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