Flushing City Council
Minutes
May 11, 2009
A Regular Meeting of the Flushing City Council was called to order on Monday, May 11, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Janice L. Gensel, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and invocation.
Present: Richard L. Bade
Mark F. Brock
John C. Gault
Janice L. Gensel
George G. Kozan
Teresa K. Salem
Michael T. Szukhent
Absent: None
Others Present: Dennis J. Bow, City Manager
Nancy G. Parks, City Clerk/Treasurer
Edward G. Henneke, City Attorney
Approval of Agenda - Motion by Gault, seconded by Szukhent, to approve the May 11, 2009 agenda.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
PUBLIC
HEARINGS:
2009-2010 Budget Hearing The City Manager presented an overview of the 2009-2010 proposed budget.
General Fund Revenues
- Property Taxes are reduced substantially, due to decreases in Taxable Values
- State Revenue Sharing will be reduced by 8% beginning in October in addition to the cuts made from July through September
- Garbage collection fees will be maintained at $158.00
-
Substantial reductions are proposed as follows:
- City Council elimination of fall conference
- City Manager elimination of summer training meeting
- Manager Assistant position to be re-defined (clerical duty assignment)
- Assessor Contractual part time
- Clerk Treasurer eliminated one position
Flushing City Council
Minutes
May 11, 2009
Page Two
- Cemetery reduced maintenance hours (part-time and full time position)
- General Administration reduced fringe benefits and computer costs
- Police Department reduction in part-time and equipment requests
- Parks and Recreation reduction in salaries and fringe benefits
- Library reduction in utilities (install temperature control modules)
- Administrative pay freeze
Due to the State Revenue Sharing reductions announced since the 2010 budget was introduced in April, additional adjustments need to be made to the printed draft. The following reductions are proposed in order to balance the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year budget.
An estimated $58,000 are to be reduced in the General Fund as follows:
Cemetery
Wages $ 3,000
Fringe Benefits 3,000
Equipment Rental 3,000 $ 9,000
General Administration
Fringe Benefits 20,000
3,000 23,000
Police Department
Auxiliary 12,000
Equipment/Machinery 2,000 14,000
NOTE: Pending approval of the COPS Grant, the Flushing FANG officer may need to return to duty in Flushing.
The above reductions in the Auxiliary budget may not allow for the required manpower of handling special events, other than the Candlewalk.
Flushing City Council
Minutes
May 11, 2009
Page Three
Parks and Recreation
Salaries Wages 5,000
Fringe Benefits 5,000 10,000
Library
Utilities 2,000
Major Streets
Pending bids on the Main Street Bank Stabilization, this fund may need to be amended with reductions in salaries and related fringe benefits as the fund balance of $125,000 may not be sufficient to cover the capital costs of these repairs
Local Streets
- Existing service levels are to remain at their present status
Long-Term Debt Debt service requirements for governmental activities:
Installment purchase agreement Contract issued for the construction of City Hall/Police Station. Outstanding debt of $767,000
Annual debt service requirements to maturity for the above obligations are as follows:
Year End
June 30, Principal Interest Total
2009 74,000 32,410 106,410
2010 74,000 29,206 103,206
2011 74,000 26,002 100,002
2012-2016 370,000 65,924 435,924
2017-2020 101,000 4,157 105,157
798,000 157,699 861,253
Flushing City Council
Minutes
May 11, 2009
Page Four
- Tax Revenue reduced by $44,000
- Expenditures
- 2009 Street Paving Project $486,294
- Sidewalks 56,000
- Municipal Parking lots 60,000
Water and Sewer Funds
- Maintain current level of services
- Possible reduction of one position
The 2009-2010 fiscal year budget was prepared at a level which maintains the current General Operating levy of 7.0020 mills, Capital Improvement levy of 3.0914 mills, and Police Millage of 1.0000 mills.
MEETING
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC:
Cecil Hahn, representing the Chamber of Commerce, addressed Council relative to the Chamber paying the city for police officers at the Flushing Summer Fest.
Consent Agenda - Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Gault, to approve City Council Minutes (April 27, 2009 Regular Meeting), City Council Minutes (April 22, 2009 Special Joint Meeting) and May 11, 2009 Council Bills List.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
REPORTS:
Budget Adoption Motion by Bade, seconded by Szukhent, to approve the 2009-2010 budget recommended by administration at the public hearing.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Flushing City Council
Minutes
May 11, 2009
Page Five
Millage Proposal Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Bade, to adopt the 2009 millage rates of 7.0020 for General Operating, 3.094 for Capital Improvement, and 1.0000 for Police Operations.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Flushing Area Chamber of Commerce Request
to Hold the Flushing Summer Fest
Motion by Gault, seconded by Salem, to approve the request by the Flushing Area
Chamber of Commerce to hold the summer festival in Riverview Park, June 10-14,
2009, subject to the coordination of the event with city staff, and to charge a
reimbursement for one-half of the overtime payroll costs in excess of Two
Thousand ($2,000.00) Dollars.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Attorney
Henneke stated this his firm would match dollar for dollar up to $500.00 any
contributions the Chamber can raise toward offsetting their expenses. Councilperson Gault stated that his business
would do the same.
Bank Stabilization Due to the volume of rain in the past month, an area next to the storm sewer extending from the slope at Chestnut and Main has had severe erosion problems similar to the problem that occurred in 2008 at Chamberlain and Main. As a result of the volume and speed with which the erosion is occurring, a precautionary step was taken to close the eastbound traffic line nearest the slope.
In order to proceed with securing the existing soils next to the road, the city manager asked the city engineer to contact the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in order to determine permit requirements for the bank stabilization. As was the case last year, in an emergency, a permit can be issued for a minor project prior to the permanent repairs that will need to be done later this year. The survey work for placement of sheet piling, along with the preparation of the permit, is estimated to cost Two Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-One ($2,861.00) Dollars.
Flushing City Council
Minutes
May 11, 2009
Page Six
Motion
by Salem, seconded by Gault, to approve the fees required to prepare the permit
application for a minor project, in accordance with the Department of
Environmental Qualitys emergency purchase procedures.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF) Watermain Change Order No. One - During the design of the Watermain Update Project, administration was uncertain of the ability to eliminate the use of the water tower as a storage source and pressure control device. Since the original design was completed, staff has successfully managed the water system pressure north of the Flint River, without the use of the water tower. Consequently, a water line that was designed to replace the twelve (12) inch watermain connecting the tower to our water lines will not be required to be replaced. The deletion of that line will allow for the elimination of approximately Fifty-Five Thousand ($55,000.00) Dollars in new watermain costs.
At the same time, two (2) sections of water line located on Sharon Street and Park Street, which were not included in the original contract, will need to be added to this project. These sections of water line are recommended to be replaced, as the Sharon Street water line has had a significant number of breaks since the beginning of our planning process, and the short section of Park Street water line has failed a few times over the past twelve (12) months.
The net result of the deleted water line, with the additional sections on Sharon and Park Streets, will result in a change to the contract of an additional Seventeen Thousand, Four Hundred and Fifty ($17,450.00) Dollars. Although the Water Fund is extremely tight, administration recommends approval of this change order in order to avoid additional costs that might result from line breakage.
Motion by Bade, seconded by Gault, to approve Change Order No. One in the amount of $17,446.65, with DiPonio Contracting, as recommended by the city engineer.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Flushing City Council
Minutes
May 11, 2009
Page Seven
Byrne Justice Grant (JAG) Program - An Interlocal Agreement Between the City of Flushing and twelve (12) other Genesee County communities was recommended for approval in order to receive funding under the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program.
The Flushing Police Chief has applied for three (3) separate grants that are being funded through the 2009 Recovery Act. This program allocates a portion of the JAG funds to Flushing City in the amount of Ten Thousand and Sixty-Nine ($10,069.00) Dollars. Funding is targeted for use in a number of venues, such as community policing during the Movies in the Park series, community events, and increased enforcement on the trail system. Each party to this agreement will be responsible for its own actions that may arise from the furnishing of the services that are provided with these dollars.
Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Salem, to approve the Interlocal Agreement in order to receive funds through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
ITEMS FOR FUTURE PUBLIC HEARINGS:
State Revolving Fund Waste Water
Treatment Plant Motion by
Szukhent, seconded by Gault, to set a public hearing date of Monday, June 8,
2009 at City Hall, 725 E. Main Street, at 7:30 p.m. on a State Revolving Fund
Waste Water Treatment Plant funding application.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Joint Meeting Capital Improvements Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Bade, to
set a joint meeting of the Flushing City Council and Planning Commission to
discuss the Capital Improvement Plan for Thursday, May 26, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at
City Hall, 725 E. Main Street.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Flushing City Council
Minutes
May 11, 2009
Page Eight
Closed
Session:
Labor Negotiations Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Bade, to go into closed session pursuant to the Open Meetings Act compiled laws 15.268(c), to consider negotiations on a collective bargaining agreement.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Purchase of Real Estate Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Bade, to go into closed session pursuant to the Open Meetings Act compiled laws 15.268(d), to consider the purchase or lease or real property, or the option to purchase or lease real property.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Adjourn: 8:47 p.m.
Reconvene: 9:10 p.m.
Adjournment - Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Gault, to adjourn.
Yea: Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Adjourn: 9:11 p.m.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Janice L. Gensel, Mayor Nancy G. Parks, City Clerk/Treasurer