HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/04/2014 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 157, 2014, APPROPRIAgenda Item 7
Item # 7 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY November 4, 2014
City Council
STAFF
Mary Aardrup, Volunteer Coordinator
Bruce Hendee, Chief Sustainability Officer
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 157, 2014, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the General Fund for
the Environmental Services Radon Program and Authorizing the Transfer of Matching Funds Previously
Appropriated in the Environmental Services Operating Budget.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to appropriate $4,973 awarded to the City by the Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment, transfer a matching amount of $4,973 from the 2014 General Fund and, combine
these funds in the Environmental Services Radon Program account. The Radon Program carries out radon
risk-reduction activities as identified in the current City budget.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
This Ordinance appropriates $4,973 of unanticipated grant revenues in the General Fund. The Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment granted these funds to the City for a program to encourage
radon testing and mitigation through media advertising and low-cost test kit sales. The grant directly supports
radon activities identified in the City budget offer, “Air Quality Improvement.” The grant requires a local match
of $4,973. Matching funds for the program will be transferred from the 2014 Environmental Services operating
budget. Grant and matching funds would be combined in a new Environmental Services Radon Program
account.
FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS
City resources would be increased by $4,973. Required matching funds have already been appropriated in the
2014 General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
These funds will be used to lower the lung-cancer risk of Fort Collins residents that have elevated home radon
levels.
BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
At its October 20, 2014 meeting, the Air Quality Board unanimously supported bringing forward the
appropriation to the Radon Program.
Agenda Item 7
Item # 7 Page 2
PUBLIC OUTREACH
Public outreach will be conducted throughout the year with presentations, educational materials and through
print and electronic media.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Air Quality Advisory Board minutes, October 20, 2014 (PDF)
Excerpt from the minutes of the October 20, 12014 Air Quality Advisory Board
AGENDA ITEM 1: Approval of Radon Grant Appropriation
Mary Pat Aardrup, Health Sustainable Homes Program Manager will present the draft ordinance
for appropriating funds for the radon program.
Mary Pat explained that this grant has been ongoing for 10 years. They have already been awarded a
grant from CDPHE and will go to Council to appropriate matching funds for the Radon Program
from the Environmental Services operating fund. Members were given radon test kits and recent
information. Over the last few years a study has been conducted about non-mitigation of known
radon. The City’s program will give staff a better idea of who is mitigating and who is not, and what
the radon levels are. In December a research project done by the City will be reviewed to determine
the best way to present information to radon test purchasers to encourage mitigation. The whole state
of Colorado is susceptible to radon.
Comments/Q&A
Tom Moore asked about radon mitigation for new construction. Mary Pat said that is part of
the construction process, but these kits are for older homes that do not yet have mitigation.
Tom Moore asked if Healthy Sustainable Homes inspections test for radon. Mary Pat said
yes. Melissa added that the kits are supplied to participating home owners, including for new
homes.
Dave said he had a home energy audit and was told that the fan he has for radon mitigation is
far overpowered. Is there anything in regulations for new home construction to have lower
wattage fans? This could provide energy savings to the city. His auditor told him the systems
are effective without the fan. Melissa added that this should be tested. Some systems may be
effective passively, but that is dependent on the levels.
Greg moved to approve recommendation of appropriation of funds for the Radon Program. Dave
seconded.
Motion passed unanimously, 5-0-0.
ATTACHMENT 1
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ORDINANCE NO. 157, 2014
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE IN THE
GENERAL FUND FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES RADON PROGRAM
AND AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF MATCHING FUNDS
PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
OPERATING BUDGET
WHEREAS, the Fort Collins Environmental Services Radon Program (the "Program") is
part of the City’s indoor air quality program, which is guided by the Air Quality Plan with a
policy goal to educate and encourage residents to reduce their exposure to indoor air pollution;
and
WHEREAS, the Program includes aggressive education, a voluntary radon testing
program, mandatory radon mitigation in new construction, and an ordinance requiring the
distribution of radon information to all residential home-buyers at the point-of-sale; and
WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins has been awarded a grant from the Colorado
Department of Health and Environment (“CDHE”) in the amount of $4,973; and
WHEREAS, the CDHE grant funds are to be used to lower the lung-cancer risk of Fort
Collins residents by directly supporting radon activities identified in two City Budget offers, Air
Quality Improvement and the Radon Mitigation Behavioral Study; and
WHEREAS, the grant requires $4,973 of matching funds, which have been included in
the 2014 Environmental Services budget and are available for transfer to the CDHE project for
the Program; 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 CDHE grant funds as
described herein will not cause the total amount appropriated in the General Fund to exceed the
current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received in that fund during the fiscal
year; and
WHEREAS, Article V, Section 10, of the Charter authorizes the City Council to transfer
by ordinance any unexpected and unencumbered amount or portion thereof from one project to
another project, provided that the purpose for which the transferred funds are to be expended
remains unchanged.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated grant revenue in the
General Fund the sum of FOUR THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SEVENTY THREE
DOLLARS ($4,973) for expenditure in the General Fund for the Environmental Services Radon
Program.
Section 2. That the unexpended appropriated amount of FOUR THOUSAND NINE
HUNDRED SEVENTY THREE DOLLARS ($4,973) is authorized for transfer from the
Environmental Services operating budget in the General Fund to the CDHE grant project for the
Environmental Services Radon Program and appropriated herein.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 4th day of
November, A.D. 2014, and to be presented for final passage on the 18th day of November, A.D.
2014.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on the 18th day of November, A.D. 2014.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk