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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972 12-19 CCM Special Session MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA SPECIAL SESSION DECEMBER 19, 1972 CITY HALL Cali to Order The City Council met In special session and was called to order by Mayor Philip Cohen at 8:50 p.m. Roll Call Mayor Cohen, Councilmen Heck, Ausen and Britts. Also present were Councilmen -elect Kuefler and Fignar,City Manager Donald Poss and Administrative Assistant Blair Tremere. VVage Adjustment Review The City Manager presented the proposed annual wage adjustments relative to the 1973 budget and an extensive discussion ensued. Councilman Leary arrived at 9:30 p.m. during discussion of the wage adjustments. RESOLUTION Member Howard Heck introduced the following resolution NO. 72-208 and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION SETTING WAGES AND SALARIES FOR THE YEAR 1973 The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by member l'ohn Leary, and upon vote being taken thereon, the following voted In favor thereof: Philip Cohen, John Leary, Howard Heck, Maurice Britts and Vernon Ausen, and the following voted against the same: none, whereupon said resolution was declared duly passed and adopted. Discussion of Levy The City Manager next offered comments relative to the Limitation Ramifications status of discussions held in recent weeks with State officials regarding the levy limitation legislation and its administration by the State Tax Commissioner. Use of Federal Revenue- Mayor Cohen commented that the City had received its Sharing. Funds first Federal Revenue Sharing check and noted his recent discussions with various officials relative to the use of the Revenue Sharing funds, the continuation of the Revenue Sharing program and the administration of the funds in the future. He stated that his basic concern was that the Council should establish guidelines before determining specific uses of the Revenue Sharing funds. Councilman Heck agreed stating that the establishment of guidelines was essential and that program priorities should be established against which specific uses could be measured. The Mayor also commented that programs which would be established using the funds should be such that if the funds were terminated or cutback the program could also be painlessly curtailed. He stated that an example of such a program would be in the area of capital expendi- tures. Councilman Ausen stated that the citizens which he had talked with viewed Revenue Sharing as a means of re- ducing taxes and that they were seeking tax relief in -1- 12 -19 -72 some form. He noted his pending proposal which had been tabled over the past several weeks relating to the use of a portion of the Federal Revenue Sharing funds to reduce the certified tax levy so to avoid a State aid penalty. Councilman Ausen stated that beyond that use, the balance of the funds could, in his opinion, be used in three areas: I. Government buildings, to include various proposed park improvements; 2. Equipment purchases, to include street department equipment and police cars; 3. The establishment of new programs which would all be self- sustaining in nature. Regarding the proposal to utilize a portion of the funds to avoid a tax levy limitation penalty,. Councilman Heck stated that applying the money directly into a reduction of taxes would not mean a very substantial decrease. He stated the funds should be used for those things which the City was unable to include in the budget be- cause of the tax restrictions in that it seemed the bene- fit would be -greater for the community than would very small property tax reductions. Councilman Britts stated that he agreed the Council should avoid using the funds to establish programs which would involve recurring costs. He stated that he could see the use of the funds to acquire those equip- ment and capital items which were eliminated from the budget due to a lack of funds. He said the staff should suggest priorities on those things which were previously cut. He also stated that Councilman Ausen` s proposal to use a portion of the funds to avoid the State aid penalty seemed to be valid in that the public does expect a tax reduction. Mayor Cohen reiterated his reasoning for not supporting the concept of utilizing a portion of such funds for directly reducing taxes. He stated that the amount of taxes to be reduced would be a matter of tokenism and that such a use may have undesirable ramifications re- garding the legal action which the City had taken rela- tive to the administration of the tax levy legislation. Councilman Ausen responded that his proposal is based on a matter of principle in that had the Revenue Sharing funds been available at the time the budget was certified;. such funds surely would have been used. He stated now that funds were available and since the Council had the opportunity to recertify the budget, the reduction in the certified levy should be made. He stated that despite all of the unknowns regarding Revenue Sharing program, the matter of principle relative to even a minor reduction in property taxes remained. Action on Proposed Following an extensive discussion Councilman Ausen Resolution Amending moved and Councilman Britts seconded the adoption of Tax Levy the pending resolution comprehending the reduction of the tax levy through the utilization of a portion of the available Revenue Sharing funds and the recertification of a new levy, which would not be subject to State aid penalty. -2- 12 -19 -72 Mayor Cohen called for a roll call vote. Voting in favor were: Councilman Ausen and Councilman Britts. Opposed were: Councilman Heck, Councilman Leary and Mayor Cohen. The motion failed. Councilman Heck stated that substantial input would be needed for the new Council regarding the direction to be taken in establishing guidelines for use of the Revenue Sharing funds. Councilman -elect Fignar stated that at this time he per- ceived possible uses of the Revenue Sharing funds to include the acquisition of equipment previously dropped from the 1973 budget due to the lack of funds and for meeting expenses incurred from the operation of the Community Center. He stated that the three broad areas which he could see the funds being utilized included capital improvements, land acquisition, and, park development. Councilman Leary stated that in his opinion the funds could be used for the acquisition of equipment, the off- setting of revenue shortages, various capital improve - ments including land acquisition and for certain main- tenance costs. The City Manager stated that it was important to develop .a basic strategy for specific uses through development of a well thought out plan. Mayor Cohen commented that the Council should discuss standards or criteria by which proposed programs could be evaluated. Councilman Heck commented that one specific use to which the Revenue Sharing money could be applied would be to offer relief to senior citizens by eliminating the minimum water bill or even reducing the water and sewer charge. He stated this could be considered a social service which was acknowledged as a proper use of Federal Revenue Sharing money. Councilman Ausen stated that he basically agreed and he Inquired whether it would be possible to use the money to establish a fund which would be used to provide cer- tain facilities or programs oriented towards senior citizens. Mayor Cohen .stated he felt the suggestion had merit, but noted his concern that the proposal not be too de- pendent upon future funding because of possible cut - backs and also that such a program would not conflict with any Federal housing participation regulations. Councilman -elect Kuefler stated that the funding could be used to implement a housing program and to meet various equipment needs. He stated that other areas which should be given priority were providing facilities for the existing City parks so they might be developed fully according to long range planning. He said another use would be to provide for future extension of the es- tablished sidewalk network and the necessary mainte- riance. The City Manager suggested another possible use might be a public street replacement program. -3- 12 -19 -72 After further discussion the consensus was developed to the effect that the Federal Revenue Sharing funds would not be used for purposes of directly reducing tax levies or for the creation of programs which would gen- erate substantial recurring costs. Civil Defense Structure Councilman Ausen offered general comments as to vari- ous matters pending before the Council in that the meeting was the last of his three year term. Regarding a discussion item comprehending the revision of the local civil defense organization and the designation of the City Manager as Director of Civil Defense, with a coordinator in charge of operations to be appointed, he stated that he could not support such a proposal. Mayor Cohen responded that given the federal guidelines for local civil defense structures the proposed revision was appropriate as a practical matter. He noted that in an emergency situation the Mayor was the head of local governmental authority but the City Manager would serve as the chief of operations. He stated that in terms of day -to -day operations, the civil defense operation consists of the regular components of the City admin- istration and, consequently, the manager as the chief executive officer was, in fact, the director of civil defense. The City Manager noted that the proposed formal desig- nation of the Manager as the Director of Civil Defense was purely procedural and that there was no conveyance or establishment of any power or authority other than that which existed at the present time. Comments by Councilman Councilman Ausen also commented relative to the status Ausen on Advisory Com- of advisory commissions. He stated that when he first missions became a member of the Council he felt that the advisory commissions were not utilized to the fullest extent and that he had stated many times the expertise of the in- dividuals on those commissions should be referred to and relied upon as much as possible. He stated that after three years the situation was much the same and that not only should the Council utilize the commissions more fully, but that a commission on housing should also be established. General Comments Councilman Ausen then stated that he had enjoyed his term on the City Council and his working relationship with his Council colleagues. Mayor Cohen and the other Councilmen thanked Council- man Ausen for his comments and expressed their grati- tude for his contributions to the Council's work over the past three years. Discussion of Proposed The City Manager briefly commented relative to a big- Entertainment Facility name entertainment summer theatre facility suggested by Mr. Dell Gustafson. He stated that he had informed Mr. Gustafson that for a variety of land use reasons the proposal appeared to not be particularly feasible at this time. A brief discussion ensued and the consensus developed that the proposal was not particularly feasible at this time in the context in which it was submitted. -" 12 -19 -72 Adjournment Motion by Councilman Britts and seconded by Council - man Ausen to adjourn the meeting. Voting in favor were: Mayor Cohen,'Councilmen Britts, Ausen, Leary, and Heck. Voting against: none. Motion passed unanimously. The City Council meeting adjourned at 12:35 a.m. Mayor Clerk