10-28-13 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING OCTOBERT 28, 2013 invest. We heard a number of areas of feedback from Councilmembers that were submitted to us through the Personnel & Finance Committee and have responded to a number of those with adjustments that we have made in the substance of the budget. I will draw your attention to a handful of the most significant financially and of course welcome further questions, that either I or our City Controller can field if there is any desire for further detail on that. One thing that you will notice is a recent adjustment is making sure that we have adequate resources for public safety. This is included $100,000.00 committed for downtown overtime patrols in order to keep up that program that has a got a great response from the downtown community as well as those that make use of downtown, and another $100,000.00 for supplemental bills in the neighborhoods. So that we are sure that we are not neglecting a neighborhood while ensuring that there is safety downtown. We have also made some adjustments to positions; one is now that we are sufficiently optimistic about securing before the end of the year a commitment with public/private partnership with the zoo society that we feel would draw the adjust to the salary of the zoo director from the budget. We had heard the message from the Council that more time would be needed before we ask in any way to restructure the Code Enforcement and Building Departments, so the revised budget that you have before you takes into account the implications and will run as two separate departments. And we have also made sure that we are being clear about the purpose of what I have been considering the Smart Streets Program, so would regard as a separate initiative, but in any case, making sure that we have adequate lighting, which is beneficial to safety and neighborhoods throughout the city. Again, I will look to be corrected if I’m not coloring within the lines procedurally, but I would like to take this opportunity if we are at the right moment in the proceedings to also suggest verbally an amendment that could be made in response to some concerns that were raised earlier today by members of the Council concerning the use of Loss Recovery Fund dollars. So the suggestion that I would like to make is that an amendment be entertained that would adjust the numbers that previous budget outlines we have laid out as being part of the Smart Streets Initiative within the Loss Recovery Fund. What this would do, is this would reduce that line item for Smart Streets by the amount of $350,000 and the purpose of that change would be to ensure that the city has adequate funding protected for the purpose of installing wells as may be needed in order to address the issues in the neighborhood surrounding the New Energy site. I don’t know if everybody is in position to vote on that now or not? Chairperson White: We are going to have comments. Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand: That would be Fund #227; the City Controller is saying yes that is the correct fund. And it is my understanding that all issues or suggested recommendations are going to be aired this evening and not voted on a case by case basis yet. Councilmember Oliver Davis: Is there any other language that would be needed with that? Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand: It is my understanding that there will be further information and that the Corporation Counsel will be in contact with me before Wednesday and we will work out the legal needs of that. Mayor Buttigieg: We will get that language as soon as possible to make clear the intention with which we are protected as well. Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand: If I could just for the record so that we are clear, the City Controller’s Office did file a document, Mr. Murphy specifically I believe a one-page summary sheet and 55 pages of detail that outlines the various items that the Mayor has just outlined and that is all before the Council and is of record with the Office of the City Clerk. Chairperson White: I am going turn to the Council. Again, this is the part that the Council will be able to address the Mayor or the City Controller with any questions or concerns that you might have regarding Bill 45-13, knowing that we will have final action on Wednesday. 4