Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area ReporterNo decision has been reached on hiring a new city administrator in Wyoming. Interviews with three finalists took place Saturday.
Offers were all contingent on background checks and contact with references. One candidate was offered the position, but the candidate declined because the salary offer was too low, officials said.
Finalists who interviewed on Saturday were:
ïStephen P. Bloom, former city administrator in Waite Park.
ïLuayn Murphy, former administrative office worker, city of Belle Plaine.
ïJody Vogl-Eilertson, assistant city manager/city clerk, city of West St. Paul.
The councilís personnel committee met again Monday following the Truth in Taxation hearing. They will review the applications of the other six candidates in the final group to narrow the field.
If this does not result in other finalists, the search begins again.
Administrator Dennis Coryell said it is important to have a rational basis for selection. Education, experience, relevance of experience to the cityís needs, and longevity in current position are criteria to be considered.
Budget review
Coryell reviewed the 2004 city budget at the council meeting Dec.1 and at the Truth in Taxation hearing this Monday.
While the city received just under $1900 of local government aid, the new levy limit formula allows the city to levy just under $70,000 to make up part of the state aid loss. Increases in non-levy revenue also made up some differences.
The city budget for 2004 is $1,474,227. The net levy for the city is proposed at $1,096,404. This is the total of the cityís levy limit ($855,101) plus the sum of three special levies: bridge and road ($187,385), tax abatement return ($8200) and fire hall ($45,718). The remainder of the budgeted amount of $1,474,227 is paid for with projected non-levy receipts of $377,823.
Recommendations from auditor Steve McDonald to estimate revenue more accurately resulted in a line item for ìother state aids,î an increase of about $13,000 over the $5000 received in 2003. This is the COPS grant covering the incremental cost of adding police officers to the force.
Other items in non-levy revenue include increases of about $6000 in tax abatement return, increase of about $5000 from Fairview (payment in lieu of taxes).
ìThe proposed operating budget is only about $500 more than 2003; the CIP (capital improvement programs) budget is $21,670 over last yearís, reflecting the need to replace some old equipment and restore programs cut in 2003,î the budget cover sheet indicates.
Overall expenditures will increase by about 1.5 percent in 2004, while non-levy revenues will increase about 1.14 percent. The 2004 levy will result in a ìvery modest increase of $5-$11 in the city share of property taxesî for a residence. Coryell said some homes may have larger increases if they were undervalued in the past.
Business taxes have a steeper increase because of an 18.5 percent increase in valuations by the county. The county determines market values and property taxes.
Coryell told council the primary reason the operating budget was about the same is because no money was budgeted for the social services or retirement fund. This conservative approach of estimating non-levy revenue usually results in good reserves at the end of the year.
He suggested some of these contributions could be restored if the council wants to increase the estimate of non-levy revenue. Revenue for building permits is estimated at $121,000 for 2004, but Coryell believes this estimate could be increased $20,000 to restore these items to the budget.
Sgt. Scott Dexter presented information to update the police budget for 2004. The city wants to provide a sixth officer but also provide some funds to parks. Temporarily, $37,500 from the capital improvement fund could be shifted to police, with the dollars shifted back to parks, based on non-levy revenue, (i.e. building permits).
Other places to save money include the police budget where uniform allowance is $750 per officer, but the ìunion contract agreed-upon amount is $400.î
Coryell is not proposing a city hall special levy because of the possibility the county would be levying for the new libraries in 2004. The library levy is now a reality. He does not want to impose a special city levy the same year as the county library levy.
Although the city is moving ahead on planning and building the new city hall, bonds can be issued in 2004, interest capitalized and the city would not make payments until 2005. The cost for the city hall can be combined with the fire station, the term for the bond extended, so that the tax impact would be minimized.
In budget preparation for 2004, council felt it necessary to reduce contributions for social services.
