SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Lincoln City Hall, Council Chambers 700 Broadway Street ILincoln, Illinois

Tuesday, July 23,2019

A special meeting of the City Council of Lincoln was called to order by Mayor Seth Goodman at 7:12 p.m., with proper notice given. Roll call was taken by City Clerk Peggy Bateman.

Present:

Alderman Steve Parrott

Alderman Kathryn Schmidt

Alderman Sam Downs

Alderman Kevin Bateman

Alderman Ron Keller

Alderman Kathy Horn

Alderman Jeff Hoinacki

Present:

City Administrator Elizabeth Kavelman Treasurer Chuck Conzo

City Clerk Peggy Bateman City Attorney John Hoblit

Streets Superintendent Walt Landers

Building and Safety Officer Wes Woodhall Police Chief Paul Adams

Fire Chief Mark Miller

Fire Chief Bob Dunovsky

Absent:

Gregory Pyles, Veolia Project Manager

Alderman Tracy Welch

Presiding:

Mayor Seth Goodman

Pledge of Allegiance

Consent Agenda by Omnibus Vote:

  1. Payment of Bills
  2. Approval of minutes - July 1,2019 Regular City Council Meeting, July 9, 2019 Committee of the Whole Meeting

Alderman Keller made the motion, seconded by Alderman Hoinacki. City Clerk Peggy Bateman called roll.

Yeas: (7)

Nays: (0)

Absent: (1)

 

Ordinance and Resolution:

Resolution adopting a Working Budget for F.Y. 2019-2020

Alderman Hoinacki made the motion, seconded by Alderman Bateman.

Treasurer Conzo said everyone had received a copy of a report that he sent to everyone during the last meeting, during the monthly treasurer's report. He talked about expenditures under and expenditures over within the General Revenue Fund (GRF).

He listed off some numbers and appropriations. His main reason to send this out was to dispel that the idea that the appropriation is to pad the budget. He said the purpose of the appropriation is for contingencies and gave the example of gasoline and the gas tax. He said the idea is to use that difference between the budget ...

He said in every case the city is well under the appropriation and under the budget. He said the budget is a working document for what you plan to spend. He listed off various departments and department heads .. .saying he has not seen anyone try to squeeze out extras.

Alderman Parrott asked the treasurer who determines the appropriation.Treasurer Conzo said the city administrator . . .who then said he came up with the appropriations, and then she plugged them into the document.

He then said this has to be filed with the county by the 31st of the month.

Alderman Bateman said he did agree with Treasurer Conzo that you have to appropriate your expenses, but line by line -- there are dozens and dozens of lines that have never spent he budgeted amount of money. He did not see why you'd constantly budget $1,000 if you never spent that, and he didn't see why you'd appropriate $1,200. He said if you take every line item and appropriate the amount of money, you could better appropriate for the needs of this town.

He said because it's not even close ... he said if you budget money and then you appropriate $2.94 million more - then the budget is off. That was his opinion.

Alderman Parrott asked about the expected revenues for 2019.Treasurer Conzo said the revenue projectionis still the same . ..he said for the GRF last year, there was a change between the appropriation and the budget. He said $7, 200,173 . . .

City Administrator Kavelman mentioned they sat together, he came up with the initial numbers and she plugged them into the system, but they did get the extra amounts from the department heads. He said he wanted to point out that this had to be filed with the county clerk no later than the last day of the month . . . he called this the governing document for their expenditures. It had to be filed by the 31st.

Mr. Bateman said if you take the time, and go through this thing by line, there is dozens and dozens of line that have never spent the budgeted amount of money. He didn't see the reason to budget more money or appropriate more money over the top of the budget. He called for dissecting every line item. He said it's not even close.

Alderman Parrott asked Treasurer Conze what the city was going to take in for 2019.He said, not the appropriation amount.

 

Treasurer Conzo said that the revenue projection was still the same, for the General Revenue Fund, $7, 200,173. This year it is around $7.5 million.The total estimated revenue is $22,464,156. Mr. Parrott, said so our budget is higher than our expected revenue.

Treasurer Conzo said the sewer expenditure is the reason why it's over .. . that and the pensions. He said the pension funds . . .the city is still taking in alotless in terms of revenue than they need to. Mr. Parrott thanked him.

Alderman Keller said he was in total agreement with Alderman Bateman and appreciated what Treasurer Conzo said about the budget. Mr. Keller did not see a rhyme or reason for some of the other increases.

Alderman Keller was not comfortable doing business that way. He said he was all for going back, and he called for more responsibility to the taxpayers that what they are giving here. He was not comfortable voting for this as previously presented.

Alderman Bateman said in the document the City Administrator handed out .. . in the first three offices on page two . .. he then listed the city clerk's office salary and then listed off information about the city administrator's line items. He wanted to know where these appropriations are coming from.

Alderman Parrott saidif you appropriated it, why didn't you budget it. He said it's have to be in the budget to actually use it. Alderman Parrott asked the treasurer to follow up on that. He said the idea is this to be a safety net for the budgeted amount.

He said it's not even a safety net . . . it's actually very heavily considered to use that $14,000. Treasurer Conzo said generally if you're going to hire someone, it will typically go before the council to approval of it. Alderman Parrott said good practice would be to budget for it, if you wanted to use it. Alderman Bateman said that was the problem he was having.

Alderman Bateman said the first meeting we had, was the budget meeting, he said he abstained from that. Treasurer Conze that was May 6, the appropriation amendment, the budget would have been voted on in April. Alderman Bateman then mentioned the office supply line items from the city administrator's office. Alderman Bateman said his math stops after the city administrator's office.

Alderman Parrott asked the difference between office supplies and equipment. He said if she needs a $500 printer. City Administrator Kavelaman said it could have been its own item, but they did not do that and they put it in the office supplies line item. Alderman Bateman said they could put it in its own separate line item.

Alderman Parrott wanted to know the difference between office equipment and supplies.

Alderman Bateman liked the idea of adding the line for transparency purposes. He then gave a hypothetical situation. He said those are budgeted line items. He said you should know these things yearly. He could not see offices needing large amounts of equipment line items each year.

Chief Adams wanted to reference the budget, for supplies and equipment. He said with accounts payable, they can account for all those expenses. He said if youget too many lines in the budget, you've got more lines and more appropriations and more budgeted.

Alderman Parrott then weighed in on the difference between the line items. Chief Adams said appropriations is not money that we can have ...we just cannot go over it, but law. Chief Adams said the councilvoted on the budget. He said the department heads and the city administrator are the ones who determine how many jelly beans are going into the jar.

City Administrator said her job code said she is to do the budget and the appropriations. She said the treasurer was kind enough to help her, so they worked on it in Excel, he told her was numbers to plug in. She said these types of discussions we had.

Treasurer Conzo said the statute stipulates you can spend the money if it's necessary and if there is sufficient enough funds to cover it. Treasurer Conzo said last year there was a vacancy in the city administrator's role -- so he took care of the budget and the appropriations. He said as a transition to her taking over the budget and appropriations, he kind of went through the lines of what they did last year. Thenfollowing that she met with the department heads and came up with the numbers appropriated. He saidjust to clarify that.

Alderman Hoinacki wanted to view things from a different angle. Talking about the time constraint that they are asking the treasurer to do in five days, and then having a meeting on the 30th -- and what will they did if they do not agree then. He talked about working on this again next year, he did not see things getting worked out within five working days. Treasurer Conzo agreed with Alderman Hoinacki.Saying it was not sufficient time to do that. He said you can amend specific lines in the budget, if you see $50,000 here and it ought to be $45,000 . . . or if you think something is much too high . . .you can amend those.

He reminded them that the 31st is a day from tomorrow. Alderman Bateman said the document he was handed tonightis the third document he was handed.He said he was still a, "No," vote. He was just one vote.

Alderman Schmidt brought up committee structures.She said it was her understanding that if they go to that structure, then it could take some strain off of the city administrator.

Alderman Parrott said if we went to a committee structure - would we event have a city administrator. Treasurer Conze said there was time when we had a committee structure we did not have a city administrator.

Alderman Keller said Isuppose our course of action is to vote and see what happens, but there is a motion and a second on the floor.

City Clerk Peggy Bateman called roll.

Yeas: (2)

Alderman Kathy

Hom Alderman Jeff Hoinacki

Nays:(5)

Alderman Steve Parrot

t Alderman Kathryn Schmidt

Alderman Sam Downs

Alderman Kevin Bateman

Alderman Ron Keller

 

Absent: (1)

Alderman Tracy Welch

Treasurer Conzo then said now you have to decide what you want to do. And that you will have to vote on another appropriation if you want to operate during this next fiscal year. Alderman Hoinacki called for a meeting

Alderman Keller said we as a council voted, "No" to this so we should take some ownership and go down the line . .. but we need to go through this and get those submitted to the treasurer and the city administrator as soon as possible.City Administrator Kavelman said she could cut 10 percent down the line.

The city administrator wanted a deadline for this.

Alderman Bateman wanted the expenditures.Treasurer Conzo said the revenue and expense reports are online.

Alderman Parrott wanted to know what would happen to the city if this was not done by July 31, or Aug. 1.

