There are some council members who function on a belief system rather than a rational decision process. If they believe there are too many employees, no amount of data will influence their belief and their resulting decision. Sidewalk engineers rarely have the full financial and resource capacity issues to grapple with when informing the council member of the problems. They also rarely see the full picture of plans for achieving the goal.
Trust is a resource that is very important in the council-manager relationship and it can become hard to maintain when the lines between policy determination and policy implementation become blurred.
The elected and appointed officials in our community who can listen to all the participants while analyzing the past as they contemplate the future and make decisions based on a balanced system of scientific rationalism will become the leaders or groups of leaders regardless of position or organization.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Where Too Today
Your behavior follows your beliefs no matter how insightful, unstructured or bewildered your comprehension of the issue may be.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Will We Actually do This?
A component of the Comprehensive Plan is the City of Lake Mills Transportation Plan which includes the Sidewalk Plan adopted in August 2004 and updated in January 2005. This plan calls for the repair of existing sidewalks and retrofitting of new sidewalks in older parts of the community where sidewalks were never installed. The City’s subdivision regulation requires sidewalks in all public rights-of-way serving new residential and commercial developments, and has provisions ensuring pedestrian access to industrially zoned areas as well.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Efficient or Optimal
Although on paper the larger governments seem orderly and efficient, voters have distrusted recommendations of planners and political scientists who traditionally have postulated that "fragmentation" of local government is not economically rational. Still, the voters have instinctively sided with smaller, perceived more accountable, decentralized governments instead of metropolitan government or major consolidations.
What reasons and data may be offered to justify smaller governments instead of moving toward centralized local government? The optimum allocation of resources, or economic efficiency, could be the underlying principle. The true level and mixture of local services taxpayers wish to purchase (police and fire protection, parks, sanitation services, and sidewalks, for example) is more likely to be reflected when different packages of goods are offered by competing local jurisdictions. Since people have the opportunity to vote with their feet, they can move to the jurisdiction offering the combination and level of local services at a price (or level of taxes) that best suits them. Some may deem backyard garbage collection so important that they wish to pay for it. Others may opt for a less costly method, but highly value police cruising through their neighborhoods. When only one level of local service is available, as offered by one centralized government, people have no choice. Thus there is no competition, and taxes are likely to be higher. The local government is invariably under pressure to provide the best possible service at the lowest possible cost. Local officials must deal with the difficult and contradictory tasks of providing quality and efficiency of service, as well as a decent working environment at an acceptable cost level. An extremely efficient service might eliminate lines, but costs are likely to be very high. On the other hand, poor service by keeping people waiting in a stressful environment is not compatible with sound customer service and certainly does not provide a positive working condition. The key is to find the correct balance between the service offered and the cost of providing that service.
What reasons and data may be offered to justify smaller governments instead of moving toward centralized local government? The optimum allocation of resources, or economic efficiency, could be the underlying principle. The true level and mixture of local services taxpayers wish to purchase (police and fire protection, parks, sanitation services, and sidewalks, for example) is more likely to be reflected when different packages of goods are offered by competing local jurisdictions. Since people have the opportunity to vote with their feet, they can move to the jurisdiction offering the combination and level of local services at a price (or level of taxes) that best suits them. Some may deem backyard garbage collection so important that they wish to pay for it. Others may opt for a less costly method, but highly value police cruising through their neighborhoods. When only one level of local service is available, as offered by one centralized government, people have no choice. Thus there is no competition, and taxes are likely to be higher. The local government is invariably under pressure to provide the best possible service at the lowest possible cost. Local officials must deal with the difficult and contradictory tasks of providing quality and efficiency of service, as well as a decent working environment at an acceptable cost level. An extremely efficient service might eliminate lines, but costs are likely to be very high. On the other hand, poor service by keeping people waiting in a stressful environment is not compatible with sound customer service and certainly does not provide a positive working condition. The key is to find the correct balance between the service offered and the cost of providing that service.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Just The Basics
As most municipal governments in Wisconsin have long started down the road to isomorphism because of financial and statutory conditions in the State/Nation. The ideas of the Wisconsin Way or Badger Basics now leading the discussion, one has to wonder what it will take to for municipals to break the mold and provide the set of services designed around the local population's preferences?
Is there a level of economic recovery or some level of social decline needed to again allow municipal governments to be the transformer of ideas?
Is there a level of economic recovery or some level of social decline needed to again allow municipal governments to be the transformer of ideas?
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Lake Mills 2010 Promissory Notes
The City has decided to raise funds through the issuance of GO debt for public purposes, including paying the cost of street construction, sidewalk and storm sewer improvements, acquisition of municipal equipment and other 2010 capital projects. The issuance and sale includes the refinancing of previously issued debt.
The City Attorney acts as City’s legal counsel. Bond investors need assurance that the City has properly authorized the bonds. Each entity must comply with both state laws and local authorizations. Thus, it is important that the legal counsel understands authorization rules. It is also important that the City Attorney review bond documents to ensure accuracy and that any City commitments in the bond documents do not run afoul of the City’s other policies and rules.
The City’s Bond Counsel is Quarles and Brady. Bond Counsel is an important resource in the debt issuance process. Bond Counsel opines on the legality of the bond offering, thereby acting as legal advisor to the ultimate investor.
Bond Counsel serves two primary functions:
Counsel ensures the bonds are legally authorized and issued.
Counsel issues a legal opinion as to the tax‐exempt status of the bonds. The legal opinion must be unconditional and is essential for a bond issue to be marketable.
Because of market demands, only a law firm that is recognized as Bond Counsel through experience should act as Bond Counsel. A local attorney or law firm inexperienced in bond matters will rarely be acceptable to the market. Local attorneys may be, and often are, employed for other purposes to assist with debt issuance. Although Bond Counsel are not specially certified or licensed, they must command the confidence and respect of the investment community.
The services of Bond Counsel include:
Determining whether legal and binding authority exists to issue the bonds.
Drafting a bond ordinance, resolution, or a trust indenture (for revenue bonds).
Drafting the notice of sale.
Examining all or part of the Official Statement.
Examining transcripts of proceedings to determine that the bonds were legally advertised and sold.
Submitting a written legal opinion on the tax-exempt status of the offering.
Determining that the bonds were legally executed.
Answering questions of the issuer, investment banker, or public official.
The City’s Financial Advisor, Ehlers & Associates provides a wide range of services to the City. In general, they will coordinate all elements of the bond sale from inception to closing. They are very competent and thoroughly knowledgeable in areas of local government laws and practices, investor attitudes and preferences, rating considerations, and the bond and money markets.
Ehlers & Associates manages the sale process leading up to the sale of the bonds and advises the City on business terms and the sale process.
Ehlers & Associates prepares an overall financing plan, advises on marketing the bonds, assists with a presentation rating agencies, calculates the timing of a bond sale, determines the range of interest costs for different alternative means of financing, provides an estimate of the underwriters’ fees, helps decide on the bond structure and call provisions, sets bid requirements, participates in a negotiated sale, evaluates the sale when it is finished, and participates in the preparation of the Official Statement to satisfy the informational needs of the prospective investors.
The City Attorney acts as City’s legal counsel. Bond investors need assurance that the City has properly authorized the bonds. Each entity must comply with both state laws and local authorizations. Thus, it is important that the legal counsel understands authorization rules. It is also important that the City Attorney review bond documents to ensure accuracy and that any City commitments in the bond documents do not run afoul of the City’s other policies and rules.
The City’s Bond Counsel is Quarles and Brady. Bond Counsel is an important resource in the debt issuance process. Bond Counsel opines on the legality of the bond offering, thereby acting as legal advisor to the ultimate investor.
Bond Counsel serves two primary functions:
Counsel ensures the bonds are legally authorized and issued.
Counsel issues a legal opinion as to the tax‐exempt status of the bonds. The legal opinion must be unconditional and is essential for a bond issue to be marketable.
Because of market demands, only a law firm that is recognized as Bond Counsel through experience should act as Bond Counsel. A local attorney or law firm inexperienced in bond matters will rarely be acceptable to the market. Local attorneys may be, and often are, employed for other purposes to assist with debt issuance. Although Bond Counsel are not specially certified or licensed, they must command the confidence and respect of the investment community.
The services of Bond Counsel include:
Determining whether legal and binding authority exists to issue the bonds.
Drafting a bond ordinance, resolution, or a trust indenture (for revenue bonds).
Drafting the notice of sale.
Examining all or part of the Official Statement.
Examining transcripts of proceedings to determine that the bonds were legally advertised and sold.
Submitting a written legal opinion on the tax-exempt status of the offering.
Determining that the bonds were legally executed.
Answering questions of the issuer, investment banker, or public official.
The City’s Financial Advisor, Ehlers & Associates provides a wide range of services to the City. In general, they will coordinate all elements of the bond sale from inception to closing. They are very competent and thoroughly knowledgeable in areas of local government laws and practices, investor attitudes and preferences, rating considerations, and the bond and money markets.
Ehlers & Associates manages the sale process leading up to the sale of the bonds and advises the City on business terms and the sale process.
Ehlers & Associates prepares an overall financing plan, advises on marketing the bonds, assists with a presentation rating agencies, calculates the timing of a bond sale, determines the range of interest costs for different alternative means of financing, provides an estimate of the underwriters’ fees, helps decide on the bond structure and call provisions, sets bid requirements, participates in a negotiated sale, evaluates the sale when it is finished, and participates in the preparation of the Official Statement to satisfy the informational needs of the prospective investors.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Next Move
On the Tuesday after July 4th, it's worth remembering that independence does not come cheap, and that there are some things that are more important than independence.
One of those things is the public trust. There is a serious cost to our society when government officials place their privacy rights regarding ethics enforcement related information above the public trust, that is, when government officials insist that their privacy is more important then the public’s right to know. And there is a cost to officials, too: their trial not by a neutral body in a formal proceeding that the public can have trust in, but rather by partisan accusations and media coverage based on the manipulation of limited facts and a limited understanding of the issues involved.
To reduce conflict of interest problems: there is a necessity to identify and disclose potential conflicts and the importance of council members to recuse themselves from the decision-making process when an actual conflict arises. Therefore, it is an important part of the proposed ethics ordinance requiring disclosure of information by all senior employees and council members in addressing the issue of conflicts.
One of those things is the public trust. There is a serious cost to our society when government officials place their privacy rights regarding ethics enforcement related information above the public trust, that is, when government officials insist that their privacy is more important then the public’s right to know. And there is a cost to officials, too: their trial not by a neutral body in a formal proceeding that the public can have trust in, but rather by partisan accusations and media coverage based on the manipulation of limited facts and a limited understanding of the issues involved.
To reduce conflict of interest problems: there is a necessity to identify and disclose potential conflicts and the importance of council members to recuse themselves from the decision-making process when an actual conflict arises. Therefore, it is an important part of the proposed ethics ordinance requiring disclosure of information by all senior employees and council members in addressing the issue of conflicts.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Policy Approach
The City shall establish a minimum unreserved fund balance to aid the City in responding to emergency situations, unforeseen economic opportunities, grant matches and temporary reductions in revenue. This reserve shall be maintained at an amount equal to at least twelve percent (12%) and not more than twenty percent (20%) of the prior year’s budgeted general fund revenues. This reserve will be part of the City’s undesignated fund balance and will be maintained in addition to any reserved or designated fund balance.
The City may withdraw funds from the unreserved fund balance to provide sufficient working capital to eliminate the need for short-term borrowing. The Council may withdraw funds from the unreserved fund balance after the current year contingency has been expended. The emergency reserve will only be used when emergency expenditures or an unexpected revenue reduction would result in net deficit in the fiscal year budget. Restoration of the unreserved fund balance should begin in the fiscal year following its use.
The City may withdraw funds from the unreserved fund balance to provide sufficient working capital to eliminate the need for short-term borrowing. The Council may withdraw funds from the unreserved fund balance after the current year contingency has been expended. The emergency reserve will only be used when emergency expenditures or an unexpected revenue reduction would result in net deficit in the fiscal year budget. Restoration of the unreserved fund balance should begin in the fiscal year following its use.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Today's Indicator
Personal income per capita is a measure that is widely accepted among economists and policy analysts as an indicator of economic well-being of residents of a city or a state. The level of per capita personal income can be used as a broad gauge for measuring the relative economic performance of two or more cities, regions or states. Also, growth in relative per capita personal income is used as evidence that cities are becoming more or less wealthy, as compared to a national or regional benchmark.
Fitch IBCA indicates that for a predominantly residential community’s tax base to constitute the basis of an above-average general obligation bond rating, per capita income levels are generally at or above average. A strong and diverse commercial component in the tax base (40% or higher), however, can bolster an otherwise average residential income base, supporting an above average rating. Standard & Poor’s considers median household or per capita income levels of <=75% the national average very low; 85% low; 100% average; 120% high; and >=140% very high.
Policymakers should be interested in using per capita income growth as an indicator to guide broadly defined policy measures, it is important to determine which factors are most likely to influence growth in per capita income. Such an analysis should also indicate whether these factors influence short-term or long-term growth, and whether they are amenable to local policy initiatives.
Fitch IBCA indicates that for a predominantly residential community’s tax base to constitute the basis of an above-average general obligation bond rating, per capita income levels are generally at or above average. A strong and diverse commercial component in the tax base (40% or higher), however, can bolster an otherwise average residential income base, supporting an above average rating. Standard & Poor’s considers median household or per capita income levels of <=75% the national average very low; 85% low; 100% average; 120% high; and >=140% very high.
Policymakers should be interested in using per capita income growth as an indicator to guide broadly defined policy measures, it is important to determine which factors are most likely to influence growth in per capita income. Such an analysis should also indicate whether these factors influence short-term or long-term growth, and whether they are amenable to local policy initiatives.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Meet Me At the Fish Hatchery
We start union negotiations again this month. The scope is limited to pay increases. As we prepare to meet again, I wonder about some issues.
Nearly every kind of management/union negotiation process relies on some form of ground rules. Ground rules are the standards of conduct for consensus building. Many of these rules are unspoken/unwritten and there can be a steep learning curve for new participants.
Ground rules usually cover the behavior of the negotiating teams, the role or behavior of any third party (e.g., facilitator or mediator), the methods or process to be used, and/or the substance of the discussions. The initial set of rules are generally negotiated before or during the first meeting and establish common rules of engagement regarding project organization, group decision-making, communication with constituents and the media, and the use of data and technical information. This being said, I have never been involved in negotiating ground rules. The Union negotiator and the City’s labor consultant who are negotiating in several cities show up and act like everyone already knows the rules and expectations. I’m pretty sure that the local union representatives have no better idea of the ground rules the Union negotiator and the City’s labor consultant are using then I do.
With the emphasis on ground rules stemming from a belief that all parties in a dispute resolution process should be treated equally and fairly, I would expect that knowledge would be a good thing. The fact appears to be that the rules spell out behavior and procedures that people consider fair, but tend to abandon when push comes to shove in the issues that really matter to people.
Example of rules that a generally well followed are behavioral ground rules that people must talk one at a time, that they must listen carefully to their opponents' statements, or that they must treat each other with dignity and respect. Typically parties agree that no one is permitted to dominate a discussion or claim special privileges unless the entire group agrees to grant them. Derogatory language or attacks on other people's values or culture are usually not permitted.
Here are some rules that apply to processes and procedures that have not made it into our negotiations as written or spoken agreements. For example, process ground rules might say that people are expected to be on time for meetings, that substitute representatives must be approved before the meeting occurs, and that observers are (or are not) allowed. Rules for managing participation may also be instituted. For example, should participants raise their hands and wait to be called on, or should they speak freely? Other process rules concern how draft documents will be circulated and reviewed and how to reschedule meetings if necessary. Obviously, there is some unspoken/unwritten understanding that is used because the negotiations are progressing.
Nearly every kind of management/union negotiation process relies on some form of ground rules. Ground rules are the standards of conduct for consensus building. Many of these rules are unspoken/unwritten and there can be a steep learning curve for new participants.
Ground rules usually cover the behavior of the negotiating teams, the role or behavior of any third party (e.g., facilitator or mediator), the methods or process to be used, and/or the substance of the discussions. The initial set of rules are generally negotiated before or during the first meeting and establish common rules of engagement regarding project organization, group decision-making, communication with constituents and the media, and the use of data and technical information. This being said, I have never been involved in negotiating ground rules. The Union negotiator and the City’s labor consultant who are negotiating in several cities show up and act like everyone already knows the rules and expectations. I’m pretty sure that the local union representatives have no better idea of the ground rules the Union negotiator and the City’s labor consultant are using then I do.
With the emphasis on ground rules stemming from a belief that all parties in a dispute resolution process should be treated equally and fairly, I would expect that knowledge would be a good thing. The fact appears to be that the rules spell out behavior and procedures that people consider fair, but tend to abandon when push comes to shove in the issues that really matter to people.
Example of rules that a generally well followed are behavioral ground rules that people must talk one at a time, that they must listen carefully to their opponents' statements, or that they must treat each other with dignity and respect. Typically parties agree that no one is permitted to dominate a discussion or claim special privileges unless the entire group agrees to grant them. Derogatory language or attacks on other people's values or culture are usually not permitted.
Here are some rules that apply to processes and procedures that have not made it into our negotiations as written or spoken agreements. For example, process ground rules might say that people are expected to be on time for meetings, that substitute representatives must be approved before the meeting occurs, and that observers are (or are not) allowed. Rules for managing participation may also be instituted. For example, should participants raise their hands and wait to be called on, or should they speak freely? Other process rules concern how draft documents will be circulated and reviewed and how to reschedule meetings if necessary. Obviously, there is some unspoken/unwritten understanding that is used because the negotiations are progressing.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Lake Street Alley 2
The City of Lake Mills is proposing to reconstruct the municipal alleyway which is located just west of Ford Court. This alley serves local businesses and a public parking lot. The alley has pavement failures in several areas which has made this area a maintenance concern for the City. The sanitary sewer and water main are also inadequately sized and in poor condition for the current development. Storm sewer upgrades are also planned for the area to improve overall drainage.
The project will include the removal and replacement of pavement, watermain, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer within the alley. Storm sewer improvements will be added, including new inlets in the alley and Water Street. One new outfall is proposed at Rock Creek just southwest of City Hall. The project will also abandon in-place two existing outfalls located east of the proposed outfall along Rock Creek.
The type of equipment to be used on this project will be determined by the contractor, but will most likely include the following: backhoe, dozer, compactor, skid loader, grader, work trucks, front end loader, dump trucks, and trench boxes.
The methods of construction used on this project will be determined by the contractor, but will most likely consist of open trench excavation for the utility work. Spoils from the trench excavation may be stored on site if they are suitable to go back into the trench as backfill, but the stockpiles will need their own erosion control measures. These measures include, but are not limited to: silt fence, temporary seeding, and stone check dams.
Unsuitable spoils generated from construction will be hauled away from the project site to a location determined by the contractor.
Topsoil will be salvaged for reuse on site. Seed restoration is scheduled for use on this project. There will be temporary and permanent erosion control measures installed with this project.
The erosion control requirements include, but are not limited to: inlet protection, silt fence, erosion mat, rip rap, and stone tracking pads. Additional measures may be requested as directed by the engineer, owner, or governing agency. The amount of rip rap planned for use on this project is approximately 30 square feet. This rip rap will be installed around the new outfall for bank slope stabilization and protection. Silt curtain will be installed at the end of the outfall excavation, as well as silt fence on the banks and upland areas. No other fill material is proposed to be installed within the banks of Rock Creek during this project.
The City plans on publicly bidding the project in July 2010. Construction is expected to begin sometime in August with a completion date in early November.
The project will include the removal and replacement of pavement, watermain, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer within the alley. Storm sewer improvements will be added, including new inlets in the alley and Water Street. One new outfall is proposed at Rock Creek just southwest of City Hall. The project will also abandon in-place two existing outfalls located east of the proposed outfall along Rock Creek.
The type of equipment to be used on this project will be determined by the contractor, but will most likely include the following: backhoe, dozer, compactor, skid loader, grader, work trucks, front end loader, dump trucks, and trench boxes.
The methods of construction used on this project will be determined by the contractor, but will most likely consist of open trench excavation for the utility work. Spoils from the trench excavation may be stored on site if they are suitable to go back into the trench as backfill, but the stockpiles will need their own erosion control measures. These measures include, but are not limited to: silt fence, temporary seeding, and stone check dams.
Unsuitable spoils generated from construction will be hauled away from the project site to a location determined by the contractor.
Topsoil will be salvaged for reuse on site. Seed restoration is scheduled for use on this project. There will be temporary and permanent erosion control measures installed with this project.
The erosion control requirements include, but are not limited to: inlet protection, silt fence, erosion mat, rip rap, and stone tracking pads. Additional measures may be requested as directed by the engineer, owner, or governing agency. The amount of rip rap planned for use on this project is approximately 30 square feet. This rip rap will be installed around the new outfall for bank slope stabilization and protection. Silt curtain will be installed at the end of the outfall excavation, as well as silt fence on the banks and upland areas. No other fill material is proposed to be installed within the banks of Rock Creek during this project.
The City plans on publicly bidding the project in July 2010. Construction is expected to begin sometime in August with a completion date in early November.
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