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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-25-82 Personnel & Finance (IIr•. c ntflrr Entail Wu the Qlnmmnu (Qountil of the OIUUJ of$outti Mend: Personnel and Finance Committee August 25: The August 25, 1982 meeting of the Personnel and Finance Committee was called to order by its chairman, Councilman Beverly Crone at 5: 15 p .m. in the Council meeting room. The meeting was originally scheduled to begin at 4: 30 p .m. however due to the Mayor's executive session carrying over, the meeting was not convened until 5: 15. Persons in attendance included: Councilmen: Serge, Harris , Zielinski, Voorde, Crone, McGann, and Szymkowiak, Sherrie Petz, Joe Kernan, John Leszczynski, Marchmont Kovas and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand. The meeting was called to continue the review of the 1983 budget for the Civil City of South Bend. A handout was furnished the Committee suggesting possible cuts by Councilman Crone. The Committee then reviewed each department and the line-items within each. The meeting was recessed at 7:00 p .m. so that the councilmembers could attend the special meeting of the Common Council set at that time. The August 25, 1982 meeting of the Personnel and Finance Committee was reconvened at 8: 55 p .m. by its chairman Councilman Crone. The Committee continued to review each line-item within the cost centers . Councilman McGann made a motion seconded by Councilman Voorde to recess the meeting until August 26,1982 at 4:30 p.m. The motion passed 4-0,with the meeting being recessed at 9 :50 p.m. August 26 : The August 26, 1982 continuation of the Personnel and Finance Committee was reconvened at 4:30 p .m. by its chairman, Councilman Crone. Persons in attendance included Councilmen Voorde, McGann, Crone, Harris , Beck; Rich Hill, Thyra Overton, Chief Thompson, Chief Brassel , Sean Watt, James Seitz, John Lezczynski, Bob iJiezgodski, Rick Switalski,Jon Hunt, Irene Gammon, Kathy Barnard, Brian Hedman, and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand. Councilman. Crone began the meeting by stating that the purpose was to continue the review of the proposed budget. She then noted by line-item each of the recommendations which would be added back to the proposed cuts . Initially$400,983 was proposed, with a recommendation of $137, 100 be added back in. Councilman Crone also indicated that the City Clerk had suggested that instead of cutting her budget $500.00 that $456.00 of this amount be applied to line-item 363 Equipment Repair so that it would be raised from $1, 850.00 to $2,306.00 . The recommendation was forwarded to the City Administration. Councilman Crone thanked all the department heads in furnishing additional written information in response to the proposed cuts which were presented at yesterday' s meeting. Page 2. Personnel and Finance Committee Councilman Crone then stated that presently the committee is not convinced the proposed budget amounts must be approved as submitted initially by the City Administration. However, the Comittee was present to listen to each department and its individual concerns . The Committee then listened to each department head who desired to verbally express concerns about his or her budget. The Committee meeting was recessed at 6: 15 p.m. to be reconvened on Monday, August 30th at 7: 30 a.m. August 30: The Persoinel and Finance Committee meeting was reconvened at 7:30 a.m. by its chairman, Councilman Crone in the informal meeting room of the Common Council. Persons in attendance included: Councilmen: Szymkowiak, Voorde, McGann, Beck, Crone, and Harris; Sherrie Petz, Joseph Kernan, Chief Brassel, Rick Switalski, March Kovas , and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand. Councilman Crone then reviewed the updated list of proposed monies that would be cut and then transferred to other accounts . Joseph Kernan reviewed the City Controller's budget with the Committee. The Committee agreed to make the changes as set forth in the revised attach- ment. As a part of this revision, Councilman Voorde made a motion seconded by Councilman McGann that line-item 155 in the Controller' s budget -(unemploy- ment compensation) be amended to a $10,000 reduction. The motion passed 4-0. Chief Brassel then addressed the Committee. He specifically highlighted the proposed $40,000 in line-item 151 which would be for the testing cost of a mandtory physical fitness program for the Fire Department. Standards would be set by