Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 10-09-2007 regular agenda — reading text

enforcement. Councilman Pullen congratulated the Finance Director for being on the faculty for the City Golf Clerk' s meetings; and mentioned the Headstart Open House on Thursday and the Tournament for Headstart on October 13th. Councilman Garvie mentioned the Library Consortium and the good work the Library Directors are doing to expand services. Councilman Reeves mentioned he enjoyed working with City staff at the pancake breakfast last and announced he Saturday at Magnolia Grill to raise funds for the American Heart Association; opened his business last Saturday. Councilman Miller mentioned the City is fortunate to have Lisa Absher as the Finance Director, and noted, for the record, his reasons as follows: Personnel: Acted as supervisor of utilities customer service November thru' January, until Kim Barnes could be hired. Promoted Brandy Wunker to Comptroller in the vacancy of Chief Accountant. Promoted Mari Johnson to Accountant from a part-time position. Promoted Jo Main to Administrative Coordinator from secretary for public works. Looking for Senior Accountant. Building team morale, increasing skills and encouraging professional development. Accountina and Budaetina: All Department Heads nOW get illustrative budget-to- actual reports, so they can monitor their expenses to-date and available budget. In addition to new to- actual reports, Department Heads receive detailed " Open P. O." budget- and " Expense Posting" reports. Department Heads are now reviewing all expenses posted against their budget. All utility bills are reviewed and approved by Department Heads. Resulted in significant savings to the City in .ifound" errors, including $ 6, OOO/ year in bills for security systems no longer used by the City. Continuing to find issues and errors. Instituted a new process for approving purchase requests which is expedited ( faster than before) and yet is more- detailed in checking purchases against budget allowances. Holding Department Heads to a higher standard for responsibility for their budgets. Instituted some changes in the budget, including more detailed accounting for inter-fund transfers, less reliance on " Non- Departmental" as a miscellaneous expense location. accessible, including the Improved monthly financial reports to be more understandable and new one- page " Budget- in- Br,ef' report. Started a reference Library for GASB and accounting standards for use by the Accountants on- staff. Visualized a need for and taught a class " Overview of Municipal Finance" in Spring ' 07. Established easier/streamlined accounting procedures for donations and restricted assets. Presented a to council on the Brownfield' s Program and its potential for FWB. briefing I I,  159 Regular Council 9/ 25/ 07 MAVOR/COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS ( CO NT) Kept current with changes to Law and accounting standards ( such as " Business Receipt Taxes" changes) Assisted the City Manager in strategic projects ( such as the Telecommunications Tax issues, Wastewater Treatment Plant, GE Pension issues, etc.). Councilman Holmes suggested Council be cautious in the requests to staff and the perception it l may give; and expressed appreciation to all the businesses and residents who support the many City functions with their time and money. The Mayor mentioned the ribbon cutting at the Soundside Park on Friday at 10: 00 a. m.; the W. B. Bill Harbeson III Memorial Walkway is now installed at Liza Jackson Park; the City took part in the United Way Day of Caring; the Mayor and Council email addresses are on the web site; mentioned a letter was received thanking Linda Carnley for her good work; mentioned he has been attending the Sustainable Emerald Coast meetings; mentioned conceptual approval should be received from Eglin on November 1 st on the Eglin By- Pass; announced the neighborhood meetings has been consolidated starting October 11th at 6: 30 p. m. at the Senior Center with one neighborhood meeting for all 11 neighborhoods; requested Council prepare their thoughts on legislative priorities to send to the Florida League of Cities by October 3rd; and mentioned citizens can bring complaints to him but he will not solve it, he will pass it on to staff to work out the issue. Dr. Pullen mentioned the Valparaiso Library went from 5, 000 genealogy pieces to 40, 000 pieces. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 11 :35 p. m. APPROVED: MAVOR: ATTEST: CITV CLERK Ive D  CITY COUNCIL MEETING October 9, 2007 Consent Agenda Consideration of request for additional funding in the amount of $ 19, 056 for golf course cart path construction Finance Director) Council Action 1 st 2nd Vote: Agenda Item Number: 3  CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH Memorandum TO: Joyce Shanahan, City Manager THROUGH: Jim Frazier, Golf Club Administrator FROM: Charlotte Dunworth, Budget & Grants Managerc"t) RE: Additional Golf Cart Path Construction DATE: October 4, 2007 BackQround Cart paths reduce turf compaction, diminish bare turf, and allow cart use after inclement weather, thereby increasing revenue and the general appearance of the golf courses. Discussion During FY 2006- 07, the golf course incurred $ 73, 000 in unanticipated expense to remove 686 dead pine trees resulting from a pine bore infestation. This expense drained fiscal resources that would otherwise have been available for capital improvements. The FY 2006- 07 budget included $ 30, 000 for cart path construction, of which $ 10, 944 was spent. The balance of funds was not carried over into FY 2007- 08 because there was no corresponding revenue source to carry over. The Golf Fund currently has a negative equity in pooled cash balance of 4$56, 628. In FY 2007- 08, there is $ 30, 000 budgeted for cart path construction. Recommendation Staff respectfully requests that City Council authorize an additional $ 19, 056 to continue cart path construction during FY 2007- 08, for a total of $49, 056. If approved, this will be included in a future budget amendment with an appropriation from golf course revenues, if sufficient, or from an interfund transfer rom he eneral Fund. 1"' 2) ~ IbM o",!- Attachment: Email Correspondence u: lbudgetlbudget amendmen1slbudget amend 07-08110- 9 golf cart paths staff report,doc 1 of 1 I'4-~ 2.  r a~ v ~ U~ ~ Chartotte Dunworth From: Joyce Shanahan Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 11 : 24 AM To: Lisa Absher; Charlotte Dunworth Cc: ' Jim Frazier' Subject: Pine Bores Good Morning All: to rack of Yesterday I met briefly with Jim Frazier to discuss the fact that we did not carryover his capital projects due funds. During our discussion Jim reminded me that when he was attempted to eradicate the pine bore problem, that I would take into consideration this expense to the Golf Course and his operations. This was an unplanned, but necessary to increase the funds-available for cart paths to expense, as-are cart-paths. Is-there a way to amend the 2007- 08 budget- reflect the amount that was not carried over this-year? That might mean an appropriation from the General Fund. Please advise me. Thanks, Joyce Shanahan City Manager City of Fort Walton Beach, FL Phone: 850- 833- 9504 Fax: 850- 833-9640 Cell: 850- 803- 9621 Fort Walton Beach officials are public Please Note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from City of be subject to public disclosure. records available to the public and media upon request. Your e- mail address and communications may therefore 9/ 27/ 2007  CITY COUNCIL MEETING October 9, 2007 Regular Agenda Consideration of a request to accept two Grants of Easement from Presidio Developers, LLC., for sidewalk and utilities on US Hwy 98, and a boardwalk along the Santa Rosa Sound on the Presidio property Public Works Director) Council Action 1st 2nd Vote: Agenda Item Number: 4  City of Fort Walton Beach, Florida Memorandum DATE: October 2, 2007 TO: Joyce Shanahan, City Manager FROM: Thomas Murray, Public Works Director SUBJECT: Presidio Condominiums - Easements to the City Back2round: City staff approved plans and the building permits for Presidio Condominiums to be located at 124 Miracle Strip Parkway, SW ( U. S. Highway 98). Plan approval was conditioned on granting an easement for the