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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023 07.22 CCM JT CC AND FC7/22/23 Page 1 MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL/FINANCIAL COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND STATE OF MINNESOTA JOINT WORK SESSION JULY 22, 2023 COUNCIL COMMISSION ROOM 1. CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council/Financial Commission Joint Work Session was called to order by Mayor Graves at 8:45 a.m. 2. INTRODUCTIONS City Manager Reggie Edwards summarized the purpose of the meeting and thanked Staff for the work they have put into the budget. He pointed out it is the first time for some Councilmembers, for several Commissioners, and for a handful of the presenters. 3. 2024 GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT BUDGET REQUEST 3a. CITY COUNCIL Director of Fiscal and Support Services Angela Holm introduced the item and invited City Clerk/Interim Assistant City Manager Barb Suciu to continue the Staff presentation. City Clerk/Interim Assistant City Manager Barb Suciu explained the mission of the Mayor and City Council is to provide visionary leadership to the organization and direction of the operation of the city through the City Manager. Ms. Suciu stated the City Council is responsible for formulating City policy, enacting legislation, adopting the annual budget, levying local property taxes, and appointing members to advisory boards and commissions. Members of the City Council also constitute the Board of Appeal and Equalization, the Economic Development Authority, the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, and the Canvassing Board for municipal elections. Ms. Suciu noted the City Council budget includes expenses related to dues for organizations, transcription services for City Council meetings, Charter Commission funding, fees for conferences and schools, and costs associated with their electronic devices and phones. She showed a slide with a table depicting the Council budget. There is a requested budget of $190,951, which is a 3.88 percent increase from the previous year. Commissioner Moore commended Staff for increasing the wages of the Mayor and Council. 7/22/23 Page 2 Councilmember Jerzak asked if the retreats are included in the Council budget. Ms. Suciu confirmed the Council retreats are under meeting expenses in the Council budget. 3b. ADMINISTRATION Ms. Suciu stated the Department of Administration is composed of the City Manager’s Office, Office of the Assistant City Manager/City Clerk, and Information Technology. The City Manager’s Office is composed of the City Manager. The primary responsibility of the City Manager is organizational leadership. Ms. Suciu explained the Office of the City Clerk is composed of the Assistant City Manager/City Clerk, Deputy City Clerk, Communications Manager, and Communications Specialist. The Office of the City Clerk manages City records, administers elections, issues business licenses, responds to data requests manages cross-departmental communications, city-wide communications, branding/marketing efforts, and media relations. Ms. Suciu added the Division of Information Technology is composed of the IT Director, IT Specialist, and an IT Technician. This division plans, manages, and supports the City technology infrastructure and helps lead city operational efficiency. Ms. Suciu showed a chart of the organizational structure and a table of Staffing levels over the past few years. There is a request to add an Administrative Assistant to the Department, which would increase the Department Staffing level to nine. Dr. Edwards pointed out the communications and engagement roles were split, and each has a coordinator. However, there is not a central manager over the communications and engagement roles. Ms. Suciu added the Community Service Representative was moved to the Department of Equity and Human Resources. Ms. Suciu stated the 2024 budget highlights include continuing to move the organization forward while being aligned with the City’s new strategic priorities, providing City-wide elections for 2024 for the Presidential Primary, State Primary, and Presidential/Municipal elections, strengthening City communications with additional media reach, social media presence, translation of City documents, and website enhancements, re-codifying City ordinances, and a transition from City- hosted to cloud-based software. The highlights address strategic functions such as an enhanced community image and a safe, secure, and stable community. Ms. Suciu showed a table of the Administrative Department 2024 budget. Dr. Edwards noted part of the budget is due to increasing wages and an adjustment for election years. In previous years, there has been an unmet budget request to offset the election years. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked how the City Clerk’s budget could decrease. Ms. Holm explained the salary for the Assistant City Manager/City Clerk was moved to three separate divisions to reflect which areas the Assistant City Manager/City Clerk is actually serving. 7/22/23 Page 3 Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated what she finds concerning is that when salaries are volleying from department to department it is very difficult to gauge an increase from year to year. She added normally in departments you can see the increase for that year and I can look back in the previous 10years and with this budget, she can’t see that. Dr. Edwards noted a similar budgetary reorganization has been done in other departments. Overall, the dollar amount to fund the position has remained the same. Councilmember Jerzak stated it is concerning to have the Assistant City Manager combined with the City Clerk, which is a statutory position should they need to hire just a City Clerk down the line. He is concerned for succession planning we would need to hire an Assistant City Manager who is also a certified City Clerk, you can say that we will adjust at that time but Dr. Edwards pointed out the City Clerk position is fully funded. If there is a future need for an Assistant City Manager, then they would have to readjust the budget at that time. Councilmember Kragness asked why the roles are combined. Dr. Edwards stated they have tried to reduce spending since he was moved from Assistant City Manager to City Manager. Councilmember Kragness stated it is important to have an Assistant City Manager to step in should there be a need to fill a City Manager role, similar to what happened with Dr. Edwards. Dr. Edwards stated he was the first Assistant City Manager in Brooklyn Center, so the current set up is more common in the City’s history. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson agreed there should be a separate Assistant City Manager. Ms. Suciu pointed out there was an opportunity to carry over funding from previous years to set aside $25,000 to fund the 2024 election, which allowed for a smaller budget increase in 2024. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated the combined Assistant City Manager/City Clerk role has too many responsibilities, especially in an election year. Councilmember Jerzak asked if the City is reimbursed from the School District at all for elections. Ms. Suciu stated there is an agreement with the School District that the City be reimbursed for the off-year 2023 election they require. However, they don’t reimburse the City for even-numbered years. After all, the City has to do it anyways on normal election years. Mayor Graves asked if Staff anticipates a need to split the Assistant City Manager/City Clerk role in the future. Dr. Edwards stated it is a balance between maintaining a reasonable budget and the job responsibilities of the role. Mayor Graves asked Ms. Suciu if she would feel comfortable stepping into the City Manager role if Dr. Edwards were to go elsewhere. Ms. Suciu stated she would be able to on a temporary basis, but she already has a heavy workload on election years. Councilmember Jerzak stated they haven’t received an update on grant expenditures, revenues, enterprise funds, the audit, labor study, and more. They are lacking the necessary information to make budgetary decisions. 7/22/23 Page 4 (33:40) __________ stated the Council sets the priorities of the budget and the City. The budget is formulated by the City Manager based on input from Departments. However, the budget proposal is guided by the Council’s priorities. Councilmember Jerzak added the Council has asked to revisit The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act. Meanwhile, the Office of Community Prevention, Health and Safety’s budget relies heavily on recommendations from the Resolution. The City may partner with the County, which would drastically change the budget. Even with the grants, it would be impossible to fully fund the Resolution. Dr. Edwards stated the budget process is intended to be a balance of several perspectives. They don’t know the revenue yet. The presentations are intended to show what the Departments are requesting. Dr. Edwards stated it is his responsibility to weigh the Departmental requests with the Council priorities and the anticipated revenues. Financial Commission Chair Joylenna Garcia stated the Commission and Council don’t know the expenditures or even the projections. She asked when the information will be provided. Dr. Edwards stated the expenditures for 2022 and 2023 are already provided to the Commission and Council. There is a progression to obtain the information about grants, revenues, and enterprise funds. Those will be presented to Council and Commission when available, and it will be done before finalizing and voting on the budget. Councilmember Kragness asked if it is reasonable to believe there are modest increases in revenue. Dr. Edwards explained he would never present a budget that is not reasonable to implement. Councilmember Kragness requested Staff formulate a budget that includes an Assistant City Manager. (38:50) ______ noted the IT budget has decreases that aren’t feasible based on the need for new computers and the slow process of transitioning systems. Ms. Holm explained if a Staff person needs a new computer, the funding will come from the person’s Departmental budget. The main reason for the decrease in funding for IT is because standing desks were requested in 2023, which would not carry over to 2024. Dr. Edwards added the City has IT funds similar to capital funds that are set aside for large projects. 3c. EQUITY AND HUMAN RESOURCES Director of Equity and Human Resources Jim Langemo stated the vision of the Department to create the best City to work for in Minnesota. The mission is to equip and inspire our employees to create a diverse, engaged workforce while they deliver excellent programs and services to our residents and visitors. Mr. Langemo showed the organizational chart for the Department. The division manages employee-focused equity strategy and the complete employee life cycle, including, but not limited 7/22/23 Page 5 to hiring and onboarding, engagement and culture, leadership development and management training, learning, development and career pathing, rewards and recognition, compensation and benefits, organizational effectiveness and organization design, labor and employee relations, offboarding, and retirement. Mr. Langemo stated the key initiatives of the Department are to stabilize the culture, improve employee engagement, increase diversity, and continue the two-year buildout plan. Stabilizing the culture has a number of features and facets. Key elements focus on leadership development, management training, role clarity for employees, process improvement across the organization, organizational design and competitive salary analysis, and introduction of new human resources programs such as new employee onboarding, two-year personnel plan, strategic compensation and benefits program, DEI training, customer service training, resolving conflict/giving, and receiving feedback training. Mr. Langemo explained a priority for the organization should be to focus on employee engagement. The goal is to see 2023 baseline score improve in 2024. The Department will also work to see other markers of an engagement workforce improve such as turnover, innovation, and improved service. Anecdotally, Staff want to hear employees talking about such things as changed leadership and management behaviors, less chaos and stress, and people having fun while working together and serving the community. Mr. Langemo noted as much as possible, the Department will ensure the City has diverse candidate pools for every open position. Staff will learn from each open position to help improve our recruiting efforts. Also, Staff will work with Council, the City Manager, and department heads on defining what “mirroring the community needs.” Quotas will not be included as that is illegal, unethical and counteract what it means to be equitable. Mr. Langemo added the Department will make progress on building out the programs, processes, policies and services of a robust equity and human resources department. All this work goes to building the content and infrastructure