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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-06 - Annual Budget CITY OF LIVONIA PUBLIC HEARING Minutes of Meeting Held on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 ___________________________________________________________________ A Public Hearing of the Council of the City of Livonia was held at the Livonia City Hall Auditorium on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. MEMBERS PRESENT: Kathleen E. McIntyre, President Jim Jolly Brandon McCullough Rob Donovic Laura M. Toy Cathy K. White MEMBERS ABSENT: Scott Bahr, Vice President OTHERS PRESENT: Mike Slater, Finance Director Leo Neville, Assistant City Attorney Sara Kasprowicz, Recording Secretary The Public Hearing was called to order at 7:04 p.m. with President Kathleen McIntyre presiding. This item is regarding the Proposed Budget for the City of Livonia for the Fiscal Year ending November 30, 2022, and the property tax millage proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget. (CR 260-21) This item will move to the Regular Meeting of October 18, 2021. The Public Hearing is now open. There were 3 people in the audience. McIntyre: If Council doesn’t have any questions, we’ll turn it over to Mr. Slater, our City Finance Director to give us some highlights. Mr. Slater? Slater: Good evening, Council. As you know, we’ve already had two extensive meetings on this. The first one in August to get Council’s official thoughts and then in September, we had our Finance Committee meeting, which went into the details of what’s in the proposed budget. So, I’m not going to recreate those items. Tonight’s meeting is more for the public. Just a couple of the highlights, the revenues for the General Fund are anticipating an increase of 2.8% as our expenses. The budget as presented is balanced. It does continue to maintain our tax rate as the lowest of any city within Wayne County. All things we are very proud of. There was an additional item sent to us by Councilmember Bahr and I believe all of the Councilmembers were copied on that. In regards to some funding we had included in the Building Improvement Fund for professional services to look at our building. More particularly, the City Center buildings and do some analysis of that, in terms of condition and then also space utilization. Councilmember Bahr had potential issue of funding that out of the Building Improvement Fund. We believe that’s an appropriate spot to pay for these from. These services, obviously, are building-related. 2 They are necessary to perform before construction of any new buildings or really any major work on a building. The funding for Fund 418, which is Building Improvement Fund, all that money was General Fund money in the first place, it was just transferred over there, so, while it’s segregated there for building purposes, it was originally General Fund money. We do agree, it shouldn’t be used for just anything, in this case, these services, we believe, are appropriate to go there. With that, I’d be happy to answer any questions any questions. Thank you. McIntyre: Council? Jolly: If I may? McIntyre: Please. Jolly: I just want to offer an approving, a denying and a Committee of the Whole. I think we’ve gone through this several times and I don’t have any additional questions. McIntyre: Councilmember White? White: Is there a reason why you want Committee of the Whole as part of it? Jolly: I’m just putting all the options on the table, should it be necessary. White: Ok, thank you. Slater: Madam Chair? McIntyre: Please. Slater: Just a point of clarification, while Committee of the Whole is fine, but there is an obligation of Council to adopt the budget by the last day of October, so… McIntyre: We’d have to move very, very quickly. Slater: Just keep that in mind. McIntyre: Thank you. Would anyone from the audience like to speak on the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget and Tax Millage? Please, Councilmember Toy. Toy: Thank you. I just want to congratulate Mr. Slater for the good work that he does and keeping us very in balance and in check and every other way, all the years I’ve served here. He’s done a great job, he really has and we’re very proud of this city and its finances. Thank you, Mike, and to your team as well. It’s been great, thank you. Slater: Thank you. 3 McIntyre: I’d just like to add that I am also of the mind that the money for a study should not be taken out of the Building Fund. I understand, at the end of the day, it’s all General Fund money, but I think, and I understand it’s building-related, but that the Building Fund was set up for the physical needs of our buildings and our infrastructure. Jolly: Madam President? McIntyre: Yes. Jolly: Just to be fair, I offered an approving a denying and a Committee of the Whole, I should say that is both for the adoption of the budget and the property tax millages that are proposed. McIntyre: Ok, thank you very much. Yes, Councilmember McCullough. McCullough: Just as a point of clarification. Just looking at the building funds, obviously having, I’m obviously in this profession and any time we have anything, we always do a study or a needs-assessment when it comes especially buildings like this. I reviewed it and I would be in support of leaving it where it’s at with the Building Improvements, just my two cents. Anytime you take on a big expenditure, you always have these studies and building needs-assessments, it goes hand in hand, it’s common practice. So, thank you. McIntyre: Thank you, Mr. McCullough and we respect your expertise from being in the field and understand the point you’re making. Anyone else? All right. Last call from anyone in the audience? As there were no further questions or comments, the Public Hearing was declared closed at 7:11 p.m.