HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/25/2006 Study Session Minutes
MINUTES OF MARANA STUDY SESSION
MARANA SENIOR CENTER, 13250 N. LON ADAMS ROAD
4:00 P.M.
MAY 25, 2006
PLACE AND DATE
Marana Senior Center, May 25, 2006.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
By Mayor Honea at 4:01 p.m.
COUNCIL
Ed Honea
Herb Kai
Bob Allen
Jim Blake
Patti Comerford
Tim Escobedo
Carol McGorray
Mayor
Vice Mayor
Council Member
Council Member
Council Member
Council Member
Council Member
Present
Present
Present
Present
Excused
Present
Present
STAFF
Mike Reuwsaat
Gilbert Davidson
Jim DeGrood
Frank Cassidy
Jocelyn Bronson
Roy Cuaron
Corrina Gill
Town Manager
Assistant Town Manager
Assistant Town Manager
Town Attorney
Town Clerk
Finance Director
Budget Analyst
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
GENERAL ORDER OF BUSINESS
A. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
1. THE FISCAL YEAR 2006-2007 BUDGET OVERVIEW.
Mike Reuwsaat, Town Manager, addressed the Council and noted that at last
week's budget study session, the revenue side (25% operational and 75% CIP) of
the budget had been discussed. Today's session would be devoted to personnel,
operations and CIP as recommended in the budget document. Mr. Reuwsaat
noted that an average of 33 positions per year had been added during the last five
years. This year, however, though the Town is experiencing the same or lower
growth, and there would be fewer positions added. As in previous years, police,
parks and recreation and transportation are the primary recipients of funding. Mr.
Reuwsaat referred to the list of new positions contained in the budget document
and added his support for two positions - the purchasing coordinator and the
payroll specialist. He said that the Town would be trying to work with the City of
Tucson in utilizing their vendors and contracting procedures which should yield a
better return on dollars spent.
MINUTES OF MARANA STUDY SESSION
MARANA SENIOR CENTER, 13250 N. LON ADAMS ROAD
4:00 P.M.
MAY 25, 2006
Gilbert Davidson, Assistant Town Manager, reviewed two public works positions
which would be backfill for Keith Brann and Kevin Thornton. An administrative
assistant would be split funded between public works and the building
department. One coordinator position would be added to operations and
maintenance.
Council Member Escobedo inquired on the $30K difference for the signal
technician to contract out rather than hire in-house.
Mr. Davidson said that the management would continue to look at unfunded
positions in all departments. Mr. Reuwsaat said there could possibly be an
increase contracting dollars for the legal department rather than add another
position until next year. He also noted that a decision was made to hold off on the
economic development staff person until there is more infrastructure in place.
The Town would be using interns in the interim.
Jim DeGrood addressed park personnel and noted that the Town will add parks
and miles of new trail systems that will require maintenance. The Town will take
possession of the Gladden Farms Park in mid-summer. There will be an increase
in next year's budget to accommodate for the additional parks and trails.
Mike Reuwsaat stated that the police department is receiving the largest dollar
amount of funding. There is a need to provide an assistant chief and two field
command positions to liaison between the sergeants and the lieutenants. If
growth occurs at the expected rate of 1500 new homes this year, it will be
necessary to add three officers to keep up the current ratio of officer to resident.
Mr. Reuwsaat also noted that one-third of the overtime is for dispatch due to long
shifts. One additional records clerk need to be added to keep up with the growth,
and crime scene processing needs another position with Tom Mooney moved to a
supervisory position. He noted that the Town will not merge with Northwest Fire
District for one or two years. If the merger with Northwest Fire District is
completed, the fire consortium will be responsible for personnel.
Chief Vidaurri addressed the reason for not being able to fill dispatcher positions.
Stress and competition are both factors regionally. He noted that testing for
dispatchers is very stringent in Marana, and that they lose applicants at the
polygraph and psychiatric evaluation levels. However, once hired, most are
staying here. The issue of paying higher salaries is being reviewed. Roy Cuaron
and Paul Ashcraft said that the difference is about $1 to $3 difference in pay; but
that Marana is on target with smaller agencies. Chief Vidaurri noted that they are
holding off on hiring a records analyst this year.
It was noted that Water is an enterprise fund, and that a GIS utility specialist,
utility maintenance worker, water line construction inspector and water backflow
specialist are being recommended.
MINUTES OF MARANA STUDY SESSION
MARANA SENIOR CENTER, 13250 N. LON ADAMS ROAD
4:00 P.M.
MAY 25, 2006
The cost for position reclassifications is a little over $13K.
Mike Reuwsaat noted that since 2001, the employee base for the town has tripled.
From now on, every new position will be looked at with a more stringent set of
criteria.
Moving into the Operational section of the budget, it was noted that the first page
of General Fund expenditures can be eliminated as the numbers were skewed.
There will be a new focus on line item performance in the upcoming operational
budget. Mr. Reuwsaat also noted that management would need to watch the long-
term effect of higher salaries.
Jim DeGrood noted that increased costs in parks and recreation are largely due to
water, chemicals, fuel and oil increases and the cost of operating the community
programs, which runs about $40K annually for leasing facilities. Management
may be looking at a 2008 bond funding with the county for additional regional
recreation facilities. Schools won't corne online soon enough to accommodate the
need.
Tony Casella addressed the cost of warranties for products related to the WW AN.
The Town is faced with costs related to service agreements and equipment that it
didn't have before.
Mr. Reuwsaat addressed miscellaneous expenses or outside agency funding for
$235K. He noted that $50K would most likely be pulled from the list for the
PGA tournament as that expense would be linked to I-I0/Tangerine interchange
cleanup. He also noted that staff would be drafting a policy for charitable giving.
Mayor Honea noted that Miracle in Marana, the junior rodeo and the bike tour
should be added to this fund for a better investment picture. Mr. Reuwsaat said
that the $50K listed for the PGA could be divided up for those projects with no
loss to the others.
Mr. Reuwsaat then addressed the five-year historical expenses baseline trends.
He noted that the R T A expects to begin collecting on the half cent sales tax on
July 1, 2006. That will give one month of overlap between Marana's half cent tax
of about $400K. He noted that management will discuss with the Council using
the $400K to help the business community.
The CIP accounts for $86M outside the general fund. Jim DeGrood noted that
from the airport CIP of $11.5M, $10M is corning from outside - FAA and other
grants. Some of this spending is contingent upon obtaining state land. The
Manager is recommending not moving forward with the terminal until all pieces
are in place.
MINUTES OF MARANA STUDY SESSION
MARANA SENIOR CENTER, 13250 N. LON ADAMS ROAD
4:00 P.M.
MAY 25, 2006
Mr. Davidson noted that the CIP for document imaging for the Clerk's office is
moving forward with $150K of the requested budget. This will get the current
scanning project going. It is anticipated that next year's budget will include the
additional $150K + to catch up the backlog of documents, of which there is
estimated to be about one million.
Mr. Davidson also discussed public works totals. Those asterisked in the
document are ongoing and current. He then reviewed the Human Resources GIS
budgets.
Mike Reuwsaat reviewed the IT CIP, noting that this cost is to replace servers and
take old ones to the MOC to replicate. There is a need to get all data on one
system. The Town will use the equipment that it has. The new website will be
launched in August, noting that the current site is difficult to maintain. Macros
will be added to the new site to increase user applicability.
Mr. Reuwsaat stated that management is also looking at employer-assisted
housing for Town employees. Operations and maintenance will be adding new
vehicles for replacements. He also discussion police and water CIP and
developer-financed projects. He would like to get $15M in reserves for future
years.
Mr. Reuwsaat said that the adoption of the tentative budget is scheduled for the
June 6, 2006 regular Council meeting and adoption of the final budget will be
held at a special meeting prior to the regular Council meeting on June 20, 2006.
He also stated that this CIP program is the most aggressive ever pursued. Council
Member Escobedo thanked all department heads and all staff for their dedication
and assistance in preparing the tentative budget.
Mike Reuwsaat noted that there would be a workshop scheduled to review the
administrative policies that are being formulated.
B. ADJOURNMENT
The study session adjourned at 5:46 p.m.
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing are the true and correct minutes of the study session held on
May 25, 2006. I further certify that a quorum was present.
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