HomeMy Public PortalAbout1991-08-21 Budget Workshop'e n
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COUNCIL MINUTES
AUGUST 21, 1991 - BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING
A Budget Workshop Meeting of the Bal Harbour Village Council
was held on Wednesday, August 21, 1991, in the Council Chamber at
Bal Harbour Village Hall. The meeting was called to order at 4:00
p.m. by Mayor Stern. The roll was called and those present were:
Mayor Estelle Stern
Assistant Mayor Andrew R. Hirschl
Councilman Matthew B. Blank
Councilman James E. Boggess
Councilman Sol M. Taplin
Also present: Carole S. Morris, Village Manager
Jeanette Horton, Village Clerk
Richard J. Weiss, Village Attorney
The purpose of the workshop meeting was to review the proposed
budget document for fiscal Year 1991-92.
Mayor Stern advised the Council that she requested the Village
Manager to provide a breakdown of proposed salaries and salaries
for the past two years, as provided previously to the Budget
Committee. Mrs. Morris also provided Council with the ten-month
actual statement, as well as summaries of consultant fees.
Mrs. Morris requested that prior to reviewing these documents,
that some direction be given relative to requesting proposals for
employees' health insurance. Florida Municipal Trust, our
indemnity insurance carrier, has advised that rates will increase
by 58%. Health Options, the HMO offered to employees and the plan
under which the majority of our employees are now covered, will
increase 9% and 20% has been budgeted. After some discussion,
Council directed the Village Manager to obtain rates from Florida
Municipal Health Trust continuing the coverage as presently
offered, changing to $300 deductible/$1,000 stop loss or $500
deductible/$10,000 stop loss.
Discussion then commenced relative to the employee pay plan.
Councilman Boggess requested an explanation as to the difference
between merit increase and longevity. Mrs. Morris Stated that
longevity is based on number of years of employment and is given at
five, ten and fifteen years of employment. Employees are only
eligible for merit increases once a year every year for the first
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five years of employment in a job classification. In some cases,
there are only three merit steps.
At Council's direction during last year's budget hearings, a
salary study was performed by Wayne Rosenthal, former personnel
specialist with Dade County, recommended by Village Attorney
Richard Weiss. Comparative pay scales and sample lob descriptions
were provided. Councilman Blank expressed some concern that the
communities compared to Bal Harbour were not equivalent to Bal
Harbour and a proper comparison could not be made. Councilman
Taplin stated that he felt a job was a job, no matter what
community it was performed in. Mrs. Morris explained that the lob
descriptions included in the comparison study were general and were
not fully accurate to match those in Bal Harbour Village. She felt
that the job description provided by Mr. Rosenthal for the position
of Purchasing Agent was too out of line in comparison to Bal
Harbour's Purchasing Agent and said description was revised to more
closely match the duties and responsibilities of the Purchasing
Agent in Bal Harbour.
Mayor Stern expressed concern that the Village Clerk was not
provided the appropriate clerical support that she needed and the
Village Clerk concurred therewith. Mayor Stern stated that she
felt the Administrative Assistant should not only assist the
Village Manager and the Mayor, but also the Village Clerk.
At the Village Manager's suggestion, Mayor Stern and
Councilman Blank agreed that a performance review of the Village
Manager should be conducted. They both rated her at the top of the
scale for job knowledge and performance. However, they felt that
her skills at handling personnel needed improvement. At this time,
Councilman Taplin reminded Council that this meeting was to review
the proposed budget document and it was inappropriate to discuss
any other business at this time.
Discussion then returned to the employees pay plan and an
explanation of the five -step plan was provided to Council by the
Village Manager. The proposed salary schedule for the upcoming
fiscal year provides for a 3.5% cost of living increase. Concern
as to the method of computing merit increases and cost of living
increases and the compounding thereof was once again expressed.
Councilman Boggess reiterated his request of last year this be
reviewed and was somewhat upset that it was not completed before
this meeting.
Councilman Boggess once again complemented the employees of
Bal Harbour Village but stated his displeasure with the provision
of merit increases. After further discussion, Council decided to
freeze all employees' base salaries and discontinue the current
merit increase system. A new system for performance merit
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increases should be established.
After it was suggested by Mayor Stern that Council review each
and every merit increase, Councilman Boggess reminded Council that
Bal Harbour Village has a strong Village Manager form of government
and that the Village Manager runs the day-to-day business of the
Village. Assistant Mayor Hirschl agreed therewith.
Attorney Weiss suggested that a system be devised and
implemented that would provide a scale for the provision of merit
increases, i.e. based on the quality of the performance review.
Merit increases should be given only for outstanding performance
and not just satisfactory work. Criteria to base the performance
increases should be provided to Department Heads to utilize in
their review process.
The provision of a merit "bonus" check at a certain percentage
of the annual salary was discussed, which would not affect the base
salary of the employee, but would be subject to taxes and
withholding. Each employee would be eligible for, but not
necessarily merit a bonus. Same would be determined on the
anniversary of employment during a performance review.
It was Council's decision that longevity increases at five,
ten and fifteen years should remain as provided.
At this point, discussion turned to the position of part-time
employee Jack Mason, who retired from Bal Harbour and is now
employed by Bal Harbour on a part-time, two days a week basis at
the same hourly rate as when he retired. The possibility of the
employment of outside landscape firms was discussed and a review
requested.
It was decided by Council that the decision as to whether or
not the Police Department should be included in the payroll plan
changes should be deferred until the next Budget Workshop meeting.
Discussion once again returned to the freezing of employees
salaries. It was decided that salaries should be frozen effective
August 21, 1991. Council felt that increases given to employees
during the 1990-91 fiscal year should not be taken away, inasmuch
as those had been included in the adopted budget for that fiscal
year. However, the base for computing proposed salaries for the
upcoming year should be October 1, 1990. The Village Manager
should advise Council as to the number of employees who would be
entitled to longevity increases between August 21, 1991 and October
1, 1991. No names should be provided, numbers only.
Councilman Blank requested that effective immediately, Council
be provided the exact amount of all fees charged to residences and
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businesses for zoning violations.
A motion was offered by Councilman Boggess and seconded by Dr.
Hirschl that the next Budget Workshop meeting be scheduled for
August 26th at 4 p.m. The motion carried unanimously (5-0).
There being no further discussion, a motion was offered
by Councilman Boggess and seconded by Councilman Taplin that the
meeting adiourn. The motion carried unanimously (5-0) and the
meeting adjourned at 6 p.m.
ATTEST:
JEANETTE HORTON
VIl ALA ,E CLERK
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