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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 18, 2011 Approved Meeting MinutesCITIZENS' BUDGET COMMITTEE Meeting Date: November 18, 2011 Conference Room 3 MEMBERS PRESENT: Carl Hensley, Chair John Culverhouse, Vice Chair Dan Kurek Jane Bachelor Richard Pancoast Edward Lounds Ron Knaggs Patricia "Pat" Ferrick Stephanie Morgan Jay L. McBee Dana McSweeney James Clasby MEMBERS ABSENT: Craig Mundt OTHERS PRESENT: Faye Outlaw Marie Gouin Jim David Mark Satterlee Ken Pruitt Laurie Waldie Robert O'Sullivan Johnny Ortiz Stefanie Myers CALL TO ORDER Beth Ryder Jennifer Hill Don West John Ferrick Michael Quinn Karen Smith Sophia Holt Katherine Barbieri Susan Jacob Mr. Hensley called the meeting to order at 7:31 a.m. He introduced the newest member, James Clasby, Commissioner Mowery's appointee. Mr. Clasby advised the group that he is a. Public Administration Political Science student and wants to get more involved in local government. APPROVAL OF MINUTES -October 21St Meeting Mr. Knaggs made a motion to approve the minutes. Mr. Lounds seconded and asked about department information. Ms. Outlaw said the report would be presented in item three. The minutes were unanimously approved. ESSENTIAL/NONESSENTIAL SERVICES DISCUSSION Department's Functions (see attached) were distributed. Ms. Gouin explained the sheets to the members. Ms. Outlaw explained the format. She is looking for the Committee to Citizens' Budget Committee November 18, 2011 Page 2 give direction on how they want to proceed. Staff will facilitate. Ms. Gouin reminded the group that every meeting must be posted and recorded. Mr. Knaggs said the report was great. He would like more information on the minimum required by statute versus what we are doing. Ms. Outlaw said in general the statutes do not set a minimum threshold. The Board has the discretion to set the level. Functions and number of staff were discussed. Ms. Outlaw said it is up to the municipalities to determine how many individuals need to be budgeted to perform functions that statutes require. Sometimes operations expand and contract. Department Directors and Managers did analyze their departments when they made recommendations on what could be cut. It must be balanced with the level of service to be provided to the public. Mr. Knaggs said the report is a great first step. They are now looking at wants, needs and level of service. Ms. Outlaw said they would provide detailed information for each department in future meetings if the Committee would like. Mr. Knaggs thinks they would like two columns added to the report: how many employees are involved and how much the departmental budget is for each function listed. Mr. Lounds feels there are four areas: essential services, support for essential services, nonessential and administration. Each department may have some of each. He used Housing and Community Services as an example. Ms. Outlaw would like the Committee to define the context. Some folks may think a library is essential. The Board would need to know the Committee's definition of essential and nonessential. Staff will provide the department details. Mr. Lounds thinks the Health Department is support for essential services like Fire Rescue, Law Enforcement and lifeguards that protect the public's safety. He feels libraries are nonessential. He thinks there are a lot of folks that would debate the argument of 4-H being essential. If children are involved in 4-H, chances are they would not be on the street shooting somebody. Could the program be decreased? He feels the Committee should be able to say why and take some heat if cuts are made. Ms. Outlaw and Mr. Lounds think the Committee needs to discuss their criteria. Mr. Knaggs feels there will be a lot of gray areas. He thinks they can use -the categories without defining them upfront. He thinks they will end up with a definition. Mr. Kurek said when you cut the support services, such as Central Services, Purchasing, Administration and County Attorney; some of that responsibility gets transferred to the departments. They have to watch for the effect on the departments and be careful. Purchasing is not just buying things. There are a number of requirements on construction projects. There could be issues on an audit. He used the example of the Attorney's office being nonessential but needed. He thinks they should tread carefully. Mr. Lounds asked if the Attorney's office would be essential support. Mr. Knaggs said it is a matter of degree. One might comply, three might get the job done and five maybe ready for more. Ms. Outlaw thinks the departments coming to the meetings and providing information would be beneficial. She thinks they need a department position breakdown comparison to show what has been cut. She feels we have to look at getting out of some services. The staffing levels. are so low; some areas have to be closed for lunch. Citizens' Budget Committee November 18, 2011 Page 3 Ms. Ferrick said some of the facilities and departments were set up for checks and balances. You have to be careful. Mr. Lounds thinks the discussion brings out thoughts and ideas. He does not think each department should be reduced by the same percentage. Not all departments supply the same amount of essential services. He gave the example of safe roads. Mr. Hensley said that it was what the Board went over last summer. Ms. Outlaw said the Committee played a leadership role in Strategic Planning and expects similar types of discussion. The advantage is they have the time to go through it. She expects FY14 and the process to be challenging. Mr. Hensley thinks they need time to review the information given to them. Ms. Outlaw said staff would work on the next document when given direction. Mr. Knaggs said workload measurement devices would be interesting. Ms. Outlaw said some departments have performance measures. Mr. Knaggs has no problem reducing services if the demand is not there. Mr. Lounds gave examples of relationships between departments. Mr. Hensley added comments on transit. You have to watch for unintended consequences and think about the future. Mr. Pancoast reminded the Committee that we have to get some. cuts in place. He sees hopeful signs, but we are looking at a big shortage in FY14. Mr. Knaggs suggested they pick one department for the next meeting. Mr. Kurek said they need to look at the effects of eliminating a function. Ms. Outlaw suggested using Administration as an example. Mr. Kurek informed the Committee that the Citizens' Budget Committee in Port St. Lucie had been disbanded. Mr. Lounds said one thing that would help FY14 is to reduce double digit unemployment. Current rates were discussed. Mr. Lounds continued that the Task Force was formed with the Chamber of Commerce to try to help streamline regulations to help current small businesses expand if desired and attract new business. 80% of the money generated in the County comes from businesses that are 15 employees or less. He asked for an update. Filling vacant houses would raise the property tax revenue. Businesses would create more income. Ms. Outlaw gave an update on the Task Force. The Chamber made a presentation to the Board. It was supported by the Board. They are pulling out recommendations that could be immediately implemented. They hope to take the. first set to the Board for approval in January. Staff is working with the County Attorney's office. Mr. Lounds thinks when the changes are made to help, it will attract new business. Ms. Outlaw hopes to see the benefits of the efforts. She plans to bring a breakdown of the recommendations. Mr. Lounds summed up what he thinks will help. Mr. Hensley said at the next meeting there would be a presentation with a couple columns added to the report. A department to look at was discussed. It was decided to review Administration in January. Mr. Kurek agreed that they should look at support departments Citizens' Budget Committee November 18, 2011 Page 4 first. Ms. Outlaw would like to back out of the process so they have free reign on what they want to look at and bring to the Board. Mr. Lounds asked for an update on the Chamber Task Force. Ms. Outlaw and Mr. Hensley agreed it would be at the next meeting. APPROVE 2012 MEETING DATES The meeting dates on the back of the agenda (see attached) were discussed and unanimously approved. OTHER ISSUES Mr. Knaggs would like Commissioner Mowery to make a presentation to the Committee regarding combining functions within the Cities and the County. Mr. Hensley feels there is not much support, but it doesn't hurt to listen. Ms. Outlaw said according to protocol, the Chairman, Vice Chairman or a designee would come to represent the Board. Commissioner Mowery could come as District 2 Commissioner to share his thoughts. Mr. Lounds thinks they should be open to any Commissioner that wants to give them information. He does not know correct protocol. Ms. Outlaw says it is fine if Commissioner Mowery speaks for himself and not the Board. In January, the Committee will elect a new Chair. The Resolution (see attached) passed in 1993 said the Chair should be one of the Commissioners' appointees. Mr. Hensley gave some history. Assistant County Attorney Katherine Barbieri said the Committee had two options. They could elect a Chair from the Commissioners' appointees or make a recommendation to the Board to modify the resolution. Mr. Lounds asked about timing. Ms. Barbieri handed out a draft resolution (see attached). Mr. Kurek made a motion to recommend to the Board they adopt the amendment to the draft resolution. Mr. Culverhouse seconded the motion. It was passed unanimously. Mr. Hensley thanked Ms. Barbieri for her time. Ms. Outlaw recognized the matter the County is in relative to the Fenn Center. She is not in a position to talk about it. When she is able, she plans to discuss the budget impact with the Committee. From her perspective as County Administrator, from the first day she has served the County honorably and honestly and she intends to continue. Mr. Hensley thinks some other folks should take the same position of not discussing the issue. The audit is complete. There are other investigations. At the end of the day, it will be public record. They will be able to discuss the complete picture. Mr. Knaggs asked when the minutes go to the Commissioners. They are sent a week before the meeting, same as when they are sent to the members. Ms. Outlaw added that the October minutes were sent with a memo from her. Mr. Hensley introduced Bonie, his representative of the County budget. She is down to bones due to budget cuts. Ms. Outlaw related to her position.. Citizens' Budget Committee November 18, 2011 Page 5 ADJOURNMENT Mr. Hensley adjourned the meeting at 8:41 a.m. Respectfully submitted by: Brenda Marlin The next CBC regular meeting will be held on Friday, January 20, 2012 at 7:30 a.m., in Conference Room #3, at the St. Lucie County Roger Poitras Administration Annex.