HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/25/2014 - KEEP FORT COLLINS GREAT TAX 2013 ANNUAL REPORTDATE:
STAFF:
March 25, 2014
Lawrence Pollack, Budget & Performance Measurement
Manager
Mike Beckstead, Chief Financial Officer
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Keep Fort Collins Great Tax 2013 Annual Report.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On November 2, 2010 the voters approved a 0.85% increase in the City’s sales and use tax rate which has been
identified as the Keep Fort Collins Great tax. The tax increase includes provisions stating (1) how the dollars will
be allocated to specific programs, (2) the tax will sunset after 10 years, and (3) a requirement that the City
Manager report annually to City Council on how the KFCG revenues and any KFCG fund balance were used, as
well as the overall efficiencies, process improvements, and cost saving measures that were undertaken by the
City in the previous year. These efficiencies pertain to all funded services and programs as well as KFCG. This
work session is to fulfill the third requirement by giving the 2013 annual report to City Council in three parts:
A comprehensive list of all 2013 KFCG Offers, including the expenses associated with each program or
service, as well as information on how that money was spent;
A collection of 2013 efficiencies, process improvements, and cost saving measures implemented by the City;
A presentation to Council with a 2013 KFCG financial summary including fund balances and a summary of
each KFCG allocation highlighting the programs and services provided to the citizens of Fort Collins as
supported by KFCG revenues.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
The purpose of this work session is to present the Keep Fort Collins Great 2013 Annual Report as required by the
voter approved ballot initiative. Additionally, City Council direction on the timing of the use of KFCG fund balance
is sought. This is important input into the upcoming 2014 Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) process for the 2015-16
budget.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
On July 27 2010, City Council approved Resolution 2010-047 submitting a proposed 0.85% increase in the City’s
sales and use tax rate to the voters. This was considered on the November 2, 2010 General Election Ballot and
was subsequently approved by the voters. The tax increase includes the following provisions:
An increase of .85% (or 8.5 cents on a $10 purchase)
The additional revenue will be allocated in the following manner:
o 33% for street maintenance and repair
o 17% for other street and transportation needs
o 17% for police services
o 11% for fire services
o 11% for parks maintenance and recreation services; and
o 11% for other community priorities as determined by City Council.
The increase will commence January 1, 2011 and sunset after 10 years, ending at midnight on December
31, 2020.
March 25, 2014 Page 2
Additionally, the ballot language requires the City Manager to report annually to City Council on how the KFCG
revenues and any prior year reserves are used and the efficiencies, process improvements, and cost saving
measures that were undertaken by the City each year.
Accordingly, the Keep Fort Collins Great fund was created to record all revenue and expenditures of this
increased tax rate, thus facilitating the annual reporting requirements. This work session is intended to fulfill the
requirement for an annual report to City Council as indicated above in the Executive Summary.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2013 City-Initiated Cost Savings and Efficiencies Memo (PDF)
2. 2013 KFCG Annual Reporting Memo (PDF)
3. Powerpoint presentation (PPTX)
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: March 13, 2014
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Mike Beckstead, Chief Financial Officer
CC: Executive Lead Team
RE: 2013 City-initiated efficiencies, cost savings and process improvements
In addition to the required annual Keep Fort Collins Great (KFCG) report on how revenues from the
2010 2B ballot initiative tax were used the prior year, there is also a requirement to report on the
overall City efficiencies, cost savings and process improvements that were undertaken during the
same time period. Attachment 1 lists the most significant ones implemented in 2013. Each item is
grouped into one of four categories, although many of them are aligned with more than one
category.
These efforts are a part of the culture of the City organization to continuously improve our
operations, as well as align with our performance excellence program.
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
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Attachment 2
They are grouped by:
1) Cost savings, partnerships and leveraging resources
2) Process and operational improvements
3) Technology and upgrades
4) Customer service
1. COST SAVINGS, PARTNERSHIPS AND LEVERAGING RESOURCES
a) Water Field Operations: Soils Recovery and Landfill Reduction
Description:
In June 2013, Water Field Operations (WFO) went into a full-scale soils recovery and landfill
reduction operation. Prior to 2013, WFO would send an average of 18,288 cubic yards of soil from
excavations to the landfill as waste, which averaged more than $96,000 annually in landfill fees.
The landfill only receives 28 cents per cubic yard and the City’s Waste Innovation Fund (WIF)
receives $4.99 per cubic yard. WFO team members applied for a grant through the WIF to
purchase some equipment and materials to begin the soils recovery operation and were granted
$173,694.38 in funding. The process brings excavated soils from utility projects to designated sites
around the City to clean rocks, garbage and other debris from the soil. From there the soil is
reused on other utility projects or sent to the landfill for daily cover at no charge. The leftover
debris, which is significantly reduced from the original quantity, is sent to the landfill as waste.
Benefits:
• 2013 savings of approximately $63,240
• 12,000 cubic yards of landfill reduction
• 10,835 cubic yards of soil reused on various WFO projects
• 195 cubic yards of recycled asphalt and concrete
Average 2010-2012: 18,300 CY
2014 Goal: 2,000 CY
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b) Poudre Fire Authority: Workers’ Compensation Efficiency
Description:
In December 2012, the Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) Board of Directors approved a change in
insurance carriers from Pinnacol Assurance to The Colorado Special District Property and Liability
Pool, which resulted in less of an increase to PFA’s Worker Compensation insurance costs for
2013. The increase was projected at $170,000 if coverage had been renewed with Pinnacol.
Switching to the Pool resulted in an increase of approximately $90,000. While this is a significant
increase for Workers’ Compensation insurance, staff anticipates it will control these costs in future
years through effectively implementing new safety initiatives, such as the Fire Safety Officers
program.
Benefits:
• $80,000 reduced cost increase in 2013
• Opportunities to continue controlling future costs with new safety initiatives
c) City Manager’s Office: Office Supply Repurposing Project
Description:
Office supplies and equipment are repurposed within the City and PSD before they are recycled or
trashed.
Benefits:
• Estimate of decreased waste up to 75 percent
d) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Code Compliance Cost Savings &
Efficiencies
Description:
With the conversion to Accela, Code Compliance is able to send multiple violations in one letter,
saving on postage and paper.
Benefits:
• Cost savings on paper and postage
• Increased efficiency by including all needed information in one notice
e) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Construction Waste Diversion
Description:
With the introduction of a Construction Waste Management Plan policy in January 2012,
contractors and developers building new buildings have had to recycle construction debris of
concrete and masonry, wood, metal and cardboard. Although they have made progress in the area
of construction debris, the 2012 International Codes raised the bar on recycling construction debris
to now include additions and remodels. With the help of Environmental Services, staff is looking for
ways to better monitor recycling progress in the field and be able to provide the contractor with
guidance and assistance in helping make this program more successful.
Benefits:
• Diverting construction waste from the landfill
• Providing education and assistance to the contractors, helping achieve greater diversion rates
• Providing education to residents on the need to stop using construction recycling dumpsters for
household trash
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f) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Contractor Recertification
Description:
In late 2012, The Municipal Code, Chapter 15, Article V, Contractors was amended to delete the
section that required contractors to attend a City-sponsored class or test whenever new
amendments were adopted, in order to maintain their City-issued contractor’s license. Significant
staff resources were needed to track contractors’ continuing education, either by recording their
attendance in class or recording their ongoing testing results. The 2012 International Codes were
adopted in early 2014, and although the City will still offer the half-day training on the new
amendments, contractors will need to be up-to-date in the new requirements, maintaining their own
level of expertise or lose valuable construction time on the project for failed inspections.
Benefits:
• Decreased staff time needed to track attendance in class or record testing results
• Increased efficiency for contractors as they are able to review the filmed code class at home as
time allows without delay in their projects due to not being recertified
g) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Community Mediation & Restorative
Justice Merge
Description:
The Community Mediation Program and Restorative Justice Services merged into a combined
program within Neighborhood Services. This represents a philosophical and practical perspective
that mediation and restorative justice are both part of a larger continuum of conflict resolution
processes. By merging these two programs, the most appropriate conflict resolution process can
be designed and offered to community members. The combined skills and training of staff
members and volunteers support offering a wider range of services, thus increasing efficiency.
Benefits:
• Increased efficiencies by combining skills and training of staff and volunteers
• Increased efficiencies by being able to offer a larger range of conflict resolution services
• Cost and time savings by cross training and using volunteers in both programs
h) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Create Unified Planning Services
Description:
Staff completed the merger of current and long-range planning functions previously housed in two
separate departments. Overall staff levels for the planning function were reduced and work space
was reconfigured to co-locate all planners into one location. The space also includes a large
conference area with numerous technology upgrades that enables ad-hoc, collaborative planning
efforts. This organizational change provides greater consistency and integration between broad
community plans and implementation of such plans through private development and capital
investment. By merging these two programs, the quality of planning services provided to internal
and external customers has been greatly enhanced at a reduced cost.
Benefits:
• Decreased overall staffing by 1.5 FTE (compared to 2007) coupled with greater workload
• Decreased costs and increased time savings by completing a greater range of work internally
without securing assistance from consultants
• Increased efficiencies by combining technical skills and training of staff
• Increased cost and time savings for our external customers seeking planning services
• Increased teamwork and cross-pollination of ideas within the community planning program
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• Increased ability to balance workload
i) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Fall Cleanup Partnership
Description:
The City of Fort Collins Neighborhood Services and Colorado State University (CSU) partner every
year for Fall Cleanup. This program uses volunteers to assist neighbors in need with yard cleanup.
Benefits:
• Efficiency improvements in 2013 by partnering with United Way 211, Faith Evangelical Free
Church and local gardens
• All bags of leaves were composted or recycled
j) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Internship with Associated Students
of Colorado State University (ASCSU) Student
Description:
In October, Neighborhood Services staff reached out to ASCSU and, for a fourth year, found a
CSU student interested in government operations that would assist with the Adopt-a-Neighbor
program. Due to the student’s skills and great success of that match, staff asked the student to
stay on and work with staff to administer the neighborhood grants program in the spring.
Neighborhood Services and ASCSU staff willmeet in May, after the conclusion of this pilot
internship program, to formalize the partnership and solidify the internship opportunity for other
students in the 2014-2015 school year.
Benefits:
• Saved approximately 20 hours of staff time that would have been spent on phone calls and
printing/preparing letters
• Provided growth and development opportunity for student in communication skills and use of
ArcGIS software
• Student streamlined outdated processes related to mapping and identifying contacts for
requests
k) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Party Registration Cost Savings &
Partnership
Description:
In 2008, The City’s Neighborhood Services Office and CSU’s Off-Campus Life developed an
innovative Party Registration program to support residents and address the noise complaints in the
community.
Benefits:
• The City saves money associated with officer overtime, allowing excess funds to be redirected
to other high priority police services. To be safe, each noise complaint requires a two-officer
response when breaking up a party (30 minutes per officer, 60 minutes of total potential police
response time). As a result of Party Registration, fewer officer contacts were needed for
registered parties.
• In 2013, dispatch and police gave warnings to 74 hosts who then quieted their parties within
the 20-minute limit. The warning system allowed Fort Collins Police to save 4,440 minutes (74
hours) of response time. The program has saved 17,400 minutes (290 hours) of police
response time between April 2009 and December 2013.
• City continues to build goodwill with residents by providing a way to minimize police interaction.
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l) Engineering: Collaboration with other departments and agencies
Description:
Contributed in-kind and financial resources toward Utilities’ acquisition of comprehensive LIDAR
and high-resolution aerial photography of City land.
Benefits:
• This data allows conceptual design to proceed on an accelerated path with significantly more
data at hand earlier in time.
• Substantial cost and manpower savings, allow for greater use of department resources
• Allows more flexibility in design efforts
m) Engineering: Interdepartmental Collaboration – Construction Staking
Description:
Offer construction staking services to Streets, Stormwater, Parks and other departments within the
City.
Benefits:
• Increase responsiveness to construction needs on bridge, road, and utility projects
• Creates efficiency by streamlining the process, and promotes stronger project collaboration
• Considerable cost savings for construction
• Ability to provide more thorough layout staking than would otherwise be available
n) Engineering: Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships (RAMP) Funding
Applications
Description:
Engineering department collaborated with CDOT and Larimer County to submit funding
applications for multiple projects.
Benefits:
• Secured additional funding for the North College Improvements (Conifer to Willox and Willox to
State Highway 1)
• Offset previously identified local funding that can now be diverted to other capital projects
• Furthered the collaborative relationship with CDOT and Larimer County
o) Engineering: Pedestrian Needs
Description:
Completion of the pedestrian needs assessment and collaboration with the Street Maintenance
Program (SMP).
Benefits:
• Provides a citywide sidewalk inventory, identifies sidewalk inadequacies, and identifies
inadequate accessibility according to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
• Ability to implement a methodology and analysis program used to prioritize pedestrian projects
for safe, sustainable walking within City limits
• Coordination with SMP to complete improvements concurrently for cost savings to both
departments and reduce the impacts to neighborhoods by eliminating multiple projects
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p) FC Moves: Leveraging Federal and Nonprofit Grant Awards
Description:
In 2013, FC Moves took advantage of several opportunities leveraging staff and resources
supported by KFCG funds to secure $1.04 million in federal and nonprofit grants. FC Moves
applied $146,372 of KFCG funds allocated to the FC Bikes program as the local match to a
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant, which will fund a full three years of bicycle
planning and programming activities beginning in 2014. FC Bikes staff funded by KFCG also
applied for and received a Walk and Wheel grant from Kaiser Permanente to support data
collection, performance measures, and other activities associated with the 2014 update to the
Bicycle Master Plan. The KFCG-funded Safe Routes to School program applied for and received a
federal Safe Routes to School infrastructure grant to construct a multi-use path for safe access to
Tavelli Elementary School.
Benefits:
• A full three years of grant funding support for bicycle planning and programming through
CMAQ totaling $704,128
• Targeted grant funding for data collection and performance measures associated with the
Bicycle Master Plan update from Kaiser Permanente in the amount of $94,100
• Grant funding for a Safe Routes to School infrastructure project to construct a multi-use path
for $244,903
q) Parking Services: E-Ticket Book
Description:
Parking Services partnered with Police Services to expedite citation data entry. Software and
equipment were purchased for laptop computers in Police vehicles so that Police officers can write
computer-generated parking citations rather than writing hand-written tickets.
Benefits:
• Automates the transfer of information that previously was manually entered into the Parking
management database system saving significant staff time and increasing accuracy
• Helps ensure all necessary data fields are entered through drop-down arrows, making data
entry easier
• The printed citations eliminate handwriting errors, and are clearer for customers and staff to
read.
r) Utilities: Advanced Meter Fort Collins – Reduction of Meter Reading Staff
Description:
More than 97 percent of the meters on the system have been replaced by AMI meters. The meter
reading staff was reduced from 12 to three individuals by the end of 2013. The number will
decrease further when the water meters in LaPorte and surrounding rural area meters are
replaced. Replacement is expected to be complete by the end of the second quarter.
Benefits:
• The staff reduction has resulted in more than $292,000 in savings in 2012-2013. The savings in
2014 will be greater due to the fact that we had most of our meter reading staff on board during
the early part of 2013. Meter readers continue to find jobs both inside and outside the City.
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s) Streets Department: City and Larimer County Collaboration on Street Maintenance Projects
Description:
The City’s Street Maintenance Program (SMP) collaborated with the Larimer County Road and
Bridge Department on mutual street maintenance projects to maximize resources. Within the City
limits there are many instances where ownership and maintenance of the roadways change with
agencies (e.g., Laporte Avenue between Taft Hill Road and Overland Trail). To maximize
efficiencies and cost savings, and to limit impact to the public, each agency explores the ability to
blend projects.
Benefits:
• Collaboration increased cost efficiencies and economies of scale (i.e., the larger the scope of
work, the lower cost experienced).
• Fort Collins residents and those directly affected by the construction can have one point of
contact and experience one full project, instead of multiple processes in the same area by
different agencies creating confusion and frustration
• Collaboration maximizes the use of construction manpower, equipment and resources.
• The administration of a project by one party equals cost savings.
t) Streets Department: Street Maintenance Program and Utility Department Collaboration on
Construction Projects
Description:
The SMP and Utilities made a substantial effort to collaborate on construction projects (e.g.,
Mulberry Street between Shields and Whitcomb streets), maximizing City resources and allowing
for large cost savings.
Benefits:
• Saved money by collaborating on all phases of construction; crews on site were able to use
materials, equipment and labor on various items.
• Shared traffic control costs
• Less construction impact to residents
• Reduced traffic control, patching and excavation costs
u) Streets Department: Street Maintenance Program and Engineering Department
Collaboration on MAX Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project
Description:
The SMP and the Engineering Department maximized resources and minimized project impacts to
the public by working together to achieve their goals on multiple projects throughout the 2013
season. These projects (e.g., Mason Street between Laurel and Maple streets, and McClelland
Drive between Drake and Horsetooth roads) were very large undertakings with significant impacts
to businesses and the residents throughout the year. When it came to the final phase of paving the
roadway, the Engineering Department and the Streets Department shared resources and costs to
complete the projects in an efficient and timely fashion.
Benefits:
• By collaborating in the final paving phase of construction, residents had one point of contact
and received notices that they recognized from previous phases of the MAX BRT efforts. This
ensured that accurate information was going to the right businesses and residents at the right
time, which increased efficiencies for the project and kept them up to date with closures.
• Crews were able to share materials, equipment and resources on site.
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• Since both departments used the same traffic control company, the cost was shared in multiple
aspects of the project, and there was no confusion to the public in switching companies mid-
project.
• By working together, reduced traffic control, patching and utility adjustment costs.
v) Transfort / Dial-A-Ride: Outsource Dial-A-Ride Paratransit Services
Description:
Continued to outsource Dial-A-Ride paratransit service, scheduling and ride reservations to a third-
party contractor.
Benefits:
• Saved $403,000 in 2013 that would have funded in-house para-transit service
• Efficient use of existing resources
• Greater emphasis on customer service
• Adequate contingencies for increased demand
w) Transfort / Dial-A-Ride: Federal/State Grants for Replacement Vehicles
Description:
Received $7.2 million in grant funding from federal and state sources for the purchase of 13
replacement vehicles for Transfort fixed-route service. All vehicles use Compressed Natural Gas.
Benefits:
• Grant funding provides 80 percent of capital purchase of 13 heavy duty buses
• $146,000 per year in vehicle maintenance savings
• A stable and cost-predictable use of fuel
• Air Quality - Reduction in NOx, PM, HC, CO, and CO2 emissions
x) Purchasing: Implemented DocuSign Electronic Document Routing
Description:
Sustainable Purchasing routinely initiates more than 200 contracts/agreements and renewals
annually. Each contract is typically at least 25 pages and multiple original contracts/agreements
are routed for execution. Historically, hard copy contracts/agreements were routed manually or via
USPS mail for signatures, requiring weeks to complete the process. This initiative has transformed
the contract/agreement hard copy execution into an electronic routing and signature process. This
enhanced process has significantly reduced signature cycle time, reduced paper use, reduced
mailing expenses, and improved productivity of the Purchasing department.
Benefits:
• Reduced average signature cycle time for contracts/agreements by at least 50 percent
• Enhanced environmental sustainability by reducing paper and vehicle use
• Improved efficiency by eliminated the need to hand-carry hard copy contracts for signature
• Reduced USPS mail expenses
• DocuSign provides performance metrics to track cycle-time.
y) Human Resources/Benefits Team: Open Enrollment
Description:
Each October and November, the Benefits Team coordinates Open Enrollment and the changes
for the new plan year. In 2013, we had significant cost savings in printing and preparation hours,
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and increased customer service due to online and easily accessible materials, legal documents
and forms. Using the website for online employee open enrollment, communication and documents
allows a more sustainable open enrollment process.
Benefits:
• Printing and associated paper cost savings = $4,435.72 during the 2013 Open Enrollment
• Reduced paper waste by eliminating printing process
• Reduced work hours for three benefit specialists (collating, distributing and filing)
• Improved customer service through availability of online services
• Improved customer service through 24/7 website access
2. PROCESS AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS
a) Golf: Collindale Golf Cart Replacements
Description:
The Golf Division replaced 56 gas golf carts with electric carts in 2013.
Benefits
• Electric carts reduced fuel use by 3,300 gallons.
• Customers prefer using electric carts.
• Staff time was reduced on the O&M of cart repair.
• Electric carts are quieter than gas carts, thus creating less environmental noise.
• These new carts are estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 21 metric tons of
carbon dioxide emissions annually.
b) Parks: Hiring the Inaugural Park Ranger
Description:
The Park Ranger program began in the spring of 2013; the first Ranger was commissioned in July.
Benefits:
• Building relationships with the public for education and ambassadorship
• Reducing graffiti and vandalism in parks
• Collaboration with Natural Area Rangers, School Resource Officers and District 1 Police
• Conducting directed patrols and interacting daily with pet owners
• Reducing dog-related issues
c) Parks: Drought Plan Update
Description:
In the spring of 2013, Utilities implemented the Water Supply Shortage Plan, impacting all irrigation
in parks, golf courses and cemeteries. We implemented a new and updated drought plan for the
various divisions to meet targeted conservation measures.
Benefits:
• Trained all employees on new water conservation opportunities
• The Parks plan followed closely the Integrated Pest Management model that is familiar to
employees.
• Identified target water savings
• A greater opportunity for sharing ideas and information with the Water Utilities
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d) Municipal Court: Civil Infraction Caseload
Description:
With the decriminalization of most animal violations in May 2013, Municipal Court took over the
administration of all civil infraction cases, including those previously handled by Neighborhood
Services.
Benefits:
• Enhanced customer service and minimized staff time by consolidating court administration
functions with the Municipal Court
• Processes and court software systems already available for use to process cases
• Uses filing and archiving processes already approved by the State Archivist
e) Municipal Court: CitePay On-line Payment Interface
Description:
In February 2013, the Court began to use an online citation payment system, CitePay.
Benefits:
• Enhanced customer service by allowing early assessment citation payments 24/7
• Gives customers an option to pay monthly installment plans online
• The new process interfaces with the Court’s software system, which automatically completes
the case disposition and closes the case, saving staffing time.
f) City Clerk: Centralization of Large and Cross-Departmental Open Records Requests
Description:
The City Clerk centralized and documented the process for voluminous and cross-departmental
open records requests.
Benefits:
• Coordinating this effort means that the customer is working with one contact and ensures that
the request is completed in a manner consistent with Statute.
g) Parks - Forestry: Solar Power Variable Message Board
Description:
The Forestry Division received a partial grant from the Innovation Fund to purchase a unique
power system that uses small, eco-friendly batteries with a solar charging system. The grant
provided $7,500 and forestry contributed $7,000 toward the purchase.
Benefits:
• Message system is trailer mounted, allowing Forestry to reduce the number of fuel-burning
vehicles in our fleet by one pickup.
• Reduced fuel usage and vehicle operating costs
• Reduce GHG emissions through fuel reduction
• Due to size and functionality, this unit improved public and employee safety by high-output
amber LED lights, providing superior visibility.
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h) Poudre Fire Authority: Division Chief Span of Control Efficiency
Description:
The Operations Division split into two divisions (Operations and Support) in order to reduce the
span of control for one chief officer who supervised all operations programs prior to 2013.
Beginning in 2013, the Operations Division Chief supervises the six shift battalion chiefs and their
emergency response, including day-to-day supervision, staffing and crew development throughout
the Authority. In addition, the Operations Division Chief supervises the specialties of hazardous
materials response, wildland response and technical rescue. Beginning in 2013, the Support
Division Chief supervises the programs of training, systems information technology, equipment
maintenance, facilities maintenance, SCBA maintenance, warehouse, recruitment/hiring/captain
and battalion chief development and occupational health.
Benefits:
• Reduced span of control for Operations Division, providing time to build relationships with
crews and Battalion Chiefs
• Provides time for innovation and promotion of PFA’s values, mission and vision
i) Recreation: Pass Types Restructuring
Description:
The Pass Structure within RecTrac (Recreation’s software application) had become overgrown and
outdated creating two significant issues for efficient operation: 1) Volume and sequence of pass
types created difficulties for front desk staff to find and select the correct pass for patrons and 2)
Inadequate structure for assigning pass code names, creating difficulties in data reporting and
locating pertinent information.
Benefits:
• Greatly improves data reporting and integrity
• Pass naming scheme is intuitive, improving customer service by allowing easier identification of
pass types.
• Provides a standard basis for management analysis
• Allowed automated discounts for certain activities for pass holders
j) Recreation: City Wellness Recreation Pass
Description:
For several years employees have had the opportunity to purchase a reduced-cost punch pass for
Recreation facilities through the Wellness Program. This was a cumbersome process where the
employee had to first visit the Human Resources office, pay for their pass, and receive a form that
the employee then took to one of the Recreation facilities to receive a pass. After discussions
between Recreation staff and the Wellness Team, process changes were implemented to enable
employees to purchase a reduced-cost pass at any facility by showing their employee ID badge.
Benefits:
• An employee visits a Recreation facility convenient to their location without having to make a
separate trip to 215 N. Mason St.
• HR no longer needs to handle and track cash.
• Reporting for employee participation is provided to the Wellness Team on a periodic basis
through the RecTrac software.
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k) Cultural Services: New accounting procedure for Art in Public Places
Description:
A new accounting procedure was established for the Art in Public Places program to better track
ongoing capital expenses for art projects.
Benefits:
• Improved tracking and transparency of project revenue and expenses
• Decreased the amount of staff time required to maintain accounting records
• Streamlined the overall financial processes
l) Police Services: Investigative Services, Technical Services Specialist
Description:
Police Services uses a significant amount of technology throughout its criminal investigations,
including surveillance and digital evidence. The Technical Services Specialist (TSS) researches,
maintains and deploys this equipment for Police Services.
Benefits:
• The addition of the civilian TSS immediately negated the need to hire a police sergeant on
overtime to complete technical investigative duties for Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS).
The TSS works a 40-hour week, which led to a significant improvement in response time for
assistance requests related to special events, active criminal investigations, the Super Bowl
response plan and others
• The TSS repaired old items, and researched then obtained new devices to assist FCPS and its
law enforcement partners. One example is the successful investigation of a large Larimer
County methamphetamine distribution organization and the subsequent arrests of more than
30 suspects.
m) Community Development & Neighborhood Services (CDNS): Appeals
Description:
In 2013, CDNS staff participated in cross-departmental efforts to improve processes related to
hearing appeals going to City Council. This resulted in the creation and implementation of new
policies, as well as documentation of detailed instructions to guide staff in related quasi-judicial
processes and activities.
Benefits:
• Standardized process for dealing with appeals and related records
• Increased training and understanding for staff
• Decreased errors
n) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Animal Control Changes and Contract
Oversight by Neighborhood Services
Description:
In 2013, some Animal Control codes were decriminalized and the barking dog protocol changed in
an effort to better meet residents’ needs and improve responses to complaints. Oversight of the
City’s Contract with Larimer Humane Society (LHS) outlining animal control and sheltering services
moved from Police Services to Neighborhood Services. These changes increased the ability of
Neighborhood Services and LHS to work collaboratively, offering increased responsiveness to
concerns regarding animal nuisances.
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Benefits:
• Increased problem solving for neighborhood-based animal nuisances
• Improved response process for complaints by allowing anonymous complaints
• Improved information/materials for residents (barking dog brochure)
o) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Conceptual/Preliminary Design
Review Changes
Description:
Staff streamlined and improved these processes in 2013. Fewer staff members are now used in
the Conceptual Review process while the same high level of customer service is provided. The
preliminary design review process also changed so applicants paying for this service receive a
more in-depth review than the complimentary conceptual review.
Benefits:
• Reduced staff and developer time and expense related to conceptual reviews
• Increased differentiation in the level of service for the fee-based preliminary design review
p) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Development Review Project
Transparency and Improvement
Description:
In 2013, staff made continued improvements to current processes ensuring that new development
review project information is available via the project table within one week of the date submitted,
generally sooner. Staff also developed a report giving customers the ability to print items shown in
the project table in both pdf and spreadsheet format. Staff also revised the neighborhood meeting
“notice” by extending an “invitation,” making it world class in both the information provided and the
format.
Benefits:
• Increased timeliness and transparency to the community
• Increased clarity of information provided
• Standardized and improved format for conveying information to public
• Increased usability of the project table data
q) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Expedited Review Process for
Development Applications of Communitywide Importance
Description:
In 2013 we developed an expedited development review process for major proposals having
communitywide importance. Using a combination of compressed conventional review cycles,
design charrettes and weekly meetings, staff worked collaboratively with applicants to improve the
quality of site, architecture and landscape design elements, while lessening the amount of time
spent in the review process.
Benefits:
• Compressed review timeframe
• Greater opportunity for collaboration among staff, applicants and project designers
• Ability to identify fatal flaws early in the design process
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r) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Neighborhood Development Review
Liaison Process Improvements
Description:
In 2013, the Neighborhood Development Review Liaison worked with Information Technology staff
to improve the process used to update a weekly webpage and subscription email regarding
development review activities.
Benefits:
• Faster and easier publishing to the internet as well as creation of the broadcast email
• Eliminated need for routine Communications and Information Technology staff time for this
weekly service
s) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Neighborhood Development Review
Liaison Process Improvements
Description:
In 2013, the Neighborhood Development Review Liaison improved the City’s availability of
information regarding the development review process.
Benefits:
• Improved availability of information (online hub with links to information about development
review projects, print materials)
• Improved process transparency (weekly updates with a subscription email)
• Improved assistance to citizens who are interested in a project or the process
t) Engineering: City Bridge Program Efficiencies
Description:
Designing, bidding and constructing multiple bridges together.
Benefits:
• Cost savings on design fees and unit prices in construction contracts
• Time savings with Request for Proposals and length of construction schedules
u) Engineering: Arterial Intersection Prioritization Study
Description:
Data-driven priority study of arterial streets and intersections.
Benefits:
• Identified projects in order to be grant ready
• Received four major grant awards for various intersections throughout the City, thus leveraging
the City-funded portion to be spent in other locations
v) Parking Services: Financial/Accounting Process Improvements
Description:
In 2013, we conducted a complete review and rework of Parking Services’ financial processes.
New forms, policies, and procedures were adopted.
Benefits:
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• The new processes are more efficient. Old processes that had evolved in a piecemeal fashion
over many years were replaced by integrated procedures that eliminated unnecessary steps
and increased accuracy.
• The new processes are more auditable, increasing accountability in the money-handling area.
• The new processes provide step-by-step instructions for employees, which reduce errors and
assist in training new employees.
w) Streets Department: Hot Applied Chip Overlay (HACO) Maintenance Treatment
Description:
The SMP chose to replace the proposed HACO maintenance treatment of Overland Trail between
Mulberry Street and Cottonwood Glen Park with a chip-overlay performed by local contractors. The
decision was an attempt to avoid the expensive top coat of the HACO treatment, which is imported
from the Denver area and typically inflexible to schedule changes. With the new process, the initial
chip-seal sealed the roadway from water intrusion and filled in the existing cracks of the roadway,
which reduced asphalt patching quantities. This allowed for a thinner overlay (1.5 inches) of
asphalt material following the chip seal to add structure, saving significant cost when comparing it
to a typical overlay thickness of 2.75 inches on more than two miles of roadway.
Benefits:
• The chip seal process provided a seal to the existing defects and created a new interlayer of
material, increasing the life of the roadway.
• Using the “Chip-Overlay” process allows for the use of less asphalt material to achieve the
same longevity of the pavement life as a typical overlay, thus decreasing our carbon footprint.
• The use of the chip seal prior to the overlay eliminates the need for “tack” oil to be laid in front
of the paving process, allowing access points to be available to the traveling public up until it is
directly impacted by the equipment. This is a significant improvement for the residents and
businesses impacted by the road construction,
x) Streets Department: Change in process of the 2014-2015 SMP Utility Coordination
Description:
SMP issued a full two-year project list to other City departments, agencies and the general public.
In the past, this encompassed only a list of project names and locations written on an excel
spreadsheet and was sent out once in the early months of the project year. This year, SMP
provided those who receive the notification an entire package of maps, along with the list indicating
the project limits, and has also issued the notification three times starting in August of the previous
year. Additionally, each time the Utility Notification was sent out it included the notes of conflicts
sent back by the agencies in the previous notifications for the others to review as well. SMP also
changed the response method from returning written notes to an electronic interaction, creating
efficiencies and reducing paper waste.
Benefits:
• Providing this information to public agencies, contractors, etc., creates opportunities to
collaborate on projects, thus reducing costs and increasing efficiencies. Proper planning can
also significantly reduce the impact to the traveling public.
• The coordination increases communication, which results in a reduction of utility cuts in new
pavement.
• These coordination efforts significantly improved our ability to budget further in advance, thus
creating efficiencies.
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y) Transfort / Dial-A-Ride: Reorganization to Increase Efficiency and Effectiveness
Description:
Transfort implemented a reorganization of the Department into four distinct Divisions – Bus
Operations; Safety, Security & Training; Service Development; and Communications &
Administration.
Benefits:
• Provides clarity of work expectations and appropriate personnel grouping
• Identification of organizational efficiencies
• Recognition of supervisory needs
• Recognition of evolving job duties and business needs
z) Transfort / Dial-A-Ride: Improved Ridership Performance
Description:
Improved ridership performance in 2013 as measured across all major operating statistics.
Benefits:
• 1 percent increase in total ridership – 2,296,511 vs. 2,271,732
• 1.4 percent increase in average daily ridership – 7,481 vs. 7,376
• 1 percent increase in passengers per hour – 29.17 vs. 28.90
• .5 percent increase in passengers per mile – 2.22 vs. 2.21
aa) Utilities: Water Production Division: Fire Related Treatment Process Improvements
Description:
The devastating wildfires of 2012 left the Poudre River water quality highly variable for the Water
Treatment Facility to address the correct treatment processes. The water supply issue, as a result
of the drought, contributed to using the Poudre River as much as possible. We needed to rely on
the Poudre River, even given uncertain water quality scenarios. In early 2013, several projects
were developed, using an approved 4 percent increase to water rates, to ensure the City could
maximize use of its water supplies. We designed and built a presedimentation basin in 4.5 months
to help remove sediment from the raw water before entering the City’s plant. A chemical added to
the Poudre River raw water at the plant helped with conditioning the raw water. More monitoring
was installed upstream of the Poudre intake so that operators could react to the change in water
quality quickly and efficiently.
Benefits:
• Allowed for use of the Poudre River during the spring and summer months
• Staff was diligent returning to the Poudre water as soon as possible.
• Monitoring systems also aided other water districts in watching the river water quality.
bb) Utilities: Water Production Division: Lighting Replacement and Upgrades
Description:
The Water Treatment Facility is a large facility that has many different types of lighting throughout
the buildings and tank areas. Several 600-amp metal halide lights were replaced with LED lighting,
with a rebate from Xcel Energy. Also, eight-500 watt quartz lights were replaced with twelve-39
watt LED lights. All outdoor lighting is now LED.
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Benefits:
• Low maintenance, as LED lights burn longer than other types
• Lower electricity requirements, by reducing the wattage on the lights and receiving the same
visual benefit
• Staff installed the lighting replacements without an outside contractor.
cc) Purchasing: Contract Enhancements and Negotiated Cost Reduction
Description:
The agreement/contract template used by Purchasing includes a price escalator provision for
annual price changes at the time of renewal. Sustainable Purchasing eliminated this price
escalator clause from numerous Requests for Proposals (RFPs), bids and contracts. In addition,
Sustainable Purchasing negotiated firm-fixed pricing for a five-year period on numerous significant
contracts.
Benefits:
• Reduced year-over-year cost escalation to support a 2-5 percent cost avoidance where
implemented
dd) Human Resources: Burst Reports
Description:
In cooperation with IT and Payroll, we automated leave balance, comp time, overtime, service
recognition and policy acknowledgment reports.
Benefits:
• Easier to administer once set up
• Provides better customer service/self-service to managers/designates
• Addition of warnings on leave and comp time reports helps to catch errors that may go
unnoticed otherwise
• This could be seen as a cost saving measure since we catch people who may have comp time
needing to be paid out before pay rate increases
• Brings awareness to the organization
ee) Human Resources: JD Edwards (JDE) Security Changes
Description:
Combined roles for high-end users and redesigned Department Designate security.
Benefits:
• Eliminates the need for admins to sign in and out of JDE multiple times to do their work
• New Designate security allows more flexibility in the number of designates we can have. This
makes it easier for departments to distribute/share their workload
ff) Human Resources: JDE Category Code Changes
Description:
• Re-configured Employee/Job Category Codes in JDE. This now allows data to default from the
Job Table, eliminating the need for Payroll Specialists to have to update this field.
Benefits:
• Saves admins time in having to update/check these fields
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• Employee records are updated in a timely manner
• Data is more accurate
gg) Human Resources: Scheduled Reports
Description:
Automated frequently used reports for Human Resources admins/users.
Benefits:
• Streamlines processes by emailing report to the user; eliminates the need for them to have to
sign in and run the report manually
• Reports are delivered in a timely manner
• Helps remind/bring awareness of data that needs auditing
hh) Human Resources: Outlook Distribution List & Data Feed
Description:
In cooperation with the Information Technology department, created a data feed to Outlook to
maintain distribution lists for all Supervisors, Department Heads and Division Heads.
Benefits:
• Eliminates the need for staff to manually maintain, saving time
• Lists are updated frequently and therefore are more accurate and in line with payroll data entry.
• Reduces the chances that someone won’t receive an email that was intended for them.
• Reduces phone calls to HR because people were not receiving email communications.
ii) Human Resources: Recruitment Process Mapping
Description:
Developed a detailed recruitment process map from position vacancy through new hire
onboarding. Process improvements are being incorporated into new recruitment software
configuration.
Benefits:
• Designing process to improve candidate experience, enhance City employment brand and
improve efficiency.
3. TECHNOLOGY AND UPGRADES
a) Parks: Public Trails Wayfinding improvements
Description:
The Parks Department, working with many other stakeholders, implemented a new wayfinding
system along the trails.
Benefits
• Trail users have a better understanding of where they are within the system.
• Emergency response to injuries and accidents is accelerated.
• Helps with user health so they can track mileage, as all ¼-mile markers are correct.
• Public buildings and major thoroughfares are identified by distance from location.
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b) Cemeteries: Stone Orchard Software
Description:
The Cemetery Division maintains and stores interment data for more than 28,000 burials. A 1997
Access system maintained this information, which was upgraded to a 2003 Access database. This
was a custom-written program that no longer had a support system in place. After 18 months of
research and interviews, we selected the Stone Orchard software for its functionality and enhanced
customer service attributes.
Benefits:
• All interment data will now be located in one repository, which has redundant backups.
• Eliminated double data entry for customer information, which has saved customer and staff
time
• Plans going forward allow the program to pair with a remote kiosk to serve as an after-hours
guide to the cemeteries.
c) City Clerk: Implementation of Agenda Management Software
Description:
The City Clerk purchased MinuteTraq software for submission and distribution of City Council
agenda items.
Benefits:
• Streamlined, consistent process with all users building from a common template. Emails are
automatically generated to supervisors who need to review the materials before they are
finalized.
d) Poudre Fire Authority (PFA): Response Performance Analysis Software
Description:
PFA is currently in the process of obtaining accreditation through the Commission on Fire
Accreditation International (CFAI). This rigorous process involves an in-depth analysis of response
data. In order to perform this analysis, PFA has invested in software tools. The first tool allows any
user in the organization to view data through a browser that allows for rapid research and trend
analysis. This user-friendly package requires no specific expertise to operate and will allow PFA
personnel to monitor their own performance in real time. The second tool is a GIS-based software
package currently being installed that allows for an in-depth view of response performance,
patterns and multi-year trends in a GIS-based environment. It will be used to develop a
comprehensive response performance document known as the Standards of Cover.
Benefits:
• In-depth data analysis allows the ability to improve response times system-wide. This ultimately
improves customer service and has an impact on life safety.
• Aids as a significant decision-making tool for the appropriate deployment of resources to
maximize cost-effectiveness and public and firefighter safety
• Allows for more precise reporting of response data and aligns this reporting with fire-service
trends nationally for more accurate benchmarking
e) Cultural Services: Lincoln Center Gift Card System
Description:
Lincoln Center implemented a new gift card system that replaced antiquated paper gift certificates.
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Benefits:
• Increased value to customers as the cards can be used online
• Automated the gift card process making it more efficient and accurate
• The plastic cards are reusable and reloadable.
f) Cultural Services: Fort Fund Grant Program
Description:
The Fort Fund grant program moved from a paper application process to a fully online process.
Benefits:
• Significantly reduced the amount of paper required to copy applications for Board members to
review
• Eliminated the need for Board members to travel to pick up the applications
• Increased efficiency as all communication and scoring is done online
• The system produced reports that had been created manually, saving staff time.
g) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Accela Steering Committee
Description:
Staff implemented a cross-departmental steering committee to guide the efforts related to the
Accela Automation Land Management System.
Benefits:
• Increased oversight and accountability
• Increased collaboration among departments and vendors
• Increased understanding among users
• Prioritized approach for implementing new activities and requested modifications
h) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Conference Room Upgrades
Description:
In 2013, two of the shared building conference rooms at 281 N. College Ave. were upgraded
allowing for increased viewing capability, functionality and usability. Large screens were added that
are linked to computers integrated with the City’s network. Wireless mouse and keyboard
equipment allow any user in the meeting to present information. Skype equipment was also added.
City employees can access any of their files from the conference room using remote desktop.
Additionally, other laptops or information carried on flash drives can be accessed and presented.
Benefits:
• Increased usability of existing conference rooms
• Increased staff efficiency by having access to needed work files
• Increased sustainability through reducing printed presentations
i) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Electronic Document Review
Description:
In 2013, staff started efforts to migrate toward electronic document review. Staff received a City
Innovation Award to begin these efforts and has started a pilot program with certain building permit
types. Necessary equipment and software have been purchased and testing and training is
underway. Implementation into the Accela Automation Land Management System will begin in
earnest once the version upgrade that is currently underway is complete. It is anticipated that the
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pilot program will be expanded in 2014 to include all building permits, as well as development
review submittals.
Benefits:
• Increased alignment with industry best practices
• Increased sustainability through reduced paper and office visits
• Decreased review time by eliminating manual collection and routing processes
• Increased collaboration and transparency by reviewing agencies and participants
j) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Migration of Code Compliance
Activities to Accela
Description:
In 2013, all remaining code compliance activities were transitioned to the Accela Automation Land
Management system. Staff converted all tracking and nuisance code violation processing to the
new system.
Benefits:
• Increased efficiency through reducing the number of disparate systems used
• Increased transparency to customers through access to case information online
• Increased collaboration as more staff has access to the data and can assist customers
• Reduced costs (supplies and postage) by consolidating notices
k) Engineering: Surveying Technology
Description:
Purchased a new Trimble GPS Rover for field surveying, taking advantage of significant advances
in GPS Technology.
Benefits:
• Crews have found increased efficiencies of 10-20 percent when using GPS, along with an
increase in reliability of data.
• Expanded ability to respond to rising needs of City departments for survey-related services
l) Utilities: Advanced Meter Fort Collins – Installation of a Meter Reading System & Meter Data
Management System
Description:
In 2013, Utilities completed the majority of meter installations. In addition to the meters, the back
office support systems, such as the Meter Head-end System, which manages the meter reads, and
the Meter Data Management System (MDMS), which organizes the data into the proper format for
our billing system, were both successfully installed. Once the meter is changed the entire process
from read to bill is automated.
Benefits:
• The system provides the foundation for future customer services. One example of that future is
the soon–to-be-deployed web portal, which will allow customers to review their electric and
water use in order to make informed decisions. Additional programs, such as demand
response, which will use the system, will also be deployed near the end of 2014
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m) Parking Services: Go-4 Vehicles/AutoVu
Description:
Parking purchased two new Go-4 vehicles for Parking Enforcement with upgraded AutoVu
Systems (license plate recognition system).
Benefits:
• Increases productivity of Parking Officers by increasing the geographic enforcement area,
rather than walking all routes
• Allows for enforcement of the Residential Parking Permit Program
• Cost-effective way to increase enforcement without hiring additional officers
n) Streets Department: Technology Advances in Planning
Description:
Streets staff adapted GIS mapping efforts to Google Earth, creating a method for inspection notes
and project issues to be tracked by GPS and viewed in Google Earth as points on a map using
iPads.
Benefits:
• Able to share our program and any inspection issues that our inspectors note with the
contractors in an interface they can understand and use; positive feedback from contractors to
date
• Provides the ability to offer the Google Map files we develop to the public in a format they can
understand and are familiar with
• Staff is currently using the ability to take GPS points of areas where snow removal efforts were
deficient and supply them to our contractors with a Google Map that shows a location,
description and picture of the hazard for them to remedy.
o) Traffic Operations: New Traffic Signal Controllers
Description:
In 2013, Traffic Operations replaced 10-year-old controllers with state-of-the-art controllers
intended to reduce controller failures and provide new operational features to reduce congestion
and improve safety. With these upgrades, the City’s traffic signal system is positioned with modern
hardware and software to carry us forward into the foreseeable future.
Benefits:
• Reduced response maintenance for controller malfunctions
• Reduced delay at Timberline/Harmony, Timberline/Drake
• MAX BRT Operational Capabilities at signalized crossings on Drake and Horsetooth
• Enhanced safety at rail-highway grade crossings along the BNSF line
• Positioned for additional safety/congestion improvements at other locations using advanced
controller features
p) Traffic Operations: Video Detection
Description:
Traffic Operations continues work replacing traditional in-pavement wire loop detectors with non-
intrusive detection technologies, including video-based and radar-based detection. We installed
video detection at 18 locations in 2013, and radar detection, with the capability to detect vehicles
900 feet in advance of an intersection, at one location (College/Trilby).
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Benefits:
• Ability to detect bicyclists and motorcyclists more effectively
• Ability to automate traffic data collection
• No need to cut pavement
• Adjustable detection zones
• Radar provides advance detection on high-speed approaches, improving safety.
q) Human Resources: JDEdwards (JDE) Upgrade
Description:
In 2013, the JDE Core Team successfully completed the JDE system upgrade.
Benefits:
• New E1 Pages help organize frequently used applications by user role/type of work making it
easier and less time consuming for users to access programs and do their work.
• New search feature helps admins locate various codes and lists within the system, saving time.
• iPad compatible
r) Human Resources: Real-time, Dynamic Workforce Metric Reporting
Description:
Monthly statistical data reports showing workforce trends (hires, separations, demographics,
retirement age, etc.). Live data can be sorted by Service Area and Department.
Benefits:
• Enhanced transparency internally; data available online
• Guides managers in making more effective personnel business decision
• Eliminates some HR data requests
4. CUSTOMER SERVICE
a) City Clerk: Web-feature allowing voters to check the status of their mail-in ballot
Description:
The City Clerk created a web-feature allowing voters to check the status of their mail-in ballot.
Benefits:
• Voters can quickly learn if their mail ballot was received by the City Clerk’s Office
b) PFA: Inspection Frequency
Description:
Continued biannual inspections of businesses in 2013 for occupancies considered target life
hazards, including: institutional, educational, residential and assembly occupancies. All other
occupancies, such as storage, mercantile and business, dropped to annual inspections.
Benefits:
• Increased customer safety by inspecting more buildings annually
• Reduced cost to customers not in target life hazard occupancies due to fewer inspections
c) Recreation: Customer Service Improvement Plan
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Description:
The Recreation Department implemented a customer service improvement plan to address the
front desk service at each facility. Actions implemented in 2013 included:
• Relocated the Administrative Support Supervisor position to 215 N. Mason St. and scheduled
specific hands-on training times at each facility with the front-line staff
• Clearly identified Customer Service Representatives’ (CSR’s) primary responsibility of 100
percent focus on customer service, and hiring, training and scheduling front desk staff
• CSR’s work stations relocated to the front desk of each facility
• CSR’s and hourly front desk staff rotate to all recreation facilities
• Implemented consistent training program that all front desk employees must successfully
complete prior to being scheduled independently at the front desk
• Implemented dress code/uniform policy for all front desk staff including name tags
• Employed a secret shopper program to assess the success of implemented changes
• Measured customer service satisfaction through our quarterly surveys to benchmark data
• Invested in a new web server to improve customer access and enrollment experience on Mass
Registration day
Benefits:
• Improved customer service consistency
• Allows professional growth and flexibility of staff to work at various locations
• Improved communication and implementation of new procedures
d) Environmental Services: Environmental Web Portal
Description:
A new environmental web portal (fcgov.com/enviro) offers one-stop-shop information for the public
about the City’s environmental resources and services. The new web portal features eight general
categories: Air Quality, Climate Protection, Energy, Green Building, Land, Transportation,
Recycling and Water.
Benefits:
• The portal increases convenience for residents and businesses by featuring City environmental
programs through one portal without having to navigate the entire City website, and is logically
organized into eight category areas.
• The portal features current environmental programs, news, videos, calendar events and
general resources.
• The Sustainable Purchasing web page (fcgov.com/purchasing/environment) offers the public
easy access to the City’s Green Purchasing Checklist and the comprehensive Sustainable
Certifications list that explains sustainable products/services certifications. This site is linked
through the environmental web portal.
e) Police Services: Criminal Investigations Services
Description:
The Police Services Criminal Investigations Division (CID) hired one sergeant, seven detectives
and four civilian investigative aides with KFCG funds.
Benefits:
• Creation of a Forensic Services Unit. Detectives have conducted crime scene processing of
nearly all major crime scenes in 2013, resulting in more thorough and consistent evidentiary
searches, gathering, documentation and preservation of evidence.
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• Added detectives to the Crimes Against Persons and Property Crimes Units, improving case
clearance rates and turnaround times for crime victims
• Added detectives to the Criminal Impact Unit allowing for better enforcement in the areas of
gang enforcement, sex offender management and repeat offenders
• Added Civilian Investigative Aides to each investigative team, freeing up detective time from
administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on case investigations
• Developed a web-based sex offender management program (SOTAR)
f) Police Services: Police Information Services
Description:
KFCG funding provided five additional dispatch positions, as well as one Police Report Specialist
for the Police Information Services division.
Benefits:
• Increased staffing in Dispatch has contributed to a 60 percent decrease in overtime
expenditures
• Additional personnel in the Records Unit have led to greater customer service, and assisted in
meeting the increased workload created by the additional officers hired
• The additional Dispatch Personnel led to a change in the model of how 911 calls were
answered and handled. The additional personnel are being used for primary 911 call
answering, which frees up the radio dispatchers to handle police/fire/EMS dispatching, and the
caller receives faster emergency and non-emergency service.
g) Police Services: Police Information Services
Description:
In 2013, KFCG funding provided one additional FTE to augment the Property and Evidence Unit.
Benefits:
• This position was not filled until Sept. 3, 2013.
• Increased staffing in Dispatch has contributed to a slight decrease in overtime expenditures
• Additional personnel in the Property and Evidence Unit have led to greater customer service,
and assisted in meeting the increased workload created by the additional officers hired.
• Additional personnel assisted in larger number of disposed items from the Property/Evidence
Room. This is important in maintaining a smooth operation for the Unit.
h) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Boards & Commissions
Description:
In 2013, staff made several improvements to Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC), Planning
& Zoning (P&Z) Board and Zoning Board of Appeals processes. LPC and P&Z board meetings are
now televised and the meetings are held in Council Chambers. Packets for each board are now
posted on the website, similar to Council packets, allowing the public access to all of the
information being considered. A guide for public participation was created for the P&Z board to
assist citizens interested in speaking to the Board on various issues. A related slideshow was
created and runs on screens prior to each meeting explaining how to participate. We provided
iPads to all board members, eliminating the need for paper packets.
Benefits:
• Increased transparency to the community
• Increased access to meetings and information
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• Increased sustainability and lower costs through paper reduction
• Increased understanding for how citizens can participate in meetings
i) Community Development & Neighborhood Services: Diversity Training
Description:
In 2013, Restorative Justice hosted a diversity training (conducted by CSU) for Neighborhood
Services staff and Restorative Justice/Mediation Program volunteers.
Benefits:
• Increases customer service by better understanding cultural diversity and how to best serve all
customers
j) Parking Services: E-mail Notification for Permit Holders
Description:
There are many situations where Parking Services needs to communicate with our permit holders
about topics such as construction dates, special events and expiration dates for permits. Parking
Customer Service worked with our database system provider (T2 Systems) to automate a system
to send email communications to our permit holders.
Benefits:
• Provides a timely, direct system of communication with our permit holders
• Increases the number of permits renewed on time by informing customers of their permit
expiration date, saving the customer about 17 percent on the cost of their permit
k) Human Resources: HR Website
Description:
HR launched a new and improved internal website.
Benefits:
• More information and better communication
• More self-service: more forms, automated organization charts, workforce metrics
• Saves time: employees can get answers/forms right from their desktop instead of having to
come in
• New design makes it easier to administer/maintain
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: March 13, 2014
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Mike Beckstead, Chief Financial Officer
CC: Executive Lead Team
RE: Keep Fort Collins Great 2013 Offer Recap
In 2013, Keep Fort Collins Great (KFCG) tax revenue was projected to generate more than $21
million. Taxable sales were more than budgeted and generated $22.8 million. During 2013, the
City spent or encumbered (purchase order commitment) $22.3 million. Excess KFCG revenue
goes into fund balance.
Thanks to revenue from KFCG, the City is able to improve street maintenance, invest in public
safety, maintain our high quality parks and recreation facilities and programs, and address other
community priorities.
Attachment 1 provides details regarding all KFCG offers, including 2013 expenditures and/or
encumbrances through December. This is one of two annual KFCG reporting requirements; the
other is the major efficiency, cost saving and process improvements that were accomplished
during the year.
Page 2 of 24
Attachment 1
2013 Keep Fort Collins Great Offer Details
Street Maintenance and Repair (33%)
Transportation
Hourly Traffic Utility Workers (Offer 22.8)
2013 Original Budget: $74,098 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $42,908
• Staff worked in Traffic Operations as part of the pavement marking crew on Street
Maintenance Program (SMP) projects, as well as on ongoing pavement marking
maintenance projects.
• To reduce costs, Traffic Operations used an easier-to-apply durable marking material
(Methylmethacrylate) beginning in 2013. As a result, labor costs were less than
anticipated, contributing to savings.
• Impact: Traffic Operations crews installed durable pavement markings on 38
centerline miles of streets paved through the SMP.
Total Street Maintenance Program (SMP)
2013 Original Budget: $7,180,658 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $7,070,908
Arterial Street Maintenance Program (Offer 38.11)
2013 Original Budget: $4,266,843 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $4,201,628
Collector Street Maintenance Program (Offer 38.12)
2013 Original Budget: $1,424,119 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $1,402,353
Residential Street Maintenance Program (Offer 38.13)
2013 Original Budget: $1,489,696 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $1,466,927
• SMP resurfaced an additional 69 lane miles (21 centerline miles) of roadway on
arterial, collector and residential streets to maintain a Level of Service B, which
correlates to a pavement condition index of 70 or better.
• SMP replaced broken and heaved concrete sidewalk, curb, gutter and pavement
throughout the City.
• Impact: Protect and maintain infrastructure investment, streets ride smoother and
look better, sidewalks are safer for pedestrians, improved drainage, extend use of
roads and improve the overall appeal of the City.
Page 3 of 24
Other Transportation (17%)
Economic Health
Lincoln Triangle Strategic Plan and Lincoln Boulevard Plan (Offer 92.1)
2013 Original Budget: $275,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $268,656
Funding for this offer came from both the Other Transportation and Other Community
Priorities KFCG categories. We are reporting this item in this area only.
• The Offer combines two projects, the Lincoln Triangle Strategic Plan and the
Lincoln Boulevard Plan. The plan was initiated in March 2013 and goes before City
Council in April 2014 for adoption.
• Staff used an extensive public outreach and visioning process to develop a
community-supported vision and preliminary design for the Lincoln Corridor, as well
as to prioritize infrastructure improvements in the surrounding neighborhoods.
• The strategic plan will include an assessment and analysis of existing information
including land use, transportation, urban design and open lands, and will provide
recommendations on potential improvements in the area. The recommendations
from this plan will help strengthen and revitalize a variety of unique commercial,
industrial and residential properties.
• The strategic plan focuses on actionable recommendations and includes
implementation strategies, an action plan, timeframes and potential funding
sources. This planning effort develops the blueprint for public and private
investment in this important corridor.
• This project continues into 2014.
• Impact: This project advances a plan for Lincoln Avenue and the surrounding
neighborhoods as a crucial link between Downtown Fort Collins and the East
Mulberry Corridor, allowing it to serve as a catalyst for economic development and
growth in the area.
Midtown Corridor College Avenue Boulevard Transportation Study (Offer 130.2)
2013 Original Budget: $200,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $200,000
• This project follows the adoption of the Midtown Plan by City Council and develops
specific plans and recommendations for the transportation infrastructure along
College Avenue from Prospect Road to Harmony Road. The project, initiated in
October 2013, is expected to be completed in July 2014.
• The Transportation Study will develop plans and strategies to provide more balance
between transportation modes, as well as link to MAX and the larger transit
network.
• Impact: The Midtown College Avenue Corridor is a complex, high-profile roadway
with many opportunities and constraints. This transportation study provides detailed
plans that are essential to the implementation of the Midtown Plan, as well as the
success of MAX and the Transit Oriented Development concept in Midtown.
Page 4 of 24
Transportation
Traffic Operations Capital Equipment Replacement (Offer 22.6)
2013 Amended Budget: $145,909 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $133,950
• Traffic signal upgrades including new cabinets and new underground wiring at
Remington/Prospect and Meldrum/Mulberry
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant accessible pedestrian detectors at
Timberline/Horsetooth
• Advanced Vehicle Detection Radar System at College/Trilby
• Video detection at three intersections
• Impact: Safety and operational Improvements at signalized intersections,
preventative maintenance to avoid costly failures of aging infrastructure
Traffic Signal Controller Replacement (Offer 22.7)
2013 Original Budget: $271,528 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $270,318
• Purchased new signal controllers for all signalized intersections in the City to replace
aging, outdated controllers.
• Impact: Reliable, maintainable, state-of-the-art signal controllers with advanced
capabilities installed throughout the City
Streets Capital Equipment (Offer 38.14, Offer 38.15)
2013 Original Budget: $396,092 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $372,452
• The Streets Department purchased equipment, such as a tandem plow truck,
equipped utilities truck for snow operations, a tool truck and skid steer loader.
• The Streets Department purchased three new mechanical sweepers to replace
sweepers that were up for replacement.
• Impact: These purchases allowed Streets to maintain exceptional service to the Fort
Collins community during the construction season and during snow operations. It
allowed Streets to keep debris out of storm inlets and improve air quality. Streets
was able to improve service to the Fort Collins community during the regular season
and during Operation Clean Sweep (annual cleanup campaign).
Road Shoulder, Mowing, Median, and Alley Maintenance (Offer 38.22)
2013 Original Budget: $181,510 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $179,248
• The Streets Department mowed and maintained 5 miles of road shoulders, 11 miles
of unpaved roads and 57 blocks of alleys.
• Impact: Safety impacts include better sight visibility and overall community
aesthetics. Alley maintenance provides safe access for residents and emergency
vehicles, and improves the overall impression of our city.
Parking Garage Major Maintenance/Handicap Parking Spaces (Offer 73.1)
2013 Amended Budget: $241,015 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $238,927
• Staff completed the design and construction of a canopy to the west entrance/exit of
the Old Town Parking Structure before the end of the year. Minor work continues
into 2014 and contractors will receive final payment.
• Due to big demands on contractors this summer, not as much work was completed
installing and upgrading handicap parking spaces as anticipated. However, most of
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the remaining budget was encumbered to a concrete vendor and significant work will
be completed in 2014.
• Impact: The parking garage improvements create a safe and orderly exit area,
reducing damage to customers’ vehicles and to City property. The canopy shields
customers and the pay machine from the weather and protects the drive lanes from
snow, providing an enhanced user experience. The funds encumbered for handicap
parking spaces will provide approximately 10 new handicap accessible ramps that
will improve parking access for the disabled..
City Bridge Program (Offer 105.8)
2013 Amended Budget: $3,098,246 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $2,275,594
• The amended budget consists of partially rolled over funding from the 2011-2012
budget cycle as well as the $1.7 million funding from 2013.
• The unencumbered, non-lapsing budget is planned in 2014 for the construction
administration on four bridges which are currently under construction. This includes
construction engineering, construction design support, inspection and materials
testing for the following projects:
o West Prospect Bridge Replacement
o Bryan Bridge Replacement (City Park)
o Arthur Ditch Replacement at Myrtle Street
o Arthur Ditch Replacement at Mountain Avenue
• Riverside Bridge Design
• Impact: The KFCG funding for the City’s bridge program allowed the design and/or
replacement of several of the City’s structurally deficient bridges improving the bridge
system.
Fort Collins Bicycling Program, FC Bikes (Offer 106.2)
2013 Original Budget: $217,950 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $53,121
$146,372 of the 2013 KFCG funds was held as the local match for a Congestion
Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant. This local match is being leveraged into
$704,128 in federal grant funds to enhance bicycling in 2014-2016.
• In 2013, the FC Bikes Program expanded and enhanced its encouragement and
outreach efforts, including summer and winter Bike to Work Days, community
education, map production, print materials and other activities supporting cycling.
• FC Bikes staff pursued and obtained a $94,100 “Walk and Wheel Local Government”
grant from Kaiser Permanente to further support program activities such as
additional Traffic Skills 101 and 201 classes, League Cycling Instructor courses,
expanded bicycle counts, an Eco-TOTEM bike counter, bike map printing, Open
Streets event marketing and bike share business planning.
• Impact: FC Bikes continues to implement programs and activities originating in the
2008 Bike Plan and 2011 Bicycle Safety Education Plan aimed at increasing the
safety, comfort and convenience of bicycling in Fort Collins. Examples include:
Traffic Skills 101 classes for cyclists, the Bicycle Ambassadors program, the Lost
and Abandoned Bicycle Program, summer and winter Bike to Work Days and event
series, lunch-and-learn events and summer and winter Worksite Challenges. These
activities contributed to the City’s designation as one of only four Platinum-level
Bicycle Friendly Communities in the country by the League of American Bicyclists.
Page 6 of 24
North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Org (NFRMPO) Dues (Offer 106.3)
2013 Original Budget: $72,900 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $72,900
• The City has been a member of the North Front Range MPO since 1988.
Membership is required in order to secure regional, state and federal transportation
funding. It also ensures regional consistency in transportation plans.
• Fort Collins’ share of the annual NFRMPO dues (based on population) is
approximately 33 percent.
• Impact: Membership and participation in the MPO is critical to transportation planning
and funding in the region. The MPO addresses issues regarding traffic congestion
mitigation, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, air quality, travel demand modeling,
demographics and promoting regional cooperation.
FC Bikes to Platinum (Offer 106.4)
2013 Original Budget: $90,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $86,549
• These KFCG funds were used to support activities that advance bicycling in the
community, such as laying the groundwork for Open Streets activities and promoting
involvement of women in cycling with the Fort Follies Women’s Grand Prix at the
USA Pro Cycling Challenge.
• Funds were also used to expand performance measures for bicycling, including
additional annual bicycle and pedestrian counts at new locations.
• Impact: The programs and projects supported by this funding contributed to the
designation of the City as a Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community. This accomplishes
the goal of the offer and positions the City to work towards becoming the first
Diamond level city.
Safe Routes to School Program (Offer 106.8)
2013 Original Budget: $74,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $66,082
• In 2013, KFCG funds were used to support the activities of the Safe Routes to
School (SRTS) program as part of the 2011 Bicycle Safety Education Plan
implementation.
• The program administered approximately $100,000 in active CDOT grants, and
obtained an additional $244,903 in SRTS infrastructure grants for use in 2014.
• The program exceeded its goals and reached 13,753 students and 1,961 adults
through outreach activities.
• Impact: Safe Routes to School provides high quality programming focused on the
five E’s of safe cycling and walking: education, encouragement, engineering,
enforcement and evaluation. These activities equip children and adults with skills and
information to help them live safer and healthier lifestyles.
Fort Collins Bike Library Operations (Offer 107.2)
2013 Original Budget: $80,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $79,829
• These KFCG funds were used for continued operation of the Fort Collins Bike
Library. The library operates seasonally from April to November.
• The Bike Library logged 4,596 check-outs in 2013 and registered 4,264 new
members, bringing total library membership to 20,157 people.
• Impact: The Bike Library is a unique and highly visible element of Fort Collins’
commitment to cycling. Its activities support cycling culture and promote active
transportation to visitors and residents.
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Transfort / Dial-A-Ride Facilities Capital Improvements (Offer 119.10)
2013 Original Budget: $97,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $12,250
Note: The 2013 budget balance of $85,750 will be encumbered soon for the installation
of bicycle cages at the Downtown Transit Center. The 2013 KFCG Transfort / Dial-A-
Ride Facilities Capital Improvement funds were complemented by $155,114 of Federal
5317 funding to upgrade nine bus stops to be ADA accessible.
• Transfort re-surfaced roadway and pavement at the Mall Transfer Point – $7,250.
• Transfort is partially funding the Remington / Green Street planning – $5,000.
Transfort’s focus is on improving bus stop amenities on this corridor.
• Impact: KFCG funding has provided safer pedestrian access at the Mall Transfer
Point.
Transfort Marketing (Offer 119.12)
2013 Original Budget: $60,080 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $7,505
• Through December 2013, $7,505 of the 2013 budget had been spent on marketing
and public outreach activities specifically related to the MAX project. Staff anticipates
that all 2013 funding will be spent by May 2014, just prior to the launch of MAX.
• Impact: By directing KFCG funding toward educating and informing the public about
the new MAX Bus Rapid Transit system, the City is striving to ensure success for the
system and in turn, maximize current and future development activity near the
corridor.
Police (17%)
Community and Neighborhood Livability
Police Campus West District 6 Staffing (Offer 245.1)
2013 Original Budget: $544,748 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $552,680
• Currently there are four officers funded by this offer assigned to provide additional
service to the Campus West area. The challenge is to keep these resources
dedicated to the area when calls for service in other areas of the city require
personnel.
• During the fall of 2013 additional police officers were deployed on the night watch to
provide increased visibility and enforcement of party complaints, alcohol violations,
disturbances and property crimes in Campus West.
• Impact: Greater police presence that helped manage activity in this busy area.
Officers had 644 contacts with the public and calls for service in the area from
August-October, increasing service response in these neighborhoods.
• Impact: Greater visibility in the area allowing neighbors to see the officers in their
neighborhood.
Page 8 of 24
Safe Community
Neighborhood Policing (Offer 133.1)
2013 Original Budget: $1,383,890 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $1,391,316
In 2014, a $50,000 crime analytics software capital purchase helped implement data-
driven policing. The funds remaining in the KFCG vehicle offer allowed for this purchase
without having to ask for money from Police KFCG reserves.
• This offer currently funds:
o Six officers and a sergeant in the Neighborhood Enforcement Team (NET)
o Three out of eight officers in the District One (D1) Downtown policing team
o A lieutenant in charge of all community policing teams (NET, D1 and
School Resource Officers) and special event planning
o Two officers in the Patrol Division schedule
• Neighborhood Enforcement Team (NET): The team was created to dig deeper into
neighborhood issues than a patrol officer responding to a call for service generally
has time to do.
• Impact: NET made 167 arrests and issued 143 summonses for violations.
• Impact: Through intensive work with two large apartment complexes, NET reduced
the call load at these locations by more than 25 percent. NET continues to work with
several multi-family complexes to reduce calls for service and increase the quality of
life in these areas.
• Impact: Recovered more than 75 stolen bicycles and made several arrests of bicycle
theft repeat offenders.
• Impact: Informed neighborhoods and individuals about vehicle trespass and burglary
prevention, leading to multiple arrests and a decrease in these crimes.
• Impact: Shut down three massage parlors engaged in prostitution and found
evidence of human trafficking in two of them.
• Impact: NET worked on 24 neighborhood drug complaints, including one involving
the arrest of suspects who were providing marijuana to high school students.
• The District One (D1) team continued to improve safety in the Downtown area using
three additional officers funded by KFCG.
• Impact: The D1 team proactively initiated 1,717 contacts and cases, compared to
441 calls that the team was dispatched to.
• Impact: Reduced disturbance calls in the Downtown area, primarily during bar
closing hours. In 2012 there were 900 disturbance calls Downtown, down 18 percent
from 2011, and in 2013 the number of disturbances declined by 6 percent to 842
calls. Assault cases Downtown decreased 29 percent in 2013.
• Impact: Deployed a second dayshift officer to address an increasing number of
transient and homeless issues. There were 272 calls related to transients in 2013.
Patrol Vehicle Purchase, Management, Maintenance and Fuel (Offer 133.2)
2013 Original Budget: $189,736 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $130,528
• This offer provides vehicles for the officers funded in Offer 133.1 above.
• Because vehicles are issued as new recruits graduate the field training officer
program, and staffing levels are in flux throughout the year, cars are only ordered on
an as-needed basis. Sometimes this means a KFCG officer drives a vehicle that
was purchased with General Fund money until ordering a new vehicle is necessary.
• The remaining KFCG vehicles needed were ordered in 2014.
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• Impact: Expenditures from funds allocated for vehicles under KFCG were used to
purchase, manage, maintain and fuel vehicles leased or purchased in accordance
with the aforementioned policy and KFCG positions.
Police Information Services (Offer 171.1)
2013 Original Budget: $424,720 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $420,630
• This covers five additional dispatchers and one Police Records Specialist. All of
these positions have been hired and trained.
• Adding police officers increased the workload of support personnel and the additional
positions helped meet that need.
• Impact: The added personnel in dispatch contributed to a 60 percent reduction in
overtime costs, and increased efficiency in daily operations for our community and
agency personnel.
Property and Evidence Technician (Offer 171.2)
2013 Original Budget: $75,244 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $25,081
• This position was filled on Sept. 3, 2013. This accounts for the shortfall in the
encumbrances. The training for this position is complex and the new employee
should be fully trained by mid-2014.
• Demand on the Property and Evidence Unit continues to increase and this position is
assisting in meeting that increased work load. Property and evidence items
submitted increased by 17 percent in 2013. There was a 13 percent increase in
disposal of items in 2013.
• Impact: Increased service for officers and community members in booking and
keeping evidence for cases and returning found property or property held for safe
keeping to the rightful owners.
Crime Analyst (Offer 171.3)
2013 Original Budget: $94,545 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $92,655
• The addition of a Crime Analyst to the Patrol Division has been valuable. The Crime
Analyst, who started in July, has produced weekly crime reports for all areas of the
city and has issued crime bulletins specific to identified trends by analyzing
thousands of reported crimes.
• Impact: Allows officers to focus on specific and identified areas of reported criminal
activity, offenders and trends.
• Impact: Improves the efficiency of officers’ work and provides better intelligence-led
policing for our citizens and neighborhoods.
Police Criminal Investigative Services (Offer 219.1)
2013 Original Budget: $1,135,146 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $1,219,830
• The specialized training necessary to equip the newer KFCG detectives is
expensive. The Forensic Services Unit relies heavily on technology to stay on the
cutting edge of the industry. The Investigative Services offer went over the original
budget due to vital equipment costs.
• The underspending in the Investigations KFCG offer allowed the division to fund
some other needs of KFCG positions without having to ask for money from Police
KFCG reserves to balance the annual budget.
• Forensic Services Unit (two detectives and one sergeant)
o Processed major crime scenes, including complex sexual assaults,
burglaries, armed robberies and homicide cases.
Page 10 of 24
• Impact: Expertise resulted in better crime processing and collection of critical
evidence used by prosecutors in court cases.
• Four Investigative Aides
o These individuals provide administrative support to each investigative unit by
assisting in solving crimes, research, analysis, and providing information to
their related unit.
• Impact: Obtained evidence from cell phones used in criminal cases.
• Impact: Created a sex-offender management program through a web-based system
called Sex Offender Tracking and Registration (SOTAR) to help manage the 289
registered sex offenders in Fort Collins, and allow residents to view the database for
sex offenders living in the city.
• Impact: Processed 164 sexual assault evidence kits through the Colorado Bureau of
Investigation (CBI), enabling investigators to do their jobs more efficiently.
• Impact: Provided community outreach through various fliers and email distributions,
along with community business talks at pharmacies and banks.
• One Property Crimes Detective
This position helped lower the average case load for each detective.
Impact: Allows for improved customer service by allowing each detective to begin
investigations sooner and give additional attention to each case.
Impact: Increased our community outreach through robbery prevention
presentations.
• One Crimes Against Persons Detective
o This new detective has helped to address the increasing cases of sexual
assaults, aggravated assaults and child abuse investigations.
Impact: Improved service to crime victims by providing timely, exceptional customer
service to victims of violent crime.
• One Financial Crimes Detective
o Helped add a Certified Financial Examiner to the team.
Impact: Creates greater ability to investigate increasingly complex financial crimes
for both private and business victims.
• Two Criminal Detectives
o These detectives help to address gang criminal activity, fugitive apprehension
and repeat offenders, and to monitor of sex offenders.
• Impact: Improved compliance checks on sex offenders.
• Impact: Increased gang enforcement efforts and arrests of wanted fugitives.
• Impact: One FTE has been committed to marijuana-related activities.
Investigations Vehicle Purchase, Management, Maintenance and Fuel (Offer 219.2)
2013 Original Budget: $144,800 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $107,277
• During BFO these offers are crafted using a formula based on total need per car for
each position including: lease purchase, fleet services mileage charges to cover
maintenance, and repair and fuel costs.
• The type of vehicle used is based on any ancillary duties that individual has. For
instance, some of the KFCG positions are on the SWAT team and need secure
vaults in their cars to store weapons and other equipment. A bomb technician and
crime scene investigator also need more storage for tools and equipment.
• The one-to-one car plan allows officers that live within a defined radius to drive their
cars home. Where officers live, and how many miles they drive varies greatly across
the division. 2013 expenses were less than expected.
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• The seven detectives and one police supervisor in KFCG positions in the Criminal
Investigations Division are all assigned a police vehicle in accordance with FCPS
Policy #704, Assigned Vehicle Use.
• Impact: Expenditures from funds allocated for vehicles under KFCG were used to
purchase, manage, maintain and fuel vehicles leased or purchased in accordance
with the aforementioned policy and KFCG positions.
Investigative Services, Technical Services Specialist (Offer 219.3)
2013 Original Budget: $100,180 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $46,497
• On July 22, 2013 the Technical Services Specialist (TSS) position was filled. Along
with attending specialized training for this position, the TSS has supported all
investigative teams in standardizing the purchase and application of surveillance
technology.
• Impact: The TSS is important to repairing old technical items as well as researching
and procuring new devices that assist FCPS and its law enforcement partners.
Fire (11%)
Safe Community
Poudre Fire Authority Emergency Operations (Offer 222.5)
2013 Original Budget: $2,294,050 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $2,294,050
• Emergency operations support of 13 uniformed positions: Operations Division Chief,
South Battalion (four positions), one four-person company (three positions), Incident
Safety Officers (three positions) and replacement of two firefighter positions
previously vacated by attrition.
• Fire 20/20 diversity program, one-time Division Chief hiring costs, installing a
generator at the Office of Emergency Management, and maintenance at Stations 1-
4.
• Impact: Implementing the South Battalion has reduced battalion chief response time
to the south side of PFA’s jurisdiction by 24 percent since 2011. Generator
installation has eliminated recurrent temporary power outages, thereby keeping
computers and portable radios from crashing, and allows weather-related software to
run 24/7 providing dependable, critical data. Initiated a Fire Camp program for high
school students to help with long-term diversity recruiting.
Poudre Fire Authority Electronic Data Management (Offer 222.6)
2013 Original Budget: $124,523 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $0
• These funds were put in a capital project for continuation in 2014.
Page 12 of 24
Parks and Recreation (11%)
Culture and Recreation
Parks and Forestry Vehicle and Equipment Replacement (Offer 14.1)
2013 Original Budget: $123,757 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $123,757
• KFCG offer 14.2 replaced two mowers, one pickup and one large bucket truck for
Forestry and Parks Maintenance.
• These lease-purchased vehicles and mowers replaced old ones, thus reducing
maintenance costs and unexpected breakdowns for these operations.
Mulberry Pool Programs and Activities (Offer 48.4)
2013 Original Budget: $250,261 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $237,723
• KFCG provided wages for programming, facility and clerical staff in addition to
normal operating costs (communication services, office supplies, repair and
maintenance).
• Activities at Mulberry Pool include youth and adult swim lessons from basic learn-to-
swim through level five, water safety instruction, private lessons, and adaptive and
therapeutic aquatics. It also included birthday parties, group swim and team
practices.
• Impact: There were 151,961 visitors to this facility in 2013.
Adaptive Recreation Opportunities (ARO) (Offer 48.6)
2013 Original Budget: $199,996 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $191,925
• ARO provided more than 4,000 hours of inclusion support in 2013.
• Funds were also used to purchase adaptive equipment including an aquatic
wheelchair and other aquatic supplies (life jackets, lift handles, safety supplies), ice
skating glides, a crank cycle and a wheelchair lift.
• Impact: There were 8,520 participations that provided quality and equal opportunities
for recreation and leisure programs to youth and adults with disabilities.
Adaptive Recreation Opportunities .75 FTE Increase (Offer 48.7)
2013 Original Budget: $52,644 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $38,398
• Position was filled in March 2013.
• Impact: This position maintains service levels for ADA accommodation requests and
provides increased inclusion support for several programs, including Active Teen
Club, the Giant Friends Club, Unified Sports, Passport to Recreation, and the
Transition Profile referral program.
Senior Center Program Activities (Offer 49.7)
2013 Original Budget: $256,596 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $243,438
• Program activities supported by KFCG included adult outdoor recreation
opportunities, pool and aqua fitness, computer education classes, cooking,
retirement and financial planning, wellness and other general interest programs.
• Impact: There were 48,384 participations that offered learning opportunities,
physical health benefits, and social engagement.
Page 13 of 24
Northside Aztlan Clerical and Youth Programming Staff (Offer 50.4)
2013 Original Budget: $315,834 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $315,834
• KFCG provided wages for programming, facility and clerical staff in addition to
normal operating costs (communication services, office supplies, repair and
maintenance).
• Provided replacement/purchase of facility items, such as ping pong tables and
equipment, badminton standards, pool table cues and supplies, basketballs, and
general janitorial and health/safety supplies.
• Impact: Structured activity programs, transportation, and program supplies were
provided for 29,532 participations in activities including After School Enrichment,
Summer Playgrounds & Tot Lots, Ancianos senior programs, Teen Camps, special
programs and events.
Recreation Scholarships (Offer 51.5)
2013 Original Budget: $120,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $120,000
• Impact: 2,932 low income youth benefited from activity scholarships, participating in
programs ranging from aquatics to sports.
Recreation Equipment Replacement (Offer 51.7)
2013 Original Budget: $19,872 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $18,839
• Installed bio-cushion floor in fitness room at Northside Aztlan Community Center.
Memorial Parks (Offer 55.2)
2013 Original Budget: $100,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $100,000
• Full-time equivalent (FTE) position associated with this offer is filled with an
employee who would have been laid off if the Keep Fort Collins Great tax initiative
had not passed. This position provides year-round cemetery maintenance and burial
support, and helps supervise the seasonal workforce during the growing season.
• Hired a seasonal workforce to help maintain cemetery grounds during the growing
season.
• Impact: Burials were provided in a timely, professional manner and cemeteries were
well maintained throughout the year.
Park Infrastructure Renovation (Offer 81.4)
2013 Original Budget: $501,832 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $454,873
• Examples of completed lifecycle projects include:
o Replacing playground structures, safety surfaces, restroom fixtures, fencing and
roofs
o ADA Act upgrades
o Tennis and basketball court color coating
o Parking lot slurry and crack fill
o Ball field fencing and light replacement
• Due to the transition to a new Parks Project Manager, $46,959 will be re-
appropriated in 2014 to complete 2013 projects.
• Impact: Park facilities and infrastructure are repaired at an adequate level.
Page 14 of 24
Parks Seasonal Workers (Offer 81.5)
2013 Original Budget: $123,015 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $123,015
• Hired seasonal employees to provide park maintenance in the summer, including
restroom cleaning, mowing, trimming, trash collection, flower and shrub bed
maintenance, and ball field preparations.
• Impact: This seasonal workforce was essential for keeping the parks clean and well
maintained during the summer months.
Trail Construction and Maintenance of New Neighborhood Parks (Offer 81.6)
2013 Original Budget: $153,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $153,000
• Funding was used to continue the build out of the Fossil Creek Trail east of Zach
Core Knowledge School.
• Impact: An additional quarter mile of trail was built in accordance with the trail master
plan.
Neighborhood Parks (Offer 81.7)
2013 Original Budget: $91,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $91,000
• Funding was used to maintain Huidekoper and Radiant parks.
• Impact: KFCG tax dollars are the only funding source for these parks and allowed
the parks to be maintained at a level consistent with the rest of the park system.
New Park Maintenance (Offer 81.9)
2013 Original Budget: $10,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $10,000
• Funding helped maintain Trail Head Park.
• Impact: KFCG tax dollars are the only funding source for this park and allowed it to
be maintained at a level consistent with the rest of the park system.
The Gardens on Spring Creek (Offer 102.2)
2013 Original Budget: $100,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $100,000
• Funded a full-time position that would have otherwise been laid off. This employee
maintains the Children’s Garden, the greenhouse flower program and overall site
maintenance as needed.
• The Gardens are open seven days a week and staffed with hourly employees as
required.
• A Colorado State University (CSU) horticulture intern was hired to help maintain the
Gardens while earning credit to complete his bachelor’s degree.
• Impact: The Gardens is open seven days a week to the public during the growing
season and is maintained to the best management practices of a botanic garden.
Other Community Priorities (11%)
Community and Neighborhood Livability
West Central Neighborhood Plans Update (Offer 40.2)
2013 Original Budget: $135,500 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $0
• Project was put on hold in 2013 due to efforts related to the Student Housing Action
Plan (SHAP) and the Eastside/Westside Character Study. The delay provided
additional time for collaboration with CSU.
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• The scope of this plan update has been revised and renamed to the West Central
Area (Neighborhoods) Plan. The plan includes a significant transportation
component in addition to the traditional sub-area plan components.
• A project team has been formed and the scope for a Request for Proposal is
approaching the final draft stage.
• The public outreach program and triple-bottom-line analysis are a work in progress.
• Impact: The existing Plan is 15 years old. Given the City’s emphasis on infill versus
sprawl, CSU’s increased enrollment projections, the possibility of an on-campus
stadium and the introduction of the MAX BRT, it is now time to reassess plans and
policies so that the quality of life is preserved and enhanced.
Neighborhood Parking Permit Program (Offer 69.1)
2013 Original Budget: $50,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $49,467
• Significant work went into developing and establishing this new permit program.
Staff developed policies and procedures along with marketing and informational
materials for the program, and a website with program information.
• Through neighborhood meetings and written communication with neighborhood
residents, in late 2013 the first neighborhood program was instituted. Staff held
meetings with the next potential neighborhood, which is expected to implement the
program in early 2014.
• Impact: This program helps provide close and convenient on-street parking for
residents by reducing the volume and impact of non-resident vehicles in
neighborhoods.
Affordable Housing and Human Services (Offer 80.3, Offer 80.6)
2013 Original Budget: $250,047 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $250,047
• B.A.S.E. Camp - $55,000 for Childcare Scholarships:
o Funds provide scholarships to low-income families for before- and after-school
child care service. It provides full-day care for “school-out” days and the summer
break. It’s anticipated 192 children will receive services.
• ChildSafe - $5,133 for Sexual Abuse Treatment Program:
o ChildSafe provides treatment to children, teens and adults from low-income
families who have been sexually abused. Funding provides partial salaries for
therapy to at least 185 low-income children in Fort Collins.
• Food Bank for Larimer County - $27,000 for Kids Café:
Kids Café provides meals and snacks to children ages three to 18 who are food
insecure. The City provides funding for partial salaries for the Kids Café manager
and technician. An estimated 1,286 children will benefit from the program.
• Homelessness Prevention Initiative - $45,000 Emergency Rent Assistance:
o Emergency Rent Assistance provides up to $300 in temporary funding to cover
the cost of rent for families facing eviction; 450 individuals will benefit from these
funds.
• Neighbor to Neighbor – $30,000 for Rent Assistance:
o This program provides rent assistance and first month’s rent for residents who
need financial assistance to maintain housing. Clients are assisted with a one-
time $300 payment for rent assistance, and $450 toward a first month’s rent
payment. An estimated 220 residents (85 households) stand to benefit from the
program.
• Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center - $55,000 for Childcare
Scholarships:
Page 16 of 24
o Teaching Tree provides full-day early childcare and education programs. The
funding provides scholarships to low-income families to help subsidize the
difference between parental fees and the actual cost of care for 55 children.
• Volunteers of America (VOA) - $33,600 for Home Delivered Meal Program:
o VOA delivers basic meals to frail, low-income and minority seniors. The Home
Delivered Meal program provides five to seven free, nutritious frozen meals per
week to homebound and geographically isolated members of our community.
The funding supplements the actual cost of meals provided for 11,390 home
delivered meals ($2.95/meal) to Fort Collins seniors.
Social Sustainability Gap Analysis (Offer 80.4)
2013 Original Budget: $75,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $74,314
• This offer provides funding for the non-personnel costs to complete the analysis of
current conditions and gaps in social sustainability. The purpose of the study is to
determine steps necessary in moving from the current state to a desired future state
of communitywide and organization-wide social sustainability. At its core are two
questions: ''Where are we?'' and ''where do we want to be?''
• The gap analysis report will include identifying priorities and levels of investment of
time, money and human resources to achieve social sustainability. It will also offer
understanding of how a specific or group of actions, solutions or strategies meets a
targeted need. The report will also provide a set of metrics to measure the
performance of the organization and community in reaching targeted results over
time.
• Investigation topics include, but are not limited to: affordable housing, families, aging,
human services funding, health and wellness, local food production, homelessness,
integration with schools, citizen participation and involvement, early childhood care
and education, volunteerism, the social relationships that create a sense of
community, and sense of place.
• The Gap Analysis Study used existing data to identify the level of need, what
services already exist and at what level. The report also, when possible, identifies
the scope of the existing gap and/or barriers to fully meeting the need in our
community.
• The Gap Analysis provides the Social Sustainability Department the information
needed to develop a strategic plan for the next three to five years. It provides the
Department a baseline to track its effectiveness.
Culture and Recreation
4th of July (Offer 81.8)
2013 Original Budget: $52,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $52,000
• Funding went toward the 2013 4th of July fireworks celebration.
• In addition, a there was a $25,000 donation by United Health Care. Not all the
funding from KFCG was needed, and $18,232 is being returned to the KFCG Fund.
• Impact: Provided the community with a successful event.
Forestry Restored Prior-Year Reductions/Increased Tree Pruning (Offer 195.1)
2013 Original Budget: $119,233 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $119,233
• There were 666 trees pruned and 42 removed.
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• Impact: Tree pruning and removal work addressed public safety and improved tree
health and aesthetics.
Economic Health
Additional Support for Cluster Development (Offer 6.5)
2013 Original Budget: $100,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $115,000
• Funding leveraged contributions from seven other communities to expand the reach
of local musicians, aided in funding an international conference with 600 attendees,
and supported the continued efforts of several cluster organizations.
• Extends the funding made available through the General Fund for target industry
cluster support.
• Specifically intended to support additional investment in Clean Energy and Water
Innovation, local food systems, and other emerging clusters.
• Impact: Funded a variety of projects including:
Spokes Buzz – Band Swap 25,000.00
Net Zero Cities Sponsor 20,000.00
Farm Incubator Project 12,500.00
RMI Software Industries and Programs 5,000.00
Clean Energy and Water Innovation Cluster Encumbrances 50,000.00
Utilities Water Project Encumbrance (2012 Carry Forward) 3,000.00
115,500.00
Business Retention and Expansion (Offer 6.6)
2013 Original Budget: $60,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $51,180
• Expanded the City’s business retention and expansion approach by traveling to
Research Triangle Partnership in North Carolina to learn from peers. Hosted a
business appreciation event with 160 attendees, and supported enhanced efforts by
the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation (NCEDC).
• Impact: Expanded funding for Business Retention and Expansion activities
including:
NCEDC 40,000.00
Business Appreciation Breakfast 6,731.41
InnovationNews: Leonardo DaVinci Sponsor 2,000.00
Personnel postings 7.61
Trade Mission 2,440.65
51,179.67
Support Local Retail & Gigabit University (Offer 6.11)
2013 Original Budget: $50,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $25,000
• Provided funding for three additional winter markets. Offset the cost of a booth for
bicycle manufacturers at InterBike, and supported advertising encouraging residents
to shop in Fort Collins.
• Intended to fund the development of community assets and infrastructure necessary
to support the region’s employers and talent.
• Since the Gig U project did not move forward in 2013 due to scoping issues, these
funds will be sought through re-appropriation for 2014 activities.
• Impact: Funded a variety of projects intended to support local retail, including:
Winter Markets 15,000.00
RMI Bicycle Industry Alliance 5,000.00
Page 18 of 24
Shop Fort Collins First 5,000.00
Gig U ($20,000 will be requested for re-appropriation in 2014) 0.00
25,000.00
Downtown Botanical/Flower Program and Cleaning (Offer 15.4)
2013 Original Budget: $183,600 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $183,600
• Planted and maintained flowers during the growing season in 4,377 square feet of
flower beds, 46 hanging pots and 162 pots.
• Cleaning between blocks along College Avenue included eight power washings,
daily tree grate cleaning, and cigarette/trash pickup.
• Impact: The Downtown cleanliness and flower program continues to make
Downtown an inviting place for residents and tourists.
Lincoln Triangle Strategic Plan and Lincoln Boulevard Plan (Offer 92.1)
2013 Original Budget: $123,700
• Please see Other Transportation – Economic Health for information on this offer.
Historic Preservation Programming (Offer 168.2)
2013 Amended Budget: $249,928 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $180,908
• Increased Historic Preservation staffing levels from 1 FTE to 2 FTE.
• Impact: Development and permit reviews take half the time previously required.
Retained the City’s continued standing as a Certified Local Government. Managed
grants and loans encouraging building rehabilitation. Promoted neighborhood
compatibility through ongoing historic survey, design review and incentives.
• $54,467 of the 2013 KFCG funds was allocated as the local match for nine different
grants and loans.
• Impact: These funds are being leveraged at a ratio of more than $1 KFCG funds to
$3 grant and owner’s match to support sustainable building rehabilitation and
proactively identify historic properties.
• Recipients of Landmark Rehabilitation loans have two years in which to complete
work. In 2013, 11 grants were awarded; four additional loans have been awarded so
far in 2014.
• Impact: These loans, which require a minimum of an equal owner match, have
generated more than $3 million dollars in rehabilitation work since 1995.
• The Design Assistance Program (DAP) addresses compatibility issues in the
Eastside and Westside Neighborhoods by incentivizing the use of pre-qualified
professionals experienced in context-sensitive design.
• Impact: To date in 2013 and 2014, 20 properties have benefitted from this program.
• $6,000 of KFCG funds was allocated for an independent professional property
survey. In 2013, a portion of these funds was expended on the survey of five Old
Town Historic National Register District properties, located adjacent to the proposed
Downtown hotel.
• Impact: Staff has independent, supportable documentation on properties that will be
affected by the proposed development, which will greatly expedite the review
process.
• Funds allocated in 2013 that have not yet been spent are primarily matching grant
funds allocated, but not yet encumbered due to the timing of grant rounds. Funds for
Landmark Rehabilitation Loan Program grants have not yet closed. We will request
these funds be re-encumbered for allocation in 2014.
Page 19 of 24
Environmental Health
Municipal Sustainability Innovation Fund (Offer 9.2)
2013 Original Budget: $100,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $91,121.68
• City Council approved $100,000 in KFCG funding to identify and implement
innovative improvements in the City’s physical plant and operating procedures that
are not otherwise funded. In 2013, the interdepartmental selection committee
received and evaluated 22 proposals submitted by City employees, and selected
nine for funding, including:
o Transition to electronic plan review at the Development Review Center
o Building efficiency improvements based on energy, water, waste audits
o Demonstration low-impact development “rain garden”
o McClelland Creek streamside habitat restoration
o Greenhouse Gas Emission Management System [GEMS] improvements
o Replace Parks maintenance 2-stroke engine equipment with battery-powered
units
o Solar-powered traffic control trailer for forestry operations
o Bicycle fleet at Utilities Service Center
o Local foods purchasing policy
Road to Zero Waste (Offer 9.5)
2013 Original Budget: $70,000 Expenses: $45,717
(Savings of $24,282.83 requested to be reappropriated in 2014 for IRF Project)
• The Road to Zero Waste offer contains a combination of new projects, including a
master planning process held in 2013 to establish where the community wants to be
in the next 5-10 years for waste reduction and landfill diversion. The offer is also
designed to: create opportunities for specific types of problematic waste; support
local builders’ compliance with 2012 building code requirements to recycle materials
from construction sites, and support the community’s implementation of cardboard
recycling systems in compliance with the 2013 ban on landfill disposal of cardboard.
• Funds paid for an extensive public involvement process and consulting work for a
report called Fort Collins’ Road to Zero Waste.
• The policy development project was assigned in 2012, after documenting the
community’s achievement of a 50 percent waste diversion goal originally set by City
Council in 1999.
• Impact: In December, Council reviewed the Road to Zero Waste report and voted to
adopt new zero waste goals based on staff recommendations.
Climate Adaptation Planning (Offer 82.1)
2013 Original Budget: $50,000 Expenses: $45,501
• The City of Fort Collins, along with two contracted consultants, held two workshops
in the fourth quarter of 2013 to inform and assess the risks and vulnerabilities of City
services and infrastructure to changing climates. The workshops brought together 20
City representatives, including Service Area Directors, to learn more about specific
projected impacts to water resources, fire and flood risk, increased temperature and
extreme events and conditions that might negatively affect the community. Regional
representatives included Larimer County and the City of Loveland. The result was a
list of risks and vulnerabilities, strategies, barriers and opportunities for collaboration.
The City will consider this information when making future environmental decisions.
Page 20 of 24
• Completed risk and vulnerability assessments for participating divisions that can be
referenced for planning and budget offers.
• The Project Lead from Environmental Services connected with multiple departments
and built relationships to assist in future collaborative efforts.
• Combined $2,500 with funds from the Office of Economic Health to assist in the
development of a Net Zero Water Planning Tool by the Colorado Water Innovation
Cluster, which will offer climate adaptation solutions to both the City and other
regional and national partners.
• Used $1,000 to commission the Fort Collins Extreme Heat Study by Rocky Mountain
Climate Organization (RMCO) with a significant in-kind donation from RMCO. This
study, released Feb. 3, is already generating opportunities to collaborate with other
departments and organizations to the benefit of the City and other regional partners.
• Can better plan for the future.
Environmental Sustainability Web Portal and Green Purchasing Website (Offer
82.5)
2013 Original Budget: $82,117 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $25,656
• A new Environmental Web portal (fcgov.com/enviro) began in July 2013 and offers
one-stop-shop information for the public about the City’s environmental resources
and services. The new web portal features eight areas: air quality, climate protection,
energy, green building, land, transportation, recycling and water.
• Hired an outside marketing firm to craft a new environmental web portal; a small
portion of the funding was used to video tape information to be featured on the
portal.
• Purchasing developed an sustainable purchasing web page
(fcgov.com/purchasing/environment) that is linked through the new web portal.
• We did not spend all the money because we are waiting until the entire fcgov.com
revision is complete before beginning Phase II revisions of the environmental web
portal.
Green Purchasing (Offer 85.1)
2013 Original Budget: $88,028 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $88,028
• Developed definitions to classify green spending by commodity to set the foundation
for sustainable metrics and spending analysis.
• Benchmarked sustainable purchasing practices with best–in-class peers.
• Mandated Office Depot for all office supply purchases. Increased green spending
with Office Depot from 31 percent in Q1 to 43percent in Q4.
• Mandated 30 percent Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) paper, and increased PCR
use from 57 percent in Q1 to 85 percent in Q4.
• Launched external sustainable purchasing website with environmental web portal
links.
• Enrolled in the State Electronics Challenge and submitted a 2013 benchmark report.
ClimateWise (Offer 104.2)
2013 Original Budget: $75,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $75,000
• Hourly assistance (also shared with Utilities groups): To help with continuous support
for business partners, volunteer coordination, data and database management.
Supports project reporting manages Constant Contact program and ongoing
communication to partners. Includes: website management, Facebook page
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management, new partner assistance, program representation at local events,
scheduling and conducting meetings and presentations, business partner
recruitment, coordinated legal document development, document program
processes, assistance with assessment implementation/technical analysis, and
more.
• Events: Held project reporting workshops for businesses focusing on data quality
with real-time entry, thus increasing quality and quantity of reported efficiency of
1,250 projects with a savings to businesses of $14 million. Hosted annual recognition
and recruitment event and regional Business Innovation Fair for ongoing community
engagement.
• Facilitated assistance for the ClimateWise Advisory Committee for program planning
and Advisory sub-committee management, including the development of innovative
pilot programs identified as important by stakeholders. Staff also worked with Caros
Consulting to reduce staff time for partner employee challenge support by beginning
Phase 1 development an online tool for ClimateWise contacts to report metrics and
participation.
• Impact:
o Continued improvements to ensure a highly functional database
(myClimateWise) for managing all ongoing partner relationship information
o Centralized data platform modified to be more robust and allow easier access to
various forms of data used mostly for internal analysis
o Planned external (i.e., partner) historical data-tracking feature has been
developed and is scheduled for deployment in 2014, making the system fully
functional and providing public partners with a feedback loop of activity
o Ongoing communication improvements and information tracking continues to
save hundreds of staff hours.
o Further integration the GHG Baseline tool, which was previously based outside of
the database is currently in design, with deployment scheduled for summer 2014.
Oil & Gas Liaison (Offer 197.2)
2013 Original Budget: $40,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $18,198
• Staff spent the majority of 2013 developing policy on this issue, securing an operator
agreement and navigating a community election and related legal activities. A
moratorium is now in place for all hydraulic fracturing within the City of Fort Collins
and will remain in place for up to five years. This moratorium stops the current
operator from using hydraulic fracturing to enhance existing wells or to drill new
ones. However, the operator is still required to comply with best practices agreed to
in the operator agreement. Air quality and baseline testing is underway. The City
purchased equipment, and contractor services are underway. Staff will request
remaining funds for re-appropriation to 2014 to allow for groundwater baseline
testing.
• Impact: Ensures the health and safety of the community, as well as the use of best
practices through related policies and the local operator agreement.
Ecosystem Response Model (Offer 218.2)
2013 Original Budget: $100,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $29,947
• Model development continues, and final edits will be made in January or February
2014.
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• Impact: The model will likely help analyze or develop mitigation strategies for the
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Northern Integrated
Supply Project. Publication is expected in the fall of 2014.
Poudre River Instream Flows (Offer 218.3)
2013 Original Budget: $100,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $80,000
• An outside consulting firm is continuing to work on a study to identify opportunities to
re-engineer water deliveries and identify opportunities to improve flows.
Poudre River Restoration and Rehabilitation (Offer 218.4)
2013 Original Budget: $400,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $400,000
• Impact: Funded two projects, which are both are under construction: the Sterling
Pond/Josh Ames project upstream of Shields Street and the McMurray Pond Natural
Area project below Shields.
NEW Environmental Data (2012 Re-appropriation)
2013 Original Budget: $15,468 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $14,897
• KFCG funding supports the Environmental Data Analyst and recurring data
collection, validation and entry; quality assurance/quality control; data archival;
statistical analysis; graphing and reporting. Database management for City carbon
accounting includes data security, recovery, metadata maintenance, data retrieval,
exporting and queries. Carbon accounting also includes researching and updating
carbon accounting protocols.
• In 2013, the community and municipal carbon accounting protocols were updated to
become compliant with the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives
(ICLEI) Community Protocol and the Local Government Operations Protocol (LGOP).
• Impact: Database enhancements included a new carbon reductions archival function
in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management System (GEMS) database, and
work is underway to provide detailed municipal fleet fuels carbon data and a new
carbon reductions and emissions calculator to GEMS.
NEW Waste Reduction & Recycling Assistance (Offer 9.1) (2012 Reappropriation)
2013 Amended Budget: $3,775 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $3,591
• This funding supports the Waste Reduction and Recycling Assistance Program
(WRAP), which is focused on increasing recycling and composting among
businesses and apartment complexes. WRAP started in 2012 and provides
specialized educational material, on-site waste assessments, and financial incentives
to encourage businesses and apartment complexes to sign up for recycling or
composting services. Funds were rolled over from 2012 and were used in 2013.
• Staff designed and printed recycling guidelines signs and educational materials for
use by (WRAP) participants.
• Staff bought a tablet computer for field use during WRAP waste assessments, which
cut in half the time needed to gather data and generate customer reports.
• Impact: More than 11,000 apartment complex residents or business employees have
been impacted by new or improved recycling programs by working with WRAP.
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NEW Environmental Services - Healthy Sustainable Homes Marketing (2012 Re-
appropriation)
2013 Amended Budget: $7,799 Total 2013 Expenditure: $6,800
• Funds were used to develop new marketing and training materials to better meet
program needs. As with any new program, staff is constantly learning about public
and volunteer needs. It was apparent staff needed to recreate marketing materials.
In an effort to thoughtfully move forward, they conducted focus groups and a
strategic planning session with staff, volunteers and a communications consultant
group, Caros Consulting. As a result of this strategic planning, staff decided to
revamp the volunteer training program to be more experiential, using Cloud 9 Course
Design, and refocus program design exclusively on indoor air quality.
• More effective and relevant training program for the volunteers including more visual
and hands-on techniques
• Created normative and consistent messaging points for program use in
presentations and marketing materials
• Exclusive focus on indoor air quality
• Clearer messaging for residents and volunteers
High Performing Government
Public Engagement Program (Offer 3.2)
2013 Original Budget: $35,276 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $19,478
• In 2011, City Council identified the need to develop a strategic framework for
community involvement organization-wide. In response, City staff developed a Public
Engagement Strategic Plan to accomplish the following goals: 1) better equip City
staff to successfully manage public engagement projects, 2) foster an engaged
citizenry, and 3) ensure accountability through improved reporting. KFCG funding
supported implementing important elements of the Public Engagement Strategic
Plan by funding the creation and implementation of the Idea Lab public engagement
platform, a web-based tool that stimulates and enables transparent public dialogue
among residents and City staff on important community issues. In addition, the
Communications & Public Involvement Office (CPIO) used KFCG funds to conduct
13 road show events with more than 500 community members to gather public
opinion regarding City priorities for the next three to five years. Target demographics
included: low-income, homeless and near homeless, Latinos, seniors, youth,
business community, and boards and commissions. With further outreach and
publicity, benefits of the tool to the community and to City staff and leadership will
increase substantially.
• In the 2013, Citizen Survey Fort Collins was ranked No. 2 in the nation for
“welcoming citizen involvement” and for “listening to citizens” and No. 1 in Front
Range jurisdictions in both of those measures.
• Public Engagement efforts funded through this offer informed ELT and City staff of
the community’s thoughts on what should be the City’s top three priorities within the
next five years.
• With Idea Lab, the City now has an easy-to-use, visible platform that highlights staff
and leadership’s commitment to listening to the community.
• Idea Lab enables the public to engage with the City on a schedule that works best for
them, and thus increases potential participation from hard-to-reach populations.
• Impact: The community has embraced embrace the platform with 2,331 visitors and
17,221 page views in the first year of implementation. With nearly 200 ideas
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submitted so far, the effort strengthens overall community engagement outside of
controversial issues.
E-Government Contract Services (Offer 29.2)
2013 Original Budget: $61,400 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $59,790
• Provided 2,113 hours of web content support.
• Impact: Allowed web architects to focus on development and upgrades for the
Environmental Web Portal, Transfort Bus Tracker, Flood Warning System Map 2.0,
Utilities Service Requests and CityNet redesign.
Sustainability Strategic Plan (Offer 238.2)
2013 Original Budget: $100,000 Expenses and/or Encumbrances: $73,970
• The primary tasks of the Sustainability Services Area are to understand the many
good efforts that are already underway across the City; add high impact programs;
and create a strategic, comprehensive and durable sustainability plan. In February
2012, a Sustainability Strategic Plan Charrette took place with an estimated 40 City
employees. The charrette engaged employees from virtually every City department
and was devoted to beginning the development of a strategic plan for sustainability.
The charrette outcome established the framework for a Community Sustainability
Strategic Plan, but it has not yet been vetted with the public, or the rest of the
municipal organization. This proposal is to capitalize on the work from the charrette
to further refine the plan into a comprehensive community Sustainability Strategic
Plan, and begin implementing the findings. Work on the plan is scheduled to begin
in March 2014.
• Provided direction and priority for the new Social Sustainability Department’s work
plan for enhancing and improving community sustainability.
• Clearly communicate the process of collaboration among the Social Sustainability
Department and internal and external stakeholders.
1
2013 Annual Keep Fort Collins Great
(KFCG) Report to the Community
City Council Work Session
March 25, 2014
2
Keep Fort Collins Great (KFCG)
0.85% sales and use tax ballot initiative
approved by voters on Nov. 2, 2010
Ø 8.5 cents on a $10 purchase
Provisions:
Ø How will the dollars be allocated
Ø Sunsets after 10 years
Ø Annual •requirement • How Overall the reporting City funds cost were savings spent initiatives and efficiencies
3
KFCG Revenue Allocation
Ballot language designations:
• 33% - Street Maintenance and Repair
• 17% - Other Transportation Needs
• 17% - Police Services
• 11% - Fire Services
• 11% - Parks Maintenance and Recreation
• 11% - Other Community Priorities as
Determined by City Council
4
KFCG Revenue
Ø Originally budgeted 2013 KFCG sales and
use tax revenue = $21.1 million
Ø Actual 2013 KFCG sales and use tax
revenue = $22.8 million
• $7.5M - Street Maintenance and Repair
• $3.9M - Other Transportation
• $3.9M - Police Services
• $2.5M - Fire Services
• $2.5M - Parks Maintenance and Recreation
• $2.5M - Other Community Priorities
5
KFCG Actual Revenue & Expenses
All values in $M 2013
Beginning
Fund
2013 Actual
Revenue
2013
Actual
Expenses
2013 Ending
Fund
Balance
Street Maintenance & Repair $1.2 $7.5 $7.1 $1.6
Other Transportation $3.7 $3.9 $2.8 $4.8
Police Services $2.9 $3.9 $3.9 $2.9
Fire Services $0.4 $2.5 $2.4 $0.5
Parks and Recreation $0.7 $2.5 $2.3 $1.0
Other Community Priorities $1.4 $2.5 $1.8 $2.1
$10.3 $22.8 $20.3 $12.8
Notes:
2013 actuals are preliminary until year end accounting is finalized
Rounding may cause number in the table to not sum correctly
6
KFCG Fund Balance Summary
Increase in fund balance primarily driven by multi-
year capital projects and unanticipated revenue
All Values in $M
KFCG Fund Balance as of 12/31/12 $10.3
Total Unexpensed Funds for 2013 $0.7
2013 Unanticipated Revenue $1.8
Projected KFCG Fund Balance as of 12/31/13 $12.8
7
KFCG Fund Balance Summary
KFCG fund balance available for future
appropriation is much less than total fund balance
All Values in $M
Projected KFCG Fund Balance as of 12/31/13 $12.8
Committed, Non-Lapsing Funds ($3.5)
Committed Encumbrances ($2.0)
Committed Use of Reserves for 2013-14 Budget ($1.9)
Total Committed KFCG Funds ($7.4)
Uncommitted KFCG Fund Balance as of 12/31/13
(Does not include 2014 Reappropriation requests) $5.4
8
KFCG - Street Maintenance and Repair
KFCG funding is
crucial to maintain a
Level of Service
(LOS) B for City
road surfaces.
9
KFCG - Street Maintenance and Repair
KFCG funded the
resurfacing of an
additional 69 lane
miles of roadway and
the installation of
durable pavement
markings on 38
centerline miles of
streets.
10
KFCG - Other Transportation
Support the City’s ongoing
traffic signal and signal
controller replacement.
Ø New cabinets and new underground
wiring at Remington/Prospect and
Meldrum/Mulberry
Ø ADA-Compliant Accessible Pedestrian
Detectors at Timberline/Horsetooth
Ø Advanced Vehicle Detection Radar
System at College/Trilby
11
KFCG - Other Transportation
Contributed to bridge
replacement and repair
program:
Ø West Prospect bridge replacement
Ø Bryan bridge replacement (City Park)
Ø Arthur Ditch replacement at Myrtle
Street
Ø Arthur Ditch replacement at Mountain
Avenue
12
KFCG - Other Transportation
Safe Routes to School
Program
Ø Reached 13,753 students and 1,961
adults through its outreach activities.
Bike Programs
Ø Bike Library registered 4,264 new
members in 2013, for a total
membership of 20,157. The Bike
Library logged 4,596 check-outs in
2013.
Ø FC Bikes Program expanded and
enhanced its outreach efforts,
including skills classes for cyclists.
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KFCG – Police Services
District One - As a result of additional KFCG officers
assigned to District One:
Ø 23.3% reduction in disturbance calls on Thursday night through
Saturday from 2011 to 2013
Ø 29% reduction in assault cases from 2012 to 2013
Ø Dayshift officer assigned to address an increasing number of
transient issues; there were 272 calls related to this in 2013.
1,098
calls in 2011
842
calls in 2013
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KFCG – Police Services
Neighborhood Enforcement Team - as a result of
additional KFCG officers assigned to NET:
Ø NET made 167 arrests and issued 143 summonses for
violations
Ø Recovered more than 75 stolen bicycles and made several
bicycle theft repeat offenders arrests
Ø Shut down three massage parlors engaged in prostitution and
found evidence of human trafficking in two of them
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KFCG – Police Services
Ø Created a sex-offender management program
through a web-based system called Sex Offender
Tracking and Registration (SOTAR ) to help manage
the 289 registered sex offenders in Fort Collins, and
improved compliance checks.
Ø A new Certified Financial Examiner allowed FCPD to
investigate increasingly complex financial crimes.
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KFCG – Fire Service
80.8%
73.6%
70% 72% 74% 76% 78% 80% 82%
2013
2012
Percent Of Time PFA Fire Personnel
Are On Scene Within 5 Minutes 45
Seconds
Ø The new South Battalion
reduced battalion chief
response time to the
south side of PFA’s
jurisdiction by 24% since
2011.
Ø KFCG supports 13 uniformed positions
at PFA.
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KFCG – Parks and Recreation
Provided and supported:
Ø 2,932 scholarships for low-income youth and teens to
participate in recreation programs that would
otherwise not have been funded
Ø 4,000 hours of Adaptive Recreation Opportunity
inclusion for 8,520 participants
Ø 151,931 visits to Mulberry Pool
Ø Structured activity programs, transportation and
supplies for 29,532 Northside Aztlan Center visits
Ø Program activities, including aqua fitness, financial
planning, CPR and computer classes for 48,384
participants at the Senior Center
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KFCG – Parks and Recreation
Ø Vehicles and Equipment - Replaced two mowers, one
pickup and a large bucket truck for Forestry and Parks
Maintenance
Ø Continued build-out of Fossil Creek Trail east of Zach
Core Knowledge School
Ø The Gardens on Spring Creek saw 59,851
visits in 2013 – a 9.4% increase over 2012. The
Gardens provided 6,150 pounds of food to the
Larimer County Food Bank in 2013.
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KFCG-Other Community Priorities
Affordable Housing and Human Services:
Ø Funds provided scholarships to low-income families for before-
and after-school child care service, and provides full-day care for
“school-out” days and the summer break; 192 children are
expected to receive services.
Ø Kids Café provides meals and snacks to children ages 3 to 18
who are food insecure. The City is providing funding for partial
salaries for the Kids Café manager and technician. It is anticipated
that more than 1,286 children will benefit.
Ø Through KFCG funding, Volunteers of America delivered an
additional 11,390 home-delivered meals to low-income seniors.
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KFCG-Other Community Priorities
Ø Developed Neighborhood Parking Permit
Program - policies and procedures, along with
marketing and informational materials and a
website with program information
Ø Downtown Botanical/Flower Program and
Cleaning
• Planted flowers and maintained them during the growing
season in 4,377 square feet of flower beds, 162 pots, and
46 hanging pots.
• Cleaned between blocks along College Avenue, included
eight power washings, daily tree grate cleaning, and
cigarette/trash pickup.
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Cost Savings and Efficiencies
Ø Separated into four categories
• Cost savings, partnerships and leveraging resources
•
• Process and operational improvements
• Technology and upgrades
• Customer service
Ø Examples by category follow
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Cost Savings and Efficiencies
Ø Cost savings, partnerships and leveraging
Utilities has replaced more than 97% of meters with AMI
meters, resulting in $292,000 in staff cost savings, which is
expected to be greater in 2014 due to full-year
implementation.
Ø Process and operational improvements
In February 2013, Municipal Court began using an online
citation payment system, CitePay, which enhanced customer
service allowing early assessment citations payments 24/7,
interfaces with the Court’s software system, and
automatically completes the case disposition and closes the
case, saving staff time.
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Cost Savings and Efficiencies
Ø Technology and upgrades
The Engineering Department purchased a new Trimble
GPS Rover for field surveying, taking advantage of
significant advances in GPS technology, have found
increased efficiencies of 10–20% when using GPS, along
with an increase in data reliability.
Ø Customer service
The City Clerk created a web feature allowing voters to
quickly learn if their mail ballot was received by the City
Clerk’s office.
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KFCG – Online Reporting
Ø Online reporting for KFCG can be
found at: fcgov.com/kfcg
• Expense summary by offer
• Cost savings and efficiencies