HomeMy WebLinkAbout09 - NB-1 - Approval of Deferred Finance, Develop - 11/19/20191
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 19, 2019 ITEM NUMBER: NB-1
SUBJECT:APPROVAL OF DEFERRED FINANCE, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES,
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND POLICE DEPARTMENT’S
REQUESTS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2019-20 BUDGET ADOPTION
DATE: NOVEMBER 13, 2019
FROM: FINANCE DEPARTMENT
PRESENTATION BY: KELLY TELFORD, CPA, FINANCE DIRECTOR
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT:
KELLY TELFORD, CPA, FINANCE
DIRECTOR, (714) 754-5243
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the following items that were ultimately
deferred during the June 18, 2019 budget adoption hearing:
1. Information Technology Department: Eliminate one part-time Intern and one part-
time Programmer Analyst and add one full-time equivalent Network Administrator;
2. Development Services Department: Eliminate one part-time Code Enforcement
Officer and reclassify two existing part-time Code Enforcement Officers to full-time
Code Enforcement Officers;
3. Police Department: Authorize the City Manager to enter into a master financing
agreement for a principal amount not-to-exceed $1.5 million for the purchase of the
Mobile Command Vehicle if the City is unsuccessful in securing grant funding;
4. Police Department: Approval of a budget adjustment appropriating $1.125 million
(the amount needed to upgrade or replace the L3 police car video system and five
replacement vehicles, plus a ten percent contingency); and
5. Police Department: Approve the three-year funding and implementation plan for the
requested items.
BACKGROUND:
During the FY 2019-20 budget adoption, several positions were not approved and the
Finance Department was asked to bring these requests, along with the Police
Department’s requests, back for consideration once the preliminary results for FY 2018-
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19 were available and the first quarter of FY 2019-20 was closed. On November 12, 2019,
the City Council considered the preliminary results for FY 2018-19, pacing for the first
quarter of FY 2019-20, and items that were ultimately deferred during the June 18th
budget adoption hearing.
DISCUSSION:
Deferred Staffing Items:
The FY 2019-20 preliminary budget contained several proposed positions that were
ultimately deferred during the June 18, 2019 budget adoption hearing. Staff requested to
allow these proposed positions to be re-evaluated in conjunction with the review of FY
2018-19 year-end balances and FY 2019-20 first quarter financial results. A list of these
positions is in Attachment 1.
Subsequently, the Finance Department requested to substitute the full-time Financial
Analyst position to a full-time Budget and Purchasing Manager position based on a higher
priority need in the department. The City Council approved this request on November 5,
2019.
Finance staff also had numerous discussions with the IT and Development Services
Departments regarding their deferred positions, which remain critical since they respond
to three of the City Council’s goals. Code Enforcement Officers keep our community safe
(City Council Goals No. 1) by addressing code violations. IT Department staff is
responsible for keeping every department’s system running smoothly, including Finance
and payroll. They play a significant role in keeping the City fiscally sustainable, to address
our long-term obligations as well as immediate needs (City Council Goals No. 3), and
good government and community engagement (City Council Goals No. 6). Having full-
time positions in both departments will help with staff retention.
Given the better than expected FY 2018-19 preliminary financial results and FY 2019-20
pacing, staff is again recommending the conversion of two part-time positions to one full-
time Network Administrator and three part-time Code Enforcement Officers to two full-
time Code Enforcement Officers. Attachment 1 provides the estimated costs for these
recommendations.
Deferred Police Department Requests:
During the FY 2018-19 budget adoption, the Police Department also made numerous
requests. The initial list totaled nearly $4 million. Staff has been working closely with the
Police Department to research outside funding opportunities, including grant funding and
equipment financing to help fund these requests.
Finance and the Police Department have developed a three-year implementation plan to
fund the Police Department’s most critical requests (Attachment 2). A phased approach
will allow the City to address how to pay for these items, as well as set a realistic goal for
implementation.
The first item we addressed was the highest priority item, the Mobile Command Vehicle
(MCV). The MCV was previously approved and appropriated by City Council in the FY
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2017-18 Budget; however, when the MCV was ready to be purchased, the Finance
Department identified a structural deficit in the Equipment Replacement Fund
necessitating the identification of an alternative financing source. Since then, the Finance
Department has been looking at all funding options including grants, leases, loan
financing and cash reserves.
The City has already begun working with Townsend Public Affairs, the City’s grant writing
and legislative advocacy consultant, to identify possible grant options for funding the
MCV. If a viable grant opportunity is identified, the City will submit a grant application and
will wait to purchase the MCV until the results are released. If the City is unable to identify
a viable option by April 1, 2020, the City recommends securing loan financing for the
MCV. At today’s low interest rate environment, the City can borrow from a financial
institution to fund a significant purchase at a favorable interest rate. At this time, staff is
reviewing a financing option for the mobile command vehicle (MCV), which is estimated
to cost $1.5 million if we purchase it today. Under the financing option, the annual cost is
expected to be $180,000 each year over a 10-year period. The Police Department has
evaluated this option and is in agreement with the Finance Department’s
recommendation. If a grant is identified or the MCV is financed, this would allow the City
to consider using available cash for other critical needs such as the L3 police car video
system and five replacement vehicles, which will be prioritized in FY 2019-20 (Phase 1).
As shown in Attachment 2, the Finance Department and Police Department are
recommending the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a master
financing agreement for a principal amount not-to-exceed $1.5 million for the MCV as
described above which will provide an alternative if the City is unsuccessful in securing
grant funding. In addition, the Finance Department recommends appropriating $1.125
million (the amount needed to upgrade or replace the L3 police car video system and five
replacement vehicles, plus a ten percent contingency) to the FY 2019-20 Police
Department Budget from the FY 2018-19 one-time sales tax revenues received that were
unanticipated.
For the remaining phases, staff is recommending the City Council formally approve the
three-year funding and implementation plan to address the subject items. In Phase 2, the
Finance Department and Police Department recommend budgeting five additional
vehicles and the Police vehicle computers (MDCs). Phase 2 also includes the first year
financing payment for the MCV estimated to total $180,000, if the City were to choose
financing. If approved, $1,185,000 would be included in the FY 2020-21 Budget.
In Phase 3, the Finance Department and Police Department recommend budgeting five
more vehicles. Phase 3 also includes the second year financing payment for the MCV
estimated to total $180,000, if the City were to choose financing. If approved, $410,000
would be included in the FY 2021-22 Budget.
Finally, the three remaining items in Attachment 2 have already been purchased
(including the CCTV System, Drone, and Dragon Dictation Software). Other items are
anticipated to be purchased through outside funding sources such as AB 109, Asset
Forfeiture Funds, or other grant opportunities (including the personal protective
equipment, Digital Imaging Management Software and Crime Scene Investigation
Equipment).
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ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED:
The City Council could choose not to approve part of or all of the recommendations and
provide alternative direction.
FISCAL REVIEW:
Deferred Staffing Items:
There is sufficient funding in the FY 2019-20 IT and Development Services Department
Budgets, respectively, to fund the proposed staffing changes. The estimated total ongoing
cost of these staffing changes is $261,859, with a breakdown of costs per position
included as Attachment 1.
Deferred Police Department Requests:
Staff is recommending Council to authorize the City Manager to enter into a master
financing agreement for a principal amount not-to-exceed $1.5 million for the purchase of
the Mobile Command Vehicle, if the City is unsuccessful in securing grant funding. The
preliminary estimate for a 10-year financing term is approximately $180,000 per year and
would begin in FY 2020-21.
Staff is also requesting approval of a budget adjustment appropriating $1.125 million (the
amount needed to upgrade or replace the L3 police car video system and five replacement
vehicles, plus a ten percent contingency) to the FY 2019-20 Police Department Budget from
the FY 2018-19 one-time sales tax revenues received which were unanticipated in the
General Fund unassigned Fund Balance.
Finally, staff is recommending the City Council formally approve the funding and
implementation plan (Attachment 2), which totals approximately $2.2 million over three
years, excluding the future items and corresponding costs.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved this report as to form.
COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES:
Consideration of the deferred items from the FY 2019-20 budget adoption accomplishes
the following City Council Goals & Priorities: Goal No. 1 – Keep Our Community Safe, by
upgrading our public safety infrastructure, improving staffing in the Code Enforcement
Department, continuing to address the secondary impacts of sober living homes through
code enforcement; Goal No. 3 – Keep the City Fiscally Sustainable, to address our long-
term obligations as well as immediate needs; and No. 6 – Good Government and
Community Engagement, by completing our IT strategic plan.
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CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the following items that were ultimately
deferred during the June 18, 2019 budget adoption hearing:
1. Information Technology Department: Eliminate one part-time Intern and one part-
time Programmer Analyst and add one full-time equivalent Network Administrator;
2. Development Services Department: Eliminate one part-time Code Enforcement
Officer and reclassify two existing part-time Code Enforcement Officers to full-time
Code Enforcement Officers;
3. Police Department: Authorize the City Manager to enter into a master financing
agreement for a principal amount not-to-exceed $1.5 million for the purchase of the
Mobile Command Vehicle, if the City is unsuccessful in securing grant funding;
4. Police Department: Approval of a budget adjustment appropriating $1.125 million
(the amount needed to upgrade or replace the L3 police car video system and five
replacement vehicles, plus a ten percent contingency) to the FY 2019-20 Police
Department Budget; and
5. Police Department: Approve the three-year funding and implementation plan for the
requested items.
KELLY A. TELFORD, CPA BRYAN GLASS
Finance Director Police Captain
BARRY CURTIS STEVE ELY
Economic & Development Services Information Technology Director
Director
KIMBERLY HALL BARLOW
City Attorney
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Deferred Items – Staffing
2. Deferred Items – Police Department Requests and
Funding/Implementation Plan
DISTRIBUTION: City Manager
City Attorney
City Clerk
Staff
Items Deferred During FY 19/20 Budget Adoption - AddendumStaffing ItemsOriginal RequestDepartment Description Original Estimated Cost Ongoing Estimated Costs Finance Department FT Financial Analyst (new position) 139,014 139,014 Information Technology DepartmentFT Network Administrator - Eliminate PT Intern and PT Programmer Analyst and add this positon8,570 36,686 Development Services DepartmentFT Code Enforcement Officers (2) - Eliminate one PT Code Enforcement Officer and reclassifying two PT Code Enforcement Officers to full time12,987 12,987 Estimated Cost to General Fund160,571 188,687 Revised RecommendationsDepartment Description Original FY 19/20 Estimated Cost Revised FY 19/20 Estimated Cost* Ongoing Estimated Costs 139,014 - 139,014 - 106,093 212,186 Information Technology DepartmentFT Network Administrator - Eliminate PT Intern and PT Programmer Analyst and add this positon8,570 5,713 36,686 Development Services DepartmentFT Code Enforcement Officers (2) - Eliminate one PT Code Enforcement Officer and reclassifying two PT Code Enforcement Officers to full time12,987 8,658 12,987 Estimated Cost to General Fund160,571 120,464 261,859 * Based on 8 months left in the fiscal year.Finance DepartmentFT Financial AnalystFT Budget and Purchasing Manager