(Approved January 27, 2020)
TO THE HONORABLE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ELYRIA, OHIO:
The FINANCE COMMITTEE held a meeting on MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2020 which began at 7:05 P.M.
FINANCE PRESENT: Chair Stewart, Madison, Davis, Baird, Jessie, Tollett
OTHERS PRESENT: Assistant Law Director Breunig, Mayor Whitfield, Assistant Safety Service Dir Brubaker, Building Official Farkas, Finance Director Pileski, Assistant Finance
Director Farrell, Engineer Schneider, Councilperson Keys
CD PRESENT: Chair Callahan, Co-Chair Mitchell, Jessie, Madison, Cerra
1. Approval of the November 25th and December 9th, 2019 Finance Meeting Minutes
Motion made by Mr. Baird and Second by Mrs. Davis to approve the said meeting minutes.
2. The matter Tyler/New World Software Maintenance Agreement.
REFERRED BY: Safety Service Director Brubaker
Mr. Brubaker said this is an annual contract renewal for support Software. The contract renewal is recommended by IT Director Rothgery. The Company is still New World, but was bought out by Tyler Company. Currently Tyler is doing the 2-year update on all of the Software Systems.
Motion made by Mr. Baird and second by Mr. Madison to authorize an ordinance to enter into a annual contract for ‘said’ maintenance agreement.
MOTION CARRIED COMMITTEE REPORT WRITTEN
3. The matter of Change Order No 1 for CDBG South Park Tennis Court Striping Project.
REFERRED BY: Engineer Schneider
Engineer Schneider said that during the resurfacing of the ‘said’ tennis courts they found that base material below the tennis courts was below par and it had to be rebuild before they could put the asphalt back on. That is the reason for the additional cost.
Motion made by Mr. Baird and second by Mrs. Davis to authorize an ordinance to enter into the ‘said’ change order for ‘said’ Parks Project.
MOTION CARRIED COMMITTEE REPORT WRITTEN
4. The matter of Change Order No 1 for CDBG Sidewalk Repair Program.
REFERRED BY: Engineer Schneider
Engineer Schneider said that costs for the project came in lower than anticipated. They were able to get a lot done for a great cost and the change order is for the additional work. More work was done at a better rate. Mr. Baird asked about the monies that are left and can it be used to continue doing more work or can it be saved to use at another time. Mr. Schneider thinks the money can be carried over to the next year. That will be something that will go through CD.
Mrs. Davis asked for the list of sidewalks that were done. Mr. Schneider said that he doesn’t have the actual list of streets but he said they were in the St. Jude area.
Motion made by Mr. Madison and second by Mr. Baird to authorize an ordinance to enter into the ‘said’ change order for ‘said’ Parks Project.
MOTION CARRIED COMMITTEE REPORT WRITTEN
5. The matter of Amending the Salary Ordinance regarding various positions.
REFERRED BY: HR Director Dillinger / Assistant Finance Director Farrell
Assist Finance Dir. said this involves ordinances that were passed at the end of 2019 and those were not included with the original exhibit. In order to reflect the increases that were received
by the rest of the bargaining unit. Ord 2019-207 was the ordinance to reflect the 4% increase of Muni Court employees but the IT Director and Legal Secretary were omitted from that exhibit and will need to be added. Under the seasonal and part-time ordinance there is one part time employee who had a step that needed to be increased in that position to accommodate the 4% increase. The last thing is the Ch 165 unclassified ~ two exhibits which needed to be changed due to the Ohio Supreme Court increasing the wages and salaries for the Muni Court Judges and Magistrates. Muni Clerk of Courts salary is 85% of the Muni Court Judges Salaries. And Ch 165 non-bargaining (for the acting and visiting judges are paid out of that). With the increase to the muni court judges it changed the elected officials ordinance as well as the muni court clerk salary and acting and visiting judges. Those increases were effected Jan. 1st but there is stipulation for a 1.75% increase each year through 2028 which is reflected in the exhibits.
Mr. Stewart said it looks like it’s a lot of ‘clean-up’.
Mrs. Davis asked where the money comes from? Judges increase comes from the State and a portion from the city and the Clerk’s comes from the City.
Mr. Tollett asked how the judges and clerk salaries are divided between Elyria, other communities and the townships? Mr. Pileski said Muni Court Clerk is covered by the county and the city and the increase in the judges salary is paid by the state. However the muni clerk of courts salary is tied to the judges salary. So the City has to cover a part of that increase. Mr. Farrell said the exhibit for the judges salary increase shows the increase beginning Jan. 1, 2020 and increasing by that 1.75% yearly. Mr. Farrell wanted to bring to the attention that there are 2 bargaining units whose contracts are going to expire; Dispatchers and Fire Dept. and no new agreement increase and hopefully it won’t be a 24 pay retro and he would like to consolidate these and clean them up. Due to certain pay grades that need to get in the correct pay grade exhibit. He will bring them altogether and create only one ordinance for those.
Motion made by Mr. Baird and second by Mr. Tollett to authorize an ordinance to update the mid-year Salary Study.
MOTION CARRIED COMMITTEE REPORT WRITTEN
6. The matter of a Demolition Lien for the parcel of 218 Ninth Street.
REFERRED BY: Safety Service Director Brubaker
Mr. Brubaker said this is standard procedure to have the cost of the demolition of the property at 218 Ninth Street to be certified to the Lorain County Auditor’s Office to be certified as a lien on the said property tax. The charges are for demolition as well as asbestos removal charges.
Motion made by Mr. Baird and second by Mr. Madison to authorize a resolution to authorize the ‘said’ lien to be certified to the Lorain County Auditor’s Office.
MOTION CARRIED COMMITTEE REPORT WRITTEN
7. The matter of Creating a New Capital Project Fund.
REFERRED BY: Finance Directors Pileski and Farrell
Finance Dir Pileski said this new fund will be titled the ‘Chestnut Commons Connector Fund’. This will account for the debt proceeds and related expenditures of those debt proceeds once the project gets rolling.
Motion made by Mrs. Davis and second by Mr. Madison to authorize an ordinance to authorize the Finance Director to create the ‘said’ Fund.
MOTION CARRIED COMMITTEE REPORT WRITTEN
8. The matter of Amendments to the Temporary Appropriations for the year 2020.
REFERRED BY: Finance Directors Pileski and Farrell
Finance Director Farrell listed the appropriation changes;
1. Parks & Rec ~ Ice Rink to increase to match 50% instead of 33% of appropriated amount.
2. Water Misc. Fund ~ operating and maintenance amount which is needed for the high service expansion assessment, Auto Cad Software renewal and the ESRIGIS System and residual leftover in the Water Capital Fund at the end of 2019 minus open encumbrances.
3. Sanitation Fund ~ operating and maintenance and Capital Outlay
4. WWPC Misc Fund ~ Operating and maintenance for the Auto Cad Software. And balance of $40,000 is for a rate study
5. Storm Water ~ Operating and Maintenance for Auto Cad Software and 3rd party Storm Water Billings and Capital Outlay
The Auto Cad Software is different than the Tyler/New World Software. Auto Cad is what is used for developing plans and specifications for Engineering jobs. GIS is an asset required program that the EPA requires everyone to have to keep track of hydrants, water valves, main lines, manholes, sewers, etc. Mr. Schneider said that these fees have to be paid annually in order to be able to continue using the software and using tech support.
Mr. Pileski said that he and Mr. Farrell will sit down and go over all of the projects for the WWPC Fund. The West Ridge Sewer Extension is not covered by the DEFE Loan so he may have to issue debt for that project as well as other projects in the works and it’s more cost effective to do it all at one time with other projects. He will put a ‘Financing Package’ together for another meeting. And for now put it in the temporary for now and he may have to borrow issue notes for that project.
Mr. Farrell wanted to add that the $450,000 is for the Chestnut Commons Design and Environmental Survey and it will be appropriated in the new fund.
Mayor Whitfield said that in terms of the development of the site; what would be located where, we don’t have those plans as yet. The Mayor’s thought was to have the plans first and then go to bid. Mr. Schneider said that last item is only for the Environmental and Engineering Cost and then the Engineering Dept. would come back before going out for bid and are looking somewhere in the five million dollar range. Now it’s only for the design which needs to be done in order to start the construction this year.
Mayor Whitfield said what he didn’t want to happen is to have the conversation with the developers because there are strong deadlines that will need to be met. We don’t know about the time line and if it will be met and the design is an issue and if they still want to move forward should we have a conversation with them first and see what their plans are and their commitment and due to the change of administrations and make sure we’re on the same page before we spend a lot of money.
Mr. Pileski said that there is a signed agreement that was approved by Council. The only thing that is pending is the TIFF Agreement. Law Dir Breunig said that is correct and the agreement is part of that process for and the appropriations are part of that process for the design and has been approved by Council and already in the works.
Mayor Whitfield said that the issue they were having some challenges and with some of the timetables and how realistic it is and that is where part of the concern was.
Mr. Pileski said that he didn’t think there was an issue with moving forward on the design work. Mr. Breunig said it’s all contractual and we’ve already incurred these obligations.
Motion made by Mr. Baird and second by Mr. Madison to authorize an ordinance to amend the Temporary Appropriation Ordinance for 2020.
MOTION CARRIED COMMITTEE REPORT WRITTEN
Mr. Baird moved, Mrs. Davis second to adjourn the Finance Meeting at 7:48 P.M.
MOTION CARRIED
Respectfully submitted by,
Colleen Rosado