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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 97-18 Short-term fiscal emergency plan•, • • • •"'• . • ilit of lilarra Bag. Qaliifr�rT-ia WHEREAS, the City Council and staff have identified fiscal sustainability as a core goal and value for the City; and WHEREAS, in 2015, the City Council hired Management Partners to develop a ten-year financial forecast to help achieve the goal of fiscal sustainability; and WHEREAS, in 2017/18, the City Council increased fiscal transparency and accountability in the City by providing financial documents on the City's website and implementing the City's online transparency portal, open-gov; and WHEREAS, in 2018 the City Council has adopted financial and accounting policies, included fund balance reserve levels for the City's General Fund Emergency Reserve, Internal Service Funds, Enterprise Funds and Morro Bay Tourism Business Improvement District Fund, with the goal of providing staff direction and guidance in City practices to ensure the long-term fiscal sustainability of the City; and WHEREAS, in 2018, the City Council approved the prepayment of the City's Pension Safety Fire Side Fun to reduce overall costs and achieve long-term savings; and WHEREAS, in 2018, the City Council directed staff to draft a Short-term Fiscal Emergency Plan and Long-term Fiscal Resiliency Plan to prepare the City for future adverse fiscal circumstances that will likely arise in the future; and WHEREAS, the Fiscal Emergency Plan is meant to provide a transparent and thoughtful action plan, with identified economic triggers and mitigation measures for the City Manager to utilize if fiscal first aid is required; and WHEREAS, the City's Employee Budget Group and Citizen's Finance Advisory Committee participated in the identification of both economic triggers and mitigation measures outlined in the fiscal emergency plan; and WHEREAS, staff recommends the City Council adopt the proposed City of Morro Bay Short - Term Fiscal Emergency Plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, California, the "Short -Term Fiscal Emergency Plan," as set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein, is hereby approved. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay at a special meeting thereof held on the 11 th day of December 2018, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT ATTEST: Irons, Davis, Headding, Makowetski, McPherson None None to n1 ANA SWANSON, City Clerk 01181.0001/480959.1 lJ DER,ri � \ ) M)I, W �� M The City of Morro Bay's FY 2018/19 budget is a reflection of the City's steady growth, particularly in the City's most economically sensitive revenue categories (sales tax, transient occupancy tax). However, with local signs of leveling sales tax growth present coupled with the rising cost to provide services, including rising employee pension costs, the City Council proactively directed staff to develop a Fiscal Resiliency Plan — both a short-term emergency plan and along -term fiscal sustainability plan. The City's 10-year financial forecast projects a challenging budget forecast ahead, beginning in FY 2019/20 when the PERS discount rate changes will begin to significantly impact the City. The projected impacts are expected to ensue through 2032. In 2015, the City Council recognized fiscal substitutability as a core goal following the closure of the power plant. The City hired Management Partners to develop a 10-year financial forecasting tool and began to proactively plan for the City's future. The Council has reaffirmed the importance of fiscal sustainability and transparency ever since, by directing staff to develop a fiscal resiliency plan, adopting Accounting and Financial policies and prepaying pension liabilities to reduce interest expense. While the City's general fund emergency reserves are healthy, at approximately 25% of ongoing expenditures, development in the city remains strong, with permitting fee revenue trending quite well, which cover the City's development costs and provide an overhead revenue source. Despite this period of growth, the City must be ready to weather the next recessionary cycle, which, based on recent sales tax reports, maybe in the very near future. Therefore, both short- term and long-term fiscal sustainability must remain at the forefront of budget discussions and considered in all fiscal actions. The City's fiscal resiliency plan (Plan) is meant to establish a framework and general strategy for responding to adverse fiscal circumstances in both the short term and long term. The Plan does the following: 1. Ensures that employees and the community are meaningfully involved in the process; 2. Takes apolicy-based approach to decision -making; and 3. Reflects the City's organizational values. The Plan is not a specific "recipe" for expenditure cuts or revenue increases, because such measures need to be determined on a case -by -case basis. There are three problems with preparing detailed reduction or revenue options before they are truly needed: 1. If not taken seriously, quality thought will not be given to them; 2. If taken seriously, this is likely to result in needless anxiety in preparing expenditure reductions and sends a conflicting message if times are good; and 3. Even if the preceding points were not constraints, such options would have a short shelf -life, because municipal needs and priores change over time. The Plan, rather, articulates the principles and values upon which specific responses will be based. The short-term fiscal emergency plan is meant to be an intermediate, quick response to a fiscal emergency. The mitigation measures enacted under the short-term plan are not to exceed 90 days in length while the City Manager assesses the fiscal condition and makes a recommendation to Council for long-term remediation, if necessary. With Council authorization, the short-term mitigation measures may exceed 90 days in length following a full report from the City Manager indicating additional assessment time is needed to determine a long-term fiscal response plan. TRIGGERS The short-term fiscal emergency plan is triggered when one or more of the following occur and estimated expenses exceed $50,000 in the given fiscal year: 1. Natural disaster 2. Human caused disaster 3. State take-aways of local revenues 4. Large, unexpected costs 5. Economic downturn: Two consecutive quarters of declining revenues in two of the three major revenues sources of sales tax, Transient Occupancy Tax, and property tax. Quarterly reviews will be tied to the City's quarterly budget status report and update which compares quarterly data to prior years same quarters. Declining revenues must occur on a quarter to quarter comparison in two of the three identified revenue categories to trigger a response. Clearly defining when fiscal first aid is needed is a key factor in the City's ability to successfully take action on a timely basis and avoid worsening the problem. While the Plan is focused on the City's General Fund, the enterprise funds -water, sewer, Wastewater Treatment Plant and Harbor —also fully participate for two key reasons: (1) we, as a city organization are all part of one team and all parts need to participate; (2) it's important to limit enterprise fund rate increases as much as possible, particularly during recessionary periods and at a time when the City may have to consider other General Fund increases, such as a sales tax increase. ELEMENTS The City's Plan comprises five key elements: the minimum fund balance; other key budget and fiscal policies and practices; fiscal health monitoring; assessing whether the situation is a short - or long-term problem; and identifying options. 1. Minimum Fund Balance: This is the first line of defense in adverse circumstances. Maintaining the General Fund Emergency Reserve minimum fund balance as 25 percent of on -going annual expenditure, as set by Council policy. That reserve amount allows the City to continue operations and projects, while responding to short-term problems and provides breathing room to address longer -term problems when comprehensive response plans are needed to be developed. That is especially true because Proposition 218 (Prop 218), prohibits the City from imposing new taxes or assessments without taxpayer's approval. For example, Prop 218 and Proposition 26 require (i) majority voter approval for new or increased general taxes, (ii) super majority approval of special taxes, (iii) restricts use of general taxes for general governmental purposes, and (iv) restricts imposition of fees on property owners for services that are available to the public at -large or exceed the actual cost to the City for providing the service. 2. Other Key Budget and Fiscal Policies and Practices: Adhering to fiscal policies and practices will help prevent problems at the outset and keep problems from getting bigger when they do happen. The City is in process of developing financial and accounting policies, which include: • A balanced budget (and a definition of the term); • Conservative investment practices; • Diversified revenues; • User -fee cost recovery; • Enterprise funds; • New development paying its own way; • Limited use of debt financing; • Fleet replacement; • Contracting for services; and • Productivity improvements. 3. Fiscal Health Monitoring and Transparency: During the past 12 months, City Council and staff has worked extensively at enhancing the City's fiscal health monitoring and transparency. The City has developed and implemented effective ongoing systems for reporting and monitoring its fiscal condition, including interim reporting such as quarterly budget performance status reports, quarterly investment reports, OpenGov on-line transparency portal, a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which presents audited financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and highest standards. The City uses the following elements as part of its interim reporting: • An automated financial management system — New World Technologies; • Online access to the City's Financial Reporting 24/7 for revenue, expenditure and budget information via the City's website and OpenGov Transparency portal; • Bi-Weekly Accounts Payable Registries via the City webpage; • Quarterly budget status reviews and updates; • Mid -year budget status review and Capital Improvement Plan review; • Quarterly investment reports; and • Monthly reporting of cash and bank reconciliations via the City's webpage. 4. Assessing the Situation: The City uses different strategies for different problems. In the case of a one-time event or downturn that is unlikely to continue indefinitely, one-time fixes are an appropriate response and are considered short-term. However, in the case of ongoing downturns in revenues or systemic increases in costs, one-time fixes won't work — that type of situation requires new ongoing revenues or ongoing expenditure reductions. If the assessment concludes the situation is a short-term problem, then the following mitigation measures maybe utilized. The mitigation measures may also be utzed during the assessment period. The City Manager has discretion to utilize the following mitigation measures, but to the extent possible will report to the City Council with recommended action prior to implementing any of the identified and agreed to measures below. In times of financial emergency or necessity, when the City Manager implements one or more measures before reporting to the City Council with a recommendation, a complete report of the economic and financial condition that triggered a response under the short- term plan must be provided to the City Council at the next scheduled Council meeting for ratification or modification as deemed appropriate by a majority of the Council. Under Council direction, the City Manager may be directed to reverse course or implement additional or alternative mitigation measures. MITIGATION MEASURES • Hiring Chill —City Manager approval will be required to fill vacant positions. City Manager will only approve filling vacant positions if the Department Director can demonstrate that it is necessary to meet public health, safety or other high priority service needs that cannot be met on an interim basis through a contract, overtime or temporary staffing. The goal is to achieve short-term savings and preservation of future options should the fiscal condition be on -going. • Travel Chill —City Manager approval for all travel authorizations (at any level). The City's goal is to limit travel related costs to achieve short-term savings. • Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Deferrals and/or Reprioritizations — Department Directors will identify CIP projects that can be presented to Council for possible deferral and/or elimination as well as reprioritizing capital projects that can be supported in funds other than the general fund. • Operating Cost Review —Identify special projects and ongoing expenses in the operating budget for possible deferral or elimination. The City Manager will present these projects to the City Council for consideration and direction. • Fund Balance — Consider use of fund balance below policy levels — the City Manager will make a recommendation to the City Council prior to implementing this mitigation measure. • Other —Other curtailments as appropriate and necessary. • Assessing the Situation — The City will likely use different strategies for different problems. For example, in the case of a one-time event or downturn that is not likely to continue indefinitely, one-time fixes are an appropriate response and are considered short-term. However, in the case of ongoing downturns in revenues or systemic increase in costs, one-time fixes won't work — that type of situation requires new ongoing revenues or ongoing expenditures reductions. The City Manager is responsible for assessing the fiscal condition and determining if a transition to a long-term plan is necessary. That will be reported to the City Council within 90 days as outlined below. When an economic trigger occurs and fiscal first aid is deemed necessary, the City Manager will work within the identified seven mitigation measures above to develop a response plan. The mitigation measures may be implemented singularly or collectively at the City Manager's recommendation and Council direction depending on the extent to which fiscal first aid is needed. Any recommendation and report to the City Council utilizing the Fiscal Emergency Plan as outlined in this document requires an identification of the fiscal condition, forecasted fiscal deficit and corresponding expenditure savings recommended to achieve per the outlined mitigation measures above. Within 90 days of implementing gation measures under this short-term fiscal emergency pIan, the City Manager will report back to the City Council with a long-range assessment of the City's fiscal condition. If the assessment determines the fiscal condition is a long-term problem, then the City Manager and Finance Director will prepare a long-term fiscal forecast to define the problem (update to the City's existing 10-year financial forecast with revised revenue and expenditure estimates) and prepare revenue enhancement and expenditure reduction options tailored to the problem defined in the forecast. Preparing such plans will likely take a minimum of three months. The City Manager is to report to Council on the plan's status and update within 90 days with an understanding that additional time may be needed to finalize the plan. Implementation of an approved plan is likely to take another three to six months. That underscores the importance of a strong fund balance and short-term expenditure reductions to create the time needed to prepare and implement reasonable long-term plans. 5. Identifying Options: In the long-term, the solutions are simple —there are only two basic budget -balancing options: Increase Revenues or Reduce Expenditures. In the short-term using fund balance is an option; however it is not a viable long-term solution — strategic use of fund balance to reduce future -year operating costs or increases ongoing revenues may be an acceptable short- and long-term strategy. EMPLOYEE AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Department heads and management staff are responsible for encouraging meaningful employee participation and involvement in preparing to response to both ashort-term fiscal emergency or long-term resiliency plan. For the City's Fiscal Year (FY) 2018/19 budget, an Employee Budget Group (EBG) was formed to review over 400 budget suggestions received from City employees. Many of these suggestions were incorporated into the City FY 2018/19 budget and many are still being considered and on the "wait" list for staff time to implement. In development of the short-term plan as defined above, including identifying the triggers and mitigation measures outlined, the City reactivated the EBG to provide feedback and input as to appropriate triggers and measures. In the event that the City will utilize the short-term emergency plan, the City Manager and City Management is committed to open communication and engagement with employees for complete transparency. In the event that a long-term response is needed following the City's assessment of the financial condition, the City will strive to identify likely position reductions resulting from a long-term plan six months before implementing them in order to be straightforward with affected employees about their employment outlook, provide transfer opportunities and allow affected employees a reasonable amount of time to make other plans. While operating under ashort-term emergency response ortransitioningto a long-term response plan, the key values that will guide action under these plans is responsiveness and respect. Treating employees with respect means informing them about City plans that affect them as soon as possible. It also means sharing hard facts and consequences in a forthright and timely way. The City is also committed to actively soliciting and encouraging meaningful participation by key stakeholders in the budget -balancing process, including the organization as a whole, employee associations and the community. That will require active and ongoing communication. Sharing fiscal health resiliency planning with the community, the City will utilize a myriad of tools, including the City's website, City Manager's update and news releases. City staff may make presentations to interested community groups, and periodic newsletters may be distributed in the City's utility bills as inserts. The City will update the city's webpage regularly with information about the process and community forums and workshops that will be held to inform community members and solicit input and work under advisement of the Citizen's Finance Advisory Committee (CFAC) when possible. Depending on the circumstances, the City may also form an ad hoc advisory community group with a clearly defined role and scope of work. While the specifics of both the process and outcomes change with the circumstances, having a clear strategy in place that reflects the City's values and serves at the foundation for decision - making in tough fiscal times will play a key role in preserving the City's organizational vitality and fiscal health. Continued monitoring of the results of any action plan in achieving its goal and reporting back to the City Council, community and staff with respect to the City's fiscal condition is a vital component of implementation of both a short-term or long-term fiscal plan. It will be the responsibility of the City Manager, in conjunction with the City's Finance staff to closely monitor the action plan to ensure it is achieving its goals and quickly report any significant deviations to the City Council for action.