Laserfiche WebLink
Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday, October 15, 2012 <br /> Page 11 <br /> Mr. Miller referenced three (3) bench handouts supplemental to preparation of <br /> the meeting packet and identified as follows: <br /> • August 27, 2012 Memorandum from Finance Director Miller entitled <br /> "Summary of City Cash Reserves" (Attachment G); <br /> • "Debt Service Payment Summary" for Series 23, 25, 27, 28 and 31 Bond Is- <br /> sues and debt service over the next twenty(20) years; and <br /> • January 6, 2011 Memorandum from Finance Director Miller entitled <br /> "Summary of City Cash Reserves." <br /> Regarding the process for bench handouts, Councilmember Willmus sought <br /> clarification, based on comments heard from residents, that they were updated <br /> online as supplemental to packet information and asked that they be included <br /> online as part of the record. <br /> Mayor Roe concurred that this was a valid comment; and asked that staff ensure <br /> bench handouts were provided online for historical purposes; and suggested that <br /> they be clearly identified and classified as addenda, not part of the original <br /> packets, in order for the public to understand that the information was provided <br /> as supplemental to the meeting agenda packet materials. <br /> Councilmember Willmus thanked staff for providing the debt service summar- <br /> ies; and sought clarification from Mr. Miller for the 2003 City Hall Bonds (Se- <br /> ries 27) as to the call provision and any cost-savings if the bond issue was pre- <br /> paid in the immediate future. Specific to the rationale for his query, Coun- <br /> cilmember Willmus noted the General Fund reserve position at year-end 2009 <br /> compared to year-end 2011, along with reserve fund target levels, and how <br /> healthy some of those reserves appeared to be. Councilmember Willmus sought <br /> further information from Mr. Miller as to the proposed allocation for those re- <br /> serves in the near future, especially those not designated in Enterprise Funds <br /> and at the City Council's discretionary allotment; and whether staff had recom- <br /> mended purpose for those funds in the near future. <br /> Mr. Miller advised that his response would vary depending on which specific <br /> reserve funds were being addressed. Mr. Miller referenced his August 2012 <br /> memorandum, noting that the General Fund reserve target was currently 40%, <br /> with the City Council Policy outlining between 35-45%. However, Mr. Miller <br /> noted that since the General Fund varied over the course of a year based on re- <br /> ceipt semi-annually of property tax revenues from Ramsey County, as well as <br /> the reserve level growing with the General Fund annually as indicated, the <br /> amount of the reserve fund was ever changing. Mr. Miller noted that, while the <br /> reserve level was funded at 40%on average in 2011, in 2013, that level dropped <br /> off considerably, and by 2014, trended below 40%, and would continue to sys- <br /> tematically decline. <br />