The second half was more interesting to me, but I had to go to the County Budget hearing. Which I hope to get to later, but I was kicked out of my media seat because I testified for 5 minutes, even tho I spent two hours there taking notes. Not sure I’ll blog it as a result because my notes are not very good. People tend to talk to me and I miss a lot plus there were interruptions as I moved. So my notes are very spotty. Also, the most absurd part of it, there was only one person from the media there. And me.
Anyways, back to the city budget.
Lauren Cnare says that she wants to table item 9 to the end.
Mayor says there is no testimony until item 19, do they want to do the testimony now or as it comes up. They do it as it comes up.
AMENDMENT ONE – Correct employee benefits allocation.
Sponsored by Verveer. No levy inmpact (no cost), no discussion. Motion Passes.
AMENDMENT TWO – See language below
Sponsored by Alds. Cnare, Bidar-Sielaff, Subeck. No levy impact (no cost).
Change the “Neighborhood Resources” line item to “Emerging Neighborhoods Fund” and change the footnote to: (b)The Emerging Neighborhoods Fund is designed to quickly deploy resources to neighborhoods facing various challenges. The goal is to address potential problems in neighborhoods before they become more serious and more expensive to the community. In past years, the Fund has awarded grants to after-school programs, childcare initiatives, neighborhood associations in challenged neighborhoods, and grassroots initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life in a neighborhood. Grants from the Fund are typically modestly-sized, one-time awards. Applications shall be reviewed by a workgroup consisting of an Alder from the Community Services Committee and one staff member from the Office of Community Services, the Community Development Block Grant Office, the Planning Unit, and the Mayor’s Office. Funding recommendations shall be made to the Common Council in the form of a resolution.
Note: The 2012 Executive Budget footnote reads: The Neighborhood Resources funding will be used for neighborhood initiatives, including the Neighborhood Resource Teams.
Lauren Cnare tries to let Shiva Bidar-Sielaff make a substitute, they inform her that she can’t she isn’t on the committee.
Cnare makes the motion and says that they wanted to make it a priority for funding in areas with active Neighborhood Resource Teams.
Bidar-Sielaff explains the current process and what the money is used for. The mayor kept the money with a different name, but we are trying to target the same thing, the extra money would be available in neighborhoods that need them the most.
Rhodes-Conway agrees that the funds have been useful and good things have been done but we have also struggled to find ways to administer it and find balance between immediate needs and oversight on the projects that get the funding. Seems like we change how we administer it every year, she is interested in how it will work, can the Mayor speak to the intention and have it go for neighborhood resource teams.
Mayor Paul Soglin says it would be used for projects in the same areas. The mayor agrees it seems consistent and he supports it.
Rhodes-Conway wants it to remain timely and get the funds out.
Motion Passes.
AMENDMENT 3a – Remove funding for a Performing Arts Study.
Sponsored by Alds. Cnare, Weier, Johnson, Subeck, Skidmore, Phair. Saves $125,000.
Fails for lack of a second. No one will even discuss it.
AMENDMENT 3b – Add note to Performing Arts Study
Sponsored by Alds. Rhodes-Conway, Verveer, Solomon. No levy impact (costs nothing).
Add the following footnote regarding the Performing Arts Study: This study will assess the state of Madison’s performance venues; identify gaps (particularly geographic gaps); estimate the degree to which these venues compete for acts and audiences; describe the impact of City funding on that competition; and describe tools the City can use to help strengthen existing facilities and create new ones.
Rhodes-Conway says that the cultural plan leaves this out of it, and reminds them to please read it, but venues are not addressed and it is a big gap in looking at arts and culture. This is information we should have to implement the cultural plan.
Marsha Rummel is afraid that the previous motion will come back, check your email for note form some of the venues (Barrymore and Majestic), they sent you emails about how important this is. It impacts their business.
Cnare says that she thought this was about finding a flaw in Overture, she wants to make sure that they see the RFP again, she wants equity in the research, she does not want to open the socks and underwear drawer again. She says they should look at gallery space as well. She will support it, thinks we need it, but not in a tight budget season.
Bridget Maniaci says you all remember my comments when the extension for alcohol density ordinance came up. She is interested in the economic development part of this, glad not about Overture but what else is going on in the community.
Motion Passes.
AMENDMENT FOUR – Reductions in State Municipal Aids
Sponsor Soglin. Reduces revenues by $430,500.
Cnare moves adoption – Verveer and Mark Clear argue over who is going to ask questions first.
Verveer asks if we are going to get further clarifications from the State government?
Finance Director Schneidicke explains this is the result of allocations sent out last week, there was a $1M reduction in Payments for Municipal Services, our share was a little less than half. With cuts to the UW, there is a possibility this could get larger and won’t be resolved before we pass the budget. Is that typical, yes.
Verveer asks if there are other changes.
Schmiedecke says that computer value determines the next one, cuts cannot be made to segregated funds or transit aids. The other place there will be no reductions is shared revenue, they are sum sufficient appropriations. There could be secondary impacts on cuts to university.
Clear asks about how they can do this, is this as arbitrary and directed at Madison as it appears or is there a formula behind it, are we really being picked on?
Schmiedicke says that there are usually unallocated cuts by DOA, usually there is not legislative oversight. This time around there is. The pool of dollars is constrained, segregated funds are off the table. School aids taken off table, corrections that are 24/7 and disability funds not touched. Also they did not divide the cuts evenly, there is $123M this year and $50M next year, In order to hit the number it is 5% across the board in all remaining areas.
Clear says when they took everything else off the table, the UW and us looked good.
Mayor says it would have been nice if they had decided to make sure that the community hurt the most wasn’t hurt again, but that wasn’t done.
Motion Passes.
AMENDMENT FIVE – Reductions in Computer Aids
Sponsored by Soglin. Reduces income by $105,496.
Shiva Bidar Sielaff has a general comment, but is on the wrong item.
Motion Passes.
Mayor asks to take item 13 out of order so Maribeth Witzel-Behl, the City Clerk, can get to a meeting.
Verveer says she is here for items 6 & 7 too.
AMENDMENT SIX – Increase in Alcohol License Fees
Sponsors: Verveer, Solomon Increases income by $17,700
Increase the publication and notice fees for new alcohol license applications from $20 to $100, and for renewals from $20 to $40, and increase the associated General Fund revenues. (Note: An Ordinance change modifying these fees will also be required.)
Verveer says that he was chatting with Clerk and they said fees don’t cover the costs, the fees go into the general budget so it won’t help the clerks office directly. This is about publication fees (ads in the Capital Newspapers), $20 barely cover the costs, but not covering costs of mailings required by ordinance. They tracked the costs, and in most cases not coming close to covering costs, esp. where high it areas. When Buffalo Wild Wings moved, the cost of notification was $1000, he wants there to be equity, says that they can only cover publications fees.
Rhodes-Conway ask how they chose $100.
Witzel-Behl says that is an average. Easier to do this than invoice them. This is close to the average cost.
Joe Clausius asks about notification process, is notification process different in renewals?
Witzel-Behl says the difference is that there is a large notice every spring and they only pay for publication, no need for mailings.
Motion Passes.
AMENDMENT 7 – Zoning Fee Increases
Sponsor Verveer. INcrease revenue $5,700.
Increase the Development Review fees associated with Zoning Map Amendments in order to ensure City costs are covered. For Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), the fee will increase from $1,350 to $1,500; for others, the fee will increase from $950 to $1,000.
(Note: the Executive Budget already includes revenues associated with anticipated increases for these fees, from the current $1,200 to $1,350 for PUDs and from $800 to $950 for others. This amendment will increase the fees further. An Ordinance change modifying these fees will also be required.)
Verveer says similarly to the last amendment, the clerks office has been tracking mailings for rezoning and he says that the increase that is recommended in the executive budget doesn’t cover the actual costs, the plan department was not aware of those costs, he is raising these modestly, more for PUDs and if they can’t afford these fees they have much bigger problems than this.
Rhodes-Conway asks about costs.
Brad Murphy, Planning Department explains there are costs in many departments. The fees don’t cover all the costs involved, especially if take into consideration the staff time. They were never intended to, but that has been the situation.
Rhodes-Conway says it should at least cover our out of pocket costs. She asks if they consulted with others when setting the fees in executive budget.
Murphy says it’s been 10 years since they raised them, the applications and fees are capped, he explains the fee structure.
Motion Passes.
AMENDMENT 13 – Addition staff for voting
Sponsored by Alds. Verveer, Rhodes-Conway, Solomon, Mayor Soglin. Costs an additional $29,503.
They move to take this out of order.
There is no discussion.
Rhodes-Conway asks if this will give them what they need.
Witzel-Behl indicates yes it will.
Motion Passes.
Ok, gotta get to work and SB107 . . . bleck.
