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Session 1235, Minutes January 7, 1980 Page 13 Metcalfe, Lieberman and Kelley, although Mr. Kelley said he had some reservations because of the cost of an extra election. Mayor Mooney and Councilmen Adams and Sabol were against the recommended change. Before discussing Item Five, changing the fiscal year from July 1 - June 30 to Octo- ber 1 - September 30, Finance Director Michael McPhail asked to make a presentation. Mr. McPhail said he did not feel there were sufficiently good reasons for changing the fiscal year, and thought it should remain as it is. It would be extremely dif- ficult to make this change, and he felt there were not enough advantages (such as coinciding with the state and federal fiscal years) to warrant a change of this mag- nitude. He also said there would not be previous budgets to compare a new budget to for three years. There was more discussion, centering on budget balance, comparison of employee wage scales with other communities,or governments with the same fiscal year, etc. Councilmen Lieberman, Metcalfe, Glickert and Kelley all were somewhat undecided as to whether or not a change should be made. Councilman Adams was in favor of the change and Councilman Sabol was against it. Councilman Metcalfe thought it should be included in the proposed ordinance, and discussed again at the next meeting. Councilman Adams said the library would approve the change. Items six and seven, having to do with deletion of Sections 69 and 70 (now covered by state law), and Section 26 (City Court now falls under the jurisdiction of St. Louis County Circuit Court) were agreed to by the Council. Item eight relates to the forgiveness of taxes as they apply to unimproved lots. The Committee recommended that the Council have the power to abate or compromise taxes, interest and penalties with the owner of a tract of land if that land is ap- praised as not being worth the amount owed on it. All Council members agreed with the Committee on this recommendation. All Councilmen agreed with the recommendation of the Committee on the ninth item -- amending Section 24 to reduce the length of term for Municipal Judge from four years to two years. Mr. Ellman brought up a point which merited discussion. The auditors of University City have asked for a sixty-day period in which to audit the City's financial records instead of forty-five days as provided now by the Charter. There was some discussion with a tentative consensus to change to sixty days, which Mr. McPhail favors. Item ten, having to do with the filling of a vacancy on the City Council, engendered a, great deal of discussion. There were two split -decision recommendations from the Charter Committee. One, suggested by Mr. Werner, recommended that the language of Section 10 remain the same, with the proviso that if a vacancy occurred within six months of a regular municipal election, the seat would remain vacant until the next municipal election. The other proposal, suggested by Mr. Blackmar, provided that any vacancy on the City Council be filled by special election no sooner than 90 days and no later than 150 days after the seat has been vacated. Councilmen Kelley and Sabol favored the Blackmar proposal. Councilman Metcalfe suggested that the word "April" be substituted for "regular municipal" in the Werner proposal. Councilman Adams concurred. Councilman Lieberman and Glickert and Mayor Mooney felt the Charter should remain as it is in this section. Councilman Kelley said he felt he could compromise and support the Werner proposal, as modified by Councilman Metcalfe. Councilman Sabol concurred. It was then decided to draft this portion of the bill as amended by Councilman Metcalfe.