Dunes City Council

M I N U T E S

June 23, 2009 - 12:00 PM

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SPECIAL SESSION  

City Hall - 82877 Spruce St. , Westlake , OR 97439

 

 1.     Call to Order and Roll Call  

Mayor Eric Hauptman called the special session meeting of the Dunes City Council to order at 12:16PM .

 

2.     Roll Call  

Roll Call was taken by Dunes City Recorder, Amy Graham.  

Present:    Mayor Eric Hauptman, Councilor Susie Navetta, Councilor Robert Quandt, Councilor Richard Koehler, Councilor Rebecca Ruede, and Councilor Jamie Mills.  

Absent:     Council President Peter Howison (excused).  

Also Present:   Dunes City Recorder Amy Graham , Planning Secretary Lisa Ekelund and 1 individual.  

3.     Pledge of Allegiance  

All who were present joined in the Pledge of Allegiance.  

4.     Executive Session  

Mayor Hauptman adjourned the special session at 12:16 PM to have the council enter into executive session.  

The Council held an Executive Session meeting in conformance with Oregon Revised Statutes 192.660 (2) (h).  

Mayor Hauptman opened the executive session at 12:17 PM .  

Mayor Hauptman adjourned the executive session at 12:59 PM to have the council enter into special session.  

Mayor Hauptman reconvened the special session at 1:02 PM .    

5.     Public Hearing  

  1. 2009-2010 Budget

Mayor Hauptman asked for any comments from council.  

Councilor Koehler said he needs cooperation from the budget officer pertaining to there was a total of $6,000 from the RTMP fund, $3,000 of which was designated in February to emergency blue green algae and the other $3,000 was for the test equipment that Mark Chandler was going to get.  Councilor Koehler questioned if those funds are there.  

Amy Graham said yes, on page 16 of budget motel tax tourism fund line 31, the capital outlay, there is $6,000.  Amy said that is for the testing equipment.  

Councilor Navetta asked if this is for the emergency testing equip.  

Amy Graham said no just testing equipment.  

Councilor Navetta said we only use it for the big emergency.  

Amy Graham said this is capital outlay, this is for actual equipment.  

Mayor Hauptman said what about testing?  

Amy Graham said she was directed to put it's under the general fund on page 2 line item 21.  

Councilor Navetta said she was worried about protection of that money if that money needs to be saved for that special occasion and not everything else under general testing.  Councilor Navetta said $2,500 of the $6,000k was for the flow meter that you do the testing with.  

Councilor Koehler said equipment is on pg 16.  

Mayor Hauptman said it came out of the RTMP grant we get annually.  

Councilor Navetta said she understands.  

Mayor Hauptman asked if there was any comment from the public.   

There was no comment from the public.

 Mayor Hauptman closed the public hearing portion at 1:09 PM .  

Councilor Quandt made the motion to adopt the 2009-2010 budget as submitted.  Councilor Koehler seconded the motion.   

Mayor Hauptman asked if there was any further discussion.  

Councilor Mills read a statement which is as follows:  "As you know I've never participated in the development of a municipal budget before so it's been a real learning experience for me.  I think Dunes City can probably make this budget work for the coming year but my fear is we didn't trim enough of the expenditures to survive beyond next year.  No I'm not a young as I used to be and it takes me a while to absorb and evaluate information.  Now that I've had a chance to mull it all over, I truly fear that Dunes City will face the future termination of all its employees and that would be a real shame when we may have had a chance to avoid it this year.  I pray I'm wrong in this belief but it is for this reason I will not vote in favor of this budget.  Thank you."  

Mayor Hauptman asked if there is any other comment.  

Mayor Hauptman said they have a motion on the floor and a second, all those in favor of passing the budget based on councilor Quandt's motion, signify by saying aye and there were 3 ayes.  Mayor Hauptman asked for all those apposed and there were 2 nays.  

Mayor Hauptman asked Councilor Ruede and Councilor Mills how they justify going through and approving the budget which they did fund by fund and then objecting to the budget in a whole.  Mayor Hauptman said he doesn't understand it.  

Councilor Mills said part of her problem is her fault for not being here and missing a meeting and not having the facts and all the information in front of her.  

Mayor Hauptman said she received the information upfront before the meeting.   

Councilor Mills said she was out of town and there were problems with the faxes.  Councilor Mills said when she did get the information and chew on it and look at it, it makes perfect sense in the budget committee and she does think the city will survive off of this budget, she's just afraid that the city may have planned to spend a lot of money.     

Mayor Hauptman said they should have come up with rational cuts.   

Councilor Mills said she should have done that but she didn't and she takes full responsibility for not doing it.  

Mayor Hauptman said they went fund by fund through the whole thing.  Mayor Hauptman said he believes Councilor Mills to be politically posturing and he resents it.  Mayor Hauptman said the only suggestions he heard from the budget committee for anything rational was cut staff and he heard no rational argument for that.  Mayor Hauptman said it was just to cut staff with nothing specific.  Mayor Hauptman said he understands Councilor Mills had a discussion with Rob and that her concern, he felt, was answered by question of a $3 hour paid to one of the employees.  Mayor Hauptman said he thinks this is nonsense and if Councilor Mills was not prepared, she should have recused herself and not vote.  Mayor Hauptman said if Councilor Mills feels like she can participate and be well educated as to what they are discussing then he thinks she is doing a disservice to the community.  

Councilor Mills said she appreciated Mayor Hauptman's opinion and that she is also entitled to her own opinion.  

Councilor Koehler said one of the points that he agrees with Councilor Mills is it was brought up how do we enable staff to expeditiously use their time so it's not costing them so much.  Councilor Koehler questioned if staff stays when there is nothing to do and does staff have an appropriate logistics lined up for the 6-3 months.  Councilor Koehler said the question comes how does one get the staff cost down so that it fits into the operating?  Councilor Koehler said it needs to be addressed in the next year, today, or tomorrow so that we can at least get that part of the objection that he heard in the budget committee out of the way.  Councilor Koehler said perhaps some way of talking with everybody about that because he thinks that's lacking and that was addressed by people showing up in various meetings when they had no business being there, wasting the city's time as well as having the ability for the city to use that time more appropriately.  

Amy Graham said as staff budget officer she is shocked.  Amy said during the budget committee it kept being brought up to cut staff.  Amy Graham said on several occasions, the budget committee was asked how much to cut, and no one gave a figure.  Amy Graham said for people to sit up there now to vote no when they weren't given a figure, she's dumbfounded by the whole thing.  

Councilor Quandt said he spoke to Councilor Mills.  Councilor Quandt said if we're preparing something to pass or not pass you need to influence it into something you are willing to pass.  Councilor Quandt said if we are in process of generating a budget and if you don't influence then you can't complain afterwards because you weren't involved in shaping it.  Councilor Quandt said if it was something worthy of voting no on, an attempt should have been made to change it into something to vote yes on.  

Councilor Koehler asked if Councilor Mills could explain if she felt she was part of the process.   

Councilor Mills said no, not always, and that's her own fault because she wasn't here.  Councilor Mills said she should have spoken out stronger.  Councilor Mills said she doesn't believe in this budget and she's not going to support it.  

Councilor Koehler said he also agrees with some of the things and they never got a resolve to what was brought up in the budget.  Councilor Koehler said he asked specifically at the time, how to change the staff costs and he never got an answer.  Councilor Koehler said it's still something that's left in limbo which doesn't make us feel comfortable.  

Councilor Navetta she would like to say that in the years past Dunes City has never acted as though the dollars in the budget are something they have to achieve.  Councilor Navetta said we're not a state agency that rushes out at the last minute to find a project so they get more money next year.  

Mayor Hauptman said when he arrived this was the most dysfunctional operation he's ever seen in his entire life.  Mayor Hauptman said there was no institutional memory, there was no organization, no file reference, why they did what they did before, we don't know.  Mayor Hauptman said he's against staff concessions because the city's been so underserved for the public.  Mayor Hauptman said the job staff does is not just react to daily demands, they have to build an operation so that it functions.  Mayor Hauptman said we are woefully understaffed and he finds it interesting that the people who pushed to cut staff seemed to cut oversight.  Mayor Hauptman said with the staff now, people don't get away with as much and before, we were reacting to problems now we are proactive.  Mayor Hauptman said without the staff we could lock the door and turn out the lights because it wouldn't function if it were solely run by volunteers.   

Councilor Navetta asked if we can take down the extra piece of paper that covers the hours outside.  

Amy Graham said she can honestly tell them no one gets turned away whether opened or closed.  

Councilor Ruede said the office hours are a perception thing and she is in favor of Monday through Friday from 10am-5pm .   

Councilor Navetta said the original intent was to be closed on Friday to get down to work undisturbed.   

The council discussed various options to office hours for City Hall.  

6.     Old Business  

A.  Resolution 6-23-09 – A resolution adopting the 2009-2010 Fiscal year budget  

Councilor Quandt made motion to adopt resolution 06-23-09 D. 

Amy Graham said there is no letter on the end of the resolution and it should just be 6-23-09 .  

Councilor Quandt said his say's D.  

Amy Graham said that is a mistake.  

Councilor Quandt withdrew his motion to adopt resolution 06-23-09 D.  

Councilor Quandt made the motion to adopt resolution 06-23-09 adopting the 2009-2010 fiscal year budget and making appropriations.  The motion was seconded by Councilor Koehler.  The motion passed by vote of 4 ayes and 1 nay.  

Councilor Ruede said she toiled with her decision and she wanted to let everyone know she is listening to the voice of her supporters and constituents.  Councilor Ruede said she has noticed that we have a general fund that has declining balances over the years and she just wants them to know that was her reasoning for voting the way she did.  

Councilor Mills requested that when they get bills and receipts of the session, if there could be a budget comparison line on it.  

Mayor Hauptman said they were discussing this and in the past it was two different soft wares but they are working on it.  

Amy Graham said she plans on putting adopted budget into Quick books so she can create a report comparing budget to actual.  

Councilor Koehler said he noticed that actual expenses are not totaled and perhaps they could make it so that all expense reports are gross.  Councilor Koehler said from what he understands, the employee costs are not gross.  

Mayor Hauptman asked if Councilor Koehler means payroll.  

Councilor Koehler said yes and all the things that are added on somewhere else.  Councilor Koehler said he knows it is on the accumulative sheet, but not on the expense report and he thinks it would be helpful to have all gross costs in the expense report in the bills of the session.  

Amy Graham this will be in the breakdown of the actual vs. budget report.  Amy Graham said all the expenses are in the revenue expense report from Quick books that the council gets monthly.  

Mayor Hauptman said he believes Councilor Koehler is talking about the payroll costs that are not in and that's something they could do.  

Amy Graham s said it is on the actual Quick books report that the council gets monthly but it is not on the bills of the session but it will be figured in when she puts the budget in.  

7.     New Business  

A.  Committee appointments for Water Quality and Communication & Education  

Councilor Mills made the motion to appoint Robert Mohler to the water quality committee and Paul Floto to the communication and education committee.  Councilor Koehler seconded.  The motion passed by unanimous vote of 5 ayes and 0 nays.  

Councilor Navetta made the motion to change the hours of the office of Dunes City from 10-3 Monday through Friday effective July 1st.   

Amy Graham said the council should keep in mind that the planning secretary is not in the office on Friday.  

Councilor Navetta amended her motion to change the hours of the office of Dunes City to 10-4 Monday through Thursday effective July 1st.  Councilor Koehler seconded the motion.  Motion carried by unanimous vote of 5 ayes and 0 nays.  

8.       Adjournment  

There being no further business to come before the City Council,  

Councilor Quandt made the motion to adjourn the meeting and Councilor Mills seconded.  The motion passed by unanimous vote of 5 ayes and 0 nays.  

The special session meeting of the Dunes City Council adjourned at 1:59 PM .  

The next scheduled meeting of the Dunes City Council is to be held on July 09, 2009 at 7:00 PM .  

The proceedings of the Dunes City Council meeting were recorded on tape, and are filed in the City Recorder's office. The complete minutes of this meeting is filed in the City Recorder's office.  Upon approval by the City Council, these minutes will be available online at http://dunescity.com/minutes.htm  

Respectfully prepared by,  

________________________________________

Lisa Ekelund  Planning Secretary  

Approved by the City Council on the _[?]____ day of __[?]___, 2009,  

___________[signed]_____________________________

Eric Hauptman  Mayor