HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved Minutes - 1989-04-19 April 19 , 1989
A regular meeting of the Lake Oswego Budget Committee was
convened at 7 : 00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers , City Hall.
Present were: Mayor Schlenker and Councilors Fawcett, Anderson ,
Churchill, Holstein; citizen members Fuller , Loftus , Prange ,
Giri , Berentson and Sievert. Also present were Peter Harvey ,
City Manager , City Staff , and interested citizens. Councilor
Durham and member Kopplien were excused; Councilor Holman was
absent.
Chair Fuller reminded members she would like each of them to
select one or two funds of special interest and become "fund
analysts" for those selected.
Chair Fuller allocated time limits for each of the agenda items.
III. Approval of Minutes of April 13 , 1989: It was decided
that approval of minutes would be postponed until after
the evening break .
IV. Review of Public Works Fund Service Levels : Paul Haines,
Public Works Director , gave a slide presentation to
acquaint the committee with the department' s organization
and the types of projects in which it is involved .
Activities include inspection of construction projects;
traffic control; design services for street striping ,
traffic signals and street lighting ; liaison with Tri-Met;
street and traffic sign placement and compliance; building
variances; landscaping; street construction; storm drain
and sewer construction.
Karen Scott, Assistant City Manager - Development
Services, presented statistical information on a number of
development services activities which include permits ,
plans review, building inspections. The statistics showed
the increase in workload in the various functions and how
Lake Oswego statistics compare with neighboring cities .
Councilor Churchill asked what resources will be needed in
order to complete the Comprehensive Plan review. Ms .
Scott answered she hopes to have 1-1/2 full time
equivalent employees devoted to this task. Paul Haines
added that it is expected that another 1/2 FTE will be
required for completion of the transportation element of
the plan.
Director Haines displayed an overhead detailing service
level funding issues for public works and development
services.
Mr . Harvey outlined legislation currently under
consideration affecting electrical inspections. One
decision requiring attention is whether or not the City
should offer a full-service inspection program including
electrical inspections which are now being handled by the
county. If electrical inspections are added to the City' s
services , it would require the addition of one staff
person. In response to a question from Councilor Fawcett ,
Mr . Haines advised the program is expected to more than
pay for itself. After further discussion by the
committee , Councilors Fawcett and Holstein recommended
that the program be adopted .
Moved by Councilor Holstein and seconded by member Giri
that the City provide full-service inspection services
which include the electrical inspection. The motion
passed unanimously.
Mr . Harvey reminded the group of previous discussions
concerning the storm drain fund and the possible need to
transfer additional funds to public works to support the
system planning work connected with the storm drainage
area.
Mr . Harvey outlined the DEQ program plan which is to be a
joint effort with a number of neighboring agencies for
cleanup of the Tualatin River and Oswego Lake. March of
1990 is the deadline for presenting the study to DEQ, the
cost of which is expected to be about $165,000 spread
among the various agencies, with Lake Oswego' s portion of
the cost estimated at about $80 ,000. It is expected that
a significant amount of time will be expended by the
public works department.
With respect to the current planning program, it was
stated that fees do not fully support its activities.
Discussion was held concerning the possibility of
increasing development fees and the effect , if any, this
may have on development.
Councilor Churchill stated he is concerned about the
amount of time and Planning staff resources that may be
needed to accomplish the Comprehensive Plan review, and
sees a need to provide additional funds for staff .
Councilor Fawcett concurred, indicating he sees a need to
add staff if a proper job is to be done. Mayor Schlenker
commented she is reluctant to commit to adding more people
until workloads are examined and an attempt made to work
it out with existing staff.
In response to an inquiry from Councilor Fawcett, Mr .
Harvey stated that because a number of variables pending
(e.g. the electrical inspection program) it is not
possible to place a dollar amount on maintaining the
current service levels; therefore, the Public Works
Financial Fund Summary would be distributed at a later
date .
Budget Committee Minutes Page - 2
April 19 , 1989
IV. Review of General Fund Service Levels : Staff from each of
the departments comprising the General Fund made brief
presentations and answered questions.
Mayor Schlenker suggested that some of the money the City
receives from cable TV franchise fees might be dedicated
to the proposed televising of Council meetings .
Robert Kincaid, Assistant City Manager , and Bruce
Griswold, Finance Director, stressed the vital need for
upgrade of the data processing system. The accounting
department system particularly needs software upgrade and
integration. Finance Director Griswold stated that the
$75 ,000 in the enhanced budget is really more a necessity
to allow staff to become more efficient and to provide
more timely financial information to the organization.
Councilor Churchill announced he sees a strong need for
the addition of budget analyst activity.
Judge Deanne Darling of the Municipal Court predicted that
both Court revenues and work volume will increase.
Implementation of the Court' s new computer software system
is expected to begin within the next few months .
City Attorney James Coleman announced that because of the
efficiency of his present prosecutor , he expects to cut
the use of a law clerk from one-half to one-quarter time.
Steve Turner, Library Director, reviewed Library growth
over the past five years , stating that circulation has
increased 46% , reference activity has increased 69% , and
the number of books in the collection has increased 30% .
He presented further clarification of the items included
in the Library' s enhanced budget. Copies of letters
addressed to the Budget Committee from Herald Campbell ,
Chairman of the Library Growth Task Force, and Brian
Diehm, Member of the Library Board of Trustees, were
distributed. Both letters encouraged approval of the
Library' s enhanced budget requests .
Also distributed at this time was a memorandum dated
April 7 , 1989 from Karen Scott, Assistant City Manager , to
Peter Harvey, City Manager , on the subject of transcripts
of appeals .
The list of ten 1989 Council Goals requested at the
April 13 meeting also was distributed .
VII. Review of General Fund Financial Summary : Peter Harvey
announced that $603 ,362 was available in the General Fund
for the Budget Committee' s discretion in enhancements ,
transfers, etc. One of the reasons the General Fund is in
good shape is because of a large Worker' s Compensation
refund of premiums for two policy years .
Budget Committee Minutes Page - 3
April 19 , 1989
VIII . Tax Rate Computation : The committee received copies of
"Preliminary Comparative Tax Rates" which indicated actual
and estimated 1988-89 figures and projected 1989-90
figures.
IX. Public Testimony:
Margaret Pittman, (1437 Oak Street , Lake Oswego) , Chairman
of the Library Board of Trustees, advised the Board had
spent a considerable amount of time working on budget
matters. She endorsed the letters submitted earlier by
Brian Diehm and Herald Campbell, and stated that the
Library "enhancements" actually were items that would
enable the Library to just "stay even. " She also
distributed a memo to the Budget Committee from Donna
O' Brien, member of the Lake Oswego Board of Trustees. The
Library Board recommends abolishing the $0 . 50 fee
currently being charged to reserve a book . This would
result in revenue loss of approximately $2 , 500 per year .
This issue is being presented to the Budget Committee
because it involves a reduction in revenue .
Jack Radow (920 Atwater Rd. , Lake Oswego) thanked the
Budget Committee for its past support of the Library. He
referred to the recent library levy which he feels is
evidence that the voters in Lake Oswego value their
library. Mr . Radow urged the committee to continue to
support the Library in a manner which reflects the wishes
of its constituency.
Herald Campbell (1219 Maple Street , Lake Oswego) , Chairman
of the Library Growth Task Force, emphasized the
recommendations of the Task Force in proposing the
establishment of a branch library. He also urged
committee approval of a paid part-time volunteer
coordinator, stating this is a good investment for the
City.
Lucy McGowan (618 Cabana Lane, Lake Oswego) , member of the
Library Board of Trustees, encouraged support for the paid
part-time coordinator position. She announced the Library
has approximately 100 volunteers contributing a total of
around 800 hours a month.
Afton Beutler (2010 Woodland Park Road) , member of the
Library Board of Trustees, spoke as a member of the
"Friends of the Library" and announced that their recent
annual book sale had raised $6 ,000. She stated that not
only the voters of Lake Oswego, but volunteers and various
organizations such as the Friends, ask the committee to
carefully consider the requests in order to maintain the
type of library that Lake Oswego can be proud of .
Budget Committee Minutes Page - 4
April 19, 1989
X. Committee Discussion : Councilor Fawcett requested that at
the next meeting additional detail be provided on Public
Works/Development Services staffing needs . Mayor
Schlenker requested that more information be provided
concerning what is involved in the Comprehensive Plan
review.
Mr . Harvey reviewed the items in the City Council service
level enhancements and cost estimates for each. After
discussion of these items , the following tentative figures
were suggested by the committee: $10 ,000 for cable
televising of City Council meetings; $35, 000 for half-time
staffing and program costs of a Neighborhood Coordinator ;
$10, 000 for conducting quarterly resident polls; $2 ,000
additional ($500 already budgeted) for meeting facilitator
fees; $750 for breakfasts/dinners for Council meetings;
$500 additional ($500 already budgeted) for "foreign
guest" costs and "goodwill" items such as sympathy cards
and other miscellaneous expenditures; $2 ,000 for new
microphones in the Council chambers . No action was taken
on the matter of providing water/sewer service for
Councilors as a compensation item. Mr . Harvey stated this
must be addressed by the City Council as a charter change
would be necessary. It was decided the issue would be
dropped. After a short discussion concerning the matter
of compensation to the Mt . Park Homeowners ' Association
for use of its swimming pool by the Lake Oswego Swim Club,
it was determined that nothing would be allocated at this
time.
XI . Review of Revised Budget Calendar : The revised budget
calendar will be furnished at the next meeting, April 20 .
The minutes of the meeting of April 13 were approved as
submitted except for the following: Councilor Durham
should be noted as "excused" rather than "absent. "
XII . Announce Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting: Chair
Fuller announced that the next meeting will be held on
Wednesday, April 20 , 1989, at 7 : 00 p.m. in the Council
Chambers.
XIII. Adjournment : The meeting was adjourned at 10 : 50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted ,
Kathy Kelley
Recording Secretary
Budget Committee Minutes Page - 5
April 19, 1989