Title
ANN ARBOR CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
BUDGET WORKING SESSION - MAY 11, 1998
Body
The budget working session of the Ann Arbor City Council was called to order at
7:09 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber by Mayor Ingrid B. Sheldon.
ROLL CALL OF COUNCIL
PRESENT : Councilmembers Tobi Hanna-Davies, Patricia Vereen-Dixon, Jane
Lumm, David Kwan, Jean Carlberg, Heidi Cowing Herrell, Patrick A.
Putman, Christopher Kolb, Elisabeth L. Daley, Mayor Ingrid B.
Sheldon, 10.
ABSENT : Councilmember Stephen C. Hartwell, 1.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Mayor Sheldon acknowledge the hard work of City staff during Saturday=s KKK rally
and anti-Klan rally, and expressed appreciation to those who organized the unity
rally at Wheeler Park and to members of the community who demonstrated their
opposition to the Klan in a peaceful manner.
1998-99 BUDGET REVIEW
The following department/division heads and staff members presented highlights of
their proposed budgets for the 1998-99 fiscal year and answered questions from
Council. Also available for questions were City Administrator Neal Berlin and
Budget Director Alan Burns.
PUBLIC SERVICES
Total Recommended Budget: $28,146,746
Public Services Director William Wheeler introduced division managers Sabah
Yousif, Chief Engineer, and Jack Gould, Fleet Services Manager. Mr. Wheeler gave
an overview of the various Public Services divisions, highlighting major continuing
programs and projects, expanded services and programs, and enhanced customer
services.
2 Council - May 11, 1998
He reported that new or expanded services include a global positioning system
software enhancement; a geodetic control manual; monitoring of Gelman Sciences;
an information technology program (converting to an electronic record keeping
system); permit fee increases; assisting the Planning Department with the Northeast
Area Plan update; and distributing the $425,000 in revenue generated from parking
meter rate increases to downtown emergency phones, repairing prior DDA
improvements, a housing reserve contribution, a waiver of DDA fees, alternative
transportation programs, and replacement of parking meters with meters that will
accept a Áprepaid parking card. Other new or expanded programs include
repairing hangar roofs at the airport, rehabilitation of the main paved airport runway,
promoting equipment sharing from the Fleet Services Division across departmental
lines, and increased spending on building maintenance for Fleet Services.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Total Recommended Budget: $4,795,265
Administrative Services Director James Amin introduced the following Information
Services Division personnel: Voice Mail Administrator Susan Salmeron, Systems
Network Administrator Tom Bowen, Application Development and Technical
Services Manager David Stress, and Mainframe Applications Manager Dennis
Landon.
Mr. Amin reported that Administrative Services Department program highlights
include implementing aspects of the City=s Information and Services and
Technologies Strategic Plan; continuing surveys of all city facilities and making
recommendations to implement the Environmental Protection Agency=s Green
Lights program; implementing lighting retrofits based on results from the Green
Lights audits; implementing a program to utilize the new Municipal Energy Fund to
finance energy improvements at City facilities; continuing consolidation of various
departmental purchases; conducting quarterly meetings with various departments
as policies are implemented; continuing development of a city-wide information
services disaster recovery plan; completing implementation of the newest releases
of the Local Government Financial System, Online Appraisal and Statistical
Information System, and the Human Resources Management System; upgrading
mainframe software system to be year 2000 compliant; and improving the City=s
Wide Area Network by installing higher speed integrated services digital network
lines.
Mr. Amin further reported that the significant changes in the Administrative Services
Department budget include the creation of a municipal energy fund of $100,000 to
assist facilities in meeting the City=s commitments for energy efficient operations,
Council - May 11, 1998 3
implementation of the 1998 approved strategic planning projects in the Information
Services Division, and $1,100,000 set aside in a non-departmental account for use
pending approval of the Information Services and Technology Strategic Plan.
FINANCE
Total Recommended Budget: $13,643,892
Finance Director Allen D. Moore introduced City Treasurer Brenda Smith, City
Assessor Dirk Ashley, and Risk Manager Dan Cullen. Mr. Moore reviewed the major
continuing programs and new services and programs in the Finance Department
Mr. Moore reported that new services or programs in the Finance Department will
include assisting with the overview of the City=s Strategic Information Service
Technology Plan implementation; implementing a multi-factor economic financial
forecasting model for projecting operating revenues and expenditures; developing
an administrative division procedure manual and an accounting procedure;
implementing finance charges on accounts receivables; implementing on-line
accounts payable entry to allow direct entry of check requests into the accounting
system; providing training classes for the LGFS system; implementing a purchasing
card program to allow vendors immediate payment for goods; developing a
commercial and industrial property data base; developing commercial and industrial
sales books for public access; conducting random surveys of customers to assess
quality of service; revising procedures for parking referee appeals to improve
customer service; and revising procedures for notification and action on
jeopardized personal property taxes.
Mr. Moore further stated that financial changes include an increase of 2.3% from the
1997/98 fiscal year, restoring two data entry operators to full time, and deleting
funds for the cashiering software system, which has been delayed until next fiscal
year.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before Council, the Mayor declared the
meeting adjourned at 9:33 p.m.
Winifred Northcross
Clerk of the Council
Janet L. Chapin
4 Council - May 11, 1998
Recording Secretary