Columbus, Georgia

Georgia's First Consolidated Government

Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia, 31902-1340
(706) 653-4013
fax (706) 653-4016

Council Members

MINUTES

BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE

May 20, 2008





Members Present: Chairperson Skip Henderson, Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Turner Pugh

and Councilors Wayne Anthony, R. Gary Allen, Mike Baker, Jerry ?Pops? Barnes,

Berry Henderson, Julius Hunter, Jr., Charles McDaniel and Evelyn Woodson. Also

present were City Manager Isaiah Hugley, City Attorney Clifton Fay, Deputy City

Managers David Arrington and Lisa Goodwin, Finance Director Pam Hodge, Clerk of

Council Tiny Washington and Administrative Secretary Shondell Duncan.



Members Absent: Councilor Davis was absent.







Call to Order: Chairperson Henderson called the meeting to order at 1:40 pm in

the Council Chambers, Plaza Level, of the Government Center.





Chairperson Henderson said, even though it is not said often enough, he do

want to acknowledge the staff of the Finance Department under Director Hodge?s

leadership and all the different departments for their hard work in compiling

this budget. He also said that this meeting should be very short ? there are

two items on the Add/Delete list.



*** *** ***



FY09 RECOMMENDED BUDGET:



City Manager Hugley said this should be the final budget meeting for this

proposed FY09 budget.



Director Hodge said there are two issues on the Add/Delete list: the

increase for retirees at 1 ?% beginning October 1, 2008 - at $168,000 and the

removal of the new position in the sewer fund (Data Technician) and move those

funds over to CIP which would have a zero dollar effect ? in both cases, the

total expenditure for the operating funds is $210,751,819.00; total revenues -

$209,565,634.00 and use

of fund balance $1.1 million out of the general fund and $44,000 out of the

parking management.



Director Hodge said the increase for the retirees ? they went back and

looked at the funding source for that and it can be done out of salary savings.

She said we would not see the total effect of the increase for the retirees

until the following fiscal year when the contributions to the pension fund will

increase.



In response to a question from Chairperson Henderson, Director Hodge said

the increase for the retirees would start October 1, 2008, which is the same

time as that of the general government employees.



Director Hodge said there were two job reclassifications instead of the new

position (Data technician) and the funding for this will be transferred to the

CIP for sewer rehab and the total fund will not change.



Mayor Pro Tem Turner Pugh then made a motion to approve the two items on

the Add/Delete list as presented by Director Hodge. Seconded by Councilor

Henderson and carried unanimously by those nine members of Council present with

Councilor Davis being absent from this meeting.



City Manager Hugley said he would like to mention the handout provided,

which is a referral from Councilor Davis regarding the public safety special

teams and information requested by Councilor Woodson regarding special

certification in general government.



Mayor Pro Tem Turner Pugh asked if these positions were graded by UGA

during the initial study.



Director of Human Resource Tom Barron said he spoke with Dr. Condry last

week to verify Mayor Pro Tem Turner Pugh?s question about hazardous duty being

included in the evaluation and he confirmed that they were.



Councilor Woodson said when she was bringing up an issue about the one-cent



sales tax, and what Council was doing for city employees, she was told that it

was

going to be addressed in the budget session. She said during the budget

session, how it was addressed was with the pay plan ? bringing it up to 100%

but she said she wants to go on the record by saying she is not satisfied with

that.

She said she still wants to see (once Council knows if the one-cent sales tax

will pass) what else can be done for our city employees.



City Manager Hugley said this would apply in next fiscal year budget.



Chairperson Henderson pointed out that what Councilor Woodson is referring

to is not from the one-cent sales tax but rather something in addition from a

separate revenue string ? whether it is fund balance, general operating revenue

or something else. It will not be coming out of the one-cent sales tax.



Director Hodge said the other two items to be discussed today are the

public hearings and the advertising schedule. She said the advertising would be

in the newspaper next Tuesday; one is advertising and notice of public hearing

for the FY09 Budget on June 3, 2008 at 5:30 pm- this will be the first reading

of the budget ordinance. The other is the notice of the property tax increase.

This notice is saying that we are going to collect because of the increase in

the digest, more tax dollars than we would have collected in FY08. She

cautioned that this is not to say that an individual will receive a higher tax

bill, but rather this is in total because of the increase in the digest we

expect more taxes. She said the language in the ad is a requirement from the

State and as such, cannot be changed.



Director Hodge further provided the following dates:



June 3, 2008 ? Taxpayers Bill of Rights Public Hearing ? 9:00 a.m.

Taxpayers Bill of Rights Public Hearing 6:00 p.m.

First reading of the Budget Ordinance

Advertise Taxpayers Bill of Rights Public Hearing

Advertise 5-year History tax Millage



June 10, 2008 ? Taxpayers Bill of Rights Public Hearing ? 9:00 a.m.

Second reading of the Budget Ordinance

First reading of Millage Ordinance



June 17, 2008 ? Second reading of Millage Ordinance



Councilor Woodson asked if this was appropriate that once this goes out to

the newspaper if it can also be advertised on the Access Channel clarifying

what it is especially for those not watching today.



Chairperson Henderson expressed his thankfulness to the staff (especially

Finance Department) for their hard work.





*** *** ***



With there being no further questions/comments regarding this session of

this budget FY09 proposal, Councilor Woodson made a motion for adjournment.

Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Turner Pugh and carried unanimously by those nine

members of Council present for this meeting with Councilor Davis being absent

and the time being 2:05 P.M.







Tiny Washington, CMC

Clerk of Council

The Council of Columbus, Georgia

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