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<br />If we are going to close the 2003 budget gap, we are going to have to look at the additional
<br />personnel services that are being requested. Attached is a personnel services page which
<br />shows the new positions and additional work hours that are still in the 2003 budget proposal.
<br />It may not seem like we are adding many staff hours or positions, but we need to remember
<br />that included in the 2003 budget are expenses for positions that were unbudgeted but added in
<br />2002. These positions include the Information Technology position, the Environmental
<br />Assistant position, and increasing a Recreation Programmer position from half time to full-
<br />time. These additional expenses that were not in the 2002 budget are slightly offset by the
<br />elimination of the Drug Officer position that was in the 2002 budget, but which is no longer
<br />in the 2003 budget. In reference to the attached personnel services page, I think that the most
<br />vulnerable positions are the Truck Enforcement Officer ($23,250) and the Cable TV Assistant
<br />position ($17,300). Next in line would be the Police Secretary/Receptionist ($8,150), reducing
<br />the Recreation Building Supervisor ($9,000), and elimination of the Fire Specialist position
<br />($9,900). The above five changes in personnel services equals $67,600.
<br />
<br />I am not necessarily recommending that all of the requested personnel noted in the above
<br />paragraph be eliminated, but I do think that some of them have to be eliminated in order to
<br />achieve a balanced budget. You need to know that if there are no additional hours for the
<br />Cable TV program, then we will simply be maintaining our existing system and not expanding
<br />programs. Also, if the Lions Park Center is used to the extent that we hope, then we will be
<br />short on hours that will be needed to supervise this facility during the evenings. The Fire
<br />Prevention Specialist is also a very desirable position and any hours that can be dedicated to
<br />this program will be beneficial.
<br />
<br />Another item to consider in trying to balance the 2003 budget is the capital outlay item that
<br />remains in the general fund budget. Attached are proposed capital outlay expenditures for
<br />2003. (Also attached is the 2002 capital outlay page for comparison purposes,) Most of the
<br />Voice Playall System expense in the general fund could be eliminated and not purchased or
<br />this item could be approved and moved to equipment reserves, However, if there are no
<br />capital outlay expenses in the general fund budget in 2003, it makes it difficult to have $50,000
<br />or so of capital expenses in the general fund in 2004. I don't believe it is a good practice to not
<br />have any capital outlay expenditures in the annual general fund operating budget.
<br />
<br />Another note regarding the items on the capital outlay page is the Truck Enforcement
<br />expenditure in the amount of $57,200. If the Truck Enforcement position is eliminated then
<br />this expense is also eliminated, However, if this equipment and truck are eliminated, then the
<br />Police Department would like to add another marked squad. Even with this additional squad,
<br />the equipment certificate amount would go down by $27,400, which would bring the total
<br />expenditure for equipment certificates to just under $330,000.
<br />
<br />I have already gone through the initial budget requests and made over $40,000 in reductions in
<br />various departmental line items so it will be hard to "sharpen the pencil" much more.
<br />Nonetheless, there was a sheet distributed on August 26,2002, that was titled "Last resort
<br />budget options" so everyone should know that we can make cuts into some programs. Asking
<br />me to identify another $5,000 or so in reduction would not be too difficult. However, finding
<br />another $10,000 in cuts would lead me to start looking at: the $10,000 Arts Contribution, the
<br />$9,000 tree coupon program, the $95,000 street overlay/seal coating program, the $5,000
<br />optical imaging contract for Police, the $10,000 snow removal contractual service program,
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