So we started on the Capital Budget at 7:00 with everyone in attendance once Judy Compton got there just a smidge late. The Mayor kicked off the meeting by pointing out the “memo” from Attorney May with a lovely little cartoon with a man with an attorney (with a halo) standing on one of his shoulders telling the man to “Run it by legal” and the man on his other shoulder (with horns) that say “Run it by accounting.” If only the rest of the meeting is only half as entertaining.
As this meeting goes on, I will post the votes if I have them. Once we are discussing the item, the item will be bolded.
Amendment No. 1
Agency/Project: Fire / Project #9 – FEMA Grant
Page(s): 13
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rummel
Add language specifying that the Fire Department shall not spend any of these funds until the grant is received.
General Obligation Debt $ –
Other Funding –
Total $ – Levy Impact: $ –
The motion passed on a voice vote after a friendly amendment to change the work “received” to “awarded”.
Amendment No. 2
Agency/Project: Police / Project #1 – Taser Deployment Plan
Page(s): 17
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Solomon
Remove funding for tasers, including the estimated funding amount of $35,000 in both 2009 and 2010.
General Obligation Debt $ (35,000)
Other Funding –
Total $ (35,000) Levy Impact: $ (4,533)
This motion failed 4 – 16. While the officers have enough tasers (103) for an average shift (approx 75) and there remained some skepticism about the use of tasers on a national basis the council and only 2/3 of the officers are trained to use them, still the council voted to give the police more tasers even tho they don’t need them on a daily basis. The roll call was as follows: AYE Konkel, Rhodes-Conway, Rummel, Webber NO Clear, Cnare, Compton, Gruber, Judge, Kerr, Verveer, Solomon, Skidmore, Schumacher, Palm, Pham-Remmele, Brandon, Bruer and Clausius.
Amendment No. 3
Agency/Project: Police / Project #3 – Rifle Acquisition Project
Page(s): 17
Sponsor(s): Alds. Brandon, Rhodes-Conway, Solomon
Remove funding for the rifle acquisition program, including the estimated funding amounts in 2009 and 2010 ($25,000 G.O. and $25,000 grant funding in each year).
General Obligation Debt $ (20,000)
Other Funding (20,000)
Total $ (40,000) Levy Impact: $ (2,590)
Some remained consistent in the arguments to trust the police and they need the tools to do their jobs as with the tasers. Others, pointed out that we’ve used a rifle once that they fired the weapon. We don’t need our average officers to have these military style automatic rifles since we have a sniper/swat team on staff of the MPD for the extreme circumstances. Lots of questions, some debate. Alder Webber called the question, I was the only who hadn’t spoke but I didn’t object. The motion passed 11 – 9. AYE Judge, Kerr, Konkel, Palm, Rhodes-Conway, Rummel, Solomon, Verveer, Webber, Brandon, Bruer. NO Clear, Compton, Gruber, Pham-Remmele, Sanborn, Schumacher, Skidmore, Clausius, Cnare. Cnare originally passed and voted at the end.
Amendment No. 4
Agency/Project: Information Technology / Project #5 – Enterprise Financial System
Information Technology / Project #11 – Enterprise Permit and Licensing System
Page(s): 36, 37
Sponsor(s): Alds. Brandon, Sandborn
Remove General Obligation funding for projects Nos. 5 and 11 and replace with other funding. The source of this other funding is a transfer in from TIF cash due to TID closures. This is a companion amendment to Operating Amendment No. 6.
General Obligation Debt $ (2,400,000)
Other Funding: TIF Closure 2,400,000
Total $ – Levy Impact: $ (310,811)
Alder Brandon kicked off the debate by explaining to us all, as if we didn’t notice, that we’re going to have a hole in our budget in future years because the Mayor used the $3.9M TIF windfall in the operating budget. Some refer to this as the “sustainable” issue, others call it the “structural deficit” issue, but many of us are concerned. This amendment would take the funding in the operating budget to use one time money for one time costs. Mayor spoke to the council, he claims that this is all “overblown”. Roll call vote was called and the motion failed 9 – 11: AYE Compton, Konkel, Rham-Remmele, Sanborn, Clausius, Solomon, Schumacher, Skidmore, Brandon. NO Clear, Cnare, Gruber, Judge, Kerr, Rhodes-Conway, Rummel, Verveer, Webber, Bruer, Palm.
Amendment No. 5
Agency/Project: Facilities Management / Project #3 – Development Services Center
Page(s): 46
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rummel
Move $1,440,000 of funding from the 2008 Capital Budget to the 2009 Capital Improvement Program. This funding is being moved to allow for consideration of potential reorganization of Planning and Community and Economic Development staff. The remaining $160,000 will be used in 2008 for planning and design.
General Obligation Debt $ (1,440,000)
Other Funding –
Total $ (1,440,000) Levy Impact: $ (186,487)
The argument here is that this is the funding for the “one stop shop”, but it is also funding to remodel offices for much of the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development and given what we just went through with the Economic and Community Development Unit hire, I felt it prudent to proceed with caution. I attempted to get some numbers on how to let the “one stop shop” move forward, but they couldn’t give me the numbers of how that could be done. I was unsuccessful in convincing the council. It failed 18 – 2. AYE Konkel, Rummel NO Clear, Cnare, Compton, Gruber, Judge, Kerr, Palm, Pham-Remmele, Rhodes-Conway, Sanborn, Schumacher, Skimore, Solomon, Verveer, Webber, Brandon, Bruer, Claussius.
Amendment No. 6
Agency/Project: Engineering – Major Streets / Project #14 – CTH M (CTH PD Area)
Engineering – Major Streets / Project #15 – CTH M (Mid Town Road Area)
Engineering – Major Streets / Project #16 – CTH M (Valley View Road Area)
Engineering – Major Streets / Project #17 – CTH M
Engineering – Major Streets / Project #18 – CTH M (CTH S Intersection)
Page(s): 62, 67, 68, and 69
Sponsor(s): Alds. Webber, Rummel, Konkel, Gruber
Remove funding for all components of County Trunk Highway M projects for 2008 through 2013. Future years’ funding will be contingent upon the development of favorable cost sharing arrangements with Dane County.
General Obligation Debt $ (1,050,000)
Other Funding –
Total $ (1,050,000) Levy Impact: $ (135,980)
The main issue here is: Shouldn’t the County pay for a COUNTY road? The counter-argument is that the City of Madison benefits from from this road because people are coming to Madison to work and shop. It’s now two hours into the meeting, and we’re only on our 6th amendment. We have 11 more to go in the Capital Budget and 55 in the Operating Budget. There are lots of concerns here about our land use plans, our transportation plans and the sustainability of this project. AYE Gruber, Konkel, Rhodes-Conway, Rummel, Webber NO Clear, Cnare, Compton, Judge, Kerr, Palm, Rham-Remmele, Sanborn, Schumacher, Skidmore, Solomon, Verveer, Brandon, Bruer, Clausius.
Amendment No. 7
Agency/Project: Engineering – Major Streets / Project #42 – Monroe St. / Regent St. Intersection
Page(s): 73
Sponsor(s): Alds. Solomon, Kerr
Move funding for the Monroe Street / Regent Street project from 2008 to 2009.
General Obligation Debt $ (1,010,420)
Other Funding (69,580)
Total $ (1,080,000) Levy Impact: $ (130,854)
This was tabled until after after Amendment 14. This passed unanimously.
Amendment No. 8
Agency/Project: Parks / Project #14 – Warner Park Stadium
Page(s): 102
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rummel
Delete General Obligation Debt funding for a loan of $1,200,000 to the Madison Mallards.
General Obligation Debt $ (1,200,000)
Other Funding –
Total $ (1,200,000) Levy Impact: $ (155,405)
There was a big long amendment that allowed us to borrow the money, but requires a long list of things to happen first. Sorry, I don’t have the language. AYE Clear, Cnare, Gruber, Judge, Kerr, Pham-Remmele, Rhodes-Conway, Sanborn, Schumacher, Skidmore, Solomon, Verveer, Bruer, Compton, Clausius. NO Konkel, Palm, Rummel, Webber, Brandon.
UPDATE: Here’s the amendment
Parks/Project #4 – Warner Park StadiumThe General Obligation Debt funding for a loan of $1,200,000 to the Madison Mallards shall be contingent upon completion of a public input process to review potential stadium renovation issues such as traffic, event scheduling, noise, naming rights and economic impacts on surrounding businesses.As specified in resolution 07-00853, enacted by the Common Council on September 4, 2007, proceeding with the construction phase of this project is also contingent upon the outcome of the preliminary design and feasibility phase, and is subject to Council review and approval of a revised lease agreement and public works resolution.
Amendment No. 9
Agency/Project: Parks / Project (New) – James Madison Park
Page(s): 103
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rummel, Verveer
Delete language making funding of $200,000 contingent upon land sales (see Board of Estimates 10-29-07 Amendment #4) and convert to General Obligation Debt.
General Obligation Debt $ 200,000
Other Funding (200,000)
Total $ – Levy Impact: $ 25,901
There were a few amendments here. I made the motion so that the neighborhood would no longer be held hostage by the land sales. Alder Brandon moved to allow the language but take out all of the money. That motion failed. AYE Compton, Gruber, Palm, Sanborn, Schumacher, Skidmore, Brandon, Clausius. NO Clear, Cnare, Konkel, Pham-Remmele, Rhodes-Conway, Rummel, Solomon, Verveer, Webber, Bruer, Kerr, Judge. (There was some confusion, Judge changed his vote from aye to no.) Then we went back to the original motion which passed on a voice vote with Compton audibly voting no.
Amendment No. 10
Agency/Project: Planning and Community and Economic Development
Page(s): 125
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rhodes-Conway
Add the following note to the Capital Improvement Program page:
“Note: PCED project numbers 2, 3, 4, 23, 24, 25 and 26 (as well as the Reverse Mortgage Program, project number 1 in the Miscellaneous agency budget) will be considered for inclusion in the 2009 operating budget as separate, special revenue fund statements.
General Obligation Debt $ –
Other Funding –
Total $ – Levy Impact: $ –
This was mostly technical. Passed on a voice vote.
Amendment No. 11
Agency/Project: Planning and Community and Economic Development
Page(s): 125
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rhodes-Conway
Add the following note to the Capital Improvement Program page: “Note: For the various PCED capital projects, the following PCED budget units are primarily responsible for project oversight:
CDBG – Projects 1, 2, 3 (also with ECD), 22, 23, 27, 36, 37, 38, and 39
ECD – Projects 3 (also with CDBG), 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26 28, 31, 32 and 35
Office of the Director of PCED – Projects 6, 29 and 34
Planning Division – Projects 24 and 30
Senior Center – Project 33″
General Obligation Debt $ –
Other Funding –
Total $ – Levy Impact: $ –
There was some discussion and this item was tabled until after the break.
Amendment No. 12
Agency/Project: Planning and Community and Economic Development /
Project #6 – Preliminary Planning
Page(s): 128
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rhodes-Conway
Add the following sentence to the project narrative: “Expenditures are subject to Common Council approval.”
General Obligation Debt $ –
Other Funding –
Total $ – Levy Impact: $ –
This item passed on a voice vote, with Kerr audibly voting no.
We took a break and came back around 10:40.
We reconsidered item 12 and amended it to say that expenditures over $2500 had to come to the council.
We then pulled item 11 off the table. The item failed, but I don’t have the votes on that one at the moment, will need to get them from the clerk.
Amendment No. 13
Agency/Project: Planning and Community and Economic Development /
Project #12 – TID 28-Bassett Neighborhood
Page(s): 128
Sponsor(s): Alds. Verveer, Judge
Add $450,000 of TID cash funding for additional projects within TID #28, involving the undergrounding of utilities.
General Obligation Debt $ –
Other Funding – TID Cash 450,000
Total $ 450,000 Levy Impact: $ –
Passed on a voice vote.
Amendment No. 14
Agency/Project: Planning and Community and Economic Development /
Project #13 – TID 29-Allied Terrace
State Street – Capitol Square / Project #1 – State St. Phase III: 500/600 Blocks
Engineering – Major Streets / Project #42 – Monroe St. / Regent St. Intersection
Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Page(s): 128, 27, 73, 19 (Operating Budget)
Sponsor(s): Alds. Solomon, Kerr, Webber, Konkel, Mayor Cieslewicz
This amendment will remove the $3,000,000 in “Other” funding (from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund) for the Allied project, increase General Obligation borrowing for the project by an additional $1,700,000, and reduce overall project costs in 2008 from $3,500,000 to $2,200,000. The amendment will also provide $1,300,000 in General Obligation funding in the CIP for 2009 for the Allied project. In addition, this amendment will reduce the General Obligation borrowing for the State Street reconstruction project by $1,300,000, as this funding is no longer required for this project. The amendment will also remove the 2008 funding for the Monroe / Regent Intersection construction project, as this project will be delayed until 2009. Additionally, this amendment provides that the 2008 funding for the Allied project is granted solely for the Allied infrastructure improvements and demolition on the City owned property, contingent upon project approval by the Common Council and the receipt of WHEDA low income tax credits. This amendment spreads the infrastructure / demolition costs associated with Allied Drive over two years. (Note: If this amendment is adopted, the change will be reflected on the TID statements in the Capital Budget and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund statement included in the Operating Budget.)
G.O. Other Funding Net
Allied $ 1,700,000 $ ( 3,000,000) $ ( 1,300,000)
State St. (1,300,000) – ( 1,300,000)
Monroe/Regent (1,010,420) (69,580) ( 1,080,000)
$ (610,420) $ ( 3,069,580) $ ( 3,680,000)
Levy Impact: $ (79,052)
Alder Solomon explained the project. Alder Brandon, probably rightfully so, is tired of being told “this is all we need to do” on projects. I agree. This isn’t all we need to do for Allied Drive. Alder Brandon is upset that this isn’t real savings, that this is a good bid and project that isn’t going to happen that is paying for the project. I think that might be a matter of semantics.
Amendment No. 15
Agency/Project: Planning and Community and Economic Development /Project #14 – TID 30-E. Washington at Hawthorne
Page(s): 129
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rummel
Eliminate funding for the purchase of 3 properties in the Marquette Street area that are potential subjects of the City’s Chronic Nuisance Ordinance. (Funding is from TID proceeds and will not directly impact the levy.)
General Obligation Debt $ –
Other Funding (300,000)
Total $ (300,000) Levy Impact: $ –
There was a substitute with language as follows:
1. Zero out $ in Project #14 in PCED2. Delete the language and replace it with:
This project provides funding to study the expansion of TID #30 to include areas of the Darbo Worthington Neighborhood, purchase suitable properties, begin the process to vacate the unimproved right-of-way at the end of Hauk Street, and perform any subsequent utility relocation. Any properties assembled will be combined to create a larger development parcel intended for owner-occupied townhouses. This project is subject to all standard TID requirements and processes.
3. Add a new project #40 (or whatever the next project would be): This project directs the Department generally, and the CDBG Office specifically, to work with Habitat for Humanity of Dane County and the Madison Area Land Trust to create homeownership opportunities in the area of Hauk Street and N. Marquette St.Alder Compton made a substitute in #3 to delete “Habitat for Humanity of Dane County and the Madison Area Land Trust” and replace it with “eligible entities”.
Failed with a voice vote.The motion then passed on a voice vote with Alder Compton audibly voting no.
Took number 7 off the table, passed. Placed the item on file because it was included in the Allied Drive amendment, passed
Amendment No. 16
Agency/Project: Planning and Community and Economic Development /
Project #36 – Public Market
Project #37 – East Isthmus Arts Incubator
Project #38 – Goodman/Atwood Neighborhood Center
Project #39 – Urban League Economic Development Center
Page(s): 133
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Rhodes-Conway
Add the following sentence to each of the project narratives:
“Loan repayment proceeds will be used to support future Neighborhood-Focused Improvements projects.”
General Obligation Debt $ –
Other Funding –
Total $ – Levy Impact: $ –
There was discussion about not creating a revolving loan fund in the budget. It failed on a voice vote.
Amendment No. 17
Agency/Project: Planning and Community and Economic Development / Project #37 – East Isthmus Arts Incubator
Page(s): 133
Sponsor(s): Alds. Rummel, Konkel, Webber
Remove funding for the project.
General Obligation Debt $ (70,000)
Other Funding –
Total $ (70,000) Levy Impact: $ (9,065)
There was a substitute that deleted funding from 2008 to 2013. It passed on a voice vote.
FINAL VOTE ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET
Brandon raised concerns about how much the capital budget has increased in the last few years, nearly tripling. I agree with him. I also think that we authorize too many projects that are not ready and as a result, we end up only actually borrowing half of what we need. We need to find a better way to predict what needs funding. Brandon was the only one to vote against the budget.
I’ll get you the bottom line numbers in a bit.
We agreed (by show of hands) to keep going until 1:00 and then took a break, tho 7 or so people wanted to just break for the night. After the break we re-voted (by show of hands) on what to do next. We had the option of doing the police amendments and letting everyone else go home or just agreeing to try to get up to amendment number 8. We chose the later option. I think I am done live-blogging for tonight, will have the first 8 operating budget amendments in the morning for you along with a little clean up on the above missing information.
