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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES-1994-01-15-1994CITY COUNCH. January 15,1994 A SPECIAL MEEMG of the Evanston City Council was held on Saturday, January 15, 1994, at 9:23 A.M. in = the City Council Chamber to consider the 1994-1995 City of Evanston Budget. ROLL CALL - PRESENT: Alderman Newman Alderman Kent Alderman Guthrie Alderman Engelman Alderman Heydemann Alderman Feldman A Quorum being present. ABSENT: Alderman Drummer TARDY: Aldermen Holsman and Moran PRESIDING: Mayor Lorraine H. Morton Alderman Feldman moved that Council convene as a Committee of the Whole for the purpose of discussing the proposed budget. Seconded by Alderman Engelman. Motion carried. No nays. CLARIFICATION OF BQDGET MEMOS: Director of Health and Human Services Terry, Finance Director Shonk and City Manager Anderson clarified several points in Budget Memos #1 and #2 concerning the Dental Clinic and how the proposed Telecommunications Tax receipts were estimated. Alderman Feldman, Director of Housing and Property Services Wolinski, Aldermen Newman and Engelman discussed Budget Memo #3 and the property inspection program. City Manager Anderson outlined a pilot project for the Eighth Ward in the Custer/Callan area to deal with code violations and overcrowding. Alderman Feldman reauested a budget memo detailing that mgra n. (At this time Alderman Hoisman was present.) Mr. Anderson explained that most proposals dealing with the area, such as a reconfigured Foot Patrol, had come because of input from neighbors. He noted that various City departs were serving as resource centers for the neighbors. In response to a question from Alderman Hohmian, he explained that the number of property inspections listed in the budget had been projected four or five months ago, did not reflect the new pilot program, and would be changed in the final budget. A video tape recording of this greeting has been made part of the permanent record and is available in the City Clerk's office. 2 . January 15, 1994 In response to questions from Alderman Newman and Feldman, City Manager Anderson clarified Budget Memo #4 concerning the contingency account regarding overtime for police and training programs for City employees. Alderman Newman - � , 1 a budget memo detailing the training ,, �,City employees had undergone during the nest Year. Mr. Anderson explained that Council approves expenditures for training programs over $5000.- but noted that determining what training is needed is an administrative . , ;- .,y: Cve. Alderman Holsmen made reference to Budget Memo #5, asked several questions about the proposed community based police program. He and Alderman Beat asked to see. the proposed strategy for this program. Alderman .Newman discussed the crime bill currently before Congress and urged that the City get its lobbyist involved. Chief Cooper noted that he was involved with a national group that has been monitoring the bill and already has begun lobbying for it. He discussed some of the adjustments he has made in department deployments in response to needs he identified in the � � .. � � � . , � , . : ty. He also explained that changes were made to certain activity measure projections based on the d ,r,,,.:.,�..�t experience, since those projections were made some months ago. City Manager Anderson made reference to the pilot project in southeast Evanston that was developed in response to neighborhood concerns about crime. Alderman Feldman :;..r.. ", .%;. J concern that other areas would be neglected because resources are being used in that area. Chief Cooper assured him that they were aware of problems in other areas and would deploy where they are needed. City Manager Anderson emphasized that the community policing strategy that Chief Cooper is proposing is an entirely different way of policing, and, although some of the words sound the same, the practice on the street and the impact on the community is totally different. What is being attempted is to structure a different relationship between the neighborhoods and the police and to provide a different kind of service delivery. He suggested that the community policing program could be discussed in future Administration and Public Works meetings to more completely acquaint the aldermen with its concepts and details. He noted that part of the original design for the pilot project included recognition that when you clamp down on activity in a certain area, it drives activity to other areas. The program is designed to deal with that problem. Alderman Bent felt that foot patrol officers would be a good way to identify illegal. activity in places next to senior citizens or to other homes where people might be afraid to call police because of the fear of retaliation. He also expressed great concern about drug traffic moving up Dodge from Chicago and urged Chief Cooper to keep the pressure on all over, particularly in the Fifth Ward, and not to concentrate police activity only in the southeast Evanston area. Alderman Newman reauested a budget memo detailing the number of car and foot patrols in downtown Evanston. At this time Alderman Moran was present. Director Public Works Barber discussed Budget Memo 1t6, Rodent Damage to 90-Gallon Roll -Out Carts, with Alderman Heydemann, Mayor Morton, Aldermen Feldman and Newman, and explained that the City has a manufacturer's warranty for defective parts for ten years, which includes replacement of lids damaged by rodents or replacement of carts if the damage is too great. Alderman Heydemann suggested using a sticker program to inform homeowners that lids could be replaced. Mr. Barber said that homeowners call to let the City know that their lids have holes and to ask whether they can be replaced. He said that the carts are anti -rodent, but not rodent - proof and noted that since the carts have been in use, litter in alleys has been reduced significantly and employee injuries have also been reduced. Alderman Newman felt that a sticker program was unnecessary and thought that employees should report lids with holes to the Civic Center so a replacement lid could be provided without the homeowner having to be involved. Alderman Newman made reference to Budget Memo V, Workers' Compensation and Liability Claims, and asked for a report on the City's rate of exposure to see whether the $1 million proposed for the new Insurance Fund was an appropriate amount to budget. City Manager Anderson clarified that the $1 million was not enough to cover all of the City's existing exposure, but explained that establishment of the fund was a beginning step to address that exposure and the additional exposure that would be added each year. In response to a question from Mayor Morton �.,....,w..s..g the lack of detail about Worker's Compensation cases, he explained that staff was trying to answer budget questions without the use of confidential memos, which would be required if individual Worker's Compensation cases were detailed. 1 3 January 15, 1994 =a° �derman Feldm� requested a budget memo OW the demogranhic breakdown of clients using the bookmobile ;T ° r`at each 00 and the cost of distribution using the bookmobile as opposed to other methods. He wondered whether people who use the bookmobile also use the h1nwy, whether patrons of the bookmobile could be served in another manner and whe' might not be able to be served by any other program. __ Alderman Newman requested a memo detailing security plans for the new librarv. Alderman Feldman requested z== that it include what brovisions the Citv has currently in regard to security and how those security people ad and " .•. under wbk W:.....:s. = Alderman Kent requested a budget memo on the procedure for mspectm sman-grocery stores for violation of sanitation and the location and dates thev were last inspected. Mayor Morton called the aldermen's attention to the fact that it was 11:00 A.M. and they had just concluded their review of the budget memos. She explained that she had another engagement at noon. Alderman Newman noted that additional budget sessions had been scheduled and moved that Council hear the vresentation on, proposed revenues on the next Saturday. Seconded by Alderman Feldman. Motion carried. No nays. Alderman Newman requested a budget memo listing all the vroiects nr000sed for the coming fiscal vear that were previously budgeted in last veer's capital plan. but had to be moved to the 1994-1995 Fiscal Year. Alderman Feldman asked whether any of the new initiatives proposed or contemplated for the southeast area would have any budget impact. City Manager Anderson said that any impact any of those might have are already included in the budget. However, he noted that they may affect recommendations in future years, but it is too early to tell how. He noted that one impact the new initiatives have already had is a reorganization of the Planning Department to eliminate one position and to separate the planning functions to devote one individual's efforts solely on neighborhood planning, one on general planning and one on community development (CD) planning, with links to the housing planner. That has been accomplished with no increase in dollars. There being no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Morton asked for a motion to adjourn. The Council so moved and adjourned at 11:13 A.M KIRSTEN F. DAVIS CITY CLERK 1 33� I- I 1