Online Chat - Matt Zimmerman
September 16, 2008
Emporia City Manager Matt Zimmerman will answer reader questions.
Moderator: Today's guest has been delayed by work. The chat with City Manager Matt Zimmerman will begin soon.
Moderator: Here we are. Matt Zimmerman in city manager of Emporia. This is his second chat on emporiagazette.com. Feel free to post questions here on the Web site during the discussion. Zimmerman will answer as many as possible in the time we have. The chat will run until about 2 p.m. We'll start with a question about the proposed retail development at 24th Avenue and Industrial Road.
stevo: Why can't Lowes use the old K-Mart Location for their store...We need to fill in that gap. and it makes sense that the traffic can handle the location instead of us having to do more road work out of our budget to accomidate them. Can we not tell them that is it there or nowhere?
Matt Zimmerman: The old Kmart site is approximately 7 acres and the Lowe's site, with the 4 additional outlots, is almost 18 acres. It is the value the big box retailer brings that creates the synergy for development of the other lots. It is the City's goal, by increasing the variety of retailing options, to redevelop the old Kmart site due to an increased number of customers.
stevo: Recently I heard that we are loosing a lot of Fireman, EMT's, Police and Sheriff because of low pay...Is this true? and why are we not seeing that our valued personal as them are paid well.. They all put their lives out for ALL of us and take lots and lots of time from their families... Fireman, EMT's work 24 hour shifts and officers 8 hrs + ... We should be proud to have them..let's pay them.
Matt Zimmerman: I agree that many of the City's employees put their lives at risk, including police, fire and public works. The City has completed its wage and classification study, which included analyzing the value of each position within the City organization and the outside market for those positions. The study included 11 municipalities of similar characteristics as Emporia or by decreasing the inflated value of larger, more urban communities such as in Johnson County . Based on this study, the City Commission adopted new wage rates. Employees were then slotted into the new wage rates based on years of service, years of service in comparison of other employees in the same position, leaving room within the wage range to earn merit pay based on performance, and most important, their performance in the past to the citizens of Emporia. In short, the City has new wage ranges that are within the market for each position and employees are being paid based on that market value. In closing, I am proud of our public safety personnel, and all employees, and expect them to take pride in each other and their work and their community.
joetraveler: Mr. Zimmerman, What are your thoughts about the proposed smoking ban as presented by the "clean-air emporia" group? Do you believe the businesses it will affect should have a voice in the decision process?
Matt Zimmerman: This is clearly a controversial issue in many communities, including Emporia . The City Commission has determined that there will be an open and equitable process with opportunity for public comment before deciding this issue. Since this is a policy issue, I have no opinion whether regulations should be adopted. My job is to enforce whatever rules the community decides thru its elected officials to adopt. as well as to advise the Commission on issues that affect the organization. Since this issue will not directly affect the organization other than enforcement, my opinion on smoking regulations is not relevant. As I told the City Commission, I have no dog in the hunt.
sail: Has the city talked about using THE 1/2 CENT sales tax for econonmic development to recrute new students to ESU?
Matt Zimmerman: The 1/2-cent sales tax is limited by the referendum for economic development, property tax relief and paying for the bonds to build the Jones Aquatic Center . If there is a direct economic development project that will help draw students to ESU, the City will be happy to consider it. I work closely with President Lane to help the university however the City can. I will point out that one of the issues ESU has identified is the lack of retail opportunities for shopping and part-time jobs for students. this one of he reasons the City decided to pursue retail development in addition to industrial development. The City is also heavily participating in the Building Futures campaign, which includes among its 9 goals many steps to improve areas affecting ESU, including more retail, improving and diversifying the housing stock, improving educational opportunities, both K-12 and at ESU and FHTC, and recreational opportunities.
rbow: Who is going to enforce the proposed smoking ban if it passes. Does the city have the resources available to enforce it. Can the city afford a probable drop in tax revenue if it passes?
Matt Zimmerman: Until a final ordinance is being considered, I can't tell you exactly how enforcement would work. However, my experience has taught me that these are often enforced through the community. In general, I anticipate that it will be a combination from the police and fire departments to ensure all required notices are posted and to perform random inspections if necessary.
jayhawker: Two questions: 1. In general, how did we get to be $50MM in debt, and still rising, and what is the plan to retire this debt? 2. There is a rumor that the Police Department (whose work and mission I support) has increased spending by 35% over this same period last year, even though it now has only one Assistant Chief and only two Captains instead of four. Is that true, and if so, why, and what is being done to get the spending under control?
Matt Zimmerman: The $50 million in debt is a combination of general obligation and specific debt for specific projects. Over half of the debt has a designated revenue source to pay that debt. The city is working with The Gazette to prepare a detailed story in the coming week about what type of debt we have, the amount broken down by general obligation versus specific debt. We have to remember, too, that not all debt is bad. A lot of debt allows us to pay for projects while they're cheaper rather than waiting years to save the money. In addition, we have debt to maximize funding from other sources. For example, the city is issuing $2 million in debt for the 18th Avenue bridge over the KTA, but KDOT and KTA is paying almost $6 million additional costs for that bridge, so a 3:1 ratio of return is pretty good. I don't know the percentage of increase off the top of my head for police department spending. However, when we budget each year, we make sure that our revenues are sufficient to pay our operating and capital costs. So, some of the increase may be as a result of increasing revenue from the sales tax that just passed. Because of this, the city has not issued debt for new projects in the last 18 months to try and get our debt load down.
neighbor: With every Government owned building in the County and City of Emporia, all(major retailers as well as Mom and Pop stores) but a few retail businesses(that sell tobacco), most all office buildings, banks, nearly every single restaurant(exception being bars that serve food), all medical facilities, etal already being smoke free, why would Emporia need a Smoking ban ordinance? How could the City justify spending the money necessary to enact such an ordinance and attempt to enforce said ordinance that has already obviously been taken care of by market demand and current trends?
Matt Zimmerman: Please remember that the city has received a proposal from a group of citizens who believe that their concerns should be addressed and that they are looking out for the best interests of the community. There are a lot of other people who have an equally valid point of view as to what is best for the community. That is why the city is ensuring through public hearings that everyone will have an opportunity to express their opinion before the commission makes any decisions. In addition, the city commission is inviting a group of business owners to discuss their alternate proposal next week. That way, the public can comment on the opposing options for the commission's consideration. Regarding spending money, government always has to decide how to spend limited resources for the best needs of the community. While people often will and do disagree on the best use of resources, the city has always had open budget forums to get public input before making those decisions.
hickory: It's great what the commissioners decided to do with the auditorium. People don't realize the tax dollars that place brings into town. Just one question....... I was told the ceiling in the arena wasn't going to be painted. That's the worst looking part in the whole place. You walk into the arena and that's the first place you look at. What was the reasoning behind that decision and will it be done in the near future?
Matt Zimmerman: The city is spending over $125,000 this year for the auditorium improvements, which includes painting the hallways and the auditorium, replacing the scoreboard, and refinishing the floor. That's all we could afford this fiscal year. It is estimated painting the ceiling will be as much as $100,000 so we have to delay that project until we can afford it without incurring more debt.
karol4702: Is the Hill's pet plant on schedule?
Matt Zimmerman: They have been delayed because they had to replace their lead contractor. However, they have assured us they're still on schedule and they have to finish by December 31, 2009, in order to be eligible for their state and local tax incentives.
Matt Zimmerman: The city is working with the Northern Flyer Alliance to develop support for a new train service between Kansas City and Oklahoma City. We are seeking day-time service so that people in that corridor may come and visit and shop Emporia as well as allow our citizens an easy, inexpensive way to Kansas City, Wichita, and Oklahoma City. It will require approval by the state legislature and governor in Kansas and Oklahoma. We encourage you to contact your state legislator and governor, encouraging them to include rail service in the 10-year plan that is being put together now, as well as to fund it in future years. Based on our conversations with Amtrak, service could start as soon as 2011, if all agencies support this service.
steakbuffet: Please explain the possible passenger rail service returning to Emporia. Thanks.
soccerguru: When will the city have soccer fields for its citizens?? Just like you have baseball fields,basketball courts, tennis courts, even a dog park. We need fields!!!!!!!!!Remember TRYSA is a private organization and only the citizens that can afford it play there and its too far from the citizens that play the game on a daily basis.
Matt Zimmerman: There has been limited funding for new programs. We've been working with the Rec Commission, school district and Park personnel to at least provide open green space for use as soccer fields. For example, this year following the Tyson announcement, we were approached by a number of citizens who could no longer afford use of the TRYSA complex. We provided them free space across the street at the Jones Aquatic Center, including goals and painting of lines. Please contact Mark McAnarney if you have some areas you would like to see more soccer fields and we will try and accommodate you.
moderator: Posted by mythoughts (anonymous) on September 12, 2008 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal) What is being done about dilapidated homes in the city? Why can't they be replaced with something worth living in, or at least removed so they aren't such a hazard? There's one house on E. 12th that has plants growing through it. Others have holes in the roof of the porch, or no porch at all. A boarding house downtown on 6th has more bare wood than paint. Yuck!
Matt Zimmerman: First of all, we have developed an in-house complaint program. In the past, someone had to file a written complaint with the city. Now, to encourage more participation, if city crews sees a dilapidated house or someone can call in anonymously and file a complaint and the city will conduct an investigation and follow up if the property is in violation. So please file complaints of any properties that you're aware of. In addition, the Human Relations Commission developed a rental inspection program for the city commission to consider. The issue was tabled until the budget was adopted because the city is looking at a more aggressive program by consolidating all planning, zoning, and property issues in a one-stop shop. The 2009 budget includes positions to create that one-stop shop so we can now develop a more-detailed property maintenance program. We hope to have a program for the Human Relations and city commissions to consider later this fall or early winter.
moderator: Posted by trainrech (anonymous) on September 12, 2008 at 10:21 a.m. (Suggest removal) Will the hazardous sidewalk program be re-implemented any time soon?
Matt Zimmerman: The city reduced the hazardous sidewalk program from $100,000 to $10,000 in 2008 due to the Tyson announcement. The 2009 budget restored that funding to $100,000. It was because the sales tax passed that the city was able to do that. Until it becomes implemented, the program may be delayed but I hope we can have a full program in 2009.
moderator: Posted by barefootin (anonymous) on September 12, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. (Suggest removal) If someone wants to read the housing codes and the nusience codes where can they be found? When does a house become a nusience?
Matt Zimmerman: You can find the city code on the city's Web site, www.emporia-kansas.gov. You can also go to the city clerk's office, 110 E. Fifth Ave., and ask for a copy. Generally, a property has to be structurally unsound or unsafe for the public to be a violation. Many times, people feel that a property is dilapidated but that doesn't mean that it necessarily is in violation of city code.
Moderator: That is all the time we have today. Thanks to Matt Zimmerman for taking the time to answer questions. We're sorry that there were more questions asked than there was time to answer them. An edited transcript of today's chat will be published in Wednesday's Gazette.