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Home My Public Portal About05-16-2005 Budget Work Session . . . Minutes May 16, 2005 Budget Worllshop Page 1 of4 Minutes Approved: June 13, 2005 -163 Town of HW~ .-- MINUTES IDLLSBOROUGH TOWN BOARD May 16, 2005 7:30 PM, Town Barn The Hillsborough Town Board held a Budget Work Session on May 16,2005 at 7:30 PM in the Hillsborough Town Barn. Present for the Budget Work Session were Mayor Joe Phelps and Commissioners Frances Dancy, Brian Lowen, Michael Gering, Evelyn Lloyd, and Eric Hallman. Present were Town Manager Eric Peterson, Town Clerk Donna Armbrister, Finance Director Greg Siler, Planning Director Margaret Hauth, Fleet Maintenance Supervisor John Cook, Interim Police Chief Judy Jacobs, Police Captain Dexter Davis, Police Captain Ross Frederick, and Public Works Director/Assistant Town Manager Demetric Potts. Mayor Joe Phelps opened the meeting at approximately 7:30 PM. 7:36:23 PM Town Manager Eric Peterson added a closed session to discuss a personnel issue. Mayor Phelps suggested the Board review the Budget Section by Section. 7:38:15 PM Town Manager Peterson stated that he thinks the Board will need the 3rd Budget Workshop and he has asked the Raftelis Financial Consultants to attend the meeting to explain the Rate Study. 7:39:39 PM Manager Peterson introduced the new Management Intern Christina Riordin, and explained that she will begin working with the Town on Monday. 7:40:05 PM Peterson stated that Fleet Maintenance Supervisor John Cook has announced that his retirement will be effective 8/1/05. 7:40:35 PM The Manager briefly reviewed the Budget Message. The Board reviewed: · Governing Body - 7:43:41 PM Manager Peterson stated that the Auditor fees will be going down. . . . Minutes 164' May 16, 2005 Budget Workshop Page2of4 Minutes Approved: June 13, 2005 · Administration - 7:45:00 PM The Board discussed the Town Code codification through Municipal Code. There was some discussion on whether or not to add the Zoning Ordinance into this process. No decision was made. · Finance - 7:49:28 PM Manager Peterson stated that not much change in this years proposed budget. There were no new initiatives. 7 :51 :24 PM Manager Peterson explained that the Town will be experiencing a 20% increase in Health Insurance this year. 7:57:16 PM Manager Peterson recommended funding half of the Merit Program and a flat $500 COLA. He also proposed that pay ranges be increased 3.5% which has been recommended by the Archer Company who are the Town's Pay and Classification Consultants. · Planning - Planning Director Margaret Hauth reported that the Code Enforcement Officer Position is currently being advertised. 8:03:48 PM Commissioner Hallman recommended adding back into the budget the funding for park design. Commissioners Gering and Lowen expressed their agreement with this recommendation. 8:05:46 PM Planning Director Hauth updated the Board on the Riverwalk Project. · Ruffm Roulhac - 8:07:26 PM Town Manager Peterson stated that the new Town Hall facility for this site has been moved back to FY08. The Board discussed their desire not to push this back too far due to the current lack of space and increasing construction costs. The Board directed the Manager to place $40,000 in FY07 and FY08 for new facility. · Police - 8:15:06 PM Commissioner Lloyd mentioned that the Police Department is also short on space at both the main building and at the substation. 8:21:09 PM Town Manager Peterson suggested that getting the Public Works facility built with additional room for the fitness equipment would free up some space at the Police Department which should be adequate for them for a few years. 8:25: 11 PM Manager Peterson stated that there are two new patrol vehicles in the proposed budget. 2 . . . MInutes May 16, 2005 Budget WorlIshop Page 3 of4 Minutes Approved: June 13, 2005 165' 8:27:27 PM Commissioner Lowen suggested increasing the gasoline line items in all departments due to increasing costs. 