HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997 04-17 FCM• MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE FINANCIAL COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER
JULY 17, 1997
CITY HALL, CONFERENCE ROOM B
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Donn Escher called the meeting to order at 7:03 P.M. in Conference Room B.
ROLL CALL
Present at roll call were Chair Donn Escher, Commissioners: Jay Hruska, Ron Christensen, Larry
Peterson, Jerry Blamey and Michael Weidner. Also present were Council Liaison Debra
Hilstrom, Council Member Kay Lasman, City Manager Michael McCauley, and Finance Director
Charlie Hansen. Commissioner Ned Storla was absent and excused.
Approval of Minutes
A motion was made by Commissioner Jerry Blamey to approve the minutes of the May 1, 1997
meeting. Commissioner Larry Peterson seconded the motion and all members voted in its favor.
Donn Escher reported on a joint meeting with the City Council on May 22, 1997 at which the
budget was discussed.
Referendum question for building bond election
Mike McCauley announced that the City Council has decided to present one question on the ballot
to authorize the sale of bonds to handle both Police and Fire building needs. He reported the
estimated bonding needs to be in the range of $7,500,000 to $8,000,000. Money would be
allocated from the Capital Improvements Fund to provide a contingency in addition to the bond
proceeds. Possible sites were discussed for the free standing Police building.
Ron Christensen asked for the Financial Commission to be provided with copies of the 1995
citizen survey. Copies of the survey were produced and distributed.
Donn Escher handed out a letter from the Brooklyn Center Taxpayers Association (BCTA) which
recommended that a wider study of city needs for the next 15 years and prioritization of those
needs be completed prior to holding a bond referendum. Mike McCauley responded that no study
like the one described by the BCTA has been done, but he discussed the known factors which
would likely define which needs would be included, how they might be prioritized, and in general
terms, how they could be financed.
Donn Escher suggested that the Financial Commission should make recommendations to the City
Council on the issues raised at the meeting.
Z.
Commissioner Larry Peterson moved to recommend to the City Council a single question for the
ballot with the amount of the bond issue to be $7,500,000 to $8,500,000. Commissioner Jerry
Blamey seconded the motion and all members voted in its favor except for Ron Christensen
abstained.
Commissioner Jerry Blamey moved that the Financial Commission requests that the City Council
consider the impact on the city's tax base as one of the site selection factors. Commissioner Mike
Weidner seconded the motion and all members voted in its favor except for Ron Christensen
abstained.
Commissioner Ron Christensen moved to recommend that the City Council develop a long term
comprehensive financial plan. Commissioner Larry Peterson seconded the motion and all
members voted in its favor.
Commissioner Jay Hruska moved to recommend that the City Council develop and prioritize a
list of major capital expenditure needs and the anticipated methods of providing for their funding.
Commissioner Mike Weidner seconded the motion and all members voted in its favor.
Preliminarv discussion of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended
December 31. 1996.
Donn Escher introduced the CAFR and explained that he had viewed the City Council meeting
video tape and the questions raised at the City Council meeting. He asked the Financial
• Commission to review the reports and view the City Council meeting video tape and be prepared
to discuss them at the next Financial Commission meeting.
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be Thursday, August 14, 1997 at 7:00 P.M.
ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Larry Peterson moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:37 P.M. Commissioner Mike
Weidner seconded the motion and all members voted in its favor.
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