CITY MANAGER’S U PDATE JULY 8, 2016 Included in this CMU: City Council Updates FY2016-2017 proposed budget release League City credit rating City seeks to issue Certificates of Obligation Long-term funding shortfalls League City named 19th Best Texas City for families Family Fun Night 2016 Arthur Hewitt Volunteer Spirit Award nominations Police Co-Host Food Drive Festival with Galveston County Food Bank City Hall in the Park dates Downtown Revitalization Project Public Meeting Parks public survey 2016 Major League Quidditch Championship Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Grand Parkway, Segment B City Council Updates. The next City Council work session is on July 11 at 6 p.m. in the Civic Center. The FY2016-2017 proposed budget and agenda for the July 12 City Council meeting will be topics of discussion during the work session. A City Council meeting is also scheduled for July 12 at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers. City Council agendas and supporting documents are available for viewing. Citizens may also view the meeting at http://leaguecitytx.swagit.com/city-council/ or on Comcast Ch. 16. FY2016-2017 proposed budget release. The proposed FY 2016-2017 budget will be released on Monday, July 11, 2016, during the City Council Work Session. The budget review schedule is as follows: July 19, 2016: City Council Work Session – Discussion areas: Public Works (General Fund), Parks and Cultural Services, City Secretary, City Attorney, City Council , Planning and Development, and City Auditor. July 25, 2016: City Council Work Session – Discussion areas: Public Safety, Water Utilities, Fleet, Finance, Human Resources, Communications, Information Technology, Economic Development Aug. 2, 2016: City Council Work Session – Discussion areas: Capital Improvement Program Aug. 8, 2016: City Council Work Session – Discussion areas: Outstanding issues Aug. 23, 2016: City Council Meeting – Public Hearing and first reading of budget ordinance Sept. 13, 2016: City Council Meeting – Second reading, Adoption of Budget A full copy of the budget, including City Manager Mark Rohr’s letter of transmittal to Council, will be available for review at the Helen Hall Library and www.leaguecity.com/budget after the budget is released to City Council. League City Credit Rating. Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s recently issued credit ratings for the City of League City. Moody’s issued an Aa2 rating for the 2016 Certificates of Obligation and Standard and Poor’s affirmed the City’s current rating of AA. The ratings are reflective of a strong and growing tax base, strong financial management and healthy reserves. The ratings will help the City secure favorable interest rates as the City issues the Certificates of Obligation on July 12, 2016. City Seeks to Issue Certificates of Obligation: The City of League City is proposing to fund projects identified in the 2016 to 2020 Capital Improvement Plan through the issuance of Certificates of Obligation. The proposed bond issue will fund $13.65 million in tax and revenue supported City projects if approved. City projects funded through the Certificates of Obligation would include construction on Calder Road; the Five Corners Realignment; stormwater improvements; west side economic development project; 36” Water Line from SH3 to South Shore Harbour Booster Station; new water lines on the west side; annual sanitary sewer rehabilitation; and the Bay Area Boulevard 12” sewer improvements. City Council held a public hearing on May 24 and will hold an additional public hearing July 12, at 6 p.m., in City Council Chambers. The public hearings will be a part of the regularly scheduled City Council meetings and are open to residents interested in commenting on the proposed issue. Additional information regarding the bond issue is posted at www.leaguecity.com/bondissue2016. Long-term funding shortfalls. City Council and staff are continuously working to enhance the quality of life for the League City community while executing the city’s ‘Roadmap to the Future’ and planning for the future needs beyond today and tomorrow. League City must maintain public facilities and infrastructure over the long-term in order to help safeguard current and future private property values. With this in mind, city officials worked throughout the past year to define the reinvestment needs of existing infrastructure and municipal facilities. The city’s capital improvement funding shortfalls were presented to Council Feb. 8, 2016. The focus of the presentation included the need to reinvest in existing infrastructure and plan for organizational growth to support the city’s expanding responsibility in the coming years. City officials then conducted a revenue study on how best to fund the capital improvement. The findings analyzed current revenue sources and identified possibilities for additional revenue sources to help close the long-term funding gaps discussed with City Council Feb. 29, 2016. During the meeting, City Council requested the staff identify cities comparable in proximity and population to conduct a more comprehensive revenue study. City Council approved the following list of cities during a follow-up meeting: Allen, Baytown, Bryan, College Station, Dickinson, Edinburg, Friendswood, Galveston, Lewisville, Longview, Missouri City, Pearland, Richardson, Round Rock, San Angelo, Stafford, Sugar Land, Texas City, Tyler, Webster and Wichita Falls. Findings from the study were presented May 9, 2016. City Council and staff discussed the potential revenue sources, which fees are currently in place, and assess the fees and taxes that would help fund the city’s capital improvement projects. City Council will consider and take action on the fees and sales taxes to fund the city’s long-term budget shortfalls during the July 12, 2016 meeting. Fees and taxes up for consideration are listed below: Fees: -- Parks and facilities sponsorship -- Non-consent towing -- Revenue -- Building -- Planning -- Code enforcement -- Excavation -- Emergency Medical Services -- Engineering services and construction inspection New and existing taxes: -- Local sales taxes on telecommunications services and residential utilities -- Hotel Occupancy Tax increase The City of League City City Council meetings are available for viewing on http://leaguecitytx.swagit.com/city-council/ or on Comcast Ch. 16. Agendas and supporting documents for meetings are also available at https://leaguecity.legistar.com/calendar.aspx. Additionally, the long-term funding presentation is available at www.leaguecity.com/DocumentCenter/View/13596. League City named 19th Best Texas City for families. The City of League City ranks among the ‘Best Cities for Texas Families,’ according to a recently published WalletHub listing. League City ranked the 19th best city out of the 112 cities considered in the study. The complete listing of rankings is available at https://wallethub.com/edu/best-places-to-live-in- texas/22419/. Family Fun Night: The Parks Recreation Department will host the first Family Fun Night concert and movies at Hometown Heroes Park, July 8. The concert will start at 6:00 p.m. with the Movie “Open Season” starting at 8:00 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. The pool and gymnasium will be open for use. Cost is $8. The third Family Fun night will be on July 2, and will show the movie “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.” 2016 Arthur Hewitt Volunteer Spirit Award nominations: Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2016 Arthur Hewitt Volunteer Spirit Award for the period of July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. Nominations for this year’s award are due by Aug. 4, 2016. Nomination criteria are as follows: Open to all volunteers Nominees do not need to live or work in League City, but must volunteer for a City-related cause or project Nominees must have made a significant contribution to League City by volunteering time and service to a City-related cause or project (including, but not limited to Helen Hall Library, Volunteer Fire Department, Animal Shelter, Leaders Make Readers, Volunteers in Policing, etc.). Submit nominations at www.leaguecity.com/spiritaward. Contact the City of League City Communications Department at (281) 554-1025 or [email protected] for more information. Police Co-Host Food Drive Festival with Galveston County Food Bank: For some local children, summer means less food. The League City Police Department is hosting a kick-off event for the Galveston County Food Bank’s campaign “School’s Out, Hunger’s Not” on Saturday, July16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the League City Public Safety Building located at 555 West Walker Street, League City, Texas. This is a family-friendly festival, including a bounce house, food, DJ, K9 and Fire demonstrations, with police and fire equipment on display. Citizens of League City are invited to be a part of the solution to hunger in our community by bringing donations of kid-friendly non-perishable items to the event. These items include: pop-top canned items, breakfast and granola bars, individual serving snacks, fruit cups and squeezers, juice boxes, shelf-stable milk, peanut butter and jelly. Representatives from the food bank will accept monetary donations for the “School’s Out, Hunger’s Not” campaign at the event. City Hall in the Park dates. The City of League City will host the next two City Hall in the Park events on Aug. 16 and Oct. 18. The community outreach initiative provides residents with a forum to informally meet with council members, the City Manager and other key staff. League City residents are invited to attend the events and share their ideas and opinions on the community they call home. The informal gatherings occur throughout the year at various parks or other community facilities in League City. Event details: AUG. 16, 2016 City Hall in the Park Theme: Free swim and sno cones Location: Walker Street City Pool 450 W. Walker, League City, Texas Time: 6 to 8 p.m.