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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board Study Session Budget Meeting 10-28-2005 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, October 28, 2005 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the TOWN BOARD BUDGET STUDY SESSION of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Municipal Building in said Town of Estes Park on the 28th day of October, 2005. Committee: Mayor Baudek, Trustees Doylen, Homeier, Jeffrey-Clark, Levine, Newsom and Pinkham Attending: Mayor Baudek, Trustees Doylen, Jeffrey-Clark, Levine, Newsom and Pinkham Also Attending: Town Administrator Repola, Finance Officer McFarland, Clerk Williamson Absent: Trustee Homeier Mayor Baudek called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. 2006 BUDGET PRESENTATION – OTHER FUNDS. COMMUNITY SERVICES FUNDING REQUESTS (General Fund). The Community Service funding including Museum and Senior Center has increased since 1996 from $200,000 to $800,000 for the current budget year, which equates to 7% of the General Fund. Funding levels for 2006 were reviewed. Funding levels are not a guarantee of funding in future budget years. Mayor Baudek and Trustee Levine reviewed all grant applications in detail, and provided recommended funding levels to staff. Funding requests were categorized as follows: ORGANIZATION 2006 BUDGET Arts & Education: Chamber Music Festival, $2,500 Art Center, $2,500 Community Jazz Concert Series, $2,000 Estes Village Band, $1,250 Oratorio Society of Estes Park, $1,250 Cultural Arts Council of Estes Park, $1,500 $11,000 Transportation: Door to Door Transportation Service, $26,800 $26,800 School District: Child Care Program, $3,000 $3,000 Housing: Estes Park Housing Authority, $234,700 Habitat for Humanity, $7,500 $242,200 E. V. Public Library District $27,600 Youth: Cub & Boy Scout Program, $3,000 Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success, $32,000 Estes Learning Place, $3,000 Partners of Estes Park, $5,000 Non Profit Resource Center, $3,000 PACK, $7,500 $50,670 Town Board Budget Study Session – October 28, 2005 – Page 2 Partnership of EP Research should be updated to read Estes Valley Non- Profit Resource Center. Trustee Doylen questioned the reduced funding for E.V. Multicultural Connections and their current status. Administrator Repola advised the organization would continue to provide English education to the non-English speaking community. The organizations funding was reduced based upon spending levels of last year. Trustee Doylen requested staff review the status of the organization. Comments to the Town Board are summarized below:  Janice Newman/EVICS Board President – Working in connection with Larimer County Early Childhood who provided 22% of the 2006 operating budget. The organization will help coordinate other childcare organizations within the valley. The money received from the Town will help EVICS serve the community with grant funding to be pursued for future operation costs.  Nancy Stevens/EP Music Festival – Thanked the Board for past funding. The organization received a large one time only donation this past year, which is reflected in the budget. The group was seeking support for the concert on the July 4th holiday at Performance Park.  Fr. Rorex/Crossroads Ministry – A considerable portion of the funding received from the Town goes towards services in Estes Park. The largest sum is spent on medical care at the Salud Clinic. Estes Valley Multicultural Connections Board has split with half the Board resigning, and the Executive Director has been given notice. The organization will not operate through the winter; however, services will continue spring of 2006.  Doug Frisbie/Salud Foundation – The foundation did request the same funds as the previous year; however, additional funds are need since the foundation runs on a deficit each year. The Town funds would not go towards the new facility and would be used for services. State funds for indigent care may be cut if Referendum C fails. Trustee Doylen recommended consideration be given toward funding the Salud Foundation an additional 10%.  Lloyd Scott/Chamber Music Society – The Society sponsors the Chamber Music Festival every September. All funds are donated or collected from ticket sales. He thanked the Board for their continued support.  Eric Blackhurst/EPHA Chairman - Thanked the Town for its ongoing support of the Housing Authority. EPHA is committed to decreasing their needs from the Town and is working toward self-sufficiency.  Frank Shavlik/E.V. Non-Profit Resource Center – Thanked the Board for funding and reviewed their role in offering guidance in grant applications, training, etc. to enable non-profit groups to become financially independent. He stated the Board should meet with the ORGANIZATION 2006 BUDGET Food Tax Refund $20,500 Human Services: Crossroads, $22,500 E.P. Salud, $20,500 Radio Reading Service, $500 E.V. Multicultural Connections, $4,670 Options for Healthy Living, $2,500 $50,670 Sister Cities Int’l. Conf. Student Participation, $9,900 $9,900 Town Board Budget Study Session – October 28, 2005 – Page 3 Board of Multicultural Connections to review their needs. The organization is an important group that should be funded.  Kay Rosenthal/Options for Healthy Living – Questioned if this years funding could be used for the Parish Nursing Home. This years project will include a program “Vial of Life”. All medical information would be posted on the outside of an individuals refrigerator for easy assess in case of an emergency. The Board confirmed the funds could be used for both programs.  Ron Wilcocks/Cultural Arts Council of Estes Park – CACEP will be sponsoring Art in the Park summer of 2006.  Jim Thompson/Sister Cities Organization Vice President – Funding would be used to send youth (high school junior through college freshman) to the International Convention to be held in Washington DC. The organization is working towards becoming independently funded. Those youth that attend the conference provide a presentation to the Board and write newspaper articles regarding their experience.  Ted Synder/Oratorio Society of Estes Park – Thanked the Board for past and current funding. Concluding all public comment, the Board expressed their appreciation to all those in attendance, noting their good work in the community. Mayor Baudek declared a recess at 9:12 a.m. The meeting was reconvened at 9:17 a.m. CATASTROPHIC LOSS FUND. This fund provides $2 Million in working capital for unforeseen losses not covered by insurance. Trustee Levine stated concern that additional revenue is not being placed in this fund and the Board needs to be mindful of potential needs in the future. MEDICAL INSURANCE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. Finance Officer McFarland reviewed the purpose. The Town has a partially self-funded medical plan with a $5,000 stop loss. The current fund also contains a post employment benefit for qualifying retirees. IMA brokerage service fee and an actuarial study required by GASB 45 are included in the expenditures for 2006. The renewal for 2006 includes slight increases in the medical and dental; however a change is life insurance providers decreased costs by 36%. FLEET MAINTENANCE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. This fund tracks cost through work orders with costs recovered by charging the appropriate user/department. Personnel services will increase in 2006 due to full staffing. Staff is estimating a $25,250 operating deficit for the 2006 budget that would be covered by fund balance. Staff will determine how to track the depreciation of the proposed Segway to be purchased by the Police Department. Discussion followed on the decreasing fund balance and the potential need to raise rates to maintain fund balance. Staff was directed to establish the needed fund balance. VEHICLE REPLACEMENT FUND Funds are transferred from each department with vehicles to fund depreciation of current vehicles and accumulate funds for the replacements of those vehicles. 2 vehicles (dive truck and water truck) have been purchased with this fund. Staff will evaluate the target fund balance for the total accumulated depreciation of all vehicles and include as a comment within the fund. POLICE PENSION/FIRE PENSION FUNDS. Police: There is one surviving spouse receiving a benefit of $214/mo. This fund was closed to new enrollment in 1988. Town Board Budget Study Session – October 28, 2005 – Page 4 Fire: An actuarial study was conducted in 2005 at a cost of $6,000. Staff will note study under budget comments and provide detail information regarding the decrease in O&M. FOSH. Administrator Repola advised staff would contact Thorp Associates to update drawings for the proposed theatre at the Stanley Fairgrounds. AMS would be contacted to provide an updated study on the cost to operate the proposed facility. $30,000 line item will be added to O&M for this study. Accurate costs need to be established prior to requesting a mill levy increase for operations. If the theatre is not deemed feasible in 2006, the funds will be donated to a non-profit organization to support the arts. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. This fund provides for employee recognition, motivation and events (annual picnic and Christmas party). Employee cash incentive of $50.00 will be replaced in 2005 with a choice of clothing items available. This program will be eliminated in 2006. INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. This fund is new for 2006 and will provide computer information system support to the Town of Estes Park government. Mgr. Mahany will provide assistance in establishing a work order system similar to fleet maintenance. Cost will be charged to each department based on the number of units. Services provided by this fund include computer maintenance, security services, copiers, audiovisual systems, optics, wireless vehicle equipment, and network support and infrastructure. The computer technology advisory team has suggested an audit be performed on the system to determine redundancy and security. $7,500 will be added as a line item to O&M for this study. COMPENSATION. Administrator Repola distributed a memo regarding COLA, merit and bonus allotment for 2006. Staff has reviewed other local municipalities: Fort Collins 5.9% increase (1.9% COLA, 4% merit) and Loveland 3.5% merit with no COLA. Staff proposes a 1.7% COLA, 1.2% merit, and 1% one time bonus. Discussion followed on updating the market study, a focus on grades lower than 60, concerns the salaries could fall behind other communities in the future, timing of reviews i.e. quarterly, hire date, first of the year. Staff was directed to (1) emphasize merit increases for grades below 60 and bonuses for 60 and above, and (2) retroactive merit increase. MISCELLANEOUS. Transportation Fund: Administrator Repola advised an additional Enterprise fund would be created to track transportation expenses. This fund would be presented at the November 8th Town Board meeting. There being no further business, Mayor Baudek adjourned the meeting at 11:10 a.m. Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk