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Home My WebLink AboutMIN 02.09.2009 CC-WThe City Council of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met in Regular Session on the above date with Mayor George Garver presiding. Council Present: Council Absent: Patty Eason, Bill Sattler, Pat Berryman, Keith Ben Oliver, Dale Ross, Mayor Garver Brainard, Gabe Sansing .......... .. Staff Present: Paul E. Brandenburg, City Manager; Patricia E. Carls, City Attorney; Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations; Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration; Ken Finn, Animal Services Manager; Kevin Russell, Director of Human Resources and Civil Service; David Morgan, Police Chief; Leticia Zavala, Controller; Elizabeth Cook, Acting Director of Community Development; Terri Calhoun, GUS Paralegal; Mark Thomas, Economic Development Director A Presentation on the completion of the recommendations of the Humane Society of the United States consultants -- Ken Finn, Animal Services Manager and Paul E. Brandenburg, City Manager Brandenburg reviewed the item and spoke about the history of the transition to the new Animal Shelter. He said the City brought in HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) to do a business audit of the animal shelter. He said, from this report, HSUS came up with over 400 recommendations. Finn said the process started in 2005 and added the Animal Services Department is happy to report that it has now completed the recommendations that were received from HSUS. He went over the high points of the many recommendations from the Humane Society. He spoke about the background and history of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). He said the HSUS provides consultation services nationwide and they spent three days with the City. He noted they gave the City a list of preliminary recommendations, followed by a final report. He said the initai report after the site visit was mostly positive in nature. He said the final report from HSUS was delayed because they were involved in Hurricane Katrina's relief efforts. He noted the final report was presented at the end of 2005. He spoke about the Task Force which was established to review the report. He listed the member qualities of the Task Force and spoke about it's many duties and accomplishments. He reviewed the many recommendations given to the City related to animal sheltering and animal care procedures, animal shelter facitilies, sanitation, staff safety, standard operating procedure and updates, field operatins of Animal Control Officers, staff development, the volunteer program, fundraising, and community relations. He said many of the recommendations were implemented immediately after the consultants finished the site visit and he listed those recommendations. He added most of the other recommendations were implemented within the first year. He reviewed the benefits and improvements that will occur after the completion of all of the recommendations given to the City. Eason said a lot of this has resulted in reduction in euthanasias and improved adoption numbers. Finn said it has been several months since the City has euthanized a dog on the sole reason of lack of available space. Sattler asked and Finn said, when they do fundraising, those monies are used directly for the Animal Shelter. Sattler asked and Finn said about half of the frequent volunteers are Sun City residents. B Discussion regarding proposed changes, additions, and deletions to the City's Personnel Policies -- Kevin City Council Meeting Minutes/February 9, 2009 Pages 1 of 3 Russell, Director of Human Resources and Civil Service Russell said there are six policies that will require Council action and he reviewed those proposals. He said a lot of the routine changes which do not require Council action are related to the City's new logo. He noted the ones that do require action are related to policy. He reviewed those policy changes. He spoke about Policy #311, regarding the hours that are earned by police and fire. He also spoke about Policy #340 and said it removed references to ICMA-RC. He reviewed the changes to Policy #350 as well as Policy #360, which deals with the sick leave pool. He reviewed how the sick leave pool has been used in the past. He said there is now a bank of sick leave in the City Manager's budget. He said people who run out of sick leave can request additional sick leave from the City Manager. Eason asked and Russell said the sick leave bank is quantified in money and not hours. Russell explained the sick leave process. Berryman asked and Brandenburg said this process replaces the ability to donate sick leave from one employee to another. Eason said it seems that time would be easier for them to donate than money. Russell said the time goes in at one rate and it may come out at a different rate. He added money is still going to be involved. He spoke about the possibility of employees abusing their sick leave. He said, since the City has implemented