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HomeMy WebLinkAbout099 - 07/16/2024 - MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL STAFFING AND EXPENSES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OFORDINANCE NO.099,2024 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL STAFFING AND EXPENSES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AUTOMATED VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM TRAFFIC SAFETY INITIATIVE A.The City currently utilizes Automated Vehicle Identification Systems (AVIS) to detect speeding violations and violations of red-light signals.This is currently authorized under Fort Collins Traffic Code Section 615 and Section 1106. B.Traffic speed and red-light violations are a concerning problem facing the City of Fort Collins.Last year,the City experienced a record-high number of fatal and injury collisions,many of which were associated with people driving beyond posted speed limits. C.In 2023 and 2024,changes to Colorado law related to the expanded use of unattended speed enforcement with AVIS,to allow detection of speed violations on sections of roadways designated by the Council as speed corridors and additional locations. D.To allow for expanded use,the current Traffic Code needs to be updated. Changes to City Traffic Code Section 615 and Section 1106 will align with state law updates signed into law from Senate Bill 23-200 which updated Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.)Section 424-110.5,permitting local and state governments to implement AVIS within their jurisdictions along designated speed corridors and expanded locations. E.The expansion of AVIS will allow the automated system to detect violations of Traffic Code Section 615 for drivers who disobey traffic control signals or traffic signs, and also used to detect speed violations identified in Part 11 of the Fort Collins Traffic Code that occur within a school zone,as defined in CR5.Section 424-61 5;within a residential neighborhood;within a maintenance,construction,or repair zone designated pursuant to C.R.S.Section 42-4-614;along a street that borders a municipal park;or along a street or portion of a street that the City has designated a speed corridor by ordinance adopted by City Council. F.To accommodate the expansion of the AVIS program updated equipment and associated costs for Police Services in 2024 are anticipated to be $235,000. G.With the addition of automated speed enforcement utilizing AVIS a significant increase in the number of citations is anticipated.With an increase in citations staffing is required to support this Traffic Safety Initiative to quell dangerous driving behaviors. H.Municipal Court,the City Attorney’s Office,and Planning,Development and Transportation Services will be directly impacted with the increase in citations,and it is —1 — recommended that funds generated from AVIS enforcement be utilized to provide necessary staffing. Accordingly,additional full time equivalent (“FTE”)positions and funding to support the expanded AVIS program for 2024,are proposed as follows: a.Two full-time municipal court clerks $67,696 (Municipal Court); b.One City Attorney and one Legal Assistant $142,774 (City Attorney’s Office); c.Estimated 1-2 FTE’s for temporary staffing (either hourly or contractual)Municipal Court $24,904;and d.Estimated 1-2 FTE’s for temporary staffing (either hourly or contractual)City Attorney’s Office $179,112. J.In addition to the continuation of the above staffing in 2025 and future years, starting in 2025 additional staffing for Planning,Development and Transportation Services has also been requested to support one Vision Zero Coordinator and one Network Engineer. K.The AVIS funds from the updated Traffic Safety Initiative ordinances will support the additional equipment and personnel. L.Future revenue generated by AVIS will be dedicated to support traffic safety related programs,and support the costs associated with the program. M.This appropriation benefits public health,safety and welfare of the community and serves a public purpose by promoting traffic safety through speed enforcement,and supports Vision Zero,the City Council’s goal of eliminating Fort Collins roadway fatalities and reducing injury crashes. N.Article V,Section 9 of the City Charter permits the City Council,upon recommendation of the City Manager,to make a supplemental appropriation by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year,provided that the total amount of such supplemental appropriation,in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year,do not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received during the fiscal year. 0.The City Manager has recommended the appropriation described herein and determined that this appropriation is available and previously unappropriated from the Redlight Camera Fund in the General Fund and will not cause the total amount appropriated in the Redlight Camera Fund within the General Fund to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received in this Fund during this fiscal year In light of the foregoing recitals,which the Council hereby makes and adopts as determinations and findings,BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1.There is hereby appropriated from new revenue or other funds in the Redlight Camera Fund within the General Fund the sum of NINETY-TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS ($92,600)to be expended in the General Fund for the increased staffing for the Municipal Court to support the AVIS Traffic Safety Initiative. Section 2.There is hereby appropriated from new revenue or other funds in the Redlight Camera Fund within the General Fund the sum of THREE HUNDRED TWENTY- ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY-SIX DOLLARS ($321,886)to be expended in the General Fund for the increased staffing for the City Attorney’s Office to support the AVIS Traffic Safety Initiative. Section 3.There is hereby appropriated from new revenue or other funds in the Redlight Camera Fund within the General Fund the sum of TWO HUNDRED THIRTY- FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($235,000)to be expended in the General Fund for Police Services expenses to support the AVIS Traffic Safety Initiative. Introduced,considered favorably on first reading on July 2,2024,and approved on second reading for final passage on July 16,2024. ATTEST: 1~ ity Effective Date:July 26,2024 Approving Attorney:Dawn Downs