HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 06/06/2000 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 63, 2000, APPROPRIA AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 28
DATE: June 6, 2000
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: John Fischbach/
Rick Richter
SUBJECT:
First Reading of Ordinance No. 63, 2000, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the Capital
Projects Fund and in the Sales and Use Tax Fund for Transfer to the Capital Projects Fund to be
Used for the City's Pavement Management Program.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff and the Council Finance Committee recommend adoption of the Ordinance on First
Reading.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This Ordinance appropriates the remaining balance of$326,000 in a previous 0.25 cent tax for
Street Maintenance Capital Improvements project. The money can oly be used for Street
Maintenance. The tax expired at the end of 1997. This Ordinance also appropriates $1,395,340
in the Use Tax Carryover Reserve in the Sales and Use Tax Fund.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
With the adoption of the 2000-2001 City budget, City Council directed staff to begin to search
for options to fund transportation maintenance needs. Staff has been working n this for the past
six months. At the April 13, 2000 Council Finance Committee meeting, the Transportation
Funding Advisory Team presented a report concerning the options for closing the funding gap to
the Pavement Management Program (street overlays and reconstruction) as well as addressing
the other transportation maintenance needs, including the traffic signal system project, that are
not currently addressed. At the May 23, 2000 meeting, the Finance Committee recommended an
option that will address the funding for transportation maintenance needs with the least financial
impact on the General Fund, and one that, overall, would not require additional sales tax on Fort
Collins' residents. The recommended funding plan will address the current funding gap and
maintain full funding of the Pavement Management Program as well as addressing the traffic
signal system project along with other transportation maintenance needs.
The Ordinance presented with this Agenda Item is the first step of the funding plan. T?
requested appropriation will partially address the underfunding of street maintenance over t?
last couple of years and fully fund the program for 2000 so that the funding gap will not coW
to grow. The maintenance needs of the City's street system are initially identified using
pavement management computer program. A pavement condition rating of 75, on a scale of
100, is defined as "good." In the last two years, the backlog due to underfunding has dropper'
DATE: June 6, 2000 2 ITEM NUMBER: 2
pavement condition rating from a 75 to a 73 rating. The lower the rating, the more costly it
becomes to restore the street system to a good rating.
In order to meet the contracting requirements and to complete the maintenance work during the
2000 construction season funds must be available by July 1, 2000. The source of funds necessary
to fully meet the 2000 street maintenance needs and to partially fund the under funded backlog
balance have been identified as the following:
• $326,000 from the expired 0.25 cent dedicated for street maintenance. The $326,000 is the
remaining balance after expiration of the tax and, as originally approved by the voters, must
be used for street maintenance.
• $1,395,340 from the prior year balance in the Use Tax Carryover Reserve in the Sales and
Use Tax Fund.
It is important to note that this does not solve the funding problems. However, it allows staff
additional time to continue to work on potential solutions. Taking these funds out of reserves
also impacts the capital needs (transportation as well as other facilities) that are unfunded right
now. Staff is still preparing lists of these but believes that this transfer is important to
accomplish so that the City does not incur additional expenses.
ORDINANCE NO. 63, 2000
• OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND
AND IN THE SALES AND USE TAX FUND
FOR TRANSFER TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND
TO BE USED FOR THE CITY'S PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
WHEREAS,historically,street maintenance has been a high priority issue with City Council
and with the community, as evidenced by the passage of an eight-year, 0.25 cent sales and use tax
(excluding grocery food)to finance street maintenance in 1989, and the extension of that 0.25 cent
sales and use tax, approved by voters in April, 1997, to finance Building Community Choices
Capital Improvements for Streets and Transportation projects; and
WHEREAS,even though funds have been allocated for street maintenance,a gap exists and
continues to grow between the current level of funding and the funding needed to maintain pavement
conditions of City streets at an acceptable level; and
WHEREAS, continued underfunding of street maintenance needs results in further
deterioration of the street system which in turn results in more costly repairs to restore pavement
conditions to an acceptable level; and
• WHEREAS,with the adoption of the 2000-2001 City budget, City Council directed staff to
search for options to fund transportation maintenance needs; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation Funding Advisory Team presented a report to the City's
Finance Committee on April 13, 2000, providing options for closing the funding gap for the
Pavement Management Program as well as addressing other transportation maintenance needs;and
WHEREAS, on May 23, 2000, the Finance Committee recommended a funding plan that
provides a framework for addressing transportation maintenance needs in the years to come,
including closing the funding gap in the Pavement Management Program for 2000; and
WHEREAS, the estimated cost of closing the funding gap for the Pavement Management
Program in 2000 requires an additional appropriation of$1,721,340; and
WHEREAS, staff is recommending that an additional$326,000 be appropriated from prior
year reserves in the Capital Projects Fund, representing unspent revenues from the 0.25 cent
dedicated sales and use tax for street maintenance that expired on December 31, 1997, and that
$1,395,340 be appropriated from the use tax carryover reserve in the Sales and Use Tax Fund; and
WHEREAS,Article V, Section 9, of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins(the"Charter")
permits the City Council 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, Article V, Section 9, of the Charter also permits the City Council to make
supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year,provided that the total
amount of such appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year,
does not exceed the then current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received during
the fiscal year; and
WHEREAS,it is the desire of the Council to appropriate$326,000 from prior year reserves
in the Capital Projects Fund and$1,395,240 from prior year reserves in the Sales and Use Tax Fund,
for transfer to the Capital Projects Fund - Building Community Choices Pavement Management
Program to be used for street maintenance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the Capital
Project 1/4 Cent Street Maintenance Fund the amount of THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX
THOUSAND DOLLARS ($326,000) and authorized for transfer to the Capital Projects Fund -
Building Community Choices Pavement Management project, and appropriated therein to be used
for street maintenance.
Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the Sales and Use
Tax Fund the amount of ONE MILLION THREE HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND TWO
HUNDRED FORTY DOLLARS ($1,395,340) and authorized for transfer to the Capital Projects
Fund - Building Community Choices Pavement Management project, and appropriated therein to
be used for street maintenance.
Introduced and considered favorable on first reading and ordered published this 6th day of
June, A.D. 2000, and to be presented for final passage on the 20th day of June, A.D. 2000.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading this 20th day of June, A.D. 2000.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk