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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-OverviewOverview October 1, 2004 To the Honorable Mayor Nelon, Members of the City Council and Citizens of Georgetown: We are pleased to present to you the adopted Annual Operating Plan Element (Operating Plan) of the Georgetown Century Plan for 2004/05. The Georgetown Century Plan is the comprehensive strategic plan by which Georgetown strives to enhance its quality of life. The Operating Plan is an outline of the programs and services to be provided by the City during the coming year. The Operating Plan continues the direction established by our citizens and the City Council to meet the existing challenges and effectively plan for future needs. It is also an opportunity to ensure energies and resources are directed to the programs, policies and issues that are shaped by the Georgetown Century Plan. The City began its 2004/05 budget process with the citizen survey conducted in April 2004. The information gathered provided direct citizen feedback on basic services and programs that the City funds and is used by determine the success or failure of using tax dollars. The information gained from the survey was used as a tool for the Council in setting priorities for the 2004/05 budget. Because the City conducted a similar survey in 2001, trends were identified and the success of previous programs and projects implemented over the past two years were measured. As expected, the top two issues identified by citizens were traffic/transportation issues (68.1%) and managing growth/development issues (67.3%). With these two priorities identified, the Council reviewed finances and funding sources, and focused its efforts into addressing these issues. The City has directed its efforts over the past three years in overcoming a $3 million operating budget shortfall that had been historically funded by the City’s utility funds. Beginning in 2001/02, with the adoption of the City’s Fiscal and Budgetary Policy, requiring each fund to be self-sustaining, the City has systematically eliminated the utility subsidy through increased revenue, including taxes and fees, as well as expenditure management and reduction. 2004/05 marks the first budget cycle in which the City’s General Fund is self-supporting without a prior year gap to overcome. With this in mind, the Council directed staff to develop programs that addressed areas in which funds hadn’t been allocated during the General Fund recovery program and where growth and service demands have stretched the current resources beyond reasonable capacity. The 2004/05 Annual Operating Plan addressed many of those areas. Budget Process for 2004/2005 Annual Operating Plan Oc t ob e r 1, 20 0 4 CI P P r o c e s s B e g i n s Cit i z e n S u r v e y C o n d u c te d C o u nc i l Pr i o r i t i e s D e t e r m i n ed B as e B u d g e t P r oc e s s B eg i n s C IP P re s e nta t i o n to C o u nc i l Mi d - Y e a r R ev i e w D iv isio n W o r k S e s sio n s A do pt U pd ate d F ina nc i a l Po l i c y C i ty M a n ag e r ' s B u d g e t P re p are d C o un c i l W o rk S e s sio n s Pu b l ic W o r k s h o p s / H e a r i ng s Bu d ge t A d op t i o n Se p t e m b e r 3 0,2 0 0 5 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June SeptAugJuly ii Total Budget per Capita $2,775 $2,613 $2,752 $2,556 $2,449 $2,865 $3,040 $- $500 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000 $2,500 $3,000 $3,500 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 *2004 *2005 *Projected One such area was public safety. Improving emergency response is a major Council priority in 2004/05. The 2004/05 Annual Operating Plan implements the first year of a three year plan to bring public safety staffing to acceptable levels with the addition of 4 patrol officers and 2 detectives and five firefighters. The budget also continues the Council’s commitment to Public Safety by funding the final phase of the Public Safety Compensation Plan, which includes pay scale adjustments in Fire, as well as certification and incentive pay in Police. Managing Georgetown’s future growth was another priority for the Council, as they worked to maintain the City’s unique character and preserve its rich heritage. Funds are included in the 2004/05 Annual Operating Plan to fund the second phase of improvements in the Downtown Master Plan, adopted by Council in the Spring of 2003, which is designed to enhance the economic viability of the downtown area. Those improvements include completion of the downtown parking lot and construction of low water crossing bridges along the hike and bike trail to improve mobility within the area. Economic development continues to be a high priority, as funds are included to continue business recruitment and retention efforts. Funds are also included to develop a revitalization plan for the North I35 and Williams Drive area, as well as, funds within the Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation (GTEC) budget to construct access improvements in the area. New revitalization projects for the downtown area, such as River Place and 400 Main were also funded. Another Council priority is expansion and enhancement of the City’s parks, including continued improvements to San Gabriel Park. This year’s budget funds phase two of San Gabriel Park improvements, needed to help preserve Georgetown’s largest, most picturesque City park. This budget also includes funds for identification of a community park on the west side of the City, as well as, replacement of playground equipment. In September 2004, Jack and Cammy Garey announced their plans to dedicate in their wills, their 535-acre ranch to the City for use as a community park. The ranch, which is 5 miles west of Georgetown, includes pristine natural areas and San Gabriel River frontage. As part of their gift, the Garey’s will also donate $5 million to be matched by the City for improvements to the park. This gift, valued at over $13 million, will ensure open spaces and help preserve the river corridor that is so important to Georgetown’s unique character. Other Council priorities included the promotion of affordable housing options, maintenance of competitive salaries for City staff, expansion and promotion of recycling opportunities and increasing the City’s social service funding. Each of these priorities is addressed in the 2004/05 budget. The adopted 2004/05 Annual Operating Plan balances the cost of new programs needed to address these priorities against the City’s limited financial and human resources and its adherence to the Fiscal and Budgetary Policy. BUDGET OVERVIEW The 2004/05 Operating Plan totals $113.8 million for all funds, a 9.2% increase over 2003/04. Of that amount, approximately $75.2 million is for continued operations, $9.1 million for debt service, of which $1 million is on behalf of GTEC, and $23.1 million for capital improvement projects, including $5 million of projects that were rolled forward from 2003/04. Operating interfund transfers are approximately $6.4 million. Overall, on-going operating costs increased as a result of new programs to address Council priorities, increased purchased power costs and other fixed operational expenses. Community Development increased 5% due to the expansion of the Geographic Information System program and the funding for a revitalization plan for the North IH35 and Williams Drive area study. Community Services decreased 1.3%. While costs increased due to the expansion of parks maintenance and expansion of weekend hours at the Public Library, these increases were offset by the completion of one-time projects in the tourism and parks areas. iii 2004/05 Budget by Type of Expense Personnel 18% Operations 54% Capital Projects 20% Debt Service 8% Assessed Property Valuation in billions 2,3192,247 2,116 1,939 1,629 1,427 1,195 0 250 500 750 1,000 1,250 1,500 1,750 2,000 2,250 2,500 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 Existing Property New Property Finance and Administration increased by 2%, due to new programs related to providing vehicle maintenance support to the utility funds, as well as increased sanitation contract costs and expansion of recycling programs. Georgetown Utility Systems increased 6.5% due to five new staff positions, as well as increased cost of utility system maintenance. Purchased power, or the cost of purchasing electricity for distribution to customers, increased over 21% due to the increased cost of fuel. Management Services increased by 4% due to an additional $25,000 for social services funding, an administrative support position transferred from Community Development and the expansion of the public information program. Police and Fire increased 6.3% and 12.4% respectively, due to increased personnel costs related to the funding of a public safety compensation program, as well as eleven new positions to address staffing requirements. Funding of additional equipment also contributes to the increase. Property Taxes. The City Council adopted a property tax rate of $0.34626 per $100 valuation, which is an 8.3% increase over the effective tax rate. The effective tax rate of $0.31974 was slightly less than the actual rate for the prior year of $0.32194. Of this increase, only 5.7% is related to operation and maintenance while the remainder is attributable to tax supported bonds issued in Spring 2004 and not included in the 2003/04 tax rate. Those bonds were used to purchase the Downtown parking lot and provide additional funding for the new Animal Shelter. Georgetown taxpayers can expect to spend around $53 more annually in City taxes for 2004/05. Even with this tax rate increase, Georgetown continues to have the lowest municipal tax rate in the Central Texas area. In September 2004, voters in Georgetown approved an initiative that freezes the property taxes for homeowners over 65 or disabled and mirrors the State of Texas Constitutional Amendment, Proposition 13, which passed overwhelmingly, statewide in 2003. “Prop 13” gives local governments the option of “freezing” taxes for the elderly and disabled. This program, which “freezes” approximately 27% of the Georgetown property tax revenue, may impact future property tax rates for Georgetown. Property Values. Existing property values rose less than 1%, yet overall, assessed valuation increased over 6% from last year’s adjusted valuation of $2.2 billion. This increase is attributable to $119 million of new and annexed property. The total assessed valuation for this year is $2.391 billion. The average home value increased 2.8% from $159,271 in 2003/04 to $163,751, thus reflecting the increase in residential valuations. Utility Rates. As part of the budget process, the City reviews its utility rates to ensure cost recovery and the availability of funds for capital maintenance and replacement. As part of this process, the City’s utility rate models are updated to include future capital requirements and operational needs. The models will forecast any needed adjustment well before the actual rate adoption. 2004/05 includes the second phase of a previously planned wastewater rate increase. Wastewater rates will increase from $3.10 per 1,000 gallons of water billed to $3.25 per thousand. In addition, an outside the City sewer rate will also be adopted. This increase will fund the on-going costs associated with Chapter 213 of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program that requires 20% of the sewer iv Sales Tax per Capita - 8.0% $135 $115$115 $105$101 $114$113 $- $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $120 $140 2000 2001 2002 2003 *2004 *2005 *2006 *Projected system be tested annually, with repairs made within the following year. Because 98% of the City’s wastewater service area is located over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, the City is particularly sensitive to environmental mandates such as this. Electric rates will also be adjusted in 2004/05 to accurately reflect the rising cost of purchased power related to higher fuel costs. Previously, under the City’s existing rates, any increase in power costs was passed through to the customer as a power cost adjustment (PCA). The new rate will essentially roll the existing PCA into the base rate. Power costs are expected to increase in the upcoming fiscal year, therefore, the new rate will reflect the forecasted cost of purchased power. Any deviation from that cost will again be adjusted through the PCA on customer billings. Other rate increases include a $0.50 Stormwater Drainage fee increase to fund capital needs in the downtown area, as well as, other regional drainage improvements. The new rate of $4.25 per residential unit is still well below the $5.00 per unit rate initially proposed in the mid-1990s when the utility was implemented. Residential Sanitation rates will increase $0.45 or 3.6% due to contracted cost increases related to fuel, environmental mandates and other fixed costs. The new rate of $12.95 will provide additional expanded services, including curbside bulky waste pickup. Commercial rates will also increase 5-6%. Economic Outlook. The City experienced an upswing in sales tax revenues throughout 2004, averaging an increase of 13% over the previous fiscal year. This increase is a direct result of the opening of Home Depot in June 2003, as well as the opening of the Super Wal-Mart in August 2003. The continued build out of the Rivery Town Crossing, as well as, the Williams Drive area in the northwest area of the City are expected to increase the City’s revenue in the upcoming year. Historically, sales tax fluctuations mirror economic conditions. Base line sales tax is expected to increase approximately 3% as these new developments come on-line. Sales tax now funds approximately 21% of the General Fund operating budget, yet sales tax revenue is the most volatile revenue stream within the General Fund. Therefore, the City monitors this revenue stream closely for any potential shortfalls that could impact the General Fund cash flow. While the City continues to improve its per capita sales tax collections, the City is lower than many of the surrounding communities on the amount of tax collected per capita. The future opening of the Wolf Ranch Towne Center, a 750,000 sq ft. Simon Properties development will provide citizens with additional shopping opportunities, and thus increase the per capita collections within Georgetown. The Wolf Ranch Towne Center will include Target and 70 other retailers and restaurants, and is scheduled to open in Summer 2005. 2005 marks the opening of TASUS, an automobile manufacturing supplier that is expanding to a new 120,000 sq ft facility in Georgetown. TASUS, headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, brings 150 new jobs to Georgetown and is the first tier two supplier for the new Toyota plant being built in San Antonio, scheduled to open in 2007, that has located to the area. BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS The major program initiatives for the 2004/05 Annual Operating Plan and beyond are further outlined as follows: • Community Development A preliminary update of the Century Plan is scheduled for 2004/05. Coordination of the local planning process will begin this year with future funds to be allocated once the scope of the project is determined. Oversight and maintenance of the City’s Overall Transportation Plan (OTP) will be accomplished through contracted services managed by Long-range Planning. The Geographic Information System (GIS) Program will be expanded to include additional equipment and one additional position, to improve customer response and provide additional 911 Addressing support. v • Community Services Along with the new programs previously mentioned for park improvement and expansion, the Division has other programs scheduled for 2004/05. The Parks department will also increase contract mowing to provide cost effective maintenance for outlying parks. The Library will expand weekend hours by upgrading 4 part time positions to full time, thus providing additional opportunities during peak times. • Finance & Administration A new heavy equipment mechanic will be added to the Vehicle Service Center to address equipment repair needs in the utility areas. A heavy duty lift will also be added so that more equipment can be repaired in house. This program addresses a need identified in the 2004 Internal Customer Service Survey. A new expanded recycling advertising program will also be initiated, along with applying for grant funds to further expand the collection station and recycling program. • Fire Services Fire Services will focus on staffing needs, with the implementation of year one of a three year plan to bring public safety staffing to acceptable levels. This includes the addition of five new firefighters to provide relief staffing for existing shifts. Compensation issues are addressed with an additional $75,000 for pay scale adjustments, as well as, funding for the next year’s step increases. • Georgetown Utility Systems Transportation needs continue to be a major focus for the Division. A traffic feasibility study will be conducted to develop possible traffic solutions that would be implemented in future budgets. An additional Capital Improvements Coordinator, partially funded through GTEC, will be added to provide oversight of transportation capital projects. The Water Services area will add an additional crew to bring Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone (EARZ) testing in-house, those reducing the dependence on contracted services for line testing. A new sewer camera truck will also be added. In addition, a position dedicated to line location to reduce the potential for service interruptions, will be added in the Water department. A claims adjuster will also be added to improve customer service and coordinate the City’s property and liability insurance claims process. • Management Services Development of an affordable housing program will be one of this Division’s many programs for 2004/05. In addition, the second phase of the Downtown Master Plan will be coordinated, including the development of a Downtown Landscape Master Plan. The public information program will be expanded to include newspaper profiles regarding issues of interest to the community. A records management program will be developed to provide a citywide solution for records management. • Police Services Staffing and compensation are the primary focus for Police Services. An additional six officers will be added, to improve emergency response levels in year one of a three year plan to address staffing levels in public safety. Also included, is the third phase of a public safety compensation plan, which includes incentive and certification pay. Various equipment, as well as a vehicle replacement program and laptops for the patrol cars, are also funded for the Police Department in 2005. Animal Services will be relocated to an expanded Animal Shelter in January 2005. • Capital Projects The City will spend $23.1 million for new infrastructure and facility improvements in 2004/05. Facility expansion and improvements include the purchase of the Williamson County Appraisal District Building, completion of improvements to the Downtown Parking Lot (Hewlett lot) purchased in 2004, design of a new Fire Station #1 (to relocate the existing station downtown), and construction of a Community Room at the new Parks Administration facility. vi Combined Utility Revenues 0 1 0,000,000 20,000,000 30,000,000 40,000,000 50,000,000 60,000,000 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 Proj 04/05 Electric Water Wastewater Sanitation Stormwater Streets improvements include projects to improve the following streets: • Main Street ü Morrow Street • Ranch Road/Parkway ü College & Ash Streets • Maple Street ü Vine, Laurel & Olive Streets • Forest Street The Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation, whose board is appointed by the Council, makes recommendations on the projects to be funded through the ½ cent sales tax for economic development. Projects to be funded using this 4B sales tax revenue are approved in a separate budget by the GTEC board and are also approved by Council. Projects are administered and managed by City staff. A copy of the approved budget is included in the reference section of this document. The City will fund over $17 million for utility capital and infrastructure improvements in 2004/05. The majority of these projects are part of the City’s ongoing capital replacement program to ensure quality services to the citizens of Georgetown. Improvements are scheduled throughout the electric system to ensure reliable service to all parts of the service area. Water improvements include line upgrades, mandated Edward’s Aquifer Recharge Zone testing and repairs and the expansion of the Dove Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant. Stormwater Drainage improvements include the completion of outstanding projects, capital outlay in various areas with drainage issues, as well as funding for Regional Stormwater Implementation. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The City is committed to sound financial planning and direction, as reflected in the adoption of the Fiscal and Budgetary Policy in 2001 which is reviewed and updated annually as part of the budget process. This policy requires all funds be self-sustaining, meaning on-going operating revenues must fund on-going expenses. Also, the policy has substantial debt coverage requirements. All enterprise funds that have debt commitments are required to maintain 1.5 times coverage, meaning excess operating revenues must equal 1.5 times the annual debt service payment. The 2004/05 Annual Operating Plan continues the Council's goal to ensure that each utility system is a self-supporting operation that provides a desirable and affordable level of service. All of the City’s enterprise funds, including the Airport, are self-supporting and policy compliant in 2004/05. The minimum contingency reserve increases in 2004/05 to $9.3 million, or 75 days citywide, as required by the policy. The General Fund contingency reserve has been increased to $3,930,000 or 90 days of operating expense and includes a reallocation of reserves previously held in other funds. These funds were reallocated due to the General Fund’s growing dependence on sales tax to fund operations. A more detailed look at the City’s revenues and funds, along with a copy of the Fiscal and Budgetary Policy, is provided in the Financial Summary Section. Revenues. The City's revenues continue to rise due to added property tax revenue due to an increased total assessed valuation and increased utility service demands. The City's overall customer base for its electric, sanitation, wastewater and water services has increased at a rate of 5- 7% for the last three years. The City continues to conservatively project a 5% increase in revenues for utility growth. Since weather conditions affect the electric and water revenues significantly, revenue projections utilize conservative growth estimates to avoid budget shortfalls, and utilize a rolling average consumption method to factor out any weather aberrations. General Fund. General Fund revenues are expected to increase for 2004/05, through increased property taxes and slight increases in sales taxes due to new retail development. Return on investment transfers are expected to increase due to overall customer growth and higher revenues in the City’s utility system. Court fines are expected to increase due to increased ticket volume and potential fee adjustments expected in Fall 2004 after a fee survey is completed. Other revenues are expected to remain stable through upcoming year. vii Times Coverage Ratio 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 Combined Water Services Electric Minimum Policy Requirement Proposed Debt. Revenue bonds are scheduled to be issued for utility infrastructure projects. The estimated amount of the utility bonds needed to fund the Utility Capital Improvement Program is $4.5 million. The City plans to time the issuance of this debt to complement the issuance of the GTEC debt for transportation improvements and match cash flow needs. The debt issue is planned for Spring 2005. Short term obligations for $560,000 to fund public safety vehicles, including patrol laptops in the vehicles will also be issued, along with an additional $1.3 million to fund general capital projects, including park improvements and preliminary design for the relocation of Fire Station 1. The City ‘s total tax- supported general debt is expected to be $21,362,929 by September 30, 2005. Yet, the per capita debt continues to decline, and is still lower than most surrounding communities. In November 2004, voters will decide on a $22 million bond package that includes a new library, an expanded recreation center and renovation of the City’s community center. The five year average annual increase in the tax rate is estimated to be $0.0165 per $100 valuation. If passed, the first bond issue is planned for 2006 for construction of the new library. Electric and Water Services Funds. Growth demands continue to impact service levels within the City’s two largest utility funds. Operational costs continue to increase as the infrastructure expands. Growth in the City’s outlying areas also creates demands on the City’s existing utility facilities. The City's electric system continues to generate revenues sufficient for operations and maintenance and some system improvements. Growth in the southern most area of the Electric service area will create increased demands on substations in that area. Yet, revenues related to this area are projected to offset any increase in operating cost. Growth, as well as, increased environmental mandates has also impacted the Water Services Fund, which includes the City’s water, wastewater and irrigation utilities. Water utility costs continue to increase due to the increases in water treatment expense at the Lake Georgetown Plant, as well as, increases in long term water supply cost and costs associated with the completion of the Williamson County Raw Water Line. Contracting for additional water with the Brazos River Authority has ensured the availability of long-term water for Georgetown. Expenses in the wastewater utility have increased due to Edwards Aquifer compliance issues and increasing treatment plant operational costs. The expansion of effluent for irrigation purposes, which provides large commercial customers a non-potable water supply for irrigation purposes, has been completed to help mitigate the demand on the City’s water plants for treated water. The utility debt coverage ratio, a standard measure of utility revenue debt capacity, or the number of times the debt service payment could be funded through net income from the utility, remains healthy at 2.72 times. While this number is slightly less than previous years, the amount is more than adequate to meet the City’s fiscal and budgetary requirement of 1.5 times coverage and the City’s utility bond requirements of 1.35 times coverage. Airport Fund. The Airport Fund is financially self-supporting by funding its on-going operations, as well as providing a times coverage ratio of 1.5 times for its debt service coverage. The construction of an airport traffic control tower, which is funded 90% through a federal grant administered through the Texas Department of Transportation, will be completed in 2005. The Airport Master Plan update will be completed 2005, and will include expected improvements to the Airport. Funding needs and a financial plan will be considered in the adoption of the updated Plan. Tax Supported Debt Per Capita $336 $427 $620 $706 $629 $606 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 ' 9 5' 9 7' 9 9' 0 1' 0 3' 0 5 viii Internal Service Funds. The internal service funds provide administrative services and asset management for information, facility, and fleet services to City programs and departments by charging lease and administrative fees. These fees are incorporated in each department’s budget. Information Services Fund $1,331,194 Add and replace network and application technology and hardware. The City began leasing its computer and phone systems in 2003 to provide a citywide standard on computers and a citywide phone system. Fees fund computer support services and annual software maintenance contracts. Facilities Maintenance Fund $670,815 Building maintenance and repairs to include HVAC, janitorial services and minor remodeling. Repairs and scheduled maintenance will be completed in 2004/05. Fleet Management Fund $1,192,546 Add/replace 29 vehicles and equipment. The Council continues the three-year replacement cycle for police vehicles and added laptops as standard equipment in the patrol cars. CONCLUSION Another major priority identified by City Council last Spring was to provide quality services to our citizens while keeping property taxes low. We believe the 2004/05 Annual Operating Plan fulfills that goal. The new or expanded programs that are funded in this budget will not only improve or expand service levels, but will also enhance the quality of life for our citizens. We believe we’ve made an outstanding effort to ensure the goals and objectives set forth by the Council have been met, as well as ensuring that Georgetown remains a safe and affordable place to live and work. The proposed budget balances the needs of the community with the available funding to move the organization toward fulfilling its mission of enhancing the unique character and quality of life for the citizens of Georgetown. Finally, we acknowledge the tremendous contributions and teamwork of all City staff in preparing the 2004/05 Annual Operating Plan. The management team worked together to assist in achieving the goals set by Council. Each department worked to find savings in their operating budgets, and to make suggestions for program improvements. Most notably, we want to recognize the Finance and Administration Division for their long and dedicated hours in preparing the Annual Operating Plan. Respectfully submitted, Paul E. Brandenburg Micki Rundell, CGFO City Manager Director of Finance & Administration