HomeMy WebLinkAbout091413 CC Min0 The City of West University Place
A Neighborhood City
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF
Bob Pry, Mayor
MlCbxl ppy Or Mete s,
Si SemPlq Mayor Pm Tcm
Alan Pamµ Ciry Anomey
Ed HV&MVq Ge,,Jd=d cr
Thelma Len ;CYdxFmxy
Ioen lvhi COwulmcmbn
Dick Sid,, COUAILIM o
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP MINUTES
City Council of the City of West University Place, Texas, met in a special bucket wcri meeting on
Saturday, September 14, 2013, in the Municipal Building, 3800 University Boulevard, West Universal
Place , Texas beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Notice d the regular meeting was duly pasted in accordance with me Texas Government Code,
Chapter 551,
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Fry called the special wJAahop meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
Council and staff in anendance: Mayor Fry, Mayor Pro Tern Sample, Coumilmambem HaathwO,
Johnson and Verde, City Manager Ross. Assistant City Daredevil Works Director Peter.
Executive AsalstanWaWty City Secretary Moody, Police Chief Walker, Fire Chief Taym. Finance
Director Daugberry, Parks and Recreation Director O'Connor, Human Resources OirectorStandod, and
IT Director McFarland.
Agenda waa as follows:
1. City Finances, Facllltles. Programs. 2012 Taz Rate and the 2013 Budget
Matters related tc C'Ty (names, facilities, programs, 2012 tax rate and the 2013 Budget including
revenues and expenditures for current and fuNre years for all funs, and capital improvements,
ptlomise and related programs and expenditures, including. but not Funded to, recreation facilities,
paddand and other park projects, city facilities, drainage and flood control, VaXk and paring and
other public improvements, and employee benefits.
City Manager Ross reviewed the proposed Budget calendar.
• Seplambi 2013 — Public heading on the 2014 Budget
• September 20, 2013 — Public hearing on the Tax Rate.
• September 30, 2013 —Second public hearing on the tax rate.
• Octoher T, 2013 — Acal oftbe Budget and Tax Rate.
Gry Manager Ross and Finance Director Daugherty presented a side presentation of an overview
of me budget process, expenditures, operating funds, debt service, general fund resources, and
proposed capital dialects for the proposed 2014 Budget.
Oouncilmember Headland stated that the City a spending exceeds me revenues by approximately
$"500,000. Finance Director Daugherty explained that revenues are budgeted vary
City Couwn Budget Modus p Minutes. September 14, 2010
servativety. City Manager Ross stated that because the revenues are so conservatively
projeced, Me expenditures are usually always less than what is projected.
City Manager Ross reviewed Budget highlights, which induced:
• Proposed over used to support this Budget I$ $.03]400 par $100 value, with .19631
supporting Me Maintenance and Operations (WO) and .1]]69 supporting the Debt Sesi
Overall, this Is a .00011 decrease in the tax rate.
There will be an increase in property tax revenue, primany due to the new construction a
homes and an Increase in the property values.
• Rescinding ordinance relating to the City paying 105 pemeM of market for public safety and
establish a 100 percent of market This will have nro budget or recruiting impact. City
Manager Ross slated that at one time Me 105 pemeM ordinance was necessary for
meaning purposes, but now the City 's pay for public safety employees is now in line wits
bench mars cities.
• Personnel costs will be down 4.34 percent by eliminating over full -time positions through
attdtlo r due M technology enhancements and increased efficiencies in delivering services.
The City wilt have 123 full flute a turvalenl positions in 2014 (down from 125 in 2013).
• Operating efficiencies induce eliminating a mater rear ing contract (E4g01N1 savings) and
continued implementation of announced meter reading (AMR). Thmugh the AMR program,
the City will replace all of the City's 6,200 water meters with adio-read meters on a wireless
network. This will allow mature to be read and monitored from the City 's Mility billing office.
• The City will perform a comprehensive compensation study. Which will compare employee
salary and benefHS against comparable th nchnni orders. The last compensation study
occuded in 2008. A 30A pay- foryerformame increase on anniversary dates is proposed for
2014.
• The estimated cost to the Clry in 2014 for the unfunded mandate named the AffeNable Care
Act is $75,000. This cost Wit be passed through t0 the employees. It 'a estimated that the
CM1y will be paying approximately $1 ] million foremployae heats benefits in 2014.
There are no mended in water and serve rotes at this time. Future
Increase may occur in 2014 if passed through by City of Houston.
Using fire vehicle replacement fund, the city will replace seven vehicles in the Public Wanks
• Department. They include: Chevy 2 -ton dump and baler for RecyclExpress; F -150 In
General Services; CCC With Winne 30 yd (ruck) in Solid Waste; and a portable air
compressor, Kubota trailer and Kubota B20 backhce In Water & Sewer 0pera0ens.
• Water & Sewer capital projects Include: RemonA ast College cempreM1ensive infrastructure
rehabilitation; waste water treahnent facility lift station renovations: and cleaning and
painting ground water storage tanks.
• Capital projects include: condition and rebule of the Animal Control shelter: pi roof
replacement on Me Municipal Building; Community Building re- insulation and Senior
Page 2 of 5
citycwncil Budget workshop Minutes, September 14,2013
Services heat pump S air harder replacement Colonial Park concession area
enhancement and pump house energy- efficient lighting addition.
Solid waste fees: Four scenarios regarding solid waste were presented for Cannot
discussion, and they included operating at status quo as well as datum of RecyclExpress
and engine the potential impact to the fee categcdes. Finance Director Daugherty said
continuing to operate at status quo would require a 53% increase in said waste rates.
Solid waste discussion ensued
Counci member Hi adeard Sao this is the time for Coundl to slate its thoughts and he said he wound
be first to say that he Is favor of the sending the Revealed Center. He said he ensure see a future
there that is going to get better, so its time to close it before investing mare money and equipment
into it.
City Manager Ross sad it is starts recommendation to close it.
Mayor Fry sad It Is ong past due to close It and feels closing it will be the best thing for the City.
Counulmember Vehle asked what permintdge of the users of the Recycling Center are West U
residents. Assistant Public WOMB Director Beach said based on a phone survey, ] percent of
residents sad they use H on a weekly basis and 60 — 70 percent of the residents said they rarely
use it.
Counclmember Vehle said he likes having the Recycling Center from a personal perspective, but
from a se ice perspective, he thinks the City con provide the services needed As curbside
recycling and spend less money doing it.
Councilmember Johnson said she agrees who Counclmember Vehle.
Mayor Pro Tern Sample said she wants the Recycling Canter to remain open. She sad the
percentage of the population using the Chews other facilities is about the same his, the pool, senior
servies, etc.) and said there is a discreet part of the populagon that likes each of these things and
they all cost about the same. She said unless the City has a plan for another use of the property,
she seas no reason to dose the Recycled Center.
City Manager Ross pointed out that the Wished di orence is that a madam can't get senior services
or swimming demands, like they can for recycling,
Councilmember Heathmtt said If taxpayers knew Me City was subsidizing the Recycling Center at a
cast of 5250,000 annually, and was primarily used by non -West U residents, he believes they would
be concerned that this is $250,000 that Council is not being good stewards of, Mich is where he is
coming from on Nis. He said he is favor of receding, but he trader think the taxpayers should be
subsidizing it (to this extent) and feels it should be closed down for that reason.
Mayor Pro Tern Sample sand the bottom line Is that 30 parent of Me people use it in some manner
and sad there are a lot of residents who lake lessons at Me pool and go to the Recreation Center
that aren't West U residents.
