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Access Code: 164-331-437
Minutes note: Meeting convened: 1:48 P.M.
All members present: Jeff Mantes, Dennis Yaccarino, Jeff Polenski, Joshua Benson for the Comptroller, Ald. Robert Bauman, Ald. Michael Murphy and Ald. Kovac (chair) | | | |
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| | 1. | | Discussion and recommendations for the Mayor's Proposed 2021 Budget.
Minutes note: Ms. Kathy Brengosz provided an overview of the 2021 proposed budget. The city needs to be mindful of the debt limit, which is currently at 75% of what the city is allowed and the city's bond rating was lowered. There are $14.8 million for local and high-impact streets, where in the past it had been about $5 million. The city hopes to use the street lighting fee to increase salaries to hire electricians with salaries comparable to the private sector. There is money for city hall improvements and library improvements, which will continue with carryover funding. Ald. Murphy said there is an effort to buy new police vehicles with the reduced personnel costs.
Ms. Brengosz went through her spreadsheet department by department and spoke on the items. If members had no questions or comments, she continued through the item.
DOA- most of the expenditures are in ITMD for departments throughout the city.
Ald. Kovac wants to ensure that the 8th floor isn't divided into cubicles. Currently there are no funds to renovate that space.
Jim Owczarski - City Clerk
Tom Tarkowski said the city is working with a contractor to install bi-polar ionization and ultraviolet disinfecting equipment for all floors in city hall, except the 2nd and 8th floors.
Mr. Yaccarino said that funding for city hall restoration will be greatly reduced in 2023.
Dept. of City Development - there are a number of new housing initiatives being funded with TID extensions. Ald. Bauman thinks the programs all sound great - his only concern is actually getting them up and running.
Ald. Kovac is concerned that is DNS starts charging building-code violation fees, that some landlords will be walking away from their buildings because they are suffering financially due to COVID.
Ms. Brengosz cautioned that they city needs to spread the cost of purchasing large vehicles over time so that those costs don't all accrue in one year. The request to purchase 3 vehicles was prior to closing the south side fire house. The fire department will be purchasing one ladder truck this year, but is also looking at 7-8 vehicles whose working lives will be ending in a few years. The fire department is experiencing rust and corrosion with its vehicles, but its maintaining so far. Some maintenance was deferred.
Health Dept - couldn't do interior remediation this year, although they could do exterior, so they do have carryover of $500,000. They have spent some money re-locating families in properties that have lead. The department also has HUD and CDBG funds for remediation, so funds are available for that purpose. The new ventilator will be installed in phases as the lab is working; Ald. Murphy would prefer to use CARES funding, as would Mr. Yaccarino, but the concern is the work may not be finished by the end of the year. The $800.000 was set aside just in case the work isn't done by the end of the year and CARES funds then couldn't be used.
Library - Ms. Jennifer Meyer-Sterns said the biggest amount will be for a large restoration project for some of the rooms at Central Library, which are original to the 1890s. IT servers are all being replaced and the library has a large amount of physical space it maintains. The library will also be searching out any possible loans to finish the new King library and begin work on a new Capitol library. Ald. Murphy thought no new libraries would be constructed in 2021, but planned for 2022. There are currently no funds in the fund for new libraries.
DNS - Ald. Bauman noted that the department has a lot of money for deconstruction because the program never really began.
Police Dept. - Ald. Kovac asked if there are fewer officers, wouldn't there be a need for fewer vehicles. Because the funding didn't keep up with the needs, that correlation doesn't hold. Average age of the vehicles is 9.3 years and in 2010 it was 4.9 years. There are 51 vehicles that are more than 18 years old. The police fleet has corrosion issues as well and there are also some involved in crashes. The Police Administration Building renovations haven't been funded since 2017.
Port of Milwaukee -- its debt service will be paid back to RACM as RACM is funding it and it is expected the work will generate enough revenue to pay for itself.
Public Works - 100% of trees treated for Emerald Ash Borer have survived. Mr. Chuck Schumacher said there is about $200,000 in carryover for hazardous tree removal, which pays for the deferrment of the cost of the tree removal by the taxpayer. Money has been set aside in case the city needs to move from the Industrial Road site. Mr. Mantes asked about the port's sea wall funding. The sea wall was agreed to be funded by 2023, but the city is looking at how much can be funded next year.
Alley funding is $1.15 million, which includes assessable. The Budget Office added it this year as the Council kept adding the funds back and DPW kept hearing this funding was a priority. It was never meant to be a long-term zero fund, per Mr. Polenske.
Mr. Bill Christianson said the Street Lighting Fee is funding operating costs, not capital costs. Mr. Polenske said they hope they can use the LED savings to use to update the circuitry to reduce lighting outages. The LED savings will come a year out and then those funds will be applied to the circuitry updates. The LED conversion is planned over a 6-year term. The cell tower on city hall is being fixed and maintained and currently being monitored
Linda M. Elmer
Staff Assistant
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