Joint City-County Planning Task Force

Joint City-County Planning Task Force Meeting Notes November 19, 2014 - 9:30 a.m. L-45 Conference Room – Busch Municipal Building Meeting #26 Task Force Members present: Greg Burris, Springfield City Manager Chris Coulter, Acting Greene County Administrator Tim Smith, Springfield Deputy City Manager Collin Quigley, Springfield Assistant City Manager Mary Mannix Decker, Springfield Finance Director Jim Arnott, Greene County Sheriff Jerry Moyer, Greene County Court Administrator Joclynn Brown, Interim Greene County Budget Director Dan Patterson, Greene County Prosecutor The meeting began at 9:33 a.m. with a welcome from Greg Burris, Springfield City Manager, Tim Smith, Springfield Deputy City Manager, and Chris Coulter, Acting Greene County Administrator. Deputy City Manager Smith asked the members to review the notes from the October 29, 2014 meeting, and for a motion of approval. Mary Mannix Decker, Springfield Finance Director made a motion to approve the notes. Collin Quigley, Springfield Assistant City Manager, seconded the motion, and the notes were approved. Acting Greene County Administrator Coulter noted that the County is having issues with their e-mail system, and apologized due to information that may have been e-mailed to the County Task Force members may have not been viewed at this time. Dan Patterson, Greene County Prosecutor, arrived at approximately 9:35 a.m. Deputy City Manager Smith gave an overview of the draft report with the Task Force. (Please refer to Exhibit A located within the City Clerk’s Office for additional information.) Dan Smith, Greene County Highway Administrator, distributed a draft of the 9.0 Capital Transportation Needs information to the Task Force. (Please refer to Exhibit B located within the City Clerk’s Office for additional information.) During the review, the Task Force discussed finalizing their upcoming report, and the information that should be modified/clarified before the report is completed, such as the chart and graph information for both the City and County being arranged in the same format (i.e. on an annual basis versus a 10-year figure projection) for an easy comparison. During the discussion, Deputy City Manager Smith asked Mary Mannix Decker, Springfield Finance Director, to verify the amount costs regarding the City’s Capital Replacement Needs for Police equipment, and to report the results back to him for the finalized report. City Manager Burris and City Finance Director Mannix Decker affirmed. Deputy City Manager asked Vanessa Brandon and Kevin Barnes, Greene County Resource Management, for their assistance in providing information from the Storm Water Task Force’s final report (i.e. graph information - performance matrix).    The Task Force continued to review and discuss Exhibit A. Deputy City Manager Smith referred to page 69 in Exhibit A regarding the Greene County General Fund Sales Tax Comparison by Month. City Manager Burris and City Finance Director Mannix Decker reported that City staff would compile chart information about the City’s sales tax by month for a comparison. Deputy City Manager noted that he would compile a statement regarding how the City is coming out of the recession for page 70 in Exhibit A. Following further discussion, the Task Force also reviewed the following handout information during today’s meeting: JCCPTF Summary; Joint City-County Planning Task Force Proposed Performance Measures – 11/19/14; City/County Financial Stability; JCCPT Summary Draft Points we want to make; and Joint City-County Planning Task Force Report to City Council and County Commission – December, 2014 Executive Summary. (Please refer to Exhibits C-G located within the City Clerk’s Office for additional information.) City Manager Burris and Deputy City Manager Smith explained they feel there needs to be a simplified “digestible” version of the finalized report for a quick reference that highlights the important and critical needs of the City and County. Deputy City Manager Smith discussed that a summary would be provided in front of the finalized report for a “quick glace” version that citizens and elected officials could utilize. City Manager Burris and Deputy City Manager Smith explained the “Big Three” categories shared by the City and County, which are the following: Criminal Justice System; Federal and State Mandates; and City’s and County’s Overall Financial Stability The Task Force discussed the near-term, mid-term, and long-term issues of the “Big Three,” as well as how to educate and to express the importance/meaning for these with the Community due to the impacts by a possible reduction in services and possible financial increase to the citizens if needed. City Manager Burris reminded the Task Force that their charge is to compile the findings not to make recommendations, and referred to Exhibit E, which was drafted by the City’s Public Information Office (PIO) staff to help identify the “Big Three” for a visual perspective. In response to a question posed by Jerry Moyer, Greene County Court Administrator, City Manager Burris and Cora Scott, Springfield PIO and Civic Engagement Director (PIO), discussed that a presentation will be compiled to help “tell the story” about the Task Force’s findings to help educate the Community. Dan Patterson, Greene County Prosecutor, explained that he feels the Criminal Justice System needs to be addressed, because it encompasses many issues (i.e. law enforcement, the jail, prosecutors/public defenders, and the court system). City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott discussed that City staff is working on compiling map information pertaining to the criminal justice system to help educate the Community; however, the information is not yet available.    Jim Arnott, Greene County Sheriff, voiced that he feels everyone (City and County) should work together to help solve these issues, and although more law enforcement is needed within the Community, the overcrowding jail situation needs addressed first. The Task Force continued to discuss the near-term, mid-term, and long-term issues of the “Big Three,” especially when the lack of funding from other sources, such as the Department of Transportation (MoDOT) (i.e. cost sharing) and the Department of Corrections (i.e. inmate reimbursements), impacts our local economy and budget. City Manager Burris reviewed Exhibit D (Proposed Performance Measures) with the Task Force, which highlighted the following: Greene County Fiscal Situation; Law Enforcement Costs; Public Health Funding; Environmental Mandates; Unfunded Capital Needs; and Employee Recruitment and Retention. The Task Force discussed that statistics should be compiled and graphed by the City and County staff for comparing and measuring performance context of the various sections (i.e. law enforcement costs) to help educate the Community. City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott informed the Task Force that she feels there is a misconception between the public and private sector about how the general and capital budgets are operated and maintained, which has differences, since the public sector (City/County) relies on tax revenues for their budget operations. County Prosecutor Patterson expressed he feels joint resources between the City and County are needed, such as a possible joint court system and jail. Following further discussion, Deputy City Manager Smith noted that he would e-mail the Task Force an updated finalized draft report, hopefully by December 2, 2014, for review for their next meeting. The next scheduled Task Force meeting is Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in 4th Floor Conference Room, Busch Municipal Building. Deputy City Manager Smith asked the Task Force to please have their modifications/updates to him as soon as possible. He reiterated that a joint City Council, Greene County Commission, and Task Force luncheon will be held on December 9, 2014 to present the finalized report. City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott reported that City staff would be drafting a presentation for the upcoming joint City Council, Greene County Commission, and Task Force luncheon. City Manager Burris informed the Task Force that “layers 1 and 2” (i.e. near-term and mid-term issues) would be focused on first before the long-term issues regarding the “Big Three.” Deputy City Manager Smith referred to Exhibit F (JCCPT Summary Draft Points we want to make) and Exhibit G (Joint City-County Planning Task Force Report to City Council and County Commission – December, 2014 Executive Summary) for informational purposes only. The Task Force continued to discuss the various Exhibits and the issues (i.e. criminal justice system and jail overcrowding) between the City and County, as well as the lack of funding to continue providing services without additional revenues sources and Community support. Sheriff Arnott discussed the overcrowding jail situation, and reported that the jail use to house approximately 1-2 murder suspects a day, which was once viewed by the Community as a lot, and about a month ago, there were 22 murder suspects housed at the jail in 1 day. He noted that the current jail space would be unable to house approximately 1% of the current population of the County at this time.    City Manager Burris and Sheriff Arnott addressed that this type of information needs to be communicated to the Community, especially if the “book and release” list of crime offenses is increased due to the lack of funding and the continued jail overcrowding. During the discussion, Sheriff Arnott reported that he would compile a list of possible “book and release” crimes that would be added to the current list if the lack of funding is not addressed. He reiterated that he feels additional jail space is needed. County Prosecutor Patterson voiced that his office lacks the appropriate personnel to handle more criminal cases. City Manager Burris explained he feels there will be an “educational challenge” ahead for the City and County for relaying the Task Force’s message to the Community, who will ultimately be impacted (i.e. environmental mandate costs) by possible changes. Following further discussion, City Manager Burris, Deputy City Manager Smith, and Acting County Administrator Coulter thanked the Task Force for their dedicated service. With no additional discussion, the meeting dismissed at approximately 11:04 a.m.