Finance minutes 8/4/09

Minutes of the Finance Committee meeting held on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at city hall pursuant to notice duly given.

1. Meeting called to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. Roll call: Jack Maas, Dick Doeren, Joe Stiloski and Ed Young. Excused: Tom Fulton. Also present: Mayor Nerenhausen and Linda Belongia, Administrator and as recording secretary.
3. Moved by Doeren seconded by Joe Stiloski to approve of the agenda as presented.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 4 ayes
4. Correspondence or public input. Belongia asked the Finance Committee when they would like 2010 proposed budgets; Maas asked that a memo be sent to all department heads and committee chairs that budgets be turned in giving them 30 days to have their meetings etc to set the budgets; verbal consensus with the economy and state budget shortfalls we need to look at 0% increases for 2010;
5. Discussion/recommendation on:
a. Tax exempt properties and consideration on asking if these properties would be willing to make a PILOT (payment in lieu of tax) for the municipal services they receive.
Belongia handed out report from Assessor dated 8/3/09 showing exempt properties for the City of Oconto that Ron Banach gave an approximate value of $34,130,000; Maas stated the Finance committee needs to go on record at least asking if these exempt properties would be willing to make a voluntary PILOT; referenced the information provided by the League of Wisconsin Municipalities; Mayor suggested we check with the City of Marinette, the Luther Home pays a PILOT…see how they’ve come to agree with such a payment; Mayor also stated we need to look at the list complied by Banach and determine what properties we are looking at asking to make a payment; Belongia will make some inquiries and report back at the next Finance meeting.

b. Recommendation from BPW to refer the bids received for a new public
works building; two bids received one from Best Built, Inc. for
$693,167.42 and the other from United Construction for $730,914.00;
Belongia’s memo provided additional information on building repairs,
tour of facility by Mayor, Maas and Belongia; Rural Development
originally up to $100,000 could be available…is this available if we would
only do repairs; Maas stated the buildings definitely need repairs but asked
for a breakdown on the cost of repairs such as a new roof, replacing the steel foot plate; replacing the sidewall approx 8’; new insulation and some electrical that has deteriorated from water damage;

Moved by Stiloski seconded by Doeren to reject the recommendation from
BPW and refer this back asking for them to look into repairs, getting a
breakdown on the repairs and also find out if the $100,000 would be
available for repairs.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 4 ayes 1 absent


c. Recommendation from BPW to install PVC based on the design drawn by WPS along S.T.H. 22 to allow for underground electrical lines;
Mayor stated the PVC will be placed underground in three different locations, at an estimated costs of $300 for the PVC; city employees will do the work and that labor costs will be charged to the project; at some point in future we would then be able to run the electrical lines underground;

Moved by Doeren seconded by Stiloski to recommend to Com of the Whole approval of installing the PVC based on design drawn by WPS along S.T.H. 22 to allow for underground electrical lines.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 4 ayes 1 absent

d. Recommendation from BPW to accept contract change order #1 for Peters Concrete Company in the amt of $63,825. Mayor stated this change order is the result of having to redo some work on S.T.H. 22 which DOT stated they will pay ½ the costs to bury the water lines deeper; they will not agree to paying anything on the sewer lines, but Mayor stated we have to redo the work and will go back to DOT on trying to get some help with paying for this;

Moved by Young seconded by Doeren to recommend to Com of the Whole to accept change order #1 for Peters Concrete Company in the amount of $63,825.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 4 ayes 1 absent

e. Recommendation from Park & Rec to transfer the responsibility and budget funding for the City Docks Park are to the Park & Rec department. Maas stated he asked at budget time last fall that each department that has seasonal employees, that these funds be separated out to show how much is being budgeted for seasonal employees; Belongia stated currently the park & rec seasonal employees do the lawn cutting and charge their time to the Harbor Commission, Park & Rec & Harbor Commission have discussed this at their meetings which has resulted in the recommendation before the Finance Committee.

Moved by Doeren seconded by Stiloski to recommend to Com of the Whole approval of transferring the responsibility and budget funding for the City Docks Park area to the Park & Rec department.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 4 ayes 1 absent

f. Memo from Mike Bake, Municipal Judge on surcharge increase in fees, which were passed with the state budget. Maas stated this is another mandate from the state;
Moved by Young seconded by Stiloski to recommend to Com of the Whole approval of the increase in the surcharge fees, which were passed with the state budget.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 4 ayes 1 absent

g. Recommendation from Park & Recreation on purchase of a utility vehicle for the parks as budgeted for an amount not to exceed $6,000 (was tabled at 7/7/09 Finance meeting for more info on park & campground equipment).
Maas complimented Kale Proksch, Park & Rec director on the excellent report he provided on the equipment for his department; the funds were budgeted for in the 2009 budget.

Moved by Doeren seconded by Stiloski to recommend to Com of the Whole approval of the request from the Park & Recreation to purchase a utility vehicle not to exceed $6,000, which is a budgeted item.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 4 ayes 1 absent

h. Moved by Doeren seconded by Young to approve and recommend to Com of the Whole the listing of accounts payable for $209,638.16; payroll for $120,406.80 and financial reports.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 4 ayes 1 absent

6. Moved by Stiloski seconded by Young to adjourn. M/C
Meeting adjourned at 5:53 p.m.

Minutes submitted by
Linda M. Belongia,
Administrator