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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/08/1991 I.S .D. 720/CITY COUNCIL AGENDA School District Offices 505 South Holmes October 8, 1991 7 : 00 P.M. 1] Excess Levy Referendum 2 ] Community Center/High School Expansion 3] Tax Increment Financing Update 4] Capital Improvement Program 1992/1996 5] School Strategic Planning 6] Community Survey Results 7] Demographics 8] Joint/Cooperative Ventures a. library services b. joint facilities usage 9] Orderly Annexation Plan 10] Other Business a. - b. 11] Adjournment Robert Oslund Superintendent ISD 720 Dennis R. Kraft Shakopee City Administrator TENTATIVE AGENDA ADJ.REG. SESSION SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA OCTOBER 8 , 1991 Mayor Gary Laurent presiding 1] Roll Call at 7 : 00 p.m. at the School District Offices, 505 South Holmes 2 ] Joint Meeting with the School Board - See Agenda on Reverse 3 ] Adjourn to Tuesday, October 15, 1991 at 7 : 00 p.m. 4 ] Convene as The Committee of the Whole at City Hall Council Chambers, 129 East First Avenue a] Approval of Minutes of August 27th and 28th, 1991 b] 1992-1996 CIP - bring item log from 9-17-91 agenda c] Early Retirement d] Other Business 5] Adjourn 6] Convene in Executive Session to discuss pending litigation 7] Adjourn Dennis R. Kraft City Administrator MEMO TO: Honorable Mayor and Council FROM: Dennis R. Kraft, City Administrator RE: Early Retirement Program DATE: October 4 , 1991 INTRODUCTION: Earlier this year the City Council directed that a early retirement program be drafted for City Council consideration. BACKGROUND: Actions taken by the Minnesota Legislature over the past two or three years have resulted in the City of Shakopee being in a relatively constrained financial condition. In an effort to alleviate this condition and still provide an adequate level of services to the residents of the City of Shakopee the City Council has explored a number of approaches which could help attain this objective. One approach was to direct that an early retirement program be investigated. Attached please find a draft resolution prepared by the City Attorney. If enacted, this resolution would establish an early retirement program and could result in cost savings in future years for the City. The percentages applied to years of service and the program thresholds could be changed as the City Council desires. Specific information and more precise financial information will be provided to the City Council at the October 8th Committee of the Whole meeting. ACTION REQUESTED: It is requested that the City Council discuss this subject and provide direction to the staff on the early retirement program. Friday/October 4/1991/Star Tribune For executives only Compensation Buyouts used to induce employees to retire early Cutting employees Benefit Research Institute, "This is when two or three firms are corn- retire before age 65—often at 60 or one downsizing strategy a lot of bined into one. 62 or even at 55. becomes popular companies have opted for." The aim of employee buyouts is no 1 on aGt earanysnt an early retirement are so-$230 mil- called 5-by-5 sto retire earls plans in which during recessions mystery: Kenneth EskeyY ry: If we give you money and plan that shaved its work force by five years are added to an employ- By other rewards,will you go away? 11,200 employees in 1985. Chevron ee's age and company service tc Scripps Howard News Service and Union Carbide had similar suc- create a sweeter Paul Grant, who teaches industrial cess with buyout offers. elimination of the usualn n payment: penalty for Call them any name you like — relations at Loyola University in ge benefit sweeteners, incentives, buyouts, Chicago, says there are five main But the reaction to early-retirement until aearlereti eenqualifi qt; a ualifies for Sociai windows of opportunity, golden reasons why companies have been incentives is hard to predict. In Security; continuation of health in- handshakes — they all have the offering special retirement induce- some cases, companies have been surance,and a large, lump-sum sev- same purpose: to encourage work- ments since the mid-1970s: disappointed at the low response. erance payment, perhaps as much ers to retire early instead of sticking • In other cases, as in the DuPont as a year's salary. around until age 65. ■The work force must be trimmed, buyout, the response has been al- either because the industry is de- most too enthusiastic among key Towers Perrin, a New York con- Such offers proliferate during reces- dining or because the economy is employees. suiting firm,surveyed 1,875 compa- sions. Mergers and acquisitions also in a slump. nies this year and found that 332 of play a role. Combining two ac- "Generally,a company hopes to get them — about 17.7 percent — had counting departments usually re- R Older workers are clogging the about one-third of those eligible to used early retirement in 1990 or sults in someone being pushed (or pipeline, making it difficult to pro- accept the offer," says Mary Rie- 1991 as a way to reduce the work enticed)out the door. mote minorities, women and bold, a managing director of Wil- force. Others were planning such younger talent. Liam M. Mercer Inc., a New York reductions for 1992. This year some of the nation's larg- consulting firm. est companies — from IBM, Du- ■Tough competition has forced A survey of 256 employers by Mer- Pont and Eastman Kodak to Ford, companies to slash overhead, often Employee turnover has become a cer Inc. found 17 percent planning Grumman, AT&T and the Baby by eliminating extra layers of mid- sticky issue because federal law now to offer early-retirement incehtives Bells — are offering early retire- die management. prohibits mandatory retirement,ex- this year and another 12 percent ment inducements to thousands of cept for executives who would re- considering such a move. employees in hopes of becoming •Cost-cutting has focused atten- ceive a pension of$44,000 or more leaner, more efficient and more tion on compensation and benefits, (the figure rises each year with in- profitable than competitors. which tend to be highest among flation) and a few high-stress cate- • older employees. gories,such as policemen,fire fight- "Managers are under pressure to ers and airline pilots. downsize," says Joe Piacentini, a ■Mergers and corporate buyouts pension expert at the Employee can result in wasteful duplication In most cases. Americans prefer to TO: Dennis R. Kraft, City Administrator FROM: Gregg Voxland, Finance Director RE: Loss of State Aid Due To TIF Expenditures DATE: October 1, 1991 Council has expressed concerns over the loss of state aid or levy authority due to the use of TIF funds from districts 1 - 6 for the upper valley project or the continuation of the downtown project. Reference was made to a Holmes and Graven opinion. I have not seen the opinion nor does there seem to be a copy available in City Hall. The attached letter was sent to the city's bond counsel regarding the use of "old" of money for the two projects. Bond counsel response in on the bottom of the letter. Springsted was also contacted and the response was that the reduction in state aids only applies to TIF districts created after April 30, 1990. The "old" districts were all created before 4/30/90. 401-10 CITY OF SHAKOPEE �, 1G _`_ - N INCORPORATED 1870 /;y . '`..4= 129 EAST FIRST AVENUE, SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA 55379-1376 (612)445-3650 ��'K� September 23, 1991 Mr. Thomas Hay 2200 First Bank Place East Minneapolis, MN 55402-1498 Dear Mr. Hay, One of our council members has serious concerns over losing state aid or general levy authority to the extent that TIF funds are used for a construction project. He is specifically addressing the use of TIF funds from the existing districts that are pooled. There are three specific projects that council has in mind. The council member referenced a Holmes and Graven opinion as the basis for his concern. I do not have a copy nor have seen the Holmes and Graven opinion that he is referencing. One of the projects is the continuation of the upper valley drainage project. The city has already sold bonds (1989A GO TIF bonds) for this project but because of delays at MDOT, construction has not started and the money is sitting in a capital projects fund. Is there any risk that the city will lose state aid or some general taxing power by the expenditure of these funds? The two other projects would involve the expenditure of TIF funds out of the TIF trust fund. They are the continuation of the downtown streetscape project and a potential community center or land acquisition for a center. Is there any risk that the city will lose state aid or some general taxing power by the expenditure of TIF funds for these projects? Please call if there are any questions. Sincerely, &9Tand ‘-4-11/ r--- jt, t1 % 2L-t„..ig Finance Director _.....--ki„..4.-e..1 1-Vi c.ud--ddsl ‘-`1/47'.- t/L-t' f6-14, I'Ll'i-' 4 • , . S‘63..c, i ? ?/ VirPer-k a/&0' d(-- k 1j1-' ..0 i 4• 111ta-lj e- /211-4-4--e--• (4 -4--C4 .-04-A-c--) b-77:1x4c17q4 /412-3 - _ -e,c26-...„.„. T e Heart Of Progress Valley 2-7.3./..19 9 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AUGUST 27, 1991 SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA Acting Mayor Sweeney called the meeting to order at 7: 15 P.M. with Councilmembers Zak, Wampach, Clay and Vierling present. Mayor Laurent was absent. Also present were Dennis R. Kraft, City Administrator; Gregg Voxland, Finance Director; Tom Steininger, Chief of Police; Dave Hutton, Public Works Director; Judith S. Cox, City Clerk; Lindberg Ekola, City Planner; and Leroy Houser, Building Official. Wampach/Vierling moved to approve the minutes of August 6th and 13th, 1991. Motion carried with Cncl.Zak abstaining. Ed Winfield, Financial Management Analyst, presented his report. He stated that the report that the Council has is a result of additional research pursuant to Council direction following his preliminary report about a month ago. He stated that the report goes into five broad areas. He stated that it contains position reductions to help achieve a balanced budget for 1992 . Cncl.Sweeney initiated discussion on the recommended reorganization from nine departments to five departments. Mr. Winfield stated that reducing the department heads to five would reduce the amount of communication and responsibility for the city administrator and pushing some of that responsibility down to department heads. Discussion ensued on whether the recreation department should be combined under another department. Cncl.Clay stated that it might make sense to put recreation under public works as opposed to planning/building. Dave Hutton concurred since the parks are maintained by the public works department and both departments do work together. Mr. Winfield noted the increased fees recommended by the planning and recreation departments. He said that they should be considered by City Council. Discussion ensued on increasing fees to more accurately reflect time spent on items that are very time consuming. Mr. Winfield stated that City Council may wish to consider rebuilding the aerial ladder truck rather than replacing it. He suggested that the fire department be invited to bring some vehicles down to the parking lot before a Council meeting so that City Council could see them and ask questions. He also recommended using a fire consultant to provide insight by reviewing specifications before bids are let for fire vehicles. Mr. Winfield explained four scenarios for City Council consideration on early retirement packages and what each could save the City. He said that this could dove tail with the possible staff reductions. Official Proceedings of the August 27, 1991 Committee of the Whole Page -2- Sweeney/Wampach moved to recommend the early retirement options to City Council. Motion carried unanimously. Discussion ensued on Mr. Winfield's recommendations on capital equipment expenditures: 1) require justification for proposed purchases, 2) set a maximum fleet size and do not exceed it, 3) rotate vehicles from a department of high use to a department of lower use, and 4) review of larger dollar bid specifications by an outside specialist. Cncl.Vierling stated that it is good to see the suggestions in print. Vierling/Zak moved to recommend the concepts for capital equipment expenditures to City Council. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Winfield suggested that there may be alternative providers of services which could save the city money. He said that there is a trend toward privatization of some services. He suggested that this concept may be worth looking at. Vierling/Wampach moved that City Council consider the concept of alternative providers of service. Motion carried unanimously. The Committee of the Whole recessed for ten minutes at 8 :25 p.m. The City Planner stated that there will be a recommendation on the 5-Year Capital Improvement Program coming from the Planning Commission after their September 5th meeting. He suggested following the format as in the past and discussing the Program after it is recommended by the Planning Commission. Cncl.Sweeney stated that he has a potential problem with the CIP because it keeps increasing so our debt service is going up each year. He is interested in leveling the debt levy. He suggested only funding new projects each year equal to the amount of bonds retired that year. The Council would have to pick out only projects that would equal the amount of dollars available each year. Discussion followed. The City Planner stated that the 5-Year CIP is only a guide. All projects may not necessarily be constructed in the year identified. The CIP can also help identify funding sources. Cncl.Sweeney questioned the funding for the Upper Valley Drainage in 1992 . Dave Hutton said that there was an error in the funding sources printed and that 25% of the improvement comes from Tax Increment