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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/19/2019 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 023, 2019, APPROPRIAgenda Item 9 Item # 9 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY February 19, 2019 City Council STAFF Cassie Archuleta, Senior Environmental Planner Jody Hurst, Legal SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 023, 2019, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the General Fund To Purchase Electric Lawn and Garden Equipment for the Parks Department and Authorizing the Transfer of Previously Appropriated Funds in the Environmental Services Department Operating Budget. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to appropriate unanticipated grant revenue in the amount of $19,998 in the General Fund for the purchase of electric commercial lawn and garden equipment for municipal operations. The grant is provided by the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) and directly supports local efforts to reduce ozone causing pollutants from gas and diesel powered equipment. A local match of $34,616 is required. Lawn and garden equipment purchases appropriated and expended in 2018 are eligible to be applied towards matching funds ($14,616), and the remaining $20,000 is appropriated and unexpended in the 2019 Environmental Services operating budget. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The City maintains a large commercial lawn and garden equipment fleet and is committed to a transition away from gas and diesel powered equipment to lower emission or electric options as technology and resources allow. This transition supports municipal sustainability objectives such as reductions in ozone causing emissions, and reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The City began accelerating efforts to replace gas and diesel powered equipment with electric equipment in 2016, through grant opportunities with the RAQC and dedicated allocation of budget enhancements to supplement ongoing equipment replacement budgets. To date, the City has replaced approximately 40% of the small equipment inventory (e.g., blowers, trimmers and chainsaws) and two riding mowers (out of approximately 50 medium to large mowers). Per grant requirements, these additional funds will be used towards additional purchases of small equipment. CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS City resources would increase by $19,998. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Ozone is a priority pollutant for the Air Quality Advisory Board, and emissions from gas and diesel powered lawn and garden equipment contribute to ozone causing pollution. No formal recommendation was sought for appropriation of these grant funds. Agenda Item 9 Item # 9 Page 2 PUBLIC OUTREACH The City has worked with the RAQC to participate in regional events and provide outreach regarding the City’s efforts to lead by example in use of commercial grade electric lawn and garden maintenance equipment. Outreach efforts will continue to demonstrate the feasibility and encourage use of this type of commercial equipment for the private sector. -1- ORDINANCE NO. 023, 2019 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND TO PURCHASE ELECTRIC LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF MATCHING FUNDS PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT OPERATING BUDGET WHEREAS, the City has been awarded a grant from the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) in the amount of $19,998 to purchase electric lawn and garden equipment for the Parks Department; and WHEREAS, the RAQC granted these funds to assist municipalities in purchasing new low-emission commercial lawn and garden equipment; and WHEREAS, the grant directly supports efforts to lead by example in reducing air quality impacts from the municipal lawn and garden equipment fleet; and WHEREAS, the grant requires a local match of $34,616; and WHEREAS, lawn and garden equipment purchases in the amount of $14,616 appropriated and expended in 2018 are eligible to be applied towards matching funds and the remaining $20,000 is appropriated and unexpended in the 2019 Environmental Services operating budget; and WHEREAS, this appropriation benefits public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Fort Collins and serves the public purpose by reducing emissions and increasing air quality, which will benefit all of the Citizens of Fort Collins; 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, the City Manager has recommended the appropriation described herein and determined that this appropriation is available and previously unappropriated from the General Fund and 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 any fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. -2- Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated grant revenue in the General Fund the sum of NINETEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED NINETY EIGHT DOLLARS ($19,998) for expenditure in the General Fund for the purchase of electric lawn and garden equipment for use by the Parks Department. Section 3. That the unexpended appropriated amount of TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($20,000) is authorized for transfer from the Environmental Services operating budget in the General Fund to the electric lawn and garden equipment grant project and appropriated therein. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 19th day of February, A.D. 2019, and to be presented for final passage on the 5th day of March, A.D. 2019. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 5th day of March, A.D. 2019. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk