MONROE - Even the varnish is coming off departmental budgets for 2009, as the Finance and Taxation Committee spent a second evening Wednesday looking for ways to cut $490,000 in expenses.
But in doing so, committee members began compiling a "to-do" list for themselves.
Among the items pared back for 2009 are training, conferences and publications for building inspector Dave Powers, engineering supervisor Al Gerber and Director of Public Works Kelly Finkenbinder. Powers said he will attend only conferences which are "absolutely necessary" to keep up his certification. Finkenbinder will take advantage of more free video conferences.
The committee on Wednesday discussed the possibility of raising city fees and permits, and altering or cancelling the spring cleanup program if winter weather necessitates overexpenditures on plowing and road salt.
FIND A NEW HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY
Committee members again noted that the need to reduce health care benefit costs, whether by changing insurance companies or raising the city's deductible amount, is a priority. Health insurance as a line item had the largest increase in all budgets, up about 20 percent over 2008.
Mayor Ron Marsh told the committee he would have information on possible ways to reduce the cost of health care benefits by next week.
"That would make this whole process easier, because nobody's budget has gone up," Henke said.
MAKE SOME ENTITIES SELF-SUSTAINING
The Monroe Municipal Airport is on its way to being self-sustaining.
"Not this year, but we've taken a big step in that direction," Finkenbinder said.
A marketing campaign began this year, even though the airport had no marketing budget, with a brochure made in-house. Over 600 were sent out, and Finkenbinder said it produced one new hangar at the airport this year and another is possible. Hangars are built on lots leased at $1 a year, but the hangars are put on the property tax roll.
The Airport Board also tries to keep fuel prices competitive. Finkenbinder said many pilots will stop at the Monroe Airport on their way through to fuel up. The airport makes about 50 cents per gallon.
Increased airport usage means a higher classification, which means increased entitlements for projects, which can be banked, Finkenbinder said. Airport projects are financed 95 percent by federal grants, 2.5 percent by the state and 2.5 percent by the city.
Airport improvements, like this year's project of increasing the runway length, allows larger planes and jets to use the airport and to refuel, and encourage more pilots to build hangars.
The downtown parking ramp also should be self-sustaining, Alderman Mark Coplien said. A few spaces are permit spots, but most of the ramp offers free parking.
While the building is sturdy, engineering supervisor Al Gerber wants to build up a capital account for maintenance. Besides regular building maintenance, the street department is required to scoop and haul off the snow from the top level.
UPDATE FEES AND HOW THE CITY SETS FEES
Fees for building and other permits have not increased since 2005.
Powers said he tried to get an increase nine months ago, but was told they were "stuck in codification."
Coplien and Alderman Dan Henke agreed new fees should have been looked at last year. Now, the city is in the process of codifying ordinances and updating its code books.
"We need to do what we can to get moving; we can't wait for codification," Coplien said.
If fees were set by resolution rather than by ordinance, fees could be raised easier, and some could even be reduced, Powers said.
"This is one of the few departments that throws back into the general fund," Henke said, noting that commercial development was growing in Monroe.
What is not in the codes are the state charges for weight and measures inspections billed to the city. The charges are not billed back to the businesses or merchants, but committee members said they think they should be.
"The (building permit) fees and weight and measures bills could both come back to the Judiciary and Ordinance Review (Committee)," Henke said.
CREATE EITHER/OR OPTIONS FOR CITY STREET SERVICES
Winter weather will be a determining factor on the street department's budget.
Street maintenance and public works machinery and equipment were the only budgets Street Supervisor Tom Boll submitted that were over budget for 2009. Most of those were caused by fuel, salt and health insurance costs, he said. The cost of salt this year ($120 per ton) is nearly triple that of last year ($42).
Boll did not like the suggestion of not plowing some streets, as Madison has done.
"If we don't plow, we'll have problems," he said.
Boll and Finkenbinder said not plowing causes problems for both streets and plows, when snow begins to melt and when plows try to chip off hard-packed snow.
They suggested more plowing, more sand, and less salt and chemicals.
However, should winter create massive expenses, committee members looked at curbing garbage refuse and recycling.
"As much as I hate to say it, spring clean-up is wonderful and I'm glad we have it, but I think citizens would be better off with plowed and sanded streets," Coplien said.
The spring clean-up program, when residents have the opportunity to rid their homes of unwanted large items that don't fit in a garbage bag, costs the city $80,000 last year.
The cost of the program represents 16.3 percent of the $490,000 over-run the committee is trying to eliminate. But rather than cut the program, Coplien suggested the committee keep it in mind as an emergency source of funding for winter snow removal.
"If winter is not as bad, then we could do it. If we get into a crunch, hold off one year, or alternate sides of town," he said.
Recycling pick-up and processing costs also could be reduced if the city had recycling bins or carts for residents. Finkenbinder said Green Valley may make the carts mandatory in the near future anyway. Residents now use plastic bags to set at the curb, but Green Valley Recycling charges a fee for opening the bags. However, it would cost the city $200,000 to purchase the bins or carts.
