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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 12/06/2011 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 159, 2011, APPROPRDATE: December 6, 2011 STAFF: Mike Beckstead AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 11 SUBJECT Second Reading of Ordinance No. 159, 2011, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the General Fund for Transfer to Various City Funds for Tree and Branch Cleanup Expenses. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Due to the snowstorm on October 25 and 26, 2011, the City has incurred unanticipated costs associated with the tree and branch cleanup. This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on November 15, 2011, appropriates the incremental costs (direct costs) associated with the cleanup effort but not covered in the operating budget. This includes personnel overtime and planned "work for other departments" costs that cannot be recouped, as well as other incremental costs associated with contractors, equipment rental, fuel, etc., that are uniquely and directly related to the snowstorm cleanup. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. Copy of First Reading Agenda Item Summary - November 15, 2011 (w/o attachments) COPY COPY COPY COPY ATTACHMENT 1 DATE: November 15, 2011 STAFF: Mike Beckstead AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 16 SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 159, 2011, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the General Fund for Transfer to Various City Funds for Tree and Branch Cleanup Expenses. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Due to the snowstorm on October 25 and 26, 2011, the City has incurred unanticipated costs associated with the tree and branch cleanup. This appropriation request will be used for the incremental costs (direct costs) associated with the cleanup effort but not covered in the operating budget. This includes personnel overtime and planned "work for other departments" costs that cannot be recouped, as well as other incremental costs associated with contractors, equipment rental, fuel, etc. that are uniquely and directly related to the snowstorm cleanup. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The snowstorm began Tuesday evening, October 25, 2011 and lasted until Wednesday afternoon, October 26, 2011. Over that time period, 6 inches to 9 inches of heavy wet snow fell across the City. Warm pavement conditions made snow removal easier, but heavy snow damaged trees throughout northern Colorado. Additionally, 15 minor power outages were reported and resolved. There was extensive 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 restore power, clear roads of debris and address critical safety hazards. The Utilities Light and Power crews also provided regional assistance to other northern Colorado cities in need. Over 300 work hours were provided to help restore power across the region. The City has offered to pick up residents’ downed limbs within the City limits or residents can drop branches off at the City’s Hoffman Mill Crushing Facility. This multi-week effort began on October 31, 2011 and will continue through the end of the year. Tree pruning activities will extend well into 2012. The table below displays preliminary cost estimates for the tree and branch cleanup. The total appropriation requested from General Fund reserves is a maximum of $1.3 million. Approximately $100,000 of the incremental cost, as indicated in the table below, is associated with Utilities Fund expenses. Those specific amounts are still being determined and will reduce the requested appropriation from General Fund reserves. These amounts will be finalized and incorporated in the second reading. Department/Division Redeployed Cost Incremental Cost Total Cost Streets & Utilities $52 $1,026 $1,078 Traffic $20 20 40 Forestry 342 228 570 Parks 61 19 80 Golf 37 6 43 Cemeteries 17 2 20 $529 $1,301 $1,830 $ in thousands COPY COPY COPY COPY November 15, 2011 -2- ITEM 16 The amount of the appropriation will not all be expensed in 2011. Any appropriation not carried forward into 2012 via a valid contractual purchase order with a vendor and for which there is a valid expense associated with the cleanup effort, will likely be requested in the 2012 Reappropriation Ordinance. Because these are estimates, staff will provide a final expenditure report at the close of the tree branch pickup operation (we are targeting the end of the first quarter in 2012). FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS Approval of this appropriation will reduce prior year General Fund reserves by a maximum of $1.3 million depending on the final amounts for Utility expenses. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS All materials collected at the City’s Hoffman Mill Crushing Facility will be mulched or composted and will be used in a “Free Mulch Giveaway” this spring. Materials collected by the City will be recycled. No branches will go to Larimer County Landfill. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. Streets Department Storm Cleanup costs 2. Parks Department Storm Cleanup costs ORDINANCE NO. 159, 2011 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR TRANSFER TO VARIOUS CITY FUNDS FOR TREE AND BRANCH CLEANUP EXPENSES WHEREAS, heavy wet snow fell across Fort Collins on October 25 and 26, 2011 damaging trees and breaking branches throughout the city; and WHEREAS, the extensive tree damage throughout the city impacted rights of way, residential areas, City trees, City Parks, cemeteries, and downtown Fort Collins, and caused a reported 15 power outages; and WHEREAS, City staff and crews of various departments quickly changed priorities to clear roads of debris, restore power, and address critical safety hazards; and WHEREAS, City management also determined that in order to protect public health, safety and welfare, the City would pick up downed branches gathered from city residential properties; and WHEREAS, all tree and branch debris collected by the City will be mulched or composted and will be available in a “Free Mulch Giveaway” in the spring; and WHEREAS, the City’s tree and branch cleanup efforts are expected to result in unanticipated costs in the amount of $1,301,000, which cannot be covered within the existing 2011 budget; and WHEREAS, this ordinance appropriates $1,301,000 from General Fund prior year reserves for transfer to the following funds for tree and branch cleanup costs: Cemeteries Fund $ 2,000 General Fund 247,000 Golf Fund 6,000 Transportation Services Fund 1,046,000 Total $1,301,000 WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9 of the City 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 City Charter permits the City Council to make supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total amount of such supplemental appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received during the fiscal year; and WHEREAS, City staff has determined that the appropriation of the prior year reserves as described herein will not cause the total amount appropriated in the City Funds to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received in that fund during any fiscal year; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 10, of the City Charter authorizes the City Council to transfer by ordinance any unexpended and unencumbered appropriated amount or portion thereof from one fund to another fund, provided 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 there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from prior year reserves in the General Fund the sum of TWO HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($247,000) for tree and branch cleanup costs in the Parks and Forestry departments. Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from prior year reserves in the General Fund the sum of ONE MILLION FIFTY-FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,054,000) for transfer to the following funds: Cemeteries Fund $ 2,000 Golf Fund 6,000 Transportation Services Fund 1,046,000 Total $1,054,000 and appropriated therein for tree and branch cleanup costs in each fund. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 15th day of November, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 6th day of December, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk -2- Passed and adopted on final reading on the 6th day of December, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk -3-