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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 04/08/1982BUDGET HEARING APRIL 8, 1982 The South Burlington City Council and School Board presented their budgets at a meeting on Thursday, April 8, 1982 at 7:30 pm in the High School Auditorium, 550 Dorset Steet. Members Present City Council - Paul Farrar, Chairman; Michael Flaherty, William Burgess, Howard Perkett, Hugh Marvin School Board - H. Charles Hill, Chairman; Dennis Snyder, Bernadine Collins, Theodore Manazir, Bruce MacPherson Others Present City Manager William Szymanski, Assistant City Manager David Minnich, Superintendent of Schools Fred Tuttle, City Clerk Margaret Picard, Street Superintendent Sonny Audette, Betty Bailey, Marnie Kneeland, Everett Reed, Ralph Goodrich, Col. George Crooks, Fred Blais, Leona Lansing, David Kaufman, Sylvia Smith, Pat Burgmeier, Bruce Ladeau, Rich Dana, Lorraine Quentin, Rose Billado, Richard Carter, Police Chief; Gary Farrell, Stephen Hemman, Pat Okuniewicz, John Rock, Leo Brown Presentation of City budget City Manager William Szymanski went over the proposed city budget. He noted that the 1981-82 budget was a total of $2,163,560. In the May election last year, however, after this budget was adopted, a ballot item was approved to separate from the budget taxes levied on the city by other agencies. These include the CCTA, County Courts, Regional Planning Commission, Vt. Extension Service, and Winooski Valley Park District. Last year's base was adjusted to remove the funds spent on these agencies. Taking the $22,715 from the $2,163,560 gives the city a new base of $2,140,845. Increasing that by the allowed 10% gives the city a maximum of $2,354,930. In addition to that, the city can increase the tax rate 5% if the grand list grows by 5%. The anticipated grand list this year of $2,058,000 is 5% greater than last year's of $1,906,000. Mr. Szymanski said the operating budget tax rate was 91.1¢ and adjusting that by 1.2¢ gives a new base of 89.9¢. Increasing that by 10% gives an allowed rate of 94.34. Mr. Szymanski noted that in this year's budget the total for the Councilmen, Police and Highways was $2,354,930. Transfer items, in which the city receives money and then turns it over, amount to $5,320, for a total of $2,360,250. The city expects income this year of $185,860 from the Councilmen's Accounts, $56,165 from the police and $177,530 from highways, for a total of $419,555. That leaves the amount to be raised from taxes at $1,940,695, and a tax rate of 94.3¢ is needed to raise that. Mr. Szymanski said that bonded debt for this year was $260,300, which is a large increase, mainly due to the new City Hall. There is also a debt of $253,835 for sewers, for a total of $514,135. That requires a tax rate of 24.9¢, and adding that to the operating budget rate gives a total of $1.19.2. The other public entities mentioned above have an operating budget of $125,440, which requires a tax rate of 6.1¢. In addition, they have a debt of $21,990, which requires a tax rate of 1.1¢, for a total of 7.2¢ for both. Thus, the total tax rate is $1.26.4. Mr. Szymanski then went through the line items in the budget. Mr. Szymanski went through the proposed revenue sharing expenditures. These items will have to be voted on. They are listed on page 25 of the proposed city and school program budgets booklet sent to voters in the city. He also went over the 10 year Capital Budget and explained the items. He noted that the city was going to put on the ballot an item to spend $200,000 per year for the next 5 years for road improvements, and if it passed, some of the road items in the Capital Budget would be done with those funds. They will also be requesting $70,000 per year for 3 years to upgrade the fire department. Mr. Szymanski noted that the city had not settled salaries with its employees yet, but a budget figure of a 9% increase was used. He noted that the city hoped to do a reappraisal of the entire city in 2 years, and there were funds in that department to hire more help to get this done. He stated that insurance costs had gone way up this year. He said the South Burlington Kiwanis Club had offered to build a hockey rink if the city would operate it, so there is some money in the budget to do that. The police department will be buying 3 cruisers instead of 2 this year. Work will also be done on the digester at the Airport Parkway Treatment Plant. Mr. Farrar explained that the $210,000 requested for the fire department would be spent, if approved, on a new pumper-tanker, which the Fire Chief has been requesting for several years. It will also be spent on a ladder truck. Mr. Farrar noted that the city had been leasing a 1948 ladder truck from Burlington for $1 per year, and that worked well, until the recent courthouse fire in Burlington where the ladder collapsed and two South Burlington firemen were injured. The city had planned to buy a new ladder truck, but the Chief found a good used one which the city will renovate. The $210,000 will also be spent to upgrade Engine #2. Public hearing and discussion on reapportionment Col. George Crooks, Chairman of the Board of Civil Authority, told the audience that the city was faced with the problem of meeting the new requirements set up by the State Legislature to try to set up fair representation. South Burlington, he said, had very little change which was absolutely required. This city now has 2 districts and 2 polling places. It also has 3 representatives, two from one district and one from the other. In the past the number of representatives has been based on the number of people on the checklist, but the new requirement is that it be based on population. The Board of Civil Authority has to work out details on all of this to present to the Legislature. Col. Crooks said the ideal number of people for a representative to represent is 3410, and that the city could leave things just as they had been for the past 10 years because of the way the city had grown. He noted, however, that some people felt it would be advantageous to have 3 individual districts, and he said he would like comments from the public on the issue. He showed a few ways the city might be divided if it went to 3 districts, An audience member asked whether there would have to be a third polling place if the city were divided into three districts. He was told that perhaps there could be two polling places which were separate, but which were both at the middle school. Mr. Blais felt that the smallest group of people represented by one person was representative democracy. He felt it was better for a voter to have one representative with whom to identify, than for a voter to share two representatives with many other people. He thought proximity and communication were better for the smaller group. He did not feel the added cost of another polling place was a significant amount in the city's total budget. The audience was asked for a show of hands as to which way they preferred to go. 18 favored leaving the city as it is and 10 felt it should be split into 3 districts. Col Crooks noted that the Board had taken a straw vote recently and they had voted 3 to split into 3 districts, and 12 to leave it as it is. Mr. Goodrich asked if he could go back to the city budget for a minute. He told the Council he would like to recommend that they give more money to GBIC, since they have done a great job for the city. Presentation of school budget Superintendent Tuttle said the grand list had increased to $2,058,000, which is a 5% increase. Multiplying that by the current tax rate gives the school a rate of $3.05.7, and multiplying that by the grand list gives the school $6,291,306 allowed in taxes for the operating budget. Increasing last year's operating budget by the allowed 10% would allow the school $6,726,485 this year, but the school does not plan to spend that much. The proposed operating budget is $6,689,423, or an increase of 9.39%. Revenues the school expects to help support that budget include surplus taxes, State Aid, tuition, and other miscellaneous income in an amount of $398,117. The State Aid figure of $185,000 is a conservative figure. Mr. Tuttle said. He said the latest information he had indicated that South Burlington might receive the same amount this year as last year's - $216,530. If this happens, the surplus will be used to support next year's budget. The schools will need to raise $6,291,306 from taxes, or a tax rate of $3.05.7 for the operating budget. The schools have a debt of $390,212, but income to offset that is in the amount of $88,226 from surplus taxes and State Aid, leaving $301,986 to be raised from taxes, which requires a tax rate of $0.14.7. State and federal programs will cost the schools $477,159, but they will receive that amount from federal and state aid, so no tax is needed for that. The total to be raised from taxes is $6,593,292, the total tax rate is $3.204, and the total gross budget is $7,556,794. Mr. Tuttle went through the comparative statement on page 9 of the budget booklet sent to the voters, and he also went through the line items in the budget. He noted that there had been increases in salaries and general expenses. There has been a staff reduction of 6 positions. The schools are still negotiating with the professional staff. They plan to replace only 1 vehicle this year instead of 2. Heat and electricity costs have increased, although the schools have been cutting back on energy consumption. Mr. Tuttle said that instruction received 55.5% of the budget, support services such as the library, transportation, health, maintenance, etc. accounted for 44.46%, and community service was .04%. Referring to the Capital Budget, Mr. Tuttle said the schools still hoped to be able to replace the existing garage with a smaller, more energy efficient and more centrally located facility. They will be requesting money for energy conservation measures, and Mr. Leo Brown explained that in more detail. He passed out a sheet explaining it, dated April 8, 1982. He said the largest expense would be to complete the reroofing of the middle school - 48,000 sq. ft. Net cost would be $176,412. It is possible the school might receive some State Aid, which would probably be in the amount of about $17,000. Item #2, installation of a programmable energy management system at the high and middle schools is proposed because the schools may lose their system now tied to Green Mountain Power Co. Item #3 is to complete installation of the ceiling tiles in the middle school gym. This would provide a dead-air space. They would also like to install ceiling fans in the high and middle school gyms to force warm air down to the floor where it is needed. The schools would also like to relamp the middle school gym. Total cost of the package is $243,812. The hearing was adjourned at 9:05 pm. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works. - .. . SOUTH BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT A~ril 8, 1982 Information on Reroofing & Energy Conservation Package Item 1. Complete reroofing of Middle School (front half of center section, East 6 West ends). Increase insulation to provide factor of R-25. Payback per- iod -C 5 years. Cost - 48,000 it2 @ $4.15/ft2 Engineering & Inspection services Included in FY-83 budget Net Cost Item 2. Install programmable energy management systems at High & Middle Schools to provide demand control, optimum start, duty cycling. Payback period 2.3 years. Cost $ 55,000 Item 3. Complete installation of tectum ceiling tile in Middle School gym. Would provide insulation factor of R-2. Payback period 4 5 years. Cost $ 6,000 Item 4. Install ceiling fans in High & Middle School gyms to provide air circula- tion. Payback period 3.0 years. Cost $ 3,400 Item 5. Relamp Middle School gym. Replace existing mercury vapor lighting with metal halide lighting. Payback period 1.2 years. Cost $ 3,000 Total $ 243,812 *"Possibility of State Aid on cost of increased insulation. (Approximately $17,000) First year 'costs - Principal Interest *< Tax rate required (Grand List $2,058,000) Second year- costs Tax rate required (Grand List $2,140,000) Third year costs Tax rate required (Grand List $2,225,000 Principal Interest - Principal Interest (~ssumes a 10 percent interest rate for short-term borrowing and a four percent increase annually in the Grand List)