03-28-88 Finance Comm Minutes3/28/88 FINAPICE/PERSONNEL & POLICY/INSURANCE CQ'UTPEE 4:00 PM.
The meeting was attended by Mayor Kennedy, Counci.lmen Nystul and Saverud,
• Clerk/Treasurer Halver, City Judge Willis, Building Official Kerman and
Building Inspector Elkins.
The camdttee did not have a quorum in attendance.
1. City Judge
City Judge Frances Willis presented the ccr mittee a written report comparing
City Courts throughout Montana.
A. Secretary
Councilman Nystul asked how much more it would cost to make the secretary
full time. Judge Willis said she didn't know; the secretary is now working
24 hours a week.
Councilman Saverud felt the request for a full time secretary was reasonable
if budget could be found. Mayor Kennedy also spoke in favor of a full time
secretary.
Councilman Dystul suggested the committee recccunend approval to the council
subject to funding being available. Saverud suggested the hours be increased
to whatever level is fundable if full time cannot be supported.
B. Judge's Salary Adjustment
Judge Willis reviewed her report with the committee.
Councilman Saverud said he definitely was willing to look at a salary
adjustment for next fiscal year.
Councilman Nystul felt there should be consideration of a cost of living
adjustment July 1 similar to what the mayor was given, and look at any big
changes before the next filing time for the election so all candidates for
the office know what the salary is. He also said the proposed salary matrix
includes the Judge position.
Judge Willis felt the 5% given the Mayor was not adequate because it had been
two years since she received an adjustment. Mayor Kennedy pointed out her
last salary change was not a raise but an adjustment for increased hours.
Councilman Nystul said the ccanm.ittee would review the funding available for
the secretary at the next meeting, continue to look at a July 1 cost of
living increase and reach agreement with the council on what the salary
adjustment should be.
2. Building Department Camputer Request
The Building Department Staff returned to answer questions about the proposed
system which were raised at the last committee meeting.
Dwain Elkins reported they had looked further at the proposed printer and are
now requesting they be authorized to purchase an Odidata Model 293 which
would cost an additional $200.00.
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Elkins also explained the source code for the custom programs would be held
by an ecsrow agent and would be made available if something happened to the
• progrananer. Halves said this is the accepted industry procedure.
The ccnmittee agreed to make the reccrmendation to the council that. the
Building Department be authorized to transfer $8,537.00 from Salaries to
Capital Outlay and to purchase the proposed caputer system.
3. Upco;iing Audit
Halver reported he has contacted the State and they would be able to conduct
our audit this fall. He said an advantage to using the state was we would
not have to prepare and process Requests for Proposals. He was not aware of
any local firms with the necessary experience so we would be paying travel
costs if an out of town firm were the successful bidder.
Saverud thought it might be nice occasionally to get another point of view.
Nystul said the quality of work could vary depending upon what firm may be
successful. He said we could solicit proposals without obligation and we
definitely should not hire anyone without adequate experience. He thought we
should see what interest there might be.
1,ystul thought an accounting firm may not have the copliance knowledge but
they may be able to give the city advice in other areas.
Halver said the financial audit report would be the same because the
accounting records are maintained in accordance with state and federal
. standards. The decision needs to be made soon as we will be finishing our
second fiscal year to be audited this June 30.
Councilman IVstul said he would make some calls and see who may be qualified
and .interested. He was concerned that taking the low bid may not give us the
best audit. He will bring Halver a sarmple letter to request interest in
doing) the audit.
•
4. Business Licenses
Halver said he called the Local Government Center at M.S.U. and asked Ren
Weaver what assistance may be available to us in considering Citywide
Business Licenses. Weaver suggested the council make a cc miitment to
business licensing before much research is done.
Weaver said he would cone up and conduct a workshop with the council to
explain the procedures and problems involved. He would do this for the cost
of reimbursing his expenses.
He is going to send Halver the Bozeman Business License Codes which are
probably the most up to date in the state and have survived several court
tests.
Saverud felt he should be scheduled to present a council workshop for half a
day and perhaps he could help the city on some other topics at the same time.
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5. vehicle Use Policy
Pdystul said we should have a policy in general on vehicle use and we need to
decide soon the basis for value of the fringe benefit from computing so the
• aTployees ]mow what their tax status will be.
Saverud felt the daily ecrmiute per trip basis would be the best to use.
Mayor Kennedy said there is no written policy on who can take vehicles home.
He will provide the c(mmittee with a list of who presently commute in city
vehicles.
The cc mnittee requested a comprehensive policy be written to include all
aspects of city vehicle use.
Mayor Kennedy will look at the policies of other cities.
The meeting adjourned at 5:20 pm.
49
•
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CITY COURTS COMPARISONS
JUDGES
NUMBER OF
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY
CITY COURTS
SALARY
CLERKS
CITATIONS
FINES & FORF.
COMPUTER
• Billings
$ 43,668
5
3112
$158,000
YES
Bozeman
22,000
22
517
16,719
YES
Great Falls
38,550
5
2685
56,091
YES
Havre
17,000
I
1B1
5,624
NO
Helena
23,000
221
603
21,924
YES
Miles City
9,000
1
242
5,930
NO
Missoula
25,000
5
1317
26,028
YES
Kalispell
18,000
'z
411
15,338
NO
Justice Court
2 judges
Flathead
23,379 each
4 clerks
730
18,397
YES
Lincoln
23,000
2
348
8,054
YES
Statistics show that the City of Kalispell has a population of 10,648. If this
were totally true, the cities that we should be comparing our figures with are
Havre, population 10,891, and Miles City, 9,602, which as you can see is totally
unrealistic. The Judge in Havre works 5 hours a day and the Judge in Miles City
• works 3 hours a day.
Because of the numerous suburbs that the City of Kalispell has, it is my opinion
that our city falls more in line with the City of Bozeman, population 21,645, and
Helena, population 23,938.
Something I would like to point out is that the parking tickets are not included
in any citation count.
You suggested that I be brief, therefore, if you require more details, please let
me know. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Frances M. Willis
City Judge
• MONTH
•
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
TOTAL
CITY COURT MONTHLY RECEIPTS AND CITATIONS, 1986, 1987 & 1988
1986
FINES
CITATIONS
$ 8,010.00
9,392.07
10,793.00
10,232.81
9,301.50
8,664.00
9,381.50
9,201.75
12,492.83
11,283.37
9,162.00
137
11,585.00
169
$118,499.81
* - no records kept at this time
1987
FINES CITATIONS
$ 13,104.53
180
12,264.20
152
11,448.25
155
11,060.50
154
10,274.56
202
10,334.00
237
10,659.00
263
15,274.00
332
15,279.97
327
13,116.00
288
13,520.00
347
15,604.60
329
1988
FINES CITATIONS
$ 14,620.04 379
15,338.00 411
15,237.95 - 343 as of
3/25/88
$151,939.61 increase- $ 33,439.80
,
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ti
I jr pr
TO: Finance/Pe spnnel. S Policy Committee, Mayor Kennedy
FROM: glen Nei.e//II
RE: Full Tirll�ecretary, Judge's Office
T have reviewed the records of the City Court for the years 1985-1988.
For that period of time the number of citations directed to City
Court have i-ncreased substantially. So far in 1988, the City Court
has collected $8,000.00 more than was collected in the first three
months of calendar year 1987.
Two factors which have contributed to the increase in collections by
• the City Court can be ascertained as: 1) Tncrease in number of
citations issued by KPD, and 2) More diligence in the City Court
recording, pursuing and collecting of money because of violations of
law.
Without improvement in collection procedures an increase in citations
rate does not necessarily translate into more money. (Perhaps the
Committee needs to be aware that prior to January of 1985 a $5,000.00
month was average and an $8,000.00 month was exceptional.) Once a
citation is issued the City Court becomes primarily responsible for
the collection of fines and forfeitures associated with the citation.
The process involved in assuring the City collects involves: 1)
appearances, 2) pleadings, 3) show causes, 4) summons, and 5) warrants.
Al.l processes involve heavy clerical work which must necessaril.y
consume time.
The records available to the Finance/Personnel Committee amply demon-
strate that the City Court has been performing admirably in discharging
its function. The situation can only improve if the Council allows
the Court an additional 1/2 FTE to more effi-ciently run the Department.
While an additional 1/2 FTE may not increase collections two fold,
the additional clerical work will certainly assure that citations
issued will be correctly and efficiently processed in the best interest
ofof the City.
• Dated this 28th day of March, 1988.
GN/sh
KALISPELL POLICE DEPARTMENT
• y_-r Drawer 1997
Kalispell, MT 59903
ADDISON H. CLAI9K
l`�"- ,;; r•r r Phone (406) 752-6400 Chief of Police
March 24, 1988 DONALD A. HOSSACK
V'' ASSI. Chief
Judge Fran Willis
Kalispell City Court
Kalispell, Montana 59901
Dear Judge'Willis:
At this mornings' staff meeting the officers expressed their
appreciation for the consideration and cooperation that they receive daily
from your office. I realize that they keep you pretty busy.
There has been an increase of 741 citations over last years' forwarded
to your office during the past year. The majority of the increase was
• compressed into the past six months. In addition to processing and filing
the extra paperwork,your office has had to provide additional arraignments,
and payment contracts. I'm sure the extra number of visits to your office
by offenders to show compliance with insurance and equipment laws further
taxes your time.
I know there are many other areas where we have increased your work
such as arranging for jury trials, liason with Chemical Dependency
treatment, pre -trail conferences, and the list could go on!
The coming year is not likely to improve the situation from a
reduction in workload standpoint at all!
With this in mind I wish to echo the officers' appreciation for your
efforts and to extend my own personal thanks for the assistance you lend to
our department.
Sincerely,
• ADDISON H. CLARK
Chief of Police
AHC/cr
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