07-30-91 Special
CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA - CITY COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING - JULY 30, 1991 - 6:00 P.M.
FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM
AGENDA
Please be advised that if a person decides to appeal any decision made
by the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at this
meeting or hearing, such persons will need a record of these
proceedings, and for this purpose such persons may. need to ensure that a
verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the
testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. The City
does not provide or prepare such record.
Pursuant to Section 3.07 of the City Charter of the City of Delray
Beach, Florida, Mayor Thomas E. Lynch has instructed me to advise you of
a Special Meeting of the City Commission to be held in the First Floor
Conference Room at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, July 30, 1991.
This meeting has been called for the purpose of considering the
following:
1. Presentation of City Manager's Budget Package.
2. Set Proposed Millage for Fiscal Year 1991/92.
3. Establish Budget Workshop Dates.
(] ¡: .^U~ '10 f' j¡ IIl/ifIIC ,fl;.
Alison MacGregor Harty
City Clerk
I'll
,
July 26, 1991
Honorable Mayor and City Commission
City of Delray Beach, Florida
The following pages present the personnel, operating and capital
budgets requested by program managers and approved by the
department head and budget staff for fiscal· 1992. Acting on
previous direction from the Commission, this budget has been
prepared using the "zero base budget" approach. The result is a
budget presentation package which is quite different from any
previously used in Delray Beach.
Each department head has had prepared three or more alternative
budgets for each program in their department. These alternative
budgets are referred to as "levels" or, in the language of zero
base budgets, "decision packages". Each level is an alternative
budget for that program and represents a different level of
service. Budgets for the different levels were prepared using the
following guidelines.
LEVEL 1 - Reduced Funding
Each level 1 budget is limited to 85% of the approved fiscal 1991
budget for that program. Managers were required to briefly
describe what effect the reduced funding would have on services.
LEVEL 2 - Continued Funding
This level represents the services which can be provided if
funding is limited to the same amount as the fiscal 1991 budget
for that program. This represents a reduction of about 4 or 5
percent in constant dollar terms due to the impact of cost
increases for some supplies and services as well as the impact of
the Cost of Living Adjustment which went into effect on April 1,
1991, and fiscal-1991 merit increases.
LEVELS 3 and 4 - Increased Funding
Level 3 does not exceed 110% of the fiscal 1991 budget. This
level of funding will allow for services to be continued at the
same level as in 1991 with some enhancements. Further
enhancements are presented as a fourth level.
In this book, each decision package or level is summarized on a
program level summary page. On this page, the level of service
which can be provided by each alternative budget is described in a
brief narrative. Detailed backup information justifying each line
item for each level is available from the budget staff or my
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Honorable Mayor and city Commission
July 26, 1991
-2-
office. If any Commissioner has specific questions about
particular line items or program budgets, please contact either
Yvonne Kincaide or me and we will supply you with the information
you want.
THE COMMISSION REVIEW PROCESS
The purpose for the cost and performance information provided
regarding each level is to answer questions such as "What would be
the effect of cutting a certain percentage from a given program?"
In our traditional budgeting system, a program manager asked such
a question could seldom provide an accurate response. With the
zero base approach you can refer to the appropriate program level
summary which contains specific information regarding the level of
service that can be obtained for a lower or higher level of
funding.
Following this letter you will find the Program Level Ranking for
the General Fund. For this ranking I have taken all the decision
packages or levels submitted by the department heads and ranked
them in descending order from most important to least important,
based on my evaluation. This Ranking also includes the cost for
each individual decision package and a running total for the cost
of all decision packages.
Also included in this budget presentation are revenue estimates
based on keeping taxes and fees at current levels. By comparing
the revenue estimates with the running total of costs, one can
quickly see how many decision packages we can afford without
increasing taxes or fees.
At this point, my review of departmental budget requests is
continuing. I know that I will make significant additional cuts
to reduce the cost of various decision packages. In the meantime,
I suggest that the Commission needs to focus on the following
issues.
1. Requests for grants, contingencies and transfers between
funds are not included in the Program Level Ranking. Does
the Commission wish to reduce the amounts requested for any
of these items?
2. Based on current revenue estimates and the amounts set
aside under 1 above, we can fund the first 88 decision
packages in the General Fund Program Level Ranking. Does the
Commission feel that any decision packages ranked 88 or less
should not be funded? Does the Commission feel that any of
the decision packåges ranked 89 or higher are essential to
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.
.
Honorable Mayor and City Commission
July 26, 1991
-3-
fund?
3. Earlier this year the Commission indicated to residents
of Del Aire that Fire Station #5 would be activated as soon
as possible, with a target date of January 1, 1992. This is
reflected in decision packages 103 and 104. Activation of
this fire station is also essential for us to annex the
Delray Community Hospital area, which will bring in
significant additional revenues in future years. Does the
Commission wish to (a) activate the station January 1, 1992,
(b) defer activation until May of 1992, or (c) not proceed
with activation until later? I strongly recommend lI(b)" in
order to keep our commitment to Del Aire while reducing the
impact on this budget year. Then next year, revenue from the
newly annexed areas would help offset this expense.
PROPOSED MILLAGE RECOMMENDATION
The City's ad valorem tax levy is driven, to a large degree, by
what is happening to other revenue sources. Unfortunately, due to
the downturn in both the local and state economies, the outlook
for non ad valorem revenues is grim. We expect these revenues to
decrease from $21,313,382 in 1991 to $18,67a,865 in fiscal 1992.
Our ad valorem revenue outlook remains strong. Due to annexation,
new construction and an average 5.9% increase in assessed values,
if we were to levy a total millage of 7.15 for 1992, this would
give us $1,262,276 in additional revenue over last year.
Revenues available for the activities included in the General Fund
Program Level Ranking will fund everything as currently proposed
through Ranking #88. In my opinion there are activities or
functions included in Rankings #89-102 which need to be funded. I
am confident, however, that by making selective cuts within
decision packages ranked #88 or lower, I can present you a
balanced budget which essentially maintains services to our
residents at current levels if we levy 7.15 mills. I can see no
way to staff fire station #5, however, at 7.15 mills unless
revenues are increased from some other source, or some other
service is reduced. Therefore, I recommend that you set your
proposed millaqe at 7.5 mills. This will allow serious
consideration of staffing fire station #5.
A millage of 7.15, including debt service, represents an increase
of 5.9% over the rolled back millage. The rolled back millage
would be 6.80. A millage of 7.15 compares favorably, however,
with past projections. The projected fiscal 1992 millage was
7.6162 in the May 3, 1989 projection, 7.1776 in the Comprehensive
Plan projection, and 7.867l in the March 20, 1990 projection.
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"'"
Honorable Mayor and city Commission
July 26, 1991
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COST CUTTING MEASURES ALREADY INCORPORATED
In order to minimize the number of lay offs which might be
required to keep the millage at a reasonable level, this budget
proposal incorporates a number of measures to reduce personnel
costs. There is no Cost· of Living Adjustment proposed. Top out
bonuses are eliminated for all employees. (They were eliminated
for department heads last year.) The annual buy back of unused
sick leave in excess of six days is also eliminated. To continue
top out bonuses and sick leave buy back in fiscal 1992 could cost
an additional $766,849 for all funds combined.
I am proposing that nothing beyond Ranking #104 be funded in any
case. This means that seven positions included in the fiscal 1991
budget will be eliminated. The departments and positions affected
are as follows:
Finance *Payroll/Pension Administrator
Accountant
City Clerk Agenda Coordinator
Police *Janitor
*Police Trainer
Planning *Engineer I
Community Improvement Plan Reviewer
*Currently vacant positions
This has been a difficult, and in some cases, painful budget to
prepare. Nevertheless, I look forward to working with you to
develop a final budget which our residents can afford and which
gives them the services they want and need.
Sincerely,
Lif/J~
DAVID T. HARDEN
City Manager
DTH:nr
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CITY OF DELRA Y BEACH
PROORAM LEVEL RANKING
R GENERAL FUND
A FISCAL YEAR 1992
N
K
I Program Program
N Number Cost and Running
§ Program/Description And Level Increment Totals
#
1 Basic Commission 1111/1 128,480
Basic Clerk 1411/1 334,955
Basic Finance 1511/1 603,835
Basic Management Informations Systems 1811/1 455,875
Public Works Admin-Contract Administration 3111/1 103,160
Basic Street Maintenance 3113/1 348,430
Basic Parking Meters - operations 3151/1 41,415
Basic Building Maintenance 3431/1 410,440
Basic Attorney 1611/2 519,508
Debt Service 7111/1 3,866,889
Basic Cemetery operations 4511/1 141,685
Basic Manager 1211/1 193,605
7,148,277
13 Basic Police Adminstratioh 2111/1 1,078,345
Basic Police Support 2113/1 1,706,215
Basic Patrol 2117/1 4,685,495
Basic Fire Administration 2311/1 770,025
Basic Fire Operations 2315/1 4,286,560
Basic Planning Administration and Management 2511/1 188,578
Basic Current Planning 2511/1 236,948
Basic Community Improvement - Admininistration 2711/1 227,455
Basic Commmunity Improv. Building Inspection 2721/1 863,355
Pub WorkslTraffic - Basic Signs & Marking 3141/1 245,810
Parks and Rec - Basic Lifeguard Services 4123/1 552,975
21,990,038
24 Street Lighting 2911/2 449,190
Human Resources - Centralized Personnel 1311/1 262,365
City Clerk - Records ManagemenUSecond Election 1411/2 66,035
Purchasing - Centralized Purchasing 1531/1 145,350
Basic - Police Detectives 2115/1 1,375,785
Police Patrol - Reinstate 30 Officers 2117/2 915,040
Fire Oper - Restore current Fire/Ems Operations 2315/2 794,975
Fire Safety - Basic Fire Prevention 2317/1 390,945
Community Improv - Basic Code Enforcement 2741/1 680,180
PW/Parking - Overtime for revenue collections 3151/2 7,320
Basic Parks and Recreation Adl1)inistration 4111/1 286,435
P&R Athletics - Basic Sports Program 4121/1 251,065
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CITY OF DELAA Y BEACH
PROORAM LEVEL RANKING
R GENEAALFUND
A FISCAL YEAR 1992
N
K
I Program Program
N Number Cost and Running
§ Program/Description And Level Increment Totals
#
P&R Community Center - Basic 4125/1 154,990
P&R Pompey Park - Open Five Days per/week 4127/1 320,765
Parks and Rec Carver - After Schl Program/Summer 4128/1 64,185
Parks and Rec - Basic Park Maintenance 4131/1 1,303,485
29.008,958
40 Police Patrol - Full Police Patrol 2117/3 391,540
41 Police Support - Restore current Dispatch Unit 2113/2 292,315
42 Basic Engineering Services 2911/1 287,476
43 P&R Beach - Man N-1 & Dunes/Man to N-2 part-time 4123/2 101,440
44 PW/Streets - Pothole Repair/11 00 Ft. Sidewalk 3113/2 57,035
45 P&R Admin - Park Ranger/Special Events 4111/2 48,395
46 P&R Pompey-open 12 hrs more /wk - equip repl. 4127/2 56,705
47 P&R Carver - Evening Recreation Program 4128/2 10,740
48 Comm Cntr-open 26 hrs more /wk - Repair & Maint 41 25/2 25,995
49 Bldg&lnsp-Restore Responsive Permit & Inspect. 2721/2 90,340
50 P&R Athletics - Miller Full-time/Equipment 4121/2 44,820
51 P&R Basic Veterans Prk & Center 4126/1 83,050
52 P&R Tennis - Open Tennis Center 4124/1 153,685
53 P&R Parks - Reinstate 6 Staff/ Special Events 4131/2 218,690
54 Bldg Maint. - Current BJdg Maint Support Staff 3431/2 78,560
55 Basic Advance Planning 2511/1 161,007
56 Asst CM - SupporUBasic ACM/Switchboard 1501/1 162,305
57 Budget - 190 Days Budget & Audit 1216/1 101,165
58 Asst CM - Admin/ Basic Services 1802/1 111 ,285
