Budget and Oversight of Public Elections Committee

2009 2008 2007 2006 

 

 

 

 

ELECTIONS COMMISSION

BUDGET AND OVERSIGHT

OF PUBLIC ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

City Hall, Room 416

City andCounty of San Francisco

 

Minutes of the Meeting Held

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

(Approved: July 16, 2008)

 

 

1.                  Call to Order and Roll Call.  Chairperson Yu called the meeting to order at 5:42 pm.  PRESENT WERE:  Commissioners Richard P. Matthews, Joseph B. Phair and Winnie Yu.

 

2.         Public Comment. Brent Turner said his group conducted a successful demonstration of open source software in San Louis Obispo.  Participants said that they were confident at the end of the demonstration.  Mr. Turner handed The Director a CD of the demonstration.

 

3.         Discussion and possible action to approve the Department of Elections Budget for Fiscal Year 2008-2009.  Director Arntz presented a hand out that he described as a “snap shot” from the Controller’s website of the DoE budget for the current year.  The total was for $19M.  He explained that the material in the packet for today’s meeting is the usual information the DoE seeks for each year, depending on the number of elections in that year, and that it is the document that is sent to the Mayor and Controller. 

 

            The material the Director provided tonight was the salary ordinance and materials and supplies for the current fiscal year.  He said that it is essentially what will be sent for the next fiscal year, but it may change as it goes through the process.

 

            Since the DoE will now be using Pier 48, the Director said he expects the budget to increase because rental is $800,000 per year and in previous years the Pier 29 rental was approximately $100,000.   The new facility provides a lot more space.  Another additional cost will be the Sequoia Contract due to a higher cost for maintenance of that system (which is within the market rate). 

 

            Commissioner Matthews asked if the temporary staff salaries of $2.23M was added to the total ($6.7M) on page 8 of 8 would the number be the total?  Director Arntz answered that about $2M must be added to cover the permanent salaries.

 

            Commissioner Matthews asked if there was a breakdown of the permanent salaries.  Director Arntz responded that he has provided the salaries from the current year of 79.2 FTEs (Full Time Employees).

 

            The Director explained that the 79.2 FTEs represented 350 people.

 

            Commissioner Matthews asked how the DoE was going to pay for the new April  8, 2008 Special Congressional Primary Election that was just announced earlier today.  Director Arntz said that the City will initially have to cover the costs, and he is not certain if the State will reimburse the City.   Deputy City Attorney O’Leary added that her department is looking into whether the State will reimburse San Francisco.

 

            Commissioner Matthews asked Director Arntz to pull together the real numbers that include what was discussed tonight, plus the actual full time employee dollar figure. 

 

            Director Arntz said that he realizes that the full time salary for the Commission Secretary remains an issue and urged the Commission to contact the Mayor’s Office prior to budget discussions regarding the number of hours to be included in the budget for that position.

 

            Commissioner Matthews MOVED that the BOPEC Committee forward the budget with the Committee’s approval, with the understanding that the Director will provide updated totals, to the full Elections Commission.  Chairperson Yu SECONDED.  Commissioner Phair asked if there were special issues of which the Commission should be aware or if the Director needed the Commission’s assistance on any budget matter.  Director Arntz responded that currently, there was nothing.

 

            The Director said that the most important thing is that the DoE retain its skilled permanent and temporary staff.  He said it is important that the temporary staff is re-hired for each election because of their expertise. 

 

            Commissioner Phair asked the Director if he or his department was constrained by any personnel or budget limitations.  Direct Arntz answered that in some ways this is the case, depending on the level of service the DoE wants to provide; but at this point, the budget is doable. 

 

            Chairperson Yu told the Director that the Commission understands that the upcoming year will be a busy one and that he should let the Commission know if it can help him advocate for his full time and temporary staffing needs.

 

            Public Comment.  David Pilpel asked if there was further detail available for the budget request.  Chairperson Yu replied that she had checked with the Director and the Deputy City Attorney and the information provided is what was sent to the Mayor and Controller in the current and previous years.  Mr. Pilpel responded that he respectfully disagreed, that more had been provided in the past and he was disappointed that the narrative for each line item was missing.  He said that the Controller requires a narrative for each character and object code listed in the budget, as well as an organization chart.  Mr. Pilpel said it was difficult for him to comment absent that information.  He said he can provide examples of the budget materials other Commissions are given by their departments.  He added that there is no total amount listed in the budget materials provided at this meeting.

 

            Deputy City Attorney Ann O’Leary said that in terms of the Charter, there is no specificity of what is required in the budget given for approval to a Commission, but in practice the Department Head provides to the Commission the same materials that will be provided to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors.  She said that this is what the Director has done in this instance, and that if the Commission needs more information, it should request it from the Director. 

 

            The Director offered to provide a breakdown of the temporary staffing, an organizational chart, and a total, however discussions with the Mayor’s office regarding permanent salaries have not yet occurred.   Otherwise, the Director said, he has no other information.

 

            Commissioner Phair asked what the total would be if the Director were to present a number at this meeting.  Director Arntz responded that the total would be approximately $11.5M.

 

            Commissioner Phair proposed that the MOTION be that the number of $11.5M, with maybe $100,000 additional, be approved tonight with the provision that the Director provide more updated information at the next full meeting is adequate for this Committee to forward the budget to the full Commission. 

 

            David Pilpel reminded the Committee that the salary information does not include the mandatory fringe benefits, and that there is more detail that has not been provided to the Committee and Commission.  He predicted that the final number may be as high as $19M when all information is included.

 

            Commissioner Phair asked the Director if the “load factor” (employee fringe benefits compensation) was included.  Director Arntz said it was not included and that the percentage varied.  He said he will provide this information to the Commission next week in time for the meeting on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.  Commissioner Phair asked that the “load Factor” be included.  Director Arntz said he would estimate that number and email all information reuested to Chairperson Yu.

 

            The Roll Call Vote was UNANIMOUS to recommend to the full Commission approval of the budget with the addition of the information requested at this meeting.

 

ADJOURNMENT was at 6:16 pm.