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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Budget Study Session 2010-10-08 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, October 8, 2010 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 in said Town of Estes Park on the 8th day of October, 2010. Board: Mayor Pinkham, Trustees Blackhurst, Elrod, Ericson, Koenig, Levine and Miller Attending: All Also Attending: Deputy Town Administrator Richardson, Finance Officer McFarland, Town Clerk Williamson Absent: Town Administrator Halburnt Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. COMMUNITY SERVICES FUNDING REQUESTS (General Fund) Mayor Pro Tem Levine stated in 2009 the Town budgeted $400,000 for Community Service grants, $317,000 in 2010 and $272,050 has been budgeted for 2011. The number of requests and dollar amounts increased this year. The Town has concentrated on family, housing or community services when evaluating the requests. The Town of Estes Park spends a larger percentage per capita than other municipalities, including those with much larger budgets. ORGANIZATION 2011 BUDGET Arts & Education: Art Center of Estes Park, $700 Chamber Music Festival, $700 Cultural Arts Council, $400 EP Repertoire Theater Company, $700 Community Jazz Concert Series, $700 Estes Village Band, $700 Oratorio Society of Estes Park, $700 Stanley Museum, $200 $4,800 Transportation: Special Transit, $26,000 $26,000 Housing: Estes Park Housing Authority, $129,500 Estes Housing Assistance, 1,500 Habitat for Humanity, $5,000 $136,000 Youth: Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success, $25,800 Estes Learning Place, $1,800 Partners of Estes Park, $3,600 EP Non-Profit Resource Center Inc., $800 PACK, $3,800 BACers, $3,800 $39,600 Food Tax Refund $17,500 Human Services: Crossroads, $18,850 E.P. Salud, $18,850 Radio Reading Service, $500 Estes Park Gun & Archery Club, $1,600 $39,800 Sister Cities Int’l. Conf. Student Participation, $8,500 $8,350 Town Board Budget Study Session – October 8, 2010 – Page 2 Trustee Blackhurst stated the Estes Park Housing Authority request for funding was decreased in 2011, with the ultimate goal of becoming self-funded. The staff continues to look for other sources of revenue. The following agency representatives were present and all thanked the Board of the ongoing support and funding. ƒ Mike Oline/Cultural Arts stated the arts bring people to town throughout the year. ƒ Mike Richardson/Salud stated the new health care reform is anticipated to increase the use of the Estes Park clinic. Every dollar helps the local clinic because the clinic is not eligible for federal funding. ƒ Rita Kurelja/Estes Park Housing Authority restated the efforts of the Authority are to continue to decrease their reliance on the Town for funding. ƒ Nancy Almond/EVICS, Betsy Byer/EVICS President, Beverly Thurber/Early Childhood Council of Larimer County, Vickie Holler/EVICS member invited the Town to the table to continue discussion on how to increase support for young families. A study conducted by the county identified a deficiency in childcare in Estes Park related to the lack of openings and cost. ƒ Mary Mesropian/Sister’s Place Safehouse stated the safehouse has provided safe shelter for over 69 individuals. ƒ Corey Pass/ BACers stated the funding helps support the High School athletics program. ƒ Jim Thompson/Sister Cities state an exchange would occur in December of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts from Costa Rica. ƒ Virgil Good/Crossroads Ministry stated the economic climate has increased the number of families seeking assistance to over 54% in 2010. ƒ Christy Crosser/Estes Park Nonprofit Center invited the Board and other volunteers, foundation and board members and philanthropist to a celebration on November 12, 2010 at the library in recognition of National Philanthropy Day. ƒ Steve Blacksher/Special Transit commented the service is celebrating 11 years of providing transportation to the citizens of Estes Park with over 4,000 trips last year. Estes Park funding supports 25% of the cost of the service and helps provide leverage for additional funding. The service provides a vital link to the community for many citizens in Estes Park. ƒ Eric Rose/Parents and Community for Kids (PACK) thanked the Board for the continued support. The group helps to provide positive education and recreational opportunities for the children of Estes ƒ Charlotte Lloyd/Art Center of Estes Park invited the community to the International Art Show on October 29, 2010. ƒ Sharon Gardner/Gun and Archery Club continues to improve the indoor range with funds provided through the service grants. The group is investigating the potential of a restroom facility in the area, which might be a joint venture with other groups or GOCO grants. Trustee Blackhurst questioned the lack of funding for Victim Advocates for 2011. Mayor Pro Tem Levine stated the 2010 funding was a one-time request to fund improvements to the safehouse. The review committee agreed the group receives significant funding from the community, and therefore, recommended funding other entities. Concluding all public comment, the Board expressed their appreciation to all those in attendance, noting their good work in the community. POLICE The Police Department has seen an increase in personnel costs related to an increase in health care benefits and full staffing for dispatch in 2011. O&M across all three divisions of the department are down. Communications expenses are down because of the implementation of the 800 mhz system in 2010. There continues to be locations in Town Hall, medical center and school where the new system does not work properly. The Town joined the Northern Colorado Radio Consortium to provide maintenance for the new system. Staff continues to investigate the possibility of obtaining its own 800 Town Board Budget Study Session – October 8, 2010 – Page 3 mhz channel to have all Town departments on the system. The department’s budget is 66% operations, 25% support services and 9% community services. Restorative Justice grants total $76,312 to cover 100% of the case manager’s salary and O&M. The department has also received a state grant for seatbelt enforcement and DUI enforcement funds, and a federal grant for bullet proof vest reimbursement for a total of $16,973. All LETA expenses in the budget are offset by revenues and are therefore a pass through. Utilities under dispatch should be relabeled telephone. All detail pages for operations should be updated to read 2011 budget. Update the number of tasers in 2011 from 3 units to 2 units. Toughbook notation should be updated to read patrol rather than investigation. The Board questioned the Chief’s golf tournament funds and whether or not Town funds were used for the event. Chief Kufeld stated the account is a pass through account and is fully funded by those that attend. All excess funds are donated to local groups, and in 2010 the funds would be split between Partners Mentoring of Larimer County and the Estes Valley Youth Golf program, each receiving $400. Mayor Pinkham called a break at 9:20 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 9:35 a.m. The department has budgeted for 3 CSOs in 2011, down from 4 in 2010. The CSOs would work 10 hour days 4 days of week during the weekends of the high season. All 3 would work the same schedule in 2011 instead of only 1 or 2 on at a time. Trustee Elrod stated the employee recognition accounts for the department do not reflect the $80/person. Chief Kufeld stated the account also contains funds for the employee award banquet each year. Finance McFarland stated Town wide the employee recognition has been updated throughout the 2011 budget to reflect the $80/employee; however, the accounts would not balance to the number of employees per department because of the split in personnel costs among multiple accounts. The funding of document imaging was reduced in 2011 from 2010 because the department conducted an intensive imaging program last year. Trustee Blackhurst stated document management transcends across all departments, therefore, it may take a period of 3 to 5 years to address. PUBLIC WORKS Director Zurn stated all divisions of the department are presenting flat budgets with the exception of the expenditure of grants. Engineering Projected expenses for 2011 are $625,699 with revenues projected at $466,100 from grants to improve Moraine through a CDOT beautification grant and to conduct a NEPA study. The improvements to Moraine would include the removal of the pedestrian crosswalk at Moraine and Wiest. This account contains $51,509 for personnel or 8% of the expenses for the Public Works Director and Project Manager. Streets The proposed budget increases in 2011 because of the grant received for the transportation hub at the fairgrounds in the amount of $956,000. The capital expenses also include $370,000 for the annual Street Improvement Program (STIP) and $50,000 for concrete rehabilitation with no specific projects identified. He stated the sand and salt recycling program has been successful in reducing costs; however, the sand does need to be replaced every couple of years to remain effective. The notation of salt should be updated to read salt and sand. The Highway Users Trust Fund (HUTF) would be updated to read $273,000 for 2011. Trustee Blackhurst noted the STIP funding for 2011 is down $45,000 from the original 2009 budget, which along with 2010 funding was used to complete a small portion of Prospect Avenue. He suggested the Board have a discussion on using fund balance Town Board Budget Study Session – October 8, 2010 – Page 4 above the 30% to fund street improvements. Director Zurn stated $1 million a year for street improvements over the next decade would bring Town streets into fair status. The Board discussed funding: Mayor Pro Tem Levine would support using fund balance over 30% for STIP; Trustee Elrod would encourage providing additional public awareness of the issue and involve the public in the solutions; and Trustee Koenig questioned if the Board has discussed dropping the fund balance percentage and spending those excess funds on streets because it might be more prudent and worthwhile to use the funds for STIP. Parks Personnel cost increase in 2011 due to an increase in insurance. O&M and capital decreases with funding shifting to trails, bridges, sidewalk, paver and riverbank repairs. He stated continued concern with the funding for the bark beetle management. The funding for lawn maintenance includes improvements to the irrigation system with reconstruction of mainlines downtown. In 2011, the tree symposium would not be conducted in lieu of a series of workshops throughout the year. The notation for a sprayer/pump should be updated with this year’s detail. TRANSPORTATION Director Kilsdonk stated the 5 year program would continue in 2011. In 2010, the system added leased busses, reduced bus sizes and added an evening route. The Town also worked with Local Marketing District and Estes Area Lodging Association for a Ride-the-Bus campaign. Total ridership for 2010 was 30,001 up 33.81% from 2009. The cost per rider was down in 2010 at $6.18. Some future consideration for the program would be lease versus purchase, additional shuttle bus for the transportation hub to be complete the summer of 2011, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and fuel types (gas, diesel, bio-diesel). The 2011 budget request of $204,772 would include an increase in O&M for the additional hub shuttle bus. The goal in 2011 is to increase ridership to 40,000 with a cost per rider of $5.09. The Board discussed changing the route names from colors to animal pictures since Estes is a family destination. Trustee Miller addressed concern with the transportation hub and the limited operation of the shuttle system through the high season because there seems to be a need for additional parking during the fall events. CONTINGENCY & TRANSFER FUND Transfers for 2011 have decreased 34% with no transfers to the Community Reinvestment and EPURA fund. The fire services fee would be updated to reflect an increase of $21,000 with the elimination of the 3.33% vendor fee because the Fire District receives 7% of the Town’s sales tax. MISCELLANEOUS Trustee Miller requested information on the number of Microsoft licenses the Town current uses, cost per unit, the versions being used and the maintenance cost. He stated free software through Open Office could be used by the Town in an effort to ensure all staff is using the same version and eliminate costs associated with Microsoft. Finance Officer McFarland reported August sales tax was up 8.5% from 2009. The budget is up 3.2% through August. Trustee Ericson requested an overview of revenues at the last study session, and a review of how the ballot issues would impact the revenues. There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 11:40 a.m. Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk