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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/09/1987 - Workshop Minutes City Council MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1987 4:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ringer, Councilmen Jones, Boughton, Brown, Haddox, Gardner, McIlhaney COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Cole, Acting City Manager Ragland, City Secretary Jones, Director of Capital Improvements Ash, Utilities Office Manager Piwonka, Data Processing Manager Koehler, Software Development Manager Earwood, Public Information Officer Calliham, Director of Parks and Recreation Beachy, Facilities Superin- tendent Szabuniewicz, Deputy Finance Director Schroeder, Administrative Assistant Barnett, Public Utilities Director Woody, Police Chief Strope, Accounting Supervisor Hubbard, Council Coordinator Hooks VISITORS PRESENT: See guest register. Agenda Item No. 1 - Council Concerns. No one spoke. Agenda Item No. 2 - City Manager Concerns. Acting City Manager Ragland mentioned to the Council that the Railroad Project Committee will meet Monday, December 14, 1987 and several city staff members from Bryan and College Station are invited to attend this meeting. Mr. Ragland also mentioned that Mr. D.D. Williamson of the Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation is scheduled to present a feasibility study to the Council at the first workshop meeting in January. Councilman Boughton arrived at the meeting. Mr. Ragland asked that each council member complete a survey being passed out by Mr. Elrey Ash. Mr. Ash described the survey, Project 2020, conducted by the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Ragland added that a Task Force Committee has been organized to study the public transportation aspects which would benefit this area. The committee consists of representatives from the City of College '06436 CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1987 Page 2 Station, the City of Bryan, Texas A&M, the Chamber of Commerce, Brazos County, and the Texas Transportation Institute. He pointed out this is the only major area which is not connected with an interstate system. Mr. Ragland stated that the Texas Public Power Association has requested that a representative from College Station be named to serve on the Board of Directors. The staff recommended Mr. John Woody to serve in this capacity. The council concurred to ap- point Mr. John Woody as a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Public Power Association. Councilman Boughton reported that she attended a meeting in Houston conducted by Continental Express. This meeting was held to inform different cities in Texas of the tax act that may be enforced on Embraer aircraft. She explained that Continental Express has plans to allocate the first nineteen Embraer aircraft to co, unities served by the Houston airports. Embraer 120 is a fully standardized, high-speed comfortable commuter aircraft fleet to connect the major airports with the smaller surrounding communities that cannot support frequent service by large jet aircraft. Continental Express has asked that each city send a written statement expressing opposition to the 100% duty on Embraer products. Mayor Ringer asked staff to prepare a letter with the council's signature and to send it to Washington as soon as possible. Mayor Ringer welcomed City Manager Cole to the meeting. Agenda Item No. 3 - Presentation of the Updated Management Information System Plan. Mr. Ragland stated that the Management Information System Steering Committee members were present at the meeting. He presented a brief introduction pointing out the committee's three requests for Council action as follows: (1) to approve the MIS Implementation Plan; (2) to authorize budget amendment for Fiscal Year 1987-88; and, (3) to establish the MIS plan as top priority for the fiscal year 1988-89 budget. The study's goals and objectives include: 1) Develop a long- range information processing plan that would provide city management with a formalized approach to data processing; and, 2) Develop a methodology/plan to correct current problems and r)6437 CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1987 Page 3 weaknesses with the city's data processing operation. Mr. Rag- land pointed out that the purpose of the plan is to develop priorities on the basis of the system and not the costs of each. Mr. Ragland stated that this plan is a flexible plan and the study calls for a move from a centralized system to a de-central- ized system. He referred to one factor discussed by the commit- tee, city hall modifications. The MIS Plan refers to this goal over a period of five years. Mr. Chip Collins, a consultant from LWFW, presented the Council with the goals and objectives of the MIS Plan. He explained several key findings, including that (1) the current and potential user's perception must be improved, and (2) the NCR 1-9050 has been unreliable and inadequate except for utility billing and collections. He recalled the following recommendations made by LWFW in 1986: 1) change MIS perspectives from viewing the city's information resource as data to viewing the resource as a management tool; 2) change the responsibility for MIS from financial management to an Assistant City Manager with broader responsibility; 3) broaden the role of MIS; 4) create a management information steering