Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
UPDATE ON SPECIAL EVENTS FUNDING STUDY/ REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE VETERAN'S DAY CELEBRATION AND THE TREE LIGHTING & WINTERFEST (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
The City budgets for over 20 Special Events annually. Accurately tracking only costs and revenues has been difficult due to aging financial software, which was recently upgraded. City Council requested that staff provide a full accounting of the costs and revenues of the events, which study is underway. This report provides an update of the special events study.
During the most recent Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-2019 budget workshops, the proposed Veterans Day General Fund budget of $10,000 was reduced to $2,500, with a request to the Carson Community Foundation (CCF) to make up the difference. The CCF is unable to participate this year. The Tree Lighting & Winterfest received a $5,000 allocation from the General Fund a reduction of $5000.00 From FY 2017-2018. Staff is requesting additional funding each event of $5,000. The additional funds will help to provide for a quality event similar to what has been done in the past.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. APPROVE additional appropriations of $5,000 each for Veterans Day and the Tree Lighting & Winterfest.
2. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 18-135 “A RESOLUTION OF THE CARSON CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2018-19 BUDGET FOR VETERANS DAY AND THE TREE LIGHTING AND WINTERFEST EVENT.”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
1. DO NOT APPROVE additional funds for the Veterans Day Celebration and the Tree Lighting & Winterfest.
2. TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
Update on Special Events Funding Study
Council requested a more robust accounting on all special events, which study is underway. The task has been complicated by the City’s former accounting software (IFIS) which was not designed to accurately track costs in the detail required for the study to be accurate. The Community Services Department has completed detailed reviews of four events by manually accounting for expenses and revenues for Cinco de Mayo and Filipino Independence Day special events.
The study is taking time to complete since the City budgets for over 20 special events annually. The City Council approved upgrading the financial software to Tyler Munis, which has now gone online with the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2018. If the Tyler Munis accounting software is used correctly by staff, it will provide the City with accurate cost accounting on all special events. Data should be available for the July-December events for the upcoming budget workshops beginning early in 2019.
Veterans Day Celebration and Tree Lighting & Winterfest
The City of Carson’s annual Veterans Day Celebration is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 11, 2018, at Veterans Park. This event typically includes a parade, guest speakers, and a display of military vehicles in the park parking lot. The Tree Lighting & Winterfest will be presented on Friday, December 8, 2018, at the Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center. The program includes the lighting of the City’s Christmas tree, entertainment and outdoor activities.
During the most recent budget cycle, Veterans Day was budgeted at $2,500 and the Tree Lighting & Winterfest received a $5,000 allocation from the General Fund. Staff’s request for additional funding from the Carson Community Foundation was declined for the 2018 calendar year; however, it will again be considered in the future for the 2019 calendar year. In an effort to implement quality events, the budgets should to be at or near where they had been prior to FY 2017-2018. Therefore, staff is requesting an additional appropriation of $5,000 for each program. This would result in $7,500 for the Veteran’s Day Celebration, which in prior fiscal years had been budgeted for $10,000. It would also result in the Tree Lighting & Winterfest funding be restored to prior funding level of $10,000.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
If the City Council approves Staff’s recommendation, an additional $10,000 would be appropriated from the Unreserved General Fund Balance. After the additional appropriation the unreserved general fund balance would be $16,613,217.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Resolution No. 18-135. (pgs. 4-5)
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Prepared by: Luchie S. Magante, Sr. Administrative Analyst