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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES Town Board Budget Study Session 2021-10-07RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, October 7, 2021 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the TOWN BOARD BUDGET STUDY SESSION of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at Town Hall and Virtually in said Town of Estes Park on the 7t' day of October, 2021. Board: Attending: Also Attending: Mayor Koenig, Trustees Bangs, Cenac, MacAlpine, Martchink, Webermeier and Younglund Mayor Koenig, Trustees Cenac, MacAlpine, Martchink, Webermeier and Younglund Town Administrator Machalek, Assistant Town Administrator Damweber, Finance Director Hudson, Chief Kufeld, Directors Bergsten and Muhonen, Manager Hook, Landkamer, McEachem and Solesbee, Supervisor Berg and Director/Town Clerk Williamson Absent: None. Mayor Koenig called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. COMPENSATION 2022 Staff engaged the services of Graves Consulting to complete the market salary survey for 2021. After review of the market adjustments for the six market pay families, staff recommended the following adjustments: Admin — 2.5%, T&P — 2.0%, PS — 5.0%, LTSC — 3.0%, MGMT — 1.0%, and Lineworker 2.0%. Pay ranges would be adjusted and employees would see an increase to their pay based on the pay family during the first full paycheck in 2022. In addition, a 2% merit pool has been included for 2022. Staff worked with the Town's insurance broker Hays Companies to review the Town's benefit package for 2022. The proposed budget includes an 8% increase to the medical coverage. Staff continues to work with the Town's broker to secure a favorable quote from a reinsurance company to bring down the initial quote of close to 30% increase. The Town may need to adjust the stop loss coverage from $40,000 to $60,000 in an effort to lower the premium costs for reinsurance. Staff estimates the medical coverage would increase by approximately two to four percentage pending final quotes on reinsurance. Staff would continue to review the medical premium increase and determine a final cost for 2022 once the quote from the reinsurance company has been received. Dental coverage was marketed and staff recommended accepting the quote from MetLife to realize a 23% decrease in premium costs. All other benefits remain the same for 2022 with no increases in cost to the Town or the employees. Spousal eligibility for medical coverage would remain unchanged for 2022. POLICE The Police department has four divisions, including patrol, dispatch, support services and code enforcement. Patrol and dispatch operating costs increase in 2022 with the addition of a Sergeant and a dispatcher. The department has budgeted $10,000 for a new e-ticketing system upgrade. An additional officer was requested but not included in the proposed budget which would provide double coverage for all shifts and address the increase in the number of calls and complexity of the calls. Mayor Koenig requested staff review the ability to add an officer to the 2022 budget. PUBLIC WORKS. Director Muhonen reviewed the Public Works department which consists of six divisions: Streets, Parks, Facilities, Engineering, Parking and Transit, and Fleet. The department has requested the addition of a three -member stormwater crew to begin addressing issues outlined in the Stormwater Master Plan. The additional staff are RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town Board Budget Study Session — October 7, 2021— Page 2 being funded through excess revenues which are limited by Tabor for infrastructure or maintenance of infrastructure. The proposed budget contains a contract limited term engineer paid for by the 1A Street fund and 1A Trails Expansion fund. The department has one pending grant for the Big Thompson River channel widening, and if awarded the project would rollover to 2022, Facilities Division: Revenues decreased significantly with the Utilities department moving to its new facility on Woodstock and no longer paying rent for space within Town Hall. Expenses for 2022 are estimated at $1,216,430. The division continues to work on completing the ADA transition plan and developing and implementing an annual budget for facility expansion needs as identified in the Facilities Master Plan. The 2022 budget includes funding for the first right of refusal for Opportunity Sites for a new Town Hall, security camera phase 3, Town Hall air conditioners phase 2, Tregent restroom remodel, Performance Park refurbishment, and Street Shop remodel. Streets: The division estimates revenues at $370,604 and expenses of $1,743,741. The division would absorb the repair of guard rails. The budget includes a new Stormwater Maintenance Crew composed of three new Street employees, equipment and engineering. Fleet: The division revenues exceed the expenses in 2022 with an estimated $765,107 in revenues and $467,163 in expenses. The final payment for the purchase of the Water Shop would occur in 2022. An additional mechanic was requested and not funded. Parks: Expenses are estimated at $1,598,290 and $30,000 in revenue through the Mrs. Walsh's Garden Trust. The proposed budget includes funding for public trail maintenance program, pedestrian bridge maintenance, water pump at George Hix Plaza, adoption of the Management Plan for the Thumb Open Space, and restoration of eight seasonal positions. Conservation Trust Fund: The lottery funds are used to address noxious weed maintenance on Town owned properties. Transit: The division revenues are estimated at $13,000 for sponsorships on buses and expenses are proposed at $539,374. The division would expand Bustang in 2022, second electric trolley into service, and create a new brand for Estes Transit and complementary strategic marketing plan. In 2022, an expanded winter service pilot would be initiated to provide local transit for the community. Parking: Staff anticipates the 2022 program to be similar to 2021 with minor changes to come forward in the near future to the Board. Revenues are estimated at $816,095 with the majority coming from parking fees and minor revenues from parking permits and parking tickets. Expenses of $696,869 include the personnel cost for town staff only and all O&M ($553,185) are expenses of the parking contractor and their seasonal employees. Mayor Koenig called a 10-minute break at 2:52 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 3:02 p.m. Open Space: The county tax revenues are proposed at $477,000 and estimated expenditures of $110,829. The funds are expended for program management and administration for trail expansion and grants, noxious weed management and capital projects. Engineering: The division has no revenues identified for 2022 and $431,409 in expenses. Projects to be addressed in the upcoming year include stormwater drainage system maintenance program, pursue grant funding for flood mitigation projects, develop a funding proposal to expand stormwater infrastructure and maintenance through a stormwater utility, Community Rating System program process and costs, apply for Safe Routes to Schools funding to implement sidewalk expansion on Graves RECORD OFPROCEEDINGS _ Town Board Budget Study Session — October 7, 2W21—Page 3 Avenue and Community Drive. The budget includes funding for apartnership with CDOT to complete a corridor study for US 34 between VVonderview Avenue and Steamer Drive. The budget does not include funding for the construction of Phase 1 roundabout atUS30and Community Drive. Street Improvement—YA Fund: The division has �490,239inrevenues and $2.613.583 in expenses. The revenues include $1.03 million in grant funding. Staff would complete the design and public outreach for Cleave Street improvements. The budget includes proposed funding for new contract onginmmr(5U%). $530.000 for street improvement, $1.29 million on parking lot rehabilitation, and pavement markings. Trails Expmnsimm— 1A Fund: The revenues and expenses are proposed ot$5U8.583 and $503.587 repetitively. Staff mmuk] pursue gnord funding opportunities for construction of future segments of the Fall River Tnai|, and deve|op, fund, and implement a public trail maintenance program. The budget includes proposed funding of$4OD.000 for the Fall River Trail segment funded by yWPWOF and TAP grant funding. The budget includes proposed funding for onew contract engineer (5O96). UTILITIES FUND The fund contains Power and Communication and Water funds. Power and Communications: The division has estimated revenues of$2O.5UQ.61U million and $22.069.216 million in expenditures. The division would complete 2022 Strategic Han objectives with the partial funding of the new HR Generalist position, $15.000 for the accounting system needs eoeeuument, automated meter reading improvements, install trip savers along Hwy7. and complete wildfire mitigation with the replacement of onoeU bane wine. The division would execute a contract in 2022 with Finance bnscan and archive existing invoices. VVobr: The division estimates revenues at $5,815,272 million and $7,584,667 million in expenses. The division would completo2O22 Strategic Plan objectives with the partial funding of the new HR Generalist position, $10.000 for the accounting system needs aoeeo*ment, complete a financial p|en, replace the bulk water dispenser, purchase a |aakcurre|atnr. replace two vehicles, abandon 4^ main on Acacia, complete phase 4of the Bureau of Reclamation waterline replacement, and parking garage line connection. MISCELLANEOUS Finance Director Hudson provided a review of the 2022 proposed budget stating a 34% fund balance has been forecasted for 2022, well above the 25% required by policy. The sales tax revenues are projected od24.596increase over the 2UlQootua|e. /\ number uf projects are expected bmroll over from 2U21 tu2O22. including Fall River Trail project, Community Drive intenaention, second e|onthn trolley ooquioition, and numerous utility projects, including broadband construction. The budget restores 2.QFTEunot funded in 2021 duo to COV|O. adds 1.0 FTE fixed bann Engineer, and 6.0 new FTEn: HR Genero|iat, Police Sergeent, Emergency Services Dispatcher and a three -member 80onnwatorMaintenance Crew. The General fund would have acapital reserve of$1J million that could baused for one-time costs. The budget will bepresented at the October 28.2021and November Q'2021Town Board meetings. kie Williamson, Town Clerk