| Scott A. Berg, 5th District Alderman, Brookfield, Wisconsin |
| November 18, 2003 |
The official minutes appear in this typeface.
Click here to download a PDF file of the official minutes. THESE ARE THE MINUTES OF A REGULAR COMMON COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT 7:45 P.M., TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2003, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF BROOKFIELD CITY HALL, 2000 N. CALHOUN ROAD, BROOKFIELD, WISCONSIN MAYOR JEFF SPEAKER Presiding ALDERMEN PRESENT: Steven Ponto, Gary Mahkorn, Scott Berg, Cindy Kilkenny, Jerome Wolff, Thomas Schellinger, Jim Heinrich, Jack Shaw, Karl Schulz (participated telephonically), Kari Clappier, James Garvens, Richard Brunner, Brad Steinke, Mike Franz ALDERMEN ABSENT & EXCUSED: None ALSO PRESENT: City Attorney Sue Schalig, Director of Public Works Tom Grisa, Director of Community Development Dan Ertl, Director of Facilities & Inspection Services Dean Marquardt, Director of Finance Robert Scott, Deputy Finance Director Therese Hrica, Assistant City Attorney Karen Flaherty, Director of Human Resources Jim Zwerlein, Director of Information Technology Fred Miller, Deputy City Clerk Renee Tadych, Economic Development Coordinator Pat Drinan, Police Chief Dan Tushaus, Director of Parks and Recreation Bill Kolstad, City Assessor Bob Lorier This was an unusually high attendance of department heads for a Council meeting. It’s because their 2004 budget was being formally approved at the meeting. They were there to answer any last minute questions from the Aldermen. Mayor Jeff Speaker called the meeting of the Common Council to order at approximately 8:37 p.m. (The 2004 Budget was heard previously – see separate minutes.) Four people spoke from the audience during the 15 minute segment set aside for the citizens to address the Council regarding the Loth Pit (superfund-Waste Management) site and proposed Shire Subdivision, the newly constructed Brookfield Academy parking lot, and the lack of funding in the 2004 budget for improvements made to Executive Drive. The next Common Council meeting is scheduled for December 2, 2003. Alderman Richard Brunner led the Common Council in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag. Alderman Heinrich moved approval of the Regular Common Council minutes of November 4, 2003. The motion was seconded by Alderman Brunner and carried unanimously. ACTIONS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL PLAN COMMISSION Alderman Shaw moved approval of the actions and recommendations of the Plan Commission as represented in the November 10, 2003, minutes, specifically only Item #1 – Actions and Recommendations from the Plan Review Board meeting of October 23, 2003 (items #2, #3, #4 and #5 do not require Common Council approval). The motion was seconded by Alderman Garvens and carried unanimously. FINANCE COMMITTEE Alderman Garvens moved approval of the Vouchers exceeding $50,000 requiring immediate action. The motion was seconded by Alderman Heinrich and carried unanimously. Alderman Garvens moved adoption of the Ordinance appropriating the necessary funds and adopting the budgets for the operation of the government and administration of the City of Brookfield for the year 2004. The motion was seconded by Alderman Brunner. Alderman Shaw moved to amend the budget to remove the Pilgrim Meadows/Sky Cliff Water Main Project from the budget. The motion was seconded by Alderman Kilkenny and failed Ayes 3, Nays 11 with Aldermen Kilkenny, Shaw and Garvens voting Aye. This amendment would have deleted funding for a water main project in the neighborhood surrounding Burleigh Elementary School. Ald. Garvens and Shaw represented the wishes of their district’s resident. Ald. Kilkenny’s no vote was a surprise with no explanation, other than perhaps to endear herself to a block of voters outside her district. Of course, all three aldermen were certain the attempt to remove the project would fail. Ald. Berg supports the project, as he had done in many previous Water Board meetings and when he attended the neighborhood informational meeting with Ald. Shaw and Brunner (Ald. Garvens and Kilkenny were not at that meeting.) A roll call vote was taken on the original motion to adopt the 2004 budget and carried Ayes 13, Nays 1 with Alderman Berg voting no. Ordinance No. 1937-03 Ald. Berg opposed the 2004 budget for many reasons, as listed below. Note that none of this was “last minute election time grandstanding”as was suggested by another alderman. Ald. Berg opposed what he considered frivolous expenses within the formal budget review system and over a long period of time, but found no support from the Mayor or a majority of other alderman. · Excessive merit pay increase – An unexpected unrestricted grant from the state for $53,000 was designated as the pool to hand out merit pay increases to non-unionized employees, mostly managers and professionals. There are 118 people in the group and about 80 of them would split the money. These pay increases are permanent, so next year taxes will have to go up $53,000 plus inflation just to stay even. This raise is on top of the additional $1.18/hour for all these employees to compensate for their having to start paying part of their health insurance premiums and increased deductible (meaning they really have no increased premium sharing for 2004) which was on top of a 1.75% raise for managers and 2.25% for non-managers. Ald. Berg and Schellinger voted against this merit increase proposal at an earlier Finance Committee meeting and at the Council meeting of November 4. · Unfunded positions – The emergency dispatchers have 13 positions to fill but are only funded for 12 positions. The theory is like airline overbooking – in the course of a year there are enough absences by the 12 funded positions to pay for a 13th person. Ald. Berg thinks that if you hire a person you should budget the money to pay for him. If turnover is such a certainty, perhaps there are other problems causing people to leave that should be reviewed. Ald. Berg opposed this 13th position when it was first created over a year ago. · Sister City Program – The budget includes $1,500 buried in the mayor’s discretionary fund to fund a citizen group’s membership in a global organization that pairs up city’s across the world to “promote friendship.” It’s sort of like a travel brochure. Visitors from Germany are requested to talk to Elmbrook school classes about life in their city, although the school district contributes nothing to the program. None of this money is spent on air fare, lodging etc. Ald. Berg thinks that if people want to travel to another rich suburb that happens to be in Germany, and that they are already planning to pay for it themselves, then no city tax money should be spent to advertise it. This program was a pet project of retired Mayor Bloomberg and Mayor Speaker plans on traveling to Germany in spring, 2004 to represent Brookfield. Ald. Berg opposed this expense at the Finance Committee meeting earlier in the evening. · Intentional Deficit – The budget has an intentional deficit of about $100,000, taken from reserve funds. The rationale is that this money is paying for the one time expense of converting to a combined county wide 911 emergency dispatch system, scheduled for September, 2004. Ald. Berg thinks the city should live within its means and save the reserve funds for truly unpredictable expenses, such as police overtime to man (unplanned) emergencies. Ald. Berg made his position clear at the budget reviews in October but was persuaded that the deficit was acceptable. Calls from several residents changed his mind. · Lack of Position Reviews – Supporters of this budget crow about how they eliminated 2.3 positions, so the city is running leaner. One position was a planned retirement, a second was removed as a result of a streamlining reorganization and the 0.3 was a college intern in the engineering department. These will not result in any reduced city services. In Ald. Berg’s opinion, the claim that service will be unchanged is an admission that the positions should not have existed in the first place. How many more positions are hidden away in department empires? Are the Mayor and Aldermen truly so reluctant to make difficult decisions that attrition is the only way to adjust the staff size? A claim constantly made by the Mayor and Staff is that they “never” hear from residents that Brookfield property taxes are “too high” and that residents “demand” a high level of city services. (No conflict of interest there!) If that’s not true, start telling your elected officials. Otherwise, the budget and tax rate will just keep growing. MJS – Nov. 19, 2003 – Brookfield Approves Raising Tax Levy, Rate MJS – Oct 27, 2003 - Trash disposal cost-cutting may mean inconvenience, new fees for many residents
Alderman Garvens moved adoption of the Ordinance approving the authorized positions for departments of the City of Brookfield for the year 2004. The motion was seconded by Alderman Wolff. A roll call vote was taken and carried unanimously. Ordinance No. 1938-03 Alderman Garvens moved adoption of the Ordinance levying property taxes for the General, Wastewater Utility, Special Revenue and Debt Service Funds of the City of Brookfield for the year 2004. The motion was seconded by Alderman Heinrich. A roll call vote was taken and carried unanimously. Ordinance No. 1939-03 Alderman Garvens moved approval of the Resolution awarding the 2004 contract for worker's compensation insurance for the City of Brookfield to Wausau Insurance Companies. The motion was seconded by Alderman Heinrich and carried unanimously. Resolution No. 7153-03* LEGISLATIVE & LICENSING COMMITTEE Alderman Clappier moved approval of six original Bartender Licenses and to table one original bartender license (see Legislative and Licensing Agenda for names). The motion was seconded by Alderman Shaw and carried unanimously. BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS Alderman Schulz moved approval of the Resolution to restrict parking on N. 166th Street from Gebhardt Road to LaVela Circle Lower. The motion was seconded by Alderman Heinrich and carried unanimously. Resolution No. 7154-03 Alderman Schulz moved approval of the Resolution approving the City's Master Street Right of Way Map. The motion was seconded by Alderman Garvens and carried unanimously. Resolution No. 7155-03* SEWER AND WATER BOARD Alderman Brunner moved approval of the Resolution amending the water main assessment amount levied as part of the Brookfield Road Water Main Project #2000-05 to Brookfield Academy, BRC #1043-987. The motion was seconded by Alderman Kilkenny and carried unanimously. Resolution No. 7156-03* COUNCIL AS A WHOLE Alderman Ponto stated in lieu of the recent resignation of Chief of Staff Dan Waffenschmidt, he would refer the next matter to Alderman Brad Steinke. Alderman Brad Steinke requested that the Resolution relative to the dismissal of Dan Waffenschmidt as Chief of Staff be withdrawn. There were no objections. The Mayor as Chair declared the Resolution withdrawn. Alderman Ponto moved approval of the Resolution approving the Joint Powers Agreements for the County 911 Emergency System between the Village of Elm Grove, Waukesha County and the City of Brookfield, effective January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2004. The motion was seconded by Alderman Wolff and carried unanimously. Resolution No. 7157-03 Alderman Ponto moved approval of the Mayor's Appointment. The motion was seconded by Alderman Garvens and carried unanimously. · Economic Development Committee Bob Anger – Three year term expiring November 15, 2006. Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce representative. Alderman Ponto moved to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Alderman Garvens and carried unanimously. 9:03 p.m. ___________________________________ Renee J. Tadych, Deputy City Clerk * May be viewed in the City
Clerk’s Office. |