03/06/2010 MinutesCITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION (RETREAT)
March 6, 2010
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Special Study Session (Retreat) of the City Council of
the City of Grand Island, Nebraska was conducted at the Law Enforcement Center, 111 Public
Safety Drive on March 6, 2010. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island
Independent on February 24, 2010.
Mayor Margaret Hornady called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m. The following members were
present: Councilmember's Gericke, Nickerson, Zapata, Ramsey, Dugan, Carney, Haase, Gilbert,
Niemann, and Meyer. The following City staff was present: City Administrator Jeff Pederson,
City Clerk RaNae Edwards, City Attorney Dale Shotkoski, Finance Director Mary Lou Brown,
Public Works Director Steve Riehle, Parks & Recreation Director Steve Paustian, Regional
Planning Director Chad Nabity, Utilities Director Gray Mader, Building Department Director
Craig Lewis, Emergency Management Director Jon Rosenlund, Library Director Steve
Fosselman, Fire Chief Troy Hughes, Police Chief Steve Lamken, Human Resources Director
Brenda Sutherland, Public Information Officer Wendy Meyer-Jerke, and Assistant to the City
Administrator Shannon Oster.
INVOCATION was given by Mayor Hornady followed by the pledge of allegiance.
INTRODUCTION:
Mayor Hornady welcomed the council and gave a brief outline of the day's activities and
purpose. Mentioned were the State Fair buildings going up at Former Park. Comments were
made on Dr. Nalbandian's article "Preparing Councils for Their Work".
DEVELOPMENT OF COUNCIL/STAFF COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES:
City Administrator Jeff Pederson welcomed the group and commented on the importance of this
retreat for the future of the City of Grand Island. City Council and staff were divided into five
groups of five for a Communication Guidelines Exercise. Each group was given 30 minutes to
discuss two guidelines from a set of ten. Each group highlighted their discussion on their two
guidelines followed by a group discussion on each item.
Citizens Request Management System was mentioned as a way for the City to be responsive to
citizens requests in a timely manner.
Break: 9:25 a.m. to 10:35 a.m.
HIGHLIGHTS OF FINANCIAL TREND MONITORING SYSTEM UPDATE:
City Administrator Jeff Pederson introduced Assistant to the City Administrator Shannon Oster
who presented an update on the Financial Trend Monitoring System highlighting the following:
Page 2, City Council Special Study Session (Retreat), March 6, 2010
Community Resources Indicators:
• Population
• Personal Income Per Capita
• Unemployment Rate
• Assessed Valuation Per Capita
• New Construction Permits
Revenue Indicators:
• Revenue & Transfers In Per Capita -General Fund
• Intergovernmental Revenue
• Property Tax Revenue Per Capita
• Franchise Tax Revenue Per Capita
• Sales Tax Revenue Per Capita
• Sales Tax Revenue as a % of Operating Revenue
Expenditure Indicators:
• Operating Expenditures Per Capita
• Employees Per Thousand Citizens
• Average Employee Salary
• Employee Benefits
Operating; Position Indicators:
• Operating Surplus -General Fund
• Unrestricted -General Fund
• Cash Transfers from General fund to Capital Projects Fund
• Capital Projects Fund Expenditures
• Jack Rabbit Run Golf Course
Debt Indicators:
• Net Direct Debt
• Direct Debt Per Capita
• Net Direct Annual Debt Service Payment
CURRENT FISCAL YEAR - PROJECTED REVENUE SHORTFALL AND
SOLUTIONS:
Finance Director Mary Lou Brown presented the current fiscal year General Fund Financial
Overview for 2009/2010. Presented was "What is a cash forecast?"
• Focuses on material cash receipts and disbursements
• Based on actual monthly results and the overall budget, an estimate is developed for each
of the remaining months
• Objective is to provide a picture of the year-end cash balance
• The forecast is continually updated to reflect real-time information and therefore the
projections are constantly changing
Page 3, City Council Special Study Session (Retreat), March 6, 2010
The following current year revenue shortfalls were increasing in both dollar amount and areas of
the budget:
Sales Tax:
Natural Gas Franchise:
Gas Tax:
Food and Beverage:
Total:
Previous View:
$500,000
$170,000
$670,000
Current View:
$800,000
$375,000
$260,000
$ 50,000
$1,485,000
Closures of the original revenue shortfall of $670,000 were attained with the following actions:
General Fund Dept. Savings: $508,080
Management of open positions: $285,300
Library Savings to offset loss of
County funding: $ 97,400
Other specifically identified items: $125,380
Healthcare Premium Holiday: $140,000
Change in General Fund Cash Balance: $ 25,050
Increase related to New Union Contract: <$3,130>
Closure of Revenue Shortfall: $670,000
With the projected revenue shortfall growing to $1,485,000, it had become necessary to expand
the areas where action would be taken:
Previous Closure Actions:
Additional Items:
Use of Cash Balance in gas Tax Fund:
Additional Healthcare Premium Holiday:
Forego Purchase of Aerial Truck & Lift:
Concrete and Storm Sewer Repair:
Total Identified Closure Items:
Remaining Amount to be Identified:
Total:
$670,000
$1,295,000
$ 190,000
$1,485,000
Administration would continue to identify specific items to close the remaining $190,000
shortfall.
Discussion was held concerning healthcare premiums, claims, workers compensation, and
wellness program. Interest rates on CD's were discussed along with gas tax.
FISCAL YEAR 2010/2011 BUDGET FINANCIAL PROJECTION:
$260,000
$140,000
$125,000
$100,000
Finance Director Mary Lou Brown presented the following long range plan model which was
similar to the Cash Forecast:
• The objective is the same - provide a picture of the year-end cash balance.
Page 4, City Council Special Study Session (Retreat), March 6, 2010
• Once the appropriate drivers for revenue and appropriations are determined, it is easy to
extend the model for several years.
• Primary drivers include the projected inflation rate, rates set forth by contract, labor
agreements.
• The model starts with the 2009/2010 Forecast as the "jumping-off point"
The following factors were important to keep in mind:
• Sales Tax receipts make up approximately 45% of the General Fund revenue;
Property
Tax receipts account for approximately 12%
• Approximately 70% of the General Fund operating expense in employee related
• Principal and interest payments for existing debt will continue for some time.
• Heartland Events Center $570,000 annually unti12024
• Library $830,000 annually unti12016
• Law Enforcement Center $861,000 annually unti12018
• State Fair Building $753,000 annually unti12017
• LB 840 obligates us to a $750,0000 annual payment to the EDC
Fiscal Year 2010/2011 revenue growth was projected at 1.1% due to lingering economic impacts
and no projected property tax increases. Expenses were projected to increase 2.2% on a
comparable, year over year basis. Ms. Brown stated some combination of revenue increases,
including tax increases, and/or expense decreases of approximately $3,000,000 was needed. If
the changes were permanent operation changes, reductions in 2011 /2012 would be minimized.
Discussion was held concerning what the ending cash balance should be. Ms. Brown stated the
use of one time items and existing cash balances continues an existing, although non-sustainable
trend.
$3,000,000 translates into the following:
Operational:
• An incremental 12 mil property tax increase equates to $3.0 million
• The sum of $3.0 million equates to a total of 46 employees at an average compensation
and benefits level of $65,000
• Assuming a total of 370 General Fund employees at a daily savings of $96,000, it would
take 31 furlough days per employee to equate to $3.0 million. This would be equivalent
to a 12% pay reduction
One Time (Non-sustainable):
• Review of City owned property for potential sale
• Potential use of General Insurance Fund cash - $500,000 - $1,000,000
Ms. Brown stated Program Prioritization would help us address program reductions. The impact
on our employees and citizens may be dramatic depending on future decisions.
Lunch break: 12:00 noon to 1:15p.m.
Page 5, City Council Special Study Session (Retreat), March 6, 2010
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN/PROJECTS AND FUNDING:
City Administrator Jeff Pederson stated he had staff put together a priority list of Capital
Improvement Projects (CIP) for the next three years. Public Works Department Director Steve
Riehle gave a PowerPoint presentation concerning the CIP Plan/Projects and Funding.
The following CIP Multi-Year Funding challenges were presented:
• No multi-year funding plan exists
• Recommend $3 million per year funding commitment in order to accomplish responsible
level of infrastructure maintenance/expansion
• Gas Tax and Keno revenue expected to generate $1 million per year to CIP for the next 5
years
• Beginning in 2016 annual Library debt payment of $830,000 ends and should be
committed to CIP funding
The following CIP Funding Options for the next 5 years was presented:
• $1 million annual contribution from Gas Tax/Keno leaves $2 million annual funding
shortfall
• Generating $2 million annually through taxation would require 8-9 mill levy increase
• Annual bonding for $2 million would require 1 mil levy increase for every $2 million in
bonding
• $2 million bond each of the next 5 years would result in cumulative mil levy increase of
approximately 5 mils
A brief discussion was held concerning Lincoln Park Pool.
PROGRAM PRIORITIZATION:
Chris Fabian and Jon Johnson presented the Program Prioritization. Compliments were made to
City staff regarding the working relationships during this process. An overview of the process to
date for the City and nationally was given. A `~1ew Normal" for local government was
mentioned.
Fiscal Health of the City through result maps were reviewed in the following areas:
• Sale Community
• Quality of Life
• Strategic, Sustainable and Maintained Development
• Stewardship of the Environment
• Governance
Scoring of each program and peer review by City staff were explained.
Break: 1:30 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.
Page 6, City Council Special Study Session (Retreat), March 6, 2010
Overall spending programs for the City were reviewed. Discussion was held regarding citizen's
response and understanding of the Program Prioritization program in other communities.
Comments and discussion were held regarding the upcoming budget process, timeline, budget
cuts, increased taxes, staffing, future budgets shortfalls, etc.
Mayor Hornady commented on this program as being a remarkable tool in preparing the
2010/2011 budget and for the future.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 p.m.
Qo.C1~ ~~.~-,~.
RaNae Edwards
City Clerk