HomeMy Public PortalAbout11-17-1997 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RICHMOND,INDIANA,SERVING AS A BOARD
IN CHARGE OF THE OPERATION OF THE RICHMOND POWER&LIGHT PLANT
MONDAY. NOVEMBER 17.1997
1 The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana, serving as a Board in charge of the operations of the
2 Richmond Power & Light Plant met in regular session at 7 p.m. Monday, November 17, 1997, in the Council
3 Chambers in the Municipal Building in said City. Chairperson Bing Welch presided with the following
4 Councilmembers in attendance: Howard "Jack" Elstro, Etta Lundy, Bruce Wissel, Sarah "Sally" Hutton, Geneva
5 "Gene"Allen,Alan Stamper, Bob Dickman and Larry Parker. The following business was had to-wit:
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7 APPROVAL OF 'MINUTES
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9 The minutes of the meeting of November 3, 1997, were approved on a motion by Councilmember Hutton,second
10 by Councilmember Wissel and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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12 APPROVAL OF BILLS. INVESTMENTS AND TRANSFERS
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14 Upon recommendation of the Finance Committee,Councilmember Hutton moved to approve the following bills
15 for payment,seconded by Councilmember Wissel and by unanimous voice vote the motion carried.
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17 Bills Already Paid
18 Payroll and Deductions 228,832.58
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20 Investments Purchased From:
21 Cash Operating Fund 400,000.00
22 Bond Sinking Fund
23 Utility Bond Reserve Fund
24 Depreciation Reserve Fund 91,000.00
25 Insurance Reserve Fund
26 Consumer Deposit Fund
27 Cash Reserve Fund 171,385,00
28 Group Insurance Fund
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30 Total Investments
31
32 Transfer from Cash Operating Fund to:
33 Cash Reserve Fund for payment
34 to City in lieu of taxes
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36 Transfer from Cash Operating Fund to;
37 Depreciation Reserve Fund
38 for Property&Plant
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40 Transfers from Depreciation Reserve to:
41 Cash Operating Fund
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43 Transfers from Consumer Deposit to:
44 Cash Operating Fund
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46 Transfers from Utility Bond Reserve Fund to:
47 Bond Sinking Fund
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49 Transfers from Cash Operating to :
50 Interest and Bond Principal
51 Bond Sinking Fund
52 Cash Reserve Fund
53 Utility Bond Sinking Fund
54 Depreciation Reserve Fund
55 56
Insurance Reserve Fund
Consumer Deposit Fund
57 Interest and Bond Principal
58 End of Month Petty Cash
59 Revenue Bonds
60 Interest Coupons Redeemed
61 Bond Coupons
62 Miscellaneous Prepaid Invoices 35,793.30
63 Total Prepaid Invoices 35,793.30
64 Total EFT Transfers 98,460.00
65 Total Prepaids plus EFT Transfers 134,253.30
Total Bills Not Paid 482.110.49
Grand Total 616,363.79
RP&L Minutes Cont'd
November 17, 1997
Page 2
1 REMARKS BY CHAIRPERSON
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3 Chairperson Welch reminded Board members of an executive session Monday night in the RP & L service
4 building to discuss and hear the capital budget for 1998.
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6 UNFINISHED BUSINESS
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8 There was none.
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10 STREET LIGHT COMMITTEE REPORT
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12 Councilmember Elstro said he hoped to definitely have something at the next meeting.
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14 MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
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16 There was none.
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18 REPORT BY GENERAL MANAGER
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20 General Manager David Osburn said he had brought back for the Board's consideration Resolution No.2- 1997.
21 Councilmember Parker asked if it should be amended and so moved,second by Councilmember Allen and the
22 motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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24 Councilmember Wissel asked if the Board had taken out the line about the single merit increase not to exceed 5
25 percent for any one employee. Chairperson Welch said he did not recall but said there had been some
26 discussion.Osburn said it was in last year but did not have an amount and he had put it in this year so he could
27 have a cap on it. Councilmember Wissel asked about policy guidelines on merit raises.Osburn answered that he
28 is hoping to develop that. He said increases have traditionally been given for additional responsibilities and
29 educational achievements.
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31 Councilmember Wissel asked if the Board adopts this as it is currently written can members assume that those
32 guidelines will be in place prior to the merit increases being given out.Osburn said he would hate to have to do
33 that,stating that those may come up early and he would not like to have to put an employee off until later when
34 something is in place. Councilmember Dickman said he was under the impression these increases are extremely
35 rare and he would hope that is still the case. He said they had talked about the fact the Board would be notified
36 about increases,which would mean just sending a memo explaining the increase.
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38 Osburn said he could notify the Board about the merit increases. Councilmember Stamper said he was wondering
39 if they are really an exception, noting that last year over 20 percent of the employees got more than the regular
40 cost of living wage and this year it is 15 percent. He said it seems like the rule and he doesn't know how to fix that.
41 He added that it seems like RP&L is extremely liberal with their raises when the jobs are all good paying ones to
42 begin with.
43
44 Osburn said he could not speak to the past,but he thinks once he gets the guidelines in place to dictate what is
45 given when and for what reason that might help this situation. He asked Board members to keep in mind the way
46 the policies were set up in the past meant when an employee was put into a new position they go through six
47 months of classification changes with built in increases and once they have their fourth review they are done.
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49 Councilmember Wissel commented that he believes in the merit scale but his concern is that there is no
50 established policy in place. He asked Osburn if the Board should, by mid year next year, come up with some kind
51 of merit procedure and guidelines and needed to go back and establish a retroactive merit based on the
52 guidelines would he have a problem with that.Osburn said he would not, adding that he possibly could have
53 something in place by June 1.
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55 Chairperson Welch said while scanning the increases on page 3 of the resolution he noticed many of the
56 highlighted areas are negative,where the salary was decreased. Councilmember Allen moved to adopt the
57 amended resolution,second by Councilmember Hutton and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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59 Osburn requested authorization by the Board to receive bids on a 1998 truck to replace Unit No.27, noting it is a
60 budget item and had been previously approved in the budget. Dennis Dixon explained Unit No.27 is a 1983 Ford
61 with mileage of 91,360.
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63 Councilmember Hutton moved to approve the request,second by Councilmember Wissel and the motion was
64 carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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RP&L Minutes Cont'd
November 17, 1997
Page 3
1 Osburn also requested authorization to receive bids for a 1998 two-man bucket truck to replace Unit No.30 which
2 Dixon explained is a 1982 Chevy chassis with a 1980 Techo 50-foot bucket and mileage of 87,850.
3
4 Councilmember Elstro moved to approve the request,second by Councilmember Lundy and the motion was
5 carried on a unanimous voice vote.
6
7 Councilmember Stamper commended Osburn for making the changes in the budget to a form that is consistent
8 with the City's. He said the accounting changes makes it easier to understand.
9
10 ADJOURNMENT
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12 There being no further business,on a motion duly made,seconded and passed the meeting was
13 adjourned.
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21 Bing Welch,Chairperson
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26 ATTEST:
27 Norma Schroeder, Clerk
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