AGENDA #4i
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Budget Ordinance for Southern Community Park
DATE: June 14, 2004
The attached budget ordinance would account for $2,795,000 in Orange County Parks bond funds that the County has designated for the Southern Community Park.
In 1986 and 1989 Chapel Hill voters approved Parks bonds, portions of which were used to purchase the Southern Community Park property.
In 1997, Orange County voters approved the sale of Parks bonds that included $1,000,000 designated for the Southern Community Park. Approximately $100,000 has been spent for development of the athletic/soccer field at Scroggs Elementary School. About $105,000 has been spent or committed for environmental assessment, development of the park conceptual plan, and preparation of the park Special Use Permit application. In 2001 Orange County voters approved issuance of additional Parks bonds that included $2,000,000 designated for the Southern Community Park.
The Town Council appointed the Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee in July 2000. On March 25, 2002, the Town Council adopted the Report of the Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee and directed the Town Manager to prepare an implementation plan. The Board of Orange County Commissioners adopted the park Concept Plan on March 5, 2003.
In 2003, the Council and the Board of Orange County Commissioners agreed to a process for developing projects using Orange County bond funds. The process includes use of a Project Planning Committee comprised of two members each of the Council and of the Board of County Commissioners to address both the Southern Community Park and the Homestead Park projects. The Project Planning Committee has been meeting since March 2003.
A design firm has been hired and is currently preparing Special Use Permit application documents for the park project.
Budget Issues: The following funds have been designated (although not all allocated) for the Southern Community Park project:
1997 Orange County Parks Bonds $1,000,000
2001 Orange County Parks Bonds 2,000,000
Proceeds of Land Sale to Schools 148,059
Total Funds Designated $3,148,059
Of the funds designated for the park only $353,059 have been formally allocated to the project. The funds allocated have come from the following sources:
1997 Orange County Parks Bonds $205,000
Proceeds of Land Sale to Schools 148,059
Total Funds Designated $353,059
At this time the budget for the project has been completely expended and we anticipate additional expenditures for design services in the near future. We believe it is time to account for the remainder of the designated funds and to increase the park budget by $2,795,000.
The Manager recommends that the Council enact the attached budget ordinance that would account for $2,795,000 from Orange County Parks bond funds currently designated for the Southern Community Park.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS ORDINANCE FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS (2004-06-14/O-3)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that, pursuant to Section 13.2 of Chapter 159 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, the capital projects ordinance for various capital projects funded from a variety of sources is hereby amended as follows:
The capital projects as authorized by the Town Council includes various capital projects funded from grants, the Capital Improvements Program funds, and other miscellaneous sources of revenue for a variety of projects extending beyond one fiscal year.
The Manager of the Town of Chapel Hill is hereby directed to proceed with implementation of these projects within terms of funds appropriated here.
Revenues anticipated to be available to the Town to complete the project are hereby amended as follows:
Current Budget Revised Budget
Total 4,055,844 6,850,844
SECTION IV
Amounts appropriated for capital projects are hereby amended as follows:
Current Budget Revised Budget
Southern Community Park 353,059 3,148,059
All other projects 3,702,785 3,702,785
Total 4,055,844 6,850,844
SECTION V
The Manager is directed to report annually on the financial status of the project in an informational section to be included in the Annual Budget, and shall keep the Council informed of any unusual occurrences.
SECTION VI
Copies of this projects ordinance shall be entered into the Minutes of the Council and copies shall be filed within 5 days of adoption with the Manager, Finance Director and Town Clerk.
This the 14th day of June, 2004.