AGENDA# 4b

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:       Budget Amendment for Additional Transit Services

DATE:             September 11, 2000

The attached budget ordinance would amend the fiscal year 2000-2001 Transportation Department budget by $270,388 to allow for the expansion of transit services.

 

BACKGROUND

Following the April 26, 2000 Transit Summit, representatives from Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the University met on May 17, 2000 to evaluate options for increasing transit service during fiscal year 2000-01.  Several options were considered and consensus was reached to support Option 1 A, which would provide weekday transit service at full service levels year-round.  During a budget work session on June 5, 2000, the Town Council authorized the Manager to implement the additional transit services contingent upon the North Carolina General Assembly adopting a budget for fiscal year 2000-2001 that included funding for public transportation similar to the level included in the fiscal year 1999-2000 budget.  The original estimate to implement this service expansion was based on a full year of operation and included over 9,000 hours of service at an annual cost of $414,000.  Since new transit service schedules did not become effective until August 21, 2000, the expanded services will only add about 6,000 hours of service during the current year at a cost of $270,388.

DISCUSSION

The North Carolina General Assembly adopted a fiscal year 2000-2001 budget that includes significantly more state assistance for transit than originally expected.  Total state transit assistance is now estimated at $1,000,000, which is an increase of $450,000 from the adopted budget. 

The proposed amendment would increase the Transportation Department budget by  $270,388 to total of $7,213,968. By increasing cost by $270,388 and State revenue by $450,000, the net effect is a $179,612 reduction in local net cost.  Therefore, the cost to be covered by each partner will be less than originally budgeted.  See the table below.


                                                                            Adopted            Proposed

                                                                             Budget           Amendment     Change

Total System Cost                                            6,943,580            7,213,968       270,388

Total Federal, State, Operating Revenue        (3,064,000)         (3,514,000)    (450,000)

Total System Net Cost                                      3,879,580           3,669,968     (179,612)

Distribution of System Net Cost

UNC (39.85%)                                                  1,546,013           1,497,896 *   (  48,117)                                                       

Carrboro (15.62%)                                               605,990              571,843      (  34,147)

Chapel Hill (44.53%)                                        1,727,577           1,630,229      (  97,348)

Total                                                                  3,879,580           3,699,968      (179,612)

* UNC net cost under the proposed amendment includes $39,000 of cost assigned directly to UNC for expanded services on the U and RU campus shuttle routes.  The remainder of the cost associated with the service expansion is shared among all the partners.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council adopt the attached budget ordinance amending the Transportation Department budget for fiscal year 2000-2001.


                                                                                                                       

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2000 (2000-09-11/O-1)

BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2000” as duly adopted on June 26, 2000 be and the same is hereby amended as follows:

ARTICLE I

                                                  Current                                                                                               Revised

APPROPRIATIONS                  Budget                Increase           Decrease                  Budget

TRANSPORTATION

FUND                                   6,943,580                270,388                                      7,213,968

           

ARTICLE II

                                                  Current                                                                       Revised

REVENUES                               Budget                Increase           Decrease                  Budget

TRANSPORTATION

FUND                                     6,943,580              270,388                                     7,213,968

This the 11th day of September, 2000.