September 4, 2012
The 2012-2013 Budget Hearing and Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council was held on Sept. 4, 2012, in the Blue Springs City Hall, Blue Springs, NE. PRESENT: Mayor Meyer, Council members Mewes, Neumann, Reedy, Wolf ABSENT:
OTHER ATTENDEES: Mike Pike, Connie Mewes, Jan Morris, Jennifer Busboom, Gladys Cary Notice of the meeting/hearing was given in advance by posting in at least three public places as shown by the certificate of posting placed on file. Notice of the hearing/meeting was simultaneously given to the Mayor and all members of the City Council and a copy of their acknowledgment of receipt and agenda are placed on file. Availability of the agenda was communicated in the advance notice and in the advance notice to the Mayor and City Council of the hearing/meeting. Proceedings hereafter shown were taken while the convened hearing/meeting was open to public attendance.
At 7:30 PM, Mayor Meyer called the Regular meeting to order and roll call was taken. A motion was made by Council member Wolf, seconded by Mewes, and followed by a 4-0 affirmative vote to approve as sent the August 21, 2012, Regular meeting minutes. After review of claims, a motion was made by Council member Neumann, seconded by Mewes, and followed by a 4-0 affirmative vote to approve claims as follows: Salaries - $2,601.93; Auto-Bank Payment - Internal Revenue (941) - $1,684.94; Abbott Portables- (Municipal Publicity) - $180.00; Arbor Ink - $25.71; Blobaum & Busboom (Preliminary Budget) - $1,060.00; Blue Springs Fireman’s Memorial Hall - (Municipal Publicity) - $75.00; Circle D - $460.00; Eldon Izer (Tel.) - $5.00; Lincoln Journal Star/Lee Newspapers (Municipal Publicity) - $491.50; More Than Games - (Municipal Publicity - $160.00; Municipal Supply - $1,287.48; NE Dept. of Revenue (94) - $25.00; NE Dept. of Revenue (501N) - $276.50; Norris Public Power - $1,323.32; Milton Pike (Health Ins.) - $390.25; Milton Pike - (Tel.) - $25.00; Milton Pike (Reimb.) - $8.55; Gene (Radar) Reedy - Municipal Publicity Reimbursements - $466.87; Security First (Pike - IRA) - $55.00; Uhl’s Sporting Goods (Trophies - Municipal Publicity ) - $635.00; Wymore Oil Company - $371.99; TOTAL CLAIMS: $11,609.04.PUBLIC HEARING - 2012-2013 ANNUAL BUDGET - 7:30 PM (BLOBAUM/BUSBOOM):
At 7:32 PM, Mayor Meyer officially opened the 2012-2013 Budget Hearing, and called for comments and questions from Council and others in attendance.
Jennifer Busboom summarized, with regard given to existing projects, and those previously identified/anticipated. 2012-2013 Budget Notes: The City appears to be continuing to produce revenues in excess of regular operating expenditures. The General All-Purpose Fund is producing roughly $7,000 per year (the same as last year), and the Keno Fund is producing roughly $50,000 per year(decreased from previous). These funds produced are held in reserve available for capital outlays (paving, new equipment, water lines, etc.)... It is estimated that as of October 1, 2012, you will have cash reserves of about $125,000 General and $400,000 Keno. This compares to the prior year amounts of $180,000 General and $350,000 Keno... For the year 2012-2013, proposed budget property tax has been left at the levy limit of 45 cents, which increases the tax request from $26,766 to $27,901. This increase (of approx. 4.24%) is due to higher total assessed valuation for the City from $5,948,180 to $6,200,294... Of this amount $243,987 (approx. 4.1%) is attributable to new growth… Other operating revenues have been estimated conservatively at $110,000 based on the prior year amounts for the general funds, plus $300,00 for the potential CDBG project.. $475,000 has been included in other operating revenues based upon prior years’ estimated Keno game gross proceeds... $863,000 has been budgeted as potential capital outlay in the General All-Purpose Fund and no capital outlay has been budgeted in the Keno Fund beyond your normal operating expenditures. However, $470,000 has been budgeted to be transferred from the Keno Fund to the General All-Purpose Fund to assist in financing potential CDBG and other capital outlay projects. Normal operating expenditures have been budgeted liberally at $240,000 for the General All-Purpose Fund and $403,750 (includes game winner payoffs) for the Keno Fund at 85% payout... The budget process and document perform two legal functions: 1. Sets the property tax request-budgeted at $27,901. 2. Establishes an overall expenditure limit-budgeted at $1,981.750... The budget must be adopted by September 20. The property tax requested in the budget will be final; however, the expenditure limit may be amended, if needed, throughout the year...The expenditure limit included in the proposed budget allows for expenditure of nearly all cash reserves which are expected to be available. Since some cash reserves will be necessary, we don’t expect, nor do we recommend, that the full amount budgeted of $1,981,750 be spent. GENERAL BUDGETING NOTES: The lid law is assigned to limit the growth of non-utility government revenues to inflationary increases. Exceptions are allowed for revenues required to pay off bonded debt, real estate improvement capital outlays, and interlocal agreements... Due to the Lid Law restrictions, it continues to be advantageous to pay real estate capital outlays, pay off of bonded debt, and participate in interlocal agreements from funds where property tax, sales tax, and state pass-through revenues are deposited (i.e. General and Street). This will help keep this law from limiting your non-utility source revenues...The lid law has become a significant factor for future budgets. Although you have adequate unused budget authority at this time this is a factor that should be monitored.
It was noted that the motion, vote, and approval to accept a 1% allowable additional increase in the Restricted Funds Authority was made at the June 5, 2012 Regular meeting.
No changes were required to the Budget, and a motion to adopt the Budget as proposed/published was made by Council member Wolf, seconded by Neumann, and carried by majority vote -- Mewes - Yes; Neumann - Yes; Reedy - Yes; Wolf - Yes.
At: 7:40 PM, Mayor Meyer opened a Special Budget Meeting within the Budget Meeting, and Resolution #2012- 5 was read: WHEREAS, Nebraska Revised Statute 77-1601.02 provides that the property tax request for the prior year shall be the property tax request for the current year for the purposes of the levy set by the County Board of Equalization unless the Governing Body of the City of Blue Springs passes by a majority vote a resolution or ordinance setting the tax request at a different amount and WHEREAS, a special public hearing was held as required by law to hear and consider comments concerning the property tax request, and WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the City of Blue Springs that the property tax request for the current year be a different amount than the property tax request for the prior year. NOW, THEREFORE, the Governing Body of the City of Blue Springs by a majority vote, resolves that-- 1. The 2012-2013 property tax request be set at $27,901.00. 2. A copy of this resolution be certified and forwarded to the County Clerk prior to October 13, 2012. Passed and approved…..) A motion was made by Council member Wolf, seconded by Mewes, and carried by majority vote of 4-0 (Mewes - Yes; Neumann -Yes; Reedy - Yes; Wolf - Yes) to adopt Resolution #2012-5 for a property tax amount different than that of the previous year, and the dollar amount ($27,901.00) was noted.
Mayor Meyer closed the Budget Hearing at 7:48 PM, and returned the meeting to Regular session.
WEBSITE (REVISITED): Comparison was made between cost of .org and .com (annual: .org-- $6.99 & .com - $12.99) and desirability/ease of access. Consensus and agreement of Mayor and Council fixed on a .com address. Variables for payment for the site were discussed, and the suggestion by Jennifer Busboom for a prepaid credit card was well received. The initial motion (Wolf), second (Neumann) and 4-0 affirmative vote for the Clerk to obtain a prepaid credit card for $300 + applicable fee to meet internet enlistment criteria for a .com address were all rescinded when Neumann added that he could pick up the card. A second motion by Council member Wolf, seconded by Mewes, and receiving a 4-0 affirmative vote assigned responsibility to Council member Neumann to obtain a prepaid credit card in the amount of $300 + applicable fee for the .com address. Neumann will submit a claim for reimbursement at the next Regular meeting.
Mayor and Council all made positive comments regarding work already done by Jan Morris for site setup. Areas included: City Blog, Calendar of Events, 6th Annual Car - 7th Annual Tractor Show, listing of local businesses (with Morris giving introductory and advertisement opportunity to businesses , but with a $20 set up cost to be paid to her for expenses she would incur for photos/initiation for each listing; United Methodist Church, Southern School District, Blue Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Blue Springs Fireman’s Memorial Hall, Blue Springs Public Parks, Blue Springs Sports Complex, Blue Springs Cemetery, History of Blue Springs, Wymore Library, Beatrice Community Hospital, Community Memorial Healthcare, You Know You’re From Wymore/Blue Springs, Map of Blue Springs.
Areas Jan Morris continues to work on are: Getting pictures of the 3 winners at the Annual Car Show; article about the new Fire Hall; picture of fire trucks; information/pictures of the softball complex.
PLANNING & ZONING: No new applications.
CLEAN-UP, INCLUDING VEHICLES, BUILDINGS, AND OTHER: It was noted that City mowing, with resulting lien attachment, is ongoing, with one property added to the line up. Another property on the list was discussed, with Mayor and Council making positive comments about progress and appearance of the fence under construction, but members expressed the need for the property owner to complete the fence project as soon as economically possible (panels are purchased as funds are available) and to now and upon completion of the fence to organize within its confines any accumulation of what might be described as a clean-up infraction. The property owner was also asked to clear away a brush pile. Employee Pike reported that one property owner is in the process of arranging demolition of what has been described as a substandard structure.
NEXT AGENDA: -- PLANNING & ZONING -- CLEAN-UP, INCLUDING VEHICLES, BUILDINGS, AND OTHERMotion to adjourn: 8: 25 PM, -Mewes - No objection. The minutes of the Regular session/hearing were read and approved Sept. 18, 2012.
Mayor: Lonnie D. Meyer (Regular Session) -- City Clerk: Katherine A. Roche (Regular Session)
