Work Session
December 20, 2010
Present: Mayor Grenier and Councilors Remillard, Danderson, McCue, Rozek and Cayer. Councilors Landry and Poulin emailed they would be absent. Councilor Evans did not attend the Work Session, he entered at 7:25 p.m. Also present: Pat MacQueen, Andre Caron, Corinne Cascadden, School Board Members, Lieutenant Barney Valliere and the press.
Mayor Grenier presented Mitch Couture with an appreciation plaque for his dedicated service to the Board of Education. The Mayor added that Mitch did an awesome job and we are grateful. Mitch replied that this is a great board and they will do a great job.
Mayor Grenier opened the Work Session at 6:30 p.m.
Library Quilt Donation
The City Manager informed Council that Cheryl Nolan donated a quilt to the Library. The Library Trustees accepted the donation and would like to hold raffle and to use the proceeds to purchase a baby changing station in the Children’s Department restroom. It is a non-money donation but Council needs to accept the donation either through a resolution or simply by motion.
Councilor Danderson moved with a second by Councilor Rozek to accept the donation so the Library Trustees can carry out their plan to have raffle. So moved, the motion carried.
The City Manager has three items to be put on tonight’s agenda: North Country Council letter of support from the City, Chief Trull’s request for a 155-B order for 645 First Avenue and a request to fill a Waste Water Treatment Facility maintenance position due to a retirement.
Councilor Danderson moved with a second by Councilor Remillard to add all three items to tonight’s Work Session. So moved, the motion carried.
Police Department Outside Overtime Resolution
The City Manager explained that he met with the Police Chief since there was confusion about the matter so they are rewording the resolution and bringing it up for Council discussion.
Councilor Remillard asked if it would be reimbursed by the Undesignated Fund Balance. The City Manager replied they do not need to do that.
Mayor Grenier added that he spoke to Chief Morency today and he assured the Mayor that he has other surplus items and will turn money back to the City. His goal is not increasing the budget.
Councilor Remillard is concerned and is not reassured they will not have to study this situation again. The Police Department pulled this on us and it was done secretly until it was brought to our attention recently. She does not want it to happen again.
Councilor McCue said there is still a question about the revenue side.
The City Manager explained that at the last meeting, the Chief thought the revenue would increase but he made a mistake in thinking. In the process of finding reductions, he cut this line item but did not cut the revenue. They reduced the expense line but could not bring it in and put it in the revenue side needed to complete process
Councilor Danderson reasoned that this basically just means we are giving them more money.
The City Manager concurred that is correct but he assured Council it was done in good faith. They didn’t realize they had to reduce revenue and expenses.
Councilor Danderson said if nothing is done tonight it will just cut services and revenue.
Councilor Rozek recalls the same thing happened with Milan. He wonders if they cut the budget with the intent of knowing it would have to be replaced.
The City Manager reminded Council that at budget time the Chief said he would have to come back to Council due to this cut.
Councilor Danderson stated this won’t happen again.
Councilor Rozek thinks this may be a clever budgeting process. The City Manager replied this would not make sense.
Councilor McCue figured that from Undesignated Fund Balance they would add $17,963 in revenue and have the same back on the expense side like in Milan so the revenue in the current budget stays the same.
Lieutenant Valliere agreed this would have no effect on taxes but they need money to provide services.
City Manager MacQueen reminded Council they have to keep this in mind during budget time.
Councilor Rozek insisted that the Police Commission must know this. The City Manager said he does not think they do.
155-B order for 645 First Avenue
Fire Chief Trull sent this order to begin the process to raze and remove this hazardous building.
Councilor Danderson asked where the money to do the work will come from.
The City Manager replied the city will lien property and if we can take it from the grant we will.
The Mayor asked if the owner has other properties in the city.
Councilor McCue added that they own other properties in Laconia that we will lien as well.
Councilor Rozek moved with a second by Councilor Danderson to pursue the 155-B order for 645 First Avenue as requested. So moved, the motion carried.
North Country Council request for letter of support
The City Manager received a fax today from the North Country Council. They are applying for a Solid Waste Technical Assistance Grant and request each of their communities to write a letter of support.
Councilor Remillard asked if we would be reimbursed for any of this. The reply was no.
On the same idea, Councilor Danderson questioned how we will benefit from this grant.
From what the City Manager understands, it looks like they plan to develop a Full Cost Accounting System for solid waste management in 5 communities, but he has no idea what they will do with the money. Berlin just might be part of the district they are working on.
Councilor Rozek moved with a second by Councilor Danderson to send a letter of support to the North Country Council as requested. So moved, the motion carried.
Waste Water Treatment Facility Retirement
City Manager MacQueen was given notice that Marcel Belanger from the WWTF is retiring effective December 31, 2010. Henry Noel, Plant Supervisor, is asking for Council permission to fill that position. It is not in the general fund but funded by the Sewer User Fund so it is budget neutral. The City Manager recommends filling this vacancy.
Councilor Rozek pointed out that the city is in the process of updating the plant with $12 million dollars of new equipment. He questioned why we need to fill another maintenance position.
The City Manager explained that they don’t know how they will be able to handle what is going on with the Bureau of Prison waste and making necessary adjustments. They are not looking for additional help but are operating with minimal positions now. They may have to ask for more men in time but don’t know that now.
Councilor Rozek reiterated that the purpose of purchasing new equipment is to handle the extra flow. Why do we need another man and how do we know we need that person now?
The City Manager replied that equipment does not run alone and operators are needed to run those machines.
Councilor Rozek countered that the Allen Bradley system runs itself. He suggests that one or two Public Works employees could come over to the WWTF whenever needed and they can utilize services with the Public Works Department.
Mr. Noel explained that the Public Works Department is already shorthanded so it would be hard to get them to come to the plant. These machines are unique pieces of equipment and knowledge of instrumentation, place logic, process controls and blowers are necessary to operate the equipment.
Pat added that not knowing how to deal with waste from the Bureau of Prisons and the WWTF improvements won’t be done until 2012. They may have to run the centrifuge more times and handling sludge will take more time, not personnel. In the future, if they see they can operate with fewer, great but until then they need the manpower.
Councilor Remillard asked if the job Marcel did can be done by someone else. One position would be eliminated but that is the bottom man. She asked if they can handle operations with fewer men until the new system is implemented. Down the road if they see more men are needed, then they can hire more. She has a problem replacing in this department when they are cutting elsewhere.
Councilor Danderson heard the City Manager say that the prison doesn’t have their sewer line in yet and we won’t have the upgrade done in time for them either. He does not want to see any more delays with the Federal Prison. The funds for this position do not come from the city budget but from sewer revenues. Once the plant is automated, then they can see if they need fewer personnel. The amount they would be saving by not hiring including benefits would be around $80,000. If we have a delay with the prison that amount and more will be lost fast.
Councilor Rozek heard right along that all departments are way understaffed. It hurts to do this but somewhere we need to put the brakes on. Berlin has the highest taxes and lowest property values in the state. He did not support replacing a man in the fire department because he is looking out for the taxpayers that seem to have been forgotten about. They need another person in City Hall and the union contract wages go up and the budget is still going up while the Police Department budget is going up too. Why can’t anyone see this? He is an elected official who was put into office to represent the taxpayer. It is a shame to lay people off once we have made a commitment to hire them. We need to put the brakes on and wait until we see that we absolutely need those people even though the
City Manager comes here to say he really needs all these people.
Councilor McCue asked if the WWTF hires, what pay grade is it. In 6 months there will be a whole new budget.
Councilor Remillard said the WWTF has their own fund and are self sufficient like the Water Works. A new hire does not affect taxes and they gave up a man when Mickey Therriault retired.
Councilor Danderson said he does not want to see anything to stop the prison at this point.
Mayor Grenier asked if Council would agree to hold off hiring a WWTF replacement until April 1.
Henry Noel cautioned Council that winter is the worst time of year at the plant to run shorthanded.
Councilor Remillard moved to allow Mr. Noel to place an ad to rehire in the WWTF.
The City Manager clarified that from a budget point of view, they don’t need motion.
Mayor Grenier offered to postpone hiring until March 1 as a good compromise to save money in the budget and the department would only be short for two months.
Councilor McCue asked what damage would be done to postpone the hire
Mayor Grenier replied they would save approximately $8,000 per month.
Councilor Danderson asked if there was cross training in that department. He understands they need a license to work there but the mechanical part is specialized. He does not want to hold off hiring at all.
Council voted to hire now. All voted yes with the exception if Councilor Rozek who voted no. Mr. Noel will begin the hiring process immediately.
Adjourn/Non-Meeting
There being no further business in the Work Session at this time, Councilor McCue moved with a second by Councilor Remillard to adjourn the Work Session and go into Non-Meeting per RSA 91-A:2,I.(b) Collective Bargaining. Roll call resulted in unanimous affirmative votes of Council including Mayor Grenier who declared the Work Session adjourned at approximately 7:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra A. Patrick, CMC
City Clerk
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