Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 04/05/1984BUDGET HEARING APRIL 5, 1984 The City of South Burlington held a Budget Public Hearing on Thursday, April 5, 1984, at 7:30 pm, in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street. Members Present City Council: Paul Farrar, Leona Lansing School Board: Bernadette Collins, Chairman; Dennis Snyder, Willard Nalchajian, Theodore Manazir; Others Present: William Szymanski, City Manager; Gloria Yandow, City Bookkeeper; Margaret Picard, City Clerk; Richard Carter, Police Dept.; Donald Whitten, Water Pollution Control Dept.; Bruce O'Neill, Recreation Dept; Marjorie Lavalla, Library Trustee; Ruth Poger, The Other Paper; Jim Cheng, Burlington Free press; Demetrios Michaelides, Elizabeth Edwards, Mary Silverman, Lauren Lecours, Kristover Lavalla, James Ewing, Joanne Woolery, Bruce Ledeau, George Bosworth, Frederick Tuttle, Superintendent of School; Leo Brown, Business Manager. City Budget Mr. Szymanski explained that the Grand List estimation has been based on reappraisal figures. These figures resulted in the allowable 5% increase. Thus the maximum city operating tax rate is 51.9¢ with the maximum amount to be raised by taxes for the operating budget at $2,354,270. The results in an operating budget increase of 10% and a maximum city operating budget of $2,849,465. The total tax rate of 64.5¢ is just under last year's rate. Mr. Szymanski then outlined the major changes in this year's proposed budget. These include a salary raise for City Council members who have had no increase for several years, an increase in funding to the Visiting Nurse Association, a major increase in insurance premiums in all departments; street lights, payment for a 1961 Federal drainage report, a letter quality line printer for City Hall, the cost of an extra election in 1984, replacement of a copier, typewriter and calculator in the City Clerk's office, voting machines, legal fees for the assessing process, increased auditing costs, the City's share of computer improvements at the school, a full-time City Planner, a traffic counter, increased training allotment to allow volunteer firemen to go to special schools, a Fire Chief's car, new lounge furniture for the fire station and additional hoses, valves and adapters for fire equipment; new Fine Arts programs for senior citizens, a new part time aide for the library, new books for the library, general supplies at Red Rocks beach, retrofitting and additional work at the O'Brien Center, a water line to the rink at Chamberlin School, rebuilding of the high school tennis courts, printing of a brochure on nature trails, new investigative equipment for the police dept, an additional police officer for part of the year (to be carried into the next budget full time), replacement of 2 radar units and fire extinguishing equipment, replacement of typewriters and copier in the police dept; sidewalks on Hinesburg Rd from Sunset to Woodcrest, road and/or drainage work on Beacon St., Shunpike Road, Cheese Factory Road, Kimball Avenue; replacement of pick-up truck for the water pollution dept, power use at Bartlett Bay facility, payment to the City of Burlington for the Proctor Avenue line. The breakdown of revenue sharing funds shows $65,865 in the regular budget with an additional $184,135 to be voted on in the May election. In the discussion which followed, Mary Silverman expressed concern about North Brook, and asked if there is any money to do anything about the problem. She noted that the report had indicated there is indeed erosion. Mr. Szymanski said such funds are not available. Mr. Farrar said the City Council has not yet received the report but will look at it and try to see if it can be fit into a future budget. He explained that there were $200,000 worth of projects with only $40,000 to spend. Mr. Maher raised the possibility of taking half a cent from the revenue sharing surplus for completion of the Hinesburg Rd. sidewalk. He felt pedestrian and bicycle traffic was in extreme danger because of the curve in the road and that the State did a great disservice by using soft material on the shoulder of the road to Woodcrest and hard material to Kennedy Drive. Stones are kicked up frequently and could cause a serious injury. Mr. Szymanski said there is a problem with the right of way at the bend. Mr. Farrar said the procedure Mr. Maher suggested would require a vote of the citizens as it would bring the budget over charter limitations. Another citizen asked if work could be deleted on another road so they could do one job completely on Hinesburg Road. Mr. Farrar said they would take it under advisement at the next meeting as it was certainly a legitimate suggestion. Mr. Michaelides asked whether the contractor who looked at the brook had given an estimate. Mr. Szymanski said the figure he received as $40/foot provided there was access to the area. This would mean $20,000 for each brook. Mr. Tuttle then presented the school budget. He indicated they had followed the same Grand List procedure as the City, which resulted in an operating tax rate allowable of $1.657 with $7,509,193 allowable in taxes for the operating budget. The allowable operating budget is $8,035,543. Considering bonded debts and revenues other than taxes, the total to be raised from taxes is $7,842,660 for a total tax rate of $1.731 and a gross total budget of $8,979,639. This represents a total tax rate increase of 3.65% Mr. Tuttle said they anticipate an enrollment of 2,053 as compared to 2,049 this year. They are increasing at the elementary schools but still decreasing at the middle and high schools. Negotiations with teachers, support staff and administrative staff are not yet complete and there are contingency items in the budget for these groups. Significant changes in the budget include: the elimination of one science dept. chair, a full time instrumental string teacher (instead of part time), a 7th grade language arts teacher, a Director of Instruction for staff development, a new part time secretary to go with the Director of Instruction; increases in costs for shared time vocational students at Burlington and Essex Junction, in-service programs in drug and alcohol intervention and also study skills at the middle and high schools; one- time expenditures for reading materials at the elementary school, new science and math texts, computer equipment, and New England accreditation for the high school's 10-year evaluation; increased secretarial time and a new part time clerical person for building management, completion of the east wing of the high school roof and the Central School roof, retrofitting at the high school (Mr. Tuttle noted that energy conservation is working as evidenced by reduced electricity and heating oil costs); replacement of one school bus (money has been saved by converting buses to propane fuel); data processing equipment, shared with the city. Mr. Tuttle noted that the last payment on the original Chamberlin School will be made this year. Mr. Pichon asked why it appears that teacher and support staff salaries will increase 10-15%. Mr. Tuttle explained that the figures Mr. Pichon was citing were not the actual figures for last year but represented contingency figures. He said last year's base increased $1,000 and they had settled with the support staff at 8%. Mr. Farrar thanked the audience for the input and indicated that comments would be considered at the next City Council meeting. The meeting adjourned at 8:55 pm. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.