When we get the operating budget, the information is a summary of quite a bit of information and we have very little detail. As a result, the first thing we look at is the budget highlights that the agencies submit. Here are the summaries for the departments that submitted them to the Mayor. The full information is not easily accessible to the public and the alders were not given it until I requested it and we finally got a copy on Friday. Here’s what the “3% reduction” for some departments (Police, Fire, Clerk, Overture and several others essentially excluded) yielded. More on that soon. Meanwhile, this is mostly just a cut and paste job, so there are some spelling errors that I didn’t take the time to fix. Note, not all departments provided these summaries so some are missing. I’ll provide more information as I wade through the cd full of files that we received.
City Attorney’s Office
1. In order to meet the request for a base budget reduction of 3%, we must lay off 1.5 attorney positions for 2008. We anticipate that the failure to have these positions filled would negate the resources we have dedicated to our Nuisance Abatement Program, as well as our ability to effectively prosecute ordinance violations in Municipal Court. The layoffs would have another deleterious effect. The City Attorney has made a commitment to increasing the diversity of the OCA. Since layoffs are made in reverse order of seniority, this means that one minority Assistant City Attorney in our office would be laid off.
2. In addition to the 2% budgeted salary savings that all departments are expected to have, we will meet an additional 2.72% through known salary savings throughout 2008, including two employees who work approved schedules of less than full time. The total for salary savings, outside of the layoffs above, is projected to be 4.72%.
Department of Civil Rights
1. Reduction on one Clerk Typist position to 75%
2. Funds for a contract with the Fair Housing Center of Greater Madison for fair housing testing ($30,000)
3. Reallocation of expenses among services based on fte’s.
4. Elimination of the BNA electronic fair employment practices from the Bureau of National Affairs ($4,000)
Overture – No 3% Cut
1. The City’s subsidy for the Overture Center, is determined by the Operational and Cooperation Agreement. The amount is adjusted annually by the inflation factor used for the Expenditure Restraint Program (ERP). The inflation factor for 2008 is 2.3%, resulting in a subsidy of $1,720,185, some of which is funded from the Transient Occupancy Tax Fund.
2. Funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes in the amount of $477,383.
3. Continued support for arts education programs. OnStage Programming, for example, will provide approximately 50 performances for school age children with anticipated attendance of 50,000 students, teachers and parents from public, private and home schools throughout south-central Wisconsin.
4. Continued support for community outreach at Overture Center including free and low-cost performances and events such as Kids in the Rotunda, Children’s Art Festival, Musical Memories, Overture after Work, Artist Workshops, Take 10 Program, Meet the Artist, Duck Soup Cinema, and the International Festival. In addition, Overture provides free galleries for Dane County artists. These programs and concerts are further supported through grants and sponsorships by local foundations and corporations.
5. Continued economic support in the community, region, and state. In 2005, Overture Center and its residents had total direct spending of $37,532,933 and supported 1,395 FTE jobs. Overture audiences paid $608,132 in sales tax on performance tickets in 2005.
6. The addition of 5 positions – Graphic Artist Assistant (50%), Account Tech 2, Planning-Systems Analyst, Sales Associate, and Admin Clerk 1. These positions either generate revenue or provide support to revenue generating positions.
7. Establishing the authorized permanent staff positions for Overture Center. All other amounts are provided as informational. The Madison Cultural Arts District may transfer funds between accounts as necessary to keep the City subsidy at the authorized level and/or to accommodate actual revenues and expenditures while
Monona Terrace
1. The 2008 requested budget includes a 3.85% cut in the operating expense subsidy funded by the Room Tax over the 2007 budget, reducing it to $2,812,862. This reduction in the subsidy comes with an increase in revenues of 3.0% in total revenues over budget 2007, despite losing over $385,000 in net revenues from EPIC in 2008. The decrease in subsidy was also achieved by a 1.75% cut in overall operating expense from 2007 budget levels. The decrease in subsidy exceeds the Mayor’s request of a 3% reduction by $25,000.
2. The inter-agency expenses increased 2.4% including an increase in PILOT of $6,600 over 2007 budget. The increase in WRS debt service interest of 3.03% for the Prior Service Obligation Loan and 3.34% in the WRS Prior Service Obligation Loan-Principal Debt Service represents the additional increase.
3. Continued support of community outreach efforts at Monona Terrace including approximately 77 free community programs. Programs include free use of the Hall of Fame room by Dane County non-profit organizations and quality community concerts and events supported through grants and sponsorships by local foundations and corporations.
4. Funding of $126,690 for the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) for direct marketing of Monona Terrace. In 2008, it is estimated that the GMCVB will book approximately $700,000 in convention and conference contract revenues from their direct marketing efforts on behalf of Monona Terrace. In 2005 and 2006 , similar groups generated $85.3 million in economic benefits to Madison, Dane County and the State of Wisconsin based on the Monona Terrace Community and Economic Impact Study prepared by Virchow Krause & Company.
5. Establishing the authorized level of City subsidy for Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in 2008 and establishing the authorized permanent staff positions as adopted. All other amounts, except permanent salary and debt service, are provided as informational in order to determine the authorized subsidy level and may, in the course of the year, be adjusted by the City Comptroller to reflect income generated by Monona Terrace, if such adjustments do not increase the authorized level of subsidy or increase debt service.
The agency submitted no supplemental budget requests.
Community Services
1. Cuts to meet the Mayor’s budget target:
· Community Resources – $104,433; 3% of the 2007 budget.
· Child Care Assistance – $71,845; 3% of the remaining budget. With a very small budget and few discretionary items, we have few choices.
2. A reduction in the salary level of the Community Services Supervisor to the level of Step 4.
3. Nine budget supplemental requests, to restore cuts made to meet the target, maintain program levels, and fund losses due to the termination of grant funds, and provide for some program expansions mainly to meet inflationary costs.
Library – No 3% Cut
1. Revenues: a 3% reduction from the 2007 library levy; expected COLA increases and an increase in debt service for the new Sequoya Branch capital project. Also included are projected reimbursements from Dane County and adjacent counties for use of Madison’s libraries by people who don’t live in Madison.
Expenditures: increases in utilities, rent, maintenance/service contracts, PC replacements and debt service; salaries and benefits to maintain current staff; the base budget for books and library materials is reduced nearly 40% from the 2004-2007 level.
2. Supplemental Initiative requests, as follows:
1) $413,568 to maintain the budget for books and other library materials at last year’s level — $1,050,000.
2) $97,603 to increase hours at the South Madison Branch Library.
3) $118,392 to increase hours at the Hawthorne Branch Library.
Planning
1. Reduce Neighborhood Grants from $223,000 to $163,000 to achieve the budget target.
CDBG
1. City-supported funding at 97% of the 2007 ‘base’ for neighborhood-focused services and for homeless prevention and reduction servicees., and an estimated Federal and state funding level at 100% of the 2007 base. About 88% of the total budget, including continuing projects and revolving funds, are derived from non-local sources.
2. Authorization to allocate reprogrammed and other HUD-approved funds for continuing CDBG, ESG, and HOME-funded projects for the first two quarters of 2008, through revisions to previously approved Action Plans, and allocate later-approved funds to those or to new projects during the latter part of the year, provided the total budgeted amount per project does not exceed the amount approved by the Common Council upon adoption of ths budget.
3. Community Development Office staff participation in Neighborhood Resource Teams as part of a City-wide effort to improve the quality, delivery, and coordiantion of City services to resdients.
The Office submitted $72,308 in supplmental requests, of which __________is included in the Executive budget.
Economic and Community Development
1. Adding the Office of Business Resources Service and the Street Vending to our Division.
2. A supplement for sick leave payout for the potential retirement of staff in 2008.
3. A supplement for “Jobs For a Future”.
4. Increased billings to the SR Funds.
Madison City Channel
1. Exclusion of funding for closed captioning of coverage of Madison Common Council meetings.
Comptroller
1. Salary savings budgeted at 2.9% which will be achieved by managing vacancies as they occur.
2. The transfer of the position of Safety Coordinator from the Human Resources Department to the Comptroller’s Office. Expenditures for this position are included in Service 6000 – Risk Management.
3. New inter-agency billing to the Department of Public Health – Madison and Dane County in the amount of $30,700 to provide services from the Administrative Support Team and Document Services.
4. The agency submitted two suppplemental requests totaling $182,500. However, this amount is offset with anticipated revenue to the General Fund of $700,000.
IT
1. The 2008 budget includes funding for a new 1.0 FTE position approved in the 2007 budget ;but, not funded until 2008.
2. All 39.0 authorized positions are fully funded for the full year.
3. Includes revenue from TRACS Grant of $26470 distributed between Permanent Salaries, Overtime and Fringe Benefits.
Assessor
1. The 2008 operating budget request reflect a 3% reduction in expenditures compared to the 2007 budget.
2. To assist in reaching our 2008 target amount, salary savings was increased from 2.0% to 3.50%.
3. In the 2008 Operating Budget, I am proposing a change in the organizational structure of the City Assessor’s Office. Necessitating this change is a series of on-going problems caused by a management structure that is no longer suited for the agency now that the Department of Revenue has been dissolved. I am proposing a structure that was previously in place that functioned much more effectively than the current structure by adding balance to the supervisory workload.
4. We request that the Administrative Clerk I position be restored in the 2008 Operating Budget. To achieve the target budget, we needed to eliminate this position. The primary responsibilites of this position are data entry of residential property information, front line customer service including answering the telephone, scheduling inspection appointments, answering office policies inquires, walk in for assessment information, and work on special projects during peak periods. With the deletion of this position, a gap has occured in the responsibilities within the Assessor’s Office. The Assessor’s Office assess approximately 70,000 real estate parcels. In a typical year, approximately 2,500 interior inspections are scheduled for the residential appraisers.
Senior Center
1. The basic operation of the Madison Senior Center. The City of Madison pays for building expenses, staff salaries/benefits and related supplies. Rental income from the use of the building by community groups and the public offsets the costs of the basic operation.
In addition, approximately $50,000 is raised by the Board of Directors for programs and activities. Generated by participant fees, community gifts, donations, fundraising and grants, and since 2006, by the Senior Center Foundation, these funds are not included in this budget.
The budget includes a grant funded position from the National Council on Aging, RespectAbility Program, received in March 2007. Not included in this budget is the grant funded position from the Madison Community Foundation for Intergenerational Programs which ends December 2007. These programs will not continue, unless Supplemental Request #1 is funded. This Request is a priority item identified by the Senior Center Board of Directors.
Human Resources
1. Deletion of funding for one Personnel Analyst 2 position.
2. Supplements to restore Personnel Analst 2 position either at 100% or 80%.
Municipal Court
1. Funding for a continuation of existing services.
2. The largest expenditure in purchased services is for collecting unpaid forfeiture judgements on behalf of the City which brings in revenue for the City that is not reflected in the Municipal court budget.
Public Health
This 2008 Operating Budget is the first annual budget for Public Health-Madison and Dane County—the merger of the Dane County Division of Public Health and the Madison Department of Public Health. Many Public Health programs have already been merged. Beginning in January 2008 the merger will be complete and the last pieces put into place.
The Mayor and the County Executive and their staffs worked together to give Public Health a common budget target. This operating budget meets their requirements.
This budget continues Public Health programs that were previously found in the two separate budgets. The one change is in Animal Services—the County Humane Officers were merged with the City’s Animal Control unit in March 2007. This budget includes one new full-time officer and cuts back on the use of part-time staff.
With the merger, the Department is seeking to put a uniform licensing system into place. All sanitarians now carry tablet computers and enter data into an electronic data system. This will require far less staff time to maintain while giving better access to information. The merger allows for the implementation of a uniform enforcement system, to focus on high-risk food items and establishments. Other benefits will be the County-wide implementation of the Safe Food Crew operator training program and the availability of timely information on food safety for all food operators with the Foodfacts newsletter. The cost of merging and collocating the two environmental health programs and creating uniform standards will be covered through increased license and permit fees.
There is increasing awareness of the seriousness of water borne illnesses such as Cryptosporidium and E. coli transmitted at public bathing facilities. The merger will allow Public Health to have uniform standards across the County for commercial swimming pools, including monthly water testing.
The WIC caseload has steadily increased each year. Since the two WIC programs were collocated in May 2007, there has been an increase of 300 cases. There has not been a corresponding increase in staff. This budget uses some of the increased revenue Public Health will be receiving from the increased caseload to hire a Dietetic Specialist.
This merger has been a huge challenge. While there have been some bumps along the road, but it has been accomplished without major upheavals. Most programs are already functionally merged, with County and City staff working side-by-side. This operating budget is one of the last steps in completing this merger.
Clerk
This 2008 budget request is based on an expenditure reduction of three percent.
The biggest expenses in this budget request are associated with the 2008 Presidential Election. The Clerk will try to minimize overtime and postage expenses by offering voter registration drives during Open Registration, and extending office hours to accommodate absentee voting in the City Clerk’s Office.
Treasurer
1. The 2008 budget request includes a 3% reduction in expenditures compared to the 2007 budget.
2. Interagency charges for webbilling and services to city agencies.
3. To reach our 2008 target amount, our fees and contracts were reduced through new pricing structures.
4. A supplemental request was submitted for postage costs. With the new US Postal Service fee structure, the costs for mailing tax bills, accounts payables, and animal licenses have increased more than 5%.
5. A supplemental request was submitted for Credit Card fees. With the convenience of online payments for consumers, our fees have increased substantially. The adjustment to the budget amountl must reflect the actual charges.
Metro Transit
In 2006, Metro provided over 12.0 million rides – its highest ridership level in 20 years. The proposed budget expands upon this sucess by maintaining services within the City of Madison for 2008. The Budget includes:
1. Proposed increases in fare tariffs to maintain current service levels for the City of Madison. The proposed fare tariff changes are as follows:
Adult Cash – $1.50 to $2.00
Senior/Disabled Cash – $0.75 to $1.00
Adult 10-Ride Card – $12.00 to $15.00
Senior 10-Ride Card – $7.50 to $10.00
31-Day Pass – $47.00 to $50.00
One-Day Pass – $3.40 to $4.00
Paratransit Cash Fare – Non-peak fare would be eliminated
Special Event – $4.00 to $5.00
It is estimated that the proposed fare tariff changes will provide $476,000 in additional revenue.
2. Additional funding of $600,000 to offset the escalating cost of diesel fuel.
3. Funding to lease additional office space to alleviate overcrowding that is occuring with the occupation of the current Maintenance and Administrative building for office employees.
4. A reduction in heating costs due to the installation of a garage door system in the Maintenance facility between the maintenance service area and the bus storage faciltiy as part of the City’s Natural Step program.
5. Request to add 5 additional vehicles to the total number of buses that are authorized to participate in the two year full-wrap pilot project. This change will result in $50,000 in additional advertising revenue.
6. Reduce Sunday service hours from approximately 16.5 hours to 8 hours to provide $272,700 in savings.
Public Works and Transportation
1. Continuation of the additional incremental salary and benefits of the City Engineer for service as the Director of Public Works and Transportation.
The agency submitted no supplemental budget requests.
Traffic Engineering
1. $10,000 for funding of maintenenance and support of the Intelligent Transportation System. This system uses electronic message signs and traffic condtion cameras to reduce traffic congestion and increase safety. Traffic Engineering pays the State per contract for the annual operation of this system.
2. We are requesting salary and benefit funding for a 1.0 FTE Traffic Control Maintenance Worker position. Wisconsin One-call: Diggers Hotline is a service where an individual or contractor may request that all underground utilities be marked during excavation. State law requires that TE personnel respond to to an excavation notice within 3 working days by marking the location of transmission facilities (street light conduit etc) . In addition, TE is required to provide emergency locater service within 24 hours after receiving a request for that service. One-call requests have increased from 3,048 in 2000 to 3,995 in 2006 (31% increase). One-call marking for electrical conduit requires considerable electrical experience and is a time consuming procedure.
3. We are requesting salary and benefit funding for 1.0 FTE Traffic Control Maintenance Worker. This employee responsibilities will largely pertain to bike facilities, graffiti removal, and trafic calming signage and marking. This request is in response to proposals made by Mayor’s Platinum Biking Committee Draft Report. This report will call for biclyle related devices. Furthermore, the removal of graffiti from city signs is a an increasing task. Lastly, the city has a growing inventory of traffic control devices that require perpertual maintenance.
Parking Utility
1. Advertising funds to help change the public perception of a lack of downtown parking
2, $500,000 to improve interior and exterior parking wayfinding signage
3. Credit card fees have increased from about $100,000 in 2004 to $207,000 in 2008
4. Funding of $31,000 for Transportation Demand Management
5. Payment of PILOT will be over $1 million and a payment of $190,000 to the city for usage of on-street parking stalls
6. $131,000 in consulting fees to design customer friendly and efficient facilities
Parks
A reduction of $403,000 in our operating budget to meet the required 3% cut plus absorbing various cost increases in other portions of the budget such as permanent salaries (reclasses, steps, longevity and benefits). To achieve this target, we are proposing three initiatives:
The first is an unfortunate reduction of FT and PT staff reducing the various parts of our budget by $763,601. These positons include reducing the Cemetery Admin Clerk from FT to a 50% position saving $39,672. This position will become vacant due to a retirement. Eliminating a Clerk Typist at Warner Park saving $49,111 with a minor offset of hourly charges. We will delay the hiring to fill three other positions that will become vacant due to retirements saving $85,500. We will have to eliminate 7 PWMW1 positions saving $439,675. We will eliminate 1 Equip. Oper 2 positon saving $54,036. We will reduce hourly employees by $95,607. The FT positions listed above, except for the retirements, will require eliminating positons that are currently occupied. This number reflects wages and benefits.
The secong initiative involves service reductions. The Parks leadership team has identified activities that will have the lowest impact on our customers or that can meet customer needs by participating at a near-by city location. Beside the staff savings shown above, there will be utility savings for gas, electricity and water which are reflected in our line items. These service reductions are: Eliminating lifeguard staffing at Esther Beach, Bernie’s Beach and James Madison Park. Eliminating ice skating at Goodman Park, Westmoreland Park, Garner Park and Warner Park. Eliminating the XC ski rental operation and concession operation at Odana Golf Course. Grooming will continue.
The third initiative is focused on new revenue. We are proposing a new parking fee at Warner Park for all Mallards home games and other major events in the park. The fee would be $5 / car. To reduce our cost of collecting this fee, we would bid out this work to a local non-profit organization who would staff it with volunteers in exchange for a percentage of the gross revenue. This model is in place in Sioux City and many organizations bid on the chance to receive this revenue. Our estimated revenue to the city is in the $125,000 range.
We are also proposing a minor increase in the following areas: Boat Ramp Fees, Shelter Reservations, Parking Tickets, and Special Services. Our anticipated new revenue would be $48,100. We also need to initiate a new fee with MSCR to recover our expenses associated with provided facilities to them for programs such as day camps.
Streets
1. An increase from three to four inches to the standard snowfall accumulation by which city-wide general plowing operations will be performed. General plowing operations are conducted after safe driving conditions are achieved on the City’s arterial streets, hills, and side street intersections. General plowing operations are conducted on the remaining City side streets and require the City’s full complement of plow trucks and additional private equipment. By increasing the amount of snowfall required before general plowing operations are conducted on City side streets, it is estimated that one less general plowing operation will be required, representing a budget reduction of $158,473.
2. Elimination of the litter container route. As part of the solid waste service, the Waste Oil drop off sites are serviced twice weekly. In addition various heavily used litter containers throughout the City are emptied twice weekly. Elimination of this program will result in the loss of a separate collection for these containers. Budget reduction of $47,957.
3. Elimination of sealcoating of the City’s unimproved streets. Currently, unimproved streets in the City of Madison are prepped and sealcoated on an approximate five year rotation. Budget reduction of $210,000.
4. Elimination of overtime used for snow and ice sanding operations after midnight. Budget reduction of $88,239.
5. Elimination of overtime hours for clearing snow and ice from cross walks. Walks will be cleared after all plowing, salting and sanding operations have been completed. Budget reduction of $52,280.
6. Reduce funding for public education regarding Streets Division services by $75,000.
Reduce funding for purchased services by $37,000 for the EnAct program, Community Adolescent program and landscaping.
Water Utility
1. Funding for continuation of existing services.
2. Increased funding for our unidirectional flushing program to $400,000. In 2007 we budgeted $220,000 for the unidirectional flushing program.
3. The utility will be filing a formal rate case with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in 2008 and the revenue figures in the 2008 operating budget request include an estimated 8% rate increase. The rate increase is projected to be phased in beginning with the August 2008 billing and the full 8% increase will be effective with the February 2009 billing. Our last full rate increase was granted in August of 2007 and averaged 16%. We will begin phasing in this rate increase with the October 2007 billing and it will be fully implemented with the April 2008 bills.
4. A revenue bond issue of approximately $20,000,000 is anticipated in the fall of 2007 and another of approximately $12,000,000 is expected in the summer of 2008. Our last bond issue was in June of 2006.
Golf Enterprise
The golf budget continues to be a challenge as we are experiencing a continued decline in rounds played due to two factors: The first is the number of new golf courses in our market and the second is a demographic slump in the age group most likely to be players. The National Golf Foundation has studied this issue over the past several years and they predict a continued decline in the customer base for public courses at least for the next 6 years. The daily fee non-public courses seem to be in a more difficult position. 2006 was the first year since they started keeping records that more golf courses closed than courses were constructed. Two courses in our market are looking at conversion to residential development but that market is also in the dumps at this time. The City of Madison has to address the number of City courses that our customer base can sustain.
The municipal courses face a difficult challenge in that we employ highly paid unionized employees with substantial benefit packages. The trend at municipal courses appears to be away from enterprise operation to receiving financial subsidies from their communities because of the environmental benefits and open space benfits.
By reducing FT staff, we hope to provide a balanced budget for 2008.
Municipal Pool
1. Increase in revenues for the followin new programs for a total of $19,000.
Red Cross Lifeguard Training – $4,000
Swim Team – $6,000
Additional Revenue (Facilitiy) – $5,000
New Lessons – $4,000
Police
1. The target for the Police budget offset the loss of revenue from the close of the COPS hiring grant, and included funding to maintain all positions currently authorized.
2. Additional supplemental requests totaling $891,000 were included, to request a total of 18 additional Police Officer positions needed in order to meet the growth and complexity of the city. At the end of their pre-service Academy, these officers will be utilized to address a variety of identified issues which may include patrol services, neighborhood positions, gang-related problems, training requirements, mounted patrol and/or community policing teams. Although utilization of the 2003 Staffing Study recommendations would have meant hiring an additional 27 Police Officers, most of these issues could be addressed through the addition of the 18 Officers requested.
3. Supplemental requests were also included to add desperately needed civilian support staff, including an MIS-2 position that will be utilized to match potential federal funding, an Account Clerk position in the Finance Office, and the upgrade of one Parking Enforcement Officer to a Leadworker position. The total of these requests is $89,980.
4. Continuing efforts to civilianize positions currently staffed by commissioned personnel resulted in supplemental requests for 3 positions, which include the Court Services Supervisor, the Records Section Manager, and an MIS-2 position currently filled by a commissioned Lieutenant. The total of these requests is $134,305, which includes partial year funding for the Records Section Manager and the MIS-2 positions due to anticipated delays in hiring.
5. The critical need for additional promoted positions, particularly at the command level, was addressed through a variety of supplemental requests that total $82,400.
6. The need for vehicles to be utilized by the Detectives added in 2007 and the additional commissioned staff that have been requested for 2008 resulted in supplemental requests totaling $247,000.
7. Due to changes in the availability of facilities in the future, a proposal to provide funding to assess the need for an appropriate training facility for public safety has led to a supplemental request for an additional $5,000. The Madison Fire Department will also be requesting equal funding for a portion of this study.
8. Supplemental requests totaled $2,086,355, and included $636,670 for unfunded overtime and vacation convert-to-pay.
Fire
1. The goal of maintaining a minimum staffing level; of 68. The staffing level assumes both the continuation of creative staffing methods developed by labor and management to optimize personnel resources and an absence level based on future projections and past experience.
2. Funding to conduct at least one promotional process.
3. Funding to cover changes due to agreements reached with Firefighters Local 311 Contract.
4. Upon a vacancy occuring, any Fire Inspector position may be deleted and a non-commissioned Code Enforcement Officer 3 may be created.
5. Funding of $10,000 to start a new firefighter hiring process in the last quarter of 2008.
