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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/20/2001 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 31, 2001, APPROPRIA AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 27 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: February 20, 2001 STAFF: Marty Heffernan SUBJECT: First Reading of Ordinance No. 31,2001,Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in Various City Funds Representing a Donation from the Wilkins Charitable Trust. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Adoption of the Ordinance will appropriate unanticipated revenue from the Wilkins Charitable Trust in the amount of$235,000. The grant does not create a financial obligation on the apart of the City. n EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City has received a grant of $235,000 through the generosity of the Don and May Wilkins Charitable Trust. Don and May Wilkins moved to Fort Collins in 1937, and Mr. Wilkins was the editor of the Fort Collins Express Courier (now the Coloradoan) for over 30 years. The Wilkins created the Charitable Trust to provide support for cultural, charitable, literary, historic, and educational purposes in and around the Fort Collins area. The trust has shown a particular interest in achieving its objectives by funding a variety of City projects and services that benefit the Fort Collins community. These projects include the following: • $100,000 has been granted to improve the north shore of Sheldon Lake in City Park. The City has made a variety of improvements to the south and east lake shore, but did not have money to improve the north shore. The money from the Wilkins Trust will be used to construct a large plaza/walkway around this portion of the lake, install benches, trees, and landscaping. $50,000 for improvements to the Museum Courtyard. This money will be used, along with money raised by the Museum, to complete the installation of the Franz Cabin and to create a courtyard and new entryway into the Museum from the south. DATE: a ruary ITEM NUMBER: 27 • $25,000 for a Library/Museum Facility study. This money is to be used to fund a study of the existing main library to determine the feasibility of utilizing the main library building for the Fort Collins Museum in the event the Library vacates the building. The facility study would also look at other appropriate uses for the building in the event it were to be vacated. • $60,000 for fundraising services for a new Performing Arts Center from the North Group, Inc., a consulting firm. The Trust has stipulated that these funds will be used to hire the North Group to work with Fort Collins citizens interested in providing private funding for a new Performing Arts Center. The Wilkins Charitable Trust has also provided the newly formed Fort Collins Public Library Trust with a generous gift of$50,000. The Library Trust has been formed to provide financial support for the City's Library system. Council's adoption of this Ordinance will appropriate the $235,000 grant from the Wilkins Charitable Trust for the purposes outlined above. City staff wishes to express its deep appreciation for this generous donation from the Wilkins Charitable Trust and for the Trust's interest in CLRS projects and services. ORDINANCE NO. 31, 2001 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN VARIOUS CITY FUNDS REPRESENTING A DONATION FROM THE WILKINS CHARITABLE TRUST WHEREAS,Don and May Wilkins moved to Fort Collins in 1937,and Mr.Wilkins was the editor of the Fort Collins Express Courier(now the Coloradoan) for over 30 years; and WHEREAS,the Wilkins created a Charitable Trust to provide support for cultural,charitable, literacy, historic, and educational purposes in and around the Fort Collins area; and WHEREAS, the City received a donation of$235,000, in December of 2000, through the generosity of the Don and May Wilkins Charitable Trust; and WHEREAS, in furtherance of the Trust's objectives, the following projects and services benefiting the Fort Collins community are recommended for funding: Improvements to the north shore of Sheldon Lake in City Park $ 100,000 Museum Courtyard Improvements 50,000 Library/Museum Facility Study 25,000 Fundraising Services from The North Group for a New Performing Arts Center 60,000 Total $ 235,000 WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins (the "Charter") permits the City Council to appropriate by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year such funds for expenditure as may be available from reserves accumulated in prior years, notwithstanding that such reserves were not previously appropriated; and WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Council to appropriate the total amount of $235,000. representing a donation from the Don and May Wilkins Charitable Trust, as follows: $100,000 in the Capital Improvement Expansion Fund for improvements to Sheldon Lake; $110,000 in the Cultural Services and Facilities Fund for improvements to Museum courtyard ($50,000) and for fundraising services from the North Group for a new performing arts center($60,000); and$25,000 in the General Fund for a Library/Museum Facility study. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the Capital Improvement Expansion Fund the amount of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($100,000) to be used with existing appropriations for improvements to Sheldon Lake. Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the Cultural Services and Facilities Fund the amount of ONE HUNDRED TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($l 10,000) to be used as follows: Museum Courtyard Improvements $ 50,000 Fundraising Services from the North Group for a New Performing Arts Center 60,000 Total $ 110,000 Section 3. That there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the General Fund the amount of TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($25,000) to be used for a Library/Museum Facility Study. Introduced and considered favorable on first reading and ordered published this 20th day of February, A.D. 2001, and to be presented for final passage on the 6th day of March, A.D. 2001. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading this 6th day of March, A.D. 2001. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Rickards Long & Rulon, LLP Ceni ied Public Accountants and Business Consultants E-Mad: nckardss��a"loneimage.cam 970/493-"69•F.1:t 970/484-1992 315 W.Oak.Suite 100 Fort Collins,Colorado 80521 December 28, 2000 Alan Krcmarik City of Fort Colli 300 LaPorte A nue Fort Collins O 80521 Re: ilkins Trust Dear Mr. Kirchmarek: Our office serves as accountants for the Don and May Wilkins Charitable Trust. Accompanying this letter is a check in the amount of S235.000.00. This check is intended to fund projects as follows: I. Sheldon Lake Upgrades. As has been discussed with both Marty Heffernan and Mike Powers in the Parks department, the Wilkins Trust agreed previously this year to pay $100,000.00 . toward improvements to be installed on the north bank of Sheldon Lake. It is the Trust's understanding that the total cost of improvements to be installed to the area surrounding the lake will exceed $130.000 and that the balance of the costs will be paid by the City. Additionally, the Trust understands that the City, using separate funding sources, anticipates dredging or taking other steps which would address the condition of the lake itself and would minimize silt, algae and other scum in the lake waters. if the City could provide plans of improvements to be installed when those plans have been prepared, it would be appreciated. It is the Trusts' understanding that plaques will be placed on installed improvements recognizing this gift by Don and May Wilkins. 2. Museum Coumard Improvements. The Trust previously agreed to fund costs associated with providing improvements to the museum courtyard. In accordance with the proposal received from the museum, the museum agreed to raise matching funds to fund the balance of the improvements. The Trust was requested to provide funding of$25,000.00 per year in both 2000 and 2001. The Trust provided additional funding for courtyard improvements in 1999 and these funds were to be placed in an interest-bearing account with the interest being allocated to the museum. S50.000.00 of the enclosed check is to be placed in the same account, with interest being paid to the museum. to pay for the Trust's 2000 and 2001 commitments. The Trust would like to receive an accounting showing both interest earned in 1999 on the funds and expenditures of the 1999 funds, as well as a second accounting at the conclusion of 2001. 3. Librarv/Museum Facilities Studv. As has been discussed with members of the council, Mr. Fischbach, and Messrs. Powers and Heffernan, the Trust had anticipated providing funds for a new library facility. The proposed Amendment 24, as well as other complications, apparently stalled this project in 2000. It is the Trusts' understanding that it is anticipated that Members American Insnte;e ul'Cemiled Public AccounUms Colorado S,w:en of CmIlied Pd.hc accountants Alan Krcmarik December 28, 2000 Page 2 an expanded library facility,a new performingarts center and museum improvements/renovation will likely be placed on the November 2001 ballot. The Trust understands that the City is in need of a facilities study to define how the existing library facilities would be used in the event a new facility is constructed. $25,000.00 of the enclosed contribution is to be allocated to the new study; it is understood that the City will pay any costs of the study in excess of$25,000.00. This study needs to be completed by September of 2001 or the $25,000.00 must be returned to the Trust. 4. Performing Arts Center Fund Raiser. The Trust has been advised that the Fort Collins City Council has authorized supporters of the performing arts center to proceed with fund raising activities, with a goal of raising $6 million. Mike Powers has advised that the citizens' group which supported the new performing arts complex would like to retain the North Group, Inc. to manage the required fund raising. The Trust has advised that fees and costs for the proposed fund raising efforts will be approximately $60,000. The final component of the enclosed check represents this $60,000.00 amount. As a condition to funding this component. the City must ensure that the fund raisers' efforts are focused on promoting the performing arts center project while recognizing the need for the library and museum projects to proceed simultaneously. The Trust recognizes that the perfonming arts center will require substantially more public funding than likely will be required by either the library or the museum. Nonetheless, both the museum and library anticipate ongoing fund raising projects,and the fund raisers'efforts need to take into account and coordinate fund raising efforts that likely will be ongoing for all three facilities, rather than fund raising for the performing arts center to the detriment of library or museum efforts. As has been discussed with various City representatives.the Trust previously expected to allocate excess 2000 revenues towards the library project. Based upon the inability to commence the library project,the Trust has awarded grants in 2000 to other recipients. including the Fort Collins Public Library Trust. If the City is able to identify a library site by early next year and steps can be taken to ensure that the library project is proceeding.the Trust would he willing.early in 200 t. to discuss possible additional grants for the library early next year. Sincerely yours. Rickards Long & Rulon. LLP y / % Lauren Long LL:Ihm Enclosure