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07-26-1988 Workshop Meeting e e CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING July 26, 1988 A Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the City of Clermont was held Tuesday, July 26, 1988, in the Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Mayor Pool with the following Council Members in attendance: Mayor Pro Tem Turville, Council Member Huff and Council Member Cole. Also present were City Manager Saunders and Finance Director Van Zile. The purpose of this meeting was to continue discussion of the pro- posed budget for fiscal year 1988-1989. MERIT AND COST OF LIVING INCREASES Finance Director Van Zile gave each Council Member the latest update of the budgeted revenues and expenditures as recommended from the previous workshop. Mayor Pool began the meeting with a discussion of the cost of living allowance increase for all employees. After considerable discussion, it was the consensus that the starting salary in all pay grades should remain the same, but the top of the range should be increased by 4.5%, which was also agreed to as the cost of living allowance given to all City employees as of October 1, 1988. The City Manager discussed that 5% was the projection for the cost of living increase for next year. The Council expressed their feelings that more emphasis should be placed on the merit increases for jobs well done, instead of an automatic increase. The City Manager explained that in the past, an overall of 2% of the budgeted salaries were placed in each department's salary account for merit increases. As explained before, merit increases could be anywhere from 1 to 3% or higher with City Manager approval. The Council agreed that 2.5% of the budgeted salaries should be included in the new budget to place more emphasis on merit increases for people deserving raises. .... PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CAPITAL OUTLAY EXPENDITURES The proposed capital outlay items were discussed next, beginning with the requests of the Public Works Department as listed in the schedule given each Council Member by Mr. Van Zile. ICE MACHINE It was indicated that the the ice machine for the Public Works Department had not been included in the proposed budget, and after further discussion with Public Works Director Smythe, Mr. Saunders determined that in his opinion, the machine should be replaced in the next budget year and should be included in the proposed budget. It was the consensus of Council to include this item in the Capital Outlay - Public Works portion of the budget. At the time the ice machine is to be replaced, the City Manager stated he would investigate the possibility of joint-use if the City is in a position to move the Public Works Department within a reasonable time period. HIGHLANDER HUT FLOOR The next item discussed was the proposed expenditure to replace the Highlander Hut floor. Council Member Huff recommended looking into regrinding the existing terrazzo floor. e e CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING July 26, 1988 Page -2- It was the consensus of Council to place the proposed $1,500 in the budget, but to compare the cost of of replacing the floor with a commercial tile to that of regrinding the existing floor before proceeding with the project. PAVING OF OAK HILL CEMETERY DRIVEWAYS The proposed paving of the driveways in the cemetery was discussed and it was the consensus of Council that another method of controlling the erosion should be investigated rather than paving the roads. The possibility of using sodblock or additional sodding was discussed. Ci ty Manager Saunders agreed with this approach, and the money to pave .... the cemetery driveways will not be included in the proposed budget. STORAGE BUILDING AND RESTROOMS FOR OAK HILL CEMETERY The next item discussed was the request for a storage building and restrooms for the cemetery. After considerable discussion, it was the consensus of Council that the storage facility was needed and that the proposed $4,800 should remain in the budget for the storage building, with the possibility of putting an "employees only" rest- room in the building for the workers at the cemetery. STREET OVERLAY PROJECT The street overlay project for Disston Avenue was discussed, and it was the consensus of Council to budget the money for this project. MINNEHAHA AVENUE SIDEWALK The sidewalk project for Minnehaha Avenue was discussed at length. It was the consensus of Council that priority should be given to Pitt Street, running from the the High School to Bloxam Avenue. $25,000 was proposed to be placed in the budget for construction of sidewalk from the High School to at least Disston Avenue for this year. Phase II would be from Disston Avenue to Bloxam Avenue would be completed next year. Council Member Turville suggested that the City contact the High School to see if they would participate in the sidewalk construction along the south side of the school property which would then allow the City to extend its project farther the first year. At this time, 7:30 p.m., the Workshop Meeting temporarily adjourned in order for the Council to conduct its regularly scheduled meeting. It was decided that discussion would resume after the meeting, and the Workshop reconveigned at 8:10 p.m. WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT CAPITAL OUTLAY REQUESTS The proposed capital outlay requests for the Water and Sewer Depart- ment were discussed with no changes to the requests. e e CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING July 26, 1988 Page -3- Lift Station #2 located in the Emerald Lakes Mobile Home Park was deleted from the proposed budget because after doing extensive research it was found that this lift station was not built to City standards and was not accepted into the City's system. Therefore, the City is considering it a private lift station owned by the park. Mr. Saunders further stated that he would be notifying the park that it will be their responsibility to repair the lift station and bring it up to City standards. MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION MASTER PLAN City Manager Saunders discussed with Council the need for a Master Plan for the east side of the City, east of Highway 27, and that the City Engineer and City Manager would present a proposal to the Council with cost estimates for doing the future Master Plan. RECYCLING PROGRAM It was discussed that the City would have to readdress a recycling pro- gram during the upcoming year. What the City will have to do and the costs involved cannot be determined until the County comes up with its own plan for recycling. Once this plan is developed, the City will be able to participate in that plan or proceed with its own plan for re- cycling. LOCAL GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FUND TAX This tax was discussed with Council by City Manager Saunders. It is estimated that this tax will generate 2.5 million dollars for the City over the next fifteen years. It was explained that there were several projects the City should undertake within the next few years, and that they could be funded from the Infrastructure Tax Fund. The projects include moving of the Public Works Department, the expansion of the Police Department, which would include taking over the Council Chambers, and a new Council Chambers could be built at the present location of the City Hall, which could be done with a remodeling of the present building, and the development of the Twelfth Street Park. Mr. Saunders explained that the City could float a bond issue or loan for enough funds to complete all of the projects to be paid for from the infrastructure tax, and there would still be sufficient monies left on an annual basis for annual projects. It was further explained that all of these projects should be completed within the next few years in order to meet the needs of the various depart- ments due to the growth and expansion of the City over the past few years. Bonding the infrastructure tax money would be a way to build the facilities and have use of them today, instead of building one at a time over the next several years. e e CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING July 26, 1988 Page -4- There being no further Attest: