HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Meeting of the Ames City Council 02/05/1993MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 5, 1993
The Ames City Council met in special session at 2:05 p.m. on Friday, February 5, 1992, in the
Council Chambers in the City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Curtis presiding
and the following Council members present: Brown, Campbell, Hertz, Hoffman, and Wirth.
Council Member Parks arrived late.
FY 1993/94 BUDGET OVERVIEW: City Manager Steve Schainker reviewed the "budget
bombshells" that he said made this year's budget extremely difficult. He said the City would lose
revenues from the Road Use tax, liquor profits and municipal assistance funds from the State, the
property tax rollback, and interest income. He said these losses, coupled with such forced
expenditure increases as the State-mandated increase in the Police and Fire Retirement system
contribution and increases in uncontrollable costs such as Health insurance and workers
compensations costs, meant that the City was down nearly $1 million at the outset of this budget
year. He said he was proposing a "hold the line budget" with no new services yet no decreases in
the level of service, and said it would require a nominal increase in property taxes.
Council Member Parks arrived at 2:11 p.m.
Finance Director Alice Carroll said the City's share of residents' 1992-93 property taxes comprised
31.5% of the total, compared with 34% from the previous year. She said the overall valuation
increase for this period was 4.3%, with a shift in the property tax burden from residential to
commercial property due to the property tax rollback.
Carol Collings, Budget Officer, reviewed highlights of the proposed General Fund operational
expenses. She called the 5.1% increase in operations costs "very lean," and noted the increase
would be only 3.2% if not for the uncontrollable increases in health insurance rates, Police/Fire
Retirement system contributions, and workers compensation costs.
Finance Director Alice Carroll reviewed a summary of the property tax levy, noting that while the
general levy and transit levy were frozen due to the property tax freeze, inflation and new growth
were two allowable increases. She said the areas of debt service and the trust and agency levy were
not restricted. She pointed out how the Local Option Sales Tax funds provide property tax relief,
and reviewed the general obligation debt services costs for 1993-94.
Budget Officer Collings reviewed a breakdown of the cost of City services per residence. She
provided a comparison of property tax valuations and total levies of the eleven largest cities in the
State, noting Ames had the lowest general levy, total levy, and tax burden per capita. Ms. Collings
also reviewed the Fund Summary section of the budget document.
COMMENTS: There were no comments.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m.
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 9, 1993
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9, 1993, in the
Council Chambers of the City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Larry Curtis
presiding and the following members present: Brown, Campbell, Hertz, Hoffman, Parks, and Wirth.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Motion by Hoffman, Second by Parks, to approve the minutes of
the regular meeting of January 26, 1993.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
ALPHA PHI SORORITY: Motion by Campbell, Second by Hoffman, to approve a request from
Alpha Phi Sorority to allow underaged people on the premises of the Coliseum Bar while alcohol
is being served on February 19, 1993.
Vote on Motion: 5-1. Voting aye: Campbell, Hertz, Hoffman, Parks, and Wirth. Voting nay:
Brown. Motion declared carried 5-1.
TRANSFER OF AIRPORT LEASED LAND: Motion by Campbell, Second by Parks, to adopt
RESOLUTION NO. 93-53 approving transfer of airport leased land from Sauer-Sundstrand
Corporation and approving lease agreement with Arthur Harrison.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these minutes.
ISSUANCE OF $24,000,000 HOSPITAL REVENUE BONDS: Motion by Parks, Second by
Hertz, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 93-54 approving issuance of $24,000,000 Hospital Revenue
Bonds (Mary Greeley Medical Center Project) Series 1993 and Setting Parameters.
Council Member Hoffman said Council had not received background information on this item, and
she did not appreciate being pressed to make a decision at this time. She asked why it was necessary
to issue the bonds now, when construction was not yet scheduled to begin.
Jerry Sloan, Vice President of Professional Services for the Hospital, reviewed the construction
schedule, and said it was advantageous to issue the bonds now, when the bond issuance rate was at
a 20-year low.
David Claypool, Bond Counsel for the City, explained the arbitrage regulations of the Internal
Revenue Service, saying there needs to be a "reasonable expectation" that work to be financed from
the bonds will be completed within three years from issuance, and if not, that there be an engineer's
certification that the work in progress will be completed within five years.
Mr. Sloan said the Hospital had adequate funds to begin the project, but it was necessary to be able
to fund all phases of it. He said they had roughly $17 million of the total project cost of $31 million.
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He said however, it was not beneficial to wait due to the low issuance rate.
Merlin Pfannkuch, 1424 Kellogg, said he was present to ask that the Council hold another public
hearing before considering adopting this resolution. He said the September 22, 1992 hearing
involving the issuance of up to $45 million in Hospital revenue bonds was held at a time when the
Hospital's certificate of need application had been turned down by the State Health Facilities
Council. He said in addition, the $21 million bonds specifically discussed that night were to be used
primarily for refinancing debt at a lower interest rate. He said it was not made clear that that hearing
was the only one at which citizens could object to the Hospital's expansion/renovation plans.
Council Member Hoffman said she would like to abstain from voting on this issue at this time, to
allow time to provide Council with further information. Mayor Curtis noted the statute did not list
that as an acceptable reason for abstention.
Council Member Parks said he would support the motion because the financial consultants had
advised this was the best time to issue the bonds. He said the Council needed a rational argument
to countermand or challenge that advice.
Council Member Wirth said she would not support the motion. She said she shared Council
Member Hoffman's concerns and said she did not appreciate being pressured into voting on a
complex issue of this magnitude.
Question called on the motion. Roll Call Vote: 4-2. Voting Aye: Campbell, Hertz, Hoffman, Parks.
Voting Nay: Brown, Wirth. Resolution declared adopted 4-2, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these minutes.
HEARING ON PROPOSED ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION REFUNDING
BONDS: Mayor Curtis declared the public hearing open.
David Dirks, Senior Vice President of Evansen Dodge, Inc., presented the Report of Bids on
$8,215,000 General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 1993.
There being no one present wishing to testify further, the public hearing was declared closed.
Motion by Parks, Second by Hertz, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 93-55 providing for the award and
issuance of General Obligation Refunding Bonds not to exceed $8,500,000 and providing for the
levy of taxes to pay the same.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these minutes.
PROPOSED FY 1993/94 BUDGET: Motion by Campbell, Second by Hoffman, to approve the
proposed budget for FY 93/94 for the City of Ames. (It was noted that the vote will be taken on
Tuesday, February 16, 1993.)
The City Council heard reports on and discussed the proposed budgets for the Transit System
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portion of the Transportation Program, the Utilities and Physical Environment Program including
Resource Recovery, Wastewater Disposal, Storm Water Diversion, Water Utility, Public Works
Utilities Administration/Support, Public Works Transportation Administration/Support, Electric
Utility, and Planning and Housing.
Bob Bourne, Transit Director, reviewed reductions in service levels that resulted from budget
constraints coupled with increased costs. He said there will be a 9% reduction in fixed route service,
and fixed route fares will increase from 35 cents to 40 cents for students; from 75 cents to 90 cents
for adults. He said to better control costs in the Dial-A-Ride program, the one hour response time
is being replaced by a "day before" reservation system, and fares will be increased to $1.75 per ride
for disabled passengers and $2.00 per ride for elderly passengers. He said in addition, the elderly
age requirement is being increased from age 62 to 63.
While discussing the proposed Resource Recovery program budget, Public Works Director Paul
Wiegand noted $100,000 had been allocated for a recycling program, the details of which would be
established later. He said they were proposing to increase tipping fees from $20 to $30, which he
said would result in an approximate $2.00 per month increase in pickup fees per home.
During discussions of the Water Utility program budget, Mr. Wiegand noted funds had been
included to do hydrant flushing in the early spring of 1993 and thence annually to help deal with
rusty water problems.
RECESS: Mayor Curtis called a recess at 6:52 p.m.
RECONVENE: The regular meeting reconvened at 7:02 p.m.
While discussing the proposed budget for the Water Treatment program, Water Department Director
Tom Neumann noted State and Federal agencies are currently evaluating new fee proposals which
could significantly increase local costs. He said the IDNR is seeking legislative approval to
establish fee schedules costing Ames an estimated $30,000 to $50,000 annually.
Mr. Neumann also updated Council on water/sewer rate study projections, saying based on current
evaluations, the July 1994 water rate increase may be 35% as opposed to the 40% increase projected
last year, and the sewer rate increase might be postponed until July 1998.
It was pointed out that no electric rate increase was proposed for this year.
Council Member Hertz left the meeting at 7:45 p.m.
Brian O'Connell, Director of Planning and Housing, pointed out that the proposed budget included
funds to begin working on the updating of the Land Use Policy Plan as well as a revision to the
City's zoning and subdivision regulations.
COMMENTS: Mayor Curtis noted amendments to the agendas for the special meetings of
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February 10 and 16, 1993.
City Manager Steve Schainker distributed an analysis of diversion of Road Use Tax Funds, and a
map of the Clark/Lincoln Way intersection, a portion of the Hwy. 69 project with the DOT.
Council Member Parks said he had attended a meeting last week of the Ames-Des Moines alliance,
and there was interest in the possibilities of inter-city transit.
Motion by Parks, Second by Wirth, to direct Staff to look into whatever possibilities for inter-city
transit exist between the two agencies. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Council Member Parks asked Mayor Curtis to write to State legislators asking for a formal
explanation of what the revenues from the increased fee collection from the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources were to be used for. Mayor Curtis said it might be appropriate to meet with the
legislators to discuss this issue as well as others.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 8:41 p.m.
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 10, 1993
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:10 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10, 1993, in
the Council Chambers of the City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Curtis
presiding and the following Council Members present: Campbell, Hertz, Hoffman, Parks and Wirth.
Council Member Brown arrived late.
PROPOSED FY 93/94 BUDGET: The Council heard reports on and discussed the proposed
budgets for the Community Enrichment Program, which included Recreational Opportunities, Parks,
and Parks & Recreation Administration/Support, the Community Protection Program, which
included Law Enforcement, Fire Safety, Building Safety, Health & Sanitation, and Fire, Health and
Building Safety Administration, and the Transportation Program, which included the Street System,
Traffic Control, Public Parking, and Airport, as well as Public Buildings, and Cemeteries.
Mayor Curtis asked Parks and Recreation Director Nancy Carroll to look into the possibility of
providing times when the gymnasium would be available free of charge for young people. He said
it would be a good incentive for the facility to be utilized more often by youth groups. Council
Member Parks concurred.
Ms. Carroll noted there would be a 10% increase in user fees at Homewood Golf Course beginning
in the spring of 1993, in order to fund parking lot improvements in FY 1993/94 and the installation
of an automated irrigation system in FY 1997/98. She noted also that this year's proposed budget
for the Golf Course enterprise fund included the start of repayments of a loan obtained from the
City's General Fund in 1987/88 for cash flow purposes.
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City Manager Steve Schainker noted the proposed budget for the Capital Improvements portion of
the Community Protection program included allocation of $161,000 in Local Option Taxes for
purposes of constructing a new Animal Control Shelter. He reminded Council that the Friends of
the Ames Animal Shelter had proposed seeking private donations in order to raise the remaining
$49,000 needed to construct the shelter.
Council Member Brown arrived at 6:45 p.m.
Public Works Director Paul Wiegand noted that the Staff's request for $22,000 in the Streets
Engineering program budget for updating the street condition inventory had been dropped due to
the reduction in Road Use Tax Funds. He said under the new Intermodal Surface Transportation
Enhancement Act (ISTEA), this update will be required biennially to receive Federal funding for
projects. He provided the Council with an update on the results of meetings between local agencies
and the DOT regarding the Federal Highway Administration's requirement for a statewide
transportation plan to be in place by 1995 for the State to receive federal funding. There was
discussion about Councils of Government and regional planning activities.
City Manager Steve Schainker noted that although tonight's meeting focused on the budget rather
than specific projects, there were a number of citizens present who wished to speak to Council about
the U.S. 69 Corridor improvement project, specifically the Clark/Lincoln Way intersection.
Public Works Director Wiegand said the purpose of the proposed improvements were to increase
safety and reduce accidents by eliminating confusion at the intersection. Of the $620,000 total
project cost, $214,000 would come from a DOT traffic safety grant, and the City and DOT would
split the remaining cost. He said the ultimate decision on design is up to the State because it has
jurisdiction over the highway. However, he said if the City chose not to pay for this section of the
project, the DOT would have to pay the entire cost. He said the next step was to discuss alternatives
with the DOT.
Mac Peterson, 511 Lincoln Way, said he was here as a business owner and as a citizen. He said by
considering funding for this project, Council would be giving tacit approval of a $600,000 project
when they might be able to solve the problem on a smaller scale. He suggested other alternatives
be considered, such as sequencing of lights.
Charles Nelton, 5105 Emerson, agreed. He said the intersection does need changing, but citizens
needed to have more input into the process of determining what improvements needed to be made.
Jack Gano, 414 Lincolnway, said he appreciated the concern Council had shown this evening, and
felt relieved that the citizens concerns would be considered.
Les Campbell, 1205 25th, said he did not have confidence in the DOT's ability to deal with traffic
issues.
Council Member Hoffman suggested that a tape of this portion of the meeting be sent to the DOT,
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and that affected property owners and Council members be kept apprised as discussions proceed on
this issue.
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS, LOCAL 234 (BLUE COLLAR)
CONTRACT: Motion by Parks, Second by Hoffman, to hold a closed session as provided by
Section 20.17(3), Code of Iowa, to discuss collective bargaining strategy.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
The closed session began at 8:03 p.m.
RECONVENE: The regular meeting reconvened at 8:08 p.m.
Motion by Hertz, second by Hoffman, to adopt RESOLUTION NO, 93-56 ratifying the agreement
between the City of Ames, Iowa, and the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 234
(Blue Collar) for FY 1993/94.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these minutes.
COMMENTS: Council Member Campbell said she'd talked with staff from the City Clerk's office
following several complaints from citizens regarding a group seeking donations door-to-door. She
said the group had registered for a transient merchant's permit.
Motion by Campbell, Second by Parks, to direct staff to look into the possibility of Code revisions
regarding guidelines for transient merchant permits.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 11, 1993
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:08 p.m. on February 11, 1993, in the City Council
Chambers in the City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Curtis presiding and the
following Council Members present: Campbell, Hertz, Hoffman, Parks, Wirth. Council Member
Brown arrived late.
PROPOSED FY 1993/94 BUDGET: The Council heard reports on and discussed the proposed
budgets for the Community Enrichment Program, which includes Library Operations, the Internal
Support Services program, which includes Risk Management and Health Benefits and Equipment
Maintenance, and the General Administration and Support Program, which includes Public Policy
and Commissions and Administrative Services.
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Dawn Hayslett, Acting Library Director, reviewed a request for an additional 3.5 full-time
equivalent employees which she said were necessary to meet the increased demand for library
services. She noted that while the request was not City Manager recommended because of budget
constraints, the Library staff felt it would be remiss if they didn't note the increased demand. She
said the request for additional personnel was strictly to maintain the current level of service.
Ms. Hayslett told the Council there was a $21,000 shortfall in funds from the Story County system.
Council Member Brown arrived at 5:20 p.m.
Council Members Campbell and Parks wondered if user fees might be considered. Ms. Hayslett said
they would need to consider whether the fees would make up for the loss in central regional contract
money. Council Member Campbell said there was a tremendous inequity if City taxpayers are
subsidizing rural residents.
Council Member Parks left the meeting at 6:15 p.m.
COMMENTS: Council Member Hoffman said a recent Letter to the Editor in the newspaper made
it clear that there was still much confusion regarding the difference between essential and general
corporate purpose bonds. She said perhaps there was something they could do to make that
distinction more clear to citizens.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 16, 1993
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:10 p.m. on Tuesday, February 16, 1993, in the
Council Chambers of the City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Curtis presiding
and the following members present: Brown, Campbell, Hertz, Hoffman, Parks, and Wirth.
