05/20/1991 Regular - Laserfiche WebLink

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Session 1544, Minutes May 20, 1991 Page 2 last year to reduce this tax rate am increase the general revenue rate by the same amount, retaining the same overall tax rate. He said this new pro- posal was a surprise to both employees am pension representatives, am he asked that it be tabled until the representatives have an opportunity to meet with the City Manager. Mayor Majerus said this matter was cliscussed, but no decision was made. Mr. Robert Carter, 7809 Milan, Director of Emergency Preparedness, Safety am Cammunications, said his deparbnent was scheduled to be discontinued am its functions transferred to st. IDuis County. He did not agree with an earlier statement that this would result in a $37,000 savirgs to the City since the money that would go to the County was lost when the City lost its funllng. He said the proposed contract with the County is an atteJtpt to bypass manda- tory state statutes that require every political subdivision in the state to have an emergency planning am operations deparbnent. He said the base sta- tions used for police am fire dispatching are 50% fuOOed with federal !roney from civil Defense, am the building that houses dispatching has a perpetual contract urrler a civil defense SPecific use federal govermnent contract am cannot be transferred, sold or given away. If the deparbnent is disbanded or transferred, it means the city yields its right to detennine how it will re- sporn to an emergency, but may still be sued for iIrproper actions. He said the city gains nothing by giving up this department, but loses local control. Captain Robert Fischer, 4838 Mohegan Drive, Affton, police pension represen- tative, said he was distraught at the idea of a possible reduction in the tax rate for the police am fire pension :furrl, am felt the city should be seek- ing to inprove the plan for retirees am survivors instead of cutting !roney needed to make iIrprovements. He encouraged the continuation of the current eight cent tax rate while the Pension Board Trustees corouct a study of the present plan am possible iIrprovements. Officer 'lhomas Deken, 10125 Green Valley Drive, president of the University City Police Officers Association, said the City Manager's proposal to reduce the pension tax will cripple chances to iIrprove retirement benefits. Given the financially troubled time the City faces am its inability to give gener- ous raises, he said the influence of a superior pension plan on an employee's decision to remain with the deparbnent is profourrl. He suggested that offi- cers who have left the deparbnent say the pension plan was a factor in their decision. Ms. Joan Botwinick, 511 westview Drive, co-chair of Adequate Housing for Mis- sourians, said volunteers in her group have helped a rnnnber of families fix up their hones in University City am elsewhere. She asked that the city eamark part of its contingency :furrl for emergency grants to those who need i.nunedi.ate help; !rore effectively publicize low interest rate loans offered by the Missouri Housin;J Development COnmission for hane repair; arrl increase the amount in the Connnunity Development Home Improvement Revolving loan FUnd. Ms. Elsie Glickert, 6712 Etzel, inquired about the possibility of the County acquiring sutter Avenue as a County mban road since it serves three munici- Palities am is also the approach to the County Fire Academy. She said city Firehouse #2 is in disgraceful corrlition am even if it is not being used, "it