09/02/2008 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 9/2/2008 Finance Director Copfer: 1) She attended a half day seminar for the state treasurer's mandated training. She will receive the remaining hours in conjunction with the GFOA conference in Aurora in September. 2) She attended a NOCOP board of trustees meeting where the board approved an increase in the contribution for each city due to the rising fuel costs and also approved a potential fare increase for the same reason. This was done after hearing from the executive director regarding the cost-cutting measures that have been accomplished so far this year to minimize the impact of the budget shortfall while also maintaining quality service. Also heard was a presentation by STC to take over the managing the entire operation, not just the dispatch/scheduling function as they are doing now. The board compiled a list of questions and additional information of the STC and expect to have another board meeting next week to discuss short and long term implications. 3) Participated in Dispatch negotiations which have reached impasse. Mediation will be scheduled before going to fact finding since there has been some success at this. Avoiding fact finding is great when you can work it through mediation, and you utilize the same person so it is an effective use of your time. 4) She enjoyed the lengthy discussion that was a result of the financial review at the last Finance Committee meeting. There were some good questions so that Council better understands the detail the Finance Dept. provides on a monthly basis. She has placed in Council's mailboxes the encumbrance detail they asked for and how they interact with the beginning of year unencumbered balance and the current year appropriations. Any questions, please call or email her. 5) It is the season for continuing professional education for accountants because this is the down time before going into the busy season. She attended a seminar put on by the Auditor's office and Ohio Society of CPA's. It was well attended because it was at a reduced rate and was in an annual update format for auditors so we know what to expect in the changes in the compliance supplement that they are required to test and also audit requirements that are being required of governments this year. 6) The ClericaUTechnical new pay rate will be effective for this Friday's pay. The department continues to update some of the harder contractual issues in the payroll system and test them appropriately before putting them into live id. Due to pension reporting issues, Service cannot be done at the same time. The contracts are being taken in the order of ratification. Once the contract is signed, they will get their retroactive pay. Councilman Barker inquired whether Council would have a vote if the decision is made for NOCOP to move forward with STC. Finance Director Copfer answered that would be a legal question. But she would recommend, if that decision is made, we do whatever we need to do to dissolve the organization and the corporation so she does not have to keep a set of books for an empty entity. Councilman Gareau asked Finance Director Copfer to clarify if the city has already saved $200,000 with the outsourcing of the Engineering Department and what her best guess would be for the savings at the end of the year. Mrs. Copfer answered what she was looking at during the committee meeting was the June 30 of 2007 to June 30 of 2008, which really is a nominal savings. The year 2007 is an anomaly year-we were down- staffed and had part of a year with an outside engineer. The Mayor was looking at 2006 5 -~~~