HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/03/55 October 3, 1955
A statutory budget meeting was held in the Mayorts Office at 10:00 A.M., on
Monday, October 3, 1955. Mayor H.O. Domstad presiding and Commissioners Cullin
and ~heaton, City Clerk McGowan, City Auditor Vaa and a representative of the
press being present.
After some discussion of the budget, which is out of balance, ~iss Cullln
stated that she had been discussing, with a few business people in town, the mat-
ter of amending the business and occupation tax ordinance in order to bring in
sufficient revenue to Oalance the budget. She stated that she thought that on
retail and wholesale business the tax xhould be raised from .001 to .00~ and on
services from .001 to .006. This would make the City,s income from the tax ap-
proximately ~10,000.00 instead of $60,000.00. A general discussion followed.
~otion by Miss Cullin and Mr. Wheaton to raise the business and occupation
tax from .001 to .003 on retail and wholesale business and from .001 to .006 on
services, carried unanimously.
Mr. Vaa stated that ~he present shortage in the budget without the salary in-
creases was $112,711.44.
Mayor Domstad asked what the Council wished to do with the PuOlic Administra-
tion Service Job Classification Plan as proposed by their representative, J~r. Olsen.
A discussion ensued and it was generally agreed that there were some adjust-
ments to Oe ma~e but that the classifications and pay scales did provide a means
of holding a ratio between positions in the event of cost of living increases.
The recommendations of the Budget Advisory Committee was discussed and in the
course of this 8iscussion Miss Cullin noted tha~ all travel expenses except that
of the ~ayor had been pared from the budget by the Committee. Miss Cullln pointe8
out tha~ a good deal of the money allocated for travel was for attendance at spec-
iai schools an~ should not ~ cut. '~ .~ , .~
October 3, 1955 (Con't)
~otion by Mayor Domstad and Mr. Nheaton that the meeting be recessed until 10:00
A.M., October 4, 1955, carried.
APPROVED: City Clerk
October 4, 1955
A recessed statutory budget meeting was held in the Mayor's Office October 4,
1955 at lO:O0 A.M., with Mayor Domstad presiding and Commissioner Cullln, Commis-
sioner Wheaton, City Clerk McGowan, City Auditor Vas and a represen~tive of the
press in attendance.
Mr. Mc Gowan reported that he had called Attorney Holland an~ asked him to
draft an amendment to the present business and occutpation tax ordinance in accord- ance with the changes proposed by the Council. This ordinance was to be ready to
present to the Council at the regular meeting on Wednesday, October 5, 1955.
Mr. Vas stated that if the Council ~Ished he sould draw up a list of the em-
ployees and show their present s~laries and tho~e proposed in the three steps out-
lined in Mr. Olsen's report.
The Council agreed that this would facilitate a study of the salaries and asked
Mr. Vaa to prepare such a report.
Mr.-NcGowan stated that he felt that Mr. Vaa's title should not be changed from
Auditor to Accountant for several reasons: First, his position and its duties was
established by ordinance; and secondly, the work that he was performing for the City
was auditing rather than accounting. He also requested that the Council set the
ceiling for his salary at $509.00 per month rather than $454.00 as proposed by Mr.
01sen, because ~his was only ,4.00 more than Mr. Vaa's present salary.
All members of the Council concurred in Mr. McGowan's recommendation~
A discussion followed relative ~ o other positions and the possibility of mak-
in~ some adjustments to them. It was decided ~hat these matters would be consider-
ed when Mr. Vaa's repoht Was in their hands.
Motion by Miss Cullin and Mr. Wheaton that the meeting recess until 2:30 P.M.
carried.
APPROVED~ Clty OTerk
October 4, 1955
The recessed meeting of the statutory budget m~eting was reconvened at 2:30
P.E. with Mayor Domstad presiding and Commissioner Cullin and ~heaton, City Clerk
McGowan and Auditor Vas in attendance.
The Council continued its discussion of the proposal made by the Public Admin-
istration Service and without reaching any final conclusions went into a study of
the budget.
The budget was thoroughly studied, department by department, and the recommend-
ations of the Budget Advisory Committee wet® considered. Many of the recommenda-
tions were adopted in whole or in part.
~r. Vas was instructed to incorporate the ~ecommended revisions and report
back at the next meeting.
Motion by Mr. Wheaton and Miss Cullin that the meeting be recessed until the
regular Council meeting at 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, October 5,'1955.
APPROVED: City Clerk