City Of Albion

City Council Study Session

November 10, 2014

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Joseph Domingo opened the study session at 6:30 p.m.

II. ROLL CALL

Maurice Barnes (1), Lenn Reid (2), Garrett Brown (3), William Wheaton (4), Cheryl Krause (5), Andrew French (6) and Mayor Joseph Domingo.

Administration: Sheryl Mitchell, City Manager, Jill Domingo, City Clerk, Tom Mead, Finance Director, Scott Kipp, Public Safety Chief, Jim Lenardson, Interim Director of Public Works and Cullen Harkness, City Attorney.

III.	ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSION

A. FY 2015 Budget-Recreation & Special Revenue Funds

City Manager Mitchell asked to have the Recreation Fund postponed to the next

study session.

Council Member Reid stated that we have received the $35,000 check from

Firekeepers for the Holland Park Transformation Project.

Solid Waste Fund:

City Manager Mitchell discussed the declining fund balance in the solid waste fund. She indicated that cutting back or eliminating the leaf pickup would help this fund. We did not budget part-time funds for 2015 for the leaf raking. Suggestions were made by Council to require residents to bag leaves and place them at the curb. She would like to reduce the number of dumpsters the City is currently using.

Comments were received from Council Members Wheaton, Krause, French and Brown, City Manager Mitchell, John Robinson and Mayor Domingo.

Sewer:

City Manager Mitchell stated that we will be conducting a rate study in early 2015 but we will continue with the current rates until the study is complete.

Comments were received from Council Members Reid, French and Krause and Interim Director of Public Services Lenardson.

Water:

City Manager Mitchell stated the wages for the water fund will increase due to the restructuring plan proposed by City Manager Mitchell which will move the Interim Director to the Director’s position, delete the two Superintendent positions, add a Deputy Director, and create foremen within each unit. We will also need to refurbish a pump at a cost of approximately $17,000.

Comments were received from Council Members Barnes, French and Krause, Finance Director Mead, Interim Director of Public Works Lenardson and Mayor Domingo.

DDA:

City Manager Mitchell stated there is about a $15,000 increase in their fund balance for the DDA for 2015.

Comments were received from Council Member Wheaton, Finance Director Mead and Mayor Domingo.

ABA Fund:

City Manager Mitchell went over accounts for the ABA fund.

Comments were received from Council Members Barnes and Wheaton, Finance Director Mead, Public Safety Chief Kipp and Mayor Domingo.

Albion Building Authority:

City Manager Mitchell stated these are the bonds for Maple Grove and the fire barn.

Comments were received from Finance Director Mead and Mayor Domingo.

ABA-Section 8 Housing:

City Manager Mitchell stated that Maple Grove is expecting a light increase in rent effective in 2015.

Comments were received from Council Members French and Barnes and Mayor Domingo.

CDBG Fund:

Finance Director Mead stated we previously had Community Action administering funds through this program for housing rehabilitation. The fund currently has an approximate $8,000 remaining in the fund balance after taking into consideration the outstanding revolving loans.

Comments were received from Council Members Krause and French and Finance Director Mead.

Drug Law Enforcement Funds:

Chief Kipp stated that we have an approximate $23,000 fund balance in the Drug Enforcement fund for FY 2015. These funds are used to purchase equipment for the public safety department and for additional investigations. Account # 265-333 is actual forfeitures and account # 265-400 is IRS reimbursements.

Sidewalk Program Fund:

This is a special assessment started by the City as a ten year assessment for repairing sidewalks. We have three years remaining on the assessment.

Comments were received from Council Members Barnes, Brown, French, Wheaton and Krause, City Attorney Harkness, Jay Loomis, Interim Director of Public Services Lenardson, Finance Director Mead, Chief of Public Safety Kipp and Mayor Domingo.

IV.	ADJOURNMENT

Brown moved, French supported, CARRIED, to adjourn the Study Session.

(7-0, vv).

Mayor Domingo adjourned the Study Session at 8:40 p.m.

____________	_________________________

Date	Jill Domingo

City Clerk