09-23-1980 Budget HearingCITY OF RICHFIELD
CONTINUED BUDGET HEARING
September 23, 1980
The City Council of the City of Richfield met in special session in the
Council Chambers of the City Hall on Tuesday, September 23, 1980 at 5:30 p.m.
to continue review and discussion of the proposed 1981 budget.
Present; Bunce, Collins, Ludeman, Luettinger, Priebe;
House of Representatives members James Swanson
and Shirley Hokanson
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Donald Priebe at 5:30 p.m. City
Manager Karl Nollenberger thanked Representatives Swanson and Hokanson for joining
the council to discuss budgetary matters of mutual concern. He described the
impact which the cut-back in state aids .will have upon the City of Richfield,
and Mayor Priebe described some of the alternatives which the city is considering
in dealing with these cut-backs. Rep. Swanson and Hokanson described some of the
difficulties which the state had encountered which had created the state revenue
• short fall, and contemplated some alternatives which the legislature might
consider in addressing the possibility of such revenue short falls occurring in
the future. Rep. Swanson and Hokanson responded to city council questions.
Community Services Director Don Fondrick outlined the Community Services
Department section of the budget. He described the overall composition of the
Community Services Department, and reviewed the major op erational and program
goals for each division of the department. for the remainder of 1980 and through
1981. Mr. Fondrick reviewed recent activities of the Park and Recreation
Commission in analyzing various program participation, particularly "in the
summer playground and winter skating program, and described some possible
regrouping of skating programs which the Commission was looking at which would
maintain approximately the same level of service, while presenting the possibility
Continued Budget Hearing -2- September 23, 1980
to reduce program cost in this area. Mr. Fondrick also described information
which had been received from the Minnesota Symphonic Winds and regarding the
request for construction of a BMX bicycle race track. He responded to various
council questions.
Council member Bunce left at 9:00 p.m.
City. Manager Karl Nollenberger presented an overview.of anticipated revenues
and expenditures in the water division for the remainder of 1980 and 1981. He
described the current cash short fall existing in that fund, which lead to the
recommendation for a 16% increase in water rates in 1981. Councilman Ludeman
left the meeting at 10:10 p.m.
The council members discussed the water revenue and rate increase recommen-
dation and suggested several other factors, including early retirement of existing
debt service, possible issuance of a bond issue to finance needed capital improve-
ments by 1983 or 1984, and possible borrowing from the sewer fund to alleviate
the immediate severity of the cash short fall in the water fund. Council members
asked the staff to develop alternative projections for revenues, expenditures
and cash needs in the water funds through 1985, incorporating some of these
alternatives financing and rate adjustment assumptions, for review in the next
budget hearing.
The meeting adjourned at 11:00 p.m.
Date Approved: October 13, 1980
Joy e L. Wilde City Clerk
r
onald J. Prie Mayor
`~
Karl Nollenberger City Manager