NOTE:
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IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF THE ARIZONA REVISED
STATUTES AND THE FLAGSTAFF CITY CHARTER THE SUMMARIZED MINUTES OF CITY
COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE NOT VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTS. ONLY THE ACTIONS TAKEN AND
DISCUSSION APPEARING WITH QUOTATION MARKS ARE VERBATIM. AUDIO RECORDINGS OF
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE.
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SUMMARIZED MINUTES
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
June 17, 2008
5:00 p.m.
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A meeting of the Flagstaff City
Council was held on June 17, 2008 convening at 7:45 p.m., in the Council
Chambers at City Hall, 211 West Aspen Avenue, Flagstaff, Arizona.
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CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order
by Mayor Presler.
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2. ROLL CALL
On roll call, the following
were present:
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Mayor Presler
Vice Mayor White
Councilmember Brewster
Councilmember Evans
Councilmember Haughey
Councilmember Overton
Councilmember Swanson
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Also present were:
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City Manager, Kevin Burke
City Attorney, Patricia
Boomsma
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3.
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Consideration
of Public Hearing:
Truth in Taxation, proposed Fiscal Year 2008/2009 budget, and
property tax levy.
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
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Open the public hearing.
Receive citizen input.
Close the public hearing.
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Vice Mayor White moved to open the public hearing, seconded by
Councilmember Overton. The vote was unanimous in favor.
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There being on public input, Vice Mayor White moved to close the
public hearing. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Haughey and passed
on unanimous vote.
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4.
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Consideration of Approval: Annual property tax level.
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
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Approve by roll-call vote the proposed change in property tax level as
required through Truth in Taxation disclosure.
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Vice Mayor White moved to
approve, seconded by Councilmember Overton. The motion passed on unanimous
roll-call vote as follows:
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Mayor Presler
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Aye
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Vice Mayor White
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Aye
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Councilmember Brewster
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Aye
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Councilmember Evans
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Aye
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Councilmember Haughey
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Aye
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Councilmember Overton
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Aye
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Councilmember Swanson
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Aye
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5.
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Consideration of Resolution No. 2008-28: A resolution for the adoption of the budget for
Fiscal Year 2008-2009; and declaring an emergency.
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
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Read Resolution No. 2008-28 by title only.
Adopt Resolution No. 2008-28.
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Vice Mayor White moved to read
Resolution No. 2008-28 by title only, seconded by Councilmember Overton.
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Barbara Goodrich, Budget
Manager, reviewed the operational budget, and Steve Shafer, Sales Tax and
Licensing Administrator, highlighted base and incremental revenues for fiscal
year 2008/2009. Mr. Shafer remarked that revenues are expected to grow due to
new monies that will be generated by the mall expansion and auto mall in east
Flagstaff.
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During Council discussion, it
was noted that: 1) the budget should be approved as presented considering
the extensive amount of time and expertise that has gone into it; 2)
compromises have been made by all and there will always be individual items
that Councilmembers do not agree with; 3) staff followed Council’s direction
and priorities in preparing the budget; 4) the budget reflects the City’s
desire to promote economic stimulus by reinvesting in a slow market; and 5) revenue
generation needs to be enhanced in order to meet core obligations.
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City Manager Burke explained
that the hiring of 30 new positions as outlined in the budget will be based
upon other factors falling into place. For example, many of the positions
depend upon anticipated grant funding, many depend upon a contract being in
place, and the library positions depend upon the approval and complimentary
funding from the Coconino County Free Library District. The budget represents
the upper limit should all contingencies fall into place.
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Concerning the issue of approving
additional personnel in the budget, Councilmembers commented that: 1) state
shared revenues are unknown; 2) the entire nation is experiencing an economic
downturn; 3) there are long-term financial considerations inherited with new
personnel; 4) the budget should focus on the City’s core obligations as
stated in the charter, particularly during tough economic times; 5) Flagstaff
is not growing as fast as the rest of Arizona; and 6) it is not prudent to
increase personnel, with the exception of public safety personnel, given the
state of the economy and the already high cost of living in Flagstaff.