BUDGET WRAP-UP: Sheila Lundt, Assistant to the City Manager, reported on the proposed
City's share of Human Services fundings. She reviewed her February 5, 1993 memo to the Mayor
and Council which stated that of the four funders, only the City and GSB had an increased amount
of funding available. She said ASSET initially allocated a 3% increase over the City's 92/93
allocation, which totaled $548,774. In addition, they recommended that an extra $4,777 be used out
of the "added 1%" which Council made available to the process, bringing the total amount
recommended from City funds to $553,551.
There was discussion regarding a discrepancy in amounts funded for the Center for Personal
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Development that resulted from a clerical error. Ms. Lundt said the City had an additional $3,000
request for the Center's transitional living program, and the error was not noted until after the appeal
period had passed.
Council Member Parks said he was not as comfortable with the allocation process as in past years,
and felt if some agencies were getting more designations than others, it defeated the purpose.
There was discussion regarding cutting the request from A.R.C. for $1,500 in half, and adding that
$750 to the $552.00 balance of the City's 1% money, thus providing around $1300 for the
transitional living program of CPD.
Motion by Brown, Second by Campbell, to approve allocation of the recommended amounts with
the exception of the two line items for A.R.C. and the Center for Personal Development, reserving
$1300 to be allocated according to ASSET recommendations.
After considerable discussion about setting a precedent by changing the ASSET recommended
amounts at this point in the process, the motion was withdrawn.
Motion by Parks, Second by Brown, to accept the ASSET Allocation Recommendations for
1993/94, allocating $553,551 and leaving the decision as to whether to use the additional $552.00
balance in the 1% money up to ASSET.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Council Member Parks left the meeting at 5:55 p.m.
Frankee Oleson, Commission on the Arts (COTA) Chair, reviewed the Commission's 1993-94 Arts
Funding Recommendations, which totalled $62,747.
Lynette Pohlman, Public Art Policy and Acquisition Committee Chair, reviewed the Committee's
FY 93-94 budget requests, noting the requests for new funding totalled $22,550, and the request for
approval to spend prior allocations totalled $20,000.
Council Member Hertz said she felt uncomfortable approving $22,550 and would like to stay at
$15,000 level as in the past two years.
Motion by Hertz, Second by Wirth, to allocate $15,000 from Local Option Taxes to the Public Art
Policy and Acquisition Committee for FY 1993-94, leaving it up to the Committee how to handle
the difference and goals for fundraising.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Motion by Campbell, Second by Brown, to approve the allocation of $1,000 from Local Option
Taxes, to the Ames International Partner Cities Association, Inc.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
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Motion by Hertz, Second by Hoffman, to pay the following salaries to the employees directly
responsible to the City Council for FY 1993/94: City Attorney - $84,500; City Manager - $89,000
in salary with a $400/month car allowance; and to set the salary for the City Clerk following the
May 1993 review process, to be effective July 1, 1993 and to be taken out of the Contingency Fund
at that time.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Motion by Campbell, Second by Brown, to forgive the $19,000 note receivable carried in the
General Fund from Homewood Golf Course.
Vote on motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Motion by Brown, Second by Hoffman, to amend the Parks and Recreation Department program
budget to reflect actual revenue of Homewood Golf Course fees.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Vote on Motion to approve the FY 93-94 budget as amended (Motion from February 5 meeting):
5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Mayor Curtis commended City Manager Schainker and the City Staff on a well prepared budget.
He said he would notify the Friends of the Ames Animal Shelter that they should begin their
process for fundraising, as they could anticipate the City's $161,000 participation to the construction
of a new animal shelter.
Motion by Hoffman, Second by Wirth, to set February 23, 1993 as date of first public hearing on
the proposed FY 93-94 municipal budget, and March 2, 1993 as the date of the second and final
public hearing on same.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
COMMENTS: There were no comments.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
__________________________ ______________________________
Sandra L. Ryan, City Clerk Larry R. Curtis, Mayor
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