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Home My WebLink AboutMIN 11.21.2005 CC-RThe City Council of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met in Regular Session on the above date with Mayor Gary Nelon presiding. Council Present: ;'Council Absent: Patty Eason, Gabe Sansing, Doug Smith, Henry ;igen Oliver Carr, John Kirby, Farley Snell Paul Brandenburg, City Manager; Tom Yantis, Assistant City Manager; Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations; Patricia Carls, City Attorney; Sandra Lee, City Secretary; Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Aministration; David Morgan, Police Chief; Randy Morrow, Director of Parks and Recreation; Laurie Brewer, Controller; Leticia Zavala, Chief Accountant; Ken Finn, Animal Services Director; Jackie Carey, Animal Shelter Manager; Roland Waits, Police Captain; Glenn Dishong, Water Services Manager; Keith Hutchinson, Public Information Officer Executive Session In compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551, Government Code, Vernon's Texas Codes, Annotated, the items listed below will be discussed in closed session and are subject to action in the regular session that follows. Policy Development/Review Workshop ® Call to order at 04:00 P A Overview of the September 30, 2005 year-end preliminary financial information -- Laurie Brewer, Controller and Micki Rundell, Director of Finance & Administration Rundell told Council that the preliminary numbers are unaudited, but are much better than initially anticipated. She said this report would show the differences between actual and projections that were determined in June. Among other statistics she listed the following: 1. Sales Tax Revenue is 15.6% higher than prior year actual at $4,874,787 2. Preliminary Fund Balance is $6.4 million or 116 days 3. Development -related revenues were $1,266,294 (17% increase over prior year) 4. Court fines, property taxes, and parks and recreation fees higher than anticipated 5. Return on investment higher than expected 6. Overall fund balance is $1 million higher than projected 7. Tourism Fund proposes budget amendment due to approval of trolley allocation 8. Hotel/Motel tax 11 % higher than last year 9. Police, Library and Animal Services Special Revenue Funds propose budget amendments for program revenue 10. Budget amendment proposed to account for refunding previously issued debt to save on long-term interest expense and new debt issued to reitre existing debt 11. Airport Fund budget amendment proposed due to higher fuel expenses, offset by fuel sales. Actual budget fund blance of $459,225 ($150,000 contingency and $309,225 for future capital needs) City Council Meeting Minutes/November 21, 2005 Page 1 of 3 Pages 12. Electric Fund revenue higher than budgeted, but higher working capital than projected due to higher maintenance cost and other cost of providing service 13. Water revenues higher than budgeted and year-end projects due to hot, dry weather late in the summer season 14. Wastewater revenues and expenses were both lower than projected, with commercial rates now dependent upon water consumption 15. Irrigation revenues as expected 16. Sanitation ending fund balance slightly lower than projected because of higher exenses due to bulky waste pick up and brush chipping 17. Stormwater Drainage operating fund balance is slightly more than anticipated with higher revenues due to commercial growth 18. Mid -year budget amendments will be made due to the project timing for the Austin Avenue bonds and the roll forward of 1/4 cent sales tax for streets maintenance projects Rundell told Council the first reading of the ordinance to approve the amendment to the budget would be on tomorrow night's agenda. She said there will be revenue -based adjustments for donations and FEMA revenue that was not anticipated, as well as festival revenue and tourism, and the administrative amendment for general debt service for the refunding of the bonds. Nelon asked Brandenburg about a fixed -route bus in lieu of a trolley. Brandenburg said in speaking with CARTS, a "transit or bus system" would be less expensive that just a trolley would have been. He said CARTS is working on the locations and parties that will participate, and they will come back to Council with a proposed plan that will contain the proposed routes, times, and costs, showing who will participate and how much, along with signed agreements from those parties. He said he thinks the economics of a transit system make more sense for the City's financial contribution, saying those people who are interested in a bus to get to work or for shopping might not be interested in a historical tour. Rundell said the 2004/05 audit and financial statement preparation are currently underway. She said the new auditers are with the firm of Brockway, Gersbach, McKinnon & Niemeier, P.C. out of Temple. She said they completed their preliminary work in September, financial statements will be filed with the City Secretary no later than January 31, 2006, and the CAFR will be presented to Council on February 27, 2006. Nelon commended Rundell for an good report and Rundell acknowledged the excess General Fund revenue, noting that the last quarter was very positive in both sales tax and building revenue. B Discussion regarding the review, process, findings and recommendations regarding the Humane Society of the United States Animal Services Consultation Report on the Georgetown Animal Shelter and Animal Services -- Paul E. Brandenburg, City Manager Brandenburg told Council that he is pleased to have received the third party objective management study and audit of animal services. He said he thins the report is very professionally done and contains multiple constructive recommendations for improving the services in Georgetown in the following areas: 1. Task Force, 2. Shelter Maintenance, 3. Shelter Interior Design and Layout, 4. Shelter Operations, 5. Veterinary/Health Issues, 6. Euthanasia, 7. Adoptions, 8. Community Outreach programs, 9. Field Services/Animal Control, 10. Governance, Management and Leadership, 11. Human Resources, and 12. General Financial Issues. He said the first recommendation was to form a task force to prioritize the recommendations by year and financially in order to plan ahead and add money to the Animal Services budget, if necessary, to implement the recommendations. He said some of the recommendations were simple, but some will require several years to accomplish. He told Council that the suggestion to form a task force will be on the agenda for Council action tomorrow night. There were questions and discussion from the Council regarding the possible redundancy in the composure of the membership of the Task Force in reference to the membership of the Animal Shelter Advisory Board, and regarding the recent announcement of a county animal shelter in Georgetown. 4:40 p.m. -- recessed to Executive Session Executive Session In compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551, Government Code, Vernon's Texas Codes, Annotated, the items listed below will be discussed in closed session and are subject to action in the regular session that follows. City Council Meeting Minutes/November 21, 2005 Page 2 of 3 Pages C Sec.551.071: Consultation with Attorney - Advice from attorney about pending or contemplated litigation and other matters on which the attorney has a duty to advise the City Council, including agenda items - Discussion and possible action regarding the "Application of the City of Leander to Amend Water Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) No. 10302 and Sewer CCN No. 20626 in Williamson and Travis Counties, Application Nos. 34789-C and 34790-C," SOAH Docket No. 582-05-7095; TCEQ Docket No. 2005-0864-UCR D Sec.551.072: Deliberations Regarding Real Property - Consideration and possible action to authorize staff to enter into negotiations to purchase land for a park on the west side of IH35 - Discussion and possible action concerning the acquisition of +5.24 acres of land located on SE Innerloop at CR 110 from Williamson County for the construction of a new electric substation. - Discussion and possible action concerning the acquisition of +3.83 acres of land located on CR 116 from the W.D. Kelley Foundation for the construction of a new electric substation. 5:30 p.m. -- returned to Open Session and adjourned The meeting was adjourned at 05:30 PM. Approved ayorr, ary Neon City Council Meeting Minutes/November 21, 2005 Page 3 of 3 Pages W Secretary Sandra Lee