HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993 01-04 FCMMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE
FINANCIAL COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER
JANUARY 4, 1993
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
CITY HALL
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Donn Escher called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Brooklyn Center city hall
council chambers.
ROLL CALL
Present at roll call were Chair Donn Escher, Commissioners Denis Kelly, Gregg Peppin, Vi
Kanatz, Ron Christensen, and Pat Boran. Member Boyd was excused from this evening's
meeting.
Others present: City Manager Gerald Splinter, Finance Director Paul Holmlund, and, for
the latter portion of the meeting, Councilmember Rosene.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES - NOVEMBER 9. 1992
There was a motion by Commissioner Kelly and seconded by Commissioner Kanatz to
approve the minutes of the November 9, 1992, financial commission as submitted. The
motion passed unanimously.
TERMS OF COMMISSIONERS
Chair Escher requested, and the Commissioners concurred, that the staff review the terms
of the commission members, as it appears that a disproportionate number of them are
coming up for reappointment in 1993.
1993 ADOPTED BUDGET
Chair Escher reported on the city council approval of the 1993 budget at its December 10,
1992, meeting. He requested City Manager Splinter report on the 1993 budget details. City
Manager Splinter stated the city council removed from the 1993 budget the parks
department capital outlay item for a water tanker street flusher/tanker truck in the amount
of $77,700. The council placed $75,000 of this amount in the contingency fund as per
financial commission recommendations and placed the remaining $2,700 in city council's
professional services budget. He reported the state local government sales tax trust fund
will have an excess of revenue. In 1992 the City of Brooklyn Center will receive from that
allotment approximately an additional $140,000. The city council allowed the one-time
windfall of revenue to enter the 1992 budget, which will then automatically transfer into
fund balance as of January 1, 1993, and it designated that amount of money as reserve for
possible shortfalls in 1993 local government aids.
ELECTION OF CHAIR /APPOINTMENT OF VICE-CHAIR
Commissioner Kelly nominated Chair Escher as chair of the Financial Commission for 1993,
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and Commissioner Christensen seconded. Chair Escher was elected chair of the financial
commission by unanimous vote. Chair Escher appointed Commissioner Boran as vice-chair.
ESTABLISHING 1993 PROJECT PRIORITIES
Chair Escher asked the commission to discuss the 1993 project priorities. The city council
has requested the financial commission look at the following items or areas: council salary
setting policy; capital spending policy; use of the benchmarking concept in phase II
organizational analysis; 1994 budget; and the severance benefits for laid off personnel policy.
After discussion, the commission set up subcommittees for the projects. Commissioners
Boran and Kelly will form a subcommittee to report back in February to the commission
regarding a capital spending policy. Chair Escher and Commissioner Peppin were appointed
as a subcommittee to report back in February on city council salary setting policies. The
commission requested City Manager Splinter develop a pilot project within a department
or function which could use the concept of benchmarking as being used as a tool in phase
II of the commission's project of organizational analysis. Commissioners emphasized the
need to choose a number of communities we could benchmark or compare ourselves with
in a valid manner. The project should answer a number of questions, one of which is do
we have too many layers of management, are there methods which we can measure
productivity, compare number of employees, and account for the use of contracting for
services.
In the area of severance benefits for laid off employees, the commission asked City Manager
Splinter for a survey or review of other public unit and city practices in this area. They
further requested a summary report of all the City funds and a description of them.
MEETING SCHEDULE
After discussion, it was agreed the commission would set a regular schedule of its meetings
on the first Monday of each month with additional meetings being called as needed.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Escher adjourned the meeting at 9 p.m.
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