Adds costs for Reindahl Imagination Center, Affordable Housing, 9th ambulance, police, quiet zone, traffic safety and more.
Here’s the capital budget amendments considered at Finance Committee
CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENTS
Amendment 1 – 9th Ambulance* (Corresponds to Op Amends 1a-c)
Sponsors Henak, Tierney
Appropriate $82,000 in GO Borrowing in 2020 and add $305,000 in GO Borrowing to the 2021 CIP to fund a 9th ambulance housed at Station 14. The 2020 appropriation will fund medical equipment ($45,000) and turn out gear ($37,000) for 10 new Firefighters to staff vacancies created by promotions to Paramedic to staff the ambulance. The 2021 appropriation will fund the ambulance vehicle.
Analysis
Council Operating budget amendments #1a, b, and c create 10 new Firefighter Paramedic positions in the 2020 Operating Budget to staff a 9th ambulance. This amendment funds the ambulance, medical equipment, and turnout gear necessary to put the ambulance into service. The last ambulance added to the Department’s fleet was at Station 12 in 2010.
Funding for medical equipment and firefighter turn out gear was moved from the Operating Budget to the Capital Budget in the 2020 Executive Budget.
Annual Impact
Annual operating costs associated with the ambulance (fuel, maintenance, depreciation) are anticipated to be $66,500. In 2020, the cost is anticipated to be $33,250. The 2020 costs will be absorbed within the Fleet rate.
Amendment 2a – Police Squad Cars – 2 Squads* (Corresponds to Op Amend 2a)
Sponsors Henak, Tierney
Appropriate $118,600 GO Borrowing in 2020 in the Police Department’s capital budget for two squad cars and related equipment.
Analysis
Council Operating budget amendment #2a creates 6.0 new Police Officer positions in the Police Department’s operating budget effective in May 2020. Two additional squad cars will be necessary to equip these officers.
Impact
Annual operating costs associated with the squad cars (fuel, maintenance, depreciation) are anticipated to be $24,200. In 2020, the cost is anticipated to be $16,100. The 2020 costs will be absorbed within the Fleet rate.
Amendment 2b – Police Squad Car-1 Squad* (Corresponds to Op Amends 2b)
Sponsors Verveer, Albouras, Harrington-McKinney, Lemmer, Carter, Tierney
Appropriate $59,300 in GO Borrowing for one squad car and related equipment in the Police Department budget.
Analysis
Council Operating budget amendments #2b and #2c create 3.0 and 4.0 new Police Officer positions respectively, in the Police Department’s operating budget effective in May 2020. An additional squad car will be necessary to equip these officers.
Impact
Annual operating costs associated with the vehicle (fuel, maintenance, depreciation) are anticipated to be $12,100. In 2020, the cost is anticipated to be $8,050 and will be absorbed within the Fleet rate.
Amendment 3 – Bus Rapid Transit* (Corresponds to Op Amend 3)
Sponsors Foster, Kemble
Appropriate $500,000 in GO Borrowing to Bus Rapid Transit for studies associated with implementing BRT. The studies will include, but are not limited to, a route analysis, mobile ticketing feasibility and an organizational analysis.
Analysis
The 2020 Executive Operating Budget included $1,150,000 for studies associated with implementing BRT. In the Executive Budget these studies were funded through the Vehicle Registration Fee. An amendment proposed to the operating budget transfers funding to the capital budget to ensure fully funding for studies in 2020. Amendment 1 adopted by the Finance Committee reduced funding for these studies by $100,000.
A portion of funding for these studies can be accommodated by the $1.5 million proposed for Bus Rapid in the Executive Capital Budget. The net impact of this amendment is a $500,000 increase in GO Borrowing.
Impact
No projected impact on the operating budget
Amendment 4 – Planning Studies* (Corresponds to Op Amend 2b)
Sponsors Verveer, Albouras
Appropriate $45,000 in GO Borrowing for planning studies that will occur in 2020. The studies will include Odana, East Towne, and South Madison.
Analysis
Finance Committee Amendment 19 increased funding for costs associated with planning efforts at East Towne, Odana, and South Madison. This amendment proposes transferring the costs of these amendments from operating to capital.
Impact
The amendment has no ongoing impact to the operating budget.
Amendment 5 – Affordable Housing – Development Projects
Sponsors Heck, Evers, Verveer, Bidar, Rummel, Martin, Foster, Furman
Increase funding for Affordable Housing-Development Projects by $500,000 annually and change the project description to read:
This program continues a major initiative to expand and improve the supply of affordable housing in Madison. The program’s goal is to leverage other public and private resources to improve and expand the supply of quality, affordable housing accessible to low and moderate-income households in the City of Madison. Progress will be measured by the production of 200 units of new rental housing serving households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the County’s median income. Specific 2020 projects and locations will be largely determined by Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority’s (WHEDA) allocation decisions, which are expected in early 2020. In addition, projects not tied to WHEDA allocation decisions may be considered. Anticipated construction for those projects successfully receiving support from both the City and WHEDA would likely begin in 2021. The reserves applied funding is reallocated from the Public Market capital project.
Analysis
The proposed amendment will increase general obligation (GO) borrowing by $500,000 annually across the 2020 Capital Budget & CIP, increasing annual funding for Affordable Housing projects to $5.5 million. The 2020 Executive Capital Budget includes $30,270,000 for the 2020 CIP, resulting in approximately $5 million in annual appropriation. The 2019 Adopted Capital Budget included $4.5 million in Affordable Housing-Development Projects funding for each year of the 2019 CIP.
The proposed amendment also changes the project description of the capital program by adding the following as the third to last sentence: “In addition, projects not tied to WHEDA allocation decisions may be considered.”
Impact
No operating impact.
Amendment 6 – Railroad Crossing & Quiet Zones
Sponsors Rummel, Foster, Verveer
Appropriate $1.5 million from TIF Proceeds for two new Quiet Zones. The anticipated Quiet Zones would range from Brearly Street to Blount Street, and Fair Oaks Street and Sugar Avenue. The projects will be funded by TID 36 and TID 37 respectively.
The amendment also places a Quiet Zone at Dempsey Road on the Horizon List, pending the identification of a non-GO Borrowing funding source for the project.
Analysis
The 2020 Executive Budget includes $50,000 annually for the Railroad Crossing and Quiet Zone program. The annual amounts are sufficient for routine improvements to railroad crossings in the City, but do not include construction of any new Quiet Zones.
As proposed in the amendment, funds from two TIF districts would be used to construct two Quiet Zones in 2024. The first project is on Brearly Street to Blount Street. The anticipated cost is $1.0 million and will be funded by TID 36. In 2020, the projected increment from TID 36 is $7.6 million. The district currently has $10.6 million of unrecovered costs.
The second project is at Fair Oaks and Sugar Avenue. The anticipated cost of the project is $500,000 and will be funded by TID 37. In 2020, the projected increment from TID 37 is $2.1 million. The district currently has $1.5 million of unrecovered costs.
Impact
No operating impact is anticipated.
Amendment 7 – Reindahl Imagination Center / Library
Sponsors Baldeh, Abbas, Furman
Add $16.6 million for Reindahl Library. The amendment will be funded by the following sources: GO Borrowing of $12,100,000 ($1,100,000 in 2021 and $11,000,000 in 2022); and Private Donations of $4,500,000 in 2022. Funding will be used for the construction of a new library on Madison’s northeast side. As part of planning for the facility, the feasibility of co-locating multiple services (i.e. Public Health, Community Development, Parks, etc.) will be examined. The proposed funding is based on construction estimates for a traditional Library branch. This project may include additional space, which may impact construction costs.
Analysis
The Library’s 2018 capital budget included $500,000 in GO Borrowing for community outreach and scoping of the new library. The 2019 adopted capital budget includes an additional $16,000,000 over the period of 2020 through 2022; $11,600,000 in GO Borrowing and $5,000,000 in Private Donations. To date, less than $11,000 has been spent. This project was moved to the Horizon List in the 2020 Executive Capital Budget.
The Library hired a Planner in August 2018, who is primarily working on this project. The goal of the community outreach is to ascertain which services community members deem most crucial to the health of their region. These services will inform the building program as the design phase begins in 2021.
The Library will partner with Parks, Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Dane County Public Health, Community Development, the Madison Public Library Foundation, Madison Municipal School District, community leadership, and various other public and private entities throughout the lifespan of this project.
The funding included in the proposed amendment is based on the cost to build a library. As the scope of the project is completely defined through the community engagement process and other City activities are potentially included, the cost of the project will likely increase.
Impact
The operating costs are based on a staffing structure similar to the Sequoya branch with the addition of a full-time supervisor and two facility workers.
The operating impacts assume 19.1 FTEs with a cost of $1,497,000; supplies of $38,500; and services of $281,500.
Amendment 8 – Forestry Capital Projects
Sponsors Mayor Rhodes-Conway, Alder Bidar
Transfer the Street Tree Program and Urban Tree Initiatives capital programs from the Parks Division Capital Budget to the Streets Division Capital Budget. Create a new Emerald Ash Borer project in the Streets Division Capital Budget and appropriate $550,000 in GO Borrowing for the project.
Eliminate the Transfer In From Other Restricted funding sources in the Parks Division Emerald Ash Borer project and reduce the GO Borrowing to $450,000 in 2020, $400,000 in 2021, $350,000 in 2022, and $300,000 in 2023. GO Borrowing in 2024 and 2025 remain the unchanged, $180,000 and $100,000 respectively.
Analysis
The 2020 Executive Operating Budget transferred Forestry Services from the Parks Division to the Streets Division, both operationally and fiscally. This amendment transfers the Forestry-related capital projects to the Streets Division. The Street Tree and the Urban Tree Initiatives programs will be transferred in their entirety.
The Parks Division will retain some funding for the Parks Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) project and will retain responsibility for removing and replacing ash trees within City parks. The GO Borrowing for the EAB project in the Parks Division was $2,820,000 across the CIP in the 2020 Executive Budget. This amendment will change it to $1,780,000, a reduction of $1,040,000. The Streets Division EAB project will receive $550,000 of GO Borrowing authority for their EAB project, a net city-wide reduction of $490,000 in GO Borrowing.