necessary to equip employees to do their work and for us to become the best City to work for in Minnesota. Mr. Langmo stated the Department’s programs, projects and services directly related to the City’s strategic priorities include an enhanced community image and a safe, secure, and stable community. The Department has and will support the values of the City such as customer intimacy and operational excellence. Mr. Langemo noted there are a number of key budget items. First, there is a request of $67,000 for a competitive salary analysis project work to ensure competitive salaries, including $50,000 in potential increased salaries. $20,250 has been allotted for employee engagement surveys and related work environment initiatives including, but not limited to such things as, management training, management\employee 1:1s, onboarding, stay interviews, exit interviews, and so on. The Wellness program is included here as well. There are also some funds for augmented professional services to help with such projects as organizational design. 7/22/23 Page 6 Mr. Langemo explained with a requested $12,300, three employees will receive Green Belt Lean Six Sigma certification. They will use their increased skills to improve processes in their department. This will remove waste, create efficiencies and improve quality all in service of residents and visitors. Staff teach from sources like StrengthsFinder and Getting Things Done. This also includes certifications on coaching, resolving conflict and giving/receiving feedback and employee recognition for anniversaries, birthdays, and performance. Mr. Langemo stated $11,700 has been allotted for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives like intercultural competency training for employees, inspirational, constructive guest speakers, celebrating cultural heritage months, and funding for three people to attend the Multicultural Forum. Another $10,000 is intended for anticipated labor relations expenses. Dr. Edwards noted the engagement survey is very fruitful for employee development. The City has leaders with different levels of development. The leadership sets the tone, and the Department aims to build up leaders. Mr. Langemo showed a chart with the overall budget information for the Department. Mayor Graves asked if training and onboarding of leadership such as Department Directors or Council has been considered. Mr. Langemo confirmed it has been considered, and it would be beneficial to show people how their work makes an impact on the City. (1:04:45) _____ noted her appreciation of Mr. Langemo and his excitement for his role. She added there was a certain culture with the previous Council, and the community has recognized the positive shift in culture that came with the current Council. (1:05:55) _____ suggested the Department of Human Resources and Equity consider offering a dollar amount of training funds if Staff were to find training relevant to their position. When a Staff owns it, it can only be more effective. Councilmember Jerzak asked what specific steps will be taken to “stabilize” the culture. There have been a number of equity studies and employment surveys over the years that have never been used for action. Retention is important, especially because turnover is costly. He suggested a procedure or a private entrance be set up for Staff to share concerns without other Staff knowing about it. Also, he requested that positions be filled more quickly. Mr. Langemo agreed he hopes to fill positions quickly and with the best fit. One of his goals is to streamline the hiring process. Councilmember Jerzak noted the Department plan promises to “report on progress to [the] City Manager and department heads semi-annually.” However, the Council needs the information as well. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson noted Council hasn’t been invited to Staff retirement parties or swearing-in ceremonies until recently. 7/22/23 Page 7 Councilmember Kragness pointed out there likely hasn’t been a culture that is comfortable including the Council in such events. Dr. Edwards agreed there has been a historical separation of Staff and Council. He is looking for ways to continue making connections and change the culture. (1:14:45) _______ noted a recurring theme by leadership is to talk and talk about problems and solutions without any action or implementation. It is discouraging to employees and wastes everyone’s time. Mr. Langemo agreed. Councilmember Jerzak shared an example of Council putting in the effort to get to know Staff and thanked them for their service to the City. They wanted to get to know employees on a personal level. Dr. Edwards pointed out the gathering was very impactful, especially because there hadn’t been a gathering for everyone in a few years. Mayor Graves called for a short break. 3d. FINANCE City Manager Reggie Edwards introduced the item and invited Director of Fiscal and Support Services Angela Holm to continue the presentation. Ms. Holm stated the mission of the Fiscal and Support Services Department is to provide accurate and timely information to all users of financial information and to provide administrative and professional support in financial matters to all departments and divisions of the City. Ms. Holm explained in the General Fund, the Finance Division of the Department assembles and processes documents which facilitate the daily financial operations of the City. The Finance Division oversees the administration of claims and risk management for the property and casualty portion of the City’s insurance program. The Division manages investments of City funds as well as issuance and repayment of debt obligations of the City. Ms. Holm added the Utility Billing Division acquires and processes data which allow for the billing and collection of revenues for the City’s five utilities. The Director oversees the contract with Hennepin County for assessing services and acts as the staff liaison for the Board of Equalization and Appeals. Ms. Holm noted key initiatives are focused on the achievement of strategic priorities/value propositions such as targeted redevelopment through support of financial plans for the Opportunity Site and customer intimacy/operational excellence by continuing to improve customer relationships and operational efficiency. Ms. Holm showed a chart of Staffing levels. There are currently 5.5 positions, but there is a request for 6 positions by increasing the part-time Utility Billing Technician to a full-time. Ms. Holm explained an annual goal is to ensure the financial stability of the City through plans to