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SWFWMD and the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water
Supply Authority are holding a meeting on June 3rd
in Sarasota regarding regional water system
interconnects. The Utilities Director and Assistant
Director will be representing the City at that
meeting.
The
opportunity for implementing Retirement Health
Savings Accounts for our employees was presented and
information provided to Human Resources for further
research. The program gives employers and employees
flexibility in a retiree healthcare funding
vehicle. The program can offer an employee an
investment plan that can help build healthcare
assets before the person leaves service. It allows
employees to accumulate assets to pay for medical
expenses (e.g. insurance, co-pays, prescriptions,
etc) at retirement on a tax free basis. After our
research is completed, we will present the
information to employees and City Council for
consideration.
The
City Manager will be updating City Council at the
June 1 Council meeting on progress being made
balancing the FY 2006 budget. Changes that will be
proposed to City Council include creating separate
funds for Gas Tax and Building Division services, by
transferring them from the General Fund. Since gas
tax and building revenues are restricted for
transportation and inspection/plans review services,
respectively, the creation of separate funds will
enable us to provide a clear audit trail for
monitoring revenues and expenses. In addition,
revenues and/or expenditures can be adjusted based
on analysis of trends. The City is currently
completing a review of building-related permit fees
and once finalized, the recommended revised fee
structure will go before the Building Board and City
Council for review and approval. We are also taking
a cautionary approach towards our General Fund by
assuming no increase in our taxable assessed
valuation due to the impact of Hurricane Charley on
our commercial tax base and no use of current
reserves for next year’s operations.
Progress is being made on reconstruction of City’s
buildings. Roofs are being worked on in four
locations – Bayfront Center, City Hall, Water Plant
and Public Safety Building. The City Clerk is
still on track to move back into City Hall the early
part of June.
Human Resources is continuing to make
adjustments to a Declared State of Emergency
reporting and pay policy. Final comments are due
next week, and when completed we will present the
policy to City Council for approval.
The
trailers for Cooper Street Recreation Center will be
delayed a few days. They will now be delivered on
June 6th and set-up should be completed
by June 10th.
Police Department’s new marine patrol boat will go
in the water this week upon completion of markings.
The old one is being transferred to Canal
Maintenance for their use.
Employee identification cards program is on schedule
to be completed June 1. If you have not had your
photo taken, please contact Human Resources as soon
as possible.
Next
week’s Thursday staff meeting will be held at the
Police Department Training Room to allow departments
to go over their presentations for the City Council
Workshop on June 8th.
Comments from Marilyn Smith-Mooney....
You may direct your feedback, regarding this "City
News" information, directly to our City
Manager Howard Kunik at:
citymgr@ci.punta-gorda.fl.us . Your feedback to
him from the "customer's" perspective is, I'm sure,
his most valuable measure of his own performance --
such as: degree and speed of responsiveness,
leadership style, different or new
policies/procedures he institutes, etc.
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