59 Purchasing Central Stores-Warehouse 1532/1 52,055
60 Fire Safety - Increase Inspect 25% over level 1 2317/2 61,105
61 Neighborhood Housing SpecialiSUlmprovement 1974/2 161,815 31/160,481
62 Police Support Restore Information Channel 2113/3 178,275 31,931,156··
63 Police Invest. - Restore 4 Detectives 2115/2 214,675 32.153.431
64 Fire Op - Equip New TruckslRepl Equipmnt 2315/3 332,167 32.485.59.
65 Human Resource - D.L. Checks/Perc&Civil Svc legal 1311/2 35,880 3Z.S21,478
66 Ping/Current-Responsive Review of Devel proposals 2511/2 47,419 J.Z.s68~891
67 Code Enforce-Haitian Outreach/Animal Cntl 2741/2 33,310 ···32602207
.: -. :~-'._--":.
68 P&R Carver - After School Program 412813 8,360 32*610,567
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CITY OF DELRA Y BEACH
PROORAM LEVEL RANKING
R GENERAL FUND
A FISCAL YEAR 1992
N
K
I Program Program
N Number Cost and Running
§ Program/Description And Level Increment Totals
#
69 P&R Veterans Pk & Center-Open Evenings & Wkends 4126/2 14,350 32.624,9 i 7
70 Asst CM/Admin-Fulltime Adm. Asst in C.M Office . 1 80212 23,515 32.64&,412
71 Budget - Full Budget and Internal Audit 1216/2 9,225 32.657,657
72 Pol. Adm-Restore I.A.,Planner,Comm. Relations 2111/2 156.805 32.814,462
73 Engineering - Traffic Engineer Position 2911/2 49,535 32.863,997
74 P&R Cemetery - Rust Inhibitor/Equip Repair 451112 26,470 32.890,467
75 P.I.O - Newsletter/Recognition Events 1316/1 57,600 32.948,067
76 P&R - Tennis Facility Maintenance 4124/2 23,810 32,971,877
77 PW Parking - Meter Replacement 3151/3 5,200 32.977,(117
78 Planning/Advance - Neighborhood Planning 2511/2 48,135 33.025,212
79 Police Investigations-Reinstate 3 Detectives 2115/3 132,335 33.157,547
80 Fire Admin- Training/Replce Equip/Fac Maint 2311/2 117,655 33.275,202
81 Fire Safety - Special Events&Night Inspections 2317/3 17,810 33.293,012
82 Ping/Advance-Monitor CIP, Bch Renour,Sea Turtles 2511/2 71,891 33.364,903
83 Purchase Warehousellnventory Clk to 30 hrs /wk 1531/2 6,160 33,371 ,063
84 Purchase Buying - Support for Bid Quotesl training 1531/2 33,900 33,404,963
85 Asst CM/Support - Mail Courier/Quality I. Prog. 1501/2 33,225 33.438,188
86 Comm Improv/Code Enf- Timely Notices&lnspectors O.T 274113 29,315 33,467,503
87 Engineering - Surveys, Traffic Cts., Laser Plotter 2911/3 33,800 33,501,303
88 PWTraftk-l$ MiIe$MarlcingtSt~~ 314112 4S.525 33.546,821
89 MIS-Programer/UPS MainUCATSlFault Tolerance 1811/2 82,005 33.621,133
90 P&R Cemetery- Improve irrigation and Landscaping 4511/3 14,200 33.643,033
91 City Commission Full Lobbyist 1111/2 29,000 31,672,033
92 Human Resources - Review of Job Descriptions 131113 1,200 33.673,,233
93 P&R Athletics-Add Lighting/Repair/Expand DayCamp 4121/3 15,900 33.689,133
94 Comm Improve - Neighborhood Housing/Full Funding 1974/3 20,000 33.709, 133
95 Bldg Maint-prevent Maint/Storm Shutters/equipmnt 3431/3 7,030 33,716,163
96 Comm Improve/Administration - Training 2711/2 1,270 33,717,433
97 P.I.O - 12 Newsletter - Guests @ Recognitions Events 131612 12,765 33.730,198
98 Parks-Season Help/AHS & Currie MnUTrucklEquipmnt 4131/3 228,290 33,958,488
99 PW Admin-Memberships & Travel/Hurricane Shutter.s 3111/2 16,380 . 33,974,868
100 Planning Admin - Memberships & Training 2511/2 2,400 33,917,268
101 Comm Improv - Permit Filing/Office & Oper Supplies 271113 13,460 33,990~ 728
102 Purchasing Warehouse- Full Service Warehouse 1532/3 15,495 34,006,223
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CITY OF DELAA Y BEACH
PROORAM LEVEL RANKING
R GENERAL FUND
A FISCAL YEAR 1992
N
K
I Program Program
N Number Cost and Running
§ Program/DescriDtion And Level Increment Totals
#
103 Fire Administration - Station #5 Support 2311/4 24,920 34.O3l,143
104 Fire Operation - Station # 5 2315/4 749,410 34.780,553
105 P&R Pompey - Repair&MaintlNew Furniture/Encl Patio 41 27/3 30,550 34.8U,103
106 P&R Community Center - Repairs/PC's 4125/3 4,355 34.815,458
107 Asst. C.M.lAdmin - P.C. for Admin. Assistant 1 802/3 5,090 34,820,548
108 Budget - Print BudgetfTraining 121613 2,510 34,823,058
109 Pub WorkfTraffic - Expedite Sign Inventory 3141/3 29,050 34,852,108
110 P&R Beach - Upgrade Cleaning/Staff N-2 100oÁ! 4123/3 50,705 34.902,813
111 City Commission - NLC Conference/Sunshine Cup 1111/3 25,300 34,928, U3
112 P&R Admin. - LAN Server 4111/3 5,000 34,933,113
113 Finance - Replace system printer & 2 P.C. 's 1511/3 36,830 34.969,943
114 PW Streets-800 ft. sidewalk Repair & 1000ft new 3113/3 36,025 35.005,968
115 Planning Current- Pool Vehicle 2511/3 2,680 35.008,648
116 P&R Veterans Prk-Automate Scheduling/Fire alarm 4126/3 7,500 35,Ot6,148
117 P&R Tennis-Automate Scheduling 41 24/3 5,000 35.021,148
118 City Clerk-Agenda Coordinator/ Preventive Maint 1411/3 43,445 35.064,593
119 Engineer add Staff for CIP MgmUGISlMaster Plan 2911/4 219,350 35,283,943
120 Comm Improv-Building - Plan Reviewer 2721/3 51,425 35.335,368
121 Planning Advance-Planner for Pub. Svc. function 2511/4 30,806 35,366, 174
122 MIS-Programmer/Help DeskfTraining Rm phase " 1811/3 60,325 35,426:,499
123 Finance - Timely Postings and ClosingslTraining 1511/3 52,435 35,478,934
124 Fire Admin- Inventory Clerk 2311/3 26,435 35,505,369
125 P.I.O - Enhanced Picnic & Board Dinner 131613 2.000 35,507,369
126 Purchasing Buy - O.T. for all formal bid workload 1531/3 6,370 35,513,739
127 City Manager - ICMA Conference for CM 1211/3 2,000 35.515,739
Total Expenditures 35.5t.5,139:
Funding Reveues: 33-.53$'-
Expenditure Shortfall 1,916,530
viii
·
[ITY DF DELHAY BEA[H ¡
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE zoo NW 1st AVENUE· DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA 33444
FACSIMILE 407/278-4755 Wr 1. t...r . .. l~.t rC-.»c;'t 1.._1 no
(407) 24.3 7092
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 29, 1991
To: City Commission ~
From: Jeffrey S. Kurtz, City Attorney -----
Subject: city Attorney's Office Budqet
The following memorandum is being provided to you in order to
set forth a more expansive explanation of the City Attorney's
Office budget request for the upcoming year. This is due to
the fact that the City Attorney's Office budget is a separate,
independent matter for consideration by the City Commission,
and thus detailed budget explanations may not be available from
the City Manager's Office.
The city Attorney's Office's proposed budget for 1991-92 totals
$548: 59Q_~00, which compares favorably to the $608,945.00' which
was budget-ed in 1990-91. While wishing to take credit for this
decrease, I must note that the savings is primarily achieved
through an elimination of $30,000 rent and moving line item and
$33,670 reduction in capital expenses versus last year. If the
capital and the rent line items are eliminated from both year's
budget, there is an increase in the budget from $540,275 to
$543,591. This represents a six-tenths of a percent increase
for fiscal year 1991-92 versus 1990-91.
The City Manager has adopted a zero base budget for this year
and the City Attorney's Office has incorporated many of those
ideas into our own budget. As the great bulk of our expendi-
tures is tied up in personnel, be it for in-house personnel or
outside counsel and experts, areas to significantly reduce
spending are greatly limited. Since the office has recently
gone through a period wherein we ran at less than full staffing
1 The $608/945.00 that was budgeted for fiscal year 1990-91
was reduced to $601,445 as a part of the Commissioner's actions
in reducing costs at their May 14, 1991 meeting. However, due
to the extensive use of outside counsel to negotiate labor
contracts, it is anticipated that a significant upward adjust-
ment in our budget will have to be made prior to the end of the
fiscal year.
· .
City Commission
July 29, 1991
Page 2
(two attorneys versus three) and having found that level of
service expected was unattainable at that staffing level, I did
not consider reduction in our current work force. Due to all
the attorneys gaining an extra year of experience and compe-
tence, a slight reduction in outside counsel fees is expected,
along with an anticipated substantial increase in service to
individual City departments. The following is a brief descrip-
tion of the line items and then a discussion of goals and
objectives for the upcoming year:
Total Personnel Services - There is an expected 4.8% ($14,621)
increase in cost for in-house personnel. 2 The increase is a
result of increases to base salaries. Based on her outstanding
performance is my intent to raise Susan Ruby~s salary by 7% to
which equates to the top merit increase available under the
Ci ty' s current pay plan. Likewise, based on performance and
based on the substantial jump in· the learning curve David
Tolces has made in the past year, it is my intention to raise
David's salary by $4,000 to $35,000. Both of these salary
increases will go into effect on October 1, 1991. For my
secretarial staff, in accordance with the Manager's budgeting
policy, I have allocated an average increase of 5% for each of
their salaries.3
The incr§ase requested in the annual salaries for the Assistant
City Attorney's is, in addition to being performance based, in
accordance with my review of public and private attorney
salaries based on Susan and David's current expertise and
experience level. As I have indicated to the Commission in the
past, I believe the appropriate range for Assistant City
Attorney's salaries to be from $27,000 to $65,000 a year. This
range has not been formally encompassed within the pay plan as
salaries are assigned individually on an annual basis.
Outside Attorney and Professional Services - Within the
contractual portion of the budget are included outside legal
services and other professional services (court reporters and
experts primarily), which have been consolidated into two lines
items and reduced from $147,000 to $137,000. Tþe Consulting
2Included within this total are salaries, retirement,
insurance and other employee benefits, along with the attendent
tax costs.
30ne item that one may consider an employee benefit, which
is not included within this total, is the attorneys' automobile
allowances. Such auto allowances are being funded at last
year's level.
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City Commission
July 29, 1991
Page 3
line item has been reduced from $2,000 to $0.00 and has been
merged in with other Professional Services.
Operating Costs. True operating cost items and their attendant
change and the rational for that change are set forth below:
33.14 Medical Services: From $150.00 to $0.00 - Cost was
associated with the hiring of David To1ces. No new hires
anticipated for this year.
33.21 Electric Current: Decreased from $2,500.00 to $0.00 -
It is my understanding that our building's electricity is
hooked up to the same meter with the storage area, the pumps
and the large water storage facility. It becomes impossible to
accurately estimate the cost of electrical services to our
office. Therefore it is my belief that we should be treated
like other non-revenue producing departments, when it comes to
electric, water and sewer costs and like them, not have these
costs alloc~ted to our individual department's budget.
33.27 Telephone and Teleqraph: Increased from $7,500 to
$9,467 - This increase was anticipated by M.I.S. as a result of
our move, more phone lines were added to accommodate the
increaseg space and number of rooms that we have. In addition,
our compuèer system is tied into the City's mainframe by way of
modems.
33.32 Repair and Upkeep Equip: Decreased from $15,723 to
$6,450 - There is an overall reduction in this because I have
removed our computer research cost from this line item to the
Memberships and Publication item; as I felt it was more appro-
priate to include such expenses in wi th general library costs.
