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Council Minutes of 2/4/2003
<br />2003 regular meeting of City Council, that no probable cause existed to believe a crime
<br />,, was committed."
<br />5) The 2003 appropriations will be formally presented tonight. The budget has been
<br />balanced uia the inclusion of funds from various sources, most of which will require
<br />Councilmanic action. Funds are going to be requested from Council to be approved to be
<br />applied to the General Fund: from the casualty loss, $50,000; from emergency medical
<br />services, $75,000; from hoteUmotel, $260,000; from solid waste recycling, $40,000 and
<br />this fund will be charged through the chipping aspects of the City of North Olmsted; from
<br />the STOP program, $50,000. The total is roughly $475,000. This will balance the
<br />budget, leaving us with roughly a $1,300 carryover at the end of the year. This will be
<br />accomplished with no new taxes, no reduction in the tax credit and no layoffs. Council is
<br />cautioned that this is a one-time accomplishment, but it gives us time for the economy to
<br />recover and grow. For Council's consideration, he has included in the expenditures for
<br />slab repair the leftover funds from projects worked on last year, some $260,000, when
<br />added to the unencumbered resources, about $500,000 will be available for slab repair in
<br />2003. The benefits derived from this action, in his opinion, greatly outweigh those
<br />derived from paying down the bonded debt. Again, it's his opinion that the above action
<br />is a most appropriate action to be undertaken in order to achieve a balanced General Fund
<br />budget for 2003. Pending unforeseeable circumstances, this action recognizes the
<br />interests of our residents by not raising taxes, recognizes the interest of our non-city
<br />employee residents by no reduction in tax credit, and recognizes the interest of our
<br />employees with no further layoffs in 2003.
<br />Councilman McKay asked the Mayor if Council was to receive the capital improvements
<br />for 2003. Mayor Musial said it would not be presented this evening. We need another
<br />$105,00 to finalize the monies that are required for the rehabilitation of Lorain Road.
<br />The rehabilitation of Clague Road from Lorain Road north will be $96,000, and that will
<br />take place in 2004. We have roughly $30,000 for the Butternut Ridge Road in-house
<br />project regarding the area near the new library. Also, funds for the Windsor Drive road
<br />repair design ($10,000) and the Bradley Road culvert repair ($40,000) are included.
<br />Finance Director Copfer noted that there is money set aside in the appropriations to
<br />address those issues in the state highway fund, the motor vehicle license tax fund and the
<br />street maintenance fund. This will be discussed in detail during the appropriations
<br />meetings. The Mayor and Councilman McKay agreed that these projects should be
<br />accomplished without borrowing more money. Councilman Gareau asked for
<br />clarification of the monies far slab repair which were left over from last year,
<br />approximately $260,000, to be added to the unencumbered resources for a total of
<br />$500,000. Finance Director Copfer clarified that there was $260,000 unused from last
<br />year. Also, because of the weather, about $300,000 was not used from the $850,000 slab
<br />repair contract. Together those amounts will total about $500,000. Councilwoman
<br />Kasler requested that the capital improvements list be submitted to Council before the
<br />appropriations discussions begin so that they will be able to look at the whole picture.
<br />The capital improvements definitely affect the General Fund budget. Mayor Musial said
<br />he would present the capital improvements list before the first Finance Committee
<br />meeting. Mrs. Kasler asked if the budget included re-instituting positions that were laid
<br />off. Mayor Musial answered that some of the people who have been laid off are
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