committee, 5) maintain current MIS staffing levels, plus add personnel to assist with programming and support of the financial management and utility billing systems. Mr. Collins commented that a few of these tasks have been accomplished. He presented a brief overview of the plan's financial impact. The total estimated costs is $2,879,660. The finance staff feels that the plan will not decrease services and not subject in- creased taxes. Mr. Ragland mentioned that the $2.8 million estimated cost includes not only equipment, but also software, personnel, and operational expenses. Mr. Collins showed the prioritized systems in 1987 which changed somewhat since the 1986 study. The Computer Mapping System was the largest change. He briefly discussed the top ten systems ranked as follows by the MIS Committee: 1. Financial Accounting 2. Payroll/Personnel 3. Office Automation 06458 CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1987 Page 4 4. Utility Billing 5. Computer Mapping 6. Personnel 7. Inventory Control 8. City Hall Modifications 9. Utility Devices 10. Fleet Maintenance He described the status and benefits of each priority. Councilman Gardner asked if the computer mapping system includes land use, zoning, etc. Mr. Collins replied that Mr. Schroeder has the material which documents the needs for each system. Mr. Gardner added that he hopes the hardware chosen will accomplish land use, engineering needs, and other planning needs. Councilman Haddox asked if additional personnel are included in the $2.8 million. Mr. Collins stated that the costs include the existing personnel, an additional microcomputer specialist, a position which previously existed in the city, and eventually adding two individuals within the next two years. He added that one person will oversee the utility billing system and one person will oversee the financial accounting system. Budget Director Glenn Schroeder reviewed the following funding strategies developed for the city by the MIS Committee: 1) recog- nize feasible implementation time-frame and need for funds; 2) identify all costs related to Phase I of MIS Plan; 3) recognize the operating funds that will benefit from MIS Plan; 4) accom- plish funding for MIS Plan without property tax rate increase or utility rate increases; and, 5) recognize future impact on opera- ting funds budget. He described the factors used in determining the funding strategy. Three of the factors illustrated that $150,000 of unappropriated interest earnings in general obligations bonds will be dedicated to the debt service fund and $250,000 of unappropriated interest earnings will be available in general obligation bonds for building modification. Also, $195,000 of utility revenue bonds have been issued for the computer mapping project. Deputy Finance Director Schroeder showed an overhead illustration of the estimated MIS expenses of Fiscal Years 1988-1991, and the sources of monies to be allocated during these years. g6439 CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1987 Page 5 Councilman Gardner stated his concern that if the objective is not to raise taxes or not to raise utility rates, does this place limitations on the system the city really needs. He added that he hopes the city does not have to initiate any tax increase. Mr. Ragland noted that in the MIS Plan the staff looked at the systems which could be feasibly implemented, before costs were researched. Councilman Gardner asked if the unappropriated interest is anti- cipated interest or accrued interest. Mr. Schroeder replied that the interest monies are accrued; he further explained that the projects already in progress will not be affected by these costs. Councilman Haddox commented that he was supportive of the Plan and added that the new system will allow the city the ability to work with the proper system and save dollars in the long run. Mayor Ringer asked why the new main frame will be an NCR. Mr. Collins replied that the existing utility billing software will run on NCR equipment. Councilman Haddox inquired how the computer costs were deter- mined. Mr. Collins reported that the estimates were obtained from the equipment costs for other cities. Councilman Brown pointed out that each portion of the cycle will be brought to the Council for approval. Mr. Ragland affirmed Councilman Brown's statement. Agenda Item No. 4 - Discussion of contract with enqineerinq consultant for Power Supply Study. Public Utilities Director John Woody stated that the RFP's were submitted to consultants with engineering experience and firms with exposure to hydroelectric projects. Four responses were received from consulting firms. The staff recommended the firm of Burns and McDonald from Kansas City, Missouri. The contract price is $50,000, which is within the present budgeted funds. Mr. Woody noted that the staff will advise the Council on the status of LSMPA during one of the council meetings in January. Also, the study will be completed in six months. -06440 CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1987 Page 6 Agenda Item No. 5 - Adjourn. Mayor Ringer declared the meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m. APPROVED: ATTEST: Ci~'y Secr~_e~CDian Jones r'j644'J GUEST REGISTER CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, DECE~ER 9, 1987 4=00 P.M. mm 14. e 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. m 21. 10. 22. 11. 23. 12. 24. 00&442