City Administrator Role Might Not Be Filled

As the deadline approaches for the city to approve its budget for the new fiscal year, staff members stare down changes made for the current fiscal year—and those that could take place in the one yet to begin. City Council must approve a budget by April 30. Any approved cuts will be effective May 1. 

In a bullet-point breakdown of the meeting, Patch recounts what Finance Director Colleen Julian had to say about the city's current—and future—fiscal status.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED ALREADY
$627,000 in Cuts

• Administration reduced legal fees by $100,000.
• Fire department reduced overtime by $35,000.
• Police department delayed purchase of squad cars, saving $88,000.
• Street department eliminated lawn service, saving $80,000.
• Building department decreased number of inspectors, for $60,000.

Salary Adjustments Put into Effect May 2010

• Non-union: 0 percent raise, plus 10 furlough days
• Clerical: contract expired 4/30/2010. Raises currently under negotation.
• Fire: Union contract required 4 percent increase 5/1/2010; union agreed to postpone to 11/1/2010.
• Police: Contract expired 4/30/2010. Raises currently under negotiation.
• Telecommunicators: Union contract required 4 percent increase 5/1/2010.
• Public Works: Union contract required 2 percent increase 5/1/2010.

Salary Eliminations, May 2010

• Total full-time positions reduced by 4, to 122 total.
• A non-union public works analyst was laid off.
• A vacant full-time firefigher position was not filled; funds were used to outsource emergency medical dispatch.
• Vacant full-time telecommunicator position was not filled, full-time non-union animal control officer was replaced with a part-time employee.

WHAT THE CITY THINKS NEEDS TO HAPPEN
4.99 Percent Property Tax Increase

• Fire department 4 percent contractual increase, at $72,000.
• Public works 2 percent contractual increase, at $29,000.
• Police department, telecommunicators, clerical and non-union salaries frozen.
• Furlough days: 10 furlough days decrease payroll $325,000. Personnel costs account for 85 percent of the operating budget. 
• Higher employee health insurance contribution, to 20 percent, saving $75,000.

WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN
More Proposed Cuts

• Reduce staff through attrition.
• Decrease part-time and overtime hours.
• Eliminate services—this could include the senior bus.
• Reduce current $500,000 surplus. Finance Director Colleen Julian advised aldermen against this, as the city's reserves are currently at 5 percent, though the city's financial policy asks that it not fall below 25 percent. 
• Layoffs and/or outsourcing.

City Administrator Role Could Remain Vacant

When John Marquart leaves his role as city administrator on April 1, Mayor Hank Kuspa thinks they should leave the position empty, possibly for the entire upcoming fiscal year. Kuspa and the aldermen discussed what would be done with the money that would have been used for the replacement's salary.

Patch will bring you more on the city's budget as the deadline nears. Bookmark the page and check back.