The workshop is set to begin at 3 p.m. today in the Municipal Building. The regular meeting of the council will follow at 5 p.m. with several bond issues up for consideration.
David Blackburn, Temple city manager, said he would recommend to the council during the workshop that fees for residential garbage pickup in the proposed 2009 budget be raised from $13.30 per month to $14.55. The plan would include a 6 percent increase for commercial garbage pickup.
Blackburn said that with increasing costs of fuel, the city is faced with raising rates or cutting services.
“I’m going to recommend maintaining the current level of services, which is two pickups a week,” he said.
“We’ve had significant increases in fuel and my No. 1 consumer in fuel … is solid waste,” he said as his reason for recommending increases there.
The solid waste department uses 38 percent of fuel budgeted each year by the city.
Temple Police Department uses 27 percent, followed by Parks and Leisure Services and the street department, which use 8 percent each and Temple Fire and Rescue using 7 percent.
In the 2008 fiscal year, the city budgeted more than $1.15 million for fuel, which is 6.04 percent of the city’s general fund.
He said the $1.25 increase, which is just over 9 percent, will allow the city to continue two pickups per week.
He added though, that during the workshops, set to take place on Thursdays over the rest of July, the council will have the opportunity to make changes in the preliminary budget, which was filed June 27 in the Temple city secretary’s office.
“The purpose of the briefings is to give the council a little more background on these issues then allow them to provide direction or redirection after those briefings when they’ve had an opportunity to ask questions and have a little bit more dialogue,” he said.
“Those increases are directly attributable to increased fuel costs and our efforts to maintain our existing services,” he said.
He said a decision on garbage fees would not be made until the council adopts the city’s budget Aug. 28.
The city is anticipating having to tighten its belt for the rest of the 2008 budget year and during the 2009 fiscal year because of high fuel prices and revenue projections that did not meet expectations this year.
Blackburn said he would propose $2.7 million for improvements to the Frank W. Mayborn Civic and Convention Center as part of the Hotel and Motel Fund and capital improvement projects.
A 2007 study done by Strategic Advisory Group of Duluth, Ga., said that renovation of the 25-year-old facility as a civic center could increase local bookings by 15 to 50 percent and could cost between $1.5 million and $4.7 million.
Blackburn said the finance department would give presentations on possible funding for the project.
He said future Thursday workshops would include discussions on water, sewer and drainage; compensation and implementation of the city’s proposed comprehensive master plan.
During the regular meeting, the council will consider authorizing a number of bond issues funding the parks general obligation bond, bonds supported by utility revenues and certificate of obligation bonds (backed by taxes and revenues).
The parks bond, approved by voters in 2007, is for $9.75 million and will fund a family aquatics center, Sammons Park indoor pool and golf course improvements, Summit Fitness Center expansion, Miller Park improvements, West Temple spray park, Lions Park soccer fields and Ferguson Park picnic and playground.
The proposed 2009 fiscal year budget includes a tax rate of 57.81 cents per $100 valuation, which includes a 1 cent increase for the cost of the projects.
The council will consider issuing $13.97 million in tax and revenue certificates of obligation for items including repairs to city buildings, land acquisition and design for construction of the proposed new Fire Station No. 1, wireless municipal broadband and library improvements.
Blackburn said the elements to be funded by the bonds were part of a multi-year, $40 million capital improvement plan developed about two years ago.
“As part of that CIP plan, there were multiple stages for issuing debt for those projects,” he said. The city’s existing tax rate includes debt service associated with the loan.
The city also will consider issuing $15.42 million in Texas utility system revenue bonds for projects such as the city’s water business office relocation, water line replacements, sewer projects and water plant improvements.
Blackburn said the cost of the bonds was incorporated into the 2008 water rates.
Also at the meeting, the council will consider a $9.14 million construction contract with James Construction Group of Belton for phases one and two of the industrial rail spur between Northwest HK Dodgen Loop and the future Outer Loop.
The company was the low bidder on the project, which will lead to 26,400 linear feet of rail, including 7,500 feet of railcar storage, Blackburn said.
The first phase will be funded by 2008 certificate of obligation bonds and Tax Increment Finance Reinvestment Zone Number One.
The second phase of the project is comprised of reinvestment zone taxable revenue bond funds sold in June for the project.
When completely built, the rail park will be located roughly west of Interstate 35, south of Moores Mill Road, east of Wendland Road and North of Loop 363.
The council will consider approving a $3.2 million construction contract with Ranger Excavating of Austin for a rail park detention pond and underground storm water system between Northwest HK Dodgen Loop and the future outer loop.
The funding is in the financing plan for the reinvestment zone.
The detention pond cost is estimated at $1.6 million. The storm water system is estimated to cost $1.59 million. Gulf States Toyota, a Toyota and Scion vehicle processing center expected to locate in the area, would pay half of that amount.
