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Minutes for the Public Services Committee on November 5, 2003.
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Public Services Committee - Special Called Meeting
November 5, 2003 12:00 p.m. in the Huntington Building
Members present: Jim Hargis, Judy Furr, Tim McCall, Dave Young, and Bill Roddy.
Others present were: Larry Johnson, Alderman Farmer, Jason Wilkie, Brad Welbourne, Royce Leonard, and Donna Jackson, City Clerk.
REVIEW OF PARKS DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Southside Softball Complex
Mr. Wilkie recommended $6,000.00 be added to line item 233, “Rentals” for the lease of the Southside Softball Complex. Councilwoman Furr stated she had spoken with the Coordinator for the Parks and Tourism Grant and was informed that once the money is provided, we agree to maintain the facilities in perpetuity. She questioned if funds were being set aside for maintenance purposes. Mr. Wilkie responded saying the current budget reflects the funds available for maintenance, and he would be proposing a plan for future funding later on in the meeting. Councilwoman Furr asked if it would be done like the perpetual care fund, and asked if there was a perpetual care fund for cemeteries. Mr. Wilkie stated there was a perpetual care fund for cemeteries, but the parks maintenance fund would not use the same method as the perpetual care fund.
Software
Mr. Wilkie requested an additional $3,000.00 be placed in his budget for the purpose of hiring a software consultant. The committee made no recommendation for the additional software, and Councilman Hargis explained it is hard to justify when essential items are being limited and when animal control was denied software. Councilwoman Furr questioned if all software requests did not have to go through Information Systems. Mr. Wilkie stated he was told by Alan Young, Director of Information Systems that a consultant was Professional Services and would come out of the Parks budget.
Maintenance Building & Grounds
Councilman Hargis expressed concern with line item 221, Maintenance Building. & Grounds, explaining something is wrong when there is declining maintenance in the face of expensive improvements. He stated what was called maintenance in the past was actually improvements. Councilwoman Furr questioned the difference between line item 221 (Maintenance Building & Grounds) and line item 222 (Outside Maintenance). Mr. Wilkie stated it is actually Outside Maintenance Equipment. Councilman Young stated it was to pay vendors who repair outside equipment.
Concession Revenues - 501-C3
Councilman Farmer questioned the revenue from concessions, saying he thought the amount would be higher. Mr. Wilkie explained that the revenue goes to the Associations who are responsible for providing staff, inventory, and operations with the exception of the football program. He stated the Parks Department operates the concessions for football programs to help supplement the cost of the equipment. Questions were asked regarding revenues of $3,500.00. Councilman Young stated that was money received from the Pepsi Contract. Mr. Wilkie stated he was working on a contract with the City Stars Booster Club to clarify where the money needs to go. He stated the money was intended to supplement the City Stars Program. Councilman Young stated right now there is $13,000 to $14,000 in the account. Councilwoman Furr questioned if we have on file a properly filed 501-C3. She explained efforts needed to be made to assure that we are dealing with non-profit organizations and handling sales tax properly. She questioned if sales tax was involved with the Pepsi and Coca Cola contracts. Mr. Wilkie was unsure but stated he would check on it. Ms. Furr recommended he see that organizations provide him something from the DFA so they would not run into any tax issue problems.
Perpetual Care Fund
Councilman McCall had questions about the Perpetual Care Fund, stating he was unable to locate it, but thought it contained close to $100,000. Mr. Larry Johnson stated it was around $700,000 to $800,000. Councilman Farmer questioned if there was a total amount for the fund in the budget. Mr. Johnson stated he did not know. Councilman Farmer stated there needed to be a balance sheet for the perpetual care fund. Councilman Young responded saying Mr. Flowers had provided a balance schedule and broken the funds down between non-restricted and restricted funds, but the perpetual care fund was not broken out. Councilwoman Furr questioned if the workers for the maintenance of the cemeteries were lumped in with the maintenance of the parks. Mr. Wilkie responded saying yes they were lumped together, but they had attempted to code the bills in order to determine where the money was being spent. Councilwoman Furr stated if that was the case they should be able to pull the funds for perpetual care. Mr. Larry Johnson responded by saying that was not the case, because they were trying to build the fund up so it could be self sustaining. He explained currently there is no revenue being brought in from the city cemetery. Councilman Farmer asked who is responsible for the lot sales. Mr. Wilkie responded the City Collector, Becky Sharp maintained the deeds for cemetery lots. Mr. Farmer pointed out that for several years we did not have a city collector, so who maintained the records. Mr. Larry Johnson stated even though Ms. Sharp may not have been called the City Collector, she took over for Mr. Roy Coble.
Allen Park Paving
Councilwoman Furr brought up the paving of Allen Park, stating that in July of last year the Jonesboro Sun reported the Street Department would begin paving Allen Park that following week, but that was over a year ago and the lot is still not paved. She explained Mr. Jim McKinnon, Grant Coordinator had informed her that they would have to get a grant before the work could begin, and she questioned if there was money available for paving Allen Park in the 2004 budget. Mr. Wilkie responded saying the Public Services Committee had approved the allocation of funds from a Parks and Tourism Grant for three projects, one being the paving of the Allen Park parking lot. He explained it wasn’t part of the grant, but rather access money that had been set aside for the grant. Ms. Furr questioned if money would be taken out of the cash match since the Street Department was doing the work. Councilman Young responded yes it would be in-kind.
Budget Recommendation
Councilman McCall moved, seconded by Councilman Roddy to submit the amount of $1,324,745 with the addition of the $6,000.00 to line item 233, “Rentals” for the lease of the Southside Softball Complex to the Finance Committee. All voted aye.
Parks Suvey
Jason Wilkie provided findings from a survey he had conducted involving 641 individuals who voted on the top five parks projects and how to fund them. Mr. Wilkie explained it was not a random survey, but rather a collection of results from speaking at various civic groups. Councilman Farmer questioned if the Park’s proposal had the Mayor’s approval. Mr. Wilkie responded saying the Mayor supports the effort even though he has not seen the results of the survey. Mr. Wilkie stated he realizes now is not the most advantageous time for capitol improvements, but was hopeful the economy would improve allowing for the improvements in the future. Mr. Larry Johnson and Councilman Young both stated the improvements could be done as money was available, and hopeful they would receive grant money to fund the projects. Councilman Farmer stated they were looking for the impact the improvements would have on the budget and requested an analysis regarding the hidden cost of improvements. Councilwoman Furr stated she would like to see data on the cost for providing security in the parks. She explained there have been police reports filed involving Parker Park and Allen Park and the budget needed to reflect security for the Parks System. She encouraged Mr. Wilkie to conduct some surveys with the minority population since they utilize the parks. Mr. Wilkie stated he plans to do that in the future.
SANITATION
Landfill
Mr. Royce Leonard, Sanitation Director reported on the Clean Sweep Ordinance which will be presented to the full council on November 17, 2003. Questions were asked regarding the landfill. Councilwoman Furr asked what was being paid for the dirt. Mr. Leonard explained the amount varies per yard. Councilman Young questioned the $50,000 in line item 217. Mr. Leonard responded saying is was in anticipation of the new landfill for a consulting engineer. Councilman Young -asked about a $300,000 decrease in line item 221 (Maintenance). Mr. Leonard explained it was a result of the 20% decrease that Mayor Brodell had requested. He further stated he did not anticipate any additional equipment rentals. Councilman McCall questioned if money had been set aside for the closing of the old landfill. Mr. Leonard stated the Finance Director, Larry Flowers had told him there were three or four million dollars set aside, but Mr. Leonard did not know where it appeared in his budget. Councilman Young referred committee members to page 1 under Restricted Funds - Estimated Emergency Reserves Sanitation Fund. Councilman Farmer responded saying the $557,000 is not for the landfill closure because the practice in the past has been a sales tax transfer and they had been keeping a four million dollar reserve at the first of each year, but this year the money was not being transferred. Councilman Young stated without the 2004 transfer it would deplete the reserve. Councilman Farmer pointed out under Capitol Improvements there is 1.8 million dollars which have not been earmarked as of yet, but it will cost ½ million to close the existing landfill, 1½ million to open the new landfill plus 30 years of maintenance for the Class I landfill which is lying under the Class IV landfill. Mr. Leonard corrected Councilman Farmer saying they closed the Class I Landfill and he has the written documentation. He explained anything after 1994 would have to be maintained for 30 years including Class IV landfills. He estimated the cost for maintaining the landfill at $20,000 per year and stated the budget did not contain this expense. Councilman Farmer questioned why new scales were needed if we were going to close the old landfill. Mr. Leonard stated Mr. Flowers had recommended leaving it in the budget because new scales would have to be purchased in the event we opened a new landfill. Councilman Farmer questioned if there was money in the 2004 budget for a new landfill, and stated he thought the 1.5 million dollars included the scales. Royce explained the scales would be in addition to opening the new landfill, even though the budget did not appropriate funds for a new landfill. Councilman Farmer questioned the 1 million dollars for dirt excavation, asking how much of the dirt had been excavated. Mr. Leonard stated dirt excavation is required for the new landfill, and the dirt has already been removed, but the 1.5 million is in addition to the excavation. Councilman Farmer stated five years ago it cost ¼ million to operate the landfill, but ¾ million in 2002, and questioned the increase in cost. Mr. Leonard stated the largest expense had to purchase dirt. He explained with the change in state laws, they have to cover the landfill once a week where as before they did not. Councilman Roddy stated this year alone dirt purchase was $242,000.
Residential & Commercial Sanitation
Councilwoman Furr questioned why apartments do not pay a sanitation fee. Mr. Leonard explained with the passage of the 1% sales tax it did away with the residential sanitation fee. Ms. Furr argued that apartments are rentals making them a commercial account. Mr. Johnson stated apartments are like rent houses which do not pay for sanitation either. Councilman Farmer reported commercial sanitation is not paying for itself. He explained in 2002 we lost $108,000.00 and this year we show a $268,000.00 loss. He reported in 1998 we were breaking even until we did away with the sanitation fee. Mr. Larry Johnson responded saying the city is about providing services, not making money, giving the Fire and Police Departments as examples. Councilman Farmer explained nobody else is in the Police and Fire business, but Jonesboro has private haulers who are able to provide the service without losing money every year. Councilwoman Furr questioned if churches pay for sanitation. Mr. Leonard stated churches pay for sanitation services with the exception of City Youth Ministries. He stated since the property has been sold by the City of Jonesboro, City Youth Ministries would have to pay for the service as well. City Clerk Donna Jackson reported the property at 118 Burke had been sold to City Youth Ministries and she and the Mayor had executed the documents that morning.
Additional Request for Funds - Automated Truck, 2 Chipper Trucks, and 2 additional employees
Mr. Leonard requested one automated truck for $140,000; 2 Chipper Trucks at $20,000 each for a total of $40,000; and 2 additional full-time employees for $40,790.00 The total funds requested was $220,790. No action was taken in order to get questions answered by Mr. Larry Flowers, Finance Director regarding funds for the landfill.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Councilman Hargis moved, seconded by Councilman McCall to approve the minutes of September 15, 2003 and September 24, 2003. All voted aye. Copies of the minutes were provided to all in attendance.
With no further business the meeting was adjourned.