But in doing so, committee members began compiling a "to-do" list for themselves.
Among the items pared back for 2009 are training, conferences and publications for building inspector Dave Powers, engineering supervisor Al Gerber and Director of Public Works Kelly Finkenbinder. Powers said he will attend only conferences which are "absolutely necessary" to keep up his certification. Finkenbinder will take advantage of more free video conferences.
The committee on Wednesday discussed the possibility of raising city fees and permits, and altering or cancelling the spring cleanup program if winter weather necessitates overexpenditures on plowing and road salt.
FIND A NEW HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY
Committee members again noted that the need to reduce health care benefit costs, whether by changing insurance companies or raising the city's deductible amount, is a priority. Health insurance as a line item had the largest increase in all budgets, up about 20 percent over 2008.
Mayor Ron Marsh told the committee he would have information on possible ways to reduce the cost of health care benefits by next week.
"That would make this whole process easier, because nobody's budget has gone up," Henke said.
MAKE SOME ENTITIES SELF-SUSTAINING
The Monroe Municipal Airport is on its way to being self-sustaining.
"Not this year, but we've taken a big step in that direction," Finkenbinder said.
A marketing campaign began this year, even though the airport had no marketing budget, with a brochure made in-house. Over 600 were sent out, and Finkenbinder said it produced one new hangar at the airport this year and another is possible. Hangars are built on lots leased at $1 a year, but the hangars are put on the property tax roll.
The Airport Board also tries to keep fuel prices competitive. Finkenbinder said many pilots will stop at the Monroe Airport on their way through to fuel up. The airport makes about 50 cents per gallon.
Increased airport usage means a higher classification, which means increased entitlements for projects, which can be banked, Finkenbinder said. Airport projects are financed 95 percent by federal grants, 2.5 percent by the state and 2.5 percent by the city.
Airport improvements, like this year's project of increasing the runway length, allows larger planes and jets to use the airport and to refuel, and encourage more pilots to build hangars.
The downtown parking ramp also should be self-sustaining, Alderman Mark Coplien said. A few spaces are permit spots, but most of the ramp offers free parking.
While the building is sturdy, engineering supervisor Al Gerber wants to build up a capital account for maintenance. Besides regular building maintenance, the street department is required to scoop and haul off the snow from the top level.
UPDATE FEES AND HOW THE CITY SETS FEES
Fees for building and other permits have not increased since 2005.
Powers said he tried to get an increase nine months ago, but was told they were "stuck in codification."
Coplien and Alderman Dan Henke agreed new fees should have been looked at last year. Now, the city is in the process of codifying ordinances and updating its code books.
"We need to do what we can to get moving; we can't wait for codification," Coplien said.
If fees were set by resolution rather than by ordinance, fees could be raised easier, and some could even be reduced, Powers said.
"This is one of the few departments that throws back into the general fund," Henke said, noting that commercial development was growing in Monroe.
What is not in the codes are the state charges for weight and measures inspections billed to the city. The charges are not billed back to the businesses or merchants, but committee members said they think they should be.
"The (building permit) fees and weight and measures bills could both come back to the Judiciary and Ordinance Review (Committee)," Henke said.
CREATE EITHER/OR OPTIONS FOR CITY STREET SERVICES
Winter weather will be a determining factor on the street department's budget.
Street maintenance and public works machinery and equipment were the only budgets Street Supervisor Tom Boll submitted that were over budget for 2009. Most of those were caused by fuel, salt and health insurance costs, he said. The cost of salt this year ($120 per ton) is nearly triple that of last year ($42).
Boll did not like the suggestion of not plowing some streets, as Madison has done.
"If we don't plow, we'll have problems," he said.
Boll and Finkenbinder said not plowing causes problems for both streets and plows, when snow begins to melt and when plows try to chip off hard-packed snow.
They suggested more plowing, more sand, and less salt and chemicals.
However, should winter create massive expenses, committee members looked at curbing garbage refuse and recycling.
"As much as I hate to say it, spring clean-up is wonderful and I'm glad we have it, but I think citizens would be better off with plowed and sanded streets," Coplien said.
The spring clean-up program, when residents have the opportunity to rid their homes of unwanted large items that don't fit in a garbage bag, costs the city $80,000 last year.
The cost of the program represents 16.3 percent of the $490,000 over-run the committee is trying to eliminate. But rather than cut the program, Coplien suggested the committee keep it in mind as an emergency source of funding for winter snow removal.
"If winter is not as bad, then we could do it. If we get into a crunch, hold off one year, or alternate sides of town," he said.
Recycling pick-up and processing costs also could be reduced if the city had recycling bins or carts for residents. Finkenbinder said Green Valley may make the carts mandatory in the near future anyway. Residents now use plastic bags to set at the curb, but Green Valley Recycling charges a fee for opening the bags. However, it would cost the city $200,000 to purchase the bins or carts.