HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 5, 2005 Budget Minutes
LIBRARY BOARD/CITY COUNCIL
BUDGET MEETING
October 5, 2005
7:00 P.M.
The joint City Council/Library Board meeting about the library budget for 2006 was held
in the activity room October 5, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. Those present were: Walt Fehst, Barbara
Miller, Bill Elrite, Lynette Thomson, Patricia Sowada, Catherine Vesley, Mayor Gary Peterson,
Bobby Williams, Bruce Nawrocki, Tami Ericson Diehm, Bruce Kelzenberg, and Rebecca Loader.
Mayor Gary Peterson called the meeting to order at 7:04p.m.
Bruce Nawrocki noted a point of order that a secretary had to be appointed by the City
Council. It was moved by Kelzenberg, seconded by Peterson, and approved by acclimation to
appoint Jeanine Schmidt as secretary pro-tem for the meeting.
Barb Miller, Library Board Chair, welcomed everyone, conducted introductions and gave
opening remarks before turning the meeting over to Becky Loader for the budget presentation.
Becky reviewed the order the meeting would follow and started with the Power Point
presentation that would highlight the 5 major areas of the budget.
1. “Personnel” slide was reviewed. 5 full-time staff and 13 part-time staff were
accounted for. Major changes were reviewed.
2. “Supplies” slide highlighted the amounts spent in years 2002-2006. Line items that
were increased, decreased and eliminated were all reviewed.
3. “Other Services and Charges” slide included information regarding line items
increased and decreased. Line items eliminated were also reviewed.
4. “Capital Outlay” has none budgeted for 2006.
5. “Contingencies and Transfers” were reviewed: 7100 Operating Transfer Out, 8100
Contingencies (includes but is not exclusive to potential wage increases), and 8110
Vandalism (eliminated).
6. The final slide compared the total budget to prior years.
The Council was then referred to the 2006 Proposed Detail Budget Books: page 4
concerning Minimum Local Support requirements and Maintenance of Effort.
On page 11 the memo listing effects of reductions in budget years 2003-2006 was
reviewed.
This concluded the formal presentation and the floor was opened for questions.
Councilmember Nawrocki voiced his objection to the Power Point presentation. Mr. Nawrocki
had questions/comments in the following areas: 1.) Pointed out that the per capita amounted to
$50,000 more than the County spends. 2.) Salary adjustments. 3.) Increased utility costs,
especially gas, were not addressed in any part of the presentation.
Response: The County per capita amount does not include their capital improvement budget.
Salary adjustments are included in line item 8100 (Contingencies). The utility costs were
estimated from information from the Finance Department and at the time of budget preparation
there was no indication of the natural gas price increase that has recently been announced.
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Walt Fehst: Noted the Resolution of Protest from the Library Board asking for $20,000 to be
added back into the budget and the list of items on page 11.
Mr. Nawrocki: Asked about line item 8100 Contingencies, who would get salary adjustments
full-time personnel or part-time?
Response: Contingencies has $16,589.00 budgeted for unknown, unbudgeted expenses, which
may include salaries and is calculated with a cost of living increase and a percentage for health
insurance.
Mr. Williams: Last year $10,000 was added back into the budget for summer performers by the
City Council. $5,000 was later requested from the Boosters for summer performers, why?
Response: The amount added by the Council last year for summer performers was $1,285. Five
items were added back into the 2005 budget in various amounts totaling $4,410. The money
requested from the Boosters was made by Foundation Board President, Thomas Sherohman, to
meet matching fund requirements for a MRAC (Metropolitan Regional Arts Council) grant for a
summer teen program. This program included reading, writing and the performance of stories, but
was not for summer performers. The summer performers program was differentiated and
explained. Questions concerning the cost of the grant program were referred to the Foundation
Board, since all bills went through that organization and were not processed by the Library staff.
Catherine Vesley responded that questions concerning grant funding and distributions could also
be obtained directly from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. The Board responded that
they would pass the request for information about the total cost of the program to Tom
Sherohman for follow up.
Mayor Peterson: Are the items on page 11 prioritized?
Response: They are not, but the men’s restroom would be pulled out as first.
Ms. Erickson Diehm: You’ve shifted money from Videos to DVD’s, and Audiocassettes to
Compact Discs but do you have the same buying power. What about donations?
Response: We do not have the same buying power because of the higher costs of the DVD and
CD formats. The Library does accept donations but they must meet the selection criteria and
most donations of these two formats are usually quite worn by the time people donate them.
Mr. Nawrocki: Your budget is $10,000 under spent to date. Questioned purchasing in the last
quarter of the year for the purpose of using up unexpended funds.
Response by Vesley: Funds were under spent on purpose during the first half of the year due to
the change over to the new system.
Response by Fehst: There are times when you spend conservatively to wait and see if there are
unknown expenses that come up. The Library is always very conservative and careful where they
spend their money.
Mr. Nawrocki: Questioned whether our water was metered and if the library was billed
commercially with only $200 budgeted for water?
Response: The library is metered, the budget amount is indicative of a facility that uses water
only for restrooms, water fountains and a small amount used by staff. The library does not
sprinkle, do laundry, dishes, etc. like an individual homeowner.
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Mr. Nawrocki: Commented that he felt the curbing installed around the library was a safety issue
and hindered grass cutting.
Response: The curbing was requested by the Public Works Department and installed due to
concerns about safety issues with ice on the sidewalks in the winter.
Barbara Miller asked if there were any further questions regarding the proposed library budget for
2006.
Mayor Peterson requested that the list of items to be added back into the budget be prioritized.
Mr. Nawrocki requested a print copy of the Power Point presentation.
There being no further questions the meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeanine M. Schmidt, City Council Secretary pro-tem, and Secretary to the Library Board of
Trustees.
The City of Columbia Heights does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or
access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request,
accommodation will be provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all City of
Columbia Heights’ services, programs, and activities.
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