07-20-1988 Workshop Meeting
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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.
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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.
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CITY OF CLERMONT
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July 20, 1988
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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.
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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: