MINUTES
FINANCE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman John VanderLeest, Ald. Tom Weber,
and Ald. Steven Deneys
MEMBERS EXCUSED:
Ald. Theisen
OTHERS PRESENT: Doug
Daul, Dawn Foeller, Mark Delaski, Bill Bongle, Linda Dupuis, Jim Arts, Sharon
Hensen, Mallory Pribyl
1. Roll Call.
Chairman VanderLeest called the
meeting to order. Everyone was present
except for Ald. Theisen, who was excused while attending another meeting, but
who arrived later.
2. Approval of the Agenda.
A motion
was made by Ald. Deneys, seconded by Ald. Weber, and carried to approve the
Agenda.
3. Approval of the minutes of the Finance
Committee meeting of October 9, 2007.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber,
seconded by Ald. Deneys, and carried to approve the minutes of the Finance
Committee meeting of October 9, 2007.
4. Request to approve animal pickup agreement
for the Village of Allouez.
Lt. Bill
Bongle presented a proposed animal pickup agreement with the Village of
Allouez, saying he is comfortable that the Animal Control Interns can handle
this work. A flat rate of $30 would be
charged in most instances, and only detained animals would be picked up. He expects the volume to be around 20
animals per year, and feels the agreement would not have any negative impact on
operations.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber,
seconded by Ald. Deneys, and carried to approve the animal pickup agreement for
the Village of Allouez.
5. Status report regarding the Animal Control
Intern Program.
Lt. Bongle
told the Committee that the Intern program was a success, and he introduced
Intern Mallory Pribyl. Ms. Pribyl
addressed the Committee, saying her experiences as an Intern have been positive
and beneficial and have caused her to consider a possible career in police
work.
Lt. Bongle
said a database has been established that enables staff to return some animals
directly to their owners so they don’t have to pick them up at the impound
facility. Although they do not have
enforcement powers, Interns investigate complaints of animal abuse and neglect
and forward these complaints to the Humane Officer. In addition, staff now responds to bat calls that were previously
handled by the Fire Department.
Animal
Control Interns responded to 2,175 calls since the first of this year. A good portion of these calls would have
required response by a police officer before the program was implemented. They transported 286 animals to the Bay Area
Humane Society, taking over a service that was previously contracted for. The Interns either set up, baited, or picked
up traps for wild animals 1,030 times.
The additional help allowed Humane Officer Sharon Hensen to pursue other
projects, such as working with the State Legislature to pass a bill that would
prevent violent felons from possessing dangerous dogs, as well as creating a
low cost spay/neuter program. 86
citations have been issued, resulting in total revenue of $29,938. Lt. Bongle said the Interns have
accomplished a lot, and a financial analysis showed the program cost $10,391
less than it would have if police officers had responded to the calls.
Ms. Hensen
thanked the Committee for allowing her to implement this program, saying it has
benefited the Interns as well as the Police Dept. Other cities have contacted her for more information, since it
supplies needed services at a lower cost.
She developed an activity book to educate children as to responsible pet
ownership and is working with Sen. Hansen to introduce a bill that expands the
domestic violence law to include pets.
A motion was made by Ald. Deneys,
seconded by Ald. Weber, and carried to receive and place on file the Status
Report regarding the Animal Control Intern Program.
6. Status report regarding the current
contract with the Bay Area Humane Society.
Lt. Bongle
gave a report of the current status of relations with the Humane Society. He referenced several incidents that needed
attention and indicated there may be some instances when the Police Dept. will
take an animal to the Fox Valley Humane Society for safekeeping. The Mayor’s Office is handling negotiations
for the new contract with the Bay Area Humane Society. Ald. VanderLeest asked that the Committee be
given updates on the matter.
A motion was made by Ald. Deneys,
seconded by Ald. Weber, and carried to receive and place on file the status
report regarding the current contract with the Bay Area Humane Society.
Item #8
was taken next.
7. Request by Ald. Theisen to review the
principal and interest payments for Neighborhood Enhancement Fund bonding since
the inception of the program.
Ald. Theisen reviewed the history
of the cash flow of the Neighborhood Enhancement borrowing program. He was wondering if in fact the City should
include an appropriation in the annual operating budget instead of routinely
bonding each year.
Ald. Weber said he agreed with
Ald. Theisen in principle and said he would have no problem with some funds being put in the budget, but
questioned whether it could be done this year.
A motion was made by Ald. Deneys,
seconded by Ald. Weber, and carried to receive and place on file the review of
the prinicipal and interest payments for Neighborhood Enhancement Fund bonding
since the inception of the program.
8. Request by the Finance Director to borrow
$1 Million from the State Trust Fund for the purpose of property acquisition in
TIF XII.
Finance
Director Doug Daul explained that TIF XII includes the Industrial Park/Aurora
Bay Care area. The Economic Development
Authority offered to buy 51 acres of land from Marvin Rentmeester for $1
Million, and he asked for authorization to go to the State Trust Fund for the
money. This would be a TIF bond with a
20-year amortization. It would be paid
back through the annual operations of the TIF.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber,
seconded by Ald. Deneys, and carried to approve the request by the Finance
Director to borrow $1 Million from the State Trust Fund for the purpose of property
acquisition in TIF XII.
9. Request to refinance the 1998 Refinancing
Bonds and the 1999 GO Corp Purpose Bonds.
Mr. Daul
said the question is not “if” but “when” to refinance. Baird said there would be a 2% present value
savings to do so at present, and that this is the trigger for refunding
issues. Savings would be about $50,000
per year over the life of the bonds. If
the market moves so that 2% isn’t realized, the refinancing will not be done.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber,
seconded by Ald. Deneys, and carried to approve the request to refinance the
1998 Refinancing Bonds and the 1999 GO Corp Purpose Bonds.
10. Report of the
Purchasing Agent:
a. To award the purchase of computer equipment
from Insight Inc. for $26,233.
b. To award the purchase of computer equipment
from the low responsive vendor for an estimated $18,404.
c. To award purchase of light poles and related
equipment for DPW for an estimated $18,160 to the low, responsive vendor.
d. To award a furniture purchase for DPW City
Hall remodel work to Emmons Business Interiors, Inc. for $11,816.
Purchasing
Agent Linda Dupuis distributed updated information on these items.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber to
suspend the rules and approve items a. thru d. together. The motion was seconded by Ald. Deneys and
carried.
Ms. Dupuis said the first
information had included an estimated amount for “c”, but that the actual
amount for item “c” is $21,403.
e.
To approve transfer of $4,000 from Purchasing Division salaries account
for a minor remodel and the purchase of one workstation.
Ms. Dupuis said one of their workstations has always been a
problem. The person sitting at that
desk is continuously interrupted, sometimes losing close to 20% of her
time. Most of those interruptions are
from persons really going to Payroll.
She is asking for a partition near the entrance with a sign pointing to
both Payroll and Purchasing. The new
workstation would be a receptionist-type, U-shaped desk, and would be purchased
under the UW contract.
A motion was made by Ald. Deneys, seconded by Ald. Weber, and carried to
approve the transfer of $4,000 from Purchasing Division salaries account for a
minor remodel and the purchase of one workstation.
f.
To approve transfer of $500 from the Purchasing Division salaries
account to the Office Supplies account.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber, seconded by Ald. Deneys, and carried to
approve the transfer of $500 from the Purchasing Division salaries account to
the Office Supplies account.
g. To authorize the Purchasing Agent to act on behalf of the City in
response to proposed revenue decreases for two AT&T/Cingular cellular tower
leases for equipment located at City Hall and Fisk Park.
Mr. Daul asked for a Closed Session.
Ald. Theisen had arrived, and Ald. VanderLeest left to attend another
meeting.
Ald. Weber made a motion to
convene in closed session pursuant to Sections 19.85(1)(e), Wis. Stats., for
purposes of deliberating or negotiating the sale or lease of public properties,
investing of public funds as necessary for competitive or bargaining
reasons. The Committee may thereafter
reconvene in open session pursuant to Section 19.85(2), Wis. Stats., to report
the results of the closed session and consider the balance of the agenda.
The motion was seconded by Ald.
Deneys, and carried. The Committee went
into closed session.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber, seconded by Ald. Deneys, and carried to
return to the regular order of business.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber to authorize the Purchasing Agent to
negotiate terms with Cingular on the contract reduction. It was seconded by Ald. Deneys and
carried. Ald. Weber asked that it be
brought back to Committee for final approval prior to the next Council meeting
if the negotiations lead to an agreement.
11. Finance Director’s Report:
a.
Discussion of the format for the 11/8/2007 Joint Finance/Personnel
meeting.
Mr. Daul said the Joint
Finance/Personnel meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov.
8 in Room 604. He said the format that
is the most fair to follow is to do the small budgets first so those department
heads can leave. Other department heads
can work in their offices and be notified ahead of the time when their
department will be called. The
Committee left it up to Mr. Daul to arrange the order.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber,
seconded by Ald. Deneys, and carried to receive and place on file discussion of
the format for the 11/8/2007 Joint Finance/Personnel meeting.
A motion was made by Ald. Weber,
seconded by Ald. Deneys, and carried to adjourn.
2007 CONTINGENCY FUND
$189,700.00