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07-22-08 Minutes Spec/WSSPECIAL/WORKSHOP MEETING JULY 22, 2008 A Workshop Meeting of the City Commission of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, was called to order by Mayox Rita Ellis in the First Floor Conference Room at City Hall at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday, July 22, zoos. Roll call showed: Present - Commissioner Fred B. Fetzer Commissioner Woodie McDuffie Mayor Rita Ellis Absent - Commissioner Gary P. Eliopoulos Also present were - David T. Harden, City Manager Robert A. Barcinski, Assistant City Manager Douglas Smith, Assistant City Manager Susan A. Ruby, City Attorney Chevelle D. Nubin, City Clerk Mayox Rita Ellis called the special meeting to order and announced that it had been called for the purpose of considering the following Items: SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA 1. DESIGNATION OF VOTING DELEGATE/FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Designate the voting delegate to the Florida League of Cities' 82"a Annual Conference to be held at the Tampa Convention Center/Tampa Marriott Waterside in Tampa, Florida on August 14 -16, 2008. (ADDENDUM) Mayor Ellis advised that a designated voting delegate would have to be appointed to attend the 82"a Annual Conference to be held at the Tampa Convention Centex/Tampa Marriott Waterside in Tampa, Florida on August 14-16, 2008. Mx. Fetzer advised that he may not be able to attend because of a prior business commitment. Mayor Ellis stated she would attend the 82"a Annual Conference. Mr. Fetzer motioned to designate Mayox Ellis as voting delegate fox the 82"a Annual Confexence, seconded by Mx. McDuffie. Upon roll call, the Commission voted as follows: Mr. McDuffie - Yes; Mayor Ellis -Yes; Mr. Fetzer -Yes; Said motion passed 3-0. Mayor Ellis adjourned the Special Meeting at 6:03 p.m. WORKSHOP AGENDA 1. Review of Budget Task Force Recommendations and Proposed Budget. David T. Harden, City Manager, introduced this item and stated his memo would address the first 15 recommendations of the Budget Task Foxce; the other recommendations would be discussed at a latex date. Mx. Harden asked fox direction on these recommendations. Mr. Harden discussed $1.50 convenience fee per transaction when using a credit card on the website or the IVR system. It was the Consensus of the Commission to institute the $1.50 convenience fee fox IVR and website services on credit card transactions. Mr. Harden discussed how the City could minimize overtime cost for the First Night event. Mx. McDuffie asked if the overtime is predominately Police overtime. It was the Consensus of the Commission to support the recommendation of staff to work with the First Night Committee to minimize overtime costs and have as much of those costs as is financially prudent covered by First Night revenue, beginning at a level of $7,000 for FY 2009. Mr. Harden discussed an increase in reimbursement of costs paid by local non-profit organizations from 65% to 75%. Robert A. Bazcinski, Assistant City Manager, advised that the biggest impact would be the Dekay Affair and the Garlic Fest, the two largest events. Mayor Ellis advised she would like to have additional information on the impact this increase would have on smaller non-profit organizations that are struggling. It was the Consensus of the Commission to support staff recommendation to review polity and evaluate the impact of the increase. Mr. Harden suggested that employees begin to pay a premium of $10 per pay period for those who participate in the HMO Insurance Plan. He advised this would be a collective bargaining issue and direction is needed if this should be brought up in negotiations that will take place later this year. Mr. Safford discussed the different insurance plans fox HMO, POS and PPO. Mr. Fetzer asked if the Florida League of Cities or any other organization could provide a comparison of City benefit costs. He advised that an employee being charged a premium for health insurance is inevitable. Mr. Harden advised he would get more information and surveys and bring this item back to Commission at a latex date. July 22, 2008 Mr. Harden discussed a recommendation to eliminate double overtime pay created by using "floating holida}~' assignments in the Police Department. It is the Consensus of the Commission to support what the City can do administratively within the existing contract. Mr. Hazden discussed reducing overtime by eliminating vacation and holiday time as time worked in the calculation of overtone pay. He advised this would have to be negotiated in all the contracts. Mx. Fetzer stated the Commission would need to remain fair. The issue definitely needs to be addressed since it was brought to their attention by the Budget Task Force. Mr. Fetzer stated he did not know the common practice fox handling time not actually worked in private sectors. Mayor Ellis advised it is not a common practice. Mr. Harden discussed legislation to have Police overtone taken out of pension minonum benefit requirements to help bring pension costs under control. He advised accomplishing this would be a challenge because of contract negotiations. Mr. Safford discussed some of the challenges of the pension plan and its legislation. Mr. Fetzer asked if this particulaz issue was discussed in the meeting on July 16, 2008. It is the Consensus of the Commission that this should be a legislative priority. Mt. Harden proposed eliminating fixed monthly caz allowances and pay employees based on actual business mileage. He stated that employees receiving a car allowance other than those that receive the allowance by contract be required to document their city mileage at least one (1) month per yeaz to demonstrate they meet the minimum requirements to receive the allowance. Mx. McDuffie asked what is the per mile reimbursement fox the State. Mx. Hazden advised that the City is $0.44 per mile, which should be increased because of the increase in gas prices. Mayor Ellis questioned if a set amount of money was given but not documented for business mileage by employees that get car allowances and what happened on an employee's individual tax return. Mr. Hazden advised the employee would have to pay taxes on their allowance. The employee can document their mileage and submit their documents on their tax return as a business deductible. 3 J»ly zz, zoos Mayor Ellis asked if mileage included employees driving to and from work Mr. Fetzer stated a reasonable approach would be to require at least one (1) month per quarter instead of one (1) month per year to document business mileage. Mr. McDuffie advised more of a measurement is needed. He agreed at least one (1) month per quarter is reasonable. It is the Consensus of the Commission to measure business mileage fox car allowance eligibility one (1) month each quarter. Mr. Harden recommended eliminating Fire Department management supplemental education pay for education levels that axe required for the job description. He discussed the potential savings to the City. Mx. Safford explained the state requirements and the education supplement program for the Fire Department. Mr. Harden explained that this would be a bargaining issue. He stated that the Fire and Police Management would have to be rteated similarly with their packages. It is the Consensus of the Commission to concur with staff recommendations. Mx. Harden discussed education pay fox Police officers by including State required payments fox Police education within hourly City supplemental education pay. It is the Consensus of the Commission to concur with staff recommendations. Mx. Fetzer advised that recommendation 11 to reduce education pay by changing the hourly supplemental education rate in the Police department to a fixed monthly amount so that all employees receive the same amount for a degree should be reviewed by the City Attorneys office. Mx. Hazden advised that the City Attorney has reviewed this and it would have to be calculated into overtime pay. He advised a possible solution would be to calculate into a monthly rate but it would have to count towards overtime. Mx. Hazden discussed the elimination of overtime pay to exempt employees that receive Fait Labor Standards Act (ELBA) time. He stated that thirteen (13) exempt employees were identified as being paid overtime in 2007. Two (2) of those thirteen (13) employees that should not have been paid overtime have been corrected. The remaining eleven (11) have certain circumstances that would be in the best interest of the City to pay overtime. He gave examples of some positions like Battalion Chief and Communications Manager. Commission concurs with staffs recommendation. a Duty zz, zoos _. Mr. Harden discussed his suggestion to reduce the cost of the tuition reimbursement program. He advised on the Director of Planning & Zoning and Senior Planner positions require a Masters Degree. Mx. Harden stated he does not want tuition reimbursement eliminated, but he wants the Tuition Reimbursement Policy reviewed to ensure that it is consistent with the City's employee development objectives and recognizes its financial limitations. Todd L'Herrou, Budget Task Force member, discussed a tiered program fox tuition reimbursement. Mayor Ellis discussed hex thoughts on the City paying tuition reimbursement and suggested that the program needs to be reviewed so that it is logical to the City and the employees. Mr. McDuffie stated that some of the issues appear to be management and personnel policies that would need to be addressed. Mr. Fetzer agreed that Department Heads and Human Resources need to be reminded of what to approve for the Tuition Reimbursement Program. It is the Consensus of the Commission to accept the recommendation of staff and review the Tuition Reimbursement Policy. ,_ Mr. Hazden discussed changing the certification pay for mechanics to a fixed monthly amount instead of a percentage of gross pay to eliminate differences due to overtime. He advised this will be a bargaining contract negotiation. It is the Consensus of the Commission to agree with the recommendation of staff. Mr. Harden discussed the City contribution to the Retire Healthy Insurance Trust (VEBA) to 2% instead of 3.3% since the City savings from fringe benefits was not realized and the payment would be fixed with annual increases. He advised that a more in-depth survey should be done around the State of Florida on this pazticular type benefit. Mayor Ellis questioned if VEBA is a separate entity from other medical and health insurance. Mr. Harden advised it is a separate entity. He stated he would find out how surrounding cities axe handling this. Mayor Ellis adjourned the Workshop Meeting at 7:28 p.m. 5 July 22, Zoos C~... _ ~ ~ . ~ .:,, City Clerk ATTEST: ~~a ~~ MAYOR The undersigned is the City Clerk of the City of Dekay Beach, Florida, and the information provided herein is the Minutes of the Special/Workshop Meeting of the City Commission held on Tuesday, July 22, 2008, which Minutes were formally approved and adopted by the Ciry Commission on Aueust 5.2008. Ciry Clerk NOTE TO READER: If the Minutes you have received are not completed as indicated above, this means they are not the official Minutes of the City Commission. They will become the official Minutes only after review and approval, which may involve amendments, additions ox deletions to the Minutes as set forth above. 6 J,~y 22, 2ooa