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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.a. Preliminary Budget DiscussionAGENDA ITEM: Budget Discussion: Fire, Police, Community Development, Finance, Administration AGENDA SECTION: Discussion PREPARED BY: Kim Lindquist, Acting City Administrator AGENDA NO. 2A. ATTACHMENTS: APPROVED BY: V RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion Only 4 ROSEMOUNT CITY COUNCIL Special City Council Meeting Date: July 30, 2008 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DISCUSSION At the July 9, 2008 City Council worksession, the 2009 draft budget was discussed. It was decided that individual departments would meet with the Council to review specifics about their budgets and also discuss Council priorities and allocation of department resources. The departments scheduled for the 30th are Fire, Police, Community Development, Finance, and Administration. Scott will be in attendance on Wednesday to discuss the Fite Department budget. Other Staff has been tracking issues raised during the budget discussions. The following is a list of the items that would result in modifications to the current draft budget proposal: Keep the tax rate flat. Based upon the initial estimates this will result in a $40,000 deduct from the current proposed levy. However, staff expects further adjustments to the levy and tax rate will be necessary when the City receives the final TIF numbers, fiscal disparities number, and the official household growth number from the State or County. There will be a $40,000 deduct from the Parks and Grounds Maintenance Budget due to scheduling of maintenance activities on a 5 -year cycle. There will be a $200,000 deduct from the pavement management program. At this time it is unclear where these funds will be allocated and staff is expecting to have more discussion on this topic on the 30 or the August 13 meeting. This deduction will not impact the levy as the $200,000 reduction will be reflected by shifting the "other" financing (SKB funds) out of the Pavement Management Program. There will be a $40,000 increase to reflect the rise in natural gas prices for heating of government buildings. The increase will be allocated to the Community Center and the Government Buildings budget. RECOMMENDATION Staff is requesting further direction on the budget. Please remember to bring your budget information to aid in discussion. 4 ROSEMOUNT POLICE DEPARTMENT M E M O R A N D U M To: Kim Lindquist, Acting City Administr or From: Gary Kalstabakken, Chief of Police Date: July 24, 2008 Subject: 2009 Police Operating and CIP Budgets The 2009 police budget was proposed without any budget increases related to program or service level changes. Primary Increase Factors There are two items which account for virtually all of the $182,300 increase in the Operating Budget. Salary and benefits make up $131,000 of the increase and the Dakota Communications Center (DCC) operating costs comprise $47,800 of the increase. The DCC costs increased due to the reduction in the amount being contributed by Dakota County as "start up" funding. Based on the projections of DCC staff, Rosemount's payment for dispatch services will increase annually until 2013 when a decrease is anticipated due to the retirement of bonding debt. It should be noted that all of Rosemount's DCC costs are included in the police budget; the costs have never been broken out between police and fire. Other line item changes were minimal and generally were based upon historical data. Department Initiatives While the primary functions of the Police Department are quite transparent to the community, there are some activities that may go unnoticed. In some cases, these initiatives garner publicity in other communities when being done on a grander scale or involving multiple agencies. Our Department incorporates these into the regular duties of various officers and part of the services provided on a routine basis. Warrant Arrests or Sweeps As part of the Criminal Justice Information Integration Network (CJIIN) project, warrant information is available to officers on a daily basis through an interface on the E- briefing site. Officers routinely check this site to be aware of persons in the community with active warrants. They then take the initiative to track down the persons either at their last known address or at other locations the person is known to frequent. Officers combine the use of technology and street knowledge to arrest the offenders. 4 ROSEMOUNT POLICE DEPARTMENT M E M O R A N D U M Predatory Offender Tracking At any one time there are 25 30 offenders registered as having their primary home address within Rosemount. One officer has received specific training on the requirements of these offenders and regularly checks to ensure compliance. This effort has resulted in bringing and keeping most of the offenders into compliance with all requirements. Those offenders not in compliance have been charged with failure to comply. Child Restraint Seat Checks and Installation There are a few officers who have received the training and perform these checks during their regular duties. Residents routinely set up appointments to have their child seats checked for proper installation. Many of the residents taking advantage of this service are first time parents. Presence at Various Community Events The officer assigned to the DARE /Community Resource Officer position most often represents the Department at events. These range from the Department organized Coffee- with -a- Cop to business safety fair events for their employees. Patrol officers also routinely stop by neighborhood block parties that are not part of National Night Out, give tours of the Police Department facility to youth groups and other events. A new effort will be undertaken by patrol officers at the start of the school year in September 2008. Each officer working a day shift will be expected to spend two (2) hours per week at an assigned school. The officer will be present simply to interact with students in a non enforcement setting, such as, greeting students as they arrive at school or visiting in the lunchroom. This will be done at the two private schools, First Baptist and Saint Joseph's, and the public elementary level schools within the City. School resource officers are already present at the middle school ten hours each week and full- time at the high school. Efficiencies and Organisational Changes Department policies and procedures are continually evaluated in an effort to be the most effective and efficient in the delivery of the services we provide. Modifications are made to improve inefficient or ineffective practices. Fuel consumption has risen in the last 18 months and this has been reviewed. Idling of squads is necessary in extreme heat or cold to protect the electronic equipment within the squads and to ensure the laptop in particular operates immediately. However, idling has been reduced and is monitored by supervisors. Each marked patrol squad is planned to be driven one 10.5 hour shift per day. Annually, patrol squads are driven 30,000 miles or 82 miles per shift. This amount will vary depending upon the number of calls for service received, any transport to jail in Hastings or detoxification center in St. Paul and other factors. While limiting mileage may save fuel costs, this particular savings may likely result in overall inefficiencies and effectiveness Community Development Set up inspections by zones to decrease driving across City by individual inspectors. Carpool to events when possible Do not idle inspector vehicles ENERGY EFFICIENCY Parks and Recreation 1 fighting retrofit in arena Increase monitoring of light use and use of other electrical items in Community Center Making vehicle trips more valuable Trying to use the most efficient vehicle available Reduce the use of paper by double siding when printing or making copies Public Works Andy and Rick are investigating with other metro area governmental personnel a purchasing consortium for fuel We have discussed with the Public Works employees to eliminate the unnecessary idling of city vehicles Use of most appropriate and fuel efficient equipment and vehicles for specific projects Minimize number of vehicles and equipment on job sites Rideshare when available rather than driving multiple vehicles Work to coordinate activities in an efficient order to minimize redundant trips /travel The above strategies and practices will be incorporated into the existing city vehicle use policy Finance IT Personnel will be meeting the Green Committee to discuss energy conservation opportunities Promote the idea that people should shut their monitors off every night when they leave. We have asked them to leave their computers on so updates could be done remotely if needed The last person out of the building typically goes around and makes sure all the lights are off Police Department Officers with court appearances at same location, date and time must car pool or take their own vehicle (without mileage reimbursement). While the required start time are the same for all officers, officers may be released from their appearances at various times once their case or testimony is complete. This eliminates multiple squads being driven to court Officers attending the same training courses are encouraged to either car pool with a department vehicle or drive their own vehicles Mileage on Patrol The Police Department will monitor more closely the mils being driven by officers. However, at this time no limit will be plan on officers' shift usage. There are trade -offs to limiting miles driven: Less visibility in the community Less officer generated activity ROSEMOUNT POLICE DEPARTMENT M E M O R A N D U M Another change that will occur will result from the addition of the 22 °d officer to the Department in September of 2008. This officer's field training will be completed near the end of 2008 so the increase in staffing will not actually be realized until then. The best use of this additional officer is still being reviewed, but will result in the increase of committed time to the Dakota County Drug Task Force and possibly with the rental licensing program. This memorandum touches only on some of the Department's functions and expenses related to carrying out the services provided. We anticipate further discussion and questions at the budget presentation. Attached is a Shift Schedule to show the patrol officer distribution by hour and day of week. This is the schedule with the maximum coverage shown on all days of the week and with full staffing of officers. The schedule does not show detectives, school resource, DARE, lieutenant and chief schedules. 4 ROSEMOUNT POLICE DEPARTMENT M E M O R A N D U M The increase in fuel consumption is the result of a few factors. First, in 2007 an additional officer was added to the Department and this officer was assigned to patrol. An additional officer obviously means more miles being driven and more fuel used. Second, officers have become more active in patrol in the last two three years. This is most obvious in the area of traffic enforcement. It has been noticed by the community that officers are more visible and more likely to issue citations for traffic offenses. While some enforcement efforts can be done with the squad being stationary observing traffic, most often officers are driving. This accomplishes not just traffic enforcement to make the roadways safer but also increases the overall visibility of officers in the community. In reviewing the increase in fuel consumption, it may be beneficial to view it from a broader perspective than the cost of fuel. Below are some measurable factors that are directly or indirectly related to fuel consumption. Fuel consumption increased 23% (3827 gallons) from 2006 to 2007. Using an estimated cost of $3.50 per gallon this is a cost increase of $13,400. Tickets issued increased from 2005 written in 2006, to 3149 in 2007 or an increase of 57 While tickets are written for the purpose of increasing safety for motorists and pedestrians, revenue is generated, too. Fine revenue increased by $32,300 in 2007 from 2006. (Fine amounts per violation remained the same; increase is due to the increase in number of citations and arrests). Adult arrests increased by 41% from 415 to 586. Juvenile arrests increased by 26% from 166 to 207. In the first six months of 2008, these trends are continuing. The officers do incorporate some foot patrol into their activities, too. While this tactic is often seen more as a public relations effort to make the officer more approachable, it has been used by Rosemount's officers to address specific problems. Officers are working together in the parking lot areas of the apartment and town home complexes along 145th St. to Shannon Parkway. Officers use foot patrol to walk through the area to be more surreptitious in their entry into the area and have assisting officers in squads nearby to assist with traffic stops of people leaving the area or observed under suspicious circumstances. There are no staff changes or additions proposed in the 2009 budget. However, it is anticipated that changes will occur due to a retirement in the first half of the year. If this retirement occurs, there will be movement within the organization as a promotion to sergeant will result. CO (i) 000 C co co (Q (D00( 0 0 fp 0— 0 oo C•.) N.) (.4 o o o 0-0 Q CO -4. CO OD Co OD 0 0 0 C 0 0 0 —.11 0 0 0 113 0 0 0 0 00 00 co c O CD 0 0 O 00 0 tA Ct. a 0 0 0 (.3 N.) a o o (1) co co co (3 (to 000 0 Q. 000 (to to Q. 0 0 0 0 co co co (0 (1)00 0000 --1 Co N.) V) 000 (1) 5. 0 0 0 cp 3 1(?) c° c° a 0 5 0 0 0 a o 2.. 6 ce) 0. (D 4 ROSE MOUNT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT M E M O R A N D U M To: City Council Members From: Kim Lindquist, Community Development Director Date: July 25, 2008 Subject: Community Development Department Budget The Community Development Budget is comprised primarily of salaries. For 2009 there is a slight increase in salaries which is a result of projected salary increases tempered by a reduction due to the removal of the code enforcement officer from the budget. The only other changes to the operating budget is an increase in communications due to historic expenditures and a slight increase anticipated for forms and printing. Department operations continue to move forward with employees acclimating to the new jobs and tasks. In the building division, the added rental inspection program and the increase in commercial projects has kept inspectors busy with plan review and inspections. The employee in the newly created position that combines building, code enforcement, and fire marshal activities has adjusted well. The primary focus for the position continues to be on fire marshal activities and it is expected that additional training, above the typical will be required. Staff would like some flexibility in expenditures for training of this position so that the employee can more quickly obtain the necessary classes to do all aspects of the job. It appears that waiting for the State of MN to provide the appropriate classes may take up to three years and it would be desirable to accelerate this schedule. This may require out of state training; but would be a one time investment in the position and employee. 2009 Work Plan The budget continues to reflect the main operations of the department in terms of providing planning and building inspection functions. Planning: The main project for 2009 will be to complete the 2030 Comprehensive Plan update. The draft plan is scheduled for Council review in late summer. After that time there is a 6 month comment period required by law. The public, surrounding local governments, and various agencies will have the opportunity to review and comment during that time period. It is expected that final changes to the plan will be made in early 2009 with the final draft going to the Metropolitan Council for approval in the first half of 2009. Other major projects include serving as project manager for the Stonebridge project, the Kraus Anderson project, and the Fairview Clinic construction. Further work will occur on updating the City's sign ordinance and review of other ordinance amendments as necessary. The continued partnership with the University regarding the UMore property and work on the AUAR will be throughout all of 2009. Assistance with the St. Joseph complex planning, working with MVTA on obtaining funding for a permanent park and ride, and developing partnerships with Dakota County regarding transportation, transit, and environmental issues are also on the agenda. 