Discussion and possible action to approve a midyear budget amendment in the amount of $590,000 to restore certain budgetary requests suspended from the Fiscal Year 2021 budget following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.  

Given the initial uncertainty of the economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, City management undertook a series of restrictive budget measures in the spring of 2020.   This included a hold on most new ongoing requests, as well as on a series of one-time budget requests. All of new positions previously contemplated were likewise held from the budget. The City Council ultimately adopted a “baseline” budget for FY 2021 that largely reverted to the ongoing spending levels of FY 2020.  

Since the spring, reviews of our economic activity have improved, with a reasonable recovery in such areas as our critical city’s sales tax revenue. While the Management and Budget Division remains cautious on the long-term financial forecast, the City appears to have sufficient ongoing funding and ample reserves to support a series of important budget priorities.  

Several departments have approached the Management and Budget Division about restoring certain supplemental requests that were removed from the FY 2021 budget. Most of these requests are either one-time in nature or will use existing base budgets to offset increased ongoing costs. Below is a summary of these requests by department.  

The Development and Engineering Department is requesting a contract Development Technician I position. Development activity has not tailed off during the pandemic, and this front-line position ensures that service levels can be sustained. The one-time cost of this request is $40,000.  

The Fire-Medical Department is requesting a contract Administrative Assistant II position for the EMS Division. This position provides administrative support for the AMR Ambulance contract and the community paramedicine program, tracks and orders disposable supplies for EMS and ambulance operations, and tracks required certifications for EMS providers, among many other functions. The one-time cost of this request is $65,000.  

The Police Department is requesting funds to continue its traffic and crime prevention programs. The funding provides additional staffing hours (overtime) to create focused patrols in identified crime areas and target traffic concerns in specific areas. The onetime cost of this request is $70,000.  

The Finance and Budget Department is requesting funding to move forward with needed updates to its outdated budgeting application. This project also offers the ability to automate the production of the annual CAFR and budget documents. The project needs to begin as soon as possible to have a chance at being ready for the FY 2023 budget process. The one-time cost of this request is $350,000, with any ongoing costs absorbed within the city’s base budget.   

The Leadership and Management Department is requesting funding to move forward with a citizen relationship management system.  The system will allow the city to centralize the process for opening service tickets, coordinating assignments, disseminating information to departments, and tracking each request to completion. The one-time cost of this request is $65,000. The ongoing cost of $40,000 will be absorbed within the city’s base budget.  

A: Approve a midyear budget amendment totaling $590,000 to restore certain budgetary requests removed from the FY 2021 budget following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.   

B: Deny approval of a midyear budget amendment totaling $590,000 to restore certain budgetary requests removed from the FY 2021 budget following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.   

Staff recommends approval of a mid-year budget amendment totaling $590,000 from the General Fund Contingency Account 1000-0300-570000 to various department operating accounts specified below to restore certain budgetary requests removed from the FY 2021 budget following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

If approved, these department mid-year budget amendments would use one-time general fund dollars currently available. Additional one-time dollars will be available to departments through the FY 2022 budget process to address various needs. Since this action only involves one-time funds, it will have no impact on the structural balance of the General Fund.

If approved, $590,000 will be transferred from the General Fund Contingency Account 1000-0300-570000 to the following accounts:

·         1000-0810-510000 – $40,000 – Development Technician I

·         1000-1230-510000 – $65,000 – Administrative Assistant II

·         1000-1020-510200 – $35,000 – Crime Prevention Program

·         1000-1025-510200 – $35,000 – Traffic Prevention Program

·         1000-0430-520099 – $350,000 – Budgeting Application

·         1000-0020-520099 – $65,000 – Citizen Relationship Management System