Minutes - Council Work Session - 07/31/2007

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Staff and Council discussed the following community programs that the City contributed to in 2007: AHSD Community School; Alexandra House; Youth First; City of Anoka Aquatic Center; Anoka County Mediation Services; Happy Days; National Night Out; Safety Camp; and Arbor Day Events. Juvenile Diversion: Police Chief Way provided an overview of the program. He explained the program is for minor offenders and some of Ramsey's youth are involved in pretty major offenses. Council may want to discuss the bang for the buck with this program, as $10,000 was contributed to the program in 2007 and 10 Ramsey youth went through the program. Councilmember Elvig stated he will not advocate one way or another because he is involved in the program. The idea is to catch kids at a point where they do not just get their hands slapped and are then back out on the street. The families are drawn in and are part of the program. Some people have to face the offended person. Councilmember Dehen stated the downside to diversion programs is that some of the kids you would like to see in the program are not getting into the program because they are not qualified. He suggested the City facilitate a more wide- spread use of the program by the Council recommending more discretion be allowed for the youth that participate in the program. Councilmember Strommen suggested the program be funded at $5,000 instead of the $10,000 in 2008. Consensus of the Council was to cut the funding for the Juvenile Diversion Program to $5,000 in 2008 and to request that more discretion be allowed for the youth that participate in the program. Alexandra House: Police Chief Way stated Alexandra House requested $6,285 in funding in 2007 and requested that officers forward the Alexandra House pamphlet to every domestic call. Alexandra House has requested a funding increase to $12,925 in 2008 due to the increase in calls from Ramsey. Interim City Administrator Nelson indicated this change has also happened in other cities. Police Chief Way stated Coon Rapids is not paying the additional funding request and the County is still not participating. Councilmember Elvig stated this is another program that does not exist through the County and there is a real need out there. Interim City Administrator Nelson noted that many of these organizations have lost their funding at the State or County level and it gets pushed down to the local level of government. It has become a local government obligation to keep these organizations funded. Councilmember Strommen suggested the funding level remain at the 2007 amount. Mayor Gamec suggested funding Alexandra House at $7,000 in 2008. Consensus of the Council was to fund Alexandra House at $7,000 in 2008. Finance Officer Lund indicated the 2007 budget includes a shortfall of $653,141 in building permit revenue below the projection. She reviewed the following 2007 budget amendment recommendations: · Charitable Gambling Fund transfer for programming support: $47,544 · Department line-item reductions: $177,506 · Project transfers/billable time: $160,500 · Grant funding: $156,000 City Council Work Session / July 31, 2007 Page 16 of 18