this change, the City has not spent more than $2,000 from the $10,000 sick leave line item. He said Policy #520 will add clarifying language dealing with bulletin boards. He spoke about Policy #770 and said the policy now includes DUI violations. Sansing asked and Russell said the City is insured through TML. Sansing asked and Russell said the City policy states employees are not allowed to smoke or use chewing tobacco in City -owned vehicles. Sattler asked and Russell said Human Resources will run driving records on applicants as well as current employees. Russell said he is going to be coming back at a later Council meeting so that these changes may be considered for possible approval, He said Family and Medical Leave has changed to refer to time off regarding military families. He mentioned pay for performance bonuses. Brainard asked and Russell said there is one employee who is currently serving overseas in the Army National Guard. Brainard asked that Russell provide a comparison of the City's vacation accrual rates with Round Rock. Brainard asked and Russell confirmed employees begin to accrue longetivity in the first year of employment. Sansing asked and Russell explained the longevity pay process. Brainard asked and Russell said the City does not pay out sick leave for employees hired after September 2004. He added, if an employee was hired prior to 2004, he or she will be paid sick leave up to 60 days. He said sick leave payout was also removed after September 2004. C Presentation and possible discussion regarding General Fund excess funds from 2007/08, as well as, previous years' excess funds appropriated in the 2008/09 budget as "1 -time" expenditures -- Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration Rundell said this presentation is in response to questions about excess fund balance. She said the definition of fund balace is excess fund assets over fund liabilities and reserves. She said excess year end funds is the difference between what is projected and what is actually available. She gave Council a fund balance example. She spoke about why there is excess funds and said the City always assumes there is going to be an excess because funds are projected conservatively. She noted excess funds averages between $300,000 to $2 million each year, depending on revenue cycles. She added the funds are un -appropriated and remain in the "fund" until next budget cycle. She said Council can authorize the use of excess funds at Mid -Year. She showed Council a graph of a historical look at excess funds. She spoke about the difference between excess and contingency funds, saying contingency funds are "rainy day" funds which are non -appropriated and based on budgeted days operating expenses. She said the budget contingency reserve for 2009 is $6.5 million. She showed Council another graph of the growth in the general fund "contingency" funds. She mentioned the excess funds from 2007/08. She said there was excess because of the prior period revenue adjustment and because year end revenues were higher than projected. She added there were also departmental expenditure savings. She said, with the $2 million excess in the 2007/08 budget, it will offset the budget operating shortfall for 2008/09. She said the estimated un-obligated/uncommitted year end 2008 fund balance is $721,000. Brainard asked and Rundell said the $721,000 is leftover from last year which Council can use for one-time projects or it can be saved as "rainy day" funds. Rundell said the City will not have savings this year. Berryman asked and Rundell said, for the current budget, the City is projecting 98% of the City's collection in property taxes. There was much discussion about the leftover fund balance from 2008. Rundell spoke about the 2008/09 Approved 1 -time projects and then listed the 1 -time projects that have been completed, those that are in progress and those that are on hold. Sansing asked and Rundell said the traffic signal acquisition would allow the City to take over some of the signals from TXDOT. Brainard asked and Rundell said the estimated unexpended fund balance at the end of this fiscal year is $721,000, which is to say the City will not have funds left if it funds everything it says it will. Rundell said the big thing that is going to hurt the City is the revenue and added she estimated the City is about $2.5 million short. Eason said, even though the projects have been postponed, the City Council Meeting Minutes/February 9, 2009 Pages 2 of 3 WE City will have to do them eventually. She added her concern is, once the City needs to follow through with the projects, it will be difficult to find the money. were many questions. There Meeting recessed to Executive Session under Sec. 551.071 and Sec. 552.072 of the Open Meetings Act -- 5:20pm Meeting returned to Executive Session at 6:05pm Motion by Sansing second by Sattler adjourn -- 6:05pm The meeting was adjourned at 06:05 PM. Mayol(George Garver City Council Meeting Minutes/February 9, 2009 Pages 3 of 3 Attest: