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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTown Manager Memo MEMORANDUM DATE: September 8, 2010 TO: Honorable Mayor and Town Council FROM: Tom Brymer, Town Manager/Superintendent SUBJECT: Summary of the Transmittal Letters from FY 2000 to FY 2010 Below is a summary (in rough draft format) of the transmittal letters in each of the Town municipal budgets from FY 2000/2001 to FY 2009/10. Perhaps this information will be useful to the Council as it deliberates on the Town's finances. 2000/2001 Employees: Town Manager/Admin Assistant/Town Secretary Consultants: Building Inspections/Civil Engineering/Landscape Architect/Street Planner/Town Planner/Water Engineer Policy Objectives: 1. Create new enterprises to produce varied yet balanced revenue sources 2. Implement creative policies relative to new infrastructure to fund/construct fairly 3. Encourage development that provides more revenue than demands for service 4. Build community support based on communication/involvement • Utility Fund listed as "new enterprise" fund this year; discusses the beginnings of the Duct Bank • Visitors Fund listed as "new enterprise" fund this year; stated would be used to promote tourism • 4A/4B funds indicated would be used to fund projects `ahead of time' and then money repaid from the appropriate enterprise funds as revenue is generated • Discusses future growth on the scale of 5,000 potential new employees working in town; and an additional 100 new families—recommends management of future growth as low density residential developments Board Members: Scott Bradley, Don Redding, Larry Sparrow, Fred Held, Buddy Brown, Bill Frey 1 2001/2002 Employees: Town Manager/Assistant to TM/Town Secretary/Office Manager Receptionist/Judge & Clerk Public Works Director/Town Planner(these were planned for this fiscal year,but delayed due to 9/11) Policy Objectives: 1. Continue to maintain/improve service and development standards 2. Improve revenue generating capacity 3. Provide financial and planning support for WA 4. Develop revenues to support developmental costs 5. Improve cost efficiency/quality of professional services • Lists beginning of water service to residential customers in FY 2000/2001 with Dove Rd water line completion • Recommended that we begin to hire full-time employees in lieu of some of the consultants; consultants to be used for CIP type items rather than day-to-day business • Court mentioned as a new dept to allow Town to gather their own revenues and retain rather than remit back to DPS as an offset to the contract • GF capital projects were reduced to allow for developments to occur and offset costs - Doesn't elaborate any further. Board Members: Scott Bradley, Don Redding, Larry Sparrow, Fred Held, Buddy Brown, Bill Frey 2002/2003 Employees: Town Manager/Asst to TM/Office Manager/Town Secretary/Receptionist/Fire Coordinator/Firemen/Court Clerk/Judge/Marshal Policy Goals: 1. Update master thoroughfare plan; and open space plan 2. Update comprehensive land use plan and zoning maps 3. Continue to evaluate new revenue methods and improve our self-sufficiency 4. Attract retail development 5. Hire staff and open WA in 2003 6. Locate fire facilities to permanent location Recap of major events in FY 01/02 • Listed the economic impact of 9/11 on our sales tax with only 73% of projected amounts actually being collected • States measures were taken to reduce the use of outside consultants; delay the hiring of a public works director and town planner due to 9/11 2 • Began Fire&Rescue department—hired Fire Chief; received grant of$240,000 for apparatus • Court began with approx. $300K in new revenues • Vaquero Phase I completed; Glen Wyck Farms was now two-years old; Daimler Chrysler completed Service Level increases 1. Fire/rescue 2. FM 1938 expansion began 3. Capital Projects completed(doesn't elaborate on which ones) 4. Court taken in-house 5. Duct Bank 6. CO's issued for WA 7. Amendment of thoroughfare plans • Discussed the biggest increase in the budget being the fire department—with the hiring of 9 FTE's; had been using contract employees but couldn't remain license/certified without FTE's. • Next largest expense was the police contract. • Issued CO's of$12.4 M for Civic Campus • Continue to review areas where in-house employees would be more cost effective than consultants Mallfirst mentioned as zoning case in spring with a planned opening date of 2005 Board Members: Scott Bradley, Don Redding, Larry Sparrow, Fred Held, Buddy Brown, Bill Frey 2003/2004 Employees: Town Manager/Asst to TM/Finance Dir./Office Manager changed to Personnel Manager/Public Works Superintendent/Part-time Intern/Part-time Parks & Rec. Coordinator/Town Secretary/Accounts Payable Clerk/Fire Coordinator/Firemen/Court Clerk/Judge/Deputy Clerks/Marshal Policy Goals: 1. Meet growing residential service demand(no further explanation given) 2. Pursue commercial/retail development 3. Increase revenue 4. Reduce spending without affecting services 5. Maintain competitive/motivated workforce 6. Support community involvement 7. Improve hotel occupancy rates • Hook up of overhead storage tank • Hired Finance Director; hired public works superintendent (delayed from previous years) 3 • Mentions the continued use of FTE's to reduce the overhead of consultants and increase service delivery as well • Updating of thoroughfare/comprehensive land use/open space plans and relocation of fire station to permanent facility put off due to mall delay • Issued CO's for$6.4M • Discussed the conversion of 4A to a crime control district to offset the PD contract Mall project mentioned as a possible delayed event Board Members: Scott Bradley, Don Redding, Larry Sparrow, Fred Held, Buddy Brown, Bill Frey 2004/2005 Employees: Town Manager/Executive Assistant/Intern/Town Secretary/Building Official/ Fire Coordinator/Firemen/Court Clerk/Deputy Clerks/Judge/Warrant Officer/Public Works Superintendent/Utility Technician/Fac & Rec/Finance Director/HR/Accounts Payable/Records & Revenue/Marketing • Transmittal letter again addresses the increase in residential growth impacting the need for additional service levels (but doesn't expand on the subject) • Discussed the hiring of several new employees and move in to town owned facilities at the civic campus for the office staff • Discussed the decision not to convert 4A to a CCD due to legislative concerns and the future of 4A spending • Shows expansion in fund levels from the original 2 in the early years to a total of 8 for this budget submittal. General, Visitors and Utility Fund to these original ones plus—4A and 4B development fund; capital projects fund; debt service fund; permanent capital mtce fund • The summary discusses that this is the largest budget to date; while continuing to stress reductions in expenditures and looking for additional revenue sources. • Discussed the delay in hiring based on the misfires of the mall before now; the hiring of certain submitted positions would not occur until the 2nd quarter of the FY and existing staff would need to accept new responsibilities with expanding workload. Mentioned the ground breaking for the Circle T Ranch mall—with opening of March, 2007; also discusses the gearing up'of the inspections department and transition of fire dept to a DPS configuration Board Members: Scott Bradley, Don Redding, Larry Sparrow, Fred Held, Buddy Brown, Bill Frey 2005/2006 ® Identifies trend of steady residential growth during past year with ongoing service level increases (but no further details) 4 • Stated that FY 2004/2005 showed two revenue scenarios—with mall and without—and that this current budget was the same setup. Further mentioned the Hwy 170 retail component online at the same time as the larger mall. • Shows a delay in hiring of the records clerk and public works technician due to budget constraints; but further identifies the additional of a part-time clerk and DPS officer to offset overtime costs and boost revenues. Both positions were to be revenue neutral. • States if significant new development fees/revenues from new businesses is not in place by the end of calendar year 2005 staff will recommend the dissolution of the 4A ED fund to allow for greater flexibility Board Members: Scott Bradley, Don Redding, Larry Sparrow, Fred Held, Buddy Brown, Bill Frey 2006/2007 Employees: Town Manager/Exec. Assistant/Town Secretary/Building Official/Fire Coordinator/Firemen/Court Clerk/Deputy Clerks/Judge/Warrant Officer/Public Works Superintendent Fac &Rec/Finance Director/HR Manager/Finance Asst. • Discussed the challenges of providing services without property tax • 4A converted to PTR; moved money to GF • Staffing levels discussed relative to staff absorbing additional service level demands related to commercial/residential and WA growth—no new positions recommended for this FY • First time transmittal letter discussed the costs associated with WA; lease space to accommodate staff due to need of the school for the entire Civic Campus; listed in-kind support of$268K by Town staff to WA • Clearly delineated the departments and their functions/summary along with fund summaries and CIP plans Board Members: Scott Bradley, Don Redding, Larry Corson, Fred Held, Buddy Brown, Bill Frey 2007/2008 • Contained additional personnel recommendations; stated hadn't put forth this type of increase since the 03/04 FY. We had asked for more staff multiple times, but hiring was delayed. • Transmittal letter stated we were operating at the same staffing level in 2007/2008 as in 2003/2004 even with the opening of WA and increased residential/commercial occupations (no further descriptions) • Outlines how Sherry Wigham's position was added to offset the OT Jaymi was putting in due to increased demands; Was also designed to provide some level of administrative support to public works and building inspections 5 • Joseph's job was outlined as a need to allow for Jarrod and Troy to handle their departmental responsibilities without performing as much manual labor in the field; had increased inefficiencies in those departments by having the DH's out of the office Board Members: Scott Bradley, Larry Corson, Don Redding, April Gallagher, Pete Steger, Bob Timmerman 2008/2009 • Discussed the provision of`basic' services for residents without ad valorem tax and the creation of the long-term vision by the Council for Westlake; Also, published the mission/vision statements for the first time. • Specifically discussed a `scrubbing' process for the budget preparation process; outlined the use of the SLA's for increases over what we were budgeting in base numbers; discussed separating out of the one-time $ and not using this for operational expenditures; explained that department heads were asked to look at their budget levels and reduce as much as possible to provide conservative levels of expenditures while we looked at financial sustainability and while it appeared the economy was going through the beginnings of a downturn. Major Milestones Noted in FY 07/08 • Marriott Hotel expansion • Fidelity Phase II under construction • Possible Westlake Corners retail development • Terra Bella • Arts & Sciences Center • FM 1938 moving forward—touched on streetscaping concerns • Deloitte • New employees requested, but not funded. • There was a pay increase for some employees (up to 7%)based on the market analysis done by Todd which, was discussed and mention of the performance pay money that was budgeted as well. Council Members: Laura Wheat, Larry Corson, Don Redding, Tim Brittan, Carol Langdon, Rebecca Rollins 2009/2010 • First mention of the use of fund balance due to decline in sales tax receipts, etc. Does note in bold type the following statement—the operating portion of the FY 09-10 budget is 7% less than the estimated 08-09 budget. However, General Fund revenues are still not adequate and require use of fund balance in FY 09-10. • One new position (clerical) funded, one position (public safety) deleted Major Milestones Noted in FY 08/09 6 • Fidelity Phase Il Completed • SP developed/adopted • Arts & Sciences completed • FM 1938 bids let out; streetscape concept completed • Deloitte construction began • Oil &Gas ordinance completed • Stagecoach drainage improvement began • Westlake e-Tube videos and newsletter converted to electronic version; Westlake Windows also began with neighborhood meetings • Terra Bella completed • Direction Finders survey instruments implemented • Paragraph devoted to the use of sales tax revenue as the main source of funds for govt operations; and how it is extremely impacted by economic downturns; included five-year financial forecast in transmittal letter with"sign posts" showing coming revenue shortfalls. • Had a lengthy section on the issues facing Westlake in the future and the expected shortfalls—were described as the `brutal facts' surrounding our situation. 1. Rely mostly on sales tax revenue and one-time money to fund operations/projects. 2. Sales tax declining due to economy and business fluctuations 3. No significant retail development has occurred(since first mentioned in 2002/2003 FY transmittal letter) 4. Hotel/motel tax hasn't grown as much as anticipated due to reduced business travel 5. Residential building permits declined 6. Commercial permits down and non-expected; Deloitte building permit helped;however no significant money expected from them in the future 7. Dissolution of 4A and movement of money to GF could have `masked' the revenue issues 8. Fixed debt service up with the addition at WA 9. Operating costs up with more residents/enrollment at school/inflation 10. No funding available for CIP IL States the land use plan lends itself to strong ad valorem base rather than strong sales tax base with focus on corporate campus Council Members: Laura Wheat, Larry Corson, Tim Brittan, Carol Langdon, Rebecca Rollins, Rick Rennhack 7