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Treasurer writes letter on the state of city finances Les
Plotner, city treasurer, reports monthly on the financial condition
of the city. This month he was unable to attend the meeting but
issued a three-page letter outlining the condition of the city as of
the end of October.
His letter made it quite clear that the city is facing dismal
times.
Following are excerpts from that document:
This report is being submitted to keep all of you abreast of
the declining revenues this Fiscal Year as compared to FY
2008-2009. We don't have to look any further than our own City
of Lincoln tax receipts to realize that we, like other
municipalities and the State of Illinois, are in the midst of an
economic depression that affects the economic stability of our
city's financial resources.
The main purpose of this document is not only to outline the
seriousness of our declining tax revenues but to also encourage
you to start thinking now about what can and must be done to
cope with this problem for the successful completion of the
2009-2010 Fiscal Year and to start planning now for the
2010-2011 Fiscal Year Budget.
Property taxes for FY 2010-2011 by law (Property Tax
Extension Limitation Law) will only increase approximately
$1400-$1600 for the 2009 Tax Levy payable in 2010. The CPI
(Consumer Price Index) to be used for computing the tax
extension limitation is 0.1% for the levy. Therefore, increased
property taxes are not a solution for solving your financial
problems for budgeting in FY 2010-2011.
Plotner's letter listed five of the city's tax revenue sources,
four of which are suffering significant decreases over what was
projected for the year.
Revenue from sales tax is down 6.5 percent, non-home rule tax is
down 4.65 percent, income tax is down 17.6 percent, and personal
property replacement tax is 14.4 percent less than this time last
year.
Only revenues from the telecommunications tax are showing
increases over last year. However, it should be noted that on
several occasion last year, Plotner said that those revenues were
actually lower than had been expected. Therefore significant
increases this year may not equate to similar increases next year.
Plotner warned that not only are these revenue shortfalls going
to make maintaining this year's budget a challenge, but it is also
going to have an effect on how the city develops its budget for the
2010-2011 fiscal year.
When the letter was introduced by Mayor Keith Snyder, Alderman
Buzz Busby spoke up and said he wanted each department head to
receive a copy of Plotner's letter.
He added: "I know what he'd (Plotner) tell you: Don't spend any
money unless you absolutely have to; we're going to need it for next
year. We're in arrears a little over $300,000 now in tax collects,
so keep all your expenditures as low as possible."
City will not reimburse workers' comp-related mileage
Alderman Nathan Turner is the chair of the streets and alleys
committee. As such it is his responsibility to review bills
submitted for payment by that department.
About a month ago, Turner pulled a bill for mileage reimbursement
to a city employee.
When he investigated the bill, he found that the request for a
payment of approximately $200 was for mileage reimbursement when the
employee had been required to see a workers' compensation-approved
doctor in Springfield in regard to injuries sustained on the job.
At last Tuesday night's committee-of-the-whole meeting, Turner
said he felt the bill was justified. However, not everyone agreed.
In the end Busby said that instead of putting the bill back in the
stack to be approved under the consent agenda, he wanted to have a
separate motion and have the council vote on it.
Monday night when Turner made the motion to approve the payment,
he received no second and the motion died on the table.
Busby immediately revised the motion, saying, "I move to deny
this reimbursement for mileage."
The motion was seconded by Alderman David Armbrust. The motion
had to go this way because no one was willing to second Turner's
motion; therefore, there was no opportunity to vote that motion
down.
During discussion, Bates said that this needed to be clarified.
The city of Lincoln did not order this person to go to a special
doctor; therefore, the city wasn't responsible.
When called to a vote, Busby's new motion passed with a vote of
8-1. Turner voted no.
Liquor license amended
By unanimous vote, the city code for a Class D liquor license was
amended to include sale of wine by the glass or bottle for
consumption on the seller's premises.
This change is the result of a new business, the Owl's Roost,
coming into Lincoln. The bookstore and coffee bar wishes to sell
wine by the glass or open bottle to their patrons.
The license prohibits customers from removing a partially
consumed or opened bottle from the business establishment.
City reverts to Ameren franchise agreement
In 1970 the city signed a franchise agreement with Ameren that
would permit the city to have electric service to five locations,
including City Hall, free of charge.
When a new and separate contract agreement was signed with
Mid-American Energy in May, that company took over the five
locations by mistake, thus breaking the franchise agreement with
Ameren.
This was discussed at length at last Tuesday's workshop meeting,
and there it was agreed that a motion would be made to revert to the
original franchise agreement.
At the Monday night meeting Busby explained the situation
briefly, then made the motion.
During discussion city waste treatment manager Bob Tackett said
that he had heard from Ameren that the rebate proposed last week in
the amount of $15,000 had been raised to $16,750.
Snyder asked Busby if the new figure would have an effect on the
motion, and Busby said no.
The motion was approved 9-0.
In addition there was discussion between Busby and Bates
regarding trying to reclaim the dollars paid to Ameren due to the
erroneous switch. Bates will pursue trying to get a refund.
[to top of second column] |
 City adopts new guidelines for replacing brick sidewalks
The sidewalk committee submitted new guidelines for approval
regarding the repair or replacement of brick sidewalks.
The new guidelines state that the city will in the future replace
brick sidewalks with concrete. If homeowners wish to have the
sidewalk restored to brick, they will have to do so themselves. The
city will then inspect their work and reimburse them for the cost
the city would have incurred had they used concrete.
The exact amended policy is as follows:
Rather than continue our current practice of patching, we
will remove the brick and install a new concrete ADA compliant
surface.
Before a petition will be considered the walk must be
relatively free of overgrowth so the City may inspect it.
Replacement for cosmetic purposes is not a valid reason for
replacement or reimbursement at the expense of the City of
Lincoln.
If the homeowner or petitioner wants to retain brick he or
she must do so at their own expense, if the petition is
approved, and the city will reimburse at concrete rates.
(Quantity of work to be done and quality of work completed
subject to inspection and approval by the City of Lincoln Street
Superintendent)
During discussion Snyder wondered what the procedure would now be
for those who have already asked for brick sidewalk work and been
denied.
Committee chairman Armbrust said that those who had previously
applied were invited to resubmit their requests. Those requests will
then be considered on the basis of the newly adopted guidelines.
Bates wondered if the committee had considered going back to
these old requests and giving them priority over the one that was
going to come up on this week's agenda.
Armbrust said no, it had not been considered. He explained that
some were denied not just because they were brick, but also because
they weren't cleaned off so that the city could inspect them.
He added that on a list of approved repair and replacement, the
city won't separate the brick walks from all the others. Each
request will be considered as it comes in.
Armbrust also noted that with the city's finances in the shape
they are, there isn't going to be much money available for this kind
of work this year. Many of the requests, even if approved, will
still have to wait until next year for the work to actually be done.
The new policy was approved with a unanimous vote.
Mayor authorized to sign enterprise zone documents
When the Rail Splitter Wind Farm was added to the enterprise
zone, the company said that they might not need all the acreage they
were requesting. Now that the wind farm is completed, they are
returning 0.1943 square mile that was not needed.
This return of acreage means that the city now has more to offer
any future businesses that may request enterprise zone space.
In order for the city to reclaim this available space, three
documents must be filed with the state of Illinois Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity. By unanimous vote the mayor was
given authority to sign and submit those forms.
City approves CSO equipment purchase
Tackett had requested and was given permission to purchase
combined sewer overflow monitoring equipment from ELAN Technologies
at a cost of $37,100.
This equipment will be used for sampling of wastewater overflows
according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's Clean
Water Act of 1997.
During discussion it was noted that this was an unfunded mandate.
The city is required to do this testing but will receive no
financial help from the state for the purchase of the special
monitoring equipment.
It was also noted that this expenditure was included in the
fiscal budget for this year.
Petition for sidewalk repair approved
A petition from Tim Aper for sidewalk repair at 208 and 216 Third
St. was approved unanimously. This petition is for work to be done
on a brick sidewalk.
Proclamation regarding the city's official Christmas ornament
Main Street Lincoln submitted a request for a proclamation too
late to be placed on the Monday night agenda.
The proclamation relates to this year's official city of Lincoln
Christmas ornament and is part of the purchase agreement with the
company that makes the item.
The mayor advised the council that he was going to sign the
proclamation and send it on to Wanda Lee Rohlfs of Main Street
Lincoln, providing no one objected.
There were no objections to the mayor taking this action.
Toys for Tots
Before ending the evening, Snyder said he wanted to point out
that City Hall has a receptacle downstairs for Toys for Tots. He
said that anyone wishing to could place new, unwrapped toys in the
bin for later distribution to local children in need.
On the road again
Nest Tuesday night's committee-of-the-whole meeting will be
hosted by Ward 1 Alderwomen Anderson and Bacon. The meeting will be at the Lincoln Rural Fire Department.
[By NILA SMITH] |
