2014-0911 Special City Commission Meeting (2)

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Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting September 11, 2014 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida First Budget Hearing is his swan song for the last time on the budget hearings and he would hope that the future Commission adheres to a very similar policy as we have tried to do over the last three (3) to (4) four years. Public Speakers: Roslyn Brezin Mayor Edelcup opened the public hearing for general discussion. Former City Commissioner Roslyn Brezin asked what the additional funding for Gateway Park was for; and City Manager Russo said for the people who maintain our parks. Ms. Brezin asked if $55,000 was enough for equipment and the workers or will he be back to Commission? City Manager Russo said probably not until the following fiscal year. Mayor Edelcup closed the public hearing as there were no other speakers. Commissioner Levin thanked the staff for doing such a great job, and she feels very fortunate to live in a City that is one square mile in size that has a budget of $76 Million by which to operate. She thinks it is pretty amazing and we have a great City, and she likes all the events and everything that we have to offer here. She also has a couple of questions, in the letter that City Manager Russo wrote, you said that we have earmarked approximately S 100,000 for the FIU Internship Program. Can you please describe that program? City Manager Russo said that is actually formalizing something that has been here on a limited basis. As you know we have a very close relationship with Florida International University (FIU) for a number of years, off and on there have been some intems here. The only steady department he thinks that has happen here is the Legal Department but now we will have an intem for the City Manager's Office, Finance Department, Information Technology (IT), Police Department, and Cultural and Community Services through our partnership with them. Commissioner Levin said we have put aside $2 Million to upgrade Samson Oceanfront Park, isn't the developer contributing some of that? City Manager Russo said yes and you will see renderings tonight of everything before we go forward with it. Commissioner Levin asked in regard to Section 4 Encumbrances where it says they lapse at the end of September 2015, and they are re- appropriated for the following fiscal year. Can you please explain why it is done that way from an accounting perspective? Finance Director Audra Curts -Whann said the way it works is, and this year is critical because we are going to a new accounting system on top of everything else, at the end of each year we close the encumbrances or we carry them, one or the other occurs. On normal routine expenditures we would come back for a new authorization such as office supplies and normal expenditures. However, things that are projects during the year that started during the fiscal year and are continuing into the next year those are carried over and re- appropriated, and so there are two totally different types of encumbrances and that is what you will see us doing. We will come back to you typically in either October or November as soon as we finalize all of our closing balances and we will notify the Commission how much is being re- appropriated and that will be the first amendment that you will see to your published budget. Commissioner Levin said in reference to checks being issued, how are wire transfers handled, do you still need two signatories the same way you would a check if money was going to be wired rather than a check being written? Finance Director Audra Curts-Whann said yes, there