Loading...
07-20-1988 Workshop Meeting e e CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING July 20, 1988 A Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the City of Clermont was held Wednesday, July 20, 1988 in the City Hall Conference Room. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Pool with the following Council Members in attendance: Mayor Pro Tem Turville, Council Member Cole and Council Member Dupee. Other City Officials present were City Manager Saunders and Finance Director Van Zile. ' The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the preliminary budget. However, City Manager Saunders stated that he had a couple of other items he wished to discuss before the budget. POTENTIAL PROPERTY PURCHASE "' The City Manager stated that he had been approached by Florence Pool concerning property she owns adjacent to the City's proposed Twelfth Street Recreation Site. Miss Pool stated that she had received a contract to purchase the property but before she would consider the offer to purchase the entire parcel, she wanted to give the City the opportunity to purchase, if it wanted to, the approximate five acres which adjoins the southwest side of the recreation site. After considerable discussion, it was the consensus of Council that the City should inform Miss Pool that it is interested in purchasing the five acre parcel, and should apply for a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant this fall for the purchase of the property. A great deal of discussion followed on ways to finance purchase of the property. City Manager Saunders informed the Council that Miss Pool was not in a hurry to close on the property, and that she had stated she would reserve that portion for the City in order to allow time to obtain the grant. City Manager Saunders stated that he would contact Miss Pool con- cerning the City's decision, and that the City would proceed with obtaining a grant to purchase the property. HIGHLAND AVENUE WATER TANK It was reported that the appraisal had been received for the surplus property surrounding the Highland Avenue Water Tank. The appraisal for approximately 16,000 square feet of property came in at $2.50 per square foot, for a total of $40,000. After some discussion, it was the consensus of Council that the sale of this property to the adjoining owner should be placed on the next Council Agenda. PROPOSED 1988-1989 BUDGET It was stated that the City had received the Certification of Taxable Value from the Lake County Property Appraiser's Office, and it indicates a current operating millage of 2.429 and a rolled-back rate for next year of 2.361. e e CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING July 20, 1988 Page -2- Mr. Van Zile explained that the dollar difference between the rolled back rate and the City retaining the current rate would amount to approximately $8,000 in revenue for next year. Mr. Saunders then explained that the proposed budget being presented to Council projects ad valorem revenues using the current millage rate, and that at this point a $20,000 deficit was being projected in the General Fund. After some discussion, it was the consensus of Council that the Certification of Taxable Value form be returned to the Property Appraiser indicating that the City would retain the 2.429 millage rate for next year. At this point in the workshop, Mr. Van Zile distributed to Council a summary of proposed personnel changes. The first item discussed was the cost of living adjustment for all city employees, which would take effect October 1, 1988. The City Manager explained that it had been the practice in the past to adjust the salaries for cost of living in relationship to the estimated consumer price index increase during 1988. For the current budget the City was accurate in granting a 4.5% increase, and that this year the indicators are that the consumer price index for the current year is 4.5%. The projections for next year are approximately 5.0%. After considerable discussion of this matter, it was the consensus of Council to adjust the salary levels by a 4.5% cost of living increase effective October 1, 1988. Merit increases were then discussed. The practice in the past has been to budget a total of 2% of gross salaries in each department and then Department Heads would use the available monies to give merit increases of from 0 to 3% to employees. The City Manager explained that merit increases of more than 3% can be given with City Manager approval, but the Department Heads must still work within the confines of the dollar amounts budgeted for total merit increases within their department. The City Council decided to increase the available merit money to 2.5% and asked the City Manager to direct all Department Heads to thoroughly evaluate employees based on job performance. City Manager Saunders then gave each Council Member a survey of starting salaries comparing all of the Clermont Police Department's positions with others in Lake County. It was explained that the City of Clermont has experienced a high turnover rate in the past two years due to the low starting salary for police officers. e "e CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING . July 20, 1988 Page -3- After a great deal of discussion, it was the consensus of Council to upwardly adjust all police officer's positions by two pay grades, which would make the beginning patrol officer a Grade 15, a Corporal a Grade 16, and a Sargeant Grade 17. This change would make the beginning salary for Clermont Police Officers and Detectives competi- tive with others in the area. The dispatcher position was then discussed at length. It was the consensus that this was a very important position and that the pay grade for dispatchers would be adjusted from a Grade 5 to a Grade 8. An across the board increase for the existing officers, in conjunction with the pay grade change for starting officers will cost the City approximately $33,000 for next year. It was the consensus of Council that it was important to keep good officers and offer competitive pay for them. The Council continued the discussion of personnel changes which in- cluded the part-time dispatcher and one new police officer. Chief Tyndal had requested two new officers, which would cut down on some of the overtime and help fill in during vacations, but after review- ing the overtime expense, it was determined that one additional officer this year would be adequate. It was the consensus of Council to fund one officer for the new budget year. Discussion continued concerning the changes, and City Manager Saunders explained that one additional Parks and Recreation Service Worker had been included in the budget. It was the consensus of Council that this position was needed due to the continuing efforts of the City to beautify the City with additional landscaping and due to the fact that the City can no longer depend upon the prisoner work release program to provide workers for the Parks Department. The final item discussed under personnel changes was to increase the hours of the part-time person in the Finance Department from 693 hours to 1,000 hours per year. It was the consensus of Council to do so. The Council was then given a schedule of budgeted capital outlay expenditures by department. No changes were made in the proposed budgeting for the City Manager's Department, the Finance Department, and the Planning and Zoning Department. After reviewing the Police Department capital outlay items, it was the consensus of Council that the proposed issuance of weapons to the police officers over a four year period should be accelerated and that all of them should be purchased during the next fiscal year. The proposed budget for weapons was increased from $1,800 to $7,365. The City Manager then reminded Council that the next Budget Work- shop would be at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26, 1988 in the Council Chambers, just prior to the regularly scheduled Council Meeting. A continuance of the discussion of the capital outlay items will begin this meeting. e e CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING July 20, 1988 Page -4- There being no further 10:05 p.m. discussion, the meeting adjourned at ~of~ Attest: