IM discusses budget issues
By NIKKI YOUNK, Staff WriterIRON MOUNTAIN - Budget concerns dominated discussion at a special meeting of the Iron Mountain City Council Monday night, though members took no decisive action.
"We will have to amend our budget in serious fashion," said council member Bruce Rosen. "How do we increase revenue or generate a reduction in costs?"
Rosen went on to mention deficit problems due to overtime pay in the city's police and fire departments. He also pointed out that while revenues have been flat in recent years, expenses have doubled.
Mayor Jeff VanLaanen shared Rosen's concerns, stating that the point of discussing the budget at the meeting was to think of ways to save. He asked the council what kind of savings the city would be looking at by not having a full-time manager, since former city manager John Marquart resigned in early July.
Chief Finance Officer Carol Bartolameolli and Rosen came to the conclusion that the savings would not amount to much, especially since some of that money will go toward advertising for a new manager and paying the interim manager Jordan Stanchina.
The council also discussed hiring a temporary assessor who could also help with clerical work in the city administration.
It was the council's consensus that the members should look over the budget again and hand the issue over to the finance committee to "look for areas to trim."
In other budget issues, council member Tina Peterson brought up the idea of instituting a street repair program modeled after a program already under way in Escanaba. The program used a mill increase to take statistics and input directly from residents to plan for street
repair.
"We've been dancing around this for a long time," Peterson said in reference to revitalize Iron Mountain's streets. "Residents need to know that something's going on."
VanLaanen felt that there should be priorities with spending and that the council should not go into long-term plans at this time.
"I don't think we should tie the hands of the next council," he said.
Members agreed that they should at least get some estimates for the cost of roadwork from various companies.
Additionally, Rosen informed the board that it should appoint a new liaison to the Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) board because he was asked to leave the last meeting that he attended. VanLaanen said that the board would discuss the issue at the next regular meeting.
In other discussion, the board:
- Agreed to appoint VanLaanen, Peterson, and Dave Farragh to the Downtown Parking Lot Joint Committee with members of the TIFA board. The committee will look at improving the two parking lots behind city hall and across A Street.
- Agreed to put together an advertisement for a new city manager. Farragh asked about using the old advertisement that was used when former manager John Marquart was hired. Clerk/Treasurer Jordan Stanchina said that he could e-mail it to the council members and they could add to it as they saw fit. VanLaanen said that he wants to do this within the next few days.
- Approved the fee schedule for the city's rental housing ordinance. Rosen abstained from voting. Included in the fee schedule would be $5 for an online registration, $10 for a hard copy registration, $25 for an initial inspection, and a $15 fee if the unit is currently vacant.
Nikki Younk's e-mail address is nyounk@ironmountaindailynews.com.
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TinyTiger
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08-29-08 8:00 AM
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Good job, Ziffel. You're right, of course, but that doesn't mattter to people like Nonamiss. They think it's still four years ago, and that the people are not onto the old "official" lies. Slivvering started attacking city employees, too, after his or her points would not hold up. Accused the firemen of "bickering", as I recall. Setting the facts straight is not bickering, in my humble opinion.
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arnoldziffel
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08-29-08 7:25 AM
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Nonamiss stated as fact that Rich Brook was never an employee of the city. That's a bald-faced lie. He or she also stated as fact that the MIOSHA fines were reversed, another bald-faced lie. If you can't make your points without deception, Nonamiss, you don't have a valid point. Is that why you are now attacking city employees, Nonamiss?
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Nonamiss
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08-28-08 8:50 PM
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Wait - in the interest of full disclosure - who here works for the city? Hands up! LOL My hand is down by the way.
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Nonamiss
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08-28-08 8:48 PM
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Exactly to what are you referring? Or just making another empty slander? Now top it off by telling me what I think.
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arnoldziffel
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08-28-08 8:44 PM
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Nonamiss, how come every time someone asks you why you tell blatant lies about city issues, you never have an answer? You have no credibility.
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Nonamiss
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08-28-08 6:57 PM
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Nice language. Sorry - I don't think its a good use of taxpayer funds. I'm sorry you don't agree. I don't agree with unincorporating either, there - we agree on something! Saving $250k a year is a good idea. That's $31 for every man woman and child in Iron Mountain - or 5% of the entire budget.
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woodstein
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08-28-08 4:22 PM
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A majority of voters can also vote to unincorporate, with the city reverting back to township control. Does that make it a good idea? How's that for a way of subcontracting out services? Knob.
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Nonamiss
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08-28-08 3:21 PM
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They can if it's not part of the master plan - or they can even then if they put it to a referendum - better yet - lay off the workers there are simply contract the care of the cemetary out. How's that for other bright ideas? $300k a year is a lot - I'm sure you could contract it out for $50k or less. "unless approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question; to sell a park, cemetery, or any part of a park or cemetery, except where the park is not required under an official master plan of the city"
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woodstein
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08-28-08 12:24 PM
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Oh, Nonamiss......you make it so EASY! THE HOME RULE CITY ACT Act 279 of 1909: Sec. 5. A city does not have power to sell a park, cemetery, or any part of a park or cemetery. Any other bright ideas?
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Nonamiss
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08-26-08 2:20 PM
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"Rosen went on to mention deficit problems due to overtime pay in the city's police and fire departments. He also pointed out that while revenues have been flat in recent years, expenses have doubled." "Chief Finance Officer Carol Bartolameolli and Rosen came to the conclusion that the savings would not amount to much, especially since some of that money will go toward advertising for a new manager and paying the interim manager Jordan Stanchina." LOL - I love it. I have one for them - sell the cemetary!
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TinyTiger
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08-26-08 1:54 PM
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"I don't think we should tie the hands of the next council," he [Vanlaanen] said. Jeff, isn’t that EXCTLY what you, Rigoni, Tousignant, Tchokreff, Burke, Jacobs, and Caudell did with the outrageous 5-year police contract AFTER Rigoni, Tousignant, and Jacobs lost in 2007?
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