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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 09/21/2021 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 100, 2021, APPROPR Agenda Item 1 Item # 1 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY September 21, 2021 City Council STAFF Mike Calhoon, Director of Parks Ted Hewitt, Legal SUBJECT Second Reading of Ordinance No. 100, 2021, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves and Authorizing a Transfer in the General Fund for the March 2021 Snowstorm Tree and Branch Cleanup. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on September 7, 2021, appropriates $306,819 in General Fund reserves to cover the unanticipated costs associated with the tree and branch cleanup from the March 13-14 spring snowstorm to various City funds. This appropriation request will be used for the direct costs associated with the cleanup effort but not covered in the operating budget. This includes personnel overtime, contractor costs, equipment rental and branch drop off site charges that are uniquely and directly related to the snowstorm cleanup. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. First Reading Agenda Item Summary (w/o attachments) (PDF) 2. Ordinance No. 100, 2021 (PDF) Agenda Item 4 Item # 4 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY September 7, 2021 City Council STAFF Mike Calhoon, Director of Parks Ted Hewitt, Legal SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 100, 2021, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves and Authorizing a Transfer in the General Fund for the March 2021 Snowstorm Tree and Branch Cleanup. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to appropriate $306,819 in General Fund reserves to cover the unanticipated costs associated with the tree and branch cleanup from the March 13-14 spring snowstorm to various City funds. This appropriation request will be used for the direct costs associated with the cleanup effort but not covered in the operating budget. This includes personnel overtime, contractor costs, equipment rental and branch drop off site charges that are uniquely and directly related to the snowstorm cleanup. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The snowstorm began on Saturday, March 13, 2021, and lasted through Sunday, March 14, 2021. During that time approximately 25 inches of heavy wet snow fell across the city. This snowstorm produced over 4 inches of moisture. The hardest hit species were Hackberry, Ash and Siberian Elm trees. The hardest hit section of town was bordered on the north by Vine, east by Riverside, south by Prospect and west by Taft Hill Road. There was substantial damage to trees throughout Fort Collins that impacted rights -of-way, residential areas, City trees, City parks, cemeteries, golf courses and downtown Fort Collins. The organization quickly transitioned from snow removal to debris cleanup mode to clear roads of debris and address critical safety hazards. Per the Urban Forest Storm Response Plan, the hardest hit area was determined to have reached the Severe class of damage with a response of curbside branch pickup. The remainder of town was classified as Moderate, which drives the decision to open branch drop off sites for residents. The City offered two locations for residents to drop off branches: Hageman Earth Cycle provided free branch drop off under a contract with the City, and Colorado State University allowed the City to open a second branch drop off at the old Hughes Stadium site free of charge. The drop off sites were open for six weeks to allow residents ample time to clean up their property. Grinding operations were completed in May along with two free mulch giveaway days. Neighborhood Resources quickly created a volunteer base to assist residents who could not perform their own work and/or transportation. Corrective pruning was completed within four months after the storm. CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS The table below displays the costs for the tree branch cleanup. The total appropriation requested from General Fund reserves is a maximum of $306,819. The direct costs include contractual pruning, equipment rental, overtime, fuel and equipment costs. Redeployed costs will be absorbed by the individual Depar tment/Division. ATTACHMENT 1 Agenda Item 4 Item # 4 Page 2 Department/Division Redeployed Cost Direct Cost Total Cost Streets $ 84,476 $ 41,599 $ 126,075 Parks $ 26,744 $ 26,744 Forestry $ 122,183 $ 265,220 $ 387,403 Natural Areas $ 4,700 $ 4,700 Total Storm Costs $ 238,103 $ 306,819 $ 544,922 BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Council Finance Committee unanimously supported this appropriation at its July 7, 2021, meeting. ATTACHMENTS 1. Council Finance Committee Minutes (PDF) ORDINANCE NO. 100, 2021 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES AND AUTHORIZING A TRANSFER IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE MARCH 2021 SNOWSTORM TREE AND BRANCH CLEANUP WHEREAS, Fort Collins experienced a heavy snowstorm on March 13-14, 2021, during which approximately twenty-five inches of snow fell across the city; and WHEREAS, the snowstorm caused substantial damage to trees throughout the city that impacted rights-of-way, residential areas, parks, cemeteries, golf courses and the Downtown area; and WHEREAS, the City conducted curbside branch pickup operations in the most severely impacted areas of the City and opened branch drop-off sites for residents for six weeks; and WHEREAS, the City incurred unanticipated costs for the tree and branch cleanup operations, including for contractual pruning, equipment rental, overtime, fuel and equipment costs; and WHEREAS, the direct costs to the City for tree and branch cleanup operations not otherwise covered by existing operating budgets totaled $306,819; and WHEREAS, this appropriation benefits the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of Fort Collins and serves the public purpose of providing for community-wide snowstorm tree and branch cleanup; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9 of the City Charter permits the City Council, upon the recommendation of the City Manager, to appropriate by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year such funds for expenditure as may be available from reserves accumulated in prior years, notwithstanding that such reserves were not previously appropriated; and WHEREAS, the City Manager has recommended the appropriation described herein and determined that this appropriation is available and previously unappropriated from the General Fund and the Transportation Services Fund and will not cause the total amount appropriated in the General Fund and Transportation Services Fund to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received in that Fund during this fiscal year; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 10 of the City Charter authorizes the City Council, upon recommendation by the City Manager, to transfer by ordinance any unexpended and unencumbered appropriated amount or portion thereof from one fund or capital project to another fund or capital project, provided that the purpose for which the transferred funds are to be expended remains unchanged, the purpose for which the funds were initially appropriated no longer exists, or the proposed transfer is from a fund or capital project in which the amount appropriated exceeds the amount needed to accomplish the purpose specified in the appropriation ordinance; and WHEREAS, the City Manager has recommended the transfer of $41,599 from the General Fund to the Transportation Services Fund and determined that the purpose for which the transferred funds are to be expended remains unchanged. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the General Fund the sum of TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TWENTY DOLLARS ($265,220) for expenditure from the General Fund by the Forestry Division for the March 2021 snowstorm tree and branch cleanup costs. Section 3. That there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the General Fund the sum of FORTY-ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE DOLLARS ($41,599) for transfer to and expenditure within the Transportation Services Fund by the Streets Department for the March 2021 snowstorm tree and branch cleanup costs. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 7th day of September, A.D. 2021, and to be presented for final passage on the 21st day of September, A.D. 2021. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ Interim City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 21st day of September, A.D. 2021. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ Interim City Clerk