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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.23.10 CITY OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING Saturday, October 23, 2010 9:00 a.m. ROLL CALL: Alderman Holmes Alderman Fiske Alderman Tendam Alderman Jean-Baptiste Alderman Grover Alderman Wynne Alderman Rainey Alderman Wilson Alderman Burrus PRESIDING: Mayor Elizabeth B. Tisdahl The special meeting of the City Council was called to order at 12:11 a.m. after the roll had been called. Mayor Tisdahl then read a memo declaring the reason for the meeting being in session. She called on the City Manager, Wally Bobkiewicz to present the Budget Report. The City Manager stated this would be the first of the Budget presentation for fiscal year 2011, and the Council had stated there would not be any Citizen Comments during this first presentation. This would allow the Council time to discuss among themselves before here from the citizens. City Manager explained the next budget meeting would be on Saturday, November 6th and at that time Citizen Comments would be heard. The meetings that will be held on Saturdays will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end around 12 noon. The remaining budget dates are as follows: 11/06/2010 Public Hearing with citizen comments 11/15/2010 Optional Budget Discussion 11/17/2010 Optional Budget Discussion Special City Council Meeting: 10/23/2010 2 11/22/2010 Truth in Taxation Hearing 11/22/2010 City Council Meeting – Anticipated Budget Adoption 12/13/2010 City Council Meeting – Tax Levy Adoption Mr. Bobkiewicz stated to the audience that there had been a typographical era as it concerned the Mental Health Care for outpatients. The dollar amount should be $600,000.00 instead of what was transmitted. Mr. Bobkiewicz proceeded to give his presentation of the City and how it stands to date. State of the City of Evanston ƒ Recession continues to impact the City ƒ Service efficiency continues with expenditures being curtailed ƒ The revenue for the upcoming year is relatively flat ƒ Operating expenses still on the rise associated with personnel ƒ Being transparent with the Budget is a priority ƒ No merit increases for non-union employees ƒ Three unpaid days off across the board ƒ Restoring 2% salary cuts for Directors as a proposal ƒ To pursue changes in wage reporting ƒ 3.0% proposed property tax increase to fund Police & Fire pension ƒ No proposed property tax increase for general fund operations ƒ Funds from the State are still uncertain ƒ The property tax increase will occur in fiscal year 2011 Mr. Bobkiewicz pointed out the successes as he viewed from his time here in Evanston as the City Manager, and these are as follows: ƒ Public Safety – great service in both the Police & Fire Services, but need to continue to evaluate and make sure everything is being handled at the highest level ƒ Economic Development – with two Economic Development Planners this will insure the development of new ideas of encouraging new businesses to invest in Evanston ƒ Citizen Engagement – this is placed under Mr. McRae’s direction with the introduction of a 3-1-1 system. This will be a centralized system for all non- emergency requests from 6 am until 11 pm. This will be a complete reorganization of City Services to be more efficient ƒ Northwestern University – improvement in relationship between the City and the University with greater cooperation in many areas Mr. Bobkiewicz stated he saw the following items as future challenges: ƒ Continue Funding for Quality of Life Services ƒ Increase Non-Tax Revenue Support of Services Special City Council Meeting: 10/23/2010 3 ƒ Library Services – Branch closures and funding ƒ Evanston Township – consider issues related to continued existence of Township ƒ Tax Increment Financing Districts – evaluate their efficiency Mr. Bobkiewicz stated the City is in a much better shape than most Municipalities and Evanston has a lot to offer. He then asked Ms. Joellen Earl, Administrative Director, to come forward and talk about the proposal for balancing the Budget. Ms. Earl stated she would be presenting an overview of how the City would balance the Budget. She stated the total proposed budget for the fiscal year 2011 is $191,052,046.00 which included inter-fund transfers. The breakdown of the Budget is as follows: • General Fund Revenues = $72,581,482.00 • General Fund Expenditures = $75,674,770.00 • Deficit = $3,093,288.00 • Deficit Reduction = $3,170,055.00 • Balance = $76,767.00 Ms. Earl stated the following facts of the General Fund as being highlighted: • A current year-end surplus of approximately $400,000.00 is anticipated (with measures such as expenditure control: Hiring freeze with exceptions, overtime reduction, and Travel & Training (must be approved my Manager, & outside the State approved by City Manager) • The projected deficit for fiscal year 2011 is approximately $3.1 million • There will be 12 full-time employees recommended for 3-1-1 • Elimination of 9.65 full-time employee positions • Tree budget reduced by 50% • A portion of the Dutch Elm injection program to be deferred Ms. Earl gave an explanation of the other funds included in the report. The funds are as follows: I. Special Revenue – these are funds that have a specific revenue source or tax that is not based on a fee for service model. (ex.: Homeless Prevention, Motor Fuel Tax, Affordable Housing) II. Debt Service – these are funds used to account for tax levies involving long term financing or Tax Increment Finance (ex.: General Obligation Debt, Howard-Hartrey Tax Increment, West Evanston Tax Increment) III. Capital Projects – these are funds used to track infrastructure improvements and long term replacement IV. Enterprise – these are funds used to track specific fee based services (ex.: water, sewer, parking, solid waste) V. Internal Service – these are funds used to consolidate specific City expenses in order to better track total expenses (ex.: Fleet, Insurance) VI. Pension Fund – these are required trust funds to track the assets and liabilities for sworn Police & Fire personnel Special City Council Meeting: 10/23/2010 4 Ms. Earl directed the attention to the pie-chart in the presentation as she stated it showed the percentages that each entity shared. She displayed a chart that gave the positions and departments that would be affected by the personnel cuts as well as giving an explanation concerning the decisions. She stated the new addition of technology that will be given to the Parking Enforcement Officers (PEO) will allow the mounted camera on the vehicles to record the vehicle tags and note whether the vehicle is in violation. Mr. Bobkiewicz stated this eliminates the chalking of tires and a better enforcement tool of identifying vehicles that need to be booted. The following are the Aldermen’s concerns/Questions & Answers: 1. Alderman Rainey was concerned with the idea of sworn Police Officers dealing with IT stuff instead of being on the streets providing service is the best use of the officer. Ms. Earl explained that has been the policy with the Evanston Police Department and has been working well with the officer’s familiarity with the job position. 2. Alderman Rainey stated the cameras on the south end of town are not working and she is not happy, and the officers should not be doing IT issues. 3. Alderman Rainey also requested a memo from the City Manager in the wisdom of eliminating the Zoning Administrator. 4. Alderman Rainey stated she was having a difficult time in understanding the eliminations and is requesting a paragraph or two explaining what the employee was doing in the position. City Manager stated he would provide a description of the positions. 5. Alderman Jean-Baptiste stated his question was similar to Alderman Rainey’s as to receiving explanations of the position eliminations, and secondly will the Council be hearing from the Department Heads as to how the elimination will affect the services in their respective departments. City Manager stated they are prepared to give that information but not this morning. Alderman Jean-Baptiste suggested in the explanation of the entities position to include the affects to the department’s service to the community from the Heads and how they will compensate the loss or lack of service. 6. Alderman Wynne requested a process analysis of the possible revenue savings that these positions will initiate. 7. Alderman Rainey stated the total amount for the police and fire pension levy should be noted to the taxpayers for fiscal year 2011 is so stunning. Ms. Earl stated she would mention the whole obligation when talking in the future. 8. Mayor Tisdahl stated the Governor’s both candidates have changed their positions on supporting the pensions as they are or possibly a civil reform for a penalty for communities funded below 50%, and Evanston is funded at 41%. The amount you are funded is calculated on the predicted amount you can raise in revenues, and because the City of Evanston has not raised more revenues as we should this will cost the City millions of dollars of State funds. Special City Council Meeting: 10/23/2010 5 9. Alderman Wilson stated the pension funding is the biggest item for the City and people should voice their opinions to the representatives in Springfield. In his opinion people should start focusing on the big picture and how the citizens will be impacted by decisions in Springfield. 10. Alderman Rainey asked if the 3.1 million was part of the CIP fund. Ms. Earl stated it was just for the General Fund. The CIP would be a separate fund added later. Mr. Bobkiewicz stated the amount was budgeted differently internally. 11. Alderman Jean-Baptiste asked if the City expected the new Development Officer to raise $45,000.00 this year. Ms. Earl answered yes. He then asked the City Manager, was this our ceiling and top goal. Mr. Bobkiewicz answered no, this is our bottom. Alderman Jean-Baptiste requested a strategy on how this would be accomplished. Mr. Bobkiewicz stated it would be presented at the November 8th Council meeting. 12. Alderman Rainey requests a memo outlining the math and the program concerning the Dutch Elm Injection Program to give her more understanding of the numbers. 13. Alderman Rainey asked what will happen when a person dials the 328-2100. Mr. Bobkiewicz answered it will go to 3-1-1, and if they would like us to transfer to a specific office we will do that, if they would like us to solve their problem we will do that. Alderman Rainey asked if they just want to chat with someone and they don’t have the number. Mr. Bobkiewicz answered that will go to the 3-1-1 number and we will transfer them we will do that, but many people do not know where they need to go and if they want the City Clerk we will transfer them to the City Clerk. He also stated from 6am until 11pm you will get a live person and not a recording. 14. Alderman Jean-Baptiste wanted the City Manager to explain the threshold for booting. Mr. Bobkiewicz stated it is five (5) unpaid tickets. This will also allow collection of uncollected fines that amount to a substantial revenue increase for the City. 15. Alderman Fiske asked if the Noyes position was also included in the proposed eliminations. Ms. Earl answered she would get to that later. 16. Alderman Rainey asked for an update for all of the unsolved crimes for two years. Alderman Jean-Baptiste suggested to go back even further to at least five years 17. Alderman Burrus stated there would be a change in where your garbage would be placed with the new contract with GROOT. The receptacles would have to be moved from the back to the front of the homes. Suzette Robinson, Director of Streets and Sanitation, stated GROOT who has the purpose of picking up trash. There are some of the GROOT trucks that are too big to get down some of the alleyways. We will know by November 15th which residents will be affected and this new service will begin November 1, 2010. 18. Alderman Rainey asked about the funds from the sale of the Fleet vehicles to GROOT and how much was the sale. Ms. Earl stated she would get back with the information. 19. Alderman Holmes questioned the $70,000.00 clerk’s position. Ms. Earl and Mr. Bobkiewicz stated the amount included all the benefits related to the position. Special City Council Meeting: 10/23/2010 6 20. Alderman Jean-Baptiste had a concern for the decrease in the funding for the Youth Program. 21. Alderman Rainey stated she has no confidence in the Youth Program and its purpose. 22. Alderman Grover’s concerns were as follows: a) wanted more information to flush out budget information b) revenue in lieu of taxes c) 3-1-1 center d) Mental health board allocation e) Moving Township to in house 23. Alderman Holmes wanted to see licenses for rental properties and home based businesses as new revenue sources. 24. Alderman Rainey stated she would like Municipal owned public garages to be eliminated from the garage tax the State places on garage. After seeing no more lights Mayor Tisdahl stated she wanted to discuss Branch Libraries because she was deeply disappointed in the division that it has caused. She stated it should promote a sense of community and that has not happened, and her goal is to propose a referendum to be placed on the April Ballot asking the community, all of the community if they want to have Branch Libraries. She also asked Mary Johns to come up with a price tag on how much it would cost. Alderman Rainey asked, when did a political campaign ever heal the ills of a community? The Mayor’s response was she believed we believe in a democracy and would abide by it. Alderman Rainey asked, so this would be a mandatory and not an advisory? Mayor Tisdahl stated whether it was mandatory or advisory we would live by it. Alderman Burrus stated she and the Mayor chatted about this idea, and she thought long and hard about government run by referendum and it’s a problem. Are you elected to be a leader and make decisions for all of the community? Or does a referendum let us hide instead of making a stand? She stated she did not understand if this affords an out for elected officials and that wealthier people vote more, Caucasians more than Minorities, and if we don’t take a leadership role for the people who put us in office then that’s a disservice. She stated she understands what the Mayor is trying to do and that is to do the right thing, but is the right thing being done to get reelected. She stated she is not completely convinced this is the way to go. Mayor Tisdahl responded by saying she was not doing this for political cover and she does not have to vote on this. She stated this has been a very divisive discussion and the divisiveness needs to end. Special City Council Meeting: 10/23/2010 7 Alderman Tendam he stated he agreed with Alderman Burrus and he asked, what is the impact of the Boards decision to move to a Funding form of system? Do we have enough funds to keep the branch libraries open? The Mayor stated we are asking the community if they want to continue supporting two branch libraries. We have the money to fund them until April and then we can look at the decision and respond accordingly. Alderman Rainey stated this library discussion is over and this just drags it out, there is going to be nasty campaigning. She stated we don’t need three libraries and she told the Mayor she was so resentful of her bringing the issue up again. She stated it is over the libraries are closed. Alderman Tendam he was frustrated because he was not expecting the referendum issue. He stated we have larger issues to deal and to let the Library Board do what they can with the money on hand. Alderman Fiske stated she asked for an SSA and staff for recommendations and asked the City Manager to supply the Council with those early proposals. Alderman Wynne stated she would like to get beyond the divisive discussion to look at the new ways that libraries can serve their communities. She supports the library branches and wants to keep them funded. Mayor stated since there were no other lights she asked for a motion to adjourn. The motion was made and seconded an the meeting ended at 12:05 pm. Respectfully submitted, Rodney Greene, City Clerk A CD AND WRITTEN RECORD OF THIS MEETING WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AFTER APPROVAL BY THE COUNCIL AT THEIR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING, OR IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE.