G-926 - 05/11/2010 - BOARD OF TRUSTEES - Ordinances Supporting DocumentsITEM IO.F.
Of ..
AGENDA ITEM
Regular Board of Trustees Meeting
of
May 11, M10
SUBJECT: Village Board Meeting Policies and Approval Processes
FROM: David Niemeyer, Village Manager A"*\
BUDGET SOURCE/BUDGET IMPACT: N/A
RECOMMENDED MOTION: Motion to direct staff to draft the necessary revisions to the
Village meeting policies and the Village Code to eliminate the Committee of the Whole
meetings and the second regular meeting from the months of June, August and December
from the yearly calendar and increase the Village Manager's purchasing authority by
$5,000, while still ensuring the Board approves the vast majority of items. Additionally,
staff recommends that the Village Board authorize the Village Manager to settle claims up
to the Village's newly established risk management deductible.
Background/History:
At a previous meeting, the Board directed staff to come up with ways to make Board meetings
more efficient and if possible, reduce the number of meetings. We have come up with a number
of suggestions, some of which we have already started to implement.
Meeting Changes
Attached is a Village Board meeting policy approved by the Board several years ago. In bold
face are changes we have made or would suggest making in the future to make meetings run
more efficiently.
Under consent agenda, we have already started the practice of moving all of the items that don't
require some discussion by the board and are expected to be approved unanimously to the
consent agenda.
Under number of meetings, there was some discussion about reducing the number of meetings to
once a month. In discussions with President Craig and staff, at this point we don't believe this is
feasible due to the amount of business activity the Village Board needs to consider every month.
However, we do believe we can reduce the meetings in June and August to one per month (in
addition to the current practice of canceling the December Village Board meeting). In June,
much planning is going on for the Taste of Oak Brook and in August many people are on
vacation. I would recommend holding a special Committee of the Whole meeting in July and to
have that meeting specifically devoted to strategic planning for the annual budget process. We
are suggesting that Committee of the Whole meetings that are noticed for the Monday before the
2nd board meeting no longer be listed under the Village's annual notice of meetings.
Purchasing Authority Changes
Earlier this year Purchasing did a study to look at the Village's purchasing history in 2009 as
well as update our comparable purchasing authority survey. The total number of Purchase
Orders (POs) created was 820, with a total value of $4,536,144. 47% of the POs (383)
compromised only 3.5% of the dollar value ($166,285.01). Noting the State of Illinois' recently
increased formal bidding process limits to $30,000 and the updated purchasing authority survey
results (See Attachment), it is staff's recommendation that the Village Board direct the Village
Manager, through the Assistant Village Manager (who is currently the Acting Purchasing
Director) to revise the procedures for preparing requisitions, purchase orders, authorization
limits, and require signatures based on a desire to focus on the Village's purchasing efforts on
the 53% of purchases, which compromise 97.5% of the total dollar value.
By increasing the Village Manager's purchasing by $5,000 to $15,000, the Board would allow
the purchasing process to be streamlined, reduce the need for requests to go to bid on items that
already require bids or proposals, and to reduce the number of times the same item goes to the
Village Board (which is as many as four times for a budgeted item), while still ensuring the
Board approves the vast majority of items, instead of dealing with the normal yearly consumable
items such as gas, fertilizer, replacement servers, etc.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2 -53 of the Village Code, staff is recommending that the
Manager's purchasing authority be increased to half of what the State is allowing municipalities
purchasing limits be set at, that the Village's revised procedures focus on higher value items, and
that the efforts of all departments is to purchase quality supplies at lowest practical prices. These
changes, along with increased use of the Munis software to track and process purchases from
budget to payment, should further simplify the purchasing function, while cutting expenses.
Settlement Authority Changes
Starting in 2010, the Village increased its risk management insurance (IRMA) deductible limit
from $2,500 to $25,000, but did not increase the Village Manager's authority to settle claims
under the increased deductible amount. Again, increasing the Village Manager's authority,
which is currently $10,000 to $25,000 would be consistent with other municipalities (see
attachment), would reduce legal fees, and would streamline the risk management process so the
Village Board can focus on the higher costing settlement requests and allow the Assistant Village
Manager and Manager to settle claims that are under the Village's deductible.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends drafting the necessary revisions to the Village meeting policies and the
Village Code to eliminate the Committee of the Whole meetings and the second regular meeting
from the months of June, August and December from the yearly calendar and increase the
Village Manager's purchasing authority by $5,000, while still ensuring the Board approves the
vast majority of items. Additionally, staff recommends that the Village Board authorize the
Village Manager to settle claims up to the Village's newly established risk management
deductible.
VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK
DATE: May 6, 2010
TO: President and Board of Trustees
FROM: David Niemeyer, Village Manager
RE: Village Board Meeting Policies
Agenda Setting
Any item to be placed on the agenda should be submitted to the Village Manager no later than 12:00
noon on the Thursday preceding the meeting. This will be accompanied by a write up by the requestor
of the subject matter to be discussed in order to allow the entirety of the Board to come into the
meeting prepared.
Meeting Conduct
New items should not be brought forward at the meeting but rather should be included in the agenda.
The exception to this would be to address a resident/visitor comment. Board members may also
suggest new items to be included in the agenda for the next Board meeting but no action may occur or
be taken.
Meeting Agenda
The meeting agenda should follow a pre - determined path. The Board, on occasion, may decide by
consensus to change the flow of the agenda, but as a rule this flow should always be followed.
Robert's Rules will apply and comments extraneous to the agenda will only be allowed with the .
consent of the presiding officer.
1. Call to Order by President
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. President's Opening Comments
5. Resident/Visitor Comment (limited to 5 minutes per resident/visitor)
6. Approval of Minutes
7. Consent Agenda (items that don't require discussion by the board and are expected to be
approved unanimously). If discussion is required, it will be placed under active business.
8. Items Removed From The Consent Agenda
9. Board and Commission Recommendations
10. Unfinished Business
11. Active Business
12. Information and Updates by:
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• Village Manager
• Village Clerk
• Trustees
• Village President
13. Adjournment
Number of Meetings
The Village Board schedules meetings the second and fourth Tuesday of each month for regular board
of trustees meetings. However, in June, August, and December, the Village Board will normally
cancel the second meeting of the month unless it is determined that the business of the Village
requires a second meeting of the month. (Committee of the whole meetings previously scheduled
on the Monday preceding the fourth Tuesday of each month will no longer be held or listed
under the Village's annual notice of meetings.)
Closed Session Meetings
Closed session meeting agendas will be in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. The Village
Manager will place estimated discussion times next to each agenda item.
Special Meetings
Special meetings will be called only when it meets either of the following standards:
• A real and true time urgency has been established for public safety or the business of the Village.
• The time requirements of the discussion that may be necessary will likely force the regular
scheduled meeting of the Board to exceed 2 or more hours in length.
In the case of a special meeting being called, ALL Board members should be polled for their
availability prior to scheduling. There should be exhaustive attempts made to ensure that all Board
members are available to participate as the need for a special meeting should be to the extreme that the
full participation of the Board is required. As a reminder a special meeting may be called either by the
Village President or by 3 Trustees physically talking or writing to the Village Manager.
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