CITY OF
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL
MEETING
CITY
OFFICES
PRESIDING Council Chair LeRoyTurner
CONDUCTING Council
Member Casey FittsRea Goddard
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/
SERIOUS MOMENT OF REFLECTION Council Member Casey Fitts
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Officer John Ferguson
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:
Marilyn Brusch, Casey Fitts, Boyd Marshall
Shane Siwik, LeRoy Turner and John Weaver
COUNCIL MEMBERS EXCUSED:
Michael Rutter
STAFF PRESENT:
Mayor Robert D. Gray
Kyle Kershaw, Finance Director
Steve Foote, Fire Chief
Dennis Pay, Public Works Director
Troy Bennett, Recreation Director
Craig Burton, City Recorder
Karen Rynearson, Deputy City Recorder
STAFF EXCUSED:
David Carlson, City Attorney
OTHERS PRESENT:
See Attached List
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Council Chair Turner moved that
the Council approve the minutes of
MOTION: LeRoy Turner
SECOND: John Weaver
Voice Vote:
Brusch Aye
Fitts Aye
Rutter Absent
Siwik Aye
Turner Aye
Weaver Aye
NO ACTION COMMENTS
MAYOR COMMENTS. None.
There are some people who are concerned about the closing of Workman Field. He spoke with City Attorney David Carlson and they assured them that their baseball season will finish before anything transpires. If there is a problem they have a contingency plan so nothing will be disrupted.
Council Chair Turner also expressed his appreciation for the work put into the budget by the Departments Heads.
Council Member Weaver said in regards to the budget, there appears to be a number of things the Council seems to be in general agreement on. For example, taking revenues from rental property and earmarking that for designated purposes. That and other things they have said are important are not currently accounted for in the budget. They are going to have to find that money somewhere. As he has reviewed the 10 year data they received from Finance Director, Kyle Kershaw most of the departments have a little bit of wiggle room in their budgets. He thinks they could use some of that money to fund some of the projects they have talked about that are higher priorities. There is flexibility within a budget to make corrections and adjustments and the Council has been clear that if there were an emergency situation they would respond appropriately. He tallied up the budgets and believes there is a very thin layer that cumulative can help them address some of the things they’ve talked about. He hopes it’s not looked at as “nickel and diming” but they may have to nickel and dime to get some of the things done they’ve addressed.
UNFINISHED BUSINESSS
MOTION: Shane Siwik
SECOND: Boyd Marshall
Roll Call Vote:
Brusch Aye
Fitts Aye
Rutter Absent
Siwik Aye
Turner Aye
Weaver Aye
MOTION: Boyd Marshall
SECOND: John Weaver
Roll Call Vote:
Brusch Aye
Fitts Aye
Rutter Absent
Siwik Aye
Turner Aye
Weaver Aye
Council Member
Marshall moved to place this item on Unfinished Business for the
MOTION: Boyd Marshall
SECOND: LeRoy Turner
Voice Vote:
Brusch Aye
Fitts Aye
Rutter Absent
Siwik Aye
Turner Aye
Weaver Aye
Council Member Fitts asked if the ambulances were being leased or purchased.
Mr. Kershaw answered that the Council did a budget amendment in March for about $752,000 to purchase the ambulances.
The Council took a five minute recess.
The Council
reconvened at
PUBLIC
HEARING –
Public Hearing to receive public comment regarding the adoption of the
South Salt Lake City Budget for Fiscal Year July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010
Kyle Kershaw advised that this is a budget that does not anticipate any tax or fee increases. The General Fund does increase, but a lot of that is due to a full-year grant. We cut the budget in February/March and there were some positions eliminated in the current budget. The Mayor’s desire is to again have those positions re-established in the budget, but we will not fill them until we know what the revenue situation is going to be. Those are the items that account for the increase in the General Fund.
Council Member Fitts opened the
meeting for public input/comment at
Mark Beverly,
Council Member Marshall noted that we’re pretty much on mark for budget this year. The City doesn’t want to cut anything out that deals with helping the kids. We will fight very hard to make sure we keep those programs going.
Council Member Siwik added that one of the beautiful things about the department is that it’s funded 55 percent by grants. That offsets some of the expenditures that the City would have to bear. We are thrilled with how that department is doing with the grants that Troy Bennett has been able to bring in.
Council Member Weaver said not only is the Council very supportive of particularly the recreation programs that are in place, but the things we’re trying to do in the City for the youth. A major topic of discussion has been additional green space, additional opportunities for citizens of the City. Of all the areas of concern in the City, there’s a very firm commitment to our Rec Department. We’re serious about green space and making sure that we are providing opportunities for our citizens to “walk through the grass with bare feet “ and enjoy some of those things.
Council Member Siwik told Mr. Beverly if he were to ask the Council individually, he would likely find that it was one of the top two that the Council is the most united on.
Mr. Beverly asked, that with Granite High closing, is
Council Member Weaver explained that the
Council Chair Turner added that it will take about a year to work all that through the system, so we’ve got some time.
Council thanked Mr. Beverly for coming to the meeting to participate in the hearing.
Mayor Gray advised that the City is working with the County
and we have several options that have been put together for
Council Member Fitts closed the
public hearing at
Council Member Siwik moved to take
the South Salt Lake General Fund Budget for fiscal year
MOTION: Shane Siwik
MOTION: Marilyn Brusch
Voice Vote:
Brusch Aye
Fitts Aye
Rutter Absent
Siwik Aye
Turner Aye
Weaver Aye
The Council took at short break
until
Council reconvened at
PUBLIC HEARING –
Public Hearing to receive public comment
regarding proposed amendments to the 2008/2009 GENERAL, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT and
AMBULANCE SERVICE budgets
Kyle Kershaw informed the Council that they will be discussing just the General Fund. There are three issues.
The first is the retirement incentive. Two Police Department employees exercised their option to utilize the early retirement at $12,000 a year. There’s a bit of benefit expense with that because of Social Security and some other benefits. An employee in the Street Department is also taking early retirement. The Street Department was under staffed for a lot of the year and the Department can absorb the $12,000 for that employee. Administration is recommending a little more of sales taxes into the General Fund to pay for that.
The other items are the two minor grants the Police Department received, but we didn’t have them budgeted anywhere. Usually when the Police Department gets grants they are for a specific item or purchase. This is to make an expense account where the Chief can accommodate those purchases for those two minor grants – PAL and the Honorary Colonels.
It will be a total adjustment to the General Fund of $32,050 for fiscal year 2008/2009.
Council Member Fitts opened the meeting for public input/comment at
There was no public input/comment.
Council Member Fitts closed the public hearing at
Council Member Marshall moved that the Council take final action on the matter, adopting the amendments to the 2008/2009 budget, with changes to the General Fund in the amount of $32,050, bringing the new budget amount total to $20,999,430.
MOTION: Boyd Marshall
SECOND: John Weaver
Roll Call Vote:
Brusch Aye
Fitts Aye
Rutter Absent
Siwik Aye
Turner Aye
Weaver Aye
Council Member Marshall moved to
adjourn the Regular Council Meeting and to reconvene in a continuation of the
Work Meeting held earlier this evening and temporarily adjourned at
Council meeting adjourned at
____________________________________
LeRoy Turner, Council Chair
___________________________________
Craig D. Burton, City Recorder