Minutes of the Centerville City Council budget work session held Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 6:00 p.m. in the Centerville City Council Chambers, 250 North Main, Centerville Utah.

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Mayor: Michael L. Deamer

Council Members: Paul Cutler

Jack Dellastatious

David R. Gutke

R. Dean Layton

Debbie L. Randall

STAFF PRESENT: Steve Thacker, City Manager

Blaine Lutz, Finance Director/Assistant City Manager

Mike Bennett, Intern

Karrie Carlson, Recording Secretary

DISPATCH SERVICES

Mayor Deamer and the Council discussed the dispatch system for the South Davis Metro Fire Agency (SDMFA). Dispatching has become more complicated since the consolidation of the Fire District. Since the consolidation, all fire calls are being dispatched through Bountiful dispatch and police calls for Centerville are being dispatched, as they have in the past, through the County. This is becoming a problem because there are some delays and inconsistencies in the process. There has been some pressure from SDMFA to join with Bountiful for full dispatch services, but there is a significant cost increase. The Council agrees that a total consolidation for dispatch services is in the best interest for the residents in the SDMFA. The Council will continue discussing options to determine the best solution to the problem. It is too early to determine a final date for dispatch consolidation, but the Council agrees that they would like to have this issue resolved by next fiscal year.

PAY RAISE AND HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS

Steve Thacker, City Manager, reviewed his recommendation regarding cost share percentages for health insurance with the Council. The Council reviewed comparisons for premium increases for FY 2005 and FY 2006, as well as a survey of surrounding cities and their cost/share percentages between the City and employees. The City Manager recommended adding an additional ½ percent funding to his proposed budget to provide 3½ percent for normal pay raises and 1 percent for additional compensation for outstanding performers. The additional ½ percent for wages would cost about $11,750 in the General Fund. The Council discussed the increase in heath insurance premiums and the best way to share the increase between the City and employees. In last year’s budget the City was paying either 85 percent or 95 percent of the employee health insurance premium (depending what plan they chose). This increase will change the amount the City will now pay for employee premiums. Councilman Dellastatious was in favor of allocating more money from the budget to cover the increase in premiums and leaving the employer/employee contribution percentages the same.

Councilman Dellastatious made a motion to appropriate an additional $45,000 into the proposed budget to keep the current allocation of health insurance premiums at a 95/5 and 85/15 percent cost share for the employer and employees. This motion failed due to lack of a second.

Councilman Gutke made a motion to adopt the City Manager’s proposal for pay raises and authorize up to an additional $10,000 to equitably allocate among the health plan options for a 50/50 employer/employee cost share of the increase in the insurance premiums. The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Randall and passed by a 3-2 roll-call vote. Councilmen Cutler and Dellastatious voted in opposition of the motion.

OTHER BUDGET ISSUES

Neal Worsley, Police Chief, has requested the hiring of two full-time police officers. One would replace an already existing vacancy and the other police officer would be a new position. Some Council members questioned whether a new police officer is justified for this fiscal year, or if it could wait until next year. The Police Chief will be present at the City Council meeting to answer questions regarding this subject.

At 6:55 p.m. the meeting was adjourned.

Marilyn Holje, City Recorder Date Approved

Karrie Carlson, Recording Secretary