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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_GGAF_02.13.2012 The General Government and Finance (GGAF) Advisory Subcommittee established by the Georgetown City Council met at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 13, 2012, in the City Hall Main Floor Conference Room, located at 113 East 8th Street, Georgetown, Texas. MINUTES These minutes were approved at the March 6, 2012 GGAF Meeting. The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. 1. Consideration and possible action to approve the selection of an architect and associated fees for the design of the Public Safety Facility – Terry Jones, Support Services Manager Last November the Council appointed a committee of Councilmember Meigs, Councilmember Hellmann, Chief Nero, Chief Fite and Terry Jones to review architectural qualifications, interview selected firms and make a recommendation to the City Council for the most qualified architect to perform the design for the Public Safety Operations and Training Facility. Twenty-three firms submitted qualifications for the project and four were short listed for interviews. Those four firms were Architects Design Group/KA Hickman from Winter Park Florida and Round Rock, Brinkley Sargent Architects from Dallas, RPGA Design Group from Fort Worth and Dewberry Architects from Dallas. The approved process for the selection of architectural services was followed and the selection committee recommends the most qualified firm, Architects Design Group and KA Hickman Architects be approved to design the Public Safety Operations and Training Facility. ADG has a reputation throughout the law enforcement community for providing thorough, knowledgeable, functional design. They also have an experienced design team with security, communication and audio/visual consultants available and ready to provide their expertise in these areas. In addition to ADG’s partnering with KA Hickman Architects of Round Rock, Steger Bizzell Engineering will serve as the civil engineer and Baker Aicklen Engineering will serve as the landscape architect on the project. The Council has authorized a budget of $20 million for the project and we have been able to negotiate a fee of approximately 8.5 percent or $1,748,624.00 for design services. In addition to those services, there are several specialized design services needed for a project of this type and should strongly be considered when approving fees. They include security consultant, communication consultant, audio/visual consultant, building commissioning and facility site modeling/computer renderings. The total for these services is $234,460.00. If all of the design services are approved our total fees for the project would be $1,983,084.00 or approximately 9.5 percent of the budget. GGAF recommendation was to “not” include the breakout of funds. This handout will be reworked prior to presenting to Council. Members Present: Patty Eason, Danny Meigs, Rachael Jonrowe, Joe Pondrom, Steve Fought Members Absent: None Staff Present: Micki Rundell, Susan Morgan, Lorie Lankford, Laurie Brewer, Terry Jones, Kevin Russell, Kimberly Garrett, Trina Bickford Unanimously approved. 2. Consideration and possible action for approval of award of contract for a compensation study to Public Sector Personnel Consultants in the amount of $50,000 - Laurie Brewer, Deputy City Manager and Kevin Russell, Director of Human Resources When the GGAF was considering the City’s employee benefits package at its October meeting, the committee directed staff to also conduct a compensation study to ensure competitive compensation for city staff. Staff initiated a request for proposal process, and received 12 responses from various firms, with pricing ranging from $38,500 to $149,150. After evaluating the experience, methodology and approach of each firm, a staff committee made up of the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Purchasing Manager, Deputy City Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Human Resources and Assistant Director of Human Resources interviewed the top four scoring firms. The unanimous decision is to recommend Public Sector Personnel Consultants for their approach and methodology, their ability to meet budget deadlines, as well as the value of services for the price. Unanimously approved. 3. Presentation and direction to staff regarding the possible allocation of Fiscal Year 2011 Excess Funds from the City’s General Fund for various projects to be included in a future 2011/12 Annual Budget amendment - Micki Rundell, Chief Financial Officer On November 22, staff presented preliminary financial information reporting an excess of ending fund balance in the General Fund, along with possible uses for that excess. Since that time, the City has completed its external audit and determined the ending fund balance is $920,971 greater than projected during the 2011/12 budget cycle. This excess is a result of higher than projected revenue, primarily related to ROI from the water and electric utilities and increased sales tax, as well as, expenditure savings within the departments. It is not uncommon to end each year with an excess, since projected balances are finalized in July and revenues and expenses may vary during the last quarter of the fiscal year. Per the City’s Fiscal and Budgetary Policy, excess fund balance can be spent on 1-time costs and not on-going expenses (since the excess most likely results from expense savings and unexpected revenue, such as the drought related utility sales that increased ROI revenue in 2011). The Policy does allow for appropriation of excess funds for 1 time projects or expenses. If not appropriated, these funds will be rolled into funding the 2012/13 General Fund Budget and used to fund non-recurring expenses. Staff has reviewed possible uses for these funds and is recommending projects that have been: (1) committed to be undertaken without a funding source, (2) should have been rolled into the current year, or (3) meet a City Council or community need. The following projects are beings recommended:  Bellaire / Shell Road Intersection improvements $508,100 Net of $85,000 developer contribution, would be debt funded if not used  Unspent funds for Arts & Culture 22,760 Balance of funds previously approved in prior year  Christmas Lights on the Square 30,000 Continue success of last year, begin earlier and possibly expand program  City Facility Renovation Reserve 50,000 Funds available for relocating staff and renovating facilities prior to possible sale  Builders/Developers Incentive Program 25,000 Promotional activities including marketing, webpage, and Tour of Homes sponsorship  Employee Compensation Study 60,000 External market study for employee compensation and implementation plan  Employee Bonus Program 140,000 1-time bonus program for “exceeds & outstanding” employees except those in step programs, with added funding from excess funds in Water and Electric Funds. Total Recommended Appropriation $835,860 The remaining balance of $85,111 would be available to fund projects in the 2012/13 budget or be available to appropriate for any other “unknown” expense before year-end. Should City Council approve any of these recommendations, actual appropriation will require an amendment to the 2011/12 Annual Budget. The first reading of the Budget Amendment ordinance would be on February 28, 2012. Unanimously approved. 4. Consideration and possible action to approve the design fees for the San Gabriel River Trail Extension Project to Baker Aicklen Engineering – Terry Jones, Support Services Manager On January 24 City Council approved the selection Baker Aicklen Engineering for the design of the San Gabriel River Trail Extension Project. That project consists of approximately 5,000 linear feet of trail with a project budget of approximately $950,000.00. Tim Bargainer with Baker Aicklen is developing a fee proposal and that fee information will be submitted to you at the February 13 GGAF meeting. Unanimously approved. 5. Consideration and possible action to approve the 4th Amendment to the development agreement with Campbell-Georgetown #1 Limited Partnership as part of the Shell Road Public Improvement District extending the repayment terms by 24 months and to allow the seller to adjustment the payment schedule on the current unpaid PID assessment. Lorie Lankford, Controller The recommended modifications to the agreement are: 1. To extend the repayment terms an additional 24 months on the last portion of the Shell Road Public Improvement District from February 24, 2013 to February 24, 2015. 2. To allow the seller, at the time of closing, to convey property on either the north or south side of the proposed Verde Vista/Shell Road intersection and pay one half the then current unpaid PID assessment concurrent with the sales of the property. The Shell Road PID was created in 1997 to fund the realignment of Shell Road and Williams Drive. The assessment was created in 2000. The PID was the financing mechanism by the City as a pass through for funding of the project that was constructed by Williamson County. The original project costs were funded and constructed by Williamson County, since the properties were in the County not the City at the time of the agreement. A total assessment of $832,000 was levied against the property owners, with payment to be made within 7 years after the completion of the project. The 3rd amendment to this agreement extended the time 24 months. The last payment of approximately $397,384.62 is due February 2013. Interest rates were established at 7% from the date that the Shell Road realignment was completed. The assessment lien has been assigned to Williamson County. Once payments are received, the City forwards them to the County. The City has no financial interest in this agreement, and only acts as the conduit for the project. To date, all properties except for one (Campbell- Georgetown #1 Limited Partnership) have paid their assessments. This resolution extends the payment period 24 months at the request of the landowner. The developer is also requesting a modification to the payment schedule on the remaining assessment on the property known as Campbell Tract 3. If the property is not sold as one tract of land, the developer will pay one half of the current unpaid PID assessment at the time of closing on the sale. The remainder will be paid as the rest of the property is sold, with a final payment date no later than February 24, 2015. The agreement will require the approval of Williamson County. Staff recommends approving the extension and adjustment of payment schedule at this time. Unanimously approved. 6. Consideration and possible action for approval of award of contract for landscaping services for the public areas of Georgetown Village on behalf of the Georgetown Village PID to We Mow It in the estimated amount of $90000.00 annually for a period of up to five years (original one year term plus four one-year renewal periods) - Trina Bickford, Purchasing Manager and Micki Rundell, Chief Financial Officer Currently the City handles several administrative functions for the Georgetown Village PID, including the bidding process for selection of a landscaping firm to provide services to various public areas in Georgetown Village. In conjunction with the PID representatives, this requirement was bid out competitively, and the responses evaluated by three members of the PID board. The landscaping firm representing the best value is We Mow It. The City will process award of the contract if approved, and will process all payments on behalf of the PID. Award to We Mow It is recommended based on evaluation by a committee composed of PID Board members. The PID Board has been apprised of the bidding and evaluation processes. In addition to receiving the highest best value score, We Mow It provides services to the City directly. The pricing bid is within the PID’s budget. Unanimously approved. 7. Overview of the City’s current outstanding and proposed debt obligations - Micki Rundell, Chief Financial Officer Each year in preparation of the annual bond issuance process, staff prepares an overview of the City’s current outstanding debt obligations, as well as, a preview of the upcoming bond issue that the Council will consider in April 2012. This overview will include Revenue Bonds related to the City’s utilities, as well as, both self-supporting and taxable general debt obligations. Unanimously approved. 8. Consideration and possible action to authorize Specialized Public Finance, Inc. (SPFI) to proceed with the preparation of the required bond offering documents for the upcoming April 2012 bond issues - Micki Rundell, Chief Financial Officer This action officially begins the April 2012 bond issuance process by authorizing the City’s financial advisor (SPFI) to begin work on the Official Statements needed for the bonds. This item does not authorize the bond issue or determine the final amount of total bonds issued. The 2011/12 Annual Budget included debt funding for certain capital improvements. TAX SUPPORTED BONDS: Estimated Tax Impact** General Obligation Bonds – 2011 Public Safety Authorization 25 Year Bonds Design and preliminary engineering $2,500,000 0.0051 Certificates of Obligation 5 to 10 Year Bonds Fire Truck – replacement (10 year) 550,000 0.0021 Public Safety Vehicle replacement (5 year amortization) 1,000,000 0.0067 TOTAL TAX SUPPORTED CO BONDS 4,050,000 TOTAL ESTIMATED PROCEEDS (Net of Issuance Costs) $4,050,000 Debt service for the tax-supported bonds is estimated to have a total impact on the 2013 tax rate of $0.0139, of which $0.0051 would be for voter approved debt, and is the based on the 2011 tax base. Final amounts may be increased or decreased due to timing of various Capital Improvement Projects or other market related conditions The “not to exceed amount” for the Certificates of Obligation will be included in the CO notice/action that will be presented to City Council on March 14. The total face value of the bond issue will increase to include issuance costs. The total of the General Obligation Bonds may also be adjusted. Market conditions may warrant the consideration to issue more of the Public Safety Facility bonds which could result in significant savings will structuring the debt to have a predetermined impact to future tax rates. An analysis of this option will also be presented to the Council for consideration at that time. Unanimously approved. 9. The meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.