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Mr. Hartley also referred to the Park and Recreation fund item and stated that <br />maintenance and development of parks are two separte issues; maintenance will <br />be derived from the general fund and development will be derived from a special <br />fund; this method will confirm to the sources of funds that the funds are <br />indeed allocated for development. <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley stated that the budget was prepared assuming Council's objective is <br />to keep city operating and maintenance costs at a consistent level; if Council <br />has general policy attitudes that differ from what is being projected in the <br />budget, that information should be relayed to Staff. <br /> <br />Mayor Reimann requested that professional services be utilized as efficiently <br />as possible. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cox expressed concern with the continuing cost of having city <br />offices on a computer system; the system was supposed to have saved the city <br />money. <br /> <br />Mr. Graczyk replied that the computer has saved a great deal of money in terms <br />of staff productivity; even more savings will be realized when the city <br />progresses into utility billing. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cox stated that the problem he sees is that Ramsey is growing and <br />expanding at a proportion greater than the revenues and population; the tax <br />revenue generated by economic development does not really come back to the <br />community in visual things. There should be an equation to reflect more <br />revenue being spent to benefit other than personal services, i.e., park <br />development. The city has more government than it needs and a lot of it is <br />required by that government above the city level. <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley replied that staff's objective is to accomplish what is and what <br />will be needed as efficiently and cost effectively as possible; recommendations <br />in the 1987 proposed budget are intended to do that. <br /> <br />Mr. Martley stated that there is a situation of staff taking more and more <br />time to make sure city buildings and vehicles are properly maintained; that <br />cost coupled with the cost of contracting certain maintenance items adds up; <br />council might want to consider hiring at least a part-time person to do general <br />maintenance and errands. Hiring such a person would not create an additional <br />cost because of money saved by no longer accomplishing the tasks on a contract <br />basis. Other additional staff projections, which do not necessarily have to be <br />fulfilled, are temporary interns in the community development and finance <br />departments and temporary clerical; only full time position recommendation is a <br />light equipment operator. Positions requested, that are not in the budget, are <br />community services officer, building maintenance/errand person, two officers, <br />another light equipment operator and a water equipment operator. <br />budget does not include the hiring of any additional personnel; each instance <br />would have to be brought before Council for approval. <br /> <br />Mr. Graczyk stated that approving the budget does not approve the hiring of <br />additional personnel; each instance would have to be brought before Council for <br />approval; appropriating the funds in the budget allows Council a way to hire <br /> October 7, 1986 <br /> <br />Page 2 of 4 <br /> <br /> <br />