HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 07/05/2017 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 086, 2017, APPROPRIAgenda Item 11
Item # 11 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY July 5, 2017
City Council
STAFF
Mike Calhoon, Parks Supervisor
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 086, 2017, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the General Fund for Transfer
to Various City Funds for Tree and Branch Cleanup Expenses.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to appropriate $143,563 in General Fund reserves to cover the unanticipated costs
associated with the tree and branch cleanup from the May 18th and 19th spring snowstorm to various City
funds. 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.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The snowstorm began Thursday, May 18, 2017 and lasted through Friday, May 19, 2017. During that time 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 the city. The most damage occurred on the Colorado State
University campus but extended north and south of the campus throughout the community.
There was substantial 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 clear roads of debris and address critical safety
hazards.
The City offered two locations for citizens to drop off branches. The City's Streets Facility was open during
daylight hours and Hoffman Mill was open 7am to 5pm Monday thru Friday. The drop-off sites were open for
two weeks to allow residents to clean and haul their branches in for recycling. Grinding operations will begin
the last week of June with free mulch becoming available by mid-July.
Corrective pruning operations utilizing Forestry crews will continue through July.
CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The table below displays the preliminary cost estimates for the tree branch cleanup. The total appropriation
requested from General Fund reserves is a maximum of $143,563. The incremental costs include contractual
pruning, equipment rental, overtime, fuel and equipment costs. Redeployed costs will be absorbed by the
individual Department/Division.
Agenda Item 11
Item # 11 Page 2
Department/Division Redeployed Incremental Total
Cost Cost Cost
Streets $ 26,381 $ 21,543 $ 47,924
Utilities $ 1,243 $ 2,556 $ 3,799
Parks $ 11,925 $ 1,071 $ 12,996
Forestry $ 68,603 $118,393 $186,996
Total Storm Cost $108,152 $143,563 $251,715
General Fund reserves should be transferred as follows:
Utilities Fund (Stormwater) $ 2,556
Transportation Fund (Streets) $ 21,543
General Fund (Parks and Forestry) $119,464
Approval of this appropriation will reduce prior year General Fund reserves by a maximum of $143,563.
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ORDINANCE NO. 086, 2017
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 May 18 and 19, 2017 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, golf courses and downtown Fort Collins; and
WHEREAS, City staff and crews of various departments quickly responded to the tree
damage by clearing the roads of debris and addressed critical safety hazards; and
WHEREAS, the City offered two locations for citizens to drop off branches for a period
of two weeks after the storm; and
WHEREAS, all tree and branch debris collected by the City or dropped off at one of the
drop off locations, will be mulched and will be available in a “Free Mulch Giveaway” by mid-
July; and
WHEREAS, the above tree and branch cleanup efforts are expected to result in
unanticipated costs in the amount of $251,715, of which $143,563 cannot be covered within the
existing 2017 budget; and
WHEREAS, this Ordinance appropriates $143,563 from General Fund prior year reserves
for transfer to the following funds for tree and branch cleanup costs:
Storm Drainage Fund $ 2,556
Transportation Services Fund 21,543
General Fund 119,464
Total $ 143,563
; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that expending funds from the Storm Drainage Fund
relates to and benefits the utility rate payers by assisting in efforts to clear tree branches and
debris from City streets; and
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 10, of the City Charter authorizes the City Council to
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transfer by ordinance any unexpended and unencumbered appropriated amount or portion thereof
from one fund or capital project to another fund or capital project, provided that the purpose for
which the transferred funds are to be expended remains unchanged; the purpose for which the
funds were initially appropriated no longer exists; or the proposed transfer is from a fund or
capital project in which the amount appropriated exceeds the amount needed to accomplish the
purpose specified in the appropriation ordinance; and
WHEREAS, City staff has determined that the appropriations as described herein are
available and previously unappropriated in the General Fund and the City Manager recommends
transferring the appropriated amount to cover the costs of the tree and branch cleanup.
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.
Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from prior year reserves
in the General Fund the sum of ONE HUNDRED NINETEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED
SIXTY-FOUR DOLLARS ($119,464) for tree and branch cleanup costs in the Parks and
Forestry departments.
Section 3. That there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from prior year reserves
in the General Fund the sum of TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND NINETY-NINE DOLLARS
($24,099) for transfer to the following funds:
Storm Drainage Fund $ 2,556
Transportation Services Fund 21,543
Total $ 24,099
and appropriated therein for tree and branch cleanup costs in each fund.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 5th day of
July, A.D. 2017, and to be presented for final passage on the 18th day of July, A.D. 2017.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk
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Passed and adopted on final reading on the 18th day of July, A.D. 2017.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk