Council decides 2009 budget
Originally published 06:05 p.m., August 19, 2008
Updated 01:14 a.m., August 19, 2008
The following is a blog from the city council's meeting on August 19, 2008.
Work Session: The city council heard from Chris Posey, a developer with City Capital Corporation who is investing in efforts to help Community First buy historic Sumner School. Posey voiced his concerns about a contract to buy the building between the city and Community First. When Posey asked for the council to continue to invest in the neighborhood, councilman John Alcala asked how much Posey is investing in the venture. Posey did not answer the question so Alcala suggested the two speak privately on the matter. The contract that allows Community First to buy Sumner from the city will expire on September 6th. Saturday, the group held a community clean-up day around the school.
During the session the council also heard from Acting City Braxton Copley on the city council's role in board appointments.
6:00p.m.: Mayor Bill Bunten called the council's meeting to order. In his invocation, Councilman Jack Woelfel prayed that during the budget meeting council members would be "quick to listen, slow to speak." After the pledge of allegiance about 10 firefighters walked out of the meeting as a part of their ongoing protest. According to the fire truck red shirts the men wore, it has been 341 days since the local firefighter union took a vote of "no confidence" in Fire Chief Howard Giles.
6:17p.m.: The zoo won't get a new mountain lion and river otter exhibit. By a 4-5 vote, the council decided to not give the $75,000 needed to fund the project. In the proposal, the city would pay $75,000 and the Friends of the Topeka Zoo would pick up the remaining $317,406. The Friends of the Topeka Zoo was originally going to completely fund the process, but increasing costs prevented them from doing so. Councilman Brett Blackburn said he could not support the ordinance because he said the $75,000 could better be used on streets. Joining Blackburn with a "no" vote were Council members Woelfel, Alcala, Sylvia Ortiz, and Lana Kennedy.
6:29p.m.: The council unanimously decided to rebuild the intersection of 29th and Fairlawn, establishing traffic lights at the off ramp of Interstate-470. The intersection has long been a trouble spot for motorists. Rebuilding the intersection will cost an estimated $2.6 million, with the city paying $2,372,381. The rest of the money will come from the Department of Transportation.
6:40p.m.: Re-construction of the intersection of 29th and Fairlawn will receive more money, thanks to an amendment to the 2008-2009 Capital Improvement Budget. The council voted 7-2 to decrease funding from Elevation Parkway and Traffic Signal Replacement, and increase the funding for the 29th and Fairlawn intersection project. Councilmembers Alcala and Ortiz voted no.
6:57p.m.: "I would like to say to the members of the council that efforts to limit the discussion and not hear what is fully being proposed is not the best route," Mayor Bunten said. The council has started discussing the 2008-2009 budget. Councilman Alcala and Priesner have both made proposed amendments. Priesner's failed by a 4-5 vote, and the council members are continuing to discuss Alcala's proposed amendment.
7:00p.m.: Councilman Alcala's proposed amendment passed by a 5-3-1 vote. The amendment to the budget will fund the senior social services at $147,000 from the general fund balance, which is money the city already has. City Spokesman David Bevens tells me City Manager Norton Bonaparte did not include funding senior centers in the budget because he expected the county to fund them. The county did not fund the centers, so about two dozen senior citizens came to the council meeting tonight.
7:15p.m.: Topeka Police Chief Ron Miller spoke before the council saying even though the police department has come in under budget on staffing, he expects it will come in over budget on overtime because they have fewer officers working many shifts.
7:37p.m.: Councilman Preisner has proposed an amendment to fund the Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC) at $250,000 by reducing the city's budget for a police helicopter by $150,000. Preisner said the chopper is expected to be grounded through the first half of next year. "Boy if this doesn't beat them all," Blackburn said. "Taking $150,000 from public safety and putting it into arts.
"To take it from public safety and put it into the arts is asinine in my opinion," Blackburn said.
An earlier amendment, supported by Preisner, cut the funding for TPAC.
7:44p.m.:Preisner has amended his previous amendment of funding TPAC from the police helicopter. His new motion suggests the city fund it through the General Fund Balance. Councilman Blackburn said, while he supports TPAC, he cannot support this amendment because he thinks general fund monies should be used for better purposes like street repair. Mayor Bunten said he supports funding TPAC at a full $300,000.
"When times are tough you've got to make difficult decisions," Blackburn said, "and this is one area where I'm willing to make that decision."
The amendment passed by a 6-3 vote, with Woelfel, Blackburn and Harmon voting no.
8:00p.m.: Councilman Bill Haynes proposed an amendment to completely get rid of the $100,000 funding for the police helicopter unit. The motion failed by a 2-7 vote with only Haynes and Preisner supporting it. Immediately after, the council voted to fund TPAC at $300,000 from general fund balance.
8:19p.m.: Councilman Blackburn proposed pulling $450,000 from the budget for School Resource Officers or S.R.O.'s. Blackburn wants to use $225,000 to fund additional for community officers and use the remaining $225,000 as a grant for USD 501 if the district would match that amount. If USD 501 would not match that amount, the city would use the remaining monies to fund more community officers. Blackburn said he differs from Chief Miller on this proposal, but noted the district receives almost double the amount of property taxes the city does. The council passed the motion.
8:28p.m.:Council members Swank and Preisner were the sole "yes" votes in a motion to approve the budget as amended. The debate will continue after the council finishes a 12 minute recess.
8:41p.m.: The council has returned from its recess. Councilman Woelfel proposed amending the budget to suspend a 1.5 percent cost of living increase and a step increase for all city employees. Councilman Blackburn suggested a substitute motion to suspend the step increase but not the Cost of Living increase. City budget and finance director Jim Langford estimated that approving the motion would save taxpayers about $300,000 and a total of $420,000. The motion failed 4-5 with Alcala, Ortiz, Swank, Preisner and Harmon voting "no." Woelfel's proposal also failed.
9:04p.m.: For the second time this evening, councilman Preisner tried to end the discussion on the budget by proposing the council adopt the amended budget. It failed again with just two yes votes from Preisner and Swank.
9:17p.m.:Councilman Haynes made a motion to not fill any empty positions that are held as vacancy credits for the year 2009. Haynes said the ouncil would then just need to cut costs by about $300,000. "If that happens, there will be no mill increase for 2009," Haynes said. However, City Manager Norton Bonaparte corrected Haynes saying the "saved" money is already accounted for in the 2009 budget. "The budget has already built in not hiring $2.3 million in vacancy credits," Bonaparte said. Haynes is the only council member who supported the proposal.
10:19p.m.: "If we don't pass a budget," Mayor Bunten asked Budget director Jim Langford, "We will revert back to the same budget we had last year?" Langford said yes. Bunten then made a joke about doing that and having him veto that. "But seriously, I don't see the value in us sitting around looking at each other," Bunten said. While I was doing my live shot for the 10 O'clock news, the council voted to shift money around to completely fund the School Resource Officers, requesting no money from USD 501.
10:28p.m.: Councilman Woelfel proposed removing the Cost of Living and step increase for city workers which would save $1.4 million. A separate amendment passed to simply remove the step increase, which saves about $330,000 of taxpayer's money. The motion passed by a 6-3 vote.
10:39p.m.: "It's obvious the council is not prepared to approve this budget," said Councilman Haynes.
"And I think it's important to find out why," responded City Manager Bonaparte.
The council has reached some sort of a standstill on how to cut the budget and how to fund certain programs. City Spokesman Bevens said he expects this meeting to go until 2:00 a.m.
10:55p.m.: Councilman Woelfel made a motion to fund the cost of living increase at one-half of the 1.5 percent that is currently proposed in City Manager Bonaparte's budget, but later withdrew it.
11:10p.m.: Councilman Blackburn made a motion that would essentially set the budget back to the way City Manager Bonaparte proposed with some cuts. His motion was to reduce funding for TPAC and Senior Services by $446,000, essentially eliminating both programs, reducing the budget in general by $300,000 not from police or fire, eliminating the cost of living increase, cutting $329,000 from general rehab and repair used to fix the Holiday building and a 10 percent reduction to community centers from property tax dollars.
"Is that going to be our legacy," Mayor Bunten asked.
"That's for zero increase and they say they want zero increase," Blackburn responded. The motion failed by a 4-5 vote with Kennedy, Haynes, Woelfel and Blackburn voting yes.
11:17p.m.: Councilwoman Kennedy proposed cutting city council members salary by $5,000 each, bringing them to $5,000 from the current $10,000. The motion failed by a 3-5-1 vote, with Kennedy, Woelfel and Haynes voting yes and councilman Blackburn abstaining.
11:28p.m.: Councilman Blackburn proposed the council direct the city manager to cut $300,000 out of the ending balance and cut the budget by a little over $2 million, except from police and fire.
"We have a city manager form of government," Blackburn said. "Let him do his job." The motion failed by a 3-6 vote.
11:31p.m.: The council just voted to continue the debate over a budget with a 3-6 vote on a motion to approve the 2009 budget as amended. Just three hours ago the same vote failed with a 2-7 vote.
11:37p.m.: Councilmembers voted 5-4 to cut the cost of living increase in half for city employees. Shortly after they decided to take a 10 minute recess.
Midnight: Councilman Blackburn proposed a motion to take $125,000 out of Downtown Topeka, Inc., reduce balance of contributing agencies 20 percent, eliminate TPAC and building repair fund for the Holiday building which are both $300,000 (totaling $600,000), direct the city manager to make cuts at his discretion by $300,000, cut social services by $70,000 and take 10 percent cuts to the community centers. The motion passed by a 5-4 vote, with Alcala, Ortiz, Swank and Preisner voting "no."
12:10a.m.: Councilman Woelfel motioned to remove $424,000 from the proposed budget, which will eliminate the cost of living increase for all city employees. Woelfel also asked staff to adjust the General fund balance increase to not have a mill levy increase. The motion passed by a 5-4 vote, with councilmembers Alcala, Ortiz, Swank and Preisner voting no. However, councilman Haynes motioned to reconsider his "yes" vote because he did not know Woelfel's proposal included the adjustment to the General Fund Balance. The council allowed a re-vote on the issue by a 6-3 vote with Woelfel, Blackburn and Harmon voting no.
12:17a.m.: Haynes proposed the council simply cut the Cost of Living increase but that failed. The council then tried to reconsider councilman Woelfel's motion from 12:10 a.m., but that also failed.
12:27a.m.: Swank proposed the council fund TPAC at $300,000 from the general fund balance, placing it at 9.2 percent. The city is supposed to keep the general fund balance funded at 10 percent of the total General Fund. The motion passed by a 5-4 vote with Alcala, Ortiz, Swank, Preisner and Harmon voting yes.
12:42a.m.: "We are at this point I think closer," said councilwoman Swank. "Can we take another 10 minute break?"
The council decided to take a break.
12:49a.m.: At this point, the council has passed its 12:30a.m. budget discussion from last year. The council cut the remaining cost of living increase for city employees which passed by a 6-3 vote. Councilman Woelfel made a motion to approve the current budget as amended, which would bring the current raise in property taxes to .41 mills. That motion failed by a 4-5 vote. Mayor Bunten suggested if the council has not come to a decision by 1:15 a.m., that they decide to do nothing which, by law, will implement the previous year's budget.
1:00a.m.: Councilman Preisner again proposed the council remove the funding for the TPAC, which will save $300,000. The council approved the motion. They also cut the general fund balance by a total $600,000. Later, the council approved another motion to approve the budget for 2009 as amended. The motion passed 5-4 with Alcala, Ortiz, Haynes and Swank. The total mill levy increase is .1 mills which is about $1 on a $100,000 home.
Tune in to Good Morning Kansas tomorrow for a complete wrap of the meeting.
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