Council members also want to return dollars to social services, both YSB and the Initiative Foundation. The motion passed unanimously. According to Coryell, there may be additional money coming to the city, when the LGA formula is adjusted by the state.
At the request of park board members Beth Neeck and Jennifer Hegstad, council approved $15,000 from charitable gambling funds for work on Goodview Park. This will be matched by a contribution from FLAAA.
Police consultant
Council reached a working agreement with police consultant Brad Kollman at last Mondayís meeting. Kollman attended the meeting and discussion among all parties resulted in an agreement which must only be put in writing.
The contract with Kollman will put him in the role of consultant, guide, and helper for the department and the city. In these capacities, rÈsumÈs from applicants are to be sent directly to him to expedite the process.
The decision authorizes Kollman to advertise for the city and to work with the personnel committee and council. He will help Sgt. Dexter with recruitment and selection of part-time officers. He will assist with department management during the interim.
Kollman had prepared an ad announcing the police chief opening. While the final terms of the agreement between the city and Kollman are to be finalized, Kollman will begin to work under the verbal agreement until City Attorney Tom Miller has the contract drafted.
The personnel committee is to work with the financial officer to determine how to form benefit/salary package. Budget liaison Koalska and Attorney Tom Miller are to make recommendations about terms of the agreement.
The starting salary range for the new chief will be in the $50,000 to $58,000 range.
Dexter reported making two purchases from the police supplemental fund. They include battery re-chargers and rechargeable batteries for the Taser guns.
The department has also received several M-16 rifles. The rifles were free, but the department must make modifications to the weapons. Funds for purchases and weapons modifications have been authorized from the police supplemental fund.
Other topics
Council voted to have Jack Anderson of JEA Architects, complete the preliminary work of developing a schematic of the new city hall. Anderson would be completing a space needs analysis for the building; including how much space is needed for each use, where rooms should be located.
Coryell said normally a sealed bid process is used for services like this, but ìweíve worked with Anderson so long, it is appropriate to waive the three-sealed-bid requirement.î Cost for the work is not to exceed $9500, with that amount to be deducted from another architect.
By a unanimous 5-0 vote the council passed a resolution to re-zone the northeast corner of Felton and Viking Blvd. (CR-22) from R-3 to general business. Earlier the area had been zoned for general business, but reverted to R-3 when a dental office was not built. Another commercial building is slated to be built to house dental and chiropractic offices.
The zoning change is permanent this time. By consensus, the council agreed to begin the process to change zoning for the rest of the block to central business district.
Council passed a resolution of participation in the East Central Regional Development Commission to enter into a sub-grant agreement with the Division of Emergency Management in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety program. This provides access to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to expand development of emergency plans for the area. The resolution authorizes the ECRDC to execute and sign sub-grant agreements on behalf of the city.
Council member Lynn Koalska reported no news from the union about the contract offers for city employees. Miller has written a letter to Union Negotiator Dean Tharp asking for confirmation of what the union believes are open issues holding up conclusion to union contracts. The city also believes that negotiations of the Police Chief contract should be suspended until a new chief is selected.
Council authorized Coryell to purchase a new copier. Price includes staff training. The city has been leasing the copier it uses now. His research showed it is better for the city to own the machine outright.
Paul Raduenz, chair of the Economic Development Authority and acting on its behalf, presented a plaque to Coryell in recognition for his work in the city. The text reads, ìThank you for being instrumental in bringing big city opportunities and ideas to our small city.î
Other business
In other business, council:
ïLearned from Council member Sandy Standridge the contributions of Police Chief Mike Temte to the city are to be recognized at a special presentation at the end of January or February.
ïDirected engineer Lee Elfering to research utility layout along Faxton to help Barney Rieck decide about a lot split. Rieckís owns property which he wishes to split, with one piece fronting on Fallbrook, the other on Faxton.
ïApproved the appointment of Nathaniel Wilner to the EDA.
ïApproved the temporary appointment of Steven Hill to the planning commission.
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