review and analyze alternatives for funding city infrastructure investments, ensure appropriate 7/22/23 Page 8 financial policies and practices are in place, and assure adequate cash flow and investment of idle cash. Ms. Holm noted another goal is to enhance customer access to utility account information and actions with strategies to ensure on-line and phone system ability to accept payments, on-line access to customer account history information, and on-line distribution option for quarterly bills, ensure accurate billing of customer utilities, and maximize utilization of online payment methods. develop additional best in class performance measures and expand marketing to increase electronic payments. Ms. Holm showed a slide with the budget for the Department. The requested 2024 budget is for just under $800,000, which is a 4.65 percent increase. There is a large focus on Staff development, and another expense is the cost for the auditors. With the new auditors, the City is receiving more services which costs more money. The shift of responsibilities has been a huge relief to the Department. Councilmember Jerzak stated he looks forward to seeing the revenue and expenditures in the near future. Unfortunately, the Departments will ask for way more than the City can afford. It is important to see what financial commitments have been made or fulfilled, both by the Council and the Fiscal and Support Services Department. (1:46:30) _________ asked if the insurance offerings cover both an employee and spouse. Someone confirmed insurance offerings cover both an employee and spouse. 3e. OCPHS/ENGAGEMENT Director of Community Prevention, Health and Safety LaToya Turk explained the mission of the Office of Community Prevention, Health and Safety (OCPHS) is to provide leadership, programming, coordination and evaluation of prevention, health and safety initiatives and best practices across the organization and within the community. OCPHS strives to ensure that one day the City in partnership with residents, businesses and community organizations will create through prevention and intervention strategies a healthy and safe ecosystem to support the well- being of all residents. Ms. Turk stated the Office of Community Prevention, Health and Safety (OCPHS) is comprised of four divisions. Prevention initiatives include the Health Division and the Safety Division. The Engagement Division and Performance Analysts Divisions are additions to the Office of Community Prevention, Health and Safety. The prevention modeling will provide insight on eliminating the use of single-strategy, single-system City efforts as well as the underlying variables that correlate with systemic disparities within policies and practices. The OCPHS will continue to develop partnerships with community-based prevention programs or sponsoring systems to build a comprehensive prevention model. Ms. Turk noted the Health Division will provide insight to organization on community health disparities and equity opportunities by addressing health disparities presented in the organizations policy and procedures. The OCPHS will continue to coordinate the City’s approach to community 7/22/23 Page 9 health and wellness through interventions, health-based policies and short- and long-term strategies. OCPHS will provide equitable health related initiative recommendations to the city and build a health-based ecosystem to support the well-being of all residents. Ms. Turk added the Safety Division will co-create and implement a comprehensive community- based public safety infrastructure focused on non-law enforcement approaches to community health and public safety. The Engagement and Art Division is intended to support all departments in cross-departmental engagement and Citywide engagement efforts. The Performance Analyst Division will work with all departments to develop understanding of outcome alignment and evaluations and support all departments in cross-departmental operational and outcome evaluations. Ms. Turk pointed out, overall, the Office of Community Prevention, Health and Safety will align resources to support safe, equitable practices and policies for community initiatives. Key Initiatives focused on the achievement of strategic priorities/value propositions include a safe, secure, and stable community, inclusive community engagement, public trust, and residence feel a sense of community pride. Ms. Turk stated to promote a safe, secure stable community, OCPHS will continue to co-create with community partners an alternative response pilot. The response team will respond to incidents where a resident is primarily experiencing a medical, mental health, disability-related, behavioral or social need. Also, OCPHS will continue to co-create with community partners an unarmed Civilian Traffic Enforcement Division The team will enforce all non-moving traffic violations in the city. Ms. Turk added for inclusive community engagement, OCPHS will continue efforts to engage and respond to community prevention, health and safety needs by seeking input from a diverse range of community members, businesses and community organizations. To promote public trust, the OCPHS will continue transparent, inclusive culturally sensitive efforts to build community trust with community members, businesses and community stakeholders. OCPHS also hopes to help residents feel a sense of community pride by continuing to promote outreach initiatives by building neighborhood collaborations to address community disparities. Ms. Turk showed the organizational chart for OCPHS. The Division of Health includes community-based health collaboration, community health events, public service health assessments, and community mental health prevention. The Division of Safety includes alternative response pilot and unarmed pilots, community intervention, and youth prevention and outreach. Ms. Turk explained the Division of Engagement and Art includes community engagement, enterprise management, beautification, and public art. Lastly, the Performance Analysis Devision includes the outcome performance report and research special report. Ms. Turk showed a table with the staffing levels since 2022. She pointed out in 2022, there was a full-time Interim Assistant City Manager/Communications and Community Engagement Manager. That position has been dissolved and replaced by two new positions of Communications Manager and a Community Engagement Coordinator. 7/22/23 Page 10 Ms. Turk explained in 2023, there were 5.5 positions, and there is a request for 6 positions in 2024 to include an additional Community Engagement Specialist and a Community Safety and Health Manager. The positions of the Artist in Residency and two part-time Neighborhood Engagement Liaisons. In 2022, there was an artist in residency funded mid-year by grant. In 2023, the grant funding will no longer support this position and the position will be absorb into a single community engagement/artist in residency position. The new position will be funded by the general dollars previously used for two neighborhood engagement liaisons. Councilmember Kragness asked if the organizational chart represented an employee with each bubble. Ms. Turk stated the Division of Health and Division of Safety is intended to be overseen by the new Community Health and Safety Manager. The Community Engagement Coordinator and Community Engagement Specialist falls under the Division of Engagement and Art. Lastly, the Performance Analyst is the employee for the Performance Analysis Division. Dr. Edwards pointed out the Community Health and Safety Manager position would be funded by a grant in 2024. In 2025, it would be funded half by grant and half by general fund. Then in 2026, it would be funded completely by the general fund. Councilmember Kragness stated the staffing levels would make more sense if the allotted funds were included to explain the readjustment of funds. Dr. Edwards stated the there was a full-time Interim Assistant City Manager/Communications and a full-time Community Engagement Manager. Those were dissolved and replaced by two new positions of Communications Manager and a Community Engagement Coordinator. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked if the change is shown in the budget. Dr. Edwards confirmed it is included in the budget. The dollars are the same just reorganized. Councilmember Kragness asked if the determination to fill or not fill a position is up to the City Manager. The Interim Assistant City Manager/Communications Manager was there for a reason, but Dr. Edwards made the decision to adjust it to a new position. Dr. Edwards stated the City Manager can make decisions to promote efficiency and spread-out responsibilities in the best interest of the Staff. Mayor Graves noted she is a strong proponent of community engagement and communications efforts. In the past, the communications have not been going too well. Therefore, it made sense to do some reorganization. The communications role is now under the City Clerk. Dr. Edwards stated in the previous format the Interim Assistant City Manager/Communications Manager role did both high-level management and lower-level technical work. When the position opened, it made sense to make the position more efficient by dividing up the management and the actual technical communications work. Councilmember Kragness stated that person should have been able to do both aspects of the role, so it was likely a bad fit rather than an issue with the job description. 7/22/23 Page 11 Financial Commission Chair Joylenna Garcia asked how many direct reports the Community Safety and Health Manager would have. Ms. Turk stated there are not currently any direct reports. Chair Garcia asked if the position is salaried. Ms. Turk confirmed the position is salaried. Chair Garcia asked if the role meets the requirements of a salaried positions since the role doesn’t have any direct reports. Dr. Edwards explained the manager is intended to manage contracts rather than people. Chair Garcia explained if OCPHS is requesting $318,000 and the director role is assumed to be $150,000, there would be about $168,000 to be spread out among the rest of the Staff positions. Even if it was $118,000, then $200,000 would be divided among five positions. Ms. Holm stated there are two business units within OCPHS. For example, there is a Community Engagement Division that has $170,000 for salaries. Dr. Edwards noted the OCPHS has been built up over the last few years. It started with one person rather than the original three departments. There is a balance between increasing the levy and seeking out grant funds. With the progression, more positions have been added and the salaries are being worked out. Chair Garcia asked if there is a written grant for the Community Health and Safety Manager. Dr. Edwards stated there is already funding being received for various pieces of OCPHS. The Community Health and Safety Manager position would be funded by a grant in 2024. In 2025, it would be funded half by grant and half by general fund. Then in 2026, it would be funded completely by the general fund. Chair Garcia asked if the grants are supposed to be spent by the end of 2023. Dr. Edwards stated the grants from Pohlad and Blue Cross Blue Shield have been adjusted after conversations with the grant funders. They know Brooklyn Center is just getting to the point of spending the funds. The State funding has a different timeline. Councilmember Kragness asked which positions are grant-funded. It is concerning to have so many positions funded by grants because the City will have to add it into the budget over time. The needs of the City need to be met before the wants. Dr. Edwards stated only one position is grant-funded. The strategy in 2022 was to create a path to slowly meet the needs of the OCPHS, so the rest of the positions are already funded through the budget. Mayor Graves noted prevention is definitely a need. It has long-term effects that impact several goals of the City. Councilmember Kragness stated it is a need to fully fund police officer positions, and she doesn’t see that on the same level of prevention. There are certain items in the budget that are required to keep the City running. Then there are items that are intended to improve the City. She pointed out the Council previously took money from the Police Department by freezing law enforcement positions to help fund other initiatives. If the City relies too much on grant funding, then the Council may consider cutting necessary services again. 7/22/23 Page 12 Mayor Graves stated the Council didn’t have to cut those funds. It was an argument the Council was having. (2:26:30) __________ stated it is not appropriate to be debating about old history. Mayor Graves stated she isn’t debating. Councilmember Kragness stated they are just trying to get to an understanding of one another’s perspectives. Mayor Graves agreed her intention was to get clarity from Councilmember Kragness. Dr. Edwards noted his role is to consider the fiscal capacity of the City alongside desired outcome. Reduction of crime requires looking upstream. Prevention is vital to long-term success. 42 percent of the budget is related to law enforcement, and core services will be maintained. Prevention and response can both be funded, and the hope is that prevention will result in a lower need for response. Councilmember Jerzak stated “building capacity” is no more than increasing taxes or borrowing from someone else’s budget. He asked why the Performance Analyst position is under OCPHS instead of the Fiscal and Support Services Department. He is a proponent of OCPHS, but their performance also must be analyzed. Councilmember Jerzak noted Dr. Edwards made a startling statement when he said the funds from the opioid settlement had already been allocated. The Council should have been presented with options. Building capacity means expanding government services, and the Council needs to be part of the discussion. (2:34:00) _______ explained when talking about wants and needs, the assessment of current services needs to be included. There is an embedded social worker whose impact hasn’t been assessed. The role of the social worker has shifted over time without explanation. The alternative response team is intended to allow law enforcement to refocus their energy based on their skills and capacity. An officer with a gun doesn’t need to respond to every call for service received. _________ added if the Community Health and Safety Manager position is supposed to be funded by the grant, then the Commission and the Council need to be informed of the status of the grant and what’s left. Councilmember Jerzak noted his agreement. They need to build long-term capacity to promote public safety in a sustainable manner. Dr. Edwards stated updates on the grants and the alternative response team will be presented to the Council, and they need to trust Staff to do their job. Mayor Graves requested an organizational chart that shows the positions rather than the plans for each Division. 7/22/23 Page 13 Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated the Performance Analyst would fit better in the Fiscal and Support Services Department or the Equity and Human Resources Department. Dr. Edwards explained OCPHS was charged with looking at interactions between Departments and outcomes. There is no clear reason why the position would succeed more in another Department. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated grant funds should not be used for positions but for things. Two years ago, the Council raised concerns about funding the ideas of The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act. Now, positions are being funded by grants, which is still concerning. If Brooklyn Center is using grants to fund positions, then there is an expectation for the positions to continue which will burden the taxpayers. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson noted the County has offered to include Brooklyn Center in their alternative response efforts. It would be more affordable for the City, and it would prevent Brooklyn Center from operating as an island. Mayor Graves stated a Letter of Intent was sent to the County to show commitment to the program. (2:41:45) _______ asked who was having the conversations that Mayor Graves was aware of the commitment to the County program. Dr. Edwards stated Staff has had the conversations. _________ pointed out Mayor Graves knows about the conversations. Mayor Graves stated she shared any information she knew with the Council. ________ stated there is a five-person Council, and they are not all part of the discussions. There is no such thing as transparency in the City. Dr. Edwards stated the 2021 discussions about not being able to afford the full implementation of The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act was mainly in regards to forming three entire departments. It did not mean the ideas were not going to be funded at all. Staff has strategized about how to slowly implement the spirit of the Resolution in a sustainable, fiscally responsible way. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated the budget is only funding two tenets of The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act. First is the alternative response team and the traffic enforcement team. Mayor Graves stated the traffic enforcement team isn’t funded. Ms. Turk stated the OCPHS will work with law enforcement to determine what a traffic enforcement team could look like while assessing current offerings and needs. Staff has had conversations about restructuring The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act and its listed departments. The presentation reflects what the City can currently do with minimal funds and limited Staff. Mayor Graves pointed out she has attended regional meetings and Staff meetings about alternative responses. The Council has been united in their desire for an alternative response option. Staff has yet to formally present a recommendation regarding the topic at a Council meeting. 7/22/23 Page 14 Councilmember Kragness stated she wasn’t aware a formal letter was submitted to the County. It is good to hear, but she was unaware. Mayor Graves stated she never saw the letter. However, Staff said they would submit a letter, so Mayor Graves assumed they did. Dr. Edwards pointed out the structure laid out in The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act is not the same as has been implemented in the City. One department became the OCPHS and the other two departments became divisions of OCPHS. Councilmember Jerzak explained he doesn’t understand the incredible resistance to readdress The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act. Mayor Graves stated there is no resistance. At the last Implementation Committee meeting, she stated there was consensus to review the Resolution as well alongside Council. Councilmember Jerzak thanked Staff for their efforts to implement the spirit of the Resolution. The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act is extremely cumbersome and needs to be reformulated to reflect the current capacity and needs of Brooklyn Center. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson added both capacity and sustainability are important. There is an opportunity to build capacity by working with the State to get cameras and drones, which are extremely impactful for prevention. A one-time financial give to the City makes sense to pay for the one-time expense of cameras and a drone. While being a strong proponent of the prevention technology, she does not support funding it through the general fund. Chair Garcia pointed out The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act was passed in 2021 with a different Council and Commission. Conversations did take place at the time, but it was a different group. It is the City Manager’s responsibility to look for ways to fund commitments made by the Council. Dr. Edwards noted one of the grants they received is only for prevention and intervention, so it cannot be used for things such as cameras or physical things. It was an opportunity to do something the City couldn’t afford to do. Even though there is more financial capacity now, it would be unreasonable to squander the funds of the grant. Dr. Edwards added responding to crimes is not prevention. Staff is working to build out a model for prevention that will be presented to the Council. Dr. Edwards stated $75,000 was allotted in the 2023 budget to put towards ideas of The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act. There is a hope to use the funds in 2023 still. There is also $100,000 designated for youth prevention. The purpose was to slowly fund efforts in order to limit the levy increase. Overall, the strategy has been sustainable. Councilmember Jerzak stated the Council is running out of time to make decisions, and he refuses to make last-minute decisions. The Council needs more information for considerations. The 7/22/23 Page 15 Council wants earlier indications about the status of grants to be part of the decision-making earlier on. Mayor Graves pointed out she doesn’t want people to look negatively at grants and grant-funded positions. There are many options for grant-funded positions to receive alternative funding or even just building capacity for the work to continue more efficiently by another position or within the community. Dr. Edwards reiterated he would never bring an unsustainable budget to the Council. Councilmember Kragness stated she has concerns about the lack of timeline for the grants because then the City isn’t prepared to take over funding or seek out additional funding when needed. If there was enough funding in 2021 to support the efforts of The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock- Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act, then it would have been in the 2022 budget. Dr. Edwards stated the thought was to slowly phase in $75,000 year after year as the grants were used up. Councilmember Kragness stated that strategy wasn’t included in The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act. 3f. RECREATION Recreation Director Cordell Wiseman explained the mission of the Parks and Recreation Department is to foster a safe and healthy community and enrich the quality of life for all. The Department's values are inclusion, equity, quality, innovative, and adaptable. Mr. Wiseman noted the Parks & Recreation Department is comprised of Programming, Sports, Aquatic and Engagement Divisions with a health and wellness focus. These Divisions provide for the development and implementation of organized recreational activities, community outreach, operation of the Community Center and swimming pool. Mr. Wiseman stated the Department is also responsible for the operation of the Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center conference and events facility, whose operations are identified in its respective Enterprise Fund accounts. In addition, Centerbrook Golf Course, whose operations are identified in its respective Special Revenue fund. Mr. Wiseman stated the key initiative focused on the achievement of strategic priorities/value propositions include inclusive community engagement. This priority will be promoted by aligning City resources to most equitably support Brooklyn Center youth, hosting programs in the areas of holistic health, youth engagement, multi-cultural programming and youth and adult sports, and going out into the parks to build meaningful relationships and keep facilities safe and clean. Mr. Wiseman added the Department will align City resources, including financial, staff, facilities and equipment to most equitably support Brooklyn Center youth. Specific actions include co- leading, with the City of Brooklyn Park, the BrookLynk Internship Program, identifying and providing BrookLynk internship opportunities within Brooklyn Center, increasing equitable 7/22/23 Page 16 access to programs and services, and increasing opportunities for youth to participate in high quality sports programs in Brooklyn Center. Mr. Wiseman showed a table of Staffing levels from 2022 to the proposed 2024 numbers. The changes from 0 to 1 under the Recreation Program are not new Staff. It is instead a reorganization of existing roles to have new titles. The three Recreation Program Supervisors would become one Recreation Program Supervisor, one Recreation Program Manager, and one Recreation Youth and Adult Sports Manager. The intention is to do more with less because the supervisor rolls were not well-utilized. The two new requested staff positions would be spread among four part-time roles. Mr. Wiseman stated the Recreation Programming Division provides for the development and implementation of organized recreational activities for preschoolers, grade school age children, teens, adults, and seniors. There are recreation programs and activities for adults including, exercise classes, pottery, sports and specialty classes. Typically, more than 2,500 adults participate each year. Youth/Teen Programs activities include Teen Night, dance, several summer camps, youth engagement, holiday and specialty. More than 3,000 young people participate in these activities per year. Mr. Wiseman explained General Recreation Programs include concerts and movies in the park, special events, tennis, adaptive recreation, ice rinks, and supervision costs associated with the use of elementary schools and Northview Jr. High School. Mr. Wiseman noted Parks and Recreation works cooperatively with four area school districts, community organizations, and neighboring recreation departments. In coordination with the Tony Sanneh Foundation, the Department can plan and coordinate activity offerings with a variety of soccer camps and basketball camps and clinics. With the school districts, the Department coordinates building usage, supervision, and programming at four schools. Also, there is the partnership for the swimming lessons. Mr. Wiseman stated Brooklyn Center also collaborates with other Park and Recreation Departments. There is an effort to plan and coordinate activity offerings with a variety of neighboring communities including Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Maple Grove, New Hope and Robbinsdale. Also, the Department works with the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth through a Joint Powers Agreement with Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, School Districts #11, #279, #286, Hennepin County, North Hennepin College, and Hennepin Technical College. Mr. Wiseman pointed out the Department added an Aquatic Coordinator in 2023. This Aquatic Services area is responsible for the operation of the Brooklyn Center Community Center Aquatic facilities, the swimming pool and waterslide. More than 100,000 people visit the Community Center annually. Mr. Wiseman explained the Center offers swim lessons, lap swim, water slide, recreational swim, and aqua exercise. There are a full range of aquatics classes offered for children, youth, teens and adults. More than 2,000 children and adults participate in swim lessons annually and over 1,500 adults take part in the aqua exercise offerings. 55 youth from Brooklyn Center Elementary and 7/22/23 Page 17 Brooklyn Center Middle/High School participated in a free two weeks of swimming lessons. Also, there is a free community swim for adults every Fridays and Saturday evening. Mr. Wiseman explained the Youth and Adult Sports service area provides for the development and implementation of organized recreational sports activities for grade school age children, teens and adults, basketball, volleyball and softball leagues, tournaments, youth sports, sports camps, and various health and fitness programs and classes. Mr. Wiseman stated the Engagement and Outreach Division has an engagement team that works out in the parks. The team is trained to respond and diffuse incidents in the parks and create engagement opportunities. This service area is also responsible for all recreation external partnership and engagement, such as planning and coordinating activity offerings with a variety of neighboring communities Mr. Wiseman showed a table of the proposed 2024 budget. There was a technical issue Staff worked to resolve. Dr. Edwards stated the City has until 2027 to accept bonding and the local option sales tax. There are a few options for how to proceed with a new Community Center. The options will each have a building design brought to the Council. It is ultimately the public’s vote that would determine if the City can implement a local options sales tax. Mr. Wiseman showed the organizational chart for the Parks and Recreation Department. He pointed out the Heritage Center and Centerbook Golf both report to the Director of the Department. Councilmember Jerzak suggested more information about Parks and Recreation Department’s collaboration with other jurisdictions be provided to the Council. He explained the Council relies heavily on the weekly updates, so that would be a good place to communicate the information. Councilmember Jerzak noted his disappointment that the proposed budget doesn’t do anything to address senior citizens. He explained the pool is too cold for senior citizens to use. Senior citizens have been funding the services for the most time, but they are also the least likely to utilize the services. Mr. Wiseman stated Staff is looking at how they communicate opportunities with the community. They are also looking for ways to offer programming for senior citizens. Their desire is to consistently improve services. Councilmember Jerzak pointed out the target value for number of registrations, memberships, and event attendance was 15,000. However, the actual value from 2021 was almost half. The numbers are concerning. Mr. Wiseman agreed that is an area that needs attention. (3:31:00) Chair Garcia asked if the community has access to the __________ at the middle school. Mr. Wiseman stated the Department was managing it until summer 2023. The school now has control over the programming. The Department is working through some legal issues with the school. 7/22/23 Page 18 Chair Garcia asked if the school has taken over the responsibilities for maintenance. Mr. Wiseman stated the City is still responsible for some maintenance. The main difference is that to access the facility, a person has to go through the school rather than the Department. Chair Garcia asked if Brooklyn Center has ever considered partnerships with organizations that already have workout equipment. In Maple Grove, they partner with Lifetime and schools with workout equipment to provide usage offerings to community members. Councilmember Jerzak noted all employees should have the opportunity to benefit from raises. Mr. Wiseman has provided raises within his Department, and other Directors should advocate for their employees to see increases as well. Dr. Edwards stated Staff is aware the pool doesn’t serve all of the needs of the community. It is kept at a colder temperature because the pool is set up as a training pool. Part of the intention of the new community center is to offer a splash pad for families and a pool for recreational purposes. Also, youth have consistently expressed their desire for more space for them to utilize. Therefore, more gym space is a priority in the new center. Chair Garcia pointed out the City appears to be overspending on technology and phone. Cutting back on those funds would make a big impact on the overall budget. Mr. Wiseman noted some of the increase to the budget is for the Juneteenth celebration and also for additional Staff development opportunities. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated she was disappointed community events were planned on the same evening of Night to Unite. She explained she wants to attend her own neighborhood event and also visit other gatherings. 4. 2024 BUDGET OVERVIEW – FOLLOW UP Mayor Graves thanked the Directors for their presentations. Mayor Graves noted a Financial Commissioner has moved out of Brooklyn Center, so there will need to be a new appointment. Ms. Holm suggested they discuss the opening offline. Councilmember Jerzak asked if the community outreach survey could ask for feedback regarding mailings. The postage is a large line item and takes up Staff time. Dr. Edwards stated the question is already on the survey. Staff has received positive feedback about the newsletter. Ms. Suciu noted there has been consideration to change the newsletter from bi-monthly to quarterly. Councilmember Jerzak asked if the external public relations firm is requested in the 2024 budget. Ms. Suciu stated there is no budget requested for an external public relations firm. 7/22/23 Page 19 5. FUTURE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS 5a. AUGUST 19, 2023 6. ADJOURN Mayor Graves adjourned the Brooklyn Center City Council/Financial Commission at 12:35 p.m.