MINUTES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL/PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETING
August 7, 2012
Parks Office
340 S. Pioneer Street
Chair Councilor Marsh called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the Parks Office.
Councilors Rosenthal and Voisin, Parks Commissioners Seffinger and Landt were present. Staff included Parks & Recreation Director Don Robertson and City Administrator Dave Kanner.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the July 23, 2013 meeting were approved as presented.
Review of ongoing work
Materials for the joint meeting of Council and Parks Commission were in the process of being approved by the committee along with the Findings of the Ad Hoc Committee to determine if the committee has completed its assignment.
Committee discussed additional recommendations and management responsibilities to include Cost of Living (COLA)/benefits and classifications and the ability for Parks to determine their own process for this within the budget.
There is a current Memo of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the Parks that addresses issues under discussion. Committee discussed recommending some amendments to the MOU that includes current action and agreement between the bodies.
City Administrator Dave Kanner and Parks Director Don Robertson provided to the committee a proposed budget process and budget calendar. The recommendations included the following:
Committee discussed the “entrepreneur concept” as to how this would work. Discussion included the flexibility it would allow for Parks that may generate additional funds and whether it should be considered citywide and if it should be allowed. City departments should be currently managing their budget in ways that would result in savings to the taxpayers.
It was agreed that further discussion would be needed on this topic along with the continued discussion of identifying further funding sources for short-term dedicated funding sources.
The committee would begin their next meeting with discussion on identifying further short-term dedicated funding sources and what happened in the prior budget process involving the Parks. Discussion would also continue on addressing and discussing the $600,000 Ending Fund Balance for Parks.
Committee agreed that creating an understanding and providing communication tools for the two bodies is important and that all departments have adequate funding.
The committee will meet again on August 19th at 4 p.m.
Public Input
JoAnne Eggers/221 Granite Street/Voiced support for a joint meeting of the two bodies and appreciated the discussion by the committee on the budget process. She felt that it was important to have a process in place and security that Parks would have necessary funding.
Cindy Dion/Voiced support for finding sustainable funding for the Parks and hope the committee would continue with this discussion at the beginning of their next meeting
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 6:06 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Christensen
City Recorder