march 30 2023 town council budget work session approved minutes

Town Council of Centreville Budget Work Session March 30, 2022 5:30 p.m.

M I N U T E S

The March 30, 2022, Town Council budget work session was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by President Steven K.

Kline at the Vincit Building, 110 Vincit Street, Planning & Zoning Meeting Room. The following members and staff were present: Steven K. Kline, President; Ashley H. Kaiser, Vice President; Eric B. Johnson, Jr., Daniel B.

Worth, and Jim A. Beauchamp, Members; Charles (Chip) Koogle, Town Manager; Karen Luffman, Finance Officer; Chief Robert Hobbs, Centreville Police Department; Clifford (Kip) Matthews, Director of Public Works;

Krystel Ebaugh, Human Resources Manager; Ashley Russ, Finance Specialist; and Carolyn Brinkley, Town Clerk.

Citizens Forum No citizens offered comments.

Discussion  Debt Schedule/Funds Balance o Mr. Kline revisited the debt reduction proposal that was discussed at the previous budget work session.

o Mr. Koogle discussed the phased approach in which only the interest earned would be used and the principal amount would not be touched so as not to reduce the amount of interest earned each month.

o Mr. Kline stated he was in favor of the phased payments using interest to pay off the 2012 bond and the ARRA bond.

o There was consensus to move forward with the phased approach.

o Ms. Luffman stated that she was in favor of the phased approach as well.

o Mr. Beauchamp suggested, if using the phased approach, take the payment out of the principal but only in the amount of the interest earned.

o Mr. Koogle stated he is being watchful of the balance due to funding requests for the rehabilitation of streets where a match may be required.

 Health Insurance o Ms. Ebaugh stated A92 – Administration and B10 – Police have corrected sheets outlining salaries and benefits.

o Ms. Kaiser stated she was concerned about employees of varying salary ranges paying the same amount for insurance.

o After additional discussion, the Town Council will look at the percentage breakdown of health insurance based on salary and determine if any policy changes are warranted. This will take place following the new fiscal year.

o Ms. Kaiser made a motion to approve the health insurance as presented with the caveat that a policy change will be discussed following the new fiscal year. Mr. Johnson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Council Members Yes No Beauchamp X Worth X Johnson X Kaiser X Kline X  Software o Ms. Luffman stated the list of updated software requests were included in the Council’s packets. The amount was reduced to $55,660.

o Ms. Kaiser stated she would like to see the list of software and to include the purpose of each software package.

2023-03-30 TC-Budget WS Approved Minutes o Ms. Kaiser asked for changes from each meeting to be reflected in the updated budget packet.

o Mr. Worth asked if the City-Wide software program could be purchased with a grant since it is a database system that tracks all the Town’s infrastructure. Mr. Koogle will look in to this.

 Department Budgets o A92 – Administration  There was discussion regarding a new position within the Finance Office and a new administrative assistant for the front office at Town Hall.

 After discussion, and by consensus, the Town Council was in support of the proposed new Finance Office position.

 After some discussion, and by consensus, the Town Council was not in favor of the proposed administrative assistant position for the front office at Town Hall. Mr. Beauchamp suggested revisiting this position when finalizing the budget.

o B10 – Police Department  Ms. Luffman reported that there is an overall increase of $326,589 and an additional officer is being requested.

 Mr. Worth stated he was in favor of more overtime instead of a new officer.

 Mr. Johnson stated he was in favor of a new officer but suggested reviewing later when finalizing the budget.

 Mr. Kline was not in favor of an additional officer.

 Mr. Beauchamp was not in favor of an additional officer.

 Ms. Kaiser was not in favor of an additional officer.

 Chief Hobbs requested the Town Council look at reorganizing the Department and add an additional lieutenant position. He stated there used to be two (2) lieutenant positions however, one was removed a few years ago.

 Mr. Kline stated that the Chief should be able to manage his own organizational chart as he sees fit.

o B22 – Goodwill Fire Company  By consensus, the Town Council was not in favor of increasing the amount donated to Goodwill Fire Company until they come in and speak before the Town Council.

o C11 – Streets  Ms. Luffman reported that the Highway User Revenues (HUR) has increased an additional $60,000.

 Employees previously working in the Water/Wastewater Department have been moved to Streets since the Maryland Environmental Service has taken over running the plant.

 Ms. Luffman reported the allocation of cost transfer is at 25%. Mr. Matthews reported that the two (2) employees that were moved from W/WW to Streets do still read meters, repair pivots at the farm, and other water/wastewater duties.

 Mr. Matthews stated that any remaining funds leftover/saved each year was supposed to be rolled into capital for the next fiscal year and it has not been. Mr. Kline stated he feels this should happen each year.

 There was a discussion regarding DPW vehicles and Ms. Kaiser stated that she feels the same way about employees and vehicles as she did with the improvements made to Town Hall; that staff should work in a professional environment – and this includes vehicles.

o C22 – Waste Removal  The current contract is still in effect and the yearly increase has been included.

o D10 – Parks  Mr. Kline inquired about the trail that was earmarked in last year’s budget. Ms. Luffman stated that this money was encumbered for $128,500. It is currently being staked out and the request for proposal will be sent out soon.

 Ms. Kaiser inquired about additional funds for the Park Advisory Board. Ms. Luffman reported that this is a revolving account and they currently have approximately $12,000 at this time.

2023-03-30 TC-Budget WS Approved Minutes o H40 – Main Street  Ms. Kaiser inquired about the $1,100 revenue listed for the Farmers’ Market. Ms. Brinkley reported that Ms. D’Agostino typically does a marketing event for the Farmers’ Market in which she will solicit donations and those donations are used to make bags to give away to participants of the Farmers’ Market. Ms. Kaiser requested that an expense line for the

Farmers’ Market be added to the budget to show these expenses.

Citizens Forum No citizens were present to offer comments.

Motion to Adjourn Ms. Kaiser made a motion to adjourn the March 30, 2023 Town Council budget work session. Mr. Johnson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Carolyn M. Brinkley Town Clerk Action Items:

1. There was consensus to move forward with the phased approach presented for paying off debt but taking

from the principal and replacing it with the incoming interest.

2. Approve the health insurance as presented with the caveat that a policy change will be discussed following

the new fiscal year.

Council Members Yes No Beauchamp X Worth X Johnson X Kaiser X Kline X

3. By consensus, the Town Council was in support of the proposed new Finance Office position.

4. By consensus, the Town Council was not in favor of the proposed administrative assistant position for the

front office at Town Hall.

5. By consensus, the Town Council was not in favor of increasing the amount donated to Goodwill Fire

Company until they come in and speak before the Town Council.

2023-03-30 TC-Budget WS Approved Minutes