City Council Minutes 2016 10 18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes October 18. 2016 Page 4 of 14 Mayor Muckle asked if there is enough revenue to fund the requested senior resource naturalist. City Manager Fleming stated it could be funded if Council is comfortable with drawing down reserves in the short term until revenues increase or increasing the transfer from the General Fund to the Open Space Fund. Councilmember Stolzmann stated she would fund this position by moving the playground replacement expenditures from the Conservation Trust Fund rather than the from the Open Space and Parks Fund. This would be sufficient to fund the resources manager. Councilmember Maloney stated his concern with using funds for capital from an operations fund. Councilmember Stolzmann suggested the Conservation Fund does also fund operations. Mayor Pro Tem Lipton asked City Manager Fleming if he is comfortable with the projection information coming from the new software system. -City Manager Fleming and Director Watson both stated they are comfortable with the information for 2017-2018. City Manager Fleming noted the information for five years out is still not clear. Mayor Pro Tem Lipton stated he is concerned the wage and merit increases for 2017 are not sustainable in the long term. Mayor Pro Tem Lipton noted the 2018 numbers do not include any additional positions that may still be requested in 2018 and he is concerned the wage increases are too high to maintain in the long run. Mayor Pro Tem Lipton stated the proposed budget reflects the priorities and goals of Council and he would support it as presented. He moved it be approved as presented on November 1. Councilmember Stolzmann gave a friendly amendment that the Golf Fund items be updated with what had been proposed this evening including the updated forecasts and the debt payoff from the General Fund. Councilmember Loo seconded the motion as amended. Councilmember Leh made a friendly amendment that the South Boulder Road connection study be included in the budget. He noted the new cost is closer to $140,000. Director Kowar stated the cost would include public outreach, review of properties and utilities, and an understanding of each possible crossing of South Boulder Road. City Manager Fleming noted this would be a $90,000 increase from the $50,000 that is in the proposal. Councilmember Keany seconded the friendly amendment. Councilmember Maloney is supportive of the concept, but noted this project was added very late in the budget process and he doesn't feel he has enough information to add it now.