03/24/2004 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Special Council Minutes of 3/24/2004 ~, that it was Council's responsibility to determine which vehicles could be taken home by employees. To him, that was an administrative decision. He had written the Law Director asking his opinion on that. He strongly recommends to Council, one way or another, that the three pick-up trucks be purchased as the ones that are currently being used are 12/13 years old. Mrs. Kasler said she believed it is the duty of Council, when looking at the appropriations, to determine whether items listed are needed, why they are needed, what purpose they are used for and can the city afford to fund them. The committee went through a long, painstaking process in every department to analyze the purchases and have them substantiated. If they were not substantiated or they didn't meet the satisfaction of everyone at the table as to why that purchase or expenditure was needed, then it was taken offthe table until it is substantiated. When she made the proposal to go ahead and purchase the trucks, it was with the contingency that they would not be sent home. Mr. Limpert's memo saying that was not a good way to do it brought to light that there is some confusion as to how the committee voted and why. She is not asking the funds to be spent elsewhere, but rather that the purchase should not be funded until such time as it can be discussed again. Law Director Dubelko commented, with respect to Councilman Limpert's request for a legal opinion, he has not provided it yet. But the legal opinion will not affect the validity of Council's funding choice of whether or not the trucks are included. (At this point, there was a lengthy discussion as to the method of how to vote on the amendment and whether it should be a vote of the committee or the entire Council. Law Director Dubelko counseled that he felt the amendment should be done on the floor of Council either during reports or during the reading of legislation. Councilman Gareau expressed his opinion that the committee had already voted to remove that item from the legislation, and the legislation was amended in committee and reported out as being amended in committee. That has been the procedure in the past. Mr. Dubelko clarified that it was his opinion, based on the rules of Council, that the committee simply makes a recommendation to amend legislation, and the amendment is made on the floor of Council. Mrs. Copfer commented she thought the difference was that sometimes legislation may be amended in committee and posted as already amended and placed on the agenda as amended. In this case, the legislation was amended in committee after the posting of the agenda. It was agreed to follow the recommendation of the Law Director) Councilwoman Kasler withdrew her motion, and Councilman Gareau withdrew his second. Councilwoman Kasler made a motion to amend Ordinance 2004-21 to reflect that the Street Mairnenance Fund, General Service total would be changed from $852,000 to $812,000 and the total for the fund would change from $912,000 to $872,000 and the grand total for the budget will change to $59,741,732, which is the result of eliminating the $40,000 funding for the trucks. This is based upon the version of the legislation as presented to Finance Committee tonight. Councilman Gareau seconded the motion. Mr. Nashar asked, if at some point in time there is a recommendation from the administration as to how the vehicles will be used, would this be put back into the fund? Mrs. Kasler answered absolutely, the money is not going anywhere. As was done with everything else, unless an item was substantiated and all the questions were answered, it was not funded. Mr. Nashar asked if a time period would be established. Mrs. Kasler said that has not been done, but felt it might be incumbent