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Other Council comments
included: 1) Council may want to discuss a charter amendment to move to a
November elections cycle to ensure that the Councilmembers reviewing and
directing the budget are the same Councilmembers who approve the budget; and 2)
more time is needed to discuss the long-term impact of adding personnel.
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City Attorney Boomsma clarified
that per State law, a super majority of six affirmative votes would be needed
to adopt the budget with an emergency clause. The budget could be adopted
without the emergency clause with a simple majority vote; and then, if there
is a need for a continuing resolution, that could be brought back to the
Council on June 23, 2008.
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Several Councilmembers
expressed concern that if the budget is passed without the emergency clause,
it would not be official by the new fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008. The
City has never entered the new fiscal year without an official budget, and
the unintended consequences are unknown. This action would confuse and
distress City staff and citizens as well.
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Mayor Presler moved to amend
the motion to read Resolution 2008-28, to include the emergency clause, and,
with the exception of police and fire personnel, institute a hiring freeze
until September 1, 2008. At that time, the freeze could be revisited and extended
if necessary. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Evans.
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Councilmembers opposed to the
proposed hiring freeze stated: 1) if State and Federal revenue shares shrink,
the City may need to fill in service gaps by hiring additional personnel; 2)
the action would micromanage and limit the City Manager’s ability manage
effectively; 3) the notion that it is irresponsible to add personnel during
an economic downturn is not correct; 4) core services must be met, which go
beyond police and fire services; and 5) the City has maintained a
conservative budget for many years in preparation for the kind of economic
downturn now being experienced.
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The amendment failed on
majority roll-call vote as follows:
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Mayor Presler
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Aye
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Vice Mayor White
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Nay
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Councilmember Brewster
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Nay
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Councilmember Evans
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Aye
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Councilmember Haughey
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Nay
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Councilmember Overton
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Nay
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Councilmember Swanson
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Nay
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Councilmember Overton moved to
recess into executive session. The motion was seconded by Vice Mayor White
and passed on unanimous vote.
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The meeting reconvened at 9:49
p.m.
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The motion to read passed on
majority roll-call vote as follows:
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Mayor Presler
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Nay
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Vice Mayor White
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Aye
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Councilmember Brewster
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Aye
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Councilmember Evans
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Nay
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Councilmember Haughey
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Aye
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Councilmember Overton
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Aye
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Councilmember Swanson
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Aye
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City Attorney Boomsma conveyed that
based on the above vote, the emergency clause will not be effective and
recommended deleting the emergency clause from the proposed resolution. The
issue was contemplated during a lengthy discussion about the purpose and
intent of an emergency clause.
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Jim McCarthy, Flagstaff
resident, asked that the Council approve the budget with the emergency
clause, and with the stipulation that the employee head count not be increased
for 60 days.
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Resolution No. 2008-28 was read by title only.
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Councilmember Haughey moved to
adopt Resolution No. 2008-28, seconded by Councilmember Overton. The motion
passed on unanimous vote as follows:
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Mayor Presler
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Aye
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Vice Mayor White
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Aye
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Councilmember Brewster
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Aye
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Councilmember Evans
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Aye
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Councilmember Haughey
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Aye
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Councilmember Overton
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Aye
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Councilmember Swanson
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Aye
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6. ADJOURNMENT
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There being no further business
to come before the Council, the Special Meeting was adjourned at 10:27 p.m.
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MAYOR
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ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
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CERTIFICATION
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STATE OF ARIZONA,
Coconino County.
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)
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ss.
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I, MARGIE BROWN, do hereby
certify that I am the City Clerk of the City of Flagstaff, County of Coconino, State of Arizona, and that the above Minutes are a true and correct summary
of the Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Flagstaff held on June
17, 2008. I further certify that the Special Meeting was duly called and
held and that a quorum was present.
DATED this 6th day of August,
2008.
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CITY CLERK
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