CITY MANAGER Quality Services for a Quality Community
MEMORANDUM
TO: East Lansing City Council
FROM: George Lahanas, City Manager
DATE: September 30, 2017
SUBJECT: Fiscal Year Annual Report City of East Lansing OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER 410 Abbot Road This memo shall serve as an annual report of City business which discloses pertinent facts East Lansing, MI 48823 concerning the activities and finances of City government for Fiscal Year 2017: July 1, 2016- June (517) 319-6920 30, 2017. www.cityofeastlansing.com Fiscal Year 2017 Financials Review:
Going into audit and barring any audit adjustments, the City’s General Fund total fund balance is decreasing $193,785 leaving total fund balance at $6,494,973. This small decrease was a result of expenditures being controlled throughout the year by all departments. In addition, we did see revenues (specifically PA289 fire protection and revenue sharing from the State) in excess of what was budgeted allowing us to make a $1 million supplemental pension payment in June 2017.
Given these results and the fund balance level, we have elected to set aside $1 million for yet another supplemental pension payment to help reduce the $89.4 million liability still outstanding. Furthermore, we have set aside funds for legal fees associated with the Country Mills lawsuit, outstanding encumbrances from FY2017 that need to be rolled over, as well as the planned use of $990,000 of fund balance in FY2018.
With all that being said, unassigned (available) fund balance of $4,274,300 remains and equates to 12.7% of operating expenditures. This falls within the guidelines of 8-15% set forth in our fund balance policy.
City Clerk Activities:
In November of 2016 our office conducted one of the busiest elections in recent memory. We processed more than 7,500 new voter registrations and also participated in a recount. In early 2017, the City Clerk teamed up with the Assistant to the City Manager to conduct the East Lansing Emerging Leader Program which was very well received. In May of 2017 our office conducted a school bond election that went smoothly. The City Clerk continues to be an active member of MSUvote, a compilation of MSU staff, faculty and student groups dedicated to registering and educating student voters, and getting them out to vote. This group has been very active since January of 2014.
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For more than a year and a half, the City Clerk served on the Bureau of Elections Joint Evaluation Committee which selected three vendors to provide the next generation of election equipment on a countywide basis. The City of East Lansing will be rolling out its new tabulator, accessible device, and Absentee Voter Counting Board high-speed scanner during the November 7, 2017 General Election. The City Clerk has spoken to numerous journalism classes and student groups to provide education about voting. The City Clerk also provided Election Inspector training to the City's workers, and separately to workers around Ingham County on behalf of County Clerk Barb Byrum for the November 7, 2017 General Election. In addition to election activities, our office has been exceptionally busy processing business licenses, particularly restaurant licenses. To date, the City Clerk has processed over 95 Freedom of Information Act requests, most of which come from the private sector. On average, our office processes about 100 requests annually.
East Lansing Police Department Activities:
The police department seeks to utilize our uncommitted time to build positive relationships within the City of East Lansing. With that in mind our agency interacts with the community by participating in activities such as National Night Out, Citizens Police Academy, Business Watch, CRC Interns, Responsible Hospitality Coalition, Police Athletic League, Shop with a Cop, Old Newsboys, No Senior without Christmas, foot and bicycle patrols for downtown events, University Student Commission, Ice Cream Socials and sorority and fraternity presentations. ELPD attended 117 community meetings during FY 17. ELPD made tremendous strides in increasing transparency. The police department held a public forum on Police/Community Relations in October of 2016. The event was very well attended by the community and was a giant first step in building trust and legitimacy within the region. The dialogue continues to this day as we build relationships within our community. In addition to the public forum, ELPD held an open house for the community in April of 2017. Persons attending had an opportunity to view K-9 demonstrations, tour the jail, try on a bullet proof vest, view other equipment, and have conversations with staff. ELPD created and developed a community/department anti-bias council in FY 17 including membership from Black Lives Matter, ACLU, and MSU. In addition to these events, the police department added a De-escalation program/training officer and recruiting team complete with a promotional video. A social media team was also added to show the softer side of the badge. All of these items are directed at building trust and legitimacy while increasing transparency. The police department began a review of department policies in FY 17. Policy review and oversight is an identified Pillar of 21st Century Policing. As policies were reviewed they were added to the department’s online page for public view. In addition to reviewing policies and posting them for review, ELPD initiated the first steps in the accreditation process through the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. The 18-24 month process ensures that ELPD will be following the best practices of other police agencies throughout the State of Michigan. In light of recent world events, ELPD has worked closely with the Department of Public Works to harden security at local events through the use of restricted access
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East Lansing Public Library
The East Lansing Public Library (ELPL) celebrated its one year post-renovation anniversary on October 1, 2017. Since fully opening back up to the community, ELPL has seen increases in the number of people using the building. Patrons are enjoying the additional small meeting spaces, larger teen space and fun, engaging children’s area. The Maker Studio includes eight 3D printers; sewing machines; MAC computers; sound recording equipment; an Arduino lab and much more. In August, the library launched a Tool Library complete with a circular saw; jigsaw; saw horse; drills; and ladders, which can be checked out, for free, with your ELPL library card. In January 2017, ELPL kicked off the monthly Children’s Social Justice Reading Group in collaboration with Michigan State University. The program brought in an average of 100 children, parents and caregivers each month to hear stories about immigration, race, autism, environmental justice and gender equality. Throughout 2017, the library participated and hosted 600 programs with an attendance of more than 15,000. Additionally, there were more than 276,000 physical materials checked out. Digital circulations were nearly 50,000 which is an 8% increase over 2016. Over 17% of all library checkouts were digital items in 2017. In 2017, 2,500 new library cards were issued. The 6th Annual Books, Bites and Bids fundraiser, held in April 2017, was a tremendous success. More than $20,000 was raised to go toward a mobile, pop-up library, thanks to the community support of the event and library. Mark your calendars for: o April 13, 2018 for the 7th Annual Books, Bites and Bids o Summer Reading Program start date - June 18, 2018 o National Night Out/Touch-a-Truck - August 7, 2018 o Summer Reading Program end date - August 11, 2018 o In October, the East Lansing Public Library received the State Librarian’s Excellence Award for 2017
Environmental Services:
Year two of the City’s transformation to recycling carts has continued to bring increases in recycling volumes and participation with monthly residential volumes averaging nearly 120 tons per month. The Water Resource Recovery Facility cleaned 4.93 billion gallons of water and safely released it to the Red Cedar River. We hosted the 23rdannual Recycle! East Lansing event. One of our most well attended events to date, with over 100 volunteers collecting nearly 12 tons of electronics, over eight tons of scrap metal, more than four box trucks of household goods/books and nearly 800 pounds of medications. The City was awarded a $17,000 MDNR Community and Urban Forestry grant to inventory and assess street trees throughout the City and to develop an Urban Tree Canopy study. The City was also awarded: the Consumers Energy Community Tree Planting Grant for the fourth year in a row, and a Michigan Arbor Day Alliance Tree Planting Grant leveraging the funds to plant over 80 trees throughout the City. The City was named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 30th year.
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We completed the second phase of Downtown public space recycling project by successfully completing a crowdfunding campaign to raise over $50,000 for new refuse and recycling containers and 40 additional bike parking spaces in the Downtown. Methane testing and ground water monitoring efforts continued for the former landfill located at Burcham Park, in support of closure efforts and received approval from the DEQ to move forward with a Community Solar array to be installed on this site. In addition to the stormwater program, DPW continued efforts to protect local waterways, aquifers and the overall environment. Staff participated in well head protection efforts, the Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management, administration of the City’s Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control program, and review of proposed drainage projects.
Finance Activities:
Finance received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting on behalf of the City from the Government Finance Officers Association for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The Finance Department along with various other departments worked on five debt issues during the year. We issued two refunders (refinancing) for net present value savings of $628,773 related to the 2008 capital improvement bonds, 2007 parking bonds and the 2007 water and sewer bonds. We also issued new bonds of $5,960,000 for the MAC Garage rehabilitation, and an installment loan for $1,430,000 related to the new parking equipment. Last but certainly not least, we closed on the new State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan not to exceed $31 million for the next phase of the Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) improvements. The Finance Department welcomed many new team members this past year. Brad Phillips, Assistant Treasurer joined us in October 2016. Audrey Kincade, Budget and Accounting Administrator and Cathy Groce, Deputy Assessor both started in November 2016. Dylan Cahoon and Jackie Clay, Treasury Assistants came on board in June 2017. Jill Feldpausch became the Finance Director in April 2017 and Andrea Smith was hired as the new Treasurer in July 2017.
Human Resources Activities:
East Lansing Human Resources (HR) actively participated in the hiring and selection process for 33 permanent positions and assisted in filling and on-boarding approximately 175 positions throughout the City in FY17. HR provided leadership and assistance to the Health Care Task Force in selecting a healthcare plan and provider for active employees. Human Resource Director negotiated contracts with seven unions during spring 2017.
Information Technology:
The Department of Information Technology successfully completed several infrastructure projects in 2017. Most notably, The East Lansing Public Library was outfitted with all new wireless infrastructure & public access computers to meet the changing needs of patrons. The Hannah Community Center, Department of Public Works, & Fire Stations also
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received wireless infrastructure upgrades to bolster their department services. The Department of Information Technology provided training sessions to seniors and staff members for Cyber Security Awareness. Throughout the year, the Department of Information Technology performs a valuable consultant role as technology intersects with many of the services, departments, projects, and initiatives in the City of East Lansing.
Parks, Recreation & Arts Activities:
Installed a new 150 ton chiller at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center. Installed a new boiler at the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center. The park formally named Shaw Watertower Park was renamed the Gordon Guyer Park. Awarded $890,500 from the Ingham County Trails and Parks Millage to replace 6 pedestrian bridges along the Northern Tier Trail and complete trail resurfacing. Work to be completed in 2018. Awarded $469,000 from the Ingham County Parks and Trails Millage to extend the Northern Tier Trail through White Park and a grant application has been submitted to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund in the amount of $300,000 for the project. Both fund sources are needed to complete the proposed work. Arts Commission awarded 7 grants totaling $10,500 in cultural arts grants to local arts agencies to provide arts programming to the community. The commission reviewed 9 applications requesting a total of $20,442 under the public art ordinance. Site improvements around City Hall to address ADA deficiencies which included new sidewalks around the building, reconstructed entry way at the southwest corner of the building, milled and resurfaced both the north and east parking lots. The City was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund for improvements to the ball fields at Patriarche Park. Improvements will begin in July 2018. Environmental Stewardship – The East Lansing Environmental Stewardship Program is in its eighth year. In the last year the program has grown both in reach and in capacity. We have hosted the Mid-Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (MM- CISMA) for two trainings about Japanese Knotweed and other invasive plants for the Department of Public Works (DPW). In FY17 the Program has also had 21 workdays with community members and 18 unique partner organizations. There have been 232 unique volunteers contributing 601.5 total volunteer hours in FY17 as well. Soccer Complex – The Complex is continuing to experience growth in field reservations. What used to be a spring and fall sport is now spreading from early spring to late fall without many breaks in the schedule. Youth leagues include East Lansing Soccer Club, CASL, Cap City Athletics as well as a number of camps. The Complex is the home field for the East Lansing High School Soccer Teams, where they train and play their home games. The Complex is also home to Lansing United with the National Premier Soccer League. Aquatic Center – For the third year in a row, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Arts lifeguard team has received the Jeff Ellis and Associates’ prestigious Platinum Internal Aquatic Safety Award. Based on four unannounced safety audits conducted by Ellis and Associates last year, the award puts the East Lansing lifeguard team in the top 10 percent of all facilities in the country that train under the lifeguarding principles of Ellis and
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Associates as it relates to aquatic safety. The award demonstrates that the team “exceeded” Ellis and Associates criteria for aquatic safety in 2016. ELHCC Guest Services – In 2017, the East Lansing Hannah Community Center will entered its 15th year of operation as a community recreation, events and enrichment center. Guest Services operates as the central point of contact for visitors and facility users. It also serves as the Department of Parks Recreation and Arts primary payment center for recreation & arts program registration, school age child care payment processing, reservation payments, and pass sales. It also serves as a pick up and payment location for the DPW trash and yard waste receptacles. ELHCC Swim Pool – Throughout the year you will see youth learn to swim lessons starting as early as 6 months of age, Trojan Aquatics Swim Team for youth grades 1 through 8, adult masters swim club, private swim lessons, aquatic fitness, lap swim hours as well as open family swim hours. Summer Solstice Jazz Festival (SSJF) - The Summer Solstice Jazz Festival is a free, two day Jazz Festival in the heart of downtown East Lansing, featuring 14 hours of the best in local, regional and national talent. In addition to the main stage, the SSJF features a performance area dedicated to young jazz performers, a traditional New Orleans-style Second Line Parade, an avant-garde jazz picnic, and fun children’s activities. Arts Planning and Administration – The scope of this activity has changed over the past two fiscal years. Beginning in FY2017, grants awarded by the Arts Commission were moved from this activity to the newly created Public Art Fund. At this time, the primary responsibility of the Arts Planning and Administration activity includes the Public Art Gallery at ELHCC. Revenue is generated through receipt of 25% of net gallery sales from displayed artists. Community Events – The Community Events program produces more than 60 free community events a year, providing arts and cultural events to more than 100,000 visitors to the downtown. The program includes the management and implementation of the East Lansing Farmer’s Market, Summer Concert Series, Moonlight Film Festival, Play in the Park, Winter Glow, Crystal Awards, and Children’s Concert Series. School Age Childcare - The School Age Care offers care for children in kindergarten through eighth grades. Offerings for the 2016-2017 school year included Before & After School programs housed in each of the five East Lansing elementary schools which serve K-5th graders. A site was opened at MacDonald Middle School to accommodate the sixth grade students. This site averaged 25 children per afternoon. We offered winter and spring break care programs held at Hannah Community Center with an average of 35 children per day. Approximately, 353 families/397 children were provided services this school year in our before and after school programs. Throughout the year, we had 193 children participate in our morning programs from 7:00-8:45am and 372 children participate in our afterschool programs from 3:00-6:00pm. We had a combined site average of daily attendance of 144 children participating in our morning care programs and 261 children participating in our after care programs. Recreation and Arts – This division provides a variety of year-round recreation, art and enrichment classes, programs and services are offered each year. In FY2017, over 3,000 registrants participated in the various programs and services offered, including Ceramics, Adult Art, Fitness, Dance, Enrichment, Special Events, Specialty Camps, All of Us Express Children’s Theatre and more. This division was awarded two grants to promote community
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fitness/wellness. The first grant was for an East Lansing Couch to 5K program and the second for 50+ fitness programs, both were very successful. Athletics Programs and Softball Complex Maintenance – This division provides youth athletics, Middle School Interscholastic Athletics, Adult Softball Leagues and Softball Complex Tournament Hosting. Added to this program and budget, is the maintenance of the softball complex and the athletic fields at Patriarche Park. The implementation of the maintenance program will remain a responsibility of the DPW/Parks Crew.
Communications Activities:
Communications staff launched an Instagram account for the City of East Lansing in Fiscal Year 2017: @CityofEastLansing. There are currently more than 700 followers. Communications staff continues to maintain the City of East Lansing's social media presence on Facebook and Twitter. There are approximately 6.6K likes on Facebook and 15.9K followers on Twitter. Communications staff continues to maintain the City of East Lansing, Downtown East Lansing and One Book, One Community websites and provides support to neighborhoods for the East Lansing Neighborhoods website. Communications staff continues to provide graphic design support and photography services to all City departments. Communications staff produced three Dialog newsletters, four e-Dialogs, one Annual Report and more than 200 press releases in Fiscal Year 2017.
Planning, Building & Development Activities:
The department led efforts with merchants to hold key downtown events including the Great Pumpkin Walk, Green Friday, and the inaugural Downtown Welcome Dance. Planning processed plans for the Park District, Center City, and Costco projects. The Building division issued nearly 2,400 building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits. Housing staff completed over 1,500 initial inspections and over 700 re-inspections for licensed rental properties, as well as responded to nearly 100 complaints. Parking completed work on the MAC Garage reconstruction and implement a new Parking Access and Revenue Control systems.
Public Works Activities:
Completed the Hazardous Sidewalk, CDBG, and miscellaneous concrete sidewalk projects including over 75 ADA ramps at intersections. Late 2016 saw the completion of the $15 million Water Resource Recovery Facility Tertiary Filter Building renovation, Ultra Violet Disinfection system addition, and the new Effluent Discharge line. Design was completed, bids were received, the SRF loan was obtained and construction began on the new $30 million headworks, screening, grit and influent interceptor project for the Water Resource Recovery Facility. Continued working on the asset inventory and risk analysis portions of a $2 million MDEQ Stormwater, Asset Management and Waste Water Grant for the sewer system and waste
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water treatment plant. Additional large diameter sewers were televised. The work to-date has already resulted in the lining of over 4,100 feet of large diameter sewers, rehabilitation of manholes, spot liner repairs and other sewer rehabilitation procedures in the Brody Complex and elsewhere throughout the City beginning in FY 2017. Completed the WRRF Biosolids Master Plan outlining immediate, near-term, and long- term strategies for addressing the WRRF’s solids handling capabilities. Staff rapidly responded to several emergency sinkhole repairs, the first on Harrison Road near the Kellogg Center and the second on Trowbridge Road at Arbor Drive. The repair to the Harrison Road sinkhole included replacing 120 feet of 18-inch sewer and the lining of 920 feet of the remaining sewer. The repair to the Trowbridge Road sinkhole included replacing a small section of 18-inch sewer and the lining the entire reach, 455 feet, of the 18-inch sewer. Initiated the development of a sewer model to evaluate the combined sewer system’s existing and future capacity concerns. Began the development of an Asset Management Plan for the City of East Lansing Water Storage Facilities and Water Distribution System. Proceeded with discussions with MDOT to charge them for treatment of stormwater runoff from their roadways that enters the City’s combined sewer system and is ultimately treated at the WRRF. Successfully underwent a detailed audit by MDEQ of portions of the City’s MS4 stormwater program. Overall the following number of permits were issued: Sewer & Water 108 Permits $455,606 (Include Connection Fees) SESC 55 Permits $124,383 Right-of-Way 237 Permits $146,923 Special transportation 66 Permits $ 5,213 DPW continued to expand its Geographic Information System (GIS), documenting assets and selecting Lucity Software to serve as the asset management software for water, sewer and fleet assets. Staff continue to expand the documentation of assets in the GIS system using android tablets. DPW forces extended pavement life by crack sealing 1.05 miles of major streets and 13.99 miles of local streets. Working with a consultant, we completed the exterior recoating of the Alton Road Water Tower and completed the design on the interior and exterior recoating of the Shaw Estates Water Tower. DPW forces responded to 3,505 requests for Miss Dig services. DPW performed 1,224 services on vehicles and equipment, to keep critical equipment operational to provide services to the city. DPW forces responded to 224 requests for after-hours emergency service. DPW forces removed 854 cubic yards of debris from City streets though the street sweeping program. DPW forces collected 4,825 compacted cubic yards of leaves through the bulk leaf collection program. DPW forces cleaned 74 miles of sewers and provided maintenance on 392 drainage structures.
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DPW performed winter maintenance on City streets by plowing or treating with salt and brine over 26 times.
54-B District Court
The 54-B District Court Drug Court was started in October 2016. This is the court’s third treatment court and is presided over by Chief Judge Andrea Andrews Larkin. The court received three federal and state grant awards in Fiscal Year 2017; Drug Court $75,000 with $25,000 to be used towards medication assisted treatment, Sobriety Court $143,000, and Veteran’s Court $75,000. In October 2016, Chief Judge Andrea Andrews Larkin was the 2016 recipient of the Carolyn A. Stell Award by the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. The award recognizes service to the legal community and contributions to the advancement of women in the legal profession. In March 2017, court administration and staff were instrumental in developing an additional feature to the current online resolution process. Those disputing civil infraction tickets whose informal hearings were adjourned can be offered the option to have their case reviewed online. This option allows for a more timely resolution as opposed to rescheduling and possibly incurring officer overtime costs. In keeping with the mission to increase equal access to justice, Court Administrator Nicole Evans was reappointed to the State Bar of Michigan Equal Access to Justice Initiative and the Disabilities and Underrepresented Workgroups. The court completed its fourth annual customer satisfaction survey. Results include: 93 percent agreed they were treated with courtesy and respect by court staff; 90 percent agreed they were treated with courtesy and respect by the judge; 81 percent agreed they were able to get court business done in a reasonable amount of time; and, 83 percent agreed their case was handled fairly. The annual report from the State Court Administrator’s office showed that 96 percent of cases were concluded within the time guidelines.