Page 3 of 5
City council Budget wMsMp Minutes, September 14, 2013
Coundlmember HeaMCot Said services for the seniors and the recreation center, etc., a
Investments In people, Wnereas the Recycling Center is an investment in garbage. He sob he feels
that Mayor Pro Tam Sample's examples are not parallels to the garbage issue.
Coundlmember Yehle printed out that 9 the facility remains open, new equipment will be needed
for appmximatety $200, 000.
Mayor Fry said there is nor right or wrong answer here, but a haM decision has to be made. He said
this has been an issue for three years and the "can keeps getting kicked down the road" and he is
not proposed to kick lt down Me mad to Me next Council. He laid it is sonrething that needs m be
decided for the taxpayers benefits.
Councilmember Yehle said because the services are being fully provided in another way (i.e.
curbside recycling), he is in favor of closing it.
Coundlmembers Johnson and Heatlrun also said they are in favor of dosing it.
Mayor Pm Tam Sample said unless there is something planned Or mat land right now, she Is not In
favor d dosing lt.
City Manager Ross said staff has plans to soliclt proposals from interested parties regarding a long-
term Isese or short-term lease that would put it (the property) out on the market.
Counolmember Yehle said the challenge faced when travelling down Mat mad is Met anything
other than a short -term lease is almost the same as a sale.
Staff will provide more information on the scenangs before the next Coundl meeting, along wlth a
staff recommendation.
Rt this time, Council and stet began discussing benefits and health insurance.
CM Manager Ross compiled that the composed budget includes a compensation study to get
another consultants look at how the City's imposed stacks up against its benchmark odes, frown a
health insumrwe and overall comperaddem package.
Mayor Pro Tam Sample suggested getting UPS from other consultants. She sand she wants the
City to be an Empbyar of Choice and doesn't want to Yaks away benefits, which she thinks are
important, but the City has really expensive insurance antl benefits and Minks heading torn other
countabouts might help; or, if the City does a compensation Study, have Shareholders (employees
and taxpayers) on a committee working through it and gel their views. She said Mere are s r
many alternatives. Mayor Pro Tam Sample Bald everywhere she has marked she had choices from
tiered plans.
Mayor Fry said he rasps= starts profesdongsain regarding the current consultant, but he thinks it
is s good idea m review the choice of consultards every 4 or 5 years, which is why he thinks scat
should do a Request for Proposals when it's time to renege.
City Manager Ross painted out that R the City wants b stay in Me Jud iry consortium, Mere is a
consulting (Gallagher) already hired by the group and the City has no (fired) control over Mat. So.
Me City would have to pay Gallagher, as wren as the narks consultant and the compensation
Page 4 of 5
Cry Council SudgetwMmop Minutes. Sewembar 14 , 2013
consultant, 9 that one is different . He said he is not sure that wa need Mme consultants looking at
this.
HR Director &ended said staff evaluates the plans and designs annually, and that before Me
recommendation is brought to Council, staff has reviewed It with the consultant. She said ruling
her ten -year tenure with Me City, Me Clty has gone from a one -fier system to a four -tier system.
She saitl she feels are have a fair process and said Me recommendation this year was the best
deal,
Councilmember Heathwff said he doesn I think it is Council's role to be in Me operational details of
Me medical insurance.
Mayor Fry said he posts that staff is doing what they are supposed to be doing and as long as they
keep doing it and Council is keeping Me tax promise they made to the residents, Council doesn't
need M be involved except from a standpoint of policy. he feels you have to review chow doing
Me work for you just to be sure there ant anyone out there that can do it better. He said he likes
the idea of setting a policy M review every 5 were
After discussion, Mayor Fry asked staff to bring Council a policy on reviewing
conlmCOrslconsulMnts.
City Manager Ross said it might be better to request qualigcxEOns. Council agreed.
With no further discussion, Counctmember Yehle moved to adjourn at 1130 a.m. Mayor Pro
Tern Sample seconded the motion. MOTION PASSED.
Ayes: Fry, Sample, HeaMmd, Johnson, Yards
Noes. None