HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Meeting of the Ames City Council 02/05/2013 02/06 02/07MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF
THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 5, 2013
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:21 p.m. on February 5, 2013, in the Council
Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Campbell presiding and the
following Council members present: Jeremy Davis, Matthew Goodman, Jami Larson, Peter Orazem,
Victoria Szopinski, and Tom Wacha. Ex officio Member Sawyer Baker was also present.
FY 2013/14 BUDGET PROPOSALS: Moved by Goodman, seconded by Larson, to approve the
proposed FY 2013/14 budget. (Vote will be taken on March 5, 2013.)
Library. Acting Director Lynne Carey presented the proposed budget for Library Operations,
including Administration, Outreach, Collection Development, Youth Services, Information
Services, Circulation, Network Services, and Grants and Gifts. Ms. Carey reported on the
completion of several Library-wide initiatives, specifically highlighting the design development
for the renewed Ames Public Library, its relocation to temporary sites, and commencement of
the construction phase.
Ms. Carey told the Council that staff made “educated guesses” as to what to include in the FY
2013/14 budget due to the Library being located at temporary sites. There will be sal ary savings
and building maintenance savings, which will be used towards unique needs and opportunities
related to staffing changes, temporary relocation, emerging technologies, changing operations,
and planned capital improvements.
The changing trends in materials checked-out towards audiobooks and e-books due to emerging
technologies were noted by Ms. Carey; that has increased from 1% to 2% from last fiscal year.
In addition, an “Ames Pocket Library” app for smart phones and mobile devices has been
created and proven to be very popular.
At the inquiry of Council Member Davis, Ms. Carey advised that the fundraising efforts
towards the Library renovation/construction are ahead of schedule. The com mu ni ty was
thanked by Ms. Carey, on behalf of the Public Library, for their monetary donations and
volunteerism related to the Library Renovation and Construction project.
Water. Steve DuVall, Water and Pollution Control Assistant Director, gave highlights of the
budget of the Administration, Production, Treatment, Plant Maintenance, Plant Operation,
Laboratory, and Water Metering/Cross-Connection Control.
Under Administration, Mr. DuVall noted that t he dro ught o f 2011 that c onti nued through 2012
had an impact on the Department’s operating expenses. There were some slight increases in
chemical and electricity expenses; however, on the positive side, the increase in revenues was
sufficient to adequately maintain the Water Fund balance. The rate increases needed to fund
the new Water Treatment Plan will be completed in FY 2013/14, with a proposed 6% increase.
Last year, extra effort had been put towards the Summer of Smart Irrigation program; that will
likely continue in FY 2013/14.
Water Production reflects a -2.2% change from the 2012/13 Adopted. In FY 2013/14, the
combined electrical efficiency of the wells will be increased by about 17.5%. Mr. DuVall
reported that the increased efficiency was realize d t hi s year in spite of the drought and the
increased energy required to pump groundwater from a greater depth. Regarding routine well
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rehabilitation, it was noted that the first year of the next five-year cycle has already been
completed with no major repairs being required. Mr. DuVall said that the decrease in
contractual expenses projected for FY 2013/14 is because only four of the 22 wells are
scheduled for rehabilitation. He emphasized that planning is underway for development of a
future well field. The investment made in prior years to fund a comprehensive model of the
aquifer formation has paid off with the identification of a viable location for a new well field
that can be developed at a lower total cost than had been previously estimated.
Pertaining to Water Treatment, Mr. DuVall said that routine preventative maintenance is only
being performed on infrastructure that will continue to be used with the new treatment plant.
Only those repairs necessary to keep the existing facility operational are being performed. A
modest increase in the cost of treatment chemicals is anticipated when the contracts are re-bid
in Spring 2013. A significant increase in quantities of lime sludge disposal is expected during
FY 2012/13 and the next two fiscal years as a portion of the large north lagoon is emptied to
allow it to be subdivided to maximize its us able capacity. The lime disposal expenses are
included in the Operations Budget; however, the additional disposal quantities will be included
in the State Revolving Fund loan for the new plant.
The Water Laboratory program will see a decrease of 3% from the 2012/13 Adopted.
A collection of major maintenance activities are planned for FY 2013/14 under the Water
Pumping program and will result in a 13.3% increase from 2012/13.
Under the Water Metering/Cross Connection Control program, Mr. DuVall advised that the
Water Meter Division had been using the same technology to transit the water meter reading
from the meter to a location on the outside of the property for more than 20 years. However,
the last remaining manufacturer of the Legacy Generator/Remote System has advised the City
that it will no longer produce the equipment after June 2013. Staff is currently evaluating
possible migration strategies to a newer technology. The funding for the transition to an
Automatic Meter Reading/Advanced Metering Infrastructure system is included in the Capital
Improvements Plan as a place-holder for funds until the team finalizes its recommendation.
Increased contractual expenses in FY 2013/14 are due to planned repairs to the building’s
membrane roof and to the HVAC system; those expenses are shared between the Water Meter
and the Laboratory Services Divisions.
Highlights were given of Water Distribution Maintenance and Storm Sewer Maintenance.
The proposed 2013/14 Budget for WPC Operations, including Administration, Plant
Maintenance and Operation, and Laboratory, reflects a 2.3% change from the 2012/13 Adopted
Budget. Mr. DuVall reported that the increase in the number of industrial pretreatment permits
was due to the addition of each building in the ISU Research Park to the program. Mike
Klocke-Sullivan, Environmental Engineer, added that the nature of wastewater discharges from
the buildings can change rapidly as the nature and purpose of the Park is to foster new
businesses. Recently, discharges by a tenant in the Park have led to unanticipated challenges
for the WPC facility, prompting the addition of the Research Park to the pretreatment program.
Mr. DuVall told the Mayor and Council that, for the 22nd consecutive year, the City’s Water
Pollution Control Facility achieved 100% compliance w ith its NPDES Di scharge Permit. That
is the third-longest compliance streak in the country and represents meeting 27,412 individual
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limits without a violation. The Facility again achieved 100% compliance in Calendar Year
2012, and receipt of the Platinum 23 award is anticipated.
It was stated by Mr. DuVall that an opportunity to restructure the staffing for the WPC
Laboratory presented itself when a Laboratory Technician position came open in Fall 2012.
One full-time equivalency (FTE) was split, with one-half FTE being used to move a half-time
Laboratory Analyst to full-time and the other one-half FTE used to create a part-time
Laboratory Aide position. This has resulted in the positions now being better matched with the
workload. Payroll savings were also realized from having a new employee start at the beginning
of the wage steps.
Public Works. The Council heard an overview of the major work activities for the Public
Safety Program, which included Traffic Control (Traffic Maintenance and Traffic Engineering),
presented by Public Works Director John Joiner.
Under Traffi c Main tenan ce, Mr. Joi ner ann ounce d that , as a result of repl acing incandescent
bulbs in traffic signals with light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, there has been a reduction in
power consumption costs of over $36,400 annually. In 2013/14, new legislation is anticipated
to require traffic signal battery back-up systems for those intersections adjacent to railroad
crossings. The City has four such intersections: Duff/Main and Hazel/Brookridge/6th Street will
be done in 2013/14 and 13th/Ridgewood and13th/Northwestern will be done in 2014/15. With
nearly 10,000 traffic signs throughout the community, a Sign ID Program has been put into the
FY 13/14 budget in an amount of $5,300. This Program will include the addition of a property
tag on the back of each sign, which will be connected with the traffic sign database. If a traffic
sign goes missing or is recovered, more accurate maintenance records will be kept and replaced
mo re efficientl y.
Budget highlights of the Utilities Program, which included Resource Recovery, Water
Distribution Maintenance, Storm Sewer Maintenance, and Sanitary Sewer Maintenance, were
given. Under Resource Recover Operations, the per capita rate for the partner cities and Story
County will remain at $9.10 for FY 2013/14, tipping fees for municipal solid waste will remain
at $52.75/ton, cars and passenger vans will remain at $8, and pickups and vehicles with trailers
will remain at $22. Staff will b e carefu lly evaluating a ll rates wit h the goal of m ainta inin g a
10% balance in the Resource Recovery Fund; that mi ght mean rate in creases as soon as FY
14/15.
Reports were summarized for Street Surface Maintenance, Street Cleaning, Snow and Ice
Control; and Right-of-Way Maintenance. Mr. Joiner told the Council that the City was
recently selected as one of three pilot cities for inclusion in an Iowa Department of Natural
Resources (IDNR) grant application with the United States Forest Service. That grant would
allow the City an opportunity to work with an urban forester on public education to build a
network of volunteers to develop effective maintenance plans to ensure the health of trees and
develop ordinances to protect and enhance the “urban forest.” For FY 2013/14, the rights-of-
way tree trimming contract has been increased to $75,000. With the Urban Forester position
and the completed tree inventory, it is anticipated that additional tree trimming and removals
will be needed.
Under Parking Operation and Maintenance, Mr. Joiner reported that in FY 2012/13, the City
began offering SmartCards (an alternative payment for parking meters in select locations).
Success of the pilot project may lead to changeover of the entire system over a ten-year period.
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Council Member Larson suggested that additional public education efforts regarding the use
of Smart Cards be undertaken.
Mr. Joiner reviewed the budget details for the Airport and Cemetery. Regarding the Airport,
in FY 2012/13, staff held numerous Airport user meetings to help define expectations of a new
terminal building. Over the next two years, staff will continue to work on the funding aspects
of that project. The Airport Terminal Building and Hangar is included in the FY 2015/16 year
of the Capital Improvements Plan. Mr. Joiner reported that staff worked with a Cemetery Focus
Group to provide input and recommendations on how the Cemetery can be a better experience
for visitors. Staff purchased three granite benches and 11 new trash cans that will be placed in
the Cemetery. Additional improvements are included in the Capital Improvements Plan.
Las tl y, Mr. Joiner reviewed the budgets for Public Works Administration, Engineering, and
Public Buildings. He reported that Administration staff had worked with Parks and Recreation
Administration on the mowing team efforts, which resulted in transcending Department
boundaries and using the principles of Total City Perspective to realize greater efficiencies.
Major activities of the Engineering program were highlighted. Pertaining to the City Council’s
priority goal of flood mitigation, staff had been directed to proceed with a new rate structure
based on impervious area. The Sanitary Sewer System Evaluation (SSSE) is a high priority
project for Engineering and Operations staff. Mr. Joiner noted that staff partners with Iowa
State to hire Civil Engineering students as co-ops and interns. Public outreach efforts and
partnerships on a variety of projects were highlighted.
Ex-officio Member Baker asked if it would be possible for the SmartCards issued by Iowa State
University to be compatible with the City’s meters. Director Joiner said he would check into
the possibility.
Finance. Finance Director Duane Pitcher presented the budget for Economic Development.
City personnel costs associated with Economic Development have shifted from the Hotel/Motel
Fund to the General Fund. He said that an impact of the funding shift shows that the
Hotel/Motel Fund will go down in 2013/14 by approximately $70,000. When forgivable loans
have met all the criteria to be forgiven, the Economic Development fund “gets whittled down.”
