Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/02/1995 Work Session . . . ~ '," City of Springfield Work Session MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, OCTOBER 2,1995 The City of Springfield Council met in Work Session at Springfield City Hall, Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, October 2, 1995, at 6:05 p.m. with Mayor Morrisette presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Morrisette and Councilors Beyer, Burge, Dahlquist, Maine and Shaver. Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Recorder Eileen Stein, Bob McManus Lane County Sheriff and members of staff. 1. Lane County Law Enforcement Levy City Manager Mike Kelly introduced Bob McManus, Lane County Sheriff. Sheriff McManus provided the staff report regarding his proposal to the Lane County Board of Commissioners. Sheriff McManus provided handouts on the Sheriff's Office operating levy policy development document, statistics on jail population and matrix releases, Sherriff's recommended service levels, and tax rate projections. Sheriff Mc Manus provided an overview of the County's fiscal health and how it impacts the public safety budget in Lane County. Sheriff Mc Manus discussed the services provided by the Sheriff's Department and how public safety in the cities is impacted by the financial stability of the Sheriff's Department. Sheriff McManus discussed jail populations, bookings and matrix releases. He indicated the proposal is to take the Sheriff's Department out of the General Fund completely and fund it with a separate operating levy. It would be a two tier, three year operating levy. Sheriff McManus explained the different tiers and the operating levy policy development document. The first tier would be paid for by people within the urban areas of the county. The second tier involves services which would be paid for only by people within rural areas of the county. Sheriff McManus explained the services that would be provided with each tier. He indicated that tier one would replace 40 Full Time Equivalent emplyees (FTE) that have been lost over the past few years of County budget reductions. He indicated the loss of 40 FTE has resulted in the service delays that Springfild Police Department has discussed with the Council over the past few years. Sheriff McManus discussed the tax rate projections handout. He indicated that the figures are partially correct based on information from Bob Duey, and that the millage levy was not calucted into the rate projection which would add on about 20 cents. . City of Springfield Council Work Session - 10/2/95 Page two Sheriff McManus discussed what costs were incorporated into the Sheriff's Department budget that result in the tax rate and tax rate projections that would occur if the levy passed. Councilor Shaver asked where the new jail inmates are going to go if the levy passed and the resources are provided. Sheriff McManus explained they could expand an underutilized pod at the existing jail, open and fully utilize the work camp, and look at state funding for inmates the county will receive through SB 1145 (inmates that won't be taken into the State prison system.) Councilor Burge asked how much money in the County General Fund would be freed up by the levy. Sheriff McManus replied that $10.9 million would be freed up. County Administrator Bill VanVactor stated according to the County's eight year financial projections, future General Fund deficits could be eliminated by banking about $5.4 million immediately for future years. The remaining $5.5 million would be used to increase human services and District Attorney's Office budgets. . Councilor Burge asked how the work camp was funded and if it was from a serial levy why it was now closed. Sheriff McManus stated the money is being used for jail operations. He commented the Board of Commissioners deliberatly made the decision to use the money for jail operations rather than the work camp. Mr. VanVactor commented that the ballot measure for the serial levy allowed for the levy proceeds to be used for other purposes including jail operations. Chief DeForrest commented on the numbers of offenders who are being released as a result of the matrix process. He said more importantly is the increasing number of people who don't feel safe in the community. He said what is missing is the lack of an effective sanction, and stated 63 percent of outstanding warrants are those issued for fail to appear charges. Councilor Burge asked if there should there be some coordination with the Community Coordinating Council that is responsible for the implementation of SB 1145. Sheriff McManus stated that the committee is so new and is preoccupied with getting construction funding that it can not assist at this time, but is an excellent body for future coordinating and policy development. Councilor Maine asked what could be expected in terms of jail bed space and response/release times that benefit Springfield residents. She asked what the timeline for getting the levy on the ballot is. Sheriff McManus replied a decision must be made by early December Councilor Beyer commented that if the levy passes it could hamstring the other taxing jurisdictions quite a bit. . . . . .... ,. .. City of Springfield Council Work Session - 10/2/95 Page three Mr. Van Vactor stated the commissioners, department heads and citizen budget committee members have been meeting on Monday mornings to discuss the levy and invted a Springfield representative to attend as well. By consensus, it was decided that Councilor Maine would attend the meetings and represent Springfield. 2. Basic Services Analysis This item was postponed due to length of item #1. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 6:57 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Eileen Stein eidJ1/~$ Mayor ATTEST: ~^' City Recorder