age. He speculated that each station may be equipped with a bicycle at some point. He did not know what the ongoing cost would be to continue the program annually. The Chief indicated that previously the department used seven men to a truck and was now down to four; thus the City cannot afford to have people who cannot their own share. Councilman Szymkowiak questioned the program. He referred to the federal program regarding the Reserves and thought that something similiar to it could be incorporated. He has seen more overweight policemen than firefighters. He stated that the Chief should not rule out using the King Center gymn which was open to the public. He believed that the program as proposed was a waste of the taxpayers money. Councilman McGann had concerns in three areas : 1) whether firefighters would devote off-duty time to exercise or part-time jobs , 2) whether the Department was just trying to weed out, and 3) wheither the City would be forced to pay overtime. Councilman Voorde made a motion to place the $40,000 back into line-item Page 3. Personnel and Finance Committee 151 of the Fire Department. The motion died for lack of a second. Councilman McGann made a motion to place $25, 100 of the $40, 000 proposed back into line-item 151 for physical calculated at $100 per firefighter. The motion died for lack of a second. The Chief indicated that only 40 men had been hired since 1977. Councilman Crone suggested to delete line-item 151 of the Fire Department since the Committee did not have a consensus . The Committe agreed to pull out this item. Councilman McGann made a motion seconded by Councilman Szymkowiak to raise line-item 323 in the Board of Works to $135,000. His explanation was that it incorporated the current cost for telephone usage projected to the end of the year plus a 24%rate increase. The motion passed 4-0. Councilman Voorde added that he strongly recommended that a system be developed so that telephone usage would be done on a cost effective basis . Presently there is no control over monitoring any long distance telephone call and no system behind the type of equipment presently used by the City. Councilman Crone questioned Joseph Kernan whether a letter to this effect would be necessary, and Mr. Kernan stated that it would not be. Mr. Kernan reminded the Committee of his suggestion that $2,500 be added to line-item 432 in the Self Insurance Department, as a new item. Councilman Szymkowiak made a motion seconded by Councilman McGann that $500 be added back to line-item 396 in the Self Insurance 1Department. The motion died for lack of a second. Councilman Crone suggested pulling this item out of the Comittee's recommendation, and the Committee agreed. Councilman Voorde made a motion seconded by Councilman Szymkowiak that line-item 429. in the Fire Department budget be reinstated to $20,000. The motion died for lack of a second. This line-item was pulled out since no consensus could be reached by the Committee. Councilman McGann made a motion seconded by Councilman Szymkowiak that line-item 429 in the EMS budget be reduced by $5,500. The motion passed 3-1. Following further discussion by the Committee, Councilman McGann made a motion seconded by Councilman Voorde that the proposed revisions to the proposed budget for 1983 for the Civil City of South Bend be recommended favorably to the Common Council. The motion passed 4-0. Councilman. McGann made a motion seconded by Councilman Voorde that the money reflected by the proposed revisions be allocated as follows : $125, 618 to CCIF and the remaining amount to no appropriations in the General Fund,.! The motion passed 4-0. Joseph Kernan stated that he would have all of the adff inistrative amendments 'listed on a separate sheet. The Committee would also have all proposed revisions reflected by today' s vote of the Committee in a separate listing. Page 4. Personnel and Finance Committee The Committee then reviewed the entire budget page by page and noted each change which is to be addressed at tonight 's council meeting. There being no further busiress to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 10:25 a.m. Respectfully Submitted, Beverly D. Crone, Chairman Personnel & Finance Committee BDC:j j It should be further noted that the Committee could not ;each a consensus on the following items and thus they were not addressed in the proposed revisions hand-out: Page 31 Fire Department No. 151 $49,000 Page 33 Fire Department No. 429 $20,000 Page 72 Self Insurance No. 396 $ 1,000