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City Council Minutes <br />September 6, 2011 <br />Page 4 <br />10. Other Business • <br />Councilmember Motin asked that IT staff look at options for improving cell phone <br />service/reception in City Hall as he has difficulty getting and receiving calls. <br />11. Council Updates <br />Mayor Dietz stated the city should do the Pledge of Allegiance prior to the start of each <br />Council meeting. Consensus was to add it to each meeting. <br />12. Staff Updates <br />Mr. Thistle questioned if there were any concerns with the expenses outlined in the <br />informational staff report regarding the recreation move to city hall. <br />Council consensus was to move forward with the recommendations in the staff report <br />including Option 1. <br />RECESS TO WORKSESSION <br />Council recessed to worksession at 7:33 p.m. and reconvened in the conference room at 7:45 <br />p.m. <br />9.1. 2012 Budget <br />Mr. Simon presented the staff report. • <br />Mayor Dietz reviewed and provided a handout regarding his opinion for the 2012 budget. <br />He asked staff to review some of the options in the handout. He stated he doesn't want a tax <br />rate increase. It was clarified that the $115,000 listed in the handout as coming from the <br />Landfill Abatement Fund was really the Host Fee. He stated he will vote for the maximum <br />levy at this time but reserves the right to vote against the levy in December if it doesn't come <br />down drastically. <br />Councilmember Motin stated he liked some of the options in the handout and felt they <br />could be accomplished. He stated he had some concerns with the city service levels cracking <br />and thinks the city may need to increase the tax rate but not the total budget. <br />Councilmember Zerwas concurred with some of Mayor Dietz's comments, specifically with <br />staff reductions in the building department and with Energy City. He stated Energy City and <br />Project Conserve are nice to have programs to have but in today's economy aren't what <br />taxpayers expect as a service provided by the city. He agreed that Elk River Municipal <br />Utilities could pick up portions of Project Conserve as an energy savings program. He stated <br />that due to passing the union contract, it is imperative to do a Cost of Living Adjustment of <br />1.5 or 2%. He would propose eliminating Energy City and Project Conserve and if this <br />occurs, to reduce hours of the environmental staff. He stated he has no issues with keeping <br />the maximum levy flat. <br />Councilmember Gumphrey disagreed. He stated the city has been running at a minimum for <br />many years which has cost the city an administration job. He stated the city needs to add • <br />staff if it is going to continue current service level. He stated the Council needs to look <br />