HomeMy WebLinkAboutWORK SESSION SUMMARY-06/25/2024-Work SessionFinancial Services
215 N. Mason Street
PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO 80522
970-416--2439
lpollack@fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 3, 2024
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Travis Storin, Chief Financial Officer
From: Lawrence Pollack, Budget Director
Subject: June 25, 2024 Work Session Summary: Development of the 2025-2026 Budget
BOTTOM LINE
The purpose of this memo is to document the summary of discussions during the June 25, 2024
Work Session on the development of the 2025-2026 Budget. All Councilmembers were present.
Councilmember questions, comments and guidance will be helpful for the executive team as
they start their work in July to finalize decisions for the Recommended Budget.
DISCUSSION SUMMARY
Staff presented a summary of the underlying financials and the associated assumptions being
included in the Recommended Budget. These assumptions were previously reviewed with the
Council Finance Committee during their April meeting. Additional context was provided around
the inflationary impacts the City is experiencing and the impacts on the 2025-26 Budget. Council
expressed a challenge to staff to look for anachronistic programs that could be phased out to
shift investments to higher City and Council priorities.
A summary of the 2050 Tax appropriations for 2024 and budget requests submitted for
consideration in the 2025-2026 Budget were reviewed for the applicable areas of City
operations. The conversation included the proposed SE Community Center and applicable
funding options being considered for the collaborative project with Poudre School District and
the Poudre River Public Library. This project will be discussed in detail during the September
Council Finance Committee meeting.
The topic wrapped up with a summary of public engagement on the budget and the online
resources available for the public to view the budget requests being considered, along with
additional information on the performance data associated with those requests.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 66583A7F-64E5-413E-AA2D-871DBA98957F
NEXT STEPS
Narratives of the budget requests (aka offers) have been posted on fcgov.com/budget and
public engagement will be occurring over the next few months. The City Manager’s 2025-2026
Recommended Budget will be delivered at the end of August and then budget process will shift
into conversations with City Council as they transition the Recommended Budget into the
community’s budget, which is scheduled for adoption prior to November 30th, as required by City
Charter.
FOLLOW-UP ITEMS
1. Staff will provide more detail via separate memo on the specific drivers of the proposed
rate increases in Light & Power, as well as the three wet utilities.
2. More detail on the General Fund reserve balances will be presented to the Finance
Committee at its September 5th meeting, along with all other Funds of the City.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 66583A7F-64E5-413E-AA2D-871DBA98957F
Engineering Department
281 North College Avenue
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580
970.221.6605
970.221.6378 - fax
fcgov.com/engineering
Page 1 of 2
Planning, Development & Transportation
WORK SESSION MEMORANDUM
Date: June 26, 2024
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, PDT Director
From: Brad Buckman, City Engineer
Subject: June 25, 2024, Work Session Summary: Highlight Current Capital Projects in
the City
The purpose of this memo is to document the summary of discussions during the June 25,
2024, Work Session. All Councilmembers were present.
1. In this update to Council we highlighted 17 capital projects, 5 recently completed and 12 in
progress this year (and beyond). These 17 projects crossed multiple services areas,
including projects addressing utilities (water resources), streets resurfacing, new parks, trails
connections and underpasses), intersection improvements, and roadway corridor
improvements. These projects represent a cost of $166M to $186M.
2. In general, Council had very positive remarks concerning the projects, and the execution of
the recently completed ones, for example the Harmony resurfacing project (from Timberline
to I-25) which was completed in June well ahead of schedule. The question was asked if we
recycled the milled asphalt in this project. City staff verified with our Streets personnel that
this project (and all City Streets resurfacing projects) did utilize recycled asphalt via the
Hoffman mill.
3. The question was raised regarding wildlife corridors and if accommodation is given to
enabling wildlife crossings in capital projects. City staff does review potential wildlife
crossings in the design process, with assistance from environmental consultants, and
responded to Council that current and future projects with this component will be addressed
in the design process and presented to Council as needed and/or requested.
4. The question was raised regarding the Vine and Timberline intersection improvement
project, as to whether the project included mitigation of the adjacent railroad tracks. City
staff responded that this project would install traffic signals at the intersection and
interconnect with the BNSF railroad signals, but it will be a surface improvement and delays
due to the railroad crossing would still impact the intersection. City staff is currently scoping
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a design of an overpass at this intersection through the Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE)
grant program. If we’re successful with this grant process through the design and
construction process, an overpass project at this location could potentially be executed in
our 10-year Transportation Capital Improvement Program (TCIP).
5. The question was raised regarding traffic closures and alternate routes as a result of these
projects, specifically regarding the College and Trilby intersection improvements project.
Project information for College and Trilby can be found at the following website:
https://www.fcgov.com/engineering/college-trilby. Information regarding current construction
projects in general can be found at the following website:
https://www.fcgov.com/pdt/construction.
6. Council was very supportive of the Utilities project updates – these projects have major
impact to the City and are often “unsung”. Future tours with Council can be organized,
especially for the $42.9M Oak Street Stormwater project.
7. Council supported the idea that this presentation could be given on an annual basis; City
staff will plan accordingly moving forward.
Items for Follow Up:
The question was asked regarding our trails projects: how do we think about and handle wildlife
impacts and how close the trail is generally constructed to the water? Also, what is the
restoration and planting plan? City Staff from the Parks Dept. will be following up with a memo
by early next week.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 168940A1-AF7F-4508-AD87-BDB5D181E9F4