This decrease was somewhat offset by departments having to
budget on an individual basis for computer maintenance.
33.41 Rental-Land-Bldq-Structure: Decreased from $30,000 to
$0.00. This line item was eliminated as we have returned to
City property.
33.54 Postage: Increased from $1,600 to $3,000. This was
increased to allow for Federal Express and courier services to
be charged to this line item rather than Other Professional
Services as had been done in the past. It was my judgment that
all mail and delivery charges should come from the same line
item although Fax machine charges come out of Telephone and
Telegraph line item because of the use of phone lines,
33.55 Document and Research: Decreased from $1,200 to $0.00 -
This item I felt more into the category of other professional
...
city Commission
July 29, 1991
Page 4
-services, as it involved title searches and therefore felt it
was more appropriate to expand the professional services line
item to cover this cost.
33.56 Memberships and Publications: Increased from $16,000 to
$25,000 - This item was increased by $9,000 to accommodate our
Westlaw computer research charges out of this particular line
item, as explained above.
33.57 Travel and Training: Decreased from $10,150 to $9,000 -
This was reduced to the 85% level of last year's budget in an
effort to cut back on costs while maintaining a funding level
that allows us to participate in mandatory· CLE programs and
municipal law updates.
33.97 Insurance Expense: Reduced from $15,481 to $13,811 -
This figure was set by the Budget Department.
35.11 Office Supplies : Decreased from $6,000 to $5,000 - I
have combined the office and operating supplies because I could
not tell the difference between the two of them and have
reduced the combined amount by $1,000, as certain expenditures
that were incurred due to our move this year will not be
incurre<t.::.ext year.
60.86/89 Capital Outlay: Decrease from $38,670 to $5,000 - At
this point in time, this remains a rough estimate of the amount
of money that will be necessary to complete the upgrade of our
software operating package and complete access to the City's
mainframe, be it the AS 400. M.1.S, is still reviewing our
situation and should provide complete estimates and plans for
implementation shortly. Current year funds will be used to as
great a degree as possible to complete the computer upgrading
process.
It should be noted that the above budget does not contemplate
Carson, Linn & Adkin's role in collective bargaining to be as
expansive as it has been this year. Should the Commission
desire them to continue in that role rather than transferring
the lead negotiator's position in-house, it would be my
recommendation that the outside counsel line item be increased
by $55,000 to cover those expenses.
In addition to these expenses which are budgeted, the City
Attorney's Office controls with the cooperation of various
other department's non-budgeted legal expenses. These expenses
include those associated with the self-insurance program,
eminent domain and other land acquisition proceedings and the
Aero-Dri litigation. Total legal expenses and costs associated
" ~
city Commission
July 29, 1991 '.
Page 5
with these programs incurred thus far for this fiscal year have
exceeded $350,000. A breakdown of these costs and an update on
the underlying projects and projected expenses may be reviewed
in our office.
Goals and Obíectives. The City Attorney's Office provides a
broad range of legal services to the City, its employees and
off icers. The principal goal is to provide excellent,
effective legal advice and representation at a reasonable cost.
The primary areas within the office that I feel need to be
improved upon are better commitment to and education of out
clients (i.e., the City Commission, Boards, City Manager,
Assistant City Managers and Departments)' and more timely
responses.
To increase the timeliness of our responses, goals are being
instituted for specific tasks (i.e., average review of contract
wi thin 3 days, return of all phone calls wi thin 48 hours,
written responses to internal inquiries within 10 working days,
etc. )
With respect to establishing better communication with the
boards and outside agencies, it is our intent to develop a
periodic newsletter which would give overviews of legal topics
effectiñg--all departments and boards, such as explanation of
public records and government in the sunshine laws. We feel
that such communication will enhance the prevention of problems
by addressing them generally before they occur rather than
constantly reacting to problems that exist.
Should any Commissioner wish to discuss plans for the upcoming
year or have any specific questions concerning our proposed
budget, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will, however,
be on vacation from July 30th - August 11th, and would request
that formal consideration of the budget be delayed until my
return.
JSK: jw