Tag: Al Orsen

A note from City Manager Al Orsen

June 29th, 2009

As published in the June 2009 Portal Newsletter:

Dear Friends,
As you may know, the City of Wayzata has had to make some very difficult budgeting decisions during the past several weeks. In that process, cuts have been made in the arena of communications. In addition to suspending the printed version of the Bay Window newsletter, we are limiting cable TV programming for the remainder of the year. It is our plan to air all City Council and Planning Commission meetings live and rebroadcast them several times weekly. Also, we will do our best to offer community news through our bulletin board announcements on cable TV, in our monthly Portal newsletter included in your utility bill and on our Web site, http://www.wayzata.org. We will do our best to offer the best quality and service during these trying financial times. Thanks for your understanding and patience.

Al Orsen, City Manager

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Wayzata to retain 11th police officer

May 21st, 2009

The City of Wayzata will be retaining its 11th police officer, after originally planning to eliminate one due to the budget deficit. With the departure of the remaining community service officer (CSO), however, the Police Chief Mike Risvold has recommended to not hire a new CSO and retain the police officer instead.

“One of the community service officers is taking another job so we’re electing to not fill that position,” City Manager Al Orsen said.

Wayzata Mayor Ken Willcox said CSOs do more administrative duties and do not have the policing power that an officer does.

Willcox said one of the more compelling reasons to keep the 11th officer was that if one officer gets in trouble, another can come to his assistance.

According to Willcox, Wayzata has the highest number of police officers per capita in the Lake Minnetonka area, but that the population swells during the day because of people coming to work and shop and Interstate 394 going right through town.

“Our policing demands are much higher than other towns in the area,” Willcox said.

The Wayzata City Council implemented the budget cuts at the May 5, meeting in response to the estimated $311,000 deficit the City is expected to have. The cuts bring the expected deficit to just under $100,000.

Among the cuts were also suspending publication of the Bay Window, cutting the number of WCTV programs, reducing the number of flower gardens, reducing the hours of lifeguards, the building inspector and engineer and cutting the positions of two seasonal gardeners.

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CITY OF WAYZATA: City Repositions for Short Term Budget Balance and Will Start Work on a Long Term Strategy Soon

May 20th, 2009

Submitted by Sandy Langley, City of Wayzata Clerk.

In response to projected budget shortfalls, the City of Wayzata is implementing several measures to reposition itself in order to continue to provide residents with quality services at a reasonable price.

Budget challenges include those related to the historic economic downturn, reduced investment earnings and shortfalls in building permit revenue. The city could face even more challenges from the state such as the potential loss of dollars in fine revenue, and levy limits that could effectively freeze taxes at current levels.

In order to allow time for implementation of long-term budget strategies, the city has imposed a hiring freeze, reduced employee overtime hours, disallowed out of state travel and is placing several capital projects on hold. However, with only these traditional belt-tightening measures, the city would still face a projected shortfall for 2009 and beyond.

At the May 5th council meeting the city implemented cut backs in communications and Wayzata Cable TV, gardens, seasonal workers, eliminating one CSO position by attrition and cutting back two positions to part time. Those decisions resulted in a $194,400 savings.

To help mitigate the remaining projected budget shortfall, the city manager has now negotiated early retirement packages with two employees namely Jan Svennson the Motor Vehicle Supervisor and Sonny Clark the Parks Superintendant and has an agreement from its city clerk to go on a part time basis to 4 days a week, all effective May 15, 2009. You may recall it was
proposed to eliminate the two positions and that is still the case, the positions will not be filled in the future. Also to address the originally proposed elimination of a police officer, we have been notified that the remaining CSO person has accepted a new job and the Police Chief is recommending that we do not fill that position, retain the police officer and supplement the
remaining budget shortfall of $10,000 by using qualifying forfeiture funds (funds from vehicles seized in DWI arrests). The last remaining item is the lifeguards at the beach. The recommendation is that we start guarding the beach one week later than in the past and that the hours be reduced from 11am – 7pm to 12pm to 6pm which puts the cost of the lifeguard contract at $15,450 and that a transfer of that amount, on a one time basis, is made from cash balances in the city CIP plans.

Additionally, the city will look into cooperative agreements for shared services in the areas of inspection and engineering, and will look at department reorganizations and reallocation of personnel. Barring the state imposing significantly greater mandates than those already expected, no further major actions are planned.

All of these repositioning strategies will achieve short-term budget balancing. The city will need to develop long-term strategies to sustain direct core services, continue investments in infrastructure, and moderate property tax growth.

Any questions related to this release should be directed to Al Orsen, Wayzata city manager, at (952) 404-5309.

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WAYZATA CRIME PREVENTION: Don’t Cut The Police Force

May 5th, 2009

To the Editor,

Due to the city’s budgetary shortfall, it appears that Wayzata City Manager, Al Orsen, is going to recommend to the Wayzata City Council this Tuesday night to eliminate our newest police officer, Bill Matthews.

I believe that this decision would be an irresponsible choice to ensure public safety and short-sighted at best when an officer would undoubtedly be re-hired soon and the expensive process of recruiting and re-training would start all over.

Here are a few of the current cost savings items it is important to be aware of:

1. Our police officers recently agreed to a reduced increase in pay with the promise that this would insure that all officers jobs would be retained. This appears to be a breach of contract.

2. The school district pays for 42% of one of our officers as the West Middle School police liaison.

3. The recently vacated position of one of our CSO’s (Community Service Officer) will not be filled at the present time.

4. Officer Matthews has offered to reduce his hours and even forgo his health insurance.

5. Lt. Murphy continues to volunteer many overtime hours.

Police and Fire Departments are 24/7 jobs. We cannot put our community in jeopardy by reducing our public service officers. I feel certain that the City Council puts public safety very near the top of their list.

My hope is that a better solution is possible, perhaps a short term loan from the unallocated emergency funds, until the Bay Center project begins.

Please get involved and urge your friends and neighbors to attend the City Council meeting this Tuesday, May 5th, at 7pm to let our Council Members realize that their decision not only affects the livelihood of an officer, but the safety and well being of our town. Council Member’s emails & phone numbers are available on the city website if you would like to make a personal contact: (wayzata.org).

Thank you very much for your efforts and interest.

Lynda Stahl, President
Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition

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Copy of City of Wayzata Manger’s Proposed Budget Cuts

May 5th, 2009

Here is a copy of City Manager Al Orsen’s proposed budget cuts that will be presented and discussed at tonight’s Wayzata City Council meeting.

It appears Sonny Clark, Parks Superintendent would be let go, Jan Svensson, Motor Vehicle Supervisor will be axed, Bill Matthews, the newest police officer will be let go, Sandy Langley will have her position reduced to four days a week, as well as being reassigned to overseeing the Motor Vehicle division. Additionally, Building Inspection and Engineering reduction in hours would occur.

Other potential cuts include:

Flower Gardens, Gardeners, the print version of the Wayzata Bay Window, WCTV programming, lifeguards, and the Community Service Officer

Finally, the City will likely borrow money from unallocated emergency funds to plug the budget gap.

Stay tuned to Wayzata.com for all the latest budget cut news at the City of Wayzata.

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Tag: Al Orsen

A note from City Manager Al Orsen

Wayzata to retain 11th police officer

CITY OF WAYZATA: City Repositions for Short Term Budget Balance and Will Start Work on a Long Term Strategy Soon

WAYZATA CRIME PREVENTION: Don’t Cut The Police Force

Copy of City of Wayzata Manger’s Proposed Budget Cuts