Loading...
11/16/1992 CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING Goal Setting November 16, 1992 The City Commission of the City of Clearwater met at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center, Monday, November 16, 1992 at 9:00 a.m., with the following members present: Rita Garvey Mayor/Commissioner Richard Fitzgerald Vice-Mayor/Commissioner Lee Regulski Commissioner Sue Berfield Commissioner Arthur X. Deegan, II Commissioner Also present: Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk The Mayor stated this meeting was to begin the process for goal setting and she suggested the Commission use, as a starting point, the citizen survey which indicated the main areas of concern are downtown revitalization, traffic congestion, crime and drugs. Discussion ensued regarding the purpose of the meeting with opinions being expressed that there was a need to provide the City Manager with some guidance. There were concerns regarding being too detailed in direction to him. It was also stated there needed to be long term and short term goals with the short term goals being for fiscal year 94. A suggestion on how the process should work was distributed and consensus of the Commission was to first identify all the issues. The following listing was developed: I. BUDGET ISSUES Millage rate Continuity of Specially Funded Programs Maintaining Service Level Budget Process Government Efficiency New sources of Revenue Health Care costs Size of City Staff Special Event staffing by Police Dept. II. DOWNTOWN ISSUES Bayfront Development Revitalization of downtown New City Hall/ Community Room State Road 60 CRA Public/Private partnership East End Ordinances re sidewalk cafes and musicians DDB III. TRANSPORTATION ISSUES Traffic Congestion High rise Bridge from downtown to Island Mass Transit Beach Trolley IV. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Recycling Water Supply Dunedin Pass Storm Water V. NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES Redevelopment of the Beach Sand Key N. Ft. Harrison area Countryside Community Center VI. RECREATION ISSUES Level of Parks and Recreation Service Connector trails to Pinellas Trails VII. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES Training Employees on how to deal with the public Concentration of fire/ems/police response to accidents Goal, policies and rules of the City Commission Sign Control Code enforcement - housing and property maintenance City property back on the tax rolls Review of City Codes Stop proliferation of tax exempt properties CM/CA evaluation process Charter Review VIII. STATE LEGISLATURE ISSUES Legislative Delegation Enclaves and Annexation IX. LIBRARY ISSUES Library Cooperative Main Library X. INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING XI. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT XII. CRIME AND DRUGS XIII. PENSION PLAN Review of Plan as a whole Disability Pensions Discussion ensued regarding the budget with particular concern regarding the budget process. Commissioner Deegan expressed a desire to have a new process in which as part of zero based budgeting, the Commission approves funding for projects, not line item budgets. An overall bottom line budget for the department would be approved and as long as the department stays within that budget, transferring funds from one project to another would be at the discretion of the Department Director and the City Manager. There would also be an understanding if new programs were desired for which there was no funding, requests for these new programs would have to wait for the next budget cycle. Concerns were expressed that this process would not allow the Commission to provide input regarding priorities and how they would like to see the projects implemented. A concern was also expressed that this may lead to over budgeting in projects in order to have funds left over for new programs. A suggestion was also made that the format of the budget be changed to include revenues and expenses in the same location in the budget. Concerns were expressed that this would be difficult for those departments in which the majority of their funding is from ad-valorem taxes. How to determine how much of that tax is going to which departments would be a problem. It was stated the taxes did not have to be allocated but just showing whatever revenues come into the specific departments. Questions were raised regarding whether or not Commissioner Deegan would be willing to pursue examples of the budget processes and formats he is recommending. Commissioner Deegan indicated he would be willing to work with the City Manager on this. Discussion ensued regarding what position the Commission wished to take on the millage rate in order to provide guidance to the City Manager. Concerns were expressed regarding addressing only the millage rate and not service fees, as well. Questions were raised regarding whether the service level should be addressed at this time. Discussion ensued regarding level of service with concerns being expressed that education regarding service was needed, as an example, in recycling, where it is questioned whether or not it is a reduction in service to go to once a week garbage pickup if a recycling pickup is added. It was stated there are other areas in which efficiencies could be applied, such as once every two month meter reading as opposed to once a month. It was emphasized the citizen survey indicated the citizens are pleased with the current level of service and do not wish it to be reduced. Discussion returned to the millage rate and it was indicated the guidance should be to strive to maintain a maximum of the same millage rate and to reduce it, if possible. A concern was expressed that other issues should be addressed prior to addressing the millage rate. A question was raised regarding assessed value and it was indicated the budget does use a projected assessment of property. It was stated the intent was not to have the millage rate raised and if possible, to lower it. It was the consensus of the Commission that there was no direction to be provided to the City Manager at this time. It was requested another meeting be set and between now and then, the Commission look at all the issues that have been listed and to come up with what they would consider to be the results wanted on each of these issues. The City Clerk will prepare a listing of the issues noted by the Commission and forward them. It was the consensus of the Commission to bring their calendars to the special worksession of November 17th in order to establish the next meeting date. The meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.