HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/15/2011 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 159, 2011, APPROPRIDATE: November 15, 2011
STAFF: Mike Beckstead
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 16
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 159, 2011, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the General Fund for Transfer to
Various City Funds for Tree and Branch Cleanup Expenses.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Due to the snowstorm on October 25 and 26, 2011, the City has incurred unanticipated costs associated with the tree
and branch cleanup. This appropriation request will be used for the incremental costs (direct costs) associated with
the cleanup effort but not covered in the operating budget. This includes personnel overtime and planned "work for
other departments" costs that cannot be recouped, as well as other incremental costs associated with contractors,
equipment rental, fuel, etc. that are uniquely and directly related to the snowstorm cleanup.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The snowstorm began Tuesday evening, October 25, 2011 and lasted until Wednesday afternoon, October 26, 2011.
Over that time period, 6 inches to 9 inches of heavy wet snow fell across the City. Warm pavement conditions made
snow removal easier, but heavy snow damaged trees throughout northern Colorado. Additionally, 15 minor power
outages were reported and resolved.
There was extensive damage to trees throughout Fort Collins that impacted rights of way, residential areas, City trees,
City parks, cemeteries, golf courses and downtown Fort Collins. The organization quickly transitioned from snow
removal to debris cleanup mode to restore power, clear roads of debris and address critical safety hazards.
The Utilities Light and Power crews also provided regional assistance to other northern Colorado cities in need. Over
300 work hours were provided to help restore power across the region.
The City has offered to pick up residents’ downed limbs within the City limits or residents can drop branches off at the
City’s Hoffman Mill Crushing Facility. This multi-week effort began on October 31, 2011 and will continue through the
end of the year. Tree pruning activities will extend well into 2012.
The table below displays preliminary cost estimates for the tree and branch cleanup. The total appropriation requested
from General Fund reserves is a maximum of $1.3 million. Approximately $100,000 of the incremental cost, as
indicated in the table below, is associated with Utilities Fund expenses. Those specific amounts are still being
determined and will reduce the requested appropriation from General Fund reserves. These amounts will be finalized
and incorporated in the second reading.
Department/Division Redeployed Cost Incremental
Cost
Total Cost
Streets & Utilities $52 $1,026 $1,078
Traffic $20 20 40
Forestry 342 228 570
Parks 61 19 80
Golf 37 6 43
Cemeteries 17 2 20
$529 $1,301 $1,830
$ in thousands
November 15, 2011 -2- ITEM 16
The amount of the appropriation will not all be expensed in 2011. Any appropriation not carried forward into 2012 via
a valid contractual purchase order with a vendor and for which there is a valid expense associated with the cleanup
effort, will likely be requested in the 2012 Reappropriation Ordinance. Because these are estimates, staff will provide
a final expenditure report at the close of the tree branch pickup operation (we are targeting the end of the first quarter
in 2012).
FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS
Approval of this appropriation will reduce prior year General Fund reserves by a maximum of $1.3 million depending
on the final amounts for Utility expenses.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
All materials collected at the City’s Hoffman Mill Crushing Facility will be mulched or composted and will be used in
a “Free Mulch Giveaway” this spring. Materials collected by the City will be recycled. No branches will go to Larimer
County Landfill.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Streets Department Storm Cleanup costs
2. Parks Department Storm Cleanup costs
1
Attachment 1
Streets Department Storm Cleanup Costs
Following is a breakdown of incremental and redeployed costs for the storm cleanup. These
figures include Streets, Traffic, and Utilities personnel and equipment:
Incremental Cost
Leased trucks (contracted) 250,000
Contractors 220,000
Rental for 3 skidsteer loaders 5,985
Rental for 4 skidsteer grapple forks 2,880
Purchase of chain saws 1,534
Truck Fuel - 16 Trucks @ 120 gallons a week 35,136
Fleet CPU mileage for 16 trucks 35,424
6 Loaders fuel - 40 gallons a day each 26,352
Fleet CPU 6 loaders 60 hours a week 15,966
Fuel for 4 skidsteer loaders - 20 gallons a day 7,027
Fleet CPU for bobcat 2,186
Overtime 160,000
Regular time for “Work For Others” crews 81,485
Hageman dump fee 162,500
Cost to grind branches delivered to crusher 40,000
$1,046,475
Redeployed Cost
Street Maintenance Program Patching:
- Miramont 27,420
- Brown Farm 20,153
Pothole Permanent Patching: 4,800
- Delayed until the cleanup operation is done.
- Will continue to fill potholes as they are
called in.
Traffic 20,000
$72,373
Operations Clean Sweep Program - This annual program was suspended due to the storms.
Sweepers are being used in the cleanup effort. Sweeping operations may be resumed in
December, weather permitting. The entire city will need to be reswept.
2
The “Work for Others Projects” program is work done by the Streets Department for other City
departments. Following are projects that have been delayed due to the storm cleanup effort:
Work For Others Projects:
- Lincoln Temporary Sidewalk Project for Transportation Planning.
- Permanent Patching for Union Pacific Rail Road Crossing on Drake, west of
Timberline, for Engineering.
- Rawhide Flats road reconstruction for Natural Areas
- Magnolia and Whitcomb intersection paving, Floodplain compliance for
Engineering.
- 301 E. Olive, Library parking lot repairs.
- Maple St. Parking, adding 5 parking bumpers for Parking Services. Benefits
281 parking.
- 30+ Utility patches for water main breaks, and storm water repairs.
- Light and Power under grounding in southwest annexation, Skyway area.
Summary:
Total Redeployed Costs: $72,373
Total Unfunded Incremental Costs: 1,046,475
Total Cost: $1,118,848
Attachment 2
Parks Department Storm Cleanup Costs
Forestry Division:
Total cost of storm cleanup $570,000
Redeployed costs $342,000 includes salaries, equipment and fuel, traffic control, tree
replacement, and wood grinding.
Additional unfunded incremental costs $228,000 for two contract tree crews for 17 weeks
Parks Division:
Total cost of storm cleanup $80,000
Redeployed employee and equipment costs for branch cleanup and chipping in parks,
medians, city facilities, trails and downtown $61,000. (This work is separate from work
done by Forestry Division)
Additional unfunded incremental costs $19,000. This is to rent two chipping machines
for 3 months to chip branches for all Parks Department areas.
Golf Division:
Total cost of storm cleanup at the golf courses $42,500
Redeployed employee and equipment costs for branch cleanup and chipping at the golf
courses $37,000
Additional unfunded incremental costs $5,500. With seasonal staff funding spent for the
year, this is a request for funding to hire hourly staff to help with the branch cleanup and
chipping for 4 weeks.
Cemeteries Division:
Total cost of storm cleanup at the cemeteries $19,500
Redeployed employee and equipment costs for branch cleanup and chipping at the
cemeteries, and redeploying a fulltime staff person to assist Forestry for 14 weeks
$17,100
Additional unfunded incremental costs $2,400. This funding will pay for an additional
hourly for 40 hours and cover overtime costs associated with redeploying a fulltime staff
person to Forestry of 14 weeks.
Summary of Total Estimated Costs for the Parks Department
Total Redeployed Costs $457,100
Total Unfunded Incremental Costs $254,900
Total Cost $712,000
NOTE: All of the above unfunded, incremental costs are included in this appropriation request.
ORDINANCE NO. 159, 2011
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE GENERAL
FUND FOR TRANSFER TO VARIOUS CITY FUNDS
FOR TREE AND BRANCH CLEANUP EXPENSES
WHEREAS, heavy wet snow fell across Fort Collins on October 25 and 26, 2011 damaging
trees and breaking branches throughout the city; and
WHEREAS, the extensive tree damage throughout the city impacted rights of way,
residential areas, City trees, City Parks, cemeteries, and downtown Fort Collins, and caused a
reported 15 power outages; and
WHEREAS, City staff and crews of various departments quickly changed priorities to clear
roads of debris, restore power, and address critical safety hazards; and
WHEREAS, City management also determined that in order to protect public health, safety
and welfare, the City would pick up downed branches gathered from city residential properties; and
WHEREAS, all tree and branch debris collected by the City will be mulched or composted
and will be available in a “Free Mulch Giveaway” in the spring; and
WHEREAS, the City’s tree and branch cleanup efforts are expected to result in unanticipated
costs in the amount of $1,301,000, which cannot be covered within the existing 2011 budget; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance appropriates $1,301,000 from General Fund prior year reserves
for transfer to the following funds for tree and branch cleanup costs:
Cemeteries Fund $ 2,000
General Fund 247,000
Golf Fund 6,000
Transportation Services Fund 1,046,000
Total $1,301,000
WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9 of the City Charter permits the City Council to appropriate
by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year such funds for expenditure as may be available from
reserves accumulated in prior years, notwithstanding that such reserves were not previously
appropriated; and
WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the City Charter permits the City Council to make
supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total
amount of such supplemental appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for
that fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be
received during the fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, City staff has determined that the appropriation of the prior year reserves as
described herein will not cause the total amount appropriated in the City Funds to exceed the current
estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received in that fund during any fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, Article V, Section 10, of the City Charter authorizes the City Council to transfer
by ordinance any unexpended and unencumbered appropriated amount or portion thereof from one
fund to another fund, provided that the purpose for which the transferred funds are to be expended
remains unchanged.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from prior year reserves in the
General Fund the sum of TWO HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($247,000)
for tree and branch cleanup costs in the Parks and Forestry departments.
Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from prior year reserves in the
General Fund the sum of ONE MILLION FIFTY-FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,054,000) for
transfer to the following funds:
Cemeteries Fund $ 2,000
Golf Fund 6,000
Transportation Services Fund 1,046,000
Total $1,054,000
and appropriated therein for tree and branch cleanup costs in each fund.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 15th day of
November, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 6th day of December, A.D. 2011.
_________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk
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Passed and adopted on final reading on the 6th day of December, A.D. 2011.
_________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk
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