02/17/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 2/17/2(109 Information Technology had a budget reduction of 18%. All travel, education and seminars were reduced. Outside services were reduced by 44%. This includes a 49% reduction in network consultant and part time help. The budget does include considerable expense for licenses and software. If computers aren't maintained, computers begin to go down and problems occur. Cuts are made where appropriate and recommendations are made with respect to additional purchases. There is one purchase that is being recommended, what is known as an event logging software program for security purposes. It tracks who is on the computer system, when they're on the system, and essentially what they are doing on the system and when they log off. We don't have that capability to the extent that we need to now. The additional program would allow us to be more secure in our very important features of our software and programs on the network. • The Planning Department: Planning consists of a Director and a shared secretary with the Mayor. All travel, education, seminars, dues and reference materials have been eliminated. Supplies have been reduced. It should be noted that although the Planning Department budget appears to have ballooned, in reality it has not. The job creation grants that require us to "refund" income tax are now included in Planning as an expense. In reality, the money came in and is part of a grant program. It goes right back out, but we've got to put it somewhere going out. • The Community Life Services Department: This department has a secretary and a director. There was a 90% reduction in computer and other supplies and a 100% reduction in seminars, travel and rent. The Senior Center has an administrator, an outreach worker and an activities coordinator. There has been a 38% reduction in gas, oil and office supplies, a small reduction in maintenance supplies and a 17% reduction in outside services. Recreation: Salaries have increased at the Recreation Center due tv the increase in minimum wage and the number of part-time staff. All non-bargaining unit staff received a 0% pay increase. Materials and supplies are down 6.6%; enrichment programs are down 10%; the maintenance supervisor position was eliminated, realizing a savings in benefits and salary; outside janitorial service were eliminated; utility costs are continuing to increase. In the pool, the aquatics supervisor was eliminated, thus realizing a significant savings in both benefits and compensation. The total budget is down 3% over 2008. However, the Recreation Commissioner pointed out that 2008 was the first time in recent history that all cost centers made budget and all expenditures came in under budget. We did have some loss of personnel that were valued, but their duties are being allocated to other staff to try to take care of that. • The Service Department_ In 2005, there were 43 full time people; in 2009, there are 30. Additional seasonal help is expected this year in order to get additional services provided. Additional savings were realized, apart from the reduction in staff over the past 8