Committee Agenda for Finance Committee 04/07/2009

CITY OF WORCESTER

Finance Committee Meeting

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Esther Howland Chamber

Convened: 6:36 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:48 P.M.

Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes	www.worcesterma.gov	Clerk of the City Council David J. Rushford
Committee Members		Clerk of the City Council David J. Rushford
Councilor Paul P Clancy Jr.
Councilor William J Eddy
Councilor Michael J Germain
Councilor Barbara G Haller
Councilor Konstantina B Lukes
Councilor Philip P Palmieri
Councilor Joseph M Petty
Councilor Gary Rosen
Councilor Frederick C Rushton
Councilor Joffrey A Smith
Councilor Kathleen M Toomey

City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts

	Present Were:	All committee members present with the Mayor in the chair except Councilors Palmieri and Rushton. Councilor Rushton arrived at 7:10 P.M. and Councilor Palmieri arrived at 7:19 P.M.

	Also:	Assistant City Manager Julie Jacobson Chief Financial Officer Thomas F. Zidelis City Auditor James A. DelSignore Budget Director Jarrett Conner City Assessor Robert J. Allard, Jr. Purchasing Director John C. Orrell Executive Secretary of Retirement System Betsy A. Early Chief Information Officer Paul R. Covello Deputy Chief Information Officer Eileen Cazaropoul City Clerk David J. Rushford, clerk

Legislative Offices Budget Hearing



1a.	City Council - IV-1	View Budget

	Budget Approved

	Chairman's Orders
	Request City Manager provide City Council with a detailed report concerning the City Council OM expenditures. (Toomey)


1b.	Mayor's Office - IV-2	View Budget

	Budget Approved


1c.	City Clerk - IV-3	View Budget

	Budget Approved with consideration for inceasing the salary of the Assistant City Clerk in the interest of gender equity; and Transfer of $33,288.15 from Elections Ordinary Maintenance to City Clerk Salaries to fund Senior Clerk & Typist, positon #17.

	Chairman's Orders
	Request City Clerk work with the Administration to explore alternative ways to conduct the street listing and further, request City Manager recommend a transfer of $33,000 from Election Commission OM account to City Clerk salary account. Further, request that any strategy concerning the street listing be sanctioned by City Solicitor. (Petty, Lukes)
	Request City Manager consider raising salary of the Assistant City Clerk so that both Assistants are of equal pay and the City will meet the standard of equal pay for equal work. (Clancy)
	Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning revenues from the City Clerk Department for the past ten years. (Lukes)
	That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby requests Thirty-Three Thousand Two Hundred Eighty-Eight dollars and Fifteen Cents ($33,288.15) be transferred from Account #150-9200, elections Ordinary Maintenance, and be appropriated to Account #100-9100, City Clerk Salaries, to fund Senior Clerk & Typist, position #17. (Petty)


1d.	Election Commission - IV-4 Motion Lukes: Request to eliminate $6500 from Election Commission salaries - Not Put Motion Petty: Recommend to Hold this budget - Withdrawn	View Budget

	Motion Clancy - Accept recommendation of City Manager to amend budget to reinstate one position in Election Commission- Accepted Budget Approved as amended to cut the compensation of the Election Commissions as stated in Councilor Eddy's motion and subject to approval of Item #9c CC of the April 7, 2009 City Council Calendar.

	Chairman's Orders
	Request City Clerk provide City Council with an impact statement relative to the salary for Election Commission members. (Petty)
	That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby cuts the salaries of the Election Commissioners so that they are paid an hourly wage only for Election day work. (Eddy - April 7, 2009) - Approved in committee on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas (Clancy, Eddy, Germain, Haller, Palmieri, Petty, Rosen, Rushton, Smith, Toomey) and 1 Nay (Lukes)
	Request City Manager prepare an amendment to the ordinance relative to the compensation for Election Commissioners so that they are paid an hourly wage only for election days. (Eddy)
	Request City Clerk determine if using the Senior Work-off Program could be utilized as a way to increase the salary of the poll workers. (Clancy)


1e.	Auditing - IV-5	View Budget

	Motion Clancy - Accept recommendation of City Manager to amend budget to reinstate one position in Auditing Department - Accepted Budget Approved as amended and subject to approval of Item #9c CC of the April 7, 2009 City Council Calendar


1f.	Retirement - Contributory Pensions, Non-contributory Pensions, Pensions - other - IV-6	View Budget

	Budget Approved

	Chairman's Orders
	Request Executive Secretary of the Retirement System report to City Council the breakdown of the number of city employees for each of the various contribution rates to the pension system. (Rushton)
	Request City Auditor provide a report concerning the contribution rates made for Social Security and 401k benefits by the employees of the top 25 private employers within the City. (Rushton)

Administration & Finance Budget Hearing



2a.	Finance - Purchasing Division, Budget Office, Treasurer & Collector - XV-1	View Budget

	Motion Clancy - Accept recommendation of City Manager to amend budget to reinstate two positions in Treasurers Department - Accepted Budget Approved as amended and subject to approval of Item #9c CC of the April 7, 2009 City Council Calendar

	Chairman's Orders
	Request City Manager report to City Council the amount spent to advertise bids in private print media. Further, request report include a legal analysis for amending any ordinance/regulations to allow advertising on city web site. (Petty)


2b.	Assessor's Office - XV-2	View Budget

	Motion Clancy - Accept recommendation of City Manager to amend budget to reinstate two positions in Assessing Department - Accepted Budget Approved as amended and subject to approval of Item #9c CC of the April 7, 2009 City Council Calendar


2c.	Technical Services - XV-3	View Budget

	Budget Approved


2d.	Debt Service Principal & Interest - XV-4	View Budget

	Budget Approved


2e.	Pension Obligation Bonds - XV-5	View Budget

	Budget Approved

Communications of the City Manager



3a.	Transmitting Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Recommendation # 8.34C CM March 31, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3b.	Transmitting Five Year Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Year 2009. # 9.30A CM June 17, 2008	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3c.	Transmitting informational communication relative to the City's Fiscal Year 2009 Commonwealth Capital Program Submission. # 8.42B CM December 16, 2008	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3d.	Transmitting communication relative to the City's Response to a request for Infrastructure Projects. # 11b CC January 13, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3e.	Transmitting communication regarding the City Budget. # 14b CC January 13, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3f.	Transmitting communication relative to a mid-year Local Aid reduction. # 14a CC January 27, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3g.	Transmitting informational communication relative to the City's Budget # 8.34A CM February 03, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3h.	Transmitting communication relative to a continued analysis and assessment of all facets of the City's current FY09 Budget and the accelerated development of City's FY2010 Budget. # 21b CC February 10, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3i.	Transmitting Status Report on Projected Budget Deficits. # 8.42D CM February 24, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3j.	Transmitting informational communication relative to Positions Held Vacant. # 7.34A CM March 03, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3k.	Transmitting communication relative to Employee Health Insurance Costs. # 7.34B CM March 03, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3l.	Transmitting Report of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation as presented at this Evening's Forum # 7.42A CM March 03, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3m.	Transmitting update regarding the City's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget # 8.34A CM March 17, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3n.	Transmitting informational communication relative to Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding and Federal Supplemental General Appropriation Funding # 8.34B CM March 17, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3o.	Transmitting informational communication relative to Layoff Notices and Support Services Available for Displaced Employees # 8.4A CM March 31, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3p.	Transmitting Fiscal Year 2010 Impact Statements for the Department of Administration and Finance, Worcester Police Department, Worcester Fire Department, and Department of Public Works and Parks. # 9a CC April 07, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


3q.	Transmitting informational communication regarding an Agreement with the Worcester Clerical Association and Corresponding Amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Recommendation. # 9c CC April 07, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend approval on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

Communications of the City Auditor



4a.	Transmitting the October 2008 Auditor's Report. # 14a CC November 25, 2008	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


4b.	Transmitting November 2008 Auditor's Report. # 7a CC December 23, 2008	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


4c.	Transmitting City's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008. # 7c CC December 23, 2008	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


4d.	Transmitting December 2008 Auditor's Report. # 7a CC January 27, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


4e.	Transmitting the Auditor's Report for January 2009. # 9a CC February 24, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold


4f.	Transmitting February 2009 Auditor's Report # 7a CC March 24, 2009	Attachments

	Recommend Hold