Report of the Montpelier City Council's Citizen Budget Review ...

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Notes from Each Community:How is right-size staffing determined and by whom?• Barre: Staffing levels are predominantly driven by the voters and the budgets theyapprove. The city has cut staff in recent years to get budgets passed.• Bennington: The Town Manager and the Board have a pretty good handle on what isneeded. We have little turnover and reduce by attrition.• Brattleboro: Decided by the Town Manager and the Select Board. Recently one FTEretired and the Town Manager wanted to replace with two new FTE. The Board did notagree.• Middlebury: When there is an open position, the Town Manager reviews the roles andresponsibilities of that position and recommends adjustments in staffing, if any, to thePersonnel Committee, which, in turn, recommends to the Select board forconsideration.• Montpelier: The City Manager, with input from department heads, determines rightsizestaffing. The city’s budget process allows for city council involvement in decisionsregarding staffing levels in city departments.• St. Albans: Lots of growth currently. Reduced Assessor position, recently addedDowntown Manager and, two years ago, Director of Planning.Description of the Montpelier City Finance DepartmentMatrix describes this office as generally responsible for all financial functions of the Cityincluding financial records, accounting, payroll, payables, insurance, billing program, and auditpreparation/coordination. The Finance Department also leads the development of the annualbudget, capital improvement plan, and equipment replacement program. The FinanceDepartment provides grant oversight for the entire City operations. The Finance Departmentworks closely with the city Treasurer on many duties and functions including ensuringadequate financial reporting of all receipts and the monthly reconciliation of accounts.Key Questions:• What is the FTE staff in the City Finance Department? (See Exhibit 1)• What are the roles of the staff in the City Finance Department? (See Exhibit 1)• What is the budget for the Finance Department? (See Exhibit 1)• Where is the City Treasurer housed?• Who collects your delinquent taxes? How much time is allocated for this? What is thevolume of work? What is your delinquent tax rate?Who collects delinquent taxes? How much time is allocated for this role? What is yourdelinquent tax rate?Page 22 of 88
• Barre: City Clerk/Treasurer also serves as Delinquent Tax Collector. Estimate 30 – 35hours per week devoted to collections of delinquent taxes and water/sewer charges.Delinquent tax rate averages about 5% per quarter.• Bennington: By charter, it is the role of the Town Manager. About 6% rate, billedmonthly.• Brattleboro: The Town Manager gives to Billing and Collections. Takes a lot of timefor Tax Sale process. Currently working with 75 properties in this process. About 4.4%go to tax sale.• Middlebury: Assistant Town Manager, supported by the Finance Department. About10 hours per month. Delinquent Tax Rate is just under 3%.• Montpelier: The Tax Collector who is working 0.6 FTE in the Finance Department andhandles collections for delinquent taxes, water and sewer fees. The delinquent tax rateis 0.66%.• St. Albans: Has an aggressive policy and, with a hired attorney, reduces the rate from10% to 2%.Description of the Montpelier City Clerk/City Treasurer OfficeMatrix describes this office as generally responsible for the maintenance of all essentialrecords of the City of Montpelier, vital records, recording of land documents and collection ofvarious payments including tax payments, licensing payments, water and sewer payments,parking tickets and other municipal charges. In addition, the City processes fishing andhunting licenses on behalf of the State. The office is also responsible for the administration ofelections.Key Questions:• What is the FTE staff in the City Clerk’s office? (See Exhibit 1)• What are their roles? (See Exhibit 1)• What is the budget for the City Clerk’s Office? (See Exhibit 1)Recent Personnel Shifts in Montpelier City AdministrationOne of the most expensive parts of the city budget involves personnel costs, especially healthbenefits. Over the past decade or two, the number of full time employees (FTE) of the citygovernment has been drifting up, even as population has edged lower. Based on the figures inthe Administration and Finance comparison chart, per capita costs range from a low of $32.86in Bennington to a high of $95.26 in Montpelier. Montpelier is 50% higher than the average of$63.47.Every position in the Montpelier City Budget comes with measureable and often substantialcosts. The addition of every new position adds new expenses to the City’s bottom line. Forthose reasons, proposals for new staff must be carefully scrutinized by the City Council.Decisions to add positions must not be taken lightly.Page 23 of 88
Page 2 and 3: Table of ContentsTRANSMITTAL LETTER
Page 4: 1. EXECUTIVE S UMMARYa. Charge from
Page 7 and 8: f. Summary of RecommendationsThe BR
Page 9 and 10: available through VLCT. This will s
Page 11 and 12: 2: View City and staff responses to
Page 13 and 14: Building Inspector, half the depart
Page 15 and 16: should undertake this analysis prio
Page 17 and 18: Equipment, Streets, and Wastewater
Page 19 and 20: 2. INTRODUCTIONa. History and Backg
Page 21: Administration and Finance Subcommi
Page 25 and 26: Key Questions:• What is the FTE s
Page 27 and 28: Population 2010Total Admin/Fin Budg
Page 29 and 30: Budget Process Subcommittee ReportD
Page 31 and 32: CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS:The p
Page 33 and 34: Attachment 1Budget Process Subcommi
Page 35 and 36: Attachment 3NOTE: The following cha
Page 37 and 38: committee under a short deadline. T
Page 39 and 40: Total Long Term Debt per Capita:Lat
Page 41 and 42: Five City/Town Comparative Chart- D
Page 43 and 44: Department of Public Works over a p
Page 45 and 46: Health Benefits Subcommittee Report
Page 47 and 48: The following graph looks at change
Page 49 and 50: Matrix Subcommittee ReportJean Olso
Page 51 and 52: Planning Subcommittee ReportJane Ka
Page 53 and 54: Notes from Each Community:Much of t
Page 55 and 56: • Barre City: The Planning Depart
Page 57 and 58: Planning Departments by Town Exhibi
Page 59 and 60: and the City Manager should identif
Page 61 and 62: Public Safety Subcommittee ReportBo
Page 63 and 64: Recommendations:1. Time did not all
Page 65 and 66: nights, the shift coverage is only
Page 67 and 68: Significant Fall Hazards (SigHAZ):
Page 69 and 70: Further rationale for the above sug
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3. Roughly what is the percentage o
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Recommendations for DPW1. If Montpe
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[END PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE REPO
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According to the 2009 National Citi
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Table of Montpelier Recreation Depa
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during the school year. The Public
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Montpelier Barre Brattleboro Middle
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RECOMMENDATIONS• Other cities and
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Tax ComparisonsAppendix AMunicipal
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City/TownMedianMunicipalTax BillMun
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available for circuit breaker reduc
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2). PROPERTY TAX TARGET: Do you hav
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considering the adoption of a Capit
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, · 1deductible, combined with a H
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Appendix Budget - 41/1DATE:TO:FROM:
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Other Employee-related increasesHea
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City of Montpelier 2012-13 Goals an
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Date Subcommittee Montpelier Growth
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Data Subcommittee Nine (9) City Fin
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Data Subcommittee - Montpelier Five
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Montpelier 20.1 2/ Annual Report /
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Montpelier 2012 / Annual Report / 2
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DireCt Debt Service Ratios - Debt P
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• In order to make the assessment
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The Center Director conducts betwee
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The Department has initiated the co
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SECTIONRECOMMENDATIONENTITY /INDIVI
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SECTIONRECOMMENDATION8.1 (5) The Fi
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City of Montpelier - Department of
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City of MontpelierUSER: TPROVENCHER
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Asset Value & DepreciationAsset 10P
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REGULARLaboratory Preventative Payr
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City of MontpelierUSER: TPROVENCHER
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Work Order SummaryLabor Part Other
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Work Order SummaryWO#W/SMAINT24902
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Work Order SummaryWO#MHS24899 [COOL
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SCOPE OF WORK PERFORMEDDuring JUNE
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October 2012 Work, StreetsCulvert r
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RIDGE STREET RECONSTRUCTIONMONTPELI
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(0 C4.March 8, 2012I acknowledge th
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APPENDIX Rec 1FEBRUARY 2012 CITY CO
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those together.Mayor Hooper said th
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Council Member Timpone said they ha
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on, so they can perform their fiduc
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in terms of understanding the impli
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