4 ROSEMOUNT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT M E M O R A N D U M Economic Development: The Port Authority reviewed the draft budget at their meeting on July 15, 2008 and did not ask for any specific revisions. Continuing with the Council goals, staff will be working with Downtown business owners on redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. More emphasis will be made on the business retention program and marketing materials in 2009 than occurred in 2008. Building stronger relationships with DEED and other economic development organizations will also occur. Building: There are no new initiatives planned for 2009. Continued training for the department to successfully conduct fire marshal activities is a high priority. Review of the code compliance /sequential program will occur to try and emphasize more of its educational benefits to the community. Commercial inspections will be up given the proposed construction of several important projects within the community. The Division will continue to provide quick and efficient service to the residential developers and homeowners. Department Efficiencies: Due to the mapping and GIS information that is becoming available, staff is more able to readily assist residents with various questions. Depending upon construction activity in 2009 and the end of 2008, staff will be looking into scheduling by zone to reduce travel time and costs. Because new development is occurring in very specific neighborhoods, scheduling multiple inspections in one subdivision will reduce fuel usage. However, this may reduce service levels somewhat as individual inspections would need to be "slotted" into preset times. 4 ROSEMOUNT MINNESOTA M E M O R A N D U M To: Mayor Droste, Council Members Baxter, DeBettignies, Shoe Corrigan, Sterner Interim City Administrator Lindquist From: Jeff May, Finance Director Date: July 22, 2008 Subject: 2009 Budget Memo Finance Department I have attached the budget narrative for the Finance Department as it will appear in the 2009 budget document. A few areas that I would like to specifically address include: "General /Administrative" I have added the last sentence this year because it is becoming more and more time consuming to meet all of the reporting requirements that we have, especially to the State of Minnesota. In the last month and a half I have spent 80 —100 hours of my time just to complete the reports for the OSA related to our financial statements and our TIF districts. In addition we have numerous monthly reports that are filed with the State as well. These reporting requirements do not fluctuate based on the economy; rather they seem to increase continuously, and in many cases, show little or no benefit to our organization. "Data Processing" The IT Coordinator started this month and so far everything seems to be going well. We have reduced the outside consultant time for 2009 and hopefully will be able to reduce this line item again in 2010. The IT Coordinator will begin work on implementing the recommendations of the technology study and that will impact future budgets. "Treasury" Here I would like to speak to the "Insurance" bullet. The insurance responsibilities have grown as the City has grown and we are at a point where more time needs to be devoted to this area. "Utility Billing" I think the implementation of the cycle billing (1/3 of the City billed each month) has been a success in evening out the ebb and flow of the responsibilities that used to occur when all of the customers were billed quarterly. The work load has been evened out but the constant work load basically requires all of the two full -time clerks' time. After the Deputy Registrar window is turned over to the County the two full-time clerks should be able to handle the Utility Billing responsibilities and the other clerk should be able to assume the Special Assessment responsibilities and help out with the Fixed Assets and the Insurance responsibilities. ROSEMOUNT MINNESOTA M E M O R A N D U M "Accounts Payable" The volume of work has increased to the point that the clerk is having an increasingly difficult time getting all of the work done without assistance. "Deputy Registrar" This office will be turned over to Dakota County in early 2009 when the library opens up. This will allow our staff to dedicate their time to Utility Billing and other areas that need assistance like Special Assessments, Fixed Assets, Insurance and Accounts Payable. "Fixed Assets" Because of reporting requirements, Fixed Assets has become an increasingly time consuming effort, especially at Insurance renewal time and for year -end financial reporting. "Special Assessments" Historically, this has been an area that no department has really taken full responsibility for. Dakota County is required to maintain our special assessment records, bill for these assessments (on the Property Tax Statements), collect these payments and remit the payments to us. Many cities maintain their own Special Assessment records and reconcile to the County's records on a regular basis. We have never really had the resources to do this and I have always firmly believed that by having our own system in place we were actually double taxing the citizens for the same services. I do not believe this anymore. In the last two years since our department has taken over these responsibilities we have discovered numerous County errors made that we have had to spend hours and hours of staff time trying to resolve. The County will not take responsibility for these errors actually blaming us for not catching them. I have given up spending time discussing the "double taxation" theory with them and have come to the realization that we have to have our own software and our own staff keeping what amounts to duplicate records for the special assessments. In 2009 I hope to actually make the part -time Utility Billing /Deputy Registrar Clerk a full-time Special Assessment Clerk (included in the budget draft that you have) and purchase the software necessary to begin this process with funds that have been encumbered in the past for Financial Reporting Software. The part -time clerk is currently budgeted at 32 hours per week for 2008 so the budget impact will be for adding 8 hours a week in salary and the benefits for becoming full-time. The Finance Department is responsible to work with all departments of the City, especially the Administration Department, to ensure that all activities of the City are conducted in a fiscally responsible manner. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURY Provides for the fiscal management, processing and maintenance of all accounting transactions for all funds of the City, including budgetary controls, preparation of interim accounting reports and the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Also responsible for all other reporting requirements of the Federal, State, County and other government agencies in regards to budgets, taxes, financial statements, TIF Districts and other items. DATA PROCESSING FINANCE DEPARTMENT Provides for evaluation of appropriate computer hardware and software on a continuing basis. Coordinates efforts between departments to assure an integrated information system. Acts as an in -house consultant providing technical assistance when possible, and if not possible, coordinating the procurement of outside technical assistance when needed. Fund Management Collects and deposits revenues and manages the investment of idle funds. Budgetary Compiles historical and current expenditure and revenue data to facilitate budget preparation. Bonding Assists in the issuance, sale and record maintenance of indebtedness. Insurance Maintains records for property and worker's comp insurance requirements, handles all claims and prepares all documents for yearly renewals of policies. PAYROLL FINANCE DEPARTMENT Page 2 Receives employee time sheets, coordinates insurance, pay rates and other applicable payroll information with personnel, prepares payroll checks, prepares all Federal and State required reports, prepares all employee withheld and employer promised obligation funds for disbursement to applicable organizations, and prepares all reports as needed, both internally and externally. UTILITY BILLING Coordinates the automated reading of all City water meters and the mailing and collection of all utility bills. Handles on the computer system, the preparation of final bills and the setup of new accounts. Fields and responds to utility billing questions and complaints. Compiles operating statistical information which is available to other departments as needed. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE Processes purchase orders prepared by all departments, checking for accuracy and matching with invoices and all other supporting documentation so payments can be made in a timely manner. Also, prepares all checks and supporting reports that accompany each check run. Coordinates the review of bills by Council by providing applicable reports and supporting documentation. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE CASH RECEIPTS Prepares invoices for all departments for items /services that must be billed to outside sources. Maintains records that allow for the timely collection of invoiced items /services. Receipts monies on a daily basis and deposits those monies daily in designated banking institutions. Maintains a system that allows for the appropriate reporting of all monies collected within the accounting system. DEPUTY REGISTRAR FIXED ASSETS SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS STAFFING FINANCE DEPARTMENT Page 3 Maintains an office that handles vehicle license renewals, vehicle license transfers and DNR licensing transactions, consistent with the requirements of the State. This office will be turned over to Dakota County sometime in early 2009 after the County's Library has opened. Responsible for the maintenance of the fixed asset system. This includes all additions, deletions and changes in fixed assets for the City. Also responsible for the corresponding reporting requirements that go along with the system, including year- end information, insurance renewal information and individual department information. Responsible for the maintenance of the special assessments records. Works with the Engineering Department for additions to the special assessment system. Responsible for coordinating all deletions and changes to the system as well as all collections of special assessment payments. Must work with Dakota County to ensure that all assessment balances are correct. In 2009, the department will consist of eight positions: Finance Director Accounting Supervisor IT Coordinator Payroll Clerk Accounts Payable Clerk Utility Billing Clerks (2) Special Assessment Clerk 4 ROSEMOUNT ADMINISTRATION To: Kim Lindquist, Interim City Administrator From: Emmy Foster, Assistant City Administrator Date: July 23, 2008 Subject: Budget Narrative City Council and Administration CITY COUNCIL The City Council is responsible for establishing the mission and vision for the City of Rosemount. The Council also establishes community goals and supervises the activities of the City. Policy Development The City Council provides for the legislative and policy- making activities for all of municipal government. It provides for the planning and control of all City expenditures through the adoption of the City's annual budget. The City Council provides for the definition of the City's tax structure through the levying of taxes and approval of user fees and rate structures. It also provides for citizen input to policy- making processes by establishing, appointing and managing advisory commissions, ad hoc committees and community groups. General Operations The City Council provides for general government projects and needs such as: City Newsletter, Chamber of Commerce Directory, and Key Financial Strategies. Council Goals Starting in January, the City Council gets together to brainstorm about what Rosemount residents need and would like for the year ahead. Through give- and -take, a list of City goals is refined. They guide Council decisions and the work of advisory commissions and City staff. The City Council conducted a goal setting session in January of 2008. The goals that have guided the council and staff for the past several years continue to reflect the priorities for the community. Those goals included: 1. Defining mix and quality of amenities appropriate to Rosemount 2. Achieving balanced growth 3. Maintaining service levels and quality while expanding 4. Achieving a competitive tax rate with other cities in market area 5. Accomplishing downtown redevelopment 1 Additionally, the City Council added a sixth goal in 2007 to improve the connectivity and strategic partnerships with the educational institutions in our community. Council discussion at the goal setting session focused on the following issues: Economic Development o Initiate a business visitation program focused on outreach, retention and expansion o Hold a business appreciation event to strengthen relationships with the business community and market business assistance programs available through the City, Port Authority and other partners o Evaluate options for a market and retailer analysis to attract commercial retail development o Send staff to tour communities that have demonstrated track record of success in areas that are highly prioritized for development within Rosemount UMORE Park o Discuss business development partnership with University community o Look for opportunities to leverage the University's presence to attract jobs and manufacturing Senior Services o Work with Rosemount Area Seniors to encourage increased membership, grow participation, and enhance programming o Work with Dakota County staff to collaborate on program development related to demographic trends on aging o Review program policies that will evaluate the future of senior programming to reflect changing demographics and active lifestyle options Legislative Issues o Provide overview of legislative issues relevant to Rosemount at a future City Council Work Session (done 2/13) Downtown Redevelopment o Evaluate Port Authority -owned properties to be sure that short -term rental continues to be a reasonable approach o Meet with Downtown Stakeholders to provide an update on progress and next steps for revitalization Budgeting/ Operations/ Stafing o Anticipate that current market trends may necessitate adjustments to services and staffing levels for FY 2009 o Try to hold the line on tax rate for `09 2 ADMINISTRATION The Administration Department is responsible for the overall management of all departments within the City and for assuring that departmental activities are consistent with the goals established by the City Council. Specific functions may be broken down into General Administration, Records Management, Reception, Licensing, Elections, Human Resources Administration, and Public Relations /Communications /Marketing. General Administration Staff assigned to this area provides for the management administration and coordination of activities in all City departments including: Community Development, Finance, Fire, Police, Public Works and Parks and Recreation. Administration provides for the preparation and overall management of the City's budgets; offers management for projects that are unique and not assignable to other departments; provides overall coordination of City consultants; oversees the execution of all policies as adopted by the City Council; through the Clerk's office provides administrative and clerical support to the City Administrator and City Council; and prepares, distributes and maintains City Council meeting documents. Records Management Records management is an essential function of this department. Administration provides for the preparation and maintenance of official records for the City including Council, Port Authority and Commission minutes. In addition, department staff prepares and assures publication and posting of official notices, supplies public information on ordinances, contracts and policies, and administers the collection, storage and dissemination of data. Several staff members provide notary services and the Clerk oversees any DocuWare program changes and training. Due to the changing systems available to use for digital document management, staff has begun exploring the process to streamline the businesses processes and increase efficiency within the departments. While many of the newer systems have many benefits, they are complex undertakings and will require a significant investment of both capital and staff. Because of those investments, staff is thoroughly evaluating the current document management system and looking at other options. Staff will be evaluating the current needs but also forecasting the future needs before deciding on a solution and policy for moving ahead. Available funding sources are budgeted; no additional funds are being requested. Reception Rosemount's Receptionist staff provides the initial contact that the public experiences when coming into City Hall or calling for information. Staff offers ongoing administrative support to a majority of the departments (i.e. prepares invoices, data input of utility payments, orders and maintains inventory of meters, transcribes letters /memos /reports for the fire department, assists with mailings). Along with the City Clerk, the Receptionist assists in the preparation and execution of all elections. 3 Licensing The issuance and renewal of liquor and beer licenses; peddlers, solicitors and transient merchants, gambling permits, and block party street closures are all functions of the Administration Department. This effort is coordinated with other city departments to ensure that licenses are issued according to ordinance requirements. Elections The responsible execution of elections is a crucial function of local government. Federal, state, and local elections assure the popular representation of citizens and that the community's mission, vision and goals are consistent with the wishes of the electorate. The City Clerk's office manages City elections. The elections budget provides for the following: general administration, organizing voter registration, maintaining election supplies and equipment, recruiting and training election judges, preparing the polling locations and performing Election Day activities. With no anticipated elections to be held in 2009, staff has decreased the overall elections budget. The 2009 proposed budget still includes the fees maintenance of equipment and other equipment purchases. Human Resources Administration The human resources division of the department requires a large amount of staff time and provides services that help to retain current employees and aid in the recruitment of new employees. Staff administers City personnel policies and procedures, assures compliance with union contract language, and meets the terms of state and federal labor regulations. The human resources division is responsible for the planning, coordination and evaluation of City-wide training to support employment law compliance and achievement of goals and policies. Staff maintains relationships with collective bargaining units. In addition, staff is responsible for overseeing the City's safety program. After researching the appropriate line item for the safety consultant (CHESS) fees and the history of what has been done in the past, the fees for this service will now fully be accounted for under the Insurance Expenditures "Other Professional Services" Risk Management line item under 206 49006 01 319.02. Staff has discovered that there are sufficient funds in the insurance budget without causing an increase in that levy. On the next version of the 2009 budget, the Administration department will discontinue using line item 101 41320 31 319.03 and the department budget will show the reduction of $10,500. Public Relations /Communications Marketing Staff within this division manages the internal and external communications (i.e. newsletters, informational mailings, press releases, internet, and intranet) regarding the City's achievements, challenges, and goals. As the public relations hub, this area guides the media and public toward key messages and requested information. Staff also aids in the preparation and execution of public information in times of emergency response. In addition, the Communications Coordinator maintains and updates the City's photographic archive of events and supervises the implementation and utilization of our visual identity system to promote the City's development interests. 4 Rosemount's share of the proposed cable commission budget is expected to increase by approximately $3,000. A final budgeted amount will be known in the next few months. Efficiencies and Operational Change The Dakota County human resources staff and cities within Dakota County (HiPP) meet regularly to discuss more efficient and effective ways of providing benefits, resources, and services to employees. In 2008, two areas that were discussed extensively were wellness plans and training ideas and opportunities. It is expected that partnerships and idea sharing will continue into 2009 and into the future. Staff is working with Johnson McCann, our insurance broker, to explore insurance options and potential cost savings for 2009. The Rosemount Insurance and Benefits Committee will meet with Johnson McCann to study premium rates, review insurance options, and dispense accurate information to co- workers. In the area of technology, an IT Coordinator is now on staff. He will be addressing the City's technology systems, policies, and organizational needs. This will include the Elert IT Assessment recommendations. Future Forecast With the city growing at a steady pace, a future analysis will need to be conducted regarding the staff and equipment capacity each of our buildings can absorb. As noted in the past, the Public Works buildings reached its equipment capacity some time ago and they continue to have space issues. 5