Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 04-08-06 Special — reading text

electrical system cannot meet the increased demand for electronic equipment required for a modern command vehicle. During and after Hurricane Ivan, the truck could not get into areas accessible by our apparatus. 2. A sedan used by Inspections ( 2356 - ' 94 Pontiac Sunbird Sedan with 78K miles) has been permanently placed out of service by the Fleet Division. A loaner from the Police Department is currently being used for fire inspections. Discussion 1. The ~ ton pickup truck currently used as a command vehicle is unsuitable as an emergency response vehicle or a command vehicle. 2. The purpose of using a command vehicle, smaller and faster than the apparatus, is to get on- scene first and tell the incoming apparatus where to position for their assignments. If the vehicle cannot do that, the commander has to catch up to the incident instead of directing it. 3. The camper shell configuration fails to keep dry the electronic equipment necessary for a command vehicle. A $ 9, 000 electronic device designed to monitor the safety of fire personnel on the fireground cannot be used to its fullest potential because it is unsafe to expose a laptop computer in the command module of the pickup truck to weather, smoke, and wind- borne debris. Radios mounted in the command module suffer the same exposure problems and can disrupt emergency operations when they cease to function during an emergency. 4. The current command vehicle doesn' t have the clearance needed to get through minor flooding or over debris after storms. It is necessary for the shift commander to get into the same areas that his apparatus can to be able to see and command the emergency scene. 5. The decibel level is extremely high when responding and with the siren activated on the current vehicle. This poses not only a safety problem but makes it extremely difficult for the Battalion Chief to hear the radio traffic of the other responding units. The correction is a head set capable of moving from the driver' s area to the command module in the rear of the truck; however, the current electrical capacity of the vehicle will not support such components. Policv 1m pact 1. Upon purchase of the new % ton command vehicle, the current ~ ton command vehicle will be transferred from the Battalion Chief to Inspections. 2. A full- sized command vehicle improves the Fire Department's emergency response capabilities and also returns the ~ vehicle to the Fire Prevention Division, which often transports tall, large loads of equipment, stage settings, and other items that do not readily fit in a sedan. 3. Purchasing a % ton SUV with command module is estimated to cost $ 55, 000. 4. As there is no corresponding revenue source, purchase of a % utility vehicle will erode fund balance in the General Fund. Recommendation Postpone purchase of a new command vehicle until the FY 2007- 08 budget. 24 of 28 FY 2006. 07 Budget Policy Workshop TENNIS CENTER IMPROVEMENTS STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL - Policv Decision Should the Tennis Center be upgraded to bring another professional tennis event to the facility? Backaround 1. Operation of the municipal tennis center was contracted to Erik Stenberg of the Swedish American Connection in October 2004. 2. In January 2006 the Fort Walton Beach Tennis Center held its first professional tennis tournament - as $ 25,000 Women' s Challenger. 3. At the January 2006 Strategic Planning Session, Council consensus was to conduct a workshop to discuss improvements at the tennis center. Discussion 1. The United States Tennis Association ( USTA) provided an evaluation of the Women' s Challenger event as well as a list of conditions requiring improvement in order for the UST A to hold another professional tennis event at the Fort Walton Beach Tennis Center. 2. Improvements in the amount of $ 120, 765 were identified: FY 2006-07 FY 2007- 08 FY 2008- 09 FY 2009- 10 FY 2010- 11 Repair Courts $ 15, 000 8, 9, 10, & 11 Replace Bulbs & $ 1 , 500 Ballasts Replace Carpet $ 2, 800 Re- Paint Interior $ 6, 500 Grounds Maint. $ 7, 040 $ 7, 100 $ 7, 200 $ 7, 300 $ 7 400 , Contract Repair Gazebos $ 2, 000 Irrigation/ Landscaping $ 5, 900 $ 8, 500 Repair Fences $ 18, 000 $ 18, 000 Add Light Fixtures $ 3, 000 $ 3, 000 $ 3,000 $ 3, 000 Directional Signs $ 425 Total $ 40, 740 $ 37,025 $ 28, 200 $ 10, 300 $ 10,400 Policv Imoact 1. Certain improvements noted by the USTA are included in the out years of the 5- year plan for the tennis center, but would have to be accelerated to meet the requirements for having another professional tournament in January 2007. 2. As there is no corresponding revenue source, accelerating improvements at the Tennis Center will erode fund balance in the General Fund. Recommendation Endorse the Women' s Challenger professional tennis event and commit funds as outlined above. 25 of 28 FY 2006. 07 Budget Policy Workshop EMPLOYEE COLA Policv Decision Should there be an annual cost of living increase effective October 1, 2006? Backaround Employees have traditionally received a cost of living ( COLA) adjustment October 1 each year. FY 2001- 02 FY 2002- 03 FY 2003- 04 FY 2004- 05 FY 2005- 06 General 2. 50% 1. 85% 1. 85% 2. 00% 2. 25% Police 2. 50% 1. 85% 1. 85% 5. 50% 2. 25% Fire 2. 50% 2. 5% 1. 85% * 8. 50% 4. 00% 1. The FY 2005- 06 COLA for firefighters is the second year of a three- year collective bargaining agreement. In addition to the COLA in FY 2005- 06, general employees received a 1. 0% adjustment as a result of the comprehensive pay plan and police officers received a 5. 3% adjustment to remain competitive with the Sheriff. * Note: In FY 2003- 04 the collective bargaining agreement provided a 1. 85% COLA; however the average adjustment was approximately a total of 11. 5% due to the transition from a 3% to a 3. 5% step plan. 2. Firefighters will receive a 2. 00% COLA in FY 2006- 07 as the final year of the bargaining agreement, which expires September 30, 2007. Negotiations for another multi- year collective bargaining agreement will begin in Spring 2007 and be effective in the FY 2007- 08 budget year. 3. Employees are eligible for a step increase on their anniversary date contingent upon satisfactory performance evaluation: general employees 3. 00%, police/ fire 3. 50%. 4. The purpose of the COLA is to ensure wages keep pace with inflation, while the step increase is designed to reward performance. Discussion 1. As a government entity, a large source of expenditures is personnel- related with regard to service delivery programs: parks, police and fire protection, trash collection, transportation, and utilities. The most important element of service delivery is the people who provide the service, as evidenced by the City' s commitment to providing exemplary service through recruitment and retention of qualified and experienced personnel. 2. Compensation is most commonly noted as the reason for leaving according to exit interviews. 3. The City' s turnover rate averages 18. 5%, compared to the national average of 15% for governments according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2005, the City' s turnover rate decreased to 16. 2% because positions that typically have a high turnover rate ( e. g. service workers, refuse collectors) remained unfilled due to unusually high wages in the construction sector as the result of damage from hurricanes Ivan and Dennis. 4. Okaloosa County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state, exacerbating recruitment and retention difficulties. 26 of 28 FY 2006. 07 Budget Policy Workshop 5. Surrounding jurisdictions anticipate the following for next year: COLA Step Merit Niceville 3. 0% included included Crestview 3. 0%- 3. 0% n/ a Destin 4. 0% 3.0% 1. 0%- Walton Co. 2. 50% n/ a n/ a Okaloosa 3. 0% n/ a 1. 0%- Santa Rosa 2. 5% 2. 5%- n/ a 6. The cost of employee turnover may be conservatively estimated at 25% of the position' s compensation including benefits. However, each turnover in a service worker position costs the City $ 14,400, which equates to 47% of annual compensation including benefits. Policv Impact 1. COLA adjustments of 2.45% for general/ police and 2. 00% for fire are anticipated to cost 320, 560. 2. COLA adjustments of 2. 99% for general/ police and 2. 00% for fire are anticipated to cost 384, 190. 3. COLA adjustments of 3. 15% for general/ police and 2. 00% for fire are anticipated to cost 403,050. 4. The Okaloosa Co. Sheriff currently pays $ 29, 140 for entry level deputies and is rumored to propose a 10% increase next year, for a starting salary of $32, 054. 5. The Walton Co. Sheriff is anticipated to pay $ 30, 000 for an entry level deputy effective October 1 2006 with an increase to $ 31, 000 after six months. 6. The City currently pays $ 28, 500 for an entry level officer. A 6. 5% increase would bring the starting salary to $ 30, 352. Recommendation Endorse a 2. 99% COLA adjustment for general and police employees effective October 1, 2006. A general adjustment for police officers may have to be reevaluated once it is known what the Okaloosa Co. Sheriff will propose. 27 of 28 FY 2006. 07 Budget Policy Workshop CITY MANAGER REORGANIZATION Policv Decision Should a Deputy City Manager position be authorized? Backaround 1. The City' s organizational structure does