City Council Questions FY 2013-14

Can you please provide the revenue generated for each of the proposed fee and tax adjustments on page 66 to 69 of the Executive Summary? Additionally, can you please describe the intended uses of this revenue?

How much revenue will the pleasure boat tax generate?

Navigational channel dredging is provided by the Federal government. How much does the Federal government fund now for dredging and when does the City believe they will stop funding this activity?

What is the total number of taxes and fees the City has with the Proposed FY 2013-14 budget?

Is there a cap on the boat tax?

How much is the net increase of the boat/recreational vehicle tax annually? What are the estimated dredging costs year by year during the duration of the dredging projects including all multiple dredges? What amount of this cost is expected to be covered by homeowners via the SSD?

Please provide the changes in the amount paid by employees for health care coverage for the last ten years. Please provide the amount for: Employee Only; Double Employee; Employee Plus Spouse; and Employee Plus Family.

Please provide the percentage salary increases, if any, for the last ten years. This would include only increases across the entire organization.

What is the cost to collect the boat tax? What is the process to collect the tax? What is the estimated loss of boats and businesses if we implement a boat tax?

On page 1-9 of the FY 2013-14 Proposed Operating Budget, the following statement is made, "The City uses a modified, zero base budget approach...". Does this mean you prioritized the outcomes within each budget unit/department with associated budget resources (the essence of zero-based budget)? If yes, please provide that prioritization structure. If no, how then is what we do difference from current services budgeting?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Request that you share the subject survey data referenced in emails below with City Council. City employees are not the only employees not receiving large wage increases. As you know, many private sector employees have not received a raise in the last three years. I would like to know what the City's managerial leadership does to educate the larger workforce that they are not alone and that many in the private sector are much worse off. My own staff has not received any pay increase in the last three years, they have to contribute seven percent towards their own retirement if they are 11 percent still on defined benefit, and everyone else long ago was shifted to defined contribution. I think there is a real need for education. You cannot build a great city on relatively low wage paying tourism jobs.

Expanding on Question Number 008, please add a column to compare city and school employees. I apologize if I was not clear but when I said "across the entire organization" I meant city and schools.

How many full-time employees do we have on the City payroll?

What is the average base salary for all full-time City employees (excluding benefits, overtime, etc.)?

How many full-time employees are in the general pay plan? What is the average base salary for these employees?

How many full-time employees are in the administrative pay plan? What is the average base salary for these employees?

How much does a 1% salary increase for all full-time city employees cost? How much does a 1% salary increase for all full-time employees in the general pay plan cost? How much does a 1% salary increase for all full-time employees in the administrative pay plan cost?

Expanding on Question Number 33, please provide a detailed breakdown/explanation of each of the retention incentives for EMS volunteers (city sticker discounts, meal discounts, special events, etc.) and city costs associated with any of these from 2007 through 2012. Please provide a breakdown of volunteer pre-hospital patient care providers by certification (i.e., EMT-B, EMT-E, EMT-I, EMT-P). From 2007 through 2012 (by year), how many volunteers improved their certification level?  How many reduced their certification level? How many volunteers are currently improving their certification level?  What incentives, if any, does the city provide for this?

How do we get more aggressive with recovering more costs from special events?

Does the Town Center TIF have any surplus?

What is the issue with the FY 2008-09 salary increase for the Sheriff's Department which is causing the need for an additional $360,073 in the proposed budget? 

What percentage of calls to the 9-1-1 center are non-emergency? How does staff go about educating callers on the appropriate number to call for non-emergencies?

What is the average queue time for calls?

Please provide any studies that show the pro's and con's of 12 hour shifts for personnel working in the City's Emergency Communication Center.

Are we legally required to provide the 3% pay increase that the state is providing to the Sheriff's Department? When is the salary increase effective?

Please provide the starting salary of Police Officers for all the cities in Hampton Roads.

What is the cost of salary compression? What is the cost of implementing a separate public safety pay plan?

How much revenue does the department of Museums and Historic Resources generate per year? What is meant by the term "earned revenue"? Please provide a further breakdown of earned revenue (how much the shop generates, how much the IMAX Theater generates, and how much is generated from admissions). How would attendance be impacted at the aquarium if it were closed at 5:00 pm?

What will happen to the two FTEs that are currently working at the IMAX Theater?

In your presentation to City Council, you have a pie chart showing the Department's revenue by source. Could you please for slice of your revenue pie chart show the revenue sources within that expenditure splice? For the growth in revenue/expenditure FY 14 over FY 13 can you decompose that at the revenue source level. Looking to see is the growth in generated revenue, general fund contribution, etc and in what proportion?

Please rebuild CIP page 2-5 through 2-6 to reflect capital expenditure requirements to reflect the year in which funding will actually be obligated. For example (and this condition is replicated across the EV section), on page 2-11, It shows 415,000 obligated appropriated to date (What has been expended to date?) it then proposes 660,000 (What is the methodology behind the cost estimate? Please provide.) In the schedule of activities it identifies during the next fiscal year of only $450,900 (again can you please provide the methodology and cost estimate behind this number).  The FY13-14 requirement is only $450,900 but the request is for $660,000? It infers that the balance is site acquisition, but my experience tells me we could easily defer the balance till the next fiscal year as site acquisition is FY 14-17 for $1.6 million with less $200 available in FY 14. So we are tying up cash flow for next year, when we are increasing the trash fee to reallocate real estate tax revenues else where in the budget.

Reconstruct on CIP pages 2-5 the list of projects and funding profile to reflect the following possible adjustments to the “Means of Financing” table in FY13-14 on pages 2-5 and 2-6 (include a Means of Financing Table in your reply).  Do not apply the rule set in question FY 14 119 above.
• Cigarette Tax increase is not approved (if any of the increase is being applied in this section)
• Pay-as-you-go general fund revenue is removed
• Fund Balance – General Fund

CIP Page 2-14 (Oceanfront Capital Projects Reinvestment) apply the same guidance provided in question FY 14 120, and provide a list of the “high impact capital projects” being proposed for $600,000 to include the methodology that defines what “high impact is” how the projects selected qualified, and what is the risk and why that risk is unacceptable if push to the right one year?

CIP Page 2-20 (Sandbridge Market Restrooms) shows a contingency fund of 27.5% [$75,825 on a $275,675 project]. Can you please provide the methodology and experience rate that justifies a contingency fund of $75,825. In contrast on page 2-19 on a project that totals ~$1.4 million the contingency is $24,542.

What is cost of every one percent of contingency cost that is budgeted in FY -14? Of the amount appropriated to date how represents an allocation to contingencies? What is the average percentage across the Economic Vitality section that is being proposed for contingencies by the fiscal year?

I noticed that  some projects have contingencies identified and others do not, please update for each project (to narrow down the workload, like on CIP page 2-21, update the CIP pages in the Economic Vitality section that show in schedule of activities construction to complete in FY 14). Additionally, please share the business rules that were applied that determine when contingencies are and are not shown as a funded project activity in the Schedule of Activities section of each CIP project page documentation.

CIP Page 2-23 (Strategic Growth Area Projects). The approach of applying overly broad scope and running narrative but rolled up schedule of activities block precludes easy assessment of what is going on in each SGA. Please provide an SGA by SGA breakout of funding profile and schedule of activities.

CIP Page 2-23 (Strategic Growth Area Projects) please apply the context of the guidance in question 2 of this item. When a contingency amount is programmed, like in the case $730,000, how is it allocated to the amount appropriated to date?

CIP Page 2-24 (Town Center Garage and Plaza Capital Maintenance). Since the Means of Funding section nor the narrative on the project documentation for Town Center Garage does not identify the specific source of funding, what is the specific sources of funding? Is it TIF generated Revenues, SSD revenues, or the unrestricted general fund revenues? I believe I know the answer, but it is important to get it on the record. Again, the city should return to the practice in the Means of Financing Section not only to show “local funding,” but the specific type of local funding. The current practice is a far cry from transparency.

CIP Page 2-25 (Virginia Beach Amphitheater Capital Maintenance) what is the specific source of funding?  Since we charge taxes that go into trustee accounts are those trustee accounts being used to finance the proposed expenditure? We are collecting a ten percent tax on each ticket sold; hopefully, we are not asking the unrestricted general fund to cover this expense. Is the reference agreement, not with the City but with the Development Authority, subject to annual appropriation by City Council?

CIP Page 2-26 (Winston-Salem Avenue Improvements). This project is carrying a reserve for contingency in excess of 11 percent how much of that contingency amount of $378,830 for the total project less contingency of $3,205,646 is being appropriated for the scheduled activity for FY 14? Please itemize by design and site acquisition, which are the only two activities scheduled for FY14?

Page 4-12 (Centerville Turnpike - Phase II), the funding requirement for schedule of activities is exclusively executed at the conclusion of FY 14 is $8,625,000 (design [$1,550,000] and site acquisition [$7,055,000]). If you add in activity that commences in FY 14 but does not conclude until FY15 (private utility adjustments [$1,575,000] the total comes to $10,200,000.  Since $11,369,000 is appropriated to date against a requirement of $10,200,000 through FY 15 with no FY 16 schedule activities, why is additional $1,499,747 required in FY 14?  I appreciated the precision of the appropriate request for FY 14 given that all the scheduled activities amounts end in zeros; can you please provide the details and methodology for the estimate?  The delta between the appropriated to date amount and the requirement to date is $1,169,000 which provides a reserve for contingencies in excess of ten percent for the scheduled activity.

CIP Page 4-15 (Damn Neck Road - Phase I), what specific activity is going take place in FY 14? It looks like you are spreading the design for 1.2 miles of road over a five year period. They built the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in 42 months and that was two tunnels, a high bridge, and three section of bridge work over a total of 17 miles. This funding profile does not appear logical, that is roughly $300 a foot to design? Can you share with me the industry benchmark for the cost for designing 1.2 miles of road at grade?

CIP Page 4-17 (Elbow Road Extended - Phase II). Of the scheduled activity: Of the Design activity that started in 07/96 to conclude in 07/17 what percent is complete? and what percent of the allocated amount $4,494,686 has been expended? Of the site acquisition activity that started in 10/06 to conclude in 08/14? What percent of the land requirement has been accomplished and percentage of the allotment expended? How much property remains to be acquired (number of property owners and acreage or square footage  as appropriate) and the estimated funding requirement to complete site acquisition). The total programmed funding ($27,144,963) less reserved for Contingencies ($9,165,182) provides a net programmed funding for the project at $17,979,781. This means that contingencies are budget at approximately 51 percent of the estimated project cost. I think an explanation is order. Of the appropriations to date what is the split between local, federal, and state? Of the appropriation being requested for FY 14 what is the split between local, federal, and state? The scheduled activity to be completed exclusively by the end of FY 14 is $12 million by the end of FY 17 (with no appropriations in FY 15 through FY 17) another $4,494,686 (for activity that started in 07/96) for a total of $16,494,686. Since $16,480,873 has been appropriated to date (leaving a funding delta of only $13,813, why then do then is there a requirement for an appropriation of $3,637,873? Again the precision of the budget request is appreciated, and I look forward to reviewing the methodology that the timing requirement that generated it.

Please construct a table that shows the Total Cost of Each Road Project, Reserve for Contingency Amount, the Project less Reserve, and Contingency percentage of the Project Less Reserve, and an explanation for percentages in excess of ten percent.

CIP Page 4-19 (First Colonial Rd/Virginia Beach Blvd Intersection Improvements). Please apply the same line of questioning in the question above.

CIP Page 4-25 (Indian River Rd/Providence Rd Intersection Improvements). If all the money is appropriated or programmed by FY 15, why does it take until FY 19 to start construction?

CIP Page 4-21 (Holland Road - Phase VI). What is the logic of holding the appropriation to date of $3,748,984 against a Total Funding requirement of $48,677,984 [there is an inconsistency between the Total Budgetary estimated of $49,357,799 under the block entitled Schedule of Activities and the $48,677,984 documented in the block titled Mean of Financing (the delta cannot be contingencies as that is listed as an even $1 million)] with no appropriation in FY 14 proposed and no programmed funding FY 15 through FY 19? It would appear that the opportunity cost would give favor to the reallocation of a project that we could accelerate and free-up a like amount in an out year when a programmed funding profile was fully executable.  Recognize, this in the Governor’s Transportation Plan, but no details of it what year the Governor’s Plan becomes a funding reality. If not in FY 14 we have an opportunity to more effectively invest appropriations to date.  Is our share capped at the amount appropriated to date? Is the contingency noted on page 4-21, the City’s share of the contingency? If yes, what percentage of the total contingency does it represent? If it is the total contingency, which is how it is represented, why is it only approximately 2.1 percent when many projects are well over 10 percent?

CIP Page 4-32 (Lynnhaven Parkway/International Parkway Intersection Improvements). Why when the schedule of activities identifies an FY 14 funding requirement of only $157,000 why is $2,800,153 being requested to be appropriated in FY 14?

CIP Page 4-36 (Pacific Avenue Improvements). Please share the return on investment from a traffic congestion relief perspective how the $20 million dollars for this projects ranks higher than the next highest projects not funded? What projects could we accelerated the completion of if this funding profile? What is the amount of property (in square footage terms) and number of parcels affected (partial and total taking) that drives an $8,000,000 budget estimate for site acquisition? Please provide a map.  What is the net increase in cost for underground? Are the storm water improvements coming from the storm water management account? If yes, is that amount listed in the schedule of activities? If yes, what is the amount? If no, where is it captured in the storm water mgmt. section?

CIP page 8-5 (Bi-Weekly Payroll Implementation). Please explain why this cannot be deferred another year. What is the problem we are trying to solve?  What is the current risk, if any, that we are carrying that we cannot continue to carry? Why are we using public facility bonds to finance? What governmental entity is the issuing the public facility bonds? We are issuing 20 years bonds correct? Will the proposed system go 20 years without recapitalization? Given this is debt financing, what is the real cost of debt service is included?  Does the current system carry with an annual lease fee for the software? If yes, what is it? Will the proposed system carry with it an annual lease fee for the software? If yes, what is it? I can see that the page says no operating budget impact; I am just looking for follow-up validation.

CIP page 8-3. Please reproduce page 8-3 to reflect Project 3648000 CIT being deleted and the 1,456,620 of public participation bonds being reapplied to release an equal amount ($1,456,620 in Fund Balance – General Fund). Thereby reducing the both tables on page 8-3 by $1,456,620.

CIP page 8-6 (Business Rev/Personal Property RACS Implementation). Please identify how many FTEs in the budget by CIP Section and budget unit to include the  2 FTEs in this section that  are being charged to CIP appropriated funds and highlight in yellow those FTEs being funded with borrowed funds.

CIP pages 8-11 and 8-12 (eGIS Base Map Updates and eGIS Master address Repository). Under operating Budget Impacts the narrative does not say no impact. The narrative states that the annual operating cost are included in the Operating Budget. Therefore, the question is does this project impact the operating budget? If yes, what is the impact not shown here that is captured in the operating budget? If no, why are not consistent answers applied across all project documentation with no impact?

CIP page 8-13 (IT Network Infrastructure Replacement II). Was there a reserve for contingency for this project? If yes, what is the amount? If no, how is that we are able to cost estimate for IT modernization with greater fidelity than a rest room at Sandbridge a few low tech construction project that a 27% reserve for contingencies (yes, I realize how odd that sounds, but it is what the City Manager recommended to City Council).

CIP page 8-13 (IT Network Infrastructure Replacement II). How much of the appropriation to date has been expended and what are the specific activity/phases that will be completed in FY 14. Specifically, when is the beta test and when does the upgrade go live? If incremental, address the increments to be tested and to go operational in FY 14?

CIP page 8-15 (CIT - Telecommunications Replacement). What is the balance for the Telecommunication Internal Service Fund after the $1,280,000? Do retained earnings only accrue from overcharges to customers? Please provide an itemized list of what charges/expense elements are being recouped from users? If depreciation is being charged what categories and schedules are being used and how to do they relate to industry best practices? If depreciation is not being charged, how was it determined that the opportunity cost of using the $1,280,000 of retained earnings was acceptable (the answer to this question will provide insight as to the reason(s) for carrying such a large balance in retained earnings)? Also provide examples of what retained earnings have been spent on in the last three years if such expenditures have taken place.

In which CIP CIT project is e-ticket for the police department? When it is projected to be operational? E ticket represents a 15 to 20 percent minimum labor productivity for the police department. E ticket implementation is like putting another 150 plus officers on the street?  What is the barrier to the early implementation of e-ticket? Is there an interim step using tablets that are scalability to what is being designed? 

Have you considered privatizing traffic pole inspections with the inspectors being bonded for their inspection and compared to our true total life cycle cost of internal?

How many traffic engineers (FTE’s) in FY 12-13 budget are there and breakout by: Engineer I, Engineer II, Engineer III, etc.

Of the $2,364,881 reduced cost in the operating budget FY 14 over FY 13, what dollar value of the former stated value was returned to the General Fund (unrestricted)?

Will the new evidence room be radio frequency barcode tag operations?

What is the road maintenance standard that we are applying to establish our requirement? Against the applicable what is the annual lane miles of maintenance required by category? What have we accomplished? What is the backlog being carried? What was the backlog at the end of FY11-12 versus FY 12-13? What is the cost per lane mile by category of maintenance on average?

What is the primary driver for the increase in fuel when fuel has gone down in the last year?

How many lane miles are we planning on doing this year? How many miles were paved last year?

On slide 2 of the Public Works budget presentation we show fuel cost of $7.8 million for FY 2013-14. On Page 10 we show fuel of $7.33 million. On page 2 FY 2012-13 fuel is $7.00 million. Please explain the disparity?

On fuel, the Public Works Director stated we do not hedge. It was stated that we buy at or on market. In the past we said we buy futures in fuel. How does this really work? When did we change our practice?

How many tons of trash are being picked up today?

Could you please provide additional information on the transportation modeling program. Could we expand the use of our partnership with ODU to reduce our reliance on consultants for this type of work?

Will there be bike lanes on Landstown Center Way?

How much land is there at the Beach Maintenance Facility?

What is our exposure at the Beach Maintenance Facility due to our past use of chemicals at the site?

How much does the city contribute to the Neptune Festival and where does the money come from (TIF, etc.)?

What would be the cost of paying a $1,500 bonus to every full-time city council appointees on the city payroll on 31 December 2012 and still on the city payroll on 15 July 2013? (I am thinking in excess of $9 million). What would be the cost for just police, fire, and emergency services personnel, first line supervisors and below only? (I am thinking in the vicinity of $2 million) and then for everyone? $1,500 to include employer FICA and Medicare costs to equal the true cost.

Please provide and populate the number of employees and the average direct payable salary for employees broken down by 0 to 5 years of service, 5 to 10 years of service, 10 to 15 years of service, 15 to 20 years of service, 20 to 25 years of service, 25 to 30 years of service, and 30+ years of service with regard to years of VRS creditable service with the city and then separate tables for Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services.

For the Police Department and Fire Department for deck plate fire fighters, police officers and first line supervisors (shown separately) of same, please provide a table broken down by 1 year or less of service, 1 to 2 years of service, 2 to 4 years of service, 4 to 6 years of service, 6 to 10 years of service, 10 to 15 years of service, 15 to 20 years of service, and 20+ years of service showing number of employees for each category and the average direct payable salary for employees in that category.

Please provide the fuel costs, by department, for the last two years.

What is the City Garage Internal Service Fund? What are the funds used for?

What are the 20 bodies in "other funds" used for?

What is the impact of the water meter lead content regulation change?

Why are we increasing the reserve for contingencies 12%?

Could we instead go a year without implementing a fee increase?

Cost of fees or new fees - Do we look at which fees cost more to collect than what they generate?

What is the unfunded CIP liability for Schools?

What is the annual lapse (vacancy) rate in actual to budgeted salaries for the last five years?

Please provide an update of the slide entitile "All One-Time Funds Used to Fund Operating Budget" assuming those funds are used to provide the 2% pay raise?

What percentage of pay raises will be given to adjust the salary scale for school principals and assistant principals?

Please provide more information on energy efficiency savings related to pools.

What is causing the increase in adult protective services complaints?

Please provide a comparison of the demographics for Fairfax County and Virginia Beach.

Please provide a copy of the regional analysis of compensation for assistant principals and principals that the Mayor and School Board reviewed per the School Board Chairman's comments on 4/23/13.

Using the response to question 132 as representative, your answer acknowledges there is no relationship between the schedule of activities and the dollars specified and the amount proposed to be appropriated in any given year. Therefore, please share the methodology that determines the amount being requested for appropriation in FY 14. What is the quantification of the risk if only 90 percent of the requested FY 14 appropriation was approved and was deferred one year? Two years?

Please provide the industry benchmark to design 1.2 miles of road at grade as requested in question 133.

Please provide a breakdown of the $1 million for computer replacement.

What is the purpose of the 1.45% reserve funding that is shown on slide 3 that totals $439,907?

IT professional contract? What are the positions? How often is the contract rebid?

How often does the City replace computers and servers?

What is the difference between the $27,113,984 on page 8-3 and the $38 million referenced on slide nine of the Communications and Information Technology Department's budget presentation?

What is the breakdown of debt service decreases - what types of debt are declining?

How much revenue do we receive from processing FOIA requests?

What did we spend the City Manager's Reserves on in the past three years?

Wrecked vehicles - should those not be funded out of the risk management budget?

How specifically will the sequestration reserve be spent?

Please provide the percentage of the general sales, meal and amusementtaxes that are resident.