TOWN OF GOLDEN BEACH
One Golden Beach Drive
Golden Beach, FL 33160
OFFICIAL MINUTES
JULY 20, 2005
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP
6:30 P.M.
A. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER / ROLL CALL
Mayor Singer called the First Budget Workshop to order at 7:00 pm by speakerphone.
Present: Vice Mayor Judy Lusskin, Councilman Joe Iglesias, Town Manager Bonilyn Wilbanks-Free, Town Attorney Stephen Helfman, Police Chief James Skinner, Lt. Michael Bruscell, Building Official Daniel Nieda, Project Director Ken Jones, Assistant to the Town Manager Zoraya Roncallo and Town Clerk Cathy Szabo.
B. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Chief Skinner led the Pledge.
C. BUDGET WORKSHOP PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
Mayor Singer announced the First Budget Workshop Meeting. The Budget will be reviewed department by department; no decisions will be made at this workshop; discussion purposes only. Mayor Singer commended Town Manager Wilbanks-Free and Finance Director Camacho for doing a phenomenal job putting the budget together, making it user-friendly for everyone.
Revenues
Mayor Singer requested a report of the percentages collected and delinquent in the past for tomorrow’s meeting. Councilman Iglesias also requested a history report on past delinquencies.
Vice Mayor Lusskin requested film permits be increased. Mayor Singer suggested bringing it up for review in a future council meeting for discussion.
Councilman Iglesias inquired as to the decline in the building permits. Councilman Iglesias requested a comparison of other communities building permit fees. Mayor Singer agreed that it should be looked into.
Councilman Iglesias inquired to why the Franchise Fee Line item was blank. Finance Director Camacho reported that blank number is earmarked for Stormwater.
Legislative 511
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free reported Councilman Einstein requests to the Council, since he could not attend this workshop. Councilman Einstein requested Council Monthly Expenditure to be added. Request is to consider $400 per month for the Mayor and $200 for each councilmember to reimburse them for their monthly expenses that they may accrue in responding to residents, meetings, project sites, etc and request to be fairly compensated. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free pointed out under Council Compensation would require a charter referendum if it was titled as salary. Mayor Singer agreed and recommended that the Town Manager confirm it with the auditors.
Vice Mayor Lusskin pointed out that many organizations have the current administration or council make the decisions for the next group of elected officials so that there is no feeling of improprietaries.
Councilman Iglesias is concerned due to the history of the town regarding public records requests and has a problem even accepting this because of privacy issues and cell phone bills can become part of the public records.
Sari Addicott, 155 Golden Beach Drive, requested clarification on $6,000 a year for a stipend for car and phone for each of the councilmembers. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that Councilman Einstein met with them today to go over the budget and recommended that we have a council monthly expenditure item which would be for the Mayor because the Mayor is involved with the day to day operations more running the town as the position is written and would receive $400 a month and the council members would receive $200 a month to cover expenses.
Town Attorney Helfman will provide an opinion as to the proper method of doing this so that no violations of the Compensation Provisions in the Charter. Town Manager explained that it would reduce what they will be doing with that so it does pertain to tonight’s meeting to remove $3,000 under the per diem line and $3,000 under the communications line of what would have been coming as their car allowance and phone allowance. Mayor Singer reminded administration that tonight is for discussion purposes only and asked to remove the other items and put on Councilman Einstein’s suggestions and pursue it further at tomorrows meeting after receiving an opinion from the attorney.
Councilman Iglesias asked for clarification on updated sound system and council computers. Computers should be $5,000-$6,000 and doesn’t agree putting $63,000-$64,000 into the sound system because in the future, we will redo town hall. Mayor Singer explained that he gets numerous calls from residents regarding the broadcasting. Vice Mayor Lusskin agreed that the sound system needs improvement. Mayor Singer suggested putting it on the budget and bring it before the council. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that she is under the requirement to bid the project out at that number and will prepare a scope of recommendations based on what was just received from the security consultant and prepare an RFP.
Executive 512
Town Manager explained that all the salaries are current salaries and there were no increases. Councilman Paruas requested a current CPI report. Mayor Singer suggested looking at each department as a whole and discuss the salaries at the end of the meeting.
Vice Mayor Lusskin pointed out: Life, Health & Dental Insurance was dropped to a 7½% increase from a 20% increase which brings the numbers more in line, therefore it couldn’t be an increase. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free said it could be. Finance Director Camacho explained that one person was moved out of this department, which caused the decrease. Mayor Singer stated that the town doesn’t have to absorb the increase and could consider absorbing half of it and put half to the employees.
Town Clerk 512
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free requested $5,000 for shelving included in machinery and equipment for the garage area.
Finance 513
Mayor Singer requested that the systems be up to date and a new computer for $1500. Finance Director Camacho confirmed that the software is up to date and the annual update is part of the maintenance expense for the accounting software package.
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained under operating supplies, the updates are for both the software and technical support.
Legal 514
Town Attorney Helfman reported, based on his experience of representing 12 cities full time in Dade County, a town of this size should generally anticipate between $120,000-$150,000 a year in legal expenditures; probably an average of $10,000 a month. Town Attorney Helfman suggested budgeting $150,000 in legal expenses for litigation and $250,000 for general municipal expenses. Town Attorney Helfman further explained if the litigation is resolved and there is no other litigation, it would drop $150,000. Part of the reason why it’s so high this year is due to a number of things here that have been neglected. There are items that just haven’t been addressed; i.e. the bidding issue on the Beach Pavilion. Once we get everything running well, expect a $10,000-$20,000 bill a month on average. That would be normal for a town of this size.
Mayor Singer requested a report of total legal expenditures including costs from the town manager.
Neil Leff, 48 Terracina Avenue asked for an explanation of the increase for town attorney from $50,000 to $140,000. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free replied that this was based upon the numbers we would have spent for special counsel because this firm does everything for us. We no longer have to go out and have a separate law firm for labor. They do all of it within the firm. Mr. Leff pointed out that there is still a special counsel line item. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free further explained that we still have a special counsel line item because they might have something that they need some expertise in and cannot do themselves. Mr. Leff asked how much was estimated for special counsel. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free said she put in $20,000. Mr. Leff asked for the breakdown of $140,000. Town Manger Wilbanks-Free asked Mr. Leff to look at counsel approved
budget for 04-05 and explained that she took the $65,000 that was spent on special counsel and the $50,000, knowing that she was going to have a different hourly rate, and she added to that to come up with the $140,000 for his law firm. The $65,000 included in that special counsel for the labor attorneys, Akermen and Senterfit that we no longer use. We can use one law firm now.
Mr. Leff asked for clarification on $65,000 that the Town Manager put in for special counsel this year, taking $45,000 and added it to the $50,000 totals $95,000, not $140,000.
Town Attorney Helfman explained there’s a $20,000 special counsel number in here that remains. There is still a provision for special counsel and feel that is probably too much because his firm should only need assistance on bond counsel and even if they need bond counsel the number would probably only be half of this number.
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free further explained that if you took $65,000 last year for the special counsel and the $50,000 for Mr. Eichner; that came out to $115,000. Mr. Eichner’s hourly rate was $135.00 and this law firm’s hourly rate is $200.00 and took that percentage to come up with $140,000 that was originally put in.
Councilman Iglesias pointed out that the $140,000 means nothing because we were just told that it was going to be increased to $250,000 for the town attorney fees; with additional litigation fees for $150,000.
Mr. Leff asked what was put in the budget that was additional to the normal fees charged to bring it up so high.
Town Attorney Helfman explained that his observation over the past six or eight weeks in the town sees the work that needs to be done on a regular monthly basis and the catch-up work that has not been done gives the basis for the estimate of $250,000 this year, which is about $100,000 too high for a town of this size.
General Government 519
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that Councilman Einstein requested Mr. Caserta for the lobbyist and presently we have a contract for Mr. Milita with Craig A. Smith & Associates. Mayor Singer asked how long was Mr. Milita’s contract for. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free will report back to the Council with that information tomorrow.
Councilman Iglesias asked for clarification on 10% increase for landscaping services. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained the expense is for the requested additional trimming.
Law Enforcement 521
Vice Mayor Lusskin asked for clarification on training expenses not used and questioned if enough training is being provided. Police Chief Skinner explained that training was not provided as much as should have been due to the shortage of officers and anticipates when the staffing issues are resolved; the officers will be able to get the training that they need to benefit the town.
Councilman Iglesias pointed out $13,000 in overtime and considering the staff shortage feels that Chief Skinner is handling that very well. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that number for overtime was reduced this year because of expenditures to date, $30,000 was left in case of emergencies and reduced it by $15,000.
Councilman Iglesias asked what POS stands for under the names of certain employees. Chief Skinner said that stands for Point of Service
Vice Mayor Lusskin questioned machinery and equipment on page 23; last year $20,000 was budgeted and as of March of this year were at $30,000. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that increase was from the new equipment on vehicles. Police Chief Skinner explained that the costs are approximately $4,500 per vehicle for emergency lights, prisoner shields, cages, consoles, etc.
Building & Zoning Department 524
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free requested an increase for the Building Clerk to $30,000 and 14% increase for the Code Enforcement Officer from $28,000 to $32,000. Council agreed to the increases for both positions.
Public Works Department 539
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free reported the project director position removed from the Town Manager’s budget and placed 50% in Public Works and 50% in Streets and Roads Ken Jones will have a new title of Assistant Public Works Director.
Roads & Streets 541
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained the street sweeping expense.
Recreation 572
Town Manager Wilbanks–Free explained that Councilman Einstein has requested to drop the beach attendant position. Councilman Iglesias requested a better job description for this position.
Miscellaneous Funding
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that Marine Patrol will only be budgeted here for the first year and thereafter will be budgeted out of Law Enforcement.
Future projects will include Stormwater Phase III & IV, Beach Pavilion Renovation, Town Hall Renovation, & Sound System.
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that she budgeted $215,000 for the Beach Pavilion Renovation, due to the original bid for $538,000 requested increasing $215,000 to $300,000.
Mayor Singer felt $300,000 is too little and suggested $350,000.
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free recommended that the architectural phase come out of this budget year prior to October 1st; taking $50,000 that the Mayor asked for in addition and $300,000 which Council originally has talked about, would probably spend some proposal money with the architect to be paid out of this fiscal year.
Councilman Iglesias requested Town Hall Renovation to also be a priority and pointed out in the year 03-04 approved $310,00 and spent $29,000 and approved $170,000 last year and haven’t used any of it and requested to add to that line item.
Building Official Nieda explained besides the mold issue, we recently had a 40 year recertification inspection and noted deficiencies (structural, air conditioning, and electrical items) that need to be addressed as part of mandatory recertification procedures.
Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that originally $170,000 was carried forward as far as the cost factor and transferred money out of there. The $170,000 was $210,000 and then took line item transfers in May. The recertification issues can be addressed out of the $170,000 including the mold remediation, and windows. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free further explained that she is working on the RFP scope to go out for the windows, which has one base figure of $27,000.
Councilman Iglesias suggested to rent a trailer before we do repairs. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free agreed there are some benefits to that as far as the mold remediation. Mayor Singer suggested further discussion be addressed at a council meeting and leave $170,000.
Mayor Singer confirmed: Legal increases to $400,000, Council Reimbursement, and delete beach attendant position. Mayor Singer request CPI rate for compensation increases. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free replied that CPI is currently at 3.8%. Mayor Singer requested a CPI spreadsheet reflecting the increases, including the benefits.
Mayor Singer asked the town manager if she was going to make a recommendation to the council for department head increases. Town Manager Wilbanks-Free explained that she is meeting tomorrow morning with Labor Attorney Baker regarding setting up an evaluation process to be brought to Council in May of each year and will be expanded the following year to include all of the employees to come under that evaluation process to include all of the percentages; scoring of the evaluation form provided to council; and based upon that the council can make the determination on the percentage of increase.
Finance Director Camacho pointed out that based on the numbers, with no increases, we had a $236,000 buffer. The new increases to the Legal Department cuts off quite a bit and asked Council to keep that in mind when they are considering the millage rate. Mayor Singer explained that he is committed to keeping the millage rate the same and requested an exact number with adjustments for tomorrow.
D. ADJOURNMENT
Councilman Iglesias moved to adjourn, second by Mayor Singer, all in favor.
ATTEST:
Cathy Szabo
Cathy Szabo, CMC
Town Clerk
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