The Jefferson City Council is continuing its work on the draft 2017 budget and a number of changes can be expected before the final budget is approved, but there is already a number of requests that didn't make it into the mayor's draft budget.
The News Tribune has gone through each unfunded request, often called "pink sheet" requests as they were once detailed on pink sheets of paper in old budget books. Here's what departments are requesting that is not included in the draft 2017 budget so far and the number of unfunded requests:
Planning and Protective Services: $930,560
Though several requests from the Planning and Protective Services Department are funded in the draft 2017 budget, this department still has the highest total of unfunded requests.
The single largest request is for $595,000 to implement the Capitol Avenue Revitalization plan, including funding for professional services like legal and appraisals, acquisition, personnel and equipment. The request states if the ongoing blight study is accepted then implementation would be the next step.
The blight study is expected to be finished and results presented to the city's Housing Authority and City Council by the end of the month. Mayor Carrie Tergin has said the implementation step is not funded only because the city needs to first see the results of the blight study and look at legal options moving forward.
Another pink sheet requests $16,560 to pay for a local match to a State Historic Preservation Fund grant that would survey the West Main Street and/or Forest Drive area, a request that also was made last year.
Two pink sheets request $30,000 each for development of new code enforcement software "to assist with creating and managing cases using mobile device, optimize travel routes, create and print in the field, communicate status updates and violations to citizens and share real time results." One request would be for the property maintenance/code enforcement division, while the other would be for the building inspection/regulation division.
The department also requests $102,300 for a new building inspector to specialize in mechanical systems, as well as a new vehicle for the position. The request states an important element of building systems is the mechanical system, which "is not being inspected to a level of detail to help ensure the safety of users of the facility."
Another new building inspector is requested for construction inspections at a cost of $97,700. The request states the division issues permits for only a portion of what the building code actually requires and staff "is gradually making the public aware of what should require a building permit," including things like replacing roofs, windows and retaining walls.
And $59,000 is requested for a new full-time administrative technician. The request states "with a future mechanical inspector planned on being filled, this would create another licensing board for mechanical and extra building (or mechanical) permits that are not being issued at this time. This results in an additional administrative duty that would need to be addressed."
However, an alternate plan also was included from Janice McMillan, the department director, stating her idea of taking an existing part-time position assigned to the Community Development Block Grant program and upgrading it to full-time and reassigning to neighborhood services. This plan includes funding the position with 50 percent grant funds and 50 percent general revenue funds and has been included in the mayor's draft budget.
Fire: $237,997
A majority of Fire Department pink sheet requests were funded in the mayor's budget, but several items were still left waiting.
The largest request is for $187,500 for rebuilding the department's burn building, also known as the Hyde Park training tower. The request states no significant improvements have been made to the burn building site in more than 20 years and to the apparatus storage facility in more than 10 years, and "as the host of the annual statewide fire school, continued investment is necessary to remain relevant and competitive."
Last year, the department submitted a similar pink sheet request, but for only $15,000.
At last week's budget meeting, council members did vote to fund the rebuild of the burn building, but that funding will be removed if a matching revenue offset is not approved at the next budget meeting Thursday.
At a budget meeting in early August, 3rd Ward Councilman Ken Hussey asked if Jefferson City was at risk of losing the fire school, which has a positive economic impact on the community. Chief Matt Schofield said this year was "one of the most challenging financial years" for the fire school, so whatever can be done to increase the attractiveness of the site and keep the annual program in the community would help.
Another sheet requests $16,147 for a part-time administrative assistant to help with an "ever increasing administrative work load" as well as serve as a back up to the full-time administrative assistant. The same request was left unfunded last year.
And $34,350 is requested for new breathing air compressors, with the request stating only stations No. 1 and No. 3 are equipped with the ability "to produce air with a high pressure compressor to refill these (self-contained breathing apparatus) tanks. This capability is necessary to operate a viable training center and allow units in training to maintain a ready status."
Public Works: $42,885
The Public Works Department had high success with its pink sheets this year, with only one item left unfunded in the mayor's draft.
In the street division, the department had requested two street worker positions at a cost of $42,885 each, one of which was funded in the mayor's draft.
The two positions were cut in 2013, right when the department was actually considering requesting additional street staff. The street division has not grown in more than 50 years, even as the city expands its limits and becomes responsible for more miles of road. In fact, the loss of positions since 2013 shrank the street division staff even lower than it was in 1953, when the city was responsible for 9.14 square miles of land, compared to more than 37 square miles of land now.
At last week's budget meeting, council members did vote to fund the second street worker position, but that funding will be removed if a matching revenue offset is not approved at the next budget meeting Thursday.
Police: $46,800
The Police Department also had high success with its pink sheets this year, with only a few items left unfunded in the mayor's draft.
In the communications division, one sheet requests $26,000 for an emergency notification system to "allow the department to send notifications of pending severe weather or other emergency circumstances, as a redundant option to the severe weather sirens. The current sirens are for outdoor use only, and the police department regularly receives concerns from the community that the alerts cannot be heard indoors."
At last week's budget meeting, council members did vote to fund the emergency notification system, but that funding will be removed if a matching revenue offset is not approved at the next budget meeting Thursday.
The only other unfunded requests in the Police Department came from the animal control division, where there are two requests for part-time customer service specialists/adoption counselors at a cost of $10,400 each. The request states regular staff are constantly interrupted from their job duties to provide these services now, leading to "inefficiency and frustration in the workplace." An accompanying letter from the Friends of the Jefferson City Animal Shelter states further support for the positions, noting "on most days several hours will pass with no staff member having entered the dog or cat adoption rooms to check on the visitors, the animals, or to assure that animals were returned to their kennels. We are surprised that animals have not been stolen, as there is no supervision of dogs being taken outside by visitors."
Human Resources: $257,418
In the Human Resources Department, only one pink sheet request was funded, leaving a majority of requests unfunded.
The department requests $7,000 to scan terminated employee files from 2007-12. The request states "we access terminated employee personnel files on almost a daily basis to research hire and term dates, salaries, and dependent information for employees needing information for banking applications, retirement planning or Medicare filing."
Another request is for $10,000 for a performance appraisal system, with the request stating the "current paper-driven performance evaluation system is very outdated and could be viewed as somewhat subjective. An electronic system would make the process faster and more accurate."
One request is for $100,000 for an additional city contribution to the employee health insurance. The request states the "additional contribution would be used to improve benefits (such as out-of-pocket maximum) for each plan, so those with significant health issues would not have such a high financial burden each year. This additional contribution would offset those increases over the years and bring out-of-pocket costs back down to more manageable amounts."
The department also is requesting the addition of an assistant position at $48,360 to help improve recruiting and retention efforts within the city. The request states "by bench marking standards, (Human Resources) should have five full-time personnel to operate at a fully-functioning level compared to the 3.28 currently working in (Human Resources)."
Another request is for re-instituting the citywide internship program, which was cut three years ago, for $27,588. At last week's budget meeting, council members did vote to fund the internship, but that funding will be removed if a matching revenue offset is not approved at the next budget meeting Thursday.
And $64,500 is requested for a city match of $25 per month for deferred compensation participants. The request states "the city would offer employees a maximum of $25 a month match to their deferred compensation contribution, if the employee also contributes a minimum of $25."
Nondepartmental: $2,000
Only one pink sheet came from the nondepartmental budget asking for $2,000 to maintain funding for public art at the same level as the current fiscal year. No justification was included in the request.
Law: $15,000
A pink sheet request details $15,000 needed for design work at the City Hall Annex - where the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department is currently housed - to plan for municipal court to move into the area once parks moves to the new Wellness Center.
Once the Wellness Center opens on Lafayette Street, at least a portion of the staff is expected to move into the new facility, and city officials have told the department they'd like to have the annex area for municipal court, currently housed in the council chambers in City Hall.
But with construction on the Wellness Center not expected to be complete until the end of January, Tergin has said it made sense to give it time to see how the staff moves work. City Administrator Steve Crowell also has noted the money to complete that design work could come from other funds.
Enterprise funds
Outside of the general fund budget, Jefferson City also has several enterprise funds, which are self-sustaining funds kept separate from the general fund.
These funds generate their own revenue, either through charges, fares or a dedicated tax. No general fund money would be used to fund the following items or changes as the requests currently stand.
Here are the unfunded requests from all the enterprise funds:
Transit: $33,000
The city's transit division, known as JeffTran, had only one pink sheet request for a new promotion. The request states, in an effort to increase ridership, "JeffTran staff believes making bus rides free for three months out of the year will provide a significant incentive for individuals who have not considered riding the bus previously to consider doing so."
Division Director Mark Mehmert said it's estimated the promotion would cost about $33,000 in lost revenue, as the fixed route system typically brings in $11,000 per month in revenue.
Parks: $1,059,500
The Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department has a large number of unfunded requests, primarily because staff is holding off on many capital purchases as they await the opening of the planned Wellness Center and progress on a new department master plan.
For the Washington Park Ice Arena, $5,000 is requested to replace rental skates, and another $3,500 is requested for furniture in the warming house to allow parents a place to sit and relax. New blinds also are requested for $6,000, while $2,000 is requested for equipment replacement in the concession area. Another $1,500 is requested for updating the arena's lighting system dimmer packs, and $10,000 is requested to add a deck-like area for birthday parties. And $500,000 is requested for raised bleachers that are compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The final request for the Ice Arena is for $12,000 for a new exhaust fan system that would help reduce levels of carbon monoxide/dioxide.
For the Oak Hills Golf Course, $15,000 is requested to continue annual replacement of golf carts, and $11,000 is requested for attachments for the greens mower. Another $25,000 is requested for a heavy duty utility vehicle to replace a 1994 three-wheel Cushman Truckster, and $37,000 is requested for a new rotary surrounds/rough mower.
At the Memorial Pool, $7,000 is requested to add shade on the concession deck, while $50,000 is requested for a new slide to the play area for younger children. Another $30,000 is requested to replace the drop slide stairs.
At Ellis-Porter Pool, $1,500 is requested for a basketball goal with an adjustable backboard rim, and $9,000 is requested to replace the coin operated lockers, which are more than 18 years old.
In the park resources division, $45,000 is requested for a new heavy duty truck with a non-dumping bed, and $30,000 is requested for purchases of surplus equipment and vehicles as they become available during the year. Another $60,000 is requested for a heavy duty truck with a service body and $4,000 is requested for a tandum axle trailer. One request is for $40,000 for a new skid steer with rubber tracks, while another is for $29,000 for a new multi-use utility vehicle with attachments. Another $100,000 is requested for a new heavy duty bucket truck, and $15,000 is requested for a new cold plainer skid steer attachment.
And in the recreation services division, $7,600 is requested for theatrical camp supplies, as the camps will no longer be able to use the Ice Arena as staff plans to switch the facility to operating year-round. Another $4,000 is requested for continuous replacement of concession equipment.
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