HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-06-2008STUDY SESSION NOTES
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
City Council Chambers
7500 W. 29th Ave.
October 6. 2008
Mayor Jerry DiTullio called the Study Session to order at 6:32p.m. Council
Members present: Karen Berry, Karen Adams, Wanda Sang, Mike Stites, Lena
Rotola and Tracy Langworthy. Also present: City Clerk, Michael Snow; City
Manager, Randy Young; Deputy City Manager, Patrick Goff; Community
Development Director, Kenneth Johnstone; Parks and Recreation Director, Joyce
Manwaring; Assistant to the City Manager, Heather Geyer; Police Commander,
Jim Lorentz, Public Works Director, Tim Paranto and interested citizens.
Council Members Dean Gokey and Terry Womble were absent.
Item 1. City Council 2009 Budget Retreat
Mr. Goff presented an outline of the Proposed 2009 Budget (included in this
packet).
Rob Osborn of Wheat Ridge 2020 provided Council Members via email prior to
the meeting a revised Budget for the organization based on the proposed cut in
City grant from $1.5m to $500k in the 2009 City Budget. This also included a
memo describing the impacts this funding cut would have (included in this
packet).
The following are some of the discussion and suggestions by Council for Budget
adjustments:
Mr. Stites suggested looking at the meeting and conference budgets to assess
whether there were opportunities to cut spending. He also suggested examining
the combined total of approximately $1 m in the Budget for contracted services
and questioned whether the City should forego staff salary increases.
Mrs. Sang suggested making decreases to vehicle purchases and to make
replacement decisions on a per-vehicle basis rather than on policy. She also
would prefer to not decrease some of the minor street improvements as
suggested and was not comfortable with such a large decrease of funding to
Wheat Ridge 2020; suggesting $750,000 instead.
Study Session Notes, October 6, 2008
Page 2 of 2
Mrs. Berry expressed she was not comfortable taking $5m from fund reserves in
2009 alone and believes the Council needs to make some policy and priority
decisions to reduce the budget overall instead of making line-by-line
adjustments.
Mr. Young asked for specific direction from Council to consider any of these
suggestions.
Mrs. Berry asked Council for consensus to maintain the Outside Agency
Contributions limit to $10,000 and for Staff to adjust the various contribution
amounts to honor the request for a contribution to the Maple Grove Grange;
Council supported the suggestion 6-0.
Mrs. Adams asked Council for consensus to pull the $6000 funding for the new
4th of July fireworks program and the $3000 grant for the Jefferson Symphony
Orchestra; consensus was 6-0.
Mrs. Adams asked the Clerk for a detailing of the Conference/Meeting line item
for Legislative Services in order to examine opportunities for spending cuts in
that category and provide more transparency in its use.
Mr. Goff suggested the City could hold the Town Open House every other year to
cut expenses.
Mayor DiTullio adjourned the Study Session at 8:03pm
Michael now, City Clerk