08-28-72 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 28, 1972 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED) vehicles in the department, three are city -owned and 10 are federally - owned. Councilman Horvath asked how two employees can use three cars. Mr. Barbe said that there are 60 people in the Redevelopment Department but only the Relocation officers are on the city budget and that there are actually 60 people using the 13 vehicles. He said they feel the budget, as submitted, was fair. Mrs. Wlodarski asked why the Director of the Department was not listed and Mr. Barbe said that only those employees involved in relocation are included in the city budget. The director is federally funded. HUMAN RELATIONS AND FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES COMMISSION - Mr. Nemeth said the Council is pro - posing cutting 211 Freight, Express and Drayabe to 0. Miss Guthrie asked why we need four employees here with the new cabinet post of Human Resources Director. Mr. Ted Bergeron, Chairman of the Human Relations Commission, said that they don't know the responsibilities of the Human Resources Director. The Director of Human Relations is a full time job in the field of human rights. You need a director and two field workers. The field workers deal with the complaints that come in. Last year there were 774 employment complaints, 4 in housing, 2 in consumer affairs, 10 in the police department, and 1300 in the school system. All of these complaints must be handled and investigated. Councilman Nemeth asked if the field workers work mostly out of the office, do we really need a secretary for both the Human Resources Department and for this department. Dr. Kromkowski, Human Resources Director, said that because of the variety of programs involved in the two departments they both need a full -time secretary. There was a discussion on the Cumulative Capital Improvement Fund and whether the 73 Land Account could be used for other things. Mr. Richardson said that this money was for the acqui- sition of land for the Park Department. Miss Guthrie said the Council could increase the amount in Other Materials in the C.C.I.F. by eliminating the operating balance of $77,838.55. Mr. Watkins said he would not recommend doing this because the figure is arrived at from the cigarette tax and the amount varies and it could very well be less than anticipated. Mrs. Jane Swan, 2022 Swygart Street, said that the top priority of city government should be to relieve the citizens of excessive tax burdens. She asked that the Council take responsible action on the budget. Miss Guthrie questioned the Controller about the balance on June 30, 1972 which was - 843,694.00. Deputy Controller Charles Watkins explained that this was caused by >a late dis- tribution of funds from the County Auditor. This was not deliberate. In going through the normal procedures of payroll and Accounts Payable, there was an overdrawing of eight funds but no overdrawal of the bank account. This was a temporary situation that was completely accidental. Miss Guthrie inquired whether everything was in one account and Mr. Watkins said this is set up by state law. Councilman Miller asked Mr. Watkins if money was taken from the Water Works to cover the overdraft. Mr. Watkins said that the Water Works account is kept separate. Councilman Miller asked why there is not a computation page for the Cumulative Sewer Fund and no breakdown in the 1972 budget. All miscellaneous revenue is estimated. Miss Guthrie said that the Cumula- tive Sewer Fund is not appropriated. Councilman Miller said that the Councilmen did not get the Controller's Report for 1971. Mr. Barcome said that the report was late in coming from Mr. Bickel but the Council will have it very shortly. Councilman Nemeth moved for a short recess, seconded by Councilman Horvath. The motion carried and the meeting recessed at 3:10 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 3:25 a.m. Councilman Nemeth moved that Account A213 in the Mayor's bud- get be set at $1000, seconded by Councilman Taylor. The motion carried. Councilman Nemeth moved that the Controller's budget be amended as follows: 212 Postage to $9,500; 213 Travel Expense to $400, 23 Instruction to $500, 363 Other Office Supplies to $10,000, 51 Insurance to $108,500, 52 Rents to $15,300, 53 Refunds, Awards, Indemnities to $20,000, 62 Social Security to $103,726, 63 PERF to $210,489, 64 Group Insurance to $153,908, and 725 Office Equipment to $1,500. Councilman Miller seconded the motion and it carried, Councilman Taylor casting a nay vote. Councilman Taylor made a motion that Item B52 Rents be left at $35,000. The motion died for lack of a second. Councilman Szymkowiak made a motion that in B11 the number of Accounting Clerks be reduced from six to four. The motion died for lack of a second. Councilman Nemeth made a motion that the City Clerk's budget be amended as follows: Item C215 Transportation Allowance be reduced to 0. Councilman Szymkowiak seconded the motion and it carried, Councilman Serge voting nay. Councilman Nemeth moved that the City Treasurer's budget be amended as follows: Dll, Accounting Clerk III by changed to Clerk III at $5300 and Accounting Clerk IV be changed to Accounting Clerk II at $5980, and that D52 Equipment be cut to $200. The motion was seconded by Councilman Taylor and was carried. Councilman Nemeth moved that the Common Council budget be amended by striking F214 Car Allowance. The motion was seconded by Councilman Miller. The motion failed by a vote of four ayes and four nays. Councilman Miller made a motion to reduce Item 215 Car Allowance to $1800. Councilman Nemeth seconded the motion and it carried. Councilman Nemeth made a motion to amend F213 Travel- ing Expenses in the Common Council budget to $2250. Councilman Taylor seconded the motion and it carried. Councilman Szymkowiak made a motion to delete Fll Attorney from the Common Council budget. Councilman Taylor seconded the motion. The motion failed by a vote of two ayes and six nays. Countilman Nemeth made a motion to amend the City Attorney's budget by deleting G53 Refunds, Awards & Indemnities. Councilman Kopczynski seconded the motion and it carried. Councilman Nemeth made a motion to amend the Board of Works budget by reducing H214 Telephone and Telegraph to $40,000 and H72 Equipment to $500. The motion was seconded by Councilman Horvath and carried. Councilman Miller made a motion to delete Secretary II in the Board of Works bud- get. The motion died for lack of a second. Councilman Miller moved to reduce H221 Electric Current to $450,000. The motion was seconded by Councilman Nemeth and was carried, Councilman Szymkowiak casting a nay vote. Councilman Nemeth moved to amend the Department of Safety budget by reducing P213 Traveling Ex- pense to 0, P23 Instructional Publication to $150 and P72 Equipment to 0. Councilman Taylor seconded the motion and it carried. Councilman Newburn moved to delete the position of Safety Director at $15,000 in the Department of Safety budget. Councilman Szymkowiak seconded the motion. The motion failed. Councilman Nemeth made a motion to amend the budget of the Engineering Department by reducing L716 Other Equipment to $500. Councilman Taylor seconded the motion and it carried.