Finance Committee Minutes 10/13/09

Minutes of the Finance Committee meeting held on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at city hall pursuant to notice duly given.

1. Meeting called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Chairperson Maas.
2. Roll call: Jack Maas, Dick Doeren, Joe Stiloski, Tom Fulton and Ed Young. Mayor Nerenhausen and Linda Belongia, Administrator and as recording secretary also present.
3. Moved by Stiloski seconded by Fulton to approve of the agenda as presented.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes
4. No correspondence or public input.
5. Discussion proposed 2010 budget; review of budget summary totals with requests from departments and committees as presented; review of levy
limits set by statute; general fund deficit at year end 2008; cannot keep
operating the city without either increasing the mill rate or borrowing for
capital projects; verbal consensus of the committee the budgets have
been submitted with a 0% increase, cannot cut without cutting services
and then manpower; entering negotiations with all four union contracts,
unknown where this will put our finances at this time; concern on what the
increase in health insurance will be; proposed budget shows a
contingency to help meet deficit of our general fund; Mayor stated Police &
Fire Commission were told by Chief Carper at the 10/12/09 meeting that
one of the squad cars has some major mechanical issues and concern in
due to the age of the vehicle on putting more money into it; capital
improvements plan for next 5 years does not include Cook Avenue but the
recommendation on tonight’s council is for approval of the plan with
understanding that Cook Avenue needs to be addressed; Belongia
instructed to contact financial resources on what borrowing $300,000 for
renovation of the public works bldg; $750,000 for Cook Avenue from
Evergreen to Logtown and possibly extending Evergreen to U.S. Hwy 41
and one new squad car; and bring this back to the November 3rd Finance
meeting for discussion and possible recommendation; proposed budget
has an increase in the local mill rate from $7.05 to $7.36;

Belongia directed to issue a memo thanking all departments and committee/commission chairs for the budgets submitted, adhering to the 0% increase and still providing for the services and operating the city.

Moved by Fulton seconded by Doeren to recommend to the Committee of the Whole the 2010 budget as proposed.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

6. Discussion on recommendation from Lifequest to increase some of the fees charged for ambulance service; Lifequest provided survey of area charges for ambulance service; they are recommending to increase our
current charge of $416 for the BLS resident rate to $500; non resident rate
of $612 no increase; ALS1 for resident of $744 no increase; non resident
$994 no increase; Mileage resident $11.50 per loaded mile, no increase;
non resident increase from $11.50 to $12; Oxygen which is a reimbursable
charge increase from $35 to $60; spinal immobilization increase from
$100 to $125; BLS on scene care which is charged when our ambulance
service responds to a call, provides treatment and the patient refuses
transport and/or is simply not transported, increase from $125 to $200;
ALS on scene care for resident of $774 and non-resident of $994 remains
the same, no increase;

Moved by Stiloski seconded by Fulton to recommend to Council to
increase the BLS base rate from $416 to $450 and all other services are recommended by LifeQuest.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

7. No further budget meetings needed.

8. Moved by Stiloski seconded by Young to adjourn. M/C
Meeting adjourned at 5:52 p.m.

Minutes submitted by
Linda M. Belongia,
Administrator