Impact
The 2020 Executive budget currently reflects the Forestry operating costs in the Street Division budget. There are no additional operating impacts from this amendment.
Amendment 9 – North Side Park Land Acquisition/Metro Satellite Facility
Sponsors Abbas, Lemmer
Remove $1.25m from GO Borrowing from the Metro Satellite Facility project intended for the purchase of the North Transfer Point and increase GO Borrowing ($1.25m) and Impact Fees ($250k) in the Parks Land Acquisition program to purchase parkland on the City’s north side.
Analysis
The 2020 Executive Budget includes $28.9 million ($12.9m in 2020 and $16.1m in 2021) to construct a Satellite Facility for Metro Transit. The total project budget also assumes the City will purchase the existing North Transfer Point with funding in 2020 for $1.25 million. The proposed amendment removes funding for the North Transfer Point and transfers the GO Borrowing in the Parks Division Capital Budget to purchase land for a new park on the City’s north side.
The Parks Division 2020 Executive Capital Budget includes $8,000,000 from Impact Fee funding for Land Acquisition over the life of the CIP, with $6,500,000 in 2020. This funding comes from the Citywide Parkland Impact Fee District account and the Executive Budget projects a remaining balance in that account of $1,770,000 at the end of 2020. In 2017, the Impact Fee Districts were recreated and the old district accounts are being spent down and closed. The Citywide Parkland District is one of these old districts. The new district that will fund land acquisitions, Park Land, is projected to have a balance of $5,850,000 at the end of 2019 and over $7,000,000 at the end of 2020.
Impact
Unknown – There will be an increase in the Parks Division operating costs for ongoing maintenance of the new park that will need to be accommodated in future Parks operating budgets. These costs will be determined based on the amenities identified through the master planning process and the design of the park.
Amendment 10 – Traffic Signal Installation: Prairie Road & Raymond Road
Sponsors Bidar, Albouras
Appropriate $280,000 in GO Borrowing to install a Traffic Signal at Prairie Road and Raymond Road.
Analysis
The proposed amendment increases the 2020 funding for Traffic Signal Installation. In February 2019 the Transportation Commission recommended installation of the new signal in the intersection. As proposed, the full cost of the project will be funded by GO Borrowing.
Impact
The annual maintenance and electrical costs are estimated to be $3,500. These costs will be absorbed within Traffic Engineering’s existing purchased service budget.
Amendment 11 – Vision Zero Traffic Safety
Sponsors Alder Heck, Alder Lemmer, Alder Verveer, Alder Bidar, Alder Rummel, Alder Evers, Alder Tierney, Alder Kemble
Appropriate $350,000 in GO Borrowing in 2020 to advance the implementation of Vision Zero, which seeks to eliminate all severe injury and fatal crashes on City streets.
Analysis
The proposed amendment is intended to fund an analysis of traffic conditions and crash history and implement recommendations that will reduce the severity of specific crashes being experienced. Applications may include signage, pavement markings, speed reductions, and more permanent changes to the traffic geometry. Funding may also be used to assist with an application for Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (FHSI) funding. A list of potential recommendations prepared by Traffic Engineering can be found attached to Legistar file #58026. Final recommended safety improvements will be approved by Transportation Commission prior to implementation.
The Traffic Engineering 2020 Executive Capital Budget includes $50,000 in each year of the CIP in the Traffic Safety Infrastructure program. This program is for traffic control devices and the design of the local share of the State Highway Hazard Elimination program, signs, and traffic safety studies.
Impact
Unknown – The operating impact of the capital project is unknown at this time. Specific expenditures identified within the project may not meet the City’s capitalization policy.
Amendment 12 – Madison in Motion
Sponsors Foster, Kemble, Furman
Change the title of the project to be ‘Madison in Motion: Complete Streets Implementation Study.’ Update the project description to read:
‘This project is for a study to inform and direct implementation of the Complete Streets framework adopted by the Madison Common Council in 2009 (legistar # 16250). Complete Streets is a national movement to ensure that streets are designed to enable safe access for all users, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities to be able to move safely along and across the street. Madison has a long history of following Complete Streets concepts without naming these as such.
The study will outline policy options for sidewalks and curb ramps for pedestrians, bike lanes, accessible bus stops and a variety of ways to make street crossings easier and safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. It will address issues of modal hierarchies, street typologies and create design guildelines, giving guidance to staff on concepts for all new developments, redevelopments, new street construction and street reconstruction projects.’
Analysis
The 2020 Executive Budget authorized $160,000 in 2020 as a follow-up to the Madison in Motion, which was adopted in 2017. As outlined in the Executive Budget, this project would be focused on identifying policy solutions for pedestrian crossing and ped/bike interactions. The proposed amendment provides updated information regarding the project’s scope but does not alter funding for the project.
Impact
The operating impact is unknown at this time. Specific expenditures identified by the study may not meet the City’s capitalization policy.
