MINUTES
COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
MARCH 28, 2014
The unofficial Special Called Meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia
was called to order at 9:04 A.M., Friday, March 28, 2014, in the Council
Chambers, Second Floor of City Services Center, Columbus, Georgia. Honorable
Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor presiding.
*** *** ***
PRESENT: Present other than Mayor Tomlinson and Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Turner
Pugh were Councilors Mike Baker, Berry Henderson, and Judy W. Thomas.
Councilor Evelyn Woodson arrived at 9:07 a.m. City Manager Isaiah Hugley, City
Attorney Clifton Fay, and Deputy Clerk of Council Sandra Davis were also
present.
*** *** ***
ABSENT: Councilors R. Gary Allen, Jerry ?Pops? Barnes, Glenn Davis, Bruce Huff
and Charles E. McDaniel, Jr. were absent. Also, Clerk of Council Tiny B.
Washington was absent.
*** *** ***
QUORUM: Mayor Tomlinson announced that there is no quorum; therefore, this
meeting could not constitute an official business meeting. She noted that on
April 8, 2014, the budget would be physically submitted, as long as there is a
quorum, to ensure compliance with the Georgia statute.
*** *** ***
INVOCATION: Offered by Chaplin Roy Isasi- Columbus Police Department.
*** *** ***
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Led by Mayor Tomlinson.
--------------------------------------------------------------------***
*** ***----------------------------------------------------------------
MAYOR?S AGENDA:
POPULATION INCREASE:
Mayor Tomlinson announced that the City of Columbus has grown in
population to 202,000 with our sister cities: Augusta and Macon showing a
reduction in population.
*** *** ***
MAYOR?S BUDGET MESSAGE AND PRESENTATION OF THE FY2015 RECOMMENDED BUDGET
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2014 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2015:
Mayor Tomlinson outlined the Year 2015 Recommended Budget in a power point
presentation. Provided below is a summarization of the presentation and is
listed as follows: (A copy of the entire power presentation has been filed for
the record.)
FY 2015 Mayor?s Recommended Budget
? Is a Balanced Budget
? Eliminates an $11 Million Deficit
? Reforms Systemic Deficits and Sets Forth a Plan to Reverse General Fund
Reserve Drawdown
? Prevents 80-120 Jobs from Being Lost
? Prevents Dramatic Reduction in Services
? Maintains a Level of Service and Quality of Life Commensurate with a
Top-Tier, Mid-Sized City
The Basics ? Recommended Budget
? $263,097,415
? .05% Reduction from the FY 2014 Approved Budget
? Maintains a 60.69 Day General Fund Reserve
? Meets City Requirements (Res. No. 244-11) and Government Finance Officers
Association Best Practices Recommendations
? Strikes a Balance of Four Competing Budget Interests
? Prior Steps Taken to Reverse General Fund Drawdown
? Pension Reform - $2.2 Million in Savings to Date; $27-$28 Million in Savings
in 15 years
? $235,000 in Savings from Worker?s Compensation Administration Reform
? Health and Wellness Center ? Reducing Costs to Employees by Hundreds of
Thousands of Dollars, Reducing the Rise in Healthcare Costs
? Reducing Third-Party Subsidies
FY 2015 Budget Plan to Reverse General Fund Drawdown
? Cost Containment Through Reforms and Revenue Enhancement Through User Fees
? Continue Prior Successful Reforms, Which Not Only Reduce Costs But Create a
Sustainable Structure
? Reform CCG Healthcare System Saving $4.5 Million and Creating a Sustainable
Healthcare Structure
? Implement User Fees to Off-Set Costs Depleting General Fund
? Set Department Budgetary Limits and Require Fidelity Through Regular Council
Reviews
? Begin Process of Reforming Our Tax Assessor?s Office and Systems
FY 2015 Budget Assumptions
? $4.5 Million Healthcare Fund Deficit
? $6.5 Million General Operation Fund Deficit
? .5%/.25% Cost of Living Adjustment (01/03/15)
? 22% Reduction on Third-Party Subsidies
? No Capital Replacement (General Fund/OLOST)
? 1% Tax Digest Increase
? $0.86 (86 cent) Increase in Monthly Garbage Fee - $15.00
? 60.69 Day in General Fund Reserve
? Deputy Chief Tax Assessor
With No Restructuring of Healthcare
? We Would Have to Balance a $4.5 Million Healthcare Deficit
? Healthcare Cost Per Employee Would Increase from $5,650 to $7,381
? There Would Be An Additional 2.2% Pro Rata Department Budget Reduction to
Cover Employee Cost Increase
? 80 Jobs Would Be Threatened
? Citizen Services Would Be Impacted
Restructuring Employee Healthcare ?
$23.7 Million Healthcare Program
Restructure Proposal Projected Savings
Eliminate Spousal Coverage for those with Access to $1,180,341
Other Employer Coverage
City Pays Base Sum Toward Healthcare Cost Equal $1,666,645
To 70% of HWC Plan
Raise HMO/PPO Out of Pocket Maximum to $6,350/ $ 508,796
$12/700
Increase HMO/PPO Deductible to $1,000/$2,000 $ 888,663
Increase HWC Deductible to $500/$1,000 $ 140,142
Increase Rx Copays to $20/$40/$60 $ 119,499
TOTAL SAVINGS $4,504,086
User Fees
? $0.86 (86 cents) Increase in Monthly Garbage Fee (from $14.14 to $15.00).
? Monthly Garbage Fee for Years Has Not Paid for Our Integrated Waste Fund.
? Subsidies to Integrated Waste Fund and Capital Expenditures for Garbage
Trucks and Landfill Equipment Have Stressed our General Fund.
? $2+ Million Subsidy from our General Fund in past 6 years for Required
Capital Expenditures Alone.
? Fee Increase Will Raise $567,600 for Integrated Waste Fund.
? Other Recommended User Fees 0f $803,000 Across Several Departments Will Curb
General Fund Support of Services Provided.
Additional Budget Balancing Strategies
? Postpone Regular Capital Expenditures to Replace Equipment
? Continue Our Hiring Freeze
? Enhance Our Economic Development Fund with Bond Refinancing Interest Savings
? Move Our NCR Installment from General Fund to Economic Development Fund
? Restructure Our Financial Commitment to the Housing Authority for BTW to 2016
? Postpone .5%/.25% COLA to January 3, 2015
Targeted Budget Adjustments
? Unfund All Vacant Employee Positions in General Fund So Those Monies Remain
in General Fund Reserve Until Position Is Filled ($2.3 Million Budget Impact or
5.7 Reserve Days)
? Set Sheriff?s Office Overtime Budget to $350,000 ($1.15 Million Budget Impact
or 2.75 Reserve Days)
? Set Police Department Overtime Budget to $350,000 ($524,982 Budget Impact or
1.25 Reserve Days)
? Positions Sought to be Filled or Additional Overtime Funds Needed Can be
Brought to Council as a Budget Amendment
Across the Board Cuts
? After Recommended Reforms and Adjustments - $825,000 Deficit
? Across All Departments ? General Gov?t, Public Safety and Elected Official
Offices ? 1.5% Budget Cut
? GREATLY Reduced Impact from the $11 Million Deficit We Faced at the Beginning
of Budget Process ($11 Million = 7% Across the Board Cut to ALL Departments or
a 33% Cut to Just General Government Departments)
? All Departments Must Participate in Across the Board 1.5% Cut or Impact to
Other Departments Is Increased
Councilor Henderson said that we required that any unfilled positions that
need to be filled would have to be brought before this Council, but this was
modified to any hire that exceeds a three-step jump in order to allow some of
our public safety departments to not lose out on recruits. He asked does this
need to be changed if we want to be consistent with the suggestion that every
hire come before this Council. He also asked if there would be an issue with
allowing Public Safety to hire personnel when they are available, at which
time, Mayor Tomlinson responded that this is consistent with what the Council
has adopted and the current practice.
*** *** ***
With there being no other business to come before this Council, Mayor
Tomlinson announced that this meeting is adjourned with Councilors Allen,
Barnes, Davis, Huff and McDaniel being absent for the meeting with the time
being 9:40 a.m.
Sandra T. Davis, CDMC
Deputy Clerk of Council
Council of Columbus, Georgia
Attachments
No attachments for this document.