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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-11-03 Municipal Operations Committee MinutesMunicipal Operations Committee Meeting Minutes November 3, 1888 Councilors Attending: Michael Crowley, Michael Anne, Nichi Farnham, Staff Attending: Edward Barrett, Don Winslow, Don Gross 1. Proposed Memorandum of AcLeement - Hoover Police Department I'd 1o1at senrtity Forret .c udron Don Winslow told the Committee that this is a renewal of a - going mutual aid agreement between the Bangor Police Department and the Air Guard. Councilor Farnham asked how often the Police Department and 101st work together?. Don Winslow explained that they work very closely and frequently throughout the year. Erik Stumpfel cemented that he has reviewed this and it is a good agreement. He does suggest that a sentence be added in each section that specifies which agency is responsible for workers' comp and liability claims in a mutual aid situation. It should state that each agency is responsible for its own employees. Committee directed staff to make the necessary changes to the agreement. This will be put on the Council agenda. 2. City N r F Food .Service% r Councilor Crowley excused himself from this issue due to a conflict. Councilor Aube took over as chair of the Committee. At the time the Committee approved a trial basis to provide food services, staff was directed to come back to the Committee with an update and a proposed budget. Dan explained that they don't have the final figures for October, but appear to be breaking even. Councilor Aube asked if the revenues and expenses on the operating summary are incremental revenues and expenses or are they revenues and then expenses that would have been incurred otherwise? Don answered that they are all incremental. Public Comments: Charles Helfin, Bangor resident, asked how many people are served daily? Don answered between 50 and 60 for a full meal. Mr. Helfin asked if there was a contract and with whom? Don answered that the contract is in the drafting stage between CNF and the University College of Bangor, an affiliate of University of Maine at Augusta. Mr. Helfin asked if it specifies how many meals will be served and what is the reimbursement? Don xuaicipal Operations Committee Meeting minutes November 3, 1998 Page 2 answered no, anyone can go out and get a meal. It is not restricted to people who are students. Mr. Helfin asked where the cooking is done? Don explained that the building immediately next door to CNF is the old NCO Club of Dow Air Force Base. The building houses a large ballroom, a smaller cafeteria room, a cafeteria type service line, and a kitchen. In addition, there are four classrooms and the University uses it as their bookstore. The University desired to create an environment for students that would be more conducive to a campus setting and began looking for someone to provide meals within that space. CNF responded hoping to contribute to students and perhaps entice some to volunteer at CNF and at the same time, possibly make a profit. This food service was not run last year. The operation years prior was different because the University College of Bangor didn't exist under the UMA structure at that time. It is whole new operation. CNF has no rent or utility payments and simply provides the food s staff to prepare a serve the meals. The students pay for their own meals. Mr. Helfin asked if these were permanent employees cooking and serving? Don answered that they are part-time temporary employees of the City. Mr. Belfin asked what insurance there is on employees working there? Dort answered that there is food service coverage because they currently provide food to the residents of CNF. Mr. Helfin asked if this were included in the budget? Don answered yes, it is under the supplies. Mr. Helfin commented that he looked over the budget and didn't see any insurance numbers. He saw benefits listed and wondered if the workers are part-time employees, what e the benefits? Don answered that workers' comp, unemployment insurance, and social security are all paid. Royce Day, Bangor resident, asked if they have catered meals at the facility for various conferences? Don answered that there are ongoing conferences at which CNF supplies donuts, coffee, etc. for them in the morning at their request and juice and apples or cookies in the afternoon, for a fixed fee per head. This has been done 5-6 times. Don commented that these people are usually there for the day and perhaps will buy their lunch in the cafeteria, which adds to the business. Mr. Day asked if the City were competing with private caterers? Ed Barrett answered that in going into this, it was agreed that the City would only do it if no one in the private sector were interested or if the University could not come to an agreement with anyone in the private sector. Mr, day contented that he felt if a group uses the old NCO club for a meeting, wouldn't it be a conflict of interest? Councilor Aube asked Don if the University adds that cost on to the conference group? Dort answered no. The University is charging a facility fee and the individuals as ing the facility are free to hire whomever they want to providethem with their coffee and donuts. Charlie Dirkel commented that he doesn't feel that a nursing facility should engage in providing dining hall facilities for Municipal operations eoused tree Meeting minutes November 3, 1998 Page 3 another enterprise. He feels that the City canot keep on in endeavors where we might break even and might not break even. Mr. Helfin asked if the victualers license allows you to go off campus to serve meals? Ed Barrett answered that the City has a separate license for the University location. Councilor Farnham asked if the school has been marketing this to students and if there has been any noticeable change because of it? Don answered that yes, the student government has put out coupons for a free meal, at their expense. Don reported that the University is spending money on that building. The entrance has been redone for handicap accessibility and they have made many renovations to the interior. This is encouraging that the University is making a commitment. Councilor Aube asked Ed what the University's enrollment numbers e this year. Ed answered that their enrollment is up slightly this year. There has been some growth recently for the University. Nothing is required from the Committee at this time. This was an Update item. 3. City Nursim Facility- Residential Carp Proposal Update Ed Barrett commented that the state has approved the City's residential care license application. The reimbursement rate established is slightly lower than the rate which staff had used in projections ($1.15 per day). Staff updated the financial tables on the various alternatives. As a result, the Steady State scenario net total effect stays the same. The Alternate Residential Care changes slightly, approximately by $1,000. The 21 bed scenario, which is what has been approved, changed by approximately $5r600. Table 3, the 21 bed scenario, is the scenario the Committee should be looking at in terms of whether to Proceed with the residential care option. The other background information to be taken into account is the additional cost associated with Health and Welfare. Ed's suggestion is that now that staff has the information needed on the financial side, Dave Pellegrino, Don Gross and Mary -Anne Chalila can start putting together a schedule that will show when things could happen to have a better idea of time. The suggestion is to have a full Council workshop to go over all the information with the full Council. In light of the fact that there is a pending bid for some of the construction work that was tabled from the Finance Committee pending a full review to decide how to proceed, this should be done soon. At the last meeting, the Committee also requested a comparison of the assumptions used by Baker, Newman s Noyes to develop their Municipal Operations cosauttee Meeting Minutes November 3, 1998 Page 4 cost figures and the revised scenario developed by staff. Don Gross went over these comparisons with the Committee add answered questions to clarify this information. Charlie Bickel asked how the CNF's rates compare to other nursing homes in the area? Don answered that there are two levels Of care. Due is the skilled care and the other is regular nursing care. Skilled care rates are determined by Medicare. Nearly everyone in a skilled care unit is being paid by Medicare. The rates are such that the room rate is not so significant and as such, the rate per day at the facility gets depends upon what packages or services the individual is being given. CNF is at $137/day for semi -private and $147/day for private and these rates are a little lower than the private facilities. Councilor Aube asked what the operational level of the facility s 5 years ago when there was a demand for this service? Ed explained that the facility was operating uniformly at a 988 occupancy. Today, it is 75-808. Councilor Farnb= asked if even with reimbursement costs being less than what is actually charged, could the facility still break even? Ed answered yes, because of the skilled unit and economies of scale. if the facility was at full occupancy, it would break even or come close to breaking even. Don explained that after the cost report is reviewed, then it has to be audited and the state is normally behind by that period of time. With no further items to discuss, the meeting adjourned.