HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 329-10 k.
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• RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Rochester that the City adopt
the financial policies for the City of Rochester. A copy of the policies is attached.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA, THIS I&V DAY OF 2010.
PRESIDENT OF SAID COMMON COUNCIL
ATTEST:
C TY CLERK
APPROVED THIS DAY OF , 2010.
• MAYOR OF SAID CITY
(Sea! of the City of
Rochester, Minnesota)
Res 10\Adopt.FinPolicyl
•
City of Rochester, Minnesota
Financial Policies
BudgetPolicies..................................................................................... 1
Budgeted Funds
Budget Adoption Process
Interim Adjustments
• Revenue and Expenditures
Contingencies and Reserve Balances.................................................... 3
Capital Improvement ........................................................................... 3
Debt ..................................................................................................... 3
Tax Increment (previously adopted) ......•••• 4
Conduit Debt (previously adopted) ...................................................... 4
Investment (previously adopted) ......................................................... 4
Adopted:
Amended:
•
--- LAY or-rcocnesier,-ivnnnes-oza--- --- - ---
Financial Policies—
Budget Policies
Budgeted Funds:
1. Formal budgetary control is implemented during the year for the General and Special
Revenue Funds.
2. Formal budgetary control is not employed for the Debt Service Funds because effective
budgetary control is alternately achieved through general obligation bond indenture
provisions.
3. Budgetary control for the Capita I Project Funds is based on a project completion time
cycle rather than an annual basis,therefore budgetary comparisons on an annual basis
would not present meaningful information.
Budget Adoption Process:
The City follows these legal compliance procedures in establishing the budgetary data: -
1. The City Administrator initiates the annual budget process with instructions to
department heads and format for submitting their annual budget proposals and
• requests.
2. The council establishes the proposed (maximum) property tax levy by September 15tn
annually in accordance with State law.
3. The City Administrator compiles the departmental requests and, considering available
resources, submits a recommended operating budget to the City Council prior to the
end of each year for the fiscal year commencing the following January 1 The operating
budget includes proposed expenditures and means of financing them.
4. The council schedules appropriate time to review the recommended budget, suggests
changes and provide for public comment at a public hearing.
5. The City Council adopts the budget before the end of December annually.The budget is
legally enacted through the passage of a budget resolution.
Interim Budget Adjustments:
1. Any changes to the adopted budget at the functional level (e.g. Public Safety, Public
Works, Parks & Recreation) must be approved by formal resolution of the City Council.
Therefore the legal level of budgetary control (i.e.the level at which expenditures may
not legally exceed) is at the functional level.
2. Generally, budget amendments result in utilization of contingency appropriations and
do not alter the total expenditure budget of the City.
3. Monitoring of budgets is maintained at the division and department level by managing
staff. Expenditures in excess of the departmental budget require administrative
• approval.
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4. All budgeted appropriations lapse at the end of the fiscal year with the exception of
• encumbrances in place at year-end.
5. Encumbrances (e.g. purchase orders, contracts, etc.) outstanding at year end are
reported as reservations of fund balance and do not constitute expenditures or liabilities
in the current year because the commitments are reappropriated and honored during
the subsequent year.
Budget Revenue and Expenditures
1. The City will maintain a diversified and stable revenue system to shelter it from short-
term fluctuations in any one revenue source.
2. The City will implement policies to protect and better develop the future tax base. These
policies will emphasize preserving the City's ability to grow and expand.
3. Revenues will be estimated annually using a conservative, objective and analytical
process.
4. The City will attempt to maintain a diversified revenue base with increasing emphasis
put on dependence on locally generated revenues.
5. The City will avoid funding on-going expenditures with one-time revenue sources and
will limit such revenues to the purpose for which they were received or otherwise
placed in the capital improvement fund for prioritized improvement projects.
6. The City will establish all user charges and fees at or near a level related to the direct,
indirect, and overhead cost of providing the services for enterprise operations. For other
activities, such as park and recreation, user fees may be set at levels less than necessary
to support the activities 100%.
7. The City will annually review all charges and fees to reflect inflation and other cost
increases.
8. The City will strive to pay for all current expenditures with current revenues. The City
will avoid budgetary procedures that balance current expenditures at the expense of
meeting future years' expenses, such as postponing expenditures, accruing future years'
revenues, or rolling over short-term debt.
9. The City will provide for adequate maintenance of public facilities and equipment and
for their orderly replacement.
10.The City will provide for adequate funding of all retirement systems.
11. The City will maintain a control system to help adhere to the budget.
12.The City will integrate workload and performance measurement and productivity
indicators with the budget.
13. Business Units and Program Activities will be used to give greater detail in the budgeting
process. Programs are designed to account for a greater level of detail than will be
found in the normal department/object breakdown. Programs within a department are
summarized to make up the department total. Programs do not replace the department
level but supplement the department level. The use of programs is particularly helpful
for construction funds or large departments, where a further breakdown of department
expenses is desirable.
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Contingencies and Reserve Balances
1. The City will designate a contingency account in the annual operating budget to provide
for unanticipated expenditures of a nonrecurring nature or to meet unexpected small
increases in service delivery costs. Transfers from contingency account to the operating
budget programs will require approval by the City Council.This contingency shall be
equal to at least 2% but not exceed 5% of the appropriate budget.
2. Unreserved fund balance in the City's general fund will be maintained at 5 months of
annual operating expenditures, or 42%to maintain service continuity. If unreserved
fund balance falls below 42%, the City will strive to return to this level within the
following three annual budget cycles.
3. The City will establish capital replacement reserve for each enterprise fund operation
and maintain fund balance targets to provide for operating capital throughout the year.
4. Excess balances in the general fund and capital project funds should be utilized either to
reduce City share of new bond issues,to adequately fund reserve replacement
accounts, to retire existing debt, or to reduce capital outlay tax levy in subsequent
years.
Capital Improvement
1. City Administration will develop a recommended five-year plan for capital
improvements based on departmental requests and update it annually. The plan will
include funding sources for each project as known or anticipated at that time.
2. The City will make all capital improvement expenditures in accordance with the Capital
Improvement Program approved by the City Council and in accordance the City's debt
policy. Projects using property tax revenue shall be limited to revenue available for each
year of the program.
3. The Capital Improvements Program will be coordinated with the annual Operating
Budget in accordance with the implementation schedule identified in the capital
program.
4. The City will strive to maintain all its assets at a level adequate to protect its
investments and to minimize future maintenance and replacement cost.
Debt
Wise and prudent use of debt provides fiscal and service flexibility advantages. Overuse of
debt places a burden on the fiscal resources of the City and its taxpayers. The following
guidelines provide a framework and limit on debt utilization:
General Obligation and Enterprise Revenue Debt
1. The City will restrict the use of long-term borrowing to planned capital improvements
approved in the five-year CIP plan and a limited use of short term debt for capital
equipment outlay.
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2. The City will strive to maintain a "pay-as-you-go" capital funding policy, supporting
• capital spending without use of debt, whenever feasible.
3. The City will not exceed the Legal Debt limit of 3%Taxable Market Value (2%when
officially designated City of the first class).
4. The City will limit its tax levy for debt service payments to no more than 10% of the total
tax levy plus annual State aids.
5. The City will limit the term of any bonds issued such that the repayment period does not
exceed the useful life of the asset(s) being financed.
6. The City will limit the use of variable rate debt to that which is to repaid by sales tax
proceeds or developer repayments,the exact timing of which is somewhat
unpredictable.
7. The City will maintain open communications with bond rating agencies regarding its
financial condition and will follow all disclosure requirements for all outstanding issues.
8. The City will periodically review refunding mechanisms available to reduce interest cost
and will exceed state and federal guidelines as to minimum present value savings to be
attained through such refunding.
9. The City shall select a method of sale that shall maximize the financial benefit to the
City. Such sales can be competitive or negotiated, depending upon the project and
market conditions but will be recommended by a third party financial advisor along with
reasoning for chosen method.
10. All methods of sale as well as structure and debt instrument type shall be subject to
Council approval. The City will work with qualified financial consultants in all issues and
will obtain written recommendations covering these items on every sale.
11. The City will avoid utilizing a single firm to act as both financial advisor and underwriter
of a bond issue in order to avoid possible conflicts of interest.
Tax Increment Financing:
Insert revised Business Assistance/Tax Increment Financing policy as adopted by city council
on July 16, 2001
Conduit Debt:
Insert revised Conduit Debt policy adopted by council on January 23, 2008
Investment Policy:
Insert revised Investment Policy as adopted by council on August 17, 2009.
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