Finance Committee - April 24, 2023 Minutes
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting: Monday, April 24, 2023
The Regular Meeting of the Finance Committee of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Meadowlark Room at City Hall at 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 24, 2023.
The Finance Committee Members present or absent were as follows:
Present: Mayor Tim Mahoney, Dave Piepkorn, Michael Redlinger, Steve Sprague. Absent: Terry Gayhart.
Others Present: Tanner Smedshammer, Jill Pagel, Tom Knakmuhs, Brenda Derrig, Bekki Majerus, Nicole Crutchfield, Nancy Morris, Jordan Corneliusen, Wyatt Papenfuss, Travis Stefonowicz, Arlette Preston and members of the public.
Approval of Minutes
Mr. Piepkorn moved, second by Mr. Sprague, that the minutes of the April 24, 2023 Finance Committee meeting be approved, and all members present voted in favor.
Consent Agenda
Sole Source and PBC items Approved:
One request was approved as presented and included Idemia Identity and Security.
Mr. Stefonowicz gave a brief description of the portable fingerprint machine requested and said the Police Department is looking to develop a process allowing officers to make a non-violent offender arrest, book and then release a person without involving the Cass County Jail. He said this Idemia Livescan machine is the only authorized fingerprint vendor that will support the current BCI process.
Mr. Sprague moved to approve, second by Mr. Piepkorn and all members present voted in favor.
2023 City and County Sales Tax
Mr. Sprague presented the 2023 City and County Sales Tax.
Regular Agenda
Improvement District PN-23-B1 Deferrals Approved:
Mr. Knakmuhs stated that the 17th Street and 53rd Avenue area still has gravel and due to drainage and maintenance concerns, a recommendation from PWPEC is to defer a portion of the special assessment associated with Improvement District PN-23-B1. He said a map is enclosed showing the area that was platted in Cass County in 1972 and later annexed into the City of Fargo in 1987. He also provided a summary of the
amount to be special assessed to each property in accordance with the City of Fargo’s Infrastructure Funding Policy. He said although the deferral is not ideal, staff believes this would increase the likelihood of this project moving forward. He said he would send letters to citizens that fell in this area, meet one on one or hold a public notice meeting to answer questions, then create a protest period and go from there.
Mr. Piepkorn stated this is a good example of why the City has specials as this land was at one time outside of City limits and now the City is responsible for fixing the roads.
Mr. Sprague asked if this is a long-term deferral and Ms. Derrig replied that it can only be 10 years and will have to have extensions after the 10-year period.
Mr. Redlinger moved to approve, second by Mr. Sprague and all members present voted in favor.
Allocation of 2023 ARP Funds Approved:
Ms. Majerus explained her request to allocate $250,000 of 2023 ARP funding towards installation of ballistic window treatments for the Police Department. Ms. Majerus stated she has done significant research and vetted many products including live fire demonstrations with Fargo Police Leadership in attendance. With this, Ms. Majerus is suggesting a sole source option from Impact Security as the “retrofit” option that will meet the specified protection requirement and asked if those funds are still available in the ARP approved planned uses account.
Mr. Redlinger said the funds are available and it is just a matter of unlocking those funds.
Mr. Redlinger moved to approve, second by Mr. Piepkorn and all members present voted in favor.
Amendment for Interstate Parking Management Agreement Approved:
Ms. Crutchfield summarized the current agreement and asked for an extension as the agreement will expire at the end of April. She said the updated agreement will include four new modifications for the next three years ending June 30, 2026: an increase in the monthly management rates; the agreement is to be reduced if the NP Lot is removed; increase in monthly management rates for the Ro Co Garage; and the proposed increase for the management rates of the Mercantile Garage.
Mr. Piepkorn asked if there should be a new Request for Proposal drawn up and Ms. Crutchfield responded that the City would need one in the next few years.
Mayor Mahoney asked for a summary of the income numbers from the parking lots. He also requested the City look at a sign outside of the Ro Co Garage that indicates when the lot is full.
Mr. Piepkorn stated the City has an evaluation done on a yearly basis.
Mr. Redlinger moved to approve, second by Mr. Sprague and all members present voted in favor.
2022 Budget and ARPA Update Approved:
Mr. Redlinger provided an update on the table on page 1 that was requested at the March Finance Committee meeting. He stated the City has observed many changes to the 2022 General Fund as the result of new projects, grants, and positions from the time the budget was adopted in 2021. Additionally, he said, the originally approved expenditure budget increased due to rolling forward unspent 2021 budget line items to the 2022 budget. It was also noted that the 2022 budget included the sale of the Island Park Ramp with the corresponding revenue to be realized in 2022; however, the sale occurred in 2021. This event, as well as other changes, have resulted in the need to reconcile 2022 revenues and expenditures.
Mayor Mahoney asked the Finance staff how the 2023 revenue budget was looking, and Finance staff agreed to provide updated 2023 budget to actual figures to review for the May Finance Committee meeting. A year-to-date schedule of ARPA Funds will also be included.
Mr. Redlinger stated that he is seeking a recommendation to receive and file the current schedule of the proposed uses for the American Rescue Plan Act funds and to accept the final reconciliation of the 2022 revenue and expenditure budget.
Mr. Piepkorn moved to approve, second by Mr. Sprague and all members present voted in favor.
Adjourn
The time at adjournment was 10:36 a.m.