:12] the authority and responsibilities vested in the council with OSC. Ultimately, OSC is looking

[17:19] at this as the council's budget and obviously the council relies on the city manager and city

[17:23] staff to get there. Once the budget is done, we'll be working with the Council in fiscal

[17:28] year 2020 to make any modifications or amendments.

[17:32] And what are the time frames? This is my first rodeo. So what happens with when it's managed

[17:37] as proposed by the committee? I can forward you the budget timeline, but the budget is adopted

[17:44] in November. I think November 2020. The manager is an October and the proposed proposed in

[17:53] October voted in the last week in November before the holiday break.

[17:58] We have to vote.

[17:59] The other thing that Mr. Vanne didn't mention, but he's mentioned it in other

[18:05] Canon 101 conversations is that any municipality, no matter how wealthy they are,

[18:13] their departments put in a wish list, but they don't necessarily get all of that wish list.

[18:17] So, I don't want to carve out a wealthy place, but if they want the gold, the gold backpack

[18:25] airblower, they might not get that, the gold plate it, they might get it.

[18:29] That's why this is proposed, right?

[18:33] Absolutely.

[18:36] And we like to hear what people in each department want to enhance or advance the city.

[18:46] So,

[18:52] very good, move forward with the executive line, the executive assistant, as you can see we'll have a step increase in some longevity pay next year, which is accounted for.

[19:04] And then the new administrative assistant, we'll have a step increase as well.

[19:19] The benefits and contractual information and capital more or less are the same, we're not requesting additional funds.

[19:31] There are some agreements that have been set in place with some of our consultants that are funded through this line.

[19:38] Those will continue next year.

[19:40] As is the case with some equipment that's being released as well, so we have, in order to stay up to up to date with a number of activities unfolding within D.P.W. Police and Fire, the manager's office has least radios, which is an agreement that we have with NICOM, NICOM CO.

[20:06] The same as the police fire in D.P.W. Lisa radios as well too, and this year has just been taken out of the actual executive office there.

[20:17] Can you talk a little bit about consulting services, the facilities master plan?

[20:25] Sure.

[20:27] And why it's that under the city manager?

[20:32] Why, why it is under the city manager or is not?

[20:35] What's greater, right, 146, is this face to you?

[20:38] Yes, correct.

[20:39] So this is face to which we budget for, you know, and if approved, paid for next year.

[20:44] We thought that it's my belief that city manager's office would be the best, best area

[20:49] to not only pay for this, but also oversee it because it involves a number of different departments

[20:55] that would likely need some direction from the manager's office.

[20:59] Okay.

[21:02] If you can just go over quickly phase two, what's covered in phase two?

[21:08] Sure. So phase two, phase one is the information gathering phase phase two would be the reporting

[21:15] and going over potential options as well too after the information is gathered from the various

[21:21] facilities that the plane covers.

[21:39] Any further questions within the executive line?

[21:42] Nope, okay.

Sep 18, 2019 City Council Budget Work Session

Transcript