8:28:23 PM The Manager stated that the largest increase in the Investigations Division is for an additional Narcotics Investigator. · Fire Inspections - 8:37:27 PM Town Manager Peterson stated that in addition to the four options listed in the budget document there is another option, which is contracting with the Town of Carrboro. Although, the Manager recommends hiring a full time Fire Inspector at this time. The Board also discussed the option of the position doing Fire Inspections and Safety Officer duties. By consensus, Board agreed to discuss this at the June Meeting. · Motor Pool- 8:52:52 PM This item was heard out of order. There were no Board comments. · Fire Protection - 8:57:43 PM Town Manager Peterson informed the Board that the Fire Department had amended their funding request. The Manager suggested having the Fire Department attend the May 23rd meeting to discuss their additional requests. Commissioner Hallman stated that he would like to see an audit of their accounts. · Public Works (Streets and Powell Bill) - 9:07:57 PM Commissioner Gering requested to have the sidewalk construction added back into the budget. Commissioner Lowen agreed, and suggested doing a bond referendum and allow the citizens to vote on it. Manager Peterson suggested the Board consider the amount of money they want to spend in their decision to do a bond referendum or an installment purchase. Mayor Phelps suggested having a non-binding referendum on the ballot to get citizen feedback. By consensus, the Board moved to amend the Budget to fund $500,000 worth of sidewalk projects by a 15 Year Loan. · Public Works (Sanitation) - 9:28:08 PM Town Manager Peterson stated that the department has been very good about cross training their employees on the various pieces of equipment. 9:30:08 PM Manager Peterson recommended purchasing a new one-arm garbage truck possibly in March or April. · Public Works (Cemetery) - 9:32:53 PM There were no Board Comments. 3 . . . Minutes May 16, 2005 Budget Workshop Page 4 of4 Minutes Approved: June 13, 2005 166 · Safety & Risk Management- 9:34:56 PM Manager Peterson stated that largest expense in this area is to increase the hours of the Occupational Health Nurse and enhancement of the Wellness Program. · Tourism By consensus, the Board requests copy of the Tourism Board's operating budget. · Special Appropriation Commissioner Gering requested to add a contribution of $5,000 to Library Services. 9:48:36 PM By consensus, the Board delayed the Agency Contributions discussion to a later Budget meeting. 9:56:56 PM Upon a motion by Commissioner Dancy, seconded by Commissioner Lowen, the Board moved to go into Closed Session by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. Upon returning to Open Session and upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Lloyd, the Board moved to adjourn at 10:30 PM by a vote of 5-0. The motion ~ Donna F. Armbrister, CMC Town Clerk 4 . Town . Ii~.gh Minutes May 23, 2005 Public Hearing and Budget WOlllshop Page 1 of 4 Minutes Approved: June 13, 2005 167 MINUTES HILLSBOROUGH TOWN BOARD May 23, 2005 The HillsboroUgh Town Board held a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget and a second Budget Work Session on May 23,2005 at 7:30 PM in the Hillsborough Town Barn. Present for the Public Hearing and Budget Work Session were Mayor Joe Phelps and Commissioners Brian Lowen, L. Eric Hallman, Michael Gering, Frances Dancy, and Evelyn Lloyd. Staff present were Town Manager Eric Peterson, Assistant Town ManagerlPublic Works Director Demetric Potts, Town Clerk Donna Armbrister, Finance Director Greg Siler, Management Intern Christina Riordan, and Town Engineer Kenny Keel. Mayor Joe Phelps called the meeting to order at 7:36 PM. Mayor Phelps added a Closed Session at the end of the meeting to address a Personnel Issue. . Mayor Phelps opened the Public Hearing at 7:36 PM. 7:36:12 PM Dan Barker and Katherine Sanders from the Water/Sewer Advisory Committee presented a written recommendation that the Board allocate funds in the 2006 Budget to conduct a water rate study that accurately determines the cost of delivering water and sewer services to both the in- town and out-of-town customers. A copy of the Water/Sewer Advisory Committee's written request is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these official Minutes as an Attachment. 7:40:57 PM There being no other public signed up to speak, Mayor Phelps closed the Public Hearing and opened the second Budget Workshop. 7:41:03 PM Orange Rural Fire Department: Todd Riley, Sam Hobgood, and Alois Calleymn from the Fire Department Board appeared before the Board and fielded questions regarding their budget requests. . 8:39:22 PM Water Fund: 8:43:03 PM Town EngineerlUtilities Director Kenny Keel reviewed the following divisions' budgets with the Board. . . . M"mutes May 23, 2005 Public H~ and Budget Wol1lshop Page 2 004 Minutes Approved: June 13, 2005 16.S · EngineeringlUtilities Administration - The Board had no questions in this area · Billing & Collection - Board asked staff to look into on-line bill paying. · Water Plant- 8:51 :26 PM Payments will begin next year on the loan for the plant upgrade. · Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection - 8:54:57 PM Town Manager Eric Peterson noted that the Nextel Radios have been cut from the budget. · Wastewater Treatment- 9:04:38 PMTown Engineer Keel stated that Wastewater Plant needs to begin this next fiscal year. 9:05:59 PMTown Manager Eric Peterson updated the Board on a meeting he and the Engineer had this afternoon with officials from the City of Durham. The City of Durham's Board has provided general direction to their staff to contact surrounding areas to see if there is any other water and sewer systems that may be interested in creating "Equity Partnerships" with surrounding systems whereas creating a win-win situation by being able to take advantage of each others assets. One of the ideas that came out of this meeting was discussion of building a transmission line to send our sewer to a treatment plant in Durham. Upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Hallman, the Board moved to authorize staff to proceed with these discussions and explore all options by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. · Resenroir - 9:12:47 PM The Board had no comments on this area 9:15:49 PM Town Manager Peterson made comments on the General Fund. He stated that he wants to go back over the 3-year plan and see if he can find anything else that can be deferred. He has begun working on a discretionary list which would allow the Board to review their priorities. He will try to have it in the Board's hands sometime next week. 9:20:04 PM Commissioner Gering suggested including funding of $15,000 for economic development marketing, and professional website development. 2 . . . MInutes May 23, 2005 Public Hearing and Budget Worl<shop Page 3 of4 MInutes Approved: June 13, 2005 16i9.' · Tourism & Special Appropriations - 9:27:46 PM Non-Profits: The Board agreed to authorize no more than $31,000 in appropriations. Commissioner Hallman suggested lowering the appropriations to Orange Community Housing Corporation until they begin doing more work in our area. He stated he would also like to see funding for the homeless shelter. After further discussion, and by consensus, the Board agreed to authorize the following non-profit agency appropriations: AGENCY APPROVED FUNDING Rape Crisis Dispute Settlement O-C Comm. Action literary Council OCIM Disability Awareness Alternative Sentencing Exchange Club Child Abuse HYAA Rescue Squad Orange Community Housing Women's Center Red Cross Family Violence Communities in School OC Middle School After School ARC Exchange Club Park Volunteers for Youth Trading Path Friends of Senior Center UNC Basketball School Homeless Shelter $5,000 $2,000 $1,300 $1,200 $5,000 $400 $320 $700 $1,000 $5,200 $2,000 $1,000 $600 $1,000 $500 $250 $280 $750 $500 $500 $1,000 $0 $500 9:51 :19 PM Commissioner Hallman updated the Board on a meeting with DOT on Division 7. DOT reported at this meeting that they had a pretty large cash balance and the legislature told them to spend it down and they did a great job of it. Now they are cash strapped. The reason all these projects are being delayed is due to the lack of funding and they have decided to push all these projects out that aren't already started. They are also doing an equity reapportion across the state. 3 . . . Minutes May 23. 2005 Public Hearing and Budget Workshop Page4of4 Minutes Approved: June 13, 2005 170 9:55:14 PM Upon a motion by Commissioner Lowen, seconded by Commissioner Dancy, the Board moved to go into Closed Session to discuss a Personnel Issue as authorized by North Carolina General Statute Section 143-318.11(6) by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. After returning to Open Session, and upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Lowen, the Board moved to adjourn at 10: 15 PM by a vote of 5-0. The motion ~~ Respectfully submitted, Donna F. Armbrister, CMC Town Clerk 4