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Home My WebLink About09/13/2000 City Council 00742';' 9/13/00 CITY OF THE COLONY DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS SEPTEMBER 13, 2000 The WORK SESSION of the City Council of the City of The Colony, Texas, was called to order at 6:45 p.m. on the 13th day of September 2000, at City Hall with the following roll call: William W. Manning, Mayor Present John Gordon, Councilmember Present Lewis Jue, Councilmember Present David Stanwick, Councilmember Present Al Garcia, Councilmember Present John Dillard, Councilmember Present Dave Kovatch, Councilmember Present and with seven present, a quorum was established and the following items were discussed: 1.1 Review and discussion of the 2000-2001 Municipal Budget Personnel Committee Recommendations: The following new positions are recommended by the committee: General Fund: Engineering Tech $ 60,000 Deputy City Secretary $ 38,000 Upgrade Planning Secretary $15,500 Upgrade Finance Secretary $ 3,464 Capital Projects Accountant $14,$00 Librarian/Adult Services $ 42,855 Police Records Coordinator $ 24,800 Upgrade Sr. Center Coordinator $10,800 Total $210,919 Utility Fund: Water Dist. Operator $ 30,000 Utility Billing Coordinator $13,389 Special Fund Fleet Maintenance Tech. $ 33,600 New Personnel Total $287,908 Mayor Manning asked for consensus on the above recommendation. All council agreed. The following positions were also requested and discussed as possibilities: 9/13/00 General Fund Park & Rec. Crew Leader $ 30,000 Park & Rec. Program Coordinator $ 32,500 Animal Control Officer $ 27,160 Upgrade Support Services Clerk/Library $ 5,461 Utility Fund Water Distribution Operator $ 30,000 It was also noted that three police officers had been requested through a grant program. After discussion of each position, the council consensus was to add the following positions in the General Fund: Park & Rec. Crew Leader Animal Control Officer Upgrade Support Services Clerk in Library (Part time position) Mr. Tony Johnston, Finance Director, assured council that funding is available for all positions they propose. Further discussion resulted in the proposal of adding two police officers contingent on approval of grant funding. There was council consensus on further recommendations by the Personnel Committee as follows: Salary Adjustments $ 38,813 Adoption of TMRS 20 year retirement $11,500 TML Medical Increase $ 43,278 Margaret Burkett also asked for council consensus to allow the police and fire departments to hire new personnel in at appropriate salary levels within the pay scale based on experience instead of always hiring new personnel in at the beginning salary. She advised that it has taken several months to hire new people over the past two years due to the existing job market. Council agreed with this proposal. Mr. Johnston advised the capital expenditures (enhancements) had been reviewed and some had been removed already. The council discussed those items, which had been recommended for removal. Chief Van Morrison was present and explained his need for several of the items on the removal list. After discussion the following items were put back on the proposed list of expenditures Dress Blues (uniforms) for 15 firefighters, Bunker gear washer, Elkhart portable deck gun, mower, edger, trimmer, washer and dryer. Police Chief Joe Clark was ill, but Patti Hicks advised that the chief expressed concern about the traffic signal red light indicators being removed since the council was not in favor of the photographic red light equipment. Following discussion, the council consensus was to propose the red light indicators be placed on ev6ry intersection with a s/gnal light, including those proposed at Morningstar & SH 121 an~;tandridge & SH 121. Council agreed to leave in all the items on the list for Fleet Maintenance but they reminded staff that a study regarding privatizing fleet services should be done as soon as possible. Council agreed to leave the amount of money for telecommunications in the budget, but agreed that no funds would be expended until the council could meet with the Telecommunications Board to decide upon the direction telecommunications is to go. 2 9/13/00 The council further directed Ms. Hicks and Mr. Johnston to prepare a comprehensive proposal to complete the city hall/library building and to use Utility Fund reserve funds to cover the cost. Mr. Johnston explained that the Utility Fund had not contributed very much to the construction costs of this building and that it would be equitable to take the money from that fund for this purpose. Mr. Johnston presented the list of capital projects along with possible funding for each. He noted some of these projects will be completed in the next year, but some will be continuing for several years. Replace well cooling towers $ 195,000 Water Production Control System (SCADA) $1,300,000 Water Well #4 (proposed new well) $1,000,000 FM 423 Waterline $1,500,000 Austin Ranch Sewer line to Frisco $2,000,000 Mayor Manning instructed Mr. Johnston to double-check the costs on these projects to ensure they are accurate. Mr. Johnston advised the council that staff is recommending a two cent reduction in the tax rate from $0076.5 to $0074.5. The council discussed the effect of making a two-cent cut versus and three to five cents cut. Mr. Johnston cautioned the council that making too drastic a cut in the tax cut could be detrimental. He advised the city has set a good, positive trend and cutting the rate by two cents will allow us to continue that trend by adding new personnel, buying badly needed equipment and giving some back to the citizens. After discussion, the council agreed to lower the rate by three cents to $0073.5. Mr. Johnston said that would still allow the additional personnel and equipment, but not as much would go back into reserves. The council then agreed to establish the reserve fund at 64 days for the general fund which would allow all the new personnel, the new equipment, three cent tax reduction and $100,000 transfer to the reserve fund (land fund). The council agreed to establish the reserve fund at 80 days for the utility fund, which will allow $236,000 to be transferred to that reserve fund. The required public hearing on the tax rate is set for7:00 p.m. on September 21, 2000. The adoption of the tax rate, budget and the TMRS 20-year retirement ordinance is set for 7:00 p.m. on September 25, 2000. With no further business to address, Mayor Manning adjourned the meeting at 9:00 p.m. William W. Manning, Mayor ~ -~ ATTEST: Patti A. Hicks, TRMC/CMC/AAE City Secretary