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12/07/2009-CC-Minutes-Work SessionMINUTES: CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION December 7, 2009 PRESENT: Mayor Joe Higgs, Councilman Russell Martin, Councilman Andy Garza, Councilman Robert Patton, Councilman Glenn Ervin, Councilman Thomas Muir OTHERS PRESENT: Mike Brice City Manager, Rose Chavez City Secretary/Asst. City Manager, Tami Taber Assistant to the City Manager/HR, Cheryl Estes 1.Call Meeting to Order. Mayor Higgs called meeting to order. 2.Presentation by Ms. Cheryl Estes, CPA on the new Financial Statement Layout and Changes in the Budget Format. Ms. Estes, CPA specializing in government accounting gave a Power Point Presentation on the layout and changes in the City’s budget format. Ms. Estes became involved with the City after our last audit. GASB 34 changed the accounting practices and placed compliance requirements in the method auditors had to conduct the audits and in the presentation of governmental financial statements. The other requirement is that the responsibility is now on management instead of auditors to meet those financial requirement standards. In the past, smaller cities relied on their auditors to make the year end adjustments and to put them in the correct format in the audit financial presentations. The auditors can’t do this for cities anymore. This is the reason cities outsource their government accounting to be in compliance with those governmental standards. Her responsibility is to make sure those year-end adjustments are made and that she trains staff on the procedures that have to be followed concerning the financial statements. The presentation also included the financial reports for revenues and expenditures for the General and Enterprise Fund and the expected percent of budgeted revenue versus actual. She also discussed the reports that reflect restricted, unrestricted cash, debt service and the funds available for bond capital projects. Ms. Estes will be preparing the cash reports on a monthly basis to allow the Council the opportunity to view the cash flow on a monthly basis. There was a brief discussion concerning the reports. The detail revenue summary on the reports from Incode is basically the same information on the reports Ms. Estes presented but in a different format. Ms. Estes projected percentages are on estimate based on previous revenue collections. 3.Presentation by Ms. Tami Taber on a Discount Prescription Drug Program for the Citizens of Sanger. Tami Taber Assistant to the City Manager/HR addressed the Council concerning a discount prescription drug program for the citizens. She indicated she had attended a TML conference and found this at a display booth for the National League of Cities. There are more than 300 cities in 41 states that are enrolled. The cost is a $949.00 membership fee a year for the City. This program does not have enrollment fees, no limits on the amount of times it is used and does not have an age or income requirement. The average savings to the individual is 20% of the retail cost for the prescription. The City will provide discount cards with the City’s logo. The other benefit to the City is the program provides discount on conferences and grants. They also lobby on federal issues that affect municipalities. Ms. Taber advised she did a 10-mile radius of pharmacies that participate and it included S&J, Albertsons, Kroger, and pharmacies of Drug Emporium, CVS and Walgreen’s. Councilman Muir asked if the plan is endorsed by the National League of Cities. He indicated it sounds like a good plan. Ms. Taber indicated that it was endorsed by the National League of Cities. Mr. Brice indicated that basically the City will be paying for a membership to the National League of Cities. This is a benefit they provide to the members. The City is not endorsing them so we can get the prescription cards. The City is not competing with other insurance companies. Councilman Martin asked if there were other benefits. Ms. Taber indicated there will be discount for conferences and seminars. They also provide information and assistance for grant applications. The discussion continued concerning the membership fees. This prescription card can be used by anyone and it is not a requirement that they have insurance. Council discussed to possibly advertise it on the website to get the information out to the public. Tami indicated that the prescription card will be available for the citizens at City Hall and the Library. 4.Discussion on December 21st Meeting. The City Manager indicated that he did not have any pressing business for the next couple of weeks and did not see the need for Council to have the meeting on the 21st of December. The Council concurred not to have the meeting. 5. Discussion of Ordinance on Solicitation by Non-Profit Organizations. The City Manager indicated that the City ordinance for soliciting addresses only door- to-door vendors and it does not address groups that ask for donations for non-profit organizations. The problem with the current ordinance is that once a group gets this permit it is good for one year. It does not address the type of permit that is needed to have more control for these types of organizations. The City can make it more restrictive on non-profit organizations in what they can do at a street corner, including not allowing them. The City Manager emphasized that if it is not allowed then it will apply to all non-profit groups, for example, our Fire Department when they conduct “fill the boot” campaign. The restrictions have to be the same for every group. The Council needs to decide what is allowed. The solicitors need to provide the necessary information that allows them to work in the United States and require background checks for everyone. The discussion continued concerning the criteria for background checks. It was also discussed that when they set up on private properties the owner is giving permission. Councilman Garza and Mayor Higgs emphasized they are not in support of allowing solicitation. The Council discussed this at length. All the Council agreed that they do not want to allow solicitation. The City Manager indicated he will prepare something to bring back to Council. 6.Overview of Items on Regular Agenda. The City Manager reviewed the items on the agenda. On item 3 (b) on the agenda he discussed that the County had revised the Interlocal Agreement to add a piece on the north end of Metz Road that is also inside the City limits. A brief discussion followed. On item (5) a brief discussion on how the candidates were selected to serve on this board. On item (6) the ordinance is to rename 5th Street that will extend east from south Keaton Road, over to Interstate 35, east to Cowling Road, then north to FM 455/Chapman Drive, and northwest back to Interstate 35. If adopted, the City will replace street signs that refer to Loop 138 with signs for 5th Street. There will also be signs installed at the intersection of 5th Street at Keaton Road. TX Dot has advised they will help in replacing the signage. Councilman Garza indicated that the lights on the overpass going west are not operational and making the curb to get onto the service road is dangerous. The Mayor also indicated that the lights on the east side are not working. There were discussions concerning extending the sidewalks from 5th back down to the sidewalk. The crossover has been cut as a project by TX Dot due to lack of funding. 7.Adjournment. Mayor Higgs adjourned the meeting.