08-11-14 Personnel and Finance - Laserfiche WebLink

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PERSONNEL & FINANCE AUGUST 11, 2014 4:40 P.M. Committee Members Present: Valerie Schey, Dr. David Varner, Derek Dieter, Henry Davis (AB) Citizen Members Present: Chris Huff Other Council Present: Tim Scott, Dr. Fred Ferlic, Oliver Davis, Gavin Ferlic, Karen White Others Present: Mark Neal, Jessie Davis, Janet Cadotte Agenda: Bill 14 -75 Personnel Polices for Elected Officials 2015 Budget Overview — Mark Neal Valerie Schey, Chair of the Personnel and Finance Committee with a quorum present called the meeting to order in the Council Caucus Room and promptly accepted a motion from Dr. Varner, seconded by Derek Dieter to recess and reconvene in the Council Chambers. Two items were listed on the committee agenda. As a courtesy to Deputy Mayor Mark Neal, department heads and the three dozen or so members of the public attending, Valerie allowed Mark Neal to present a 2015 budget overview. Using an overhead slide presentation Mark outlined the main priorities to be reflected in the budget submitted to the Council for review, and ultimate passage, at the last meeting in October. He also emphasized the financial challenges the City will face again in 2015, namely rising costs of services with flat, at best, revenues. Mark went on to thank the Council for sharing their perceived priorities, pledging a cooperative, collaborative budget review process. The budget overview and financial challenges are depicted in the attachments to these minutes. During the Council question portion citizen member Chris Huff had a few questions about economic development monies. He wanted to know the level of overall spending, the sources of ED funds as well as where they are spent and by whom. Dr. Ferlic reemphasized that public safety was and always should be the top priority. Karen White again put emphasis on quality of life issues in neighborhoods. Karen felt clean and safe neighborhoods should be a top priority. Valerie Schey made reference to a letter she had written expressing a litany of concerns. Among her concerns were the escalating costs per home of demolition costs. The true costs of the "smart streets" initiative. Getting a better handle on CSO separation mandates including scope and scale of the program. Here Valerie set an admittedly optimistic goal of cutting the CSO separation costs by 25 %.