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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES-1991-01-12-1991CITY COUNCIL _Co.1 January 12, 1991 A SPECIAL MEETING of the City Council was held on Saturday, January 12, 1991, at 9:O8 A.M. in accordance with the Mayor's call of December 10, 1990 for the purpose of reviewing the proposed 1991-92 City Budget. ROLL CALL - PRESENT: Alderman Juliar Alderman Wollin Alderman.Drummer Alderman Collens Alderman Davis Alderman Lanyon Alderman Brady Alderman Feldman Alderman Wold Alderman Warshaw Alderman Nelson Alderman Rudy A quorum being present. ABSENT: Aldermen Korshak and Rainey TARDY: Alderman Esch, Morton, Paden and Washington PRESIDING: Mayor Joan W. Barr. Docket 1-1A-91: Proposed 1991-92 Budget - Consideration of the proposed budget for the City of Evanston for the fiscal year 1991-92. A copy of the City Manager's recommended Budget was distributed on December 31,. 1990. Budget review sessions have been scheduled for January 12, 19, and 26, 1991 at 9:00 A.M., and a Public Hearing.on the Budget is scheduled for February 4, 1991 at 1:30 P.M. Alderman Juliar moved that the Council resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole for the purpose of further discussion of budget priorities. Seconded by Alderman Drummer. Motion carried. No nays. The Council so met at 9:10 A.M. Mayor Barr welcomed the public to the budget work session and reviewed budget meeting procedures. She announced the schedule of budget hearings, noting that there would be an opportunity for citizen comment at the end of each meeting as well as at the public hearing on February,a, 1991. Acting City Manager Bruce Zimmerman explained that the City of Evanston had implemented the Snow Emergency Operations Plan due to the recent snowfall. He reported that major snow routes were plowed.last night and lla automobiles were ticketed and towed. He said that the Snow Route Emergency Plan for residential areas was currently•in effect and there was no parking from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. on even numbered sides of the street and tomorrow, Sunday, there would be no parking on the odd numbered sides of the street. In response to a question from Alderman Brady, he explained how the City was able to override the cable system to provide information on the snow removal plan. In response to a question from Alderman Feldman, he explained that automobiles . violating the snow parking ban would be given a $25 ticket and charged a $50 towing fee. He reminded the Council that they had not yet approved a $/5 snow route ticket. In response to a question from Alderman Juliar, he explained that snow route parking around churches would not be enforced during services in the morning. -`1- Acting City Manager Zimmerman reviewed Budget Memo #1 - Cross Training Health Sanitarians; Budget Memo #2 - Lead Screening Services in Family and Environmental Health -Programs; Budget Memo #3 - Nursing Home Ombudsman Program; Budget Memo #4 - Parking Tree Planting Program Cost and Budget Memo #5 - Responsibilities in Forestry Personnel. He called the Council's attention to revised page la of the City Manager's Message, which should be substituted for page la in the budget book. He explained that the budget memoranda had been prepared in response to questions raised during the fall budget prioritization process that had not been answered by the budget message or other information presented in the budget. Mr. Zimmerman said that he was departing from prior practice and not discussing the budget message in detail, but pointed out that the message lays out the major issues and changes to the budget that are being proposed for the next year. Acting City Manager Zimmerman discussed the assumptions and significant changes to the budget and pointed out that the budget, as presented, complies with City of Evanston budget policy guidelines established by the City Council. The 4</% proposed increase to the property tax supported portion of the budget is 95% of the average of the Consumer Price Index calculated between September 1989 and August 1990. The budget was prepared in response to the budget priorities raised this past fall. Acting City Manager Zimmerman reviewed proposed personnel reductions to various departments and said that a total of 12 Full Time Equivalent (F.T.E.) positions are being eliminated resulting in a savings of $300,000. Ile pointed that the $21,000,000 loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to be used for long-term sewer repair and replacement impacts the totals for all funds and appears as a significant increase in the budget. He also pointed .out that one-time revenues had once again been used to balance the budget. The major one-time revenue item is the sale of air rights for the Church/Chicago Project, which transferred $1.4 million into the General Fund. He also pointed out that the City does not expect the State of Illinois Surcharge to be enacted beyond June of 1991. The proposed budget also does not reflect the changes in refuse collection voted on by the Council in December. Mr. Zimmerman reviewed in detail the rationale for expenditure and personnel reductions in the Personnel Department (the Employee Assistance Counselor'); the. Finance Department (Duplicating Operator); and reduction of the Preservation Coordinator to half-time in the Planning Department program budget. Ile also reviewed personnel changes in the Police Department, Department of Health & Human Services, Streets Department, Public Library, the Levy Senior and Leisure Learning Center and several changes in the Recreation Department. Ile assured the Council that the current level of -service could still be provided with these reductions with the exception of personnel reductions for Project DARE. Alderman Feldman requested a memo on the rationale behind the elimination of the Employee Assistance Counselor. tie asked staff to detail the difference between the current program and the proposed EAP program to assist employees. Alderman Feldman commented on the proposed six-month evaluation of the new Levy Center staffing structure and asked the Acting City Manager whether changes would be made if this staffing was discovered to not be appropriate. Acting City Manager Zimmerman said that if_ the proposed staffing at the Levy Center did not work, the City would look for funds in the Recreation Department Budget or the General Contingency Fund to change the staffing level. In'response to a further.question from. Alderman Feldman, Acting City Manager Zimmerman said that there would be a memorandum in the packet for Monday night concerning the leadership -of a combined Youth Advocacy Program and Youth Services Program. Alderman Rudy requested a memorandum about the impact of the reduction of the Preservation Coordinator to half time. He expressed concern about the reduction and the quality of service the City will be able to provide. Alderman Brady raised a question about how the new roll -out carts would be funded for the recently approved once -a -week refuse collection program. Alderman Morton requested a memorandum on staff organization in the Departments of Parks, Recreation and Forestry and how secretaries function within that department. She also asked for the, total administrative costs in -Parks, Recreation and Forestry. Alderman Feldman and Acting Manager Zimmerman discussed the structure of the new Employee Assistance Program and Mr. Zimmmerman clarified that the program that the City is proposing to use was set up by the Northwest Municipal Conference. 1 - 3 - Alderman Drummer and Acting Manager Zimmerman discussed a letter that had been received from Joe Levy, who offered to pay for a full-time Levy Senior Center Director for five -years. Alderman Drummer and Acting Manager Zimmerman.then discussed the changes to the insurance program for the Health -Department and paramedics. Acting Manager Zimmerman continued his presentations by calling attention to various charts and summaries -in the front of the budget which illustrate the City's portion of the property tax dollar, which is now at 23.4%. The City's share of •property tax has decreased-4.5% over the last five years. He also called attention to a graph illustrating expenditures by program area. Currently our highest three expenditures are for utilities, public safety and pensions. The highest five areas account for i3% of total expenditures. He also called Council's attention to the pages discussing staffing levels and inter -fund transfers. In response to a question from Alderman Morton, Mr. Zimmerman clarified how the City calculated full-time equivalent workers. Alderman Lanyon called attention to several footnotes concerning the impact of the Sewer Fund loan and requested that footnotes also be added to budget pages iii and iv: At this time Council took a five minute break. Alderman Collens requested a memo on the breakdown of expenditures for the Police Department's Alert newsletter. Alderman Esch and Acting Manager Zimmerman discussed wage adjustments and benefits. Alderman Esch said she will suggest that the City freeze wages and hiring. In response to a question from Alderman Feldman, it was clarified that the Crossroads flyer distributed by the Human Relations Commission was no longer being published. Alderman Drummer asked Acting Manager Zimmerman for a memorandum addressing the possibility of issuing a temporary vehicle sticker to persons who reside in Evanston for more than half of the year, use City streets, tear up curbs and get parking tickets that we cannot collect. Alderman Nelson requested that the equalized assessed valuation (EAV) for the City be included on page ii. CITIZEN COMMENT: Amy Shubart, 1218 Elmwood Avenue, a member of the Residential Crime Prevention Committee and a middle school teacher, questioned why the City had increased the number of parking enforcement officers and eliminated the D.A.R.E. officers. She pointed out that Skokie had had the D.A.R.E. program for three years. Henry Theobald, 2600 Grant Street, a long-time resident, questioned why the City had given an interest -free mortgage loan to City Manager Asprooth; urged Council to eliminate all employees not necessary.to run the City; said there was currently a 25% longer list of delinquent taxpayers because Evanston has such high taxes and people had lost jobs or taken pay cuts, so were unable to pay those taxes. Barry Isaacson, 342E Park Place, Chairman of the Commission on Aging, reminded members of the City Council about the revised budget requests made by the Commission on Aging, which were not reflected in the budget book; asked Council to give consideration of support for the Senior Center and the Senior Taxicab Program. Dick Stillerman, 2530 Crawford Avenue, quest-ioned why the City had 10 more employees than they had in 19/5; questioned why the budget is three times larger than it was in 19/5 and pointed out that inflation cannot account for that increase; said that $4i million dollars of the General Fund are salary and benefit related and /0% of the total budget is for salaries; pointed out that the major target for reduction should be personnel; objected to the 4./% proposed tax increase and the proposals -to increase parking and water rates next year; suggested that the assumptions made for sales tax may not be conservative enough; suggested that the City was too generous with salary increases; suggested that salaries be frozen for a year and that all hiring be frozen except for emergencies (to be approved by the Council); urged Council to seek employee contributions for health benefits; urged that there be no increase in the Real Estate Tax Levy. Jim Matykiewicz, 602 Lake Street, Evanston Property Owner's Association, suggested that the budget needed a great deal of work; reminded the Council that Alderman Horton had urged 0% tax increase; said that any tax increase or water rate increase was unacceptable; agreed with Alderman Esch that there should be a hiring freeze; suggested that staff reductions be accomplished through attrition; questioned why $250,000 was budgeted for overtime in the Street Department; questioned the Water Meter Reading Program and the Elm Tree Removal Program; suggested that there were many areas for cuts; questioned why the Housing Fund was budgeted at $550,000 and questioned why the Families in Transition Program was budgeted for $200,000. Walter Oleksy, 2656 Bryant Avenue, Evanston Alliance of Taxpayers, said he didn't feel as though the taxpayers' message had been heard by the Council; suggested that there were many misleading or deceptive items in the budget; suggested that there were duplications in the budget; questioned why a City truck driver was paid $35,000; suggested that we needed a new organizational plan for the City; said a hiring freeze should be instituted except for Police, Fire and garbage and that no new taxes should be imposed. David Galloway, 23/ Greenleaf Street, Chairman of the Evanston Preservation Commission, questioned whether a 40-60 hour job can be reduced to 20 hours; suggested there was plenty to do to keep a Preservation Coordinator busy full-time; urged Council to not cut a position that helps to bring money into the City; said that the Commission was anxious to explain the role of the Coordinator to the Council; Art Newman 1/38 Chicago Avenue, said you cannot solve all city problems in the budget process; pointed out that a 23% share of property taxes is not the largest share of a tax bill; said that'the City should not increase property taxes and should not continue to be part of the tax problem; suggested that Evanston did not use enough of the Illinois surcharge to reduce taxes, and, if it is approved again, those monies have to go for tax relief; discussed the proposed changes in the Senior Taxicab Program and urged Council to follow the recommendations of the Commission on Aging to stay with the flat rate program;'suggested that there were many more reductions that should be taken before money is taken away from the seniors. In response to Mr. Matykiewicz, Alderman Morton pointed out that her motion to direct the City Manager to come back with a zero percent tax increase had failed for lack of a second. Alderman Collens requested a memorandum on the weekend snow activity regarding how many tickets were issued and how many automobiles were towed. Alderman Feldman requested a memorandum on what effect on staff a freeze in salaries and in hiring would have; also what the alternatives would be to that if the City was required to phase -in a property tax freeze. Alderman Paden requested that Mr. Stillerman and Mr. Matykiewicz write down points in the budget that are offensive to them and why - and give them to the City Manager for a response. She said that if they could find points to cut that were appropriate then this would be a service. Alderman Paden reiterated her request for a memorandum on reducing the number of employees. Acting Manager Zimmerman sought clarification of Alderman Paden's request and said that that memorandum had been forwarded to Alderman Paden by City Manager Asprooth before he left and the rest of the information she had requested had been responded to in the City Manager's Message in the budget. Alderman Paden once again reiterated her request and Acting Manager Zimmerman said that she needed to clarify her request and asked if she was asking for an analysis of all positions in the City of Evanston. Alderman Paden said that she was and Acting Manager Zimmerman said that would not be possible due to time constraints and that an analysis had already been made relative to the budget prioritization process in the fall. Alderman Paden said that she had requested A memorandum on the outside attorney's fees that the City had been paying. A memorandum dated November 2 did not answer her questions completely. She said that she would like a breakdown of the amount of legal fees expended in each of the areas where the City is represented by outside counsel, and wanted a comparison of our legal fees with cities of similar size. She suggested that our attorneys' fees could be reduced by hiring additional counsel and paralegals. She requested a memorandum on all legal fees paid by the City to outside counsel. Alderman Brady said she wanted to respond to a couple of points raised by Alderman Paden. She said she felt her question on staffing levels had been addressed'in the budget prioritization process and with the presentation of the fiscal budget. The Council voted this past fall to establish budget priorities and those priorities have been incorporated in the current budget and explained in the Manager's message. She suggested that if the Council wants to cut the budget further, it is their responsibility to do so. She said she felt the staff had given their recommendations in the budget and if the Council wants to cut staff positions, then it is their responsibility to do so. Staff has done their work, now it is time for Council to do its work. Acting Manager Zimmerman said that it is impossible for staff to do the kind of analysis Alderman Paden is requesting in the next six weeks. He said that he felt that staff had responded to the questions that Alderman Paden had raised before and apologized if there was any confusion regarding what she had requested. Alderman Warshaw moved that Council go into CLOSED SESSION to discuss pending litigation, land acquistion and personnel. Seconded by Alderman Nelson. Roll Call. Voting aye - Juliar, Paden, Drummer, Davis, Brady, Esch, Morton, Washington, Wold, Nelson, Wollin, Collens, Lanyon, Feldman, Warshaw. Voting nay,- None. Motion carried. (15-0). (Alderman Rudy was temporarily absent.) The Council so recessed at 11:20 A.M. and adjourned from CLOSED SESSION at 11:40 A.M. _ KIRSTEN F. DAVIS CITY CLERK 1 E 1 1 C