Alderman Parrott asked a question about using Excel spreadsheets -- he wanted a side by side document. He said he asked last Thursday. She said she did not get asked until yesterday at 3 p.m.

Alderman Parrott wanted a side by side, comparisons etc. He said this is valuable document. He wanted to know if the councilcannot have access to the software or documents. Alderman Bateman said right now he's just going to draw a line and bring it in - all scribbled on.

City Administrator Kavelman referenced past years, when they would cut four or five percent.

Alderman Parrott asked again if he could get an Excel spreadsheet version of this document.

He said it's easier for him to use Excel. He wanted to be able to make his own edits to the document, for his use personally for the city to manipulate it for next year or whatever. He said if this is a city document, we should be able to have access to it. He wanted to see a comparison of the budgeted amounts for 2018-2019. He said to him it seems pretty easy, if you have Excel. He said if you have to do it line by line, then it can take some time.

City Administrator Kavelman said there were different line items from last year. She said it took a little bit of time to do this. She talked about concern over having different versions from the Excel spreadsheets. He said he personally could use the program.

She reiterated that there are five days.Mayor Goodman said so there will be seven different documents with different changes, and then what would everyone do.

Treasurer Conzo posed recommending changes tonight. He said recommended changes would have to go out no later than Friday in order to have a meeting on Tuesday, July 30. He said the city administrator worked continuously in order to get the document put together. He said if you're expecting him to do real sophisticated things with Excel, then you've got the wrong person. He said she did do an exceptional job putting this together, and that he guesses that whatever they are going to do, they have to do it real soon.

Alderman Hoinacki mentioned a meeting night. City Clerk Bateman said she would think Monday would allow them to have an extra day.They went back and forth about a potential meeting date.

Alderman Keller said first of all, he should say everyone should have respect for the treasurer and city administrator and all the work they put into it. He said going down the line . ..and gave an example of the city clerk's line item for vital records and the increase. He said just to help out the process, he'd be willing to sit down and crunch something out.

Alderman Bateman said his problem was the blanketed increase of every single lineitem.he said the previous counciland department heads worked diligently on their budgets. He said take the budget, look at the previous year's budget and maybe the year before that . .. he said just go to zoning and you're looking at . . . two years . . .he said postage was budgeted, $50, and appropriated was $150. He said he wanted to know if he used the $50 or went over it.

He said we're trusting them to run their own departments. He wanted to give them a few days to go back and look at their own budgets. He said he agreed with Steve, and that he could be done with it if it were Excel,that he could be done within a few hours. He said it was their deal to look at these things line by line.

Alderman Keller said he is not asking the department heads to go back and look at their budgets, but to sit down with the city administrator and treasurer to sit down together. Alderman Bateman wanted to make a motion for the meeting . . .but they did not have to.

The meeting with be held Monday, July 29, at 6 p.m., according to Mayor Goodman. He asked the councilhow they wanted to proceed. Another meeting would be scheduled for Tuesday, July 30, at 6 p.m. The meeting could be cancelled, if need be.

Alderman Parrott wanted to follow up on the need to pay the city council members a bit more. For additional meetings. It would be budgeted.

City Administrator Kavelman asked if the treasurer could be in the office before 1 p.m.

Alderman Bateman said they need to wait for our suggestions. Mayor Goodman said the deadline to submit would need to be Thursday at 8 a.m. or the end of the day tomorrow, Wednesday, July 24. The group could meet on Friday.

Alderman Bateman said isn't everyone going to line by line.Alderman Bateman said he was going to work on one.City Clerk Bateman said you can't give Beth eight different pieces of paper and expect her to plug in whatever numbers.

The treasurer, city administrator, Aldermen Keller and Downs could meet Friday at 11 a.m. at Lincoln City Hall [inaudible}. City Administrator Kavelman weighed in. Mayor Goodman confirmed the meeting details and then moved the meeting forward.

New Business/Communications - FOP Contract:

Alderman Keller made a motion to table the item and Alderman Hoinacki seconded it. There being no discussion, roll call was taken.The item would be discussed on the COW agenda.

 

Yeas: (7)

Alderman Kathy Horn

Alderman Jeff Hoinacki

Alderman Steve Parrott

Alderman Kathryn Schmidt

Alderman Sam Downs

Alderman Kevin Bateman

Alderman Ron Keller

Alderman Kathy Horn

Alderman Jeff Hoinacki

Nays: (0)

 

Absent: (1)

Alderman Tracy Welch

Adjournment:

Alderman Keller motioned to adjourn, seconded by Alderman Parrott. There being no discussion to come before the City Council of Lincoln,Mayor Goodman called the special meeting to a close at 8:18 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Alex Williams, Recording Secretary