AGENDA #4c

MEMORANDUM

TO:	Roger Stancil, Town Manager
FROM:	Butch Kasiah, Director of Parks & Recreation Bill Webster, Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation
SUBJECT:	Budget Amendment for Southern Community Park Project
DATE:	June 11, 2007

PURPOSE

Enactment of the attached budget ordinance would increase the project budget for the Southern Community Park from its current $4,251,109 to $5,857,109, which is an increase of $1,606,000.

BACKGROUND

On May 7, 2007, the Council accepted bids for construction of the Southern Community Park. The acceptance of the bids was based on a project budget of $5,857,109.

DISCUSSION

Project Description: The 72 acre park site is located south of Southern Village on the west side of Highway 15-501. The first phase of the Southern Community Park will include the following amenities:

• All grading
• All required utilities
• All season restrooms
• 3 complete athletic/soccer fields including fencing and irrigation (but without lights)
• Trails, including the extension of the paved Fan Branch Greenway to Dogwood Acres Drive and natural surface trails
• 2 picnic shelters
• 2 basketball courts
• 1 inline hockey court
• Play area
• Dog park (with small shelter)
• Site furnishings
• Sidewalks
• 2 parking lots (162 total spaces)
• Meadow
• Bio-retention ponds
• Disc golf course

Budget for Southern Community Park: Funds will be used for construction and contingency, equipment installation once construction is finished, permits, and fees. In addition, the complete budget allows for past expenditures for various items including the majority of the design work for the park and construction of the Scroggs Athletic Field.

The attached budget ordinance would account for the use of fund balance, payment in lieu of recreation area, and use of Orange County funds originally designated for the Bolin Creek Trail. These sources are shown in bold italics in the revenues listed below.

CURRENT BUDGETED REVENUES
1997 Orange County Parks Bond	1,000,000
2001 Orange County Parks Bond	2,000,000
Sale of Land 1	148,000
Reimbursement Orange Count Design Fees	3,000
Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant	500,000
1996 Parks and Recreation Bonds	600,000
Use of General Fund Fund Balance ^2	600,000
Payment in Lieu Recreation Area ^2	81,547
Use of Orange County funds designed for Bolin Creek Trail ^2, 3	925,000
Total Funds for Southern Community Park	5,857,547

1. Proceeds from sale of land to Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools. Funds were used to pay part of the cost of the Scroggs athletic field.

2. These amounts have not yet been budgeted.

3. The Board of Orange County Commissioners has approved the request to transfer these funds.

Schedule: We believe that the project schedule will be as follows:

Execute Contract	June 2007
Begin Construction	June 2007
Complete Construction	August 2008
Install Playground Equipment	October 2008
Install Disk Golf Course	October 2008
Open Athletic/Soccer Fields	August 2009

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council adopt the attached budget ordinances [2007-06-11/O-1a, 2007-06-11/O-1b] increasing the project budget for the Southern Community Park by $1,606,000. The sources of funds are Orange County ($925,000), Town fund balance, ($600,000), and payment in lieu of recreation area ($81,000).