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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9B - Transfer to Collector Fund At ,\'1- IIVNESO MEETING DATE: AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: AGENDA ITEM: DISCUSSION: JUNE 7,1999 ~PH TESCHNER, FINANCE DIRECTOR <of) CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 99~APPROVING GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS TO THE COLLECTOR STREET FUND AND THE REVOL VlNG EQUIPMENT FUND The General Fund balance for the City increased by $439,431 from $1,815,122 to $2,254,553 during the past year as indicated within the 1998 City of Prior Lake Financial Report. In accordance with the City's Council's previous direction, we are requesting specific designation of these funds. History The City Council approved Resolution 94-27 on June 6,1994 which authorized a working capital designation or General Fund reserve of 30% of the current year's Operating Budget, based upon the availability of sufficient funds. Any remaining portion is to be allocated by the Council as unreserved fund balance. Each year the Council is to review these amounts for the purpose of allocating them on an as needed basis. The existing audited General Fund balance represents a reserve of 31.6% of the City's 1999 operating budget. During the course of a work session that was conducted on April 5, 1999 the City Council endorsed four steps that would result in property tax relief. Among the various elements was the utilization of the City's General Fund balance to payoff the outstanding principal on two general obligation park bonds and to allocate various amounts to the Revolving Equipment and Collector Street Funds. Subsequently on April 19, 1999 the Council approved Resolutions 99-24 and 99-25 which called for the redemption of these two bond issues. This action required $75,000 of the City's General Fund balance. These were the first two steps of the four step action plan. Current Circumstances There are two remaining steps in the process which the Council should address: 1.) The idea of considering a transfer of $100,000 of the federal FEMA disaster aid that was received to the Revolving Equipment Fund. These funds were earmarked for the accelerated depreciation of city equipment used in the 1998 storm cleanup efforts and should be designated as such. 16200 Eagle Creek Ave. S.E.. Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 H:\AUDrI\AGENTRAN.DOC AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 2.) In order to begin upgrading key intersections along Trunk Highway 13 a transfer of $150,000 from the General Fund balance to the Collector Street Fund would be necessary. Also discussed was that in order to upgrade those key intersections along Trunk Highway 13, the City would need to establish a financing plan. Due to the substantial costs for these access improvements the Council agreed that it would be prudent to begin supplementing the Collector Street Fund with annual appropriations to minimize the impact upon future property taxes. The initial allocation that was recommended was a transfer from the General Fund balance of$150,000 to the Collector Street Fund. A synopsis of the proposed utilization of the City's General Fund balance would look like this: General Fund Balance 1/1/99 less G.o. Bond Redemptions... less Equipment Fund Transfer... less Collector Fund Transfer... Remaining General Fund Balance $2,254,553.00 <$75,000.00> <$100,000.00> <$150.00000> $1,929,553.00 As indicated above, the City's General Fund balance wouid be reduced by an overall amount of $325,000.00 This would leave our General Fund balance at $1.9 million dollars. This amount would represent a reserve of 27% compared to the present City Council annual objective of30%. ALTERNATIVES: The following alternatives are available to the City Council: 1. Approve Resolution 99-xx Approving General Fund Transfers To The Collector Street Fund And The Revolving Equipment Fund. 2. Appropriate only that arnount (approximately $116,000) that is available above the 30% reserve standard. 3. Approve a portion or all of the available $439,000 to specific expenditures or fund reserves as identified by the Council. 4. Maintain 100% of the excess reserves within the existing General Fund balance. RECOMMENDATION: Staff would recommend Alternative #1. While the fund balance would dip below the established 30% threshold, Staff believes the uses are consistent with the City's overall strategic plan and does not cornpromise our financial strength to an extent that our A2 credit rating would be jeopardized. H:\AUDIl\AGENTRAN.DOC RECOMMENDED MOTION: REVIEWED BY: Attachments: H:\AUDlliAGENTRAN.DOC Motion to approve Resolution 99-xx Approving General Fund Transfers To The Col1ec r Street Fund And The Revolving Equipment Fund. Ap roving Fund Transfers To The Collector e Revolving Equipment Fund. RESOLUTION 99-~ 6() At '\~ llVNESo RESOLUTION APPROVING GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS TO THE COLLECTOR STREET FUND AND THE REVOLVING EQillPMENT FUND MOTION BY: SECOND BY: WHEREAS, The City of Prior Lake's General Fund balance on December 31,1998 increased by $439,431.00 to an amount of $2,254,553.00; and WHEREAS, The General Fund balance represents a reserve of31.6% of the City of Prior Lake's current 1999 operating budget; and WHEREAS, It is the decision ofthe City Council to review, on an annual basis, the availability of such reserves and to allocate these funds in a manner that would best serve the community on a long term basis; and WHEREAS, It is recognized by the City Council that it is in the best interest of the City to rnaintain a strong General Fund reserve as financial protection for unexpected emergencies and expenditures that would require contingency funding. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE, that the following appropriation transfers from the General Fund balance are hereby authorized as follows: Purpose Fund Transfer Amount 1. Offset Accelerated Equipment Depreciation Revolving Equipment Fund $100,000.00 as a Result of 1998 Storm Damage Activities 2. Initial Funding for Future Trunk Highway 13 Collector Street Fund $150,000.00 Intersection Improvements Passed and adopted this 7th day of June, 1999. YES NO Mader Kedrowski Petersen Schenck Wuellner Mader Kedrowski Petersen Schenck Wuellner {Seal} City Manager City of Prior Lake 16200 Eagle Creek Ave. S.E., Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER H:\AUDIT\RESTRAN.OOC