DRAINAGE BOARD MEETING SUMMARY

April 1, 2010

The City of Colorado Springs/El Paso County Drainage Board held its regularly scheduled meeting

at 3:00 PM on April 1, 2010, in the City Council Chamber, City Hall, 107 North Nevada

Avenue.

MEMBERS PRESENT:     Brett Wyss, John Schwab, Stephanie Harrison, Ollie Watts, Emily Skalsky, Luanne Rubey

MEMBERS ABSENT:        Jeff Johnson

OTHERS PRESENT:         Tom Bonifas (City Engineering), Cheryl Callahan (City of Colorado Springs), Mike Cartmell (El Paso County), Ken Sampley (Stormwater Engineering), Cam McNair (City Engineer), Mary Murray (City Finance), Candice Bridgers (City Finance), Allyn Brown (Woodmont Development), Gary Barber (Fountain Creek Watershed, Flood Control and Greenway Distrcit)

Meeting called to order by Brett Wyss at 3:05 p.m.

Item 1:  Approval of the minutes from the March 4, 2010 Drainage Board Meeting 

Motion by John Schwab to approve the minutes

Motion was seconded by Brett Wyss

Motion passed unanimously 6-0

Jeff Johnson was not in attendance.

Item 2:  Discussion of April 1, 2010 agenda

No Changes

Item 3:  Fountain Creek Watershed District Presentation

Gary Barber, Interim Executive Director of the Fountain Creek Watershed, Flood Control and Greenway District, presented to the Drainage Board an overview of the Fountain Creek Watershed District and discuss the overall goal.

Brett Wyss asked about what funding is in place now before the 2012 election ballot issue.  Mr. Barber stated that there are three sources of money: $100,000 a year is coming from Colorado Springs Utilities and the Lower Arkansas Conservancy District to fund overhead (there is currently money for 2010 and 2011), those same two agencies have provided additional money to complete the master plan. The Pueblo County 1041 permit required that utilities paid the district to do a flood control study which is about $200,000.  Mr. Barber will be talking to USGS to see if some of that money could be used as a match to follow along with the USGS study that builds on the Core study.

John Schwab asked if there has been any collaboration with the City of Colorado Springs regarding the ballot issue for 2012.  Mr. Barber is working on recommendations to bring to Colorado Springs on how to solve the stormwater issues.

Item 4:  Status of the Reconciliation Effort

Candice Bridgers, Revenue and Collections Manager, informed the Board that so far they have addressed the significant accounting deficiencies that were mentioned in the City Auditor?s report.  Some of the issues that have been addressed are adequate documentation, segregation of duties, accounting policies and procedures.  Ms. Bridgers will be sending an update to the City Auditor?s for their review on the corrective actions that they have completed so far.  They have also taken the drainage fees and aligned them with the other accounts receivables processes which have been in place for the rest of the City.  Ms. Bridgers? department has also reconciled the fund balances of the basins and there is about 2.9 million fund balance and the outstanding balances that have been reconciled are about 15 million.  220 of the accounts have been reconciled and there are a total of 253 so there are still accounts to reconcile.  There have been no reimbursements made yet to those on the reimbursement list, but that is expected to happen soon.  Ms. Bridgers also pointed out that with the elimination of the Stormwater Enterprise, they will need to develop some sort of funding mechanism for the staff that is involved with the administration of the drainage fees.

John Schwab wanted to know who the 2.25 full time employees are and what they do.  Ms. Bridgers explained that this covers Dan Bare in City Engineering office, Tom Bonifas in Development Review, and .25 is for finance to maintain the finances of the drainage fees.

Luanne Rubey asked what those employees actually will be doing for the Drainage Basin Fee program.  Ms. Bridgers stated that Tom Bonifas is dedicated full time to the program and so is Dan Bare and the finance needs is estimated to be a quarter of a full time employee.  Ken Sampley further explained that Mr. Bonifas is dedicated as a full time employee to the program and Dan Bare is a Senior Civil Engineer and is Mr. Bonifas? supervisor.  There are more people in the Subdivision Review Team that also put in time to review plans and other tasks associated with the program.  The 2.25 is an estimate of the time involved but there may be 6-7 people involved at different times that add up to the 2.25 full time employees.

Luanne Rubey wanted to know what is done when someone cannot be found that is owed money.  Ms. Bridgers advised that they are addressing this issue in the new procedures.  The initial legal advice given was to use the unclaimed property policy but that is now being reconsidered.  Now the procedure would be to document that due process was used to locate people and then put them at the end of the reimbursement list.  The policy is not yet in place. 

Emily Skalsky asked if all tasks are still scheduled for completion by June 30^th.  Ms. Bridgers confirmed the date.

Brett Wyss asked what happens to the surplus fund balance in basins where there are no account parties awaiting reimbursement.  Ken Sampley advised that the Drainage Basin Fee program is continually being worked on and the surplus money is part of that program.  One possibility would be if the City goes to one ?City wide? basin fee rather than multiple basin fees (as currently exists), in that case the surplus funds would be available to pay reimbursement items in chronological order.  Currently, the surplus fund balance is in different money market accounts and collecting interest.

John Schwab wanted to know if there was a formal written policy regarding the assignment of credits.  Tom Bonifas advised that there is a standardized document that is used but there is no formalized policy regarding the transfer of credits among parties. 

Item 5:  Housekeeping

Cam McNair informed the Board that updates of the Drainage Basin Fee program will continue to be presented to the Board after meetings have been held. 

Tom Bonifas recommended that Board members attend meetings of the Drainage Basin Fee program if they can.  The Drainage Basin Fee study, the Drainage Criteria Manual updates, and the Stormwater program are all connected and will have to be considered at the same time.  Emily Skalsky asked when the meetings are.  Ken Sampley stated that they are set when more information from workgroups are needed.  Emily Skalsky will be notified as will the rest of the Board members when the next meeting is scheduled.

Tom Bonifas updated the Board on the Grading Board of Appeals.  Legal council from both the City and County have reviewed the IGA and amended it to include language for the Drainage Board to also be the Grading Board of Appeals, in accourdance with section 7.7.1512 of the City Code.  A resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the IGA amendment on behalf of the City of Colorado Springs will be prepared for the May 11, 2010 City Council meeting, once accepted by Council, an ordinance amending affected subdivision codes will be submitted to the City Planning Commission with recommendation for approval and referral to City Council for acceptance.

At a previous meeting, Jeff Johnson asked to be able to see financial reports on the basin fee program.  The Board will begin seeing quarterly statements as part of the new financial procedures.

Emily Skalsky, Nolte Associates, and Ollie Watts, local consulting engineer, introduced themselves to the Board as the new members.

No further business

Meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.