Funds, 25% will be assessed, and 50% comes from the storm sewer utility fund. Official Proceedings of the August 27 , 1991 Committee of the Whole Page -3- Cncl. Sweeney stated that the question of whether or not funds could be used from the TIF fund without paying a penalty in the general levy the following year has not been answered. Cncl.Vierling stated that the funds for the Upper Valley Drainage have already been allocated. Mr. Kraft said that if funds are already in the adopted plan, that they are covered. Discussion ensued on whether or not the legislature has changed the TIF law. Cncl.Sweeney stated that before he votes for using any TIF funding, he wants to know that there will not be a penalty; and, he does not want Shakopee to be the City to test the law. Cncl.Vierling suggested that discussion on the capital improvement program be tabled until Council receives input from the Planning Commission. Councilmembers concurred. Acting Mayor Sweeney adjourned the Committee of the Whole at 9 : 15 p.m. votitit, )) .3?<1, jith S . Cox Clerk Recording Secretary OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AUGUST 28, 1991 Mayor Gary Laurent called the meeting to order at 7: 05 P.M. with Councilmembers Joe Zak, Jerry Wampach, Bob Sweeney, Steve Clay and Gloria Vierling present. Also present were Dennis R. Kraft, City Administrator; Karen Marty, City Attorney; Gregg Voxland, Finance Director, Judith S. Cox, City Clerk; Dave Hutton, Public Works Director; Mark McQuillan, Program Supervisor; Tom Steininger, Chief of Police; Lindberg Ekola, City Planner; Leroy Houser, Building Official; and Charlie Ries, Chief of Police. The City Administrator identified unbudgeted savings/revenues for 1991: Marquette Bank Rent - $40, 200, Department Cuts - $39,975, and Sale of Lots 3 & 4, Block 52 - $30, 000. He also identified unbudgeted state aid cuts/expenses for 1991: Local Government Aid Reduction - $98, 000, Fire Dept. Prior Year Equipment Purchases - $13 , 640, and Hotel/Motel Tax Payment - $76, 000. Sweeney/Vierling moved to recommend to City Council that the Fire Department prior year equipment purchases be charged to the Capital Equipment Fund rather than the General Fund. Motion carried unanimously. The Administrator stated that the income from the hotel/motel tax was budgeted in 1991, but that the disbursement was not budgeted. The Finance Director mentioned that there may be a short fall in the estimated income from the race tract, $70, 000 was budgeted for 1991. The City Administrator identified one time revenue enhancements for the 1992 budget: Special Levy (1991 Auditor Error) - $21, 000, Debt Service Excess Proceeds - $121, 000, and General Fund Balance Usage - $100, 000 . Discussion ensued on the general fund balance desired for cash flow. The Finance Director noted that as of January 1, 1991 the general fund balance was 29% of the total budget. Consensus was to target the general fund balance at 25%. The City Administrator identified ongoing revenue enhancements: equipment certificates of indebtedness, truck scale, increasing water rates and SPUC contribution, establishing refuse license fee or franchise fee, fee increases, increasing administration fee for improvement projects, cable studio rent, reducing the allocation for uncollected taxes, and increasing sewer rates and transfering them into the General Fund. Councilman Sweeney stated that four of these items are hidden taxes. Discussion followed on the purchasing of a truck scale. Consensus to pursue it was not reached. Official Proceedings of the August 28, 1991 Committee of the Whole Page -2- The City Administrator stated that an early retirement package would also result in savings to the City. The City Administrator stated that he has computer runs for budget cuts on two scenarios. Scenario one assumes Council utilizes the Debt Service Funds as a transfer into the General Fund in the amount of $121, 000 and no General Fund balance is used. Scenario two assumes Council does not utilize the Debt Service Funds nor any General Fund Balance. He explained that the cuts identified with an "A" indicate his first choice for cuts and those having the least impact on services followed by "B" and "C" cuts. The City Administrator initiated discussion on hiring outside expertise for stretegic prioritization of services. Councilmembers thought that it may be worth looking into for the future, but that it was to late for this budget preparation. Cncl.Sweeney advised the Council of the savings which could be realized for each of the four early retirement options identified in the Management Analyst' s final report if utilized by two employees. The savings ranged from $60, 000 to $37 , 700 for 1992 . Cncl.Sweeney noted that the proposed 1992 budget imbalance of -$307 , 530 is reduced to -$36, 000 with the revenue enhancements identified and that the the early retirement savings, if two employees take advantage of it, would cover the -$36, 000. (1991 budget imbalance of -$307,530, +$3, 000 from cable studio rent, +$26, 250 from reducing allocation for uncollected taxes, +$21, 000 from special levy because of 1991 auditor error, +$121, 000 from debt service excess proceeds, +$100, 000 from general fund balance. ) The Committee recessed at 8 : 30 p.m. for approximately 10 minutes. Discussion ensued on the cuts identified by the City Administrator with an "A" priority. If the voters reduce the size of the Council to five, there will be a savings of approximately $5, 500. Consensus of the Council members was to reduce the proposed budget as follows: 1. Reduce Transportation Coalition payment by $5, 500 2 . Eliminate new carpet for library in amount of $7, 500 3 . Reduce capital equipment for fire department by $5, 000 4 . Reduce staff in building department = savings of $18, 000 5. Reduce capital equipment for park and recreation by $12 , 200 6 . Reduce contingency by $50, 000 Official Proceedings of the August 28, 1991 Committee of the Whole Page -3- Sweeney/Vierling moved to recommend to City Council that the 1992 budget be reduced by the items indicated. Motion carried unanimously. Sweeney/Clay moved to adjourn the Committee of the Whole. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 10: 15 p.m. 0 • OIL Ju• Ah S. Cox Ci . Clerk Recording Secretary RESOLUTION NO. * A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA, ADOPTING AN EARLY RETIREMENT POLICY. WHEREAS, the City is in the process of budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year, and has learned it may face a reduction in work force; and WHEREAS, the City has been approached by employees who are interested in taking early retirement; and WHEREAS, before the budget is finalized, the City would like to allow employees desiring to take early retirement an option to do so; and WHEREAS, the City has a small number of employees, and therefore would be crippled if a large number of employees in any given department took early retirement. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA, AS FOLLOWS: That the an Early Retirement Policy is hereby adopted, which shall provide as follows: EARLY RETIREMENT. City employees may elect early retirement, subject to the provisions set forth below. An employee is eligible for early retirement if (a) the employee has worked for the City of Shakopee for at least 15 years; (b) the employee is eligible for a full or reduced pension upon retirement; and (c) the employee shall be at least 55 years old on or before December 31, 1991, unless the employee is a police officer, in which the minimum age shall be 50. Such a retiring employee would receive a lump sum payment covering the following items: 1. All accumulated unused vacation time. 2 . Up to one-third of accumulated unused sick leave, up to a maximum of 960 hours. (Police officers 45% of 960 hours. ) 3 . A percentage of the salary times years of service based on the following formula: 1% for each of the first 15 years of service, plus an additional 0. 2% for each year thereafter, up to a maximum rate of 3% . These payments for vacation, sick leave, and years of service would all be calculated on the basis of the employee ' s current salary or wage scale. These benefits would be in lieu of any benefits described in any existing personnel policy or contract. This early retirement package must be accepted, in writing to the City Administrator, by an interested employee on or before 4 : 30 p.m. , November 29, 1991, with the employee retiring by December 31, 1991. A partial or conditional acceptance will not be considered. Any employee taking early retirement shall be required to sign appropriate documents prepared by the City Attorney. A maximum of two employees per department may take early retirement. If more than two employees in the same department request it, they shall be selected on the basis of the following: the most highly placed (with department head being the highest position) employees shall have priority over lower employees. If two employees are in the same job position, the employee with the most months of service with the City shall have priority over the employee with fewer months. Passed in session of the City Council of the City of Shakopee, Minnesota, held this day of , 1991. Mayor of the City of Shakopee Attest: City Clerk Approved as to form: City Attorney [EARLYRET] 2