2004-05-13 Joint CC CIC ARRA Budget Session MinutesMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL JOINT CITY COUNCIL,
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT COMMISSION AND ALAMEDA
REUSE AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING
THURSDAY- -MAY 13, 2004- -6:00 P.M.
Mayor/Chair Johnson convened the Special Joint meeting at 6:15 p.m.
Councilmember/Commissioner Matarrese led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call - Present: Councilmembers/Commissioners Daysog,
Gilmore, Kerr, Matarrese and Mayor/Chair
Johnson – 5.
Absent: None.
(04-219CC/04-022CIC) Study Session to consider the City’s Two-year
Financial Plan and Capital Improvement Projects for Fiscal Year
2004-06.
The City Manager provided information on sales tax requested at the
May 6 budget study session.
The Finance Director gave an overview of the 2004-06 Proposed
Budget/Financial Plan.
Councilmember/Commissioner Kerr requested the Finance Department
check the [State] allocation numbers that are based on the total
Vehicle License Fee (VLF), total property taxes, sales tax, etc.;
stated the City should ensure calculations are based on correct
information.
Mayor/Chair Johnson requested the total cost for legal services in
the City; stated having a compilation of the legal services for all
departments would be helpful.
Councilmember/Commissioner Gilmore requested the total cost for
services departments, such as Information Technology, City Attorney
and Finance, for the entire City.
Mayor/Chair Johnson stated the Council/Commission would like to be
able to see the entire amounted budgeted for service departments,
which would include the department budget and any amount budgeted
to other departments; in the budget, the City Attorney and Finance
are scattered through other departments.
The City Manager stated staff would provide the Cost Allocation
Plan, which is how costs are assigned across the board.
Special Joint Meeting Alameda City Council, Community
Improvement Commission and Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority
May 13, 2004
1
In response to Councilmember/Commissioner Matarrese’s question
regarding the Cost Allocation Plan, the Finance Director stated the
only departments that have cost allocation charges are those with
enterprise and special revenue funds; the City recovers $4.5
million for the General Fund from the enterprise and special
revenue funds for General Fund support services.
Councilmember/Commissioner Matarrese stated that the Council/
Commission should understand where the service groups’ funding and
what proportions go to each department in hours or dollars.
The City Manager stated said information could be shown in terms of
cost recovery; staff would provide the latest update to show how
costs are developed and assigned.
Mayor/Chair Johnson stated the Council/Commission is allocating
money to each department and wants to see how much goes to other
departments after it is allocated to one department.
Vice Mayor/Commissioner Daysog inquired interfund reflects
transfers to other departments, to which the Finance Director
responded in the affirmative.
Vice Mayor/Commissioner Daysog stated more specific information on
said transfers is being requested.
In response to Councilmember/Commissioner Gilmore’s question
regarding departments with finance staff, the City Manager stated
non-General Fund departments have a finance and administration
component; Golf is the only non-General Fund department which does
not have finance; a finance team was created to review cross-
organization financing resources.
Mayor/Chair Johnson stated the total amount spent on attorney fees
should include outside Counsel; Code Enforcement attorneys should
also be included in the total for attorney costs.
Mayor/Chair Johnson stated the information provided on code
enforcement in redevelopment areas should have a greater breakdown
and should include code enforcement costs outside of redevelopment
areas.
Vice Mayor/Councilmember Daysog stated the budget document
indicates a -$4.6 fund balance, however, the presentation indicated
the shortfall is $7 million; said disparity should be reviewed.
In response to Councilmember/Commissioner Matarrese’s inquiry about
Special Joint Meeting Alameda City Council, Community
Improvement Commission and Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority
May 13, 2004
2
the $4.6 million gap, the Finance Director stated the budget plan
includes a 5% budget cut; the remaining $4.6 million gap needs to
be closed.
The City Manager stated staff is proposing to close the rest of the
gap with new fees and by drawing down on the General Fund reserve.
Councilmember/Commissioner Kerr stated a portion of the increase in
the bridge toll and Measure 2 funds were going to be allocated to
the City’s ferry service; inquired whether cost overruns for the
new Benicia-Martinez Bridge which will use said funds would effect
the City.
Vice Mayor/Commissioner Daysog requested a list of un-funded
capital improvement projects by department.
* * *
Mayor/Chair Johnson called a recess to hold a Special Joint City
Council and Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Meeting at
6:50 p.m. and reconvened the Special Joint Meeting at 7:51 p.m.
* * *
Mayor/Chair Johnson inquired whether organizational charts could
include salary ranges for positions.
The City Manager stated staff would provide information on salary
ranges and find a way to display the information in a useful way.
The Golf Complex General Manager gave a presentation on the Golf
Complex budget.
Mayor/Chair Johnson requested a chart of the number of Golf Complex
employees over the past several years, as other department
provided.
The Assistant City Manager gave a presentation the Development
Services Department budget.
Mayor/Chair Johnson requested a list of positions outside of
Development Services that are funded under the Development Services
Department.
Vice Mayor/Commissioner Daysog requested a breakout of the Alameda
Reuse and Redevelopment Authority (ARRA) budget, including
operation expenditures, revenues, and capital projects.
The Assistant City Manager noted gross lease revenues are the only
Special Joint Meeting Alameda City Council, Community
Improvement Commission and Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority
May 13, 2004
3
revenue available to ARRA.
The City Manager stated the breakout could include debt services.
Mayor/Chair Johnson requested a breakdown of the different areas
for tax increment and lease revenues.
Councilmember/Commission Kerr stated the Chamber of Commerce rent
subsidy was in exchange for the Chamber handling business
retention; if the Chamber has opted not to take on the business
retention program, inquired whether the rent is still subsidized.
The City Manager stated staff would confirm that rent subsidy is
not provided to the Chamber; a report would be provided on the
matter.
Vice Mayor/Commissioner Daysog requested staff provide the sources
of revenue that pay for the $11.2 million operating budget for
Development Services and provide how much of the $2.4 million in
debt and interfund is debt and how much is interfund; stated in the
2003-04 budget, $604,000 was allocated for salaries for 6.4
positions; in 2004-05, the salaries increases by $400,000 for 6.4
positions; requested and explanation of the increase; further
stated that in the mid- to late-1990’s the Cooperative Service
Agreement with the Navy was winding down; the City, through the
General Fund, made a loan to ARRA; the issue was dealt with one
year ago; requested information on the amount of the loan, what the
loan was for, payback status and the timetable for repayment.
In response to Councilmember/Commissioner Matarrese’s inquiry
regarding the recent bond issuance, the City Manager stated a
summary page on the projects would be provided.
The Assistant City Manager noted that the bond included $4 million
for other projects and was issued for $46.6 million.
Mayor/Chair Johnson requested a chart on the number of Development
Service Department employees over the past several years, as other
department provided.
Councilmember/Commission Kerr stated there are training costs under
each department; requested the complete cost for the training
program.
The City Manager stated each department has a travel and training
budget; in addition, the City training program is funded under
Human Resources.
Special Joint Meeting Alameda City Council, Community
Improvement Commission and Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority
May 13, 2004
4
Mayor/Chair Johnson requested a training be broken down between
required and optional training; requested travel expenses be
separated out from training.
Vice Mayor/Commissioner Daysog requested an explanation of the
method used to track employees’ time, for example coding on
timesheets, to ensure projects are completed within budget.
The City Manager stated that staff could provide an explanation
after the departmental budgets are reviewed.
In response to Councilmember/Commissioner Gilmore’s question
regarding how the 5% cut, the City Manager stated the issue would
be addressed after all the department presentations.
Adjournment
There being no further business, Mayor/Chair Johnson adjourned the
Special Joint Meeting at 8:57 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lara Weisiger, City Clerk
Secretary, Community Improvement
Commission
The agenda for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Brown
Act.
Special Joint Meeting Alameda City Council, Community
Improvement Commission and Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority
May 13, 2004
5