Mr. Pitcher gave an update on various companies that had received economic development
funding from the City in 2012/13. Council Member Goodman commented on the funding shift.
He believed that the same type of funding shift could be used to fund Human Services, i.e.,
from the General Fund instead of drawing down the Local Option Sales Tax Fund. Council
Member Larson said that there are different philosophies on where certain items should be
funded. He found it unusual to assign portions of the salaries of the City Manager and Finance
Di rector to various departm ents th rougho ut the City. Mr. Larson originally suggested that the
portion of the City Manager’s and Finance Director’s salary not come out of Economic
Development. City Manager Schainker noted that in order to arrive at a true program budget,
the cost of administration should be allocated to the respective programs. He believes,
therefore, that it is correct to show a portion of the administrators’ salaries in the programs that
they administer.
Highlights of the budgets for Finance Administration, Accounting and Reporting, Information
Techno logy and WiFi Services, and Communication were given by Director Pitcher. It was
noted that the Finance Administration and Budget program reflects a 0.7% decrease from FY
2012/13. Accounting and Reporting is up only 1.4%. Change in personnel, specifically,
retirements of long-tenured emp loyees was the main reas on. The Informa tion Techno logy
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budget is dependent largely on the number of computers and/or servers replaced. New
Inspections software is planned to be purchased and implemented in 2013/14. In 2013/14, the
network fiber infrastructure will be expanded to connect Water and Pollution Control, Animal
Control, and Fire Station #3.
Mr. Pitcher also reviewed budgets for Purchasing Services, Customer Service, and Parking
Violation Collection. Staff from the Parking Violation Collection handle the sale of
SmartCards.
Las tl y, Mr. Pitcher highlighted the City Council Contingency, which allows the Council to be
able to respond to needs that were not foreseen at the time of budget preparation. He noted that
for FY 2013/14 the amount remains at $50,000.
Projects to be funded by City Council Special Allocations were listed during Budget Overview
held on February 1, 2013. The Council was reminded about the City’s grant process used to
determine funding requests from outside groups.
Finance Director Pitcher lastly explained the merit pool, which is used to reward employees for
good performance. A percentage of increase is budgeted, however, Mr. Pitcher noted that City
employees are not guaranteed any increases; it depends on their job performance.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Davis to adjourn at 7:00 p.m.
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MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 6, 2013
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:19 p.m. on February 6, 2013, in the Council
Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Campbell presiding and the
following Council mem bers pr esent: J eremy Davis, M att hew Goo dman, Jami Larson, Peter Orazem,
Victoria Szopinski, and TomWacha. Ex-officio Member Sawyer Baker was also present.
FY 2012/13 BUDGET PROPOSALS: The Council heard and discussed highlights of the
Community Enrichment, Public Safety, and Utilities Programs.
Parks & Recreation. Acting Director Keith Abraham advised that the Parks and Recreation
Commission had approved the fees and charges for 2013/14 to support the Operating Budget.
He said that staff had worked hard to “hold the line” on expenses; fees were only increased
where there was a direct program change.
Mr. Abraham advised that, although the Recreation budget includes almost $2 million in
expenses, $1.296.210 is generated through fees and charges. The tax subsidy for that program
is approximately 58%..
The Parks Division generates revenue only through shelter reservations; 94% of that program
budget is subsidized. Homewood Golf Course and Ames/ISU Ice Arena are both enterprise
funds. Homewood’s revenue currently exceeds its expenses.
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The importance of volunteers to the Parks and Recreation Department was emphasized by Mr.
Abraham. They have over 2,000 annual volunteers. Permanent staff in the Department totals
19.5; however, there are also over 400 seasonal workers.
Summarizing activities that occurred in 2011/12, Mr. Abraham advised that there were12,000
program registrations in 141 programs; participants came from 8,400 Ames households. On-
line registrations account for 35% of all registrations.
Highlights of the Instruction and Athletic Programs were given. The City partners with the
Ames Racquet and Fitness Club to provide Parks and Recreation tennis lessons. Three out of
40 instructional programs have seen a decline in participation: youth basketball, soccer, and
flag football, basically due to club teams. Registrations for instructional programs equated to
2,700.
There were over 3,698 participants in 28 different adult athletic programs. Ms. Abraham gave
statistics showed that 312 teams had participated in the adult leagues..
Mr. Abraham reported that attendance totaled 110,000 in Summer 2012 at the Furman Aquatic
Center. It is projected to net $78,173 in revenue in FY 2012/13 and $93,671 in FY 2013/14. The
facility receives no direct operating subsidy. Swimming lessons continue to be popular with
over 1,500 people of all ages learning to swim each year.
Activities for the Community Center/Auditorium/Bandshell and the Wellness Program were
described. There were 119,000 visits to the Community Center Gymnasium; 17,000 people
used the weight room, and 14,000 participated in open gym. The Au dito rium h osts an aver age
of 56 events per year. Bandshell averages over 800 people at each Municipal Band concert.
There were over 3,000 participants in over 50 fitness classes/week. There are 28 fitness
instructors and personal trainers. Zumba classes draw approximately 325 people per week; 16
classes/week are held. Over 55 people participate in the program for older adults. Humana
reimburses the City for participant fees for the Silver Sneakers program.
The public/private partnership with the Green Hills Retirement Community (GHRC) was
highlighted. The City provides fitness and aqua classes for GHRC residents, and some classes
are also offered to the public. Expenses are anticipated to be $35,709, and revenues are
expected to be $40,559; Green Hills reimburses the City $25,000.
Mr. Abraham reported that the Wellmark 3-Point-Play Program totaled $16,530 as of February
6, 2013, and per Council direction, that money will be used to purchase fitness equipment.
Pertaining to the Homewood Golf Course, fees will not increase for the 2013 season. It was
noted that the cell tower revenue equates to $28 ,99 5 an d motorized ca rts bring i n $1 9,0 00. It
is the City’s goal to maintain a fund balance of 27% of operational expenses. There were
approximately 19,000 rounds of golf played at Homewood last year.
Regarding the Ice Arena, Acting Director Abraham reported the policy is to also maintain a
fund balance of 15% of operational expenses. No rental fee increases are being recommended;
however, the fund balance will be drawn down. Mr. Abraham reported on the two annual
tournaments held at the Ice Arena.
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The Council was apprised of a possible cost-share (50/50) agreement with ISU to make a new
parking lot to be built by Iowa State University as part of the Hansen Agriculture Student
Learning Center available for Ice Are na park ing, which experiences ongoing parking shortage.
The amount estimated at approximately $51,000 to be paid from Capital Reserve Funds to
provide the City’s share of the costs. City Manager Schainker stated that he is working out an
Agreement with Iowa State University for this project. Council Member Larson asked whether
the parki ng lot would be the primary lot for ISU’s Student Learning Center and what would
happen if there were events being held at each facility. Mr. Schainker advised that those details
will need to be worked out.
The Park System budget was reviewed. There are 37 parks and woodland/open spaces totaling
over 1,200 acres; however, only 337 acres are mowed. Fi fty (50) to 60 trees are planted each
year. Mr. Abraham acknowledged Holub Greenhouse and Garden Center’s annual donation of
$8,000 in flowers for the “Adopt a Flower Garden” program.
Electric. Donald Kom, Director of Electric Services, highlighted the operations budgets for
each division (Administration, Production, Fuel Purchases, Distribution, Technical Services,
and Engineering).
Administration decreased its budget by 27% ($444,000) from FY 2012/13, which is due mainly
to the redistribution of insurance costs to the applicable Divisions. Demand Side Management
programs continue to be quite effective in keeping demand growth low. As a result of these
programs, it is estimated that the peak demand has been reduced by over 6.6 megawatts and
energy usage by over 11,000 megawatt hours. Increases in Ames’ rates were approved by the
Council in late 2012 and implemented in January 2013. The new rates were aimed at
encouraging energy conservation and matching rates with time-of-use.
Council Member Goodman reported that the Council had discussed energy audits at its recent
Goal-Setting Session and how to encourage people to take action after the audit. City Manager
Steve Schainker said that staff will follow up on that task.
“Smart Energy” programs were specifically highlighted. The budget is currently$1,000,000,
and no increase is planned for 2013/14; $540,416 has been paid out to date, which is 54% of
the budget. The City is considering adding solar to the rebate program. The installation of 450
Prime Time Power switches has resulted in a reduction in demand of 3.3 MW; that is half of
the reduction in peak demand. Staff is considering instituting an Industrial Interruptible Rate.
Electric Production’s total expenditures equate to $10,823,934, which is an increase of 3.6%
over the FY 2012/13 Adopted. The upgrade to OSI SCADA was highlighted.
A new historical peak of 130.7 MW was reached on July 25, 2012. The previous peak of 128.6
MW occurred on July 19, 2011.
The budget for Fuel and Purchased Power will decrease 5.3% to $30,962,505. It is the largest
component of the Electric Services budget. The major items include coal, market energy
purchases, wind, fuel oil, transmission service, and refuse-derived-fuel payments.
City Manager Schainker recalled that the City Council had directed staff to work on coal
stora ge alternatives. He informed the Council that discussion on the coal contract will be
occurring at the Council’s February 12, 2013.
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Electric Distribution Operations and Maintenance will see an increase of 3.2 % from FY
2011/12. The main expense will be the tree trimming contract, which is very important to
prevent outages. This Division works with the Technical Services Division (substation crew)
to perform routine and emergency maintenance on all substations and the Downtown Central
Business District underground network. There will be system upgrades to reduce animal-related
outages.
Electric Distribution Extension/Improvements will increase 43.2% due mainly to equipment
that will be purchased for a major 3M expansion project. That percentage is misleading
because the City will be reimbursed by that customer.
There will be an increase of 6.9% for Electric Technical Services over FY 2012/13.
Replacement of defective meters will be accelerated. There will be a capital increase to
purchase a Vacuum Bottle Tester and Field Tester. There will be a contractual increase for
substation equipment painting.
There will be an increase of 15.5% for Electric Engineering. The biggest expense will be from
relay testing aimed at improving reliability. Underground and pole i nspections, in frared testi ng,
and the 161kV project are ongoing. A New Outage Management System was implemented in
2012, which has im proved outage response times. An additional upgrade is planned to add call
overflow and contingency services, which will further improve Electric Services’ ability to take
outage-reporting calls during a major storm event.
Pertaining to Customer Services, the amount for FY 2012/13 for net write-offs was based on
an estimate done at a time when utility rates were increasing and the number of customers
needing payment arrangements for their delinquent balances was at an all time high. Conditions
have improved since that time, and the amount of net write-offs is trending lower than the
projections used for the Adopted Budget. The estimate for bad debts in FY 2012/13 has been
decreased by $15,640 from the amount adopted and the estimate for FY 2013/14 is $13,280 less
than adopted for FY 2012/13.
In summary, the estimated FY 2013/14 revenues will be approximately $59,154,860, which is
a decrease of 4%. The estimated fund balance is $29,021,911 at the beginning of FY 2013/14
and ending at $27,021,911. Mr. Ko m not ed tha t the C ouncil has a poli cy of main taini ng a
minimum fund balance target of $10,100,000. No rate increase is being requested for 2013/14.
Council Member Larson asked how many of the 450 Prime Time Power units installed were
new construction. Director Kom answered that he believed it to be approximately half, but he
would have to check. Mr. Larson raised the possibility of mandating those units on all new
construction. Mr. Kom said that the City wants its customers to be happy, so if they do not want
it, they would prefer not to install it. City Manager Schainker added that the City could adopt
a policy. Mr. Larson said he could not see it being anything but a “win-win” for the City and
the customer.
Police Department. Details were given, by Police Chief Chuck Cychosz, of the budget for the
Public Safety Program, which included Administration and Records, Crime Prevention and
Police Services, General Investigation, Emergency Communications, and Forfei ture/Gra nts. It
was noted that Animal Control and Parking Enforcement also falls under the Police
Department. The budget for overall operations is up 2.0%.
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Under Administration and Records, Chief Cychosz highlighted the Department’s partnership
with Story County and Iowa State University in implementing an information management
system (OSSI). Due to many retirements of long-tenured officers, the Department is engaged
in leadership development of a new workforce. The Department’s biggest challenge is the
Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System expenses, which will increase $163,777 for next
year. The rates for that System is set at the state level. The total System expense for the City
(which includes both Fire and Police) will increase from $1,7 81,000 to $2,122,00 0 for FY
2013/14.
Chief Cychosz gave highlights of the Crime Prevention and Police Services, specifically the
use of Automated External Defibrillators, the Safe Neighborhoods Team (SNT), and Crime-
Free Housing. The Chief expressed pride in the officers’ response times to medical calls and
added the value of the City’s investment in the Defibrillators. Pertaining to the Safe
Neighborhoods program, the Police Department has started to see the benefits from lower call
volumes in the areas where the owners have made the investment. The SNT is currently
working with Iowa State University to problem-solve VEISHEA-related issues.
The policy of rotating of officers to different shifts with different responsibilities was raised by
Council Member Goodman, asking specifically about the Safe Neighborhoods Team. Chief
Cychosz said that officers are assigned to the SNT for two years; however, some stay on that
Team for as long as four years. Rotating on that basis allows officers to build contacts and
relationships in neighborhoods, but after a couple years, allows officers to experience fresh
challenges. The contacts and rel ati ons hips m ade are mai ntain ed and n ew ones are formed. If
there are properties that are costing the City, and thus its citizens, a lot in police calls, Council
Member Orazem felt that there should be some penalties or sanctions. It is apparent that the
SNT is making a difference in some areas, but not in others. Council Member Wacha suggested
the publishing of the police call numbers could be a deterrent as renters would not want to rent
those units.
Chief Cychosz shared his philosophy regarding the importance of the educational component
of alcohol consumption as alcohol continues to be the No. 1 substance abuse problem within
the community. He advised that there is a great amount of work being d one in empha sizi ng a
safe and healthy lifestyle. Council Member Larson noted appreciation for the enhancement to
the reports being provided to the City Council concerning renewal of Liquor Licenses and Beer
Permits; those assist the Council members in making difficult decisions.
Special initiatives being conducted by the General Investigations Division were listed. General
Investigations includes the School Resource Officer, Juvenile Investigations, and Fraud. Every
school in Ames will be visited this year by two officers. Ames assigns one officer to the Central
Iowa Drug Task Force. Two officers have been assigned to mo ni to r the Sex O ffender R egis try.
Chief Cychosz reported that the Police Department has seen a significant increase in mental-
health-related service calls in 2012. During the past year, 408 mental-health- related incidents
occurred. One hundred ninety (190) of those calls were attributed to 70 people. The FY 2012/13
Budget included a part-time Mental Health Advocate as the most-cost-effective way of
addressing that workload increase; that has been very successful. The position provides support
services to officers by compiling information and data on mental-health-related calls for service
and provides analysis of the data. The Advocate provides a local-point of contact. He made 222
follow-up contacts, 39 of which were face-to-face. Chief Cychosz noted that the need is
increasing and State funding is decreasing. Council Member Larson noted that it was important
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for the Council to be advised in light of its upcoming discussion with ASSET volunteers on
February 12, 2013. He stated his preference that the dilemma be solved on the mental health
provider and treatment side rather than the law enforcement side. Chief Cychosz noted the good
working relationships the Police Department has with Eyerly Ball and Mary Greeley Medical
Center. The Chief reported on the actions taken by the Mental Health Advocate and the Police
Department after the Sa nd y Hook El ementary tragedy.
Under Emergency Communications, Chief Cychosz reported that the Communications Center
successfully implemented Emergency Medical Dispatching. The dispatchers fielded over 3,000
medical calls in 2012. The Emergency Communications Center continued its formal working
relationship with Iowa State University and Story County, which has allowed for more effective
emergency and citizen support responses. The Department is continuing its work with the Story
County E911 Service Board to research and purchase replacement telephone equipment for the
911 calls. The existing equipment is very old and replacement parts are becoming hard to find.
Also, advancing technology has significantly changed the nature of how phone calls are
initiated and delivered. New equipment will be capable of handling text and data when those
options for 911 become available.
Highlights of Forfeiture/Grants and Parking Law Enforcement were given. The Department has
been fortunate to receive a number of state and federal grants that provided a significant
infusion of funds. Equipment is purchased and programs are added without relying on property
tax support. The recordkeeping, reporting, and compliance requirements attached to federal
grant funding have become increasingly complex.
Under the Traffic and Impaired Driving program, Chief Cychosz reported that there were 1,287
collisions in 2012, 13% of those occurred on South Duff. There were 2,782 citations issued.
Fifty percent (50%) were rear-end collisions mainly due to inattentive driving, following too
close, and excessive speed. Six percent (6%) of the collisions resulted in injuries; 13% of those
occurred on South Duff. The causes of those collisions were mainly due to the high volume of
traffic on South Duff and excessive speed.
There has been turnover in the Community Safety Officers under the Parking program. Chief
Cychosz recalled the Council approv ed the i ncreas e in the fi ne f or Illegal P ark ing citat ions. It
is too soon to tell if the fine has proven to be a deterrent.
Chief Cychosz reported that the service levels co ntinue t o increas e at the An imal S hel ter. In
terms of sheltering, Animal Control is currently at an 93% rate for animal reclamation and
adoption. The population of dogs at the Animal Shelter has remained lower than historic
averages. It was noted that staff has enhanced its public interaction through Facebook and
Twitter. Chief Cychosz explained the energy savings program that has been undertaken to
improve the Shelter environment for animals and staff.
The meeting recessed at 7:34 p.m. and reconvened at 7:43 p.m.
Fire Depar tment. The Fire Safety Activities portion of the Public Safety program was
presented by C hief Shawn Bayouth. This included budgets for Administration and Support,
Suppression and Emergency Action, Prevention and Safety Educatio n, and Building Safety.
Overall, the Department will see a 6.5% increase, due mainly to the contribution to the
Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System. There are no capital requests contained in the
2013/14 Budget for Fire.
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Chief Bayouth noted the leadership change with the retiring of former Chief Petersen. He
explained his leadership team philosophy. The management team is looking at creative ways
for Emergency Medical Services. The Department is also trying to improve transparency and
fiscal awareness.
Under Administration & Support, Chief Bayouth noted that the City has obtained a Class 3
rating from the Insurance Services Organization (ISO). The Class 3 rating places the Fire
Department in the top 2% of fire departments in the State of Iowa. Every ten years, ISO
conducts a survey of the level of services provided by the fire department, communications
(dispatch center), and water supply system. The percentages of time allocated to different
programs among Fire Administration and Building Safety staff were analyzed; that resulted in
an increase of .20 FTE and slightly more than $11,000 added to the budget.
Pertaining to Fire Suppression, Ames Firefighters responded to 3,957 incidents in 2012, which
is an increase of 1,781 calls or 81.9% since 2003. In 2012, the Department had set a goal of
completing 270 preplans (documentation that the firefighters have gathered in advance of an
emergency). At the end of 2012, the Firefighters had completed 306 preplans. In total,
Firefighters have completed nearly 1,000 preplans. Neighborhood/Public Education Outreach
activities were highlighted.
Under the Prevention and Safety Education, activities of the Fire Inspector were highlighted.
The retirement of the Building Official at the end of August 2012 initiated the recruitment
process for that position. City Manager Schainker noted that, even with a 3% permit fee
increase, projected revenues still result in a deficit for Inspections.
Pertaining to Rental Housing, Chief Bayouth said when he came on as Chief, the inspectors
were two years behind. The Chief has directed that the inspectors inspect those units that are
to be inspected this year at the same time as the scheduled inspections for next year. Chief
Bayouth has given them a goal of being totally caught up by 2015. He noted that there was only
one of the inspectors out in the field and the other one, who was a supervisor, was mainly
assigned to administrative duties. That supervisor voluntarily was demoted, and now there are
two inspectors in the field. There were also two and a-half Principal Clerks who each had a
different supervisor. Those employees are now supervised by the Building Official. The half-
time Principal Clerk will be re-assigned to the Planning and Housing Department on a trial
basis to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of that Department’s secretary. The
reallocation of personnel resulted in a decrease of .05 FTE and a reduction of more than $1,000
from the Building Safety program budget and a decrease of .15 FTE and reduction of $25,000
from the Rental Housing program budget.
City Manager Schainker emphasized the benefits to the City of partnerships with other entities,
specifically noting the partnership with Iowa State University with the Ames Fire Department.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Davis to adjourn the meeting at 8:16 p.m.
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******************************************************************************
MINUTES O F THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 7, 2013
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:16 p.m. on February 7, 2013, in the Council
Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Campbell presiding and the
following Council mem bers pr esent: J eremy Davis, M att hew Goo dman, Jami Larson, Peter Orazem,
Victoria Szopinski, and TomWacha. Ex officio Member Baker was absent.
FY 2012/13 BUDGET PROPOSALS: The City Council heard reports on the Transportation
Program and General Government and Internal Services.
Transit System. Transit Director Sheri Kyras gave a six-year history of CyRide ridership.
Ridership increased 40% in those six years, and it appears that that level of growth will
continue. Om 2012/13, 5.9 million rides are anticipated in 2012/13. It is projected that over 6
million rides will be provided in 2013/14. With increasing Iowa State University enrollment
predicted to continue in the near future, CyRide continues to be in a growth period, which
places operational and infrastructure presses on the system at a time when non-local funding
is lowered.
Director Kyras noted that the total operating budget is approximately $8.4 million for 2012/13
and $8.8 million in 2013/14. She noted where the revenue will come from in 2013/14. Federal
transit dollars have shifted with additional operating funding and no capital funding. There will
be a 3.8 % increase in state dollars, local dollars from the three funders will increase 5% from
each of the funders (City, Iowa State University, and the Government of the Student Body).
Fuel prices are expected to increase 9.4 % in FY 2 013/14 bud get wit h the a verage price of fuel
budgeted at $3.75/gallon; that will impact the budget by more than $80,000 i n FY 2013/14. To
sustain the basic level of capital replacement, $800,000 will need to come from the General
Fund, and $819,965 will need to be transferred from the Transit Operation to Capital Budget.
It has been estimated that 90% of CyRide’s ridership is from students; that is part of the reason
that the funding shares are not even. Council Member Wacha, who represents the Council on
the Transit Board, poin ted out that the GS B provi des 65 % of th e fund ing.
Major projects planned for 2013/14 were ex pl ained by Ms. Kyras: the Orange Rou te Study,
which is anticipated to be completed in Spring 2014; the NEXTbus system, Articulated Buses,
Management of Predicted Growth in the System, Intermodal Facility Project/Grant Close-out,
Facility Construction Management, and Bus Shelter Improvements..
Council Member Larson noted, and Director Kyras concurred, that l arge apartment complexes
increase demands on CyRide. Mr. Larson suggested that the Council consider those impacts
when such a project comes before it for approval. Ms. Kyras said she was not sure the costs of
those impacts; however, she can provide those to the Council.
Mayor Campbell asked how Dial-a-Ride is working since CyRide has contracted with the Heart
of Iowa Regional Transit Agency for the service. Ms. Kyras reported that there have been some
challenges with scheduling, but they are attempting to work out the issues. She noted that
CyRide is not in a position to provide the service; if it is contracted-out, federal dollars are
received; if it is done in-house, it is not federally funded.
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Fleet. Fleet Support Manager Rich Iverson told the Council that they have been reducing its
outsourci ng. He noted that the public sector average shop rate is $103 vs. the City rate of
$59.10. Public sector parts costs have a mark-up of 30%, and City parts are billed at cost. They
reduce their costs through shop efficiencies, equipment and tools, communication, and training.
Fuel prices are expected to rise to $3.30 per gallon in FY 2013/14. Fuel continues to be the
largest line item in the 2013/14 budget, at $697,000.
Under Fleet Acquisition and Disposals, Mr. Iverson told the Council that the Department
formerly had interest earnings to offset the cost of fleet; however, that is no longer the case.
He added that the life cycles of fleet have been extended to reduce costs to departments, and
there are some carry-over funds, but there will still be significant increases.
According to Mr. Iverson, 15% of fleet was considered “green” in 2013. They continue to
purchase alternate-fueled fleet whenever possible. There are some challenges to alternate-fuel
vehicles; however, the City continues to look at Compressed Natural Gas, Hybrid, all-electric,
and bio-fueled vehicles.
Facilities. Director Hinderaker reported on budget changes. There is a $10,000 increase in
insurance premiums due to re-valuations. The City Hall’s appraised value doubled in 2011.
There is a $57,856 capital carry-over in FY 12/13, which is intended to be used for minor
remodeling in Human Resources and Finance Departments. There is a $17,000 (13%) reduction
on electric expense for City Hall after energy-efficiency projects have been undertaken. There
is an anticipated increase of $10,000 for the cleaning contract in 2012/13; it has not increased
in six years and more emphasis is going to be placed on the appearance of City Hall. For the
exterior improvements, $10,000 has been added for landscape borders/edging. Mr. Hinderaker
stated that the focus will be on maintenance of City Hall. He shared the list of improvements
to be undertaken.
Human Resources. The budget for Human Resources was detailed by Director Julie Huisman.
In 2010/11, 50 recruitments were launched. A total of 2,211 applications were received. NEO-
GOV, the on-line applicant tracking system, significantly reduced the amount of paper and
postage used by the Department. Ms. Huisman listed the key recruitments performed during
2011/12 and to date in 2012/13.
Highlights for the Health Insurance Management were given. She said that the City has
implemented a host of programs and services that have strengthened the City’s ability to
moderate and absorb expected fluctuations. The City is certified as a Gold Well Workplace by
the Wellness Council of America. The City is the only municipality in the state with this level
of designation, and has sustained that certification since 2000. Currently, the City is pursuing
the Platinum designation.
Ms. Huisman gave an update on the Union settlements that have been reached. She advised
that the Police Unit is going to arbitration.
Risk Management. Risk Manager David Eaton highlighted the workers’ compensation, safety,
and insurance categories. It was noted that claims for workers’ compensation and property
insurance claims are the main budget-drivers. Initiatives that allow the City to get out ahead
of the claims were explained by Mr. Eaton.
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The 2013/14 budget includes an increase of 3.6% increase for general risk management and
liability insurance and related administrative fees and services. Regarding property insurance,
appraisals were completed last year. No capital dollars, other than those planned and preferred
by the Electric Department, will be included in the budget. Overall, the Risk Management
budget will decrease 1%.
Health Benefits. Human Resources Officer Doug Garnett reviewed the service objectives of
Health Insurance Management: to keep average healthcare cost increases below national and
regional averages. For 2012/13, rates for health insurance contributions increased 5%; however,
for FY 2013/14, health insurance rates are budgeted to increase by approximately 8%. That is
due, in part, to additional fees that the City will be required to pay under the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act. The City has implemented many programs and services to educate
employees to make good health-care decisions. Mr. Garnett outlined the three programs that
have strengthened the City’s ability to moderate and absorb expected fluctuations: (1)
Outcomes Medication Therapy Management Services, (2) Disease Management Services
provided by Wellmark/Healthways, and (3) Health Promotion.
