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Home My WebLink Aboutbocc.min.ws.10142008PITKI COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION AGENDA Rio Grande J TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2008 12:45 PM Broadcast Services Citizen Board Interview 1:00 General Fund 2009 Budget Recommendations 3:00 BREAK 3:15 Open Space and Trails Citizen Board Interview 3:30 Memos of Interest Future Agendas/Agenda Requests/Monthly Calendar Board Membership Reports RTA, NWCCOG & QQ, ACRA, CCI, RRR, RWPA, NaCo, PEIS I-70, Club 20 BOCC Open Discussion 5:00 PM ADJOURN WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2008 2:00 pm Emma Town Site Open House THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2008 (Commissioner Clapper not present) 4:00 PM Elected Officials Transportation Committee at City Hall Pitkin County Hosts and Chairs FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2008 4:30 PM Senator Gail Schwartz Public Meeting at Basalt Town Hall APPROVED BY BOCC MINUTES OF WORK SESSION ON ~/ ~~ a~ Date: October 14, 2008 Meeting Start Time: 12:45 pm Commissioners present: ® Patti Clapper ® Dorothea Farris ® Jack Hatfield ® Michael Owsley ® Rachel Richards Commissioners not present: ^ Patti Clapper ^ Dorothea Farris ^ Jack Hatfield ^ Michael Owsley ^ Rachel Richards WORK SESSION ITEM: Citizen Board Interview -Broadcast Services STAFF DIRECTION: The Commissioners interviewed Andrew Todd for a vacant position on the Broadcast Services Board. WORK SESSION ITEM: General Fund 2009 Budget Recommendations STAFF DIRECTION: Hilary Fletcher, County Manager, introduced the 2009 General Budget presentation of core services, road & bridge and social services. She presented background linkage to the budget to the strategic plan and the priorities identified at the Financial Summit held earlier this year. John Redmond, Acting Finance Director, presented the key budget assumptions that were used in developing the proposed 2009 budget and the 5-year budget plan. Discussion ensued regarding the County's past sales tax experience. Hilary provided reserve fund balances and then outlined the 2009 budget request recommendations. Four labor requests are recommended; two have offsetting revenues and carry no cost to the County, Energy Manager and SO Records Assistant. Commissioner Clapper stated that she believes the Energy Manager position is an investment in operations. Two positions require County funding in the 2009 budget, Child Welfare Caseworker and Jail Detention Officer. Discussion followed. Hilary continued to present the eight one-time supplemental requests that are recommended to be funded out of the undesignated fund balance. Discussion followed with staff in attendance regarding the supplemental requests. Discussion continued to the supplemental that were not recommended. Commissioner Richards asked about the benefit requests of providing employee meals and transportation incentives to be considered at a lesser amount than the original request. Commissioner Owsley voiced support to the request to televise BOCC work sessions. Discussion ensued. Commissioners directed staff to include this request when staff prepares the budget for adoption, and to review the two benefit supplemental requests at a lesser funding level and to reconsider Special Event fee funding. Commissioner Hatfield outlined belt tightening actions he would like to have considered: Commissioner travel, lunches, and compensation. He stated that he believes there are other actions that staff can recommend. John Redmond discussed the plan for zero based budgeting and what the County is willing to take a planned and thorough approach to looking at we are doing and to look at line items in a collaborative manner. Hilary described the staff s support for reviewing operations and the commitment we have to zero-based budgeting in developing a budget from the bottom up. We have a strong budget, that we spend our funds wisely and that we are ready to have a discussion on how we can create savings and efficiencies. Commissioner Hatfield identified his support for zero-based budgeting as we move forward. Commissioner Owsley asked how mandated services are considered in a zero-based budgeting scenario. John Redmond presented the alternative scenarios for forecasting revenues other that the assumptions that were used in developing the 2009 budget. Those scenarios were the post 9-11 actual experience, a more severe decline with 7% sales tax revenue decline in 2009 and a major decline with 10% decline in sales tax. Hilary identified that it is not staffs recommendation to wait to react if any of the more severe projections. The unappropriated fund balance could be used to balance the bad scenarios. Staff will continue to monitor our 1 financial 'conditions and would make adjustments proactively if any of those scenarios come to pass. Commissioner Richards commented that she appreciated the background information in the alternative scenarios. Hilary commented that the quarterly economic indicator report may provide good information to gauge future predictions of our economic condition. Hilary committed staff to monitoring our financial condition monthly. She described what our actions had been in experiencing the downturn experience after 9- 11 and that we want to take that experience and continue to make decisions in a planned way that is fiscally responsible. John Redmond closed the staff presentation with our commitment to be fiscally responsible in reviewing our operations, practicing zero-based budgeting and monitoring our financial condition monthly. Commissioner Richards asked what road projects would not be completed had funding been kept at past levels. Brian Pettet responded with a clarification of County road surfaces that will be maintained. She asked for follow-up on the Road Impact Fee to be continued for a project to be identified in the future. WORK SESSION ITEM: Citizen Board Interview -Open Space STAFF DIRECTION: The Commissioners interviewed Howie Mallory for the District 2 vacancy on the Open Space and Trails Boazd. Mr. Mallory indicated that he was happy to serve on the Open Space Board if he is not appointed to the vacant City of Aspen council seat. WORK SESSION ITEM: Memos of Interest STAFF DIRECTION: 1. 2008 CCI Legislative Committee Decisions -informational only, no decision needed. Discussion ensued. 2. Notice of opportunity for comment pursuant to CRS 43-4-613(1) -informational only, no decision needed. 3. 2008 Project List Update -informational only, no decision needed. 4. Airport Section Update -informational only, no decision needed. Discussion ensued regarding the community events portable signage. WORK SESSION ITEM: Future Agendas/Agenda Requests/Monthly Calendars STAFF DIRECTION: 1. Emma Open House, Wednesday, October I S at 2 pm -Commissioners Owsley, Hatfield and Richards will attend. 2. EOTC meeting, Thursday October 16 at 4 pm. WORK SESSION ITEM: Boazd Membership Reports STAFF DIRECTION: The Board directed staff to move Boazd membership reports to October 21, 2008 agenda. WORK SESSION ITEM: Open Discussion STAFF DIRECTION: 1. Eazly voting extension request. County Clerk Janice Vos Caudill was present to discuss a request to extend early voting. 2. Commissioner Farris requested a thank you letter to our congressional delegation for the full funding of Payment in Lieu of Taxes. The Board concurred. 3. Commissioner Farris asked the Board look closely at the Flame Bill. Board discussion ensued. 4. Commissioner Farris asked that the Board consider who will be appointed to the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority in 2009. Discussion ensued. 5. Commissioner Richards updated the Board on recent water meetings. Discussion ensued. 6. Commissioner Hatfield requested that Open Space staff provide a status on the opening of fences for migration at the Mandalay Ranch. 2 Adjourned at 5:00 pm. Prepared by: ~~ ~~ Hilary F t er, County Manager < Hatfield, Chairman Board of County Commissioners Caudill, Clerk and Recorder Respectfully submitted: