MINUTES

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Tuesday, June 12, 2007
City Hall, Room 604

5:30 P.M.

 

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Chairman John VanderLeest, Ald. Tony Theisen, and Ald. Tom Weber

 

MEMBERS EXCUSED:  Ald. Steven Deneys

 

OTHERS PRESENT:  Doug Daul, Chad Weininger, Chief Arts, Mark Delaski, Chad Bastable, Chief Stauber, Linda Dupuis, and Others

 

1.  Roll Call.  

 

Chairman John VanderLeest called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m.; all members were present except for Ald. Deneys, who was excused.

 

2.  Approval of the Agenda.

 

A motion was made by Ald. Weber and seconded by Ald. Theisen to approve the Agenda.  Motion carried.

 

3.  Approval of the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting of May 8, 2007.

 

A motion was made by Ald. Theisen, seconded by Ald. Weber and carried to approve the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting of May 8, 2007.

 

4.  Request by the Finance Director for authorization to refund taxable GO Series 1999B and GO tax exempt Series 2000A Bonds.

 

Finance Director Doug Daul explained that the market changed since he made this request, and savings no longer exist.  He raised the possibility of being given authorization in advance in cases such as this, if certain parameters are met.  He asked to bring the matter back as an agenda item for discussion, suggesting as possible parameters a certain amount in dollar savings or a specified percentage in present value savings.  An initial resolution would be run through Council, allowing him to take advantage of a favorable market when it presents. 

 

A motion was made by Ald. Weber to receive and place on file the by the Finance Director for authorization to refund taxable GO Series 1999B and GO tax exempt Series 2000A Bonds, and to direct staff to pursue a recommendation on parameters for savings.  It was seconded by Ald. Theisen and carried.

 

5.  Request by the Police Chief for approval to use insurance proceeds toward purchase of new replacement squad, with the balance to come from Federal Asset Forfeiture Funds.

 

Chief Arts explained that $18,822 in insurance proceeds was received for replacement of a totaled squad car and the estimated cost of replacement is $21,300.  He asked to use Federal Asset Forfeiture Funds to cover the $2,478 difference as well as for permission to purchase the squad car.

 

A motion was made by Ald. Weber and seconded by Ald. Theisen to approve the request by the Police Chief for approval to use insurance proceeds toward purchase of a new replacement squad, with the balance to come from Federal Asset Forfeiture Funds.  The motion carried. 

 

6.  Request by the Human Resources Manager to transfer $125 from Contingency to cover the cost of a literature organizer.

 

Ald. VanderLeest asked whether any other funds in that department’s budget may be available for this purchase, but H.R. Manager Chad Bastable stated their supplies budget had been cut over the last few years and said the recommendation for this organizer came as a result of the lean office process improvement project and would tremendously streamline the sorting process. 

 

A motion was made by Ald. Theisen and seconded by Ald. Weber to approve the request by the Human Resources Manager to transfer $125 from Contingency to cover the cost of a literature organizer. 

 

Ald. Weber asked if it was appropriate to take funds from Contingency for this purpose, and Mr. Daul said it would be.  He said another avenue would be to approve the expenditure and allow Mr. Bastable to find it in another line item in his budget.  In this way, funds would not be transferred at this time, and Mr. Bastable would be authorized to overspend his office supply budget by $125. 

 

Ald. Theisen amended his motion to approve the expenditure of $125 for a literature organizer for the Human Resources Department.  It was seconded by Ald. Weber and carried.

 

7.  Referral by the Protection & Welfare Committee for a transfer from Contingency for costs of implementation of a web enabling system for Municipal Court records.

 

IT Director Mark Delaski said the estimates of $19,040 in one-time costs and $7,400 in annual costs for a web-enabling system came from the vendor supplying the software application for Municipal Court.  This search application would allow court records to be available on the web.  Mr. Delaski said IT is looking at writing its own program, but that it would be more basic than what would be provided by the vendor.  Care must be taken to filter out any juvenile records. 

 

A motion was made by Ald. Weber to refer this matter back to staff so they can research options in-house.  He asked to see a comparison of what is being proposed through the Court system vs what the City would write, as well as how easily the City could write and support it.  Ald. VanderLeest said its purpose must be considered and asked if the public would be made aware of this system and be able to use it.  He said he would look for the low-cost option, but needed more background information.  The motion was seconded by Ald. Theisen and carried.

 

8.  Report of the Purchasing Agent:

 

a.  Facility repair work at Fire Station #1 from Central Restoration, LLC for $13,148.

A motion was made by Ald. Theisen, seconded by Ald. Weber and carried to approve:

 

a.  Facility repair work at Fire Station #1 from Central Restoration, LLC for $13,148.

 

b.  Breathing apparatus for Fire Dept. from the low acceptable vendor(s).

 

Ms. Dupuis said this equipment was quoted three times, when various issues arose with the first two requests.  She recommended going with the low vendor, Oshkosh Fire & Police, at $65,796.60.  Mr. Daul said this equipment was in the Fire Dept.’s request for the 2007 budget, but was taken out to be done as a Capital Reserve request to be granted by the Mayor’s Office in Spring.  The Capital Reserve requests have not yet been brought forward, and a fund balance exists.  He recommended making an earmark in the fund balance for this appropriation because the Fire Dept. will not be able to make it up in its budget.  This move would authorize Chief Stauber to run over budget by $65,796.60, reducing fund balance by that amount. 

 

A motion was made by Ald. Weber, seconded by Ald. Theisen and carried to approve:

 

b:  Breathing apparatus for the Fire Department from Oshkosh Fire & Police for $65,796.60 and to earmark the general fund by that amount.

 

9.    Report of the Finance Director

 

a.  Payroll Update

 

Mr. Daul said the Payroll Supervisor on FMLA leave is expected to make a decision later this month on whether or not to return to work.  First-round interviews of candidates for this full-time position have been completed. 

 

The Finance Dept. used funding approved for Schenck to help with completion of the CAFR, and an assistant who worked for one day.

 

A motion was made by Ald. Theisen, seconded by Ald. Weber and carried to receive and place on file:

 

a.  Payroll Update

A motion to adjourn was made by Ald. Weber, seconded by Ald. Weber, and carried.  The meeting was adjourned at 5:56 p.m.

 

2007 CONTINGENCY FUND

$190,000.00

 

Any person wishing to attend who, because of a disability, requires special accommodation should contact the Mayor’s office at 448-3005 at least 24 hours before the scheduled meeting time so that arrangements can be made.

Please take notice that it is possible that additional members of the Council may attend this committee meeting, resulting in a majority or quorum of the Common Council. This may constitute a meeting of the Common Council for purposes of discussion and information gathering relative to this agenda.