08/26/2002 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Special Council Minutes of 8/26/20(12 person's intention-whether they intended to impugn their integrity, honesty, etc. He would encourage all members of Council to recognize the fact that these are open meetings. They may at times get emotional because there are people who are fighting for their jobs, who are fighting for their livelihood. Council members care very much about this city and want what's best for this city. If they didn't care, they wouldn't be so concerned. He appreciates the indulgence of those who were delayed by this, and hopefully everyone can move forwazd. Mr. Limpert said that, in the interest of moving along, he would drop his objection to the amendment. As chairman of the Environmental Committee, he would like this brought into committee and discussed at the earliest possible convenience and potenrtially to rescind it. If that would be agreeable with those making the amendment, he will drop any objection at this time. Mrs. Kesler asked if the discussion would be regarding next yeaz. Mr. Limpert said yes, and potentially even before the end of the year. Mr. Gazeau said he had no objection to having a dialogue on this issue. It was discussed a few momhs back, but there must be some additional information that warrants this, and it would be nice to have that fleshed out and laid on the table to discuss. Roll call on the motion by Mrs. Kesler and seconded by Mr. Gazeau to amend Ordinance No. 2002-117 by transfemng $12,500 of the Adelphia cable money to the General Services Star line item to maintain a Service Department employee in that department: Kesler, yes; Gazeau, yes; Nashar, yes; Miller, yes; Dailey, yes; McKay, yes; Limpert, yes. The motion passed unanimously. Ordinance No. 2002-117 was amended. Councilwoman Kesler made a motion to amend Ordinance No. 2002-117 to add an additional $22,984 to the police staffing line item, comprised of the $5,100 saved in the Mayor's secretary line item and $17,884 remaining of the $56,000 Adelphia money, and to be earmarked and used for re-instatemerrt of auxiliary police duties and school guards to be prioritized by the Police Department in a manner that they see fit. The motion was seconded by Councilman Gareau. Beginning the discussion, Mayor Musial noted that the dispatcher had not been included. Mrs. Kesler said that the police staffing line item includes dispatchers. Finance Director Copfer said it didn't, that it was emergency central dispatch. Mrs. Kesler said she was not excluding the dispatchers. There is $22,984 to be distributed in whatever manner the Police Department sees fit in the police staffing line item. The dispatcher is certainly an issue that has to be addressed, and she was hoping that the Mayor would commit to addressing that in the next budget hearing. The Mayor said it depends on the economy. Kesler said that was her answer too. She is looking to replace that dispatcher because we are short there. The dispatcher is a separate line item and is not part of this amendment. Mr. Limpert commented his only concern is with going to a department and saying, "Here's money, do you want to spend it for this or do you want to spend it for that?" There are concerns. We have a number of areas in our city that still need street repairs. We do have to look at cost savings throughout all city departments to fill all the needs to our citizens. We can go with this for tonight, but it should be referred to the Safety Committee in the future to decide where we go from here, whether we are preserving the 7