PUBLIC NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE
AKELEY CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
NOVEMBER 24TH, 2009
5:30 PM CITY HALL
AGENDA
1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. 2010 BUDGET
3. ADJOURN
AKELEY CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
NOVEMBER 24, 2009
5:30 PM CITY HALL
The Akeley City Council met in a work session Tuesday, November 24,
2009 at 5:30 PM. Mayor Jennifer Mitchell called the meeting to
order. Council members present were Jon Johnson, Cliff Johnson and
Terry Chalich. Troy Hegg arrived at 5:35 PM. The Pledge of
Allegiance was recited by the Council and attending audience.
Jennifer Mitchell stated that the purpose of the meeting was to
finalize the budget for 2010. The Council approved at the November
10, 2009 meeting, to eliminate the part-time police officers, to
reduce the police chief to 20 hours per week and to reduce the
deputy clerk position to 24 hours per week which made the levy
amount $187,857; $20,826 less than last year’s levied amount of
$208,683.
The Council discussed upcoming projects such as the water tower
being painted which will cost approximately $22,000 and the Highway
34 Project. Frank Thelin stated he thought the water tower could be
painted in the spring of 2011. Jennifer Mitchell said that she will
check into grants for the Highway 34 Project.
Discussion was held regarding the police squad truck and whether to
have it turned over to the maintenance department to be used as a
plow truck. Cliff Johnson said he contacted 2 Ford dealerships and
was told by both that it would make a very good plow truck. Terry
Chalich asked if the old plow (currently used by maintenance) would
go on the truck (squad) or if they would have to get a new plow. It
was stated that a new plow could cost $5,000. Jennifer Mitchell
questioned whether the squad car should be sold. Frank Thelin said
he thought the Dodge will work for maintenance yet this winter if
the council would like to wait until the next fiscal year to figure
this out. The Council said they will leave the vehicles as they are
for now and will revisit the issue again in the spring.
The Council and those present reviewed the proposed 2010 budget line
by line.
All numbers proposed in the General Fund for 2010 stayed the same
except for “City Office Building” (100-41940) where “Electric
Utilities” changed from $2,000 to $1,500 since the police department
is paying 1/3 of the electric utility bill. A total of $500 was
trimmed off from the General Fund.
Frank Thelin said that the water line to the maintenance shop will
need to be repaired and it will cost about $1,000 to repair it. Jon
Johnson questioned the $6,000 budgeted for “Equipment Purchases
(Large)” and wondered if it could be lowered by $1,000. Discussion
was held regarding road conditions and the plan to establish the
road ROW back. Jennifer Mitchell also stated she would like to have
all of the roads looked at in detail and to have a 5 year plan for
repair set up.
Changes made to the Maintenance Fund for 2010 are to add $1,000 to
“Building Repairs” changing the amount from $300 to $1,300; to add
$8,000 to “Road Maintenance/Repairs” changing the amount from
$10,000 to $18,000; to reduce “Equipment Purchases (Large)” by
$1,000 changing the amount from $6,000 to $5,000; and to add a line
under “Special Projects” for “Water Tower Project – Painting” and
placing $8,000 there making the total amount for “Special Projects”
$13,000. These changes raised the Maintenance Levy amount from
$89,719 to $97,719.
Under the Police Department Fund for 2010, Clerk Denise Rittgers
said that she did go into “Maint. Repairs & Supplies” and “Operating
Expense” and dropped both amounts down to $100 each since the
council wanted her to look into what went into each of those object
codes. Denise Rittgers will contact the City’s insurance agent to
see about getting the insurance on the squad car changed to storage
insurance since it will not be used much in 2010. Deputy Clerk
Wendy Klein stated that currently there are 4 cell phones; 2 used
for the police (1 which is used by the part-time officers), 1 for
maintenance and 1 for the parks and the cell phone bill has been
divided with the police department paying half of the bill and the
other departments each paying ¼ of the bill. Since the part-time
police officers would no longer need a phone, the cell bill would
then be split with each of the departments paying 1/3 of the bill.
Denise Rittgers will look into the current cell phone contract and
see if changes can be made or if a new cell phone carrier or plan
should be looked at.
Jon Johnson asked if anything would be set aside for parks so items
such as new docks could be purchased. Denise Rittgers replied that
the park fund is a revenue fund and has money in it which could be
looked at if items for the park needed to be purchased.
The final levy amount determined at the work session was $203,357
which is $5,529 under last year’s levy of $208,683.
Motion
by Jennifer Mitchell seconded by Troy Hegg and carried to adjourn at
6:25 PM.
Denise
Rittgers
Clerk/Treasurer
City of
Akeley
Wendy
Klein
Deputy
Clerk
City of
Akeley
