Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/01/2003 - EMERGENCY ORDINANCE NO. 061, 2003, APPROPRIATING P AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 32 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: April 1, 2003 STAFF: Fischbach/ Roy/Krcmarik SUBJECT: Emergency Ordinance No. 061, 2003, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the General Fund, Authorizing the Transfer of Appropriated Amounts Between Funds, and Authorizing Appropriations in the Emergency Recovery Fund. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the Emergency Ordinance. FINANCIAL IMPACT: To handle unforeseen events, the City maintains reserves in many of its funds. These reserves include amounts of money to comply with Article X, Section 20 of the State Constitution (also known as the Taxpayers Bill of Rights or TABOR). The City currently estimates that the costs of the storm to be approximately $1.7 million. Members of the City staff expect that additional costs will be incurred in the coming weeks and months. To facilitate financial reporting for the purpose of seeking federal and state assistance to offset the costs of the March 18-19 snowstorm, staff recommends that the costs be accounted for in the Emergency Recovery fund. The appropriation ordinance provides the revenue to cover the various types of expenses that have been and will be incurred. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: On March 18 and 19, 2003, a potent winter storm, one of the most severe in, the history of northern Colorado, deposited approximately 32 inches of snowfall the City of Fort Collins and the surrounding area. The storm stranded travelers, caused accidents, damaged buildings, trees, and other property in the area. Street crews from the City incurred many hours of overtime as they attempted to keep roads safe and passable. On March 18, the City Manager sent most City employees home and later declared a local emergency. Essential personnel, including Police, road crews, members of the Poudre Fire Authority continued to work through the storm. By this proposed Emergency Ordinance, the Council will appropriate $2,500,000 in the Emergency Recovery Fund. This fund will serve as the means to account for the costs of the storm. The City will be using the accounting information to apply for federal and state aid to offset the costs of the storm. Federal and state agencies often take several months to evaluate emergency related costs and these funds will provide City staff sufficient resources to provide services while awaiting federal and state reimbursement. • EMERGENCY ORDINANCE NO. 061, 2003 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE GENERAL FUND AND AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATED AMOUNTS BETWEEN FUNDS WHEREAS, on March 18 and 19, 2003, approximately 32 inches of snow fell on the City; and WHEREAS, the snow storm damaged public and private structures, caused significant tree damage, and immobilized the city's transportation network; and WHEREAS, on March 18, 2003, the City Manager declared a local emergency because of the snow storm, pursuant to Section 2-671 of the City Code; and WHEREAS, the City has incurred costs of approximately$1.7 million in connection with the storm to date, which amount exceeds the funds appropriated and available for such purposes; and WHEREAS, the City wishes to make funds available for the timely and efficient repair and maintenance of public facilities, and also to provide funding for the removal of snow and damaged trees and fallen tree limbs; and • WHEREAS, the City maintains reserve accounts to be drawn upon during times of emergency, including but not limited to reserves maintained to comply with Article X, Section 20 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado; and WHEREAS, adequate funds are available in such reserve accounts to defray the costs of the storm; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins 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 10, of the Charter authorizes the City Council to transfer by ordinance any unexpected and unencumbered amount or portion thereof from one fund to another fund, provided that the purposed for which the transferred funds are to be expended remains unchanged; and WHEREAS, Article 11, Section 6, of the City Charter allows the City Council to pass an emergency ordinance on first reading upon the affirmative vote of at least five members of the City Council. 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 emergency reserves in the General Fund the sum of TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,500,000) for repair and maintenance of public facilities, snow removal costs, damaged tree clean up and other costs related to the March 18-19, 2003 snowstorm. Section 2. That the unexpended appropriated amount of TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,500,000) is hereby authorized for transfer from the General Fund to the Emergency Response Fund for such purposes. Section 3. That there is hereby appropriated in the Emergency Response Fund the sum of TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,500,000) for the purposes stated above. Section 4. That the Council hereby determines that an emergency exists to repair public facilities, and that such repairs are immediately necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the City. Section 5. That the immediate adoption of this Ordinance is necessary to preserve, protect, and advance the general welfare of the residents of the City of Fort Collins. Section 6. That the circumstances described above require the immediate passage of this Ordinance, and this Ordinance is therefore enacted pursuant to Article II, Section 6, of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins as an emergency Ordinance and shall be effective upon its passage on first reading. Introduced, considered favorably by at least 5 members of the Council of the City of Fort Collins and finally passed as an Emergency Ordinance and ordered published this 1st day of April, A.D. 2003. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk