Minutes: Finance and Labor: November 8, 2007

City of Evansville
Finance & Labor Relations Committee

Regular Meeting
Monday, November 8, 2007, 5:30 pm
City Hall, 31 S. Madison Street, Evansville, Wisconsin

MINUTES

Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 5:30 pm by Chair Tom Cothard.

Roll Call. Present: Chair Cothard and Alderpersons Mason Braunschweig and Diane Roberts. Also present: Finance Director Eric Jepperson, Administrator Dan Wietecha, and Library Director Kathi Kemp-Tejeda.

Approve Agenda. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion approved unanimously.

Minutes of October 8, 2007, Meeting. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to waive the reading of and to approve the minutes as presented. Motion approved unanimously.

Citizen Appearances. None.

Water and Light Bills. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Braunschweig, to approve the Water and Light bills in the amount of $1,236,275.00 and authorize their payment. Motion approved unanimously on a roll call vote.

City Bills. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Braunschweig, to approve the City bills in the amount of $1,053,840.48 and authorize their payment. Motion approved unanimously on a roll call vote.

Unfinished Business:

a. 2008 Operating Budget. Jepperson reviewed his budget memo. He noted that no changes had been made since the October 9th City Council meeting. The proposed levy would result in a slight tax rate decrease. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to recommend to the Common Council adoption of the proposed 2008 City Operating Budget. Motion approved unanimously.

b. Post Office Loan. Wietecha indicated that the City had received no proposals for the promissory note so the Common Council had instructed Jepperson to apply for a State Trust Fund loan. As part of its procedures, the State Trust Fund requires specific language in an authorizing resolution. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to recommend to the Common Council adoption of Resolution 2007-47, Borrowing $200,000 from the State Trust Fund for Purchasing the Post Office. Wietecha noted that a commercial appraisal had been order but was not yet complete. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to recommend to the Common Council purchase of the Post Office building and property for $200,000. Amendment approved unanimously on a roll call vote. Motion, as amended, approved unanimously on a roll call vote.

c. Fire Station Loan. Wietecha indicated that the City had received no proposals for the promissory note so the Common Council had instructed Jepperson to apply for a State Trust Fund loan. As part of its procedures, the State Trust Fund requires specific language in an authorizing resolution. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to recommend to the Common Council adoption of Resolution 2007-46, Borrowing $169,000 from the State Trust Fund for Purchasing the Fire Station.

d. Waste & Recycling Contract. Wietecha distributed a copy of the proposed contract with his review comments. He noted that it contained a number of unexpected changes from the current contract and that he was meeting with Veolia again on Friday to revise the proposed contract to be consistent with the current contract. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to recommend to the Common Council approval of the Veolia Solid Waste Midwest contract extension contingent on adequate negotiations by the City Administrator. Motion approved unanimously.

e. Vacant Lot on Water Street. Wietecha noted that the actual calculation of the pricing would depend on the land area involved. The Committee agreed that any necessary survey work would be the responsibility of the buyer.

f. Compensation during Union Negotiations. It was noted that the City had compensated the city administrator for the additional time involved with union negotiations three years ago. Wietecha said negotiations were a responsibility under his contract and job description and should not be additionally compensated. Cothard noted that most of the previous negotiations had been held in the evening and had been an extra burden on the city administrator; current negotiations have been held during the day.

g. Union Contracts. Wietecha noted that they had met with all three unions for initial proposals.

New Business:

h. Judge’s Salary. Braunschweig noted that the Municipal Judge is an elected position and should be held to a higher level of public service than a city employee. Wietecha noted that some of the increase in court salaries budgeted for 2008 may be needed to cover an anticipated budget over-run in 2007. The Committee tabled the issue to research statutory requirements regarding the timing of salary increases.

i. Lineman Position Description. Wietecha noted this position description had last been updated in 1997. The new version has been reviewed by the Water & Light Superintendent, Line Foreman, and the Water & Light Committee. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Braunschweig, to approve the lineman position description. Motion approved unanimously.

j. Line Foreman Position Description. Wietecha noted this position description had last been updated in 1997. The new version has been reviewed by the Water & Light Superintendent, Line Foreman, and the Water & Light Committee. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Braunschweig, to approve the line foreman position description. Motion approved unanimously.

k. Rock County Library Levy. Cothard made a motion, seconded by Roberts, to recommend to the Common Council application of exemption to the 2007 Rock County library levy. Motion approved unanimously.

Adjournment. On a motion by Cothard, seconded by Roberts, the meeting adjourned at 6:40 pm.