City Council. Assistant City Manager Melissa Mundt provided a brief summary of the
Council’s Goal-Setting Session held on January 19, 2013. Public Relations Officer Susan
Gwiasda talked about the City’s branding/visioning efforts, which included updating materials,
Brag Team meetings, and encou raging partnerships. The annual events sponsored by the
Council were listed. She asked the Council to think about whether or not to continue the Ames
Citizens Academy, which has seen dwindling interest. Council Member Szopinski expressed
her desire to continue the program. She had learned a great deal about the City from attendance
at the Academy. Council Member Davis asked if there was any overlap betwe en Le adership
Ames and the Ames Citizens Academy. Council Member Wacha said that the Leadership Ames
classes focuses on community, rather than just the City. It was pointed out that Leadership
Ames costs; the Citizens Academy does not charge its participants. Ms. Gwiasda also asked the
Council to consider participating in the University’s WelcomeFest rather than holding its own
Welcome Back Event on Welch Avenue. Attendance at the Event was lower than usual.
Executive Management. Assistant City Manager Mundt listed the numerous committees and
commissions staffed by the City Manager’s Office. She also noted the support provided by
staff on major City projects and assisting departments due to Director vacancies. Work
continues on the Excellence Through People initiatives.
The meeting recessed at 7:10 p.m. and reconvened at 7:20 p.m.
City Clerk. Diane Voss presented the City Clerk’s Division budget. The Council’s use of
iPads allowed for a $4,000 reduction in the Printing line item. The cost of purchasing the iPads
was offset in fewer than eight months by savings in printing, staff time, and materials. A major
expense for the City Clerk’s Division is the publication of legal notices, minutes, and
ordinances, which is projected to equate to approximately $38,000/year.
Public Relations. Susan Gwiasda, Public Relations Officer, listed ways that the City
communicates inter nally and exte rnally. There were 170 media releas es dur ing 2012. She
showed how the publications have changed throughout the years. Pertaining to social media,
the City participates in Twitter and Facebook. Ms. Gwiasda advised that the City has 1,500
Friends on Facebook and 2,500 on Twitter. Four events promoted by the Public Relations
15
Officer to be held in 2013 were highlighted. Ongoing promotions under the EcoSmart - Smart
Energy (Demand Side Management) were described by Ms. Gwiasda.
Cable TV. Derek Crisler, Cable Coordinator, was present. Highlights were provided for
Channel 12 (Government) and Channel 16 (Public) were provided by Public Relations Officer
Gwiasda. Upgrades are being made and equipment replaced in the Control Room. Mr. Crisler
has changed all graphics on live and original programs to match the new color scheme and
logo. New video control system has been installed for Channel 16. New programs for weekly
playback continued to be received. Under Mr. Crisler’s leadership, there has been an increase
in programs and continued improvement in quality. Council Member Larson suggested that
Channel 16 be better promoted.
Ms. Gwiasda gave tribute to the interns who assist the Public Relations Officer and Cable TV.
Legal Services. Acting City Attorney Judy Parks recognized that the City Attorney’s position
has been vacant after the retirement of Doug Marek in early December. Ms. Parks showed the
funding sources for Legal Services; the General Fund provides $322,803. Major planning and
Public Works projects were highlighted. Ms. Parks compared the costs of services provided by
the City Attorney versus a private atto rney. Council Member Larson stated that he and Council
Member Goodman have begun to meet with the City Attorney’s Office on a regular basis to
provide guidance. He noted that the City Attorney is one of two City employees who is directly
supervised by the City Council..
Planning & Housing. Highlights on the budgets for Long-Range and Current Planning were
presented by Acting Planning and Housing Director Bob Kindred. For 2013 /1 4, th ey have
decreased budgeted staff time devoted to Long-Range Planning from 50% to 20%. This stems
from the more active development climate and from staff’s efforts to emphasize responsive
customer service and the Council’s “Can Do Attitude.” Current Long-Range activities for
2012/13 and 2013/14 were listed as were work activities under the Current Planning Program.
Planner Jeff Benson has been designated to be a liaison to work with the Ames Community
School District on development of new schools and disposition/redevelopment of former school
sites.
Housing & Community Development. Vanessa Baker-Latimer, Housing Coordinator, said
that she would be focusing on the administration of the Neighborhood Sustainability Program.
She noted that for 2012/13 and 2013/14, their Action Plan with include: (1) Neighborhood
Sustainability Program, (2) and Neighborhood Public Improvement Programs, which includes
neighborhood infrastructure improvements. Ms. Baker-Latimer reported that the City has not
heard what its CDBG allocation will be for 2013/14.
Council Member Larson suggested that the City’s event trailer could be used to facilitate a
“ribbon cutting” when infrastructure projects funded via CDBG funds are completed. That
would allow the Mayor and C it y Council members as well as members of the public to
celebrate the completion of the project with the affected neighbors..
COMMENTS: City Manager Schainker brought the Council’s attention to a graph prepared by the
Budget Officer at the request of Council Member Goodman showing the Total Costs of City
Services.
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Mr. Schainker also wanted the Council to note the letter placed around the dais from Julie
Weeks, on behalf of the Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau, requesting the City to match the
Ames Community Grant Program funding in the amount of $10,000 for 4th of July fireworks.
Council Member Goodman explained that when the Council agreed to a referendum to be
placed before the citizens for a 2% increase in the Hotel/Motel Tax, the Ames Convention &
Visitors Bureau agreed to fund several funding requests; fireworks was one of those.
City Manager Schainker told the Council that a memo reminding the Council of pending issues
that they will need to make decisions on at Budget Wrap-Up on February 12:
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Davis to adjourn at 8:34 p.m.
__________________________________________________________________________
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor