2010 state of the city

8/9/2019 2010 State of the City

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CITY OF AUBURN2010 State of the CityMarch 25, 2010

Cover Slide

State of the City

Auburn, New York

March 25, 2010

Michael D. Quill, Mayor

Gilda Brower, City Councilor

William Graney, City Councilor

Thomas McNabb, City Councilor

Matthew Smith, City Councilor

Mark R. Palesh, City Manager

Department Heads

City of Auburn: Department Heads

Jerry DelFavero, Superintendentof Public Works

Gary Giannotta, Chief of Police

Lisa Green, Comptroller

Jenny Haines, Director OPEDMike Hammon, Fire Chief

Bill Lupien, Jr., P.E.,Superintendent of Engineering

Services

Debby McCormick, City Clerk

Vicky Murphy, Director ofMunicipal Utilities

John Rossi, Corporation Counsel

Christina Selvek, Director ofCapital Projects & Grants


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Fiscal Condition

NYCOM: City Budget SurveyFiscal Condition

Worsening/Significantly

Year Reported Deteriorating 2002 72%

2003 59%

2004 49%

2005 40%

2006 31%

2007 29% 2008 19%

2009 54%

2010 67%

Notes: Every year, the New York State Conference of Mayors andMunicipal Officials conducts a financial health Analysis ofmunicipalities. The following slides constitute the summary of thefindings from NYCOMs January 2010 budget survey of 34 citiesoutside of New York City, and serve as a representative cross section ofcities of all sizes and all regions of the state. These are my Misery LovesCompany slides.

67% of cities reported that their financial condition had worsened orsignificantly deteriorated over the past year, continuing the dramaticrise of last years 54% and reflecting the highest level since the post-9/11recession of 2002.


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Health Insurance and Pension Costs

NYCOM: City Budget SurveyHealth Insurance and Pension Costs

Health Insurance 71% of cities were successful in

implementing cost-saving measures

pertaining to health insurance;

Health insurance on average now

consumes 30.1% of a citys property

tax levy;

Health insurance for municipal

retirees, on average, represents 33%

of a citys total health insurance

budget.

Notes: The cost of pensions and health insurance continue to place aninordinate amount of fiscal pressure on city budgets, combining torepresent 45.8% of the average citys property tax levy.

71% of cities, including Auburn (compared to 51% in 2009) weresuccessful in implementing cost-saving measures pertaining tohealth insurance, including increased employee/retiree

contributions and co-pays, as well as less expensive and/or singleprovider coverage plans;

Nonetheless, health insurance on average now consumes 30.1% of acitys property tax levy;

The cost of health insurance for municipal retirees, on average,represents 33% of a citys total health insurance budget.


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Health Insurance and Pension Costs

NYCOM: City Budget SurveyHealth Insurance and Pension Costs

Pensions The cost of providing public pensions

represents 15.7% of the responding

cities property tax levies;

For the average city, public safety

pension costs represent nearly 75% of

their total annual pension bill;

Pension bills for these cities will increase

by more than 33%.

Notes:

The cost of providing public pensions represents 15.7% of theresponding cities property tax levies;

For the average city, public safety pension costs represent nearly75% of their total annual pension bill;

Pension bills due in December 2010 (or February 2011) for thesecities will increase by more than 33%.


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Local Efficiency Actions and Budgetary Controls

NYCOM: City Budget SurveyLocal Efficiency Actions and Budgetary Controls

62% of cities decreased the size ofgovernment through attrition, hiring freezesand/or layoffs;

59% of cities deferred capital/infrastructurespending;

50% of cities increased the number and/orscope of intermunicipal agreements;

35% of cities have undertaken servicecutbacks, program eliminations and/orausterity spending;

47% of cities increased water/sewer rates;

44% of cities increased other fees/fines.

Notes:

The majority of cities, have initiated attrition measures such as:

Hiring freezes and/or layoffs;

Deferred capital/infrastructure spending;

Increased inter-municipal agreements and shared services with

other local governments;

Have undertaken service cutbacks, program eliminations and/orausterity spending;

Increased water/sewer rates and;

Increased other fees/fines.

Auburn has also initiated some of these same measures.


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Use of Fund Balance

NYCOM: City Budget SurveyUse of Fund Balance

78% of cities reported appropriating aportion of their fund balance to balance

their 2010 city budget, comparable to the

80% of cities doing so in 2009;

The percent of fund balance, on average,

appropriated to balance city budgets in

2010 was 34%, up sharply from 22% in

2009; the average amount of fund

balance appropriated was $1.6 million.

Notes:

78% of cities reported using a portion of their fund reserve tobalance their 2010 city budget;

The percent of fund reserve appropriated to balance city budgetsin 2010 was 34%, up sharply from 22% in 2009; the averageamount of fund reserve appropriated was $1.6 million (up from

$1.3 million in 2009).

Last year, Auburn actually added $1.9 million to its fund reserveand has not had to deplete it, to balance its budget.


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Property Tax Growth

NYCOM: City Budget SurveyProperty Tax Growth

While Auburns property taxes remainedthe same, 66% of cities increased

property tax rates for 2010, a sharp

increase in an upward trend over the past

three years (57% in 2009 and 54% in

2008);

The average property tax rate increase

for 2010 was 4.4%, up from 3.8% in

2009.

Notes: Even with the extensive use of local efficiency actions andbudgetary controls, as described above, most cities were forced toincrease property taxes:

While Auburns property taxes have remained the same, 66% ofcities increased property tax rates for 2010, a sharp increase in anupward trend over the past three years (57% in 2009 and 54% in2008);

The average property tax rate increase for 2010 was 4.4%, up from3.8% in 2009.


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Year in Review

Auburn, New York:2009 Year in Review

What has the City been doing

since last year?

Notes: Finances aside for the moment, what has the City of Auburn, NYbeen doing since last year?


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Market Street Park Project

Owasco River Waterfront:Market Street Park Project

Notes: Market Street Park was reconstructed last year, thanks to grantsfrom the Department of State, and work provided by the CitysDepartment of Public Works, Cayuga County Soil and WaterConservation District, and Vitale Companies. The project included:replacement of the fence along both sides of the river, improvements tothe band shell and listening area, installation of walks along the riveredge, improvement of paths throughout the park, new plantings andnew benches and tables.

The City is pleased to continue, in cooperation with the Auburn BID, theSummer Concert Series at Market Street Park.


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Musical Theatre Festival and Auburn Community Hotel Project

Musical Theatre Festival andAuburn Community Hotel Project

Musical Theatre Festival The City has partnered with the MTF,

Cayuga County, Cayuga Community

College, and SUNY in pursuing

SUNY Capital Funds to match over

$3Mil in fundraising commitments

Auburn Community Hotel Project

88 Room Hilton Garden Inn and

Conference Center

Notes: The City continues to support the Musical Theatre Festivalsefforts to attract financing for the demolition and reconstruction of theKalets Building in Downtown Auburn, in order to build the fourthvenue for the 2012 opening. The City has partnered with the MTF,Cayuga County, Cayuga Community College, and the State Universityof New York (SUNY) System in pursuing SUNY Capital Funds to matchover $3 million in fundraising commitments from local foundations andindividuals to establish this arts education and performance center.

In supporting efforts such as the Musical Theatre Festival, the City ofAuburn and Auburn Industrial Development Authority are considering aproposal by Auburn Community Hotel and a group of local investors, toconstruct a Hilton Garden Hotel and Conference Center. This high-endhotel brand would consist of 88 rooms and encompass 58,000 square feet ofspace. It will bring 49 full and part-time jobs and $5 Million in directspending to the local economy. Together, this hotel and conference center

represents over two years of effort by City Staff, and supports integralstrategies of the newly adopted City Comprehensive Plan and MusicalTheater Festival efforts. This is a catalyst project and represents aneconomic turning point for the City of Auburn, and its future.


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Creative Corridor

The Creative Corridor

Notes: The Creative Corridor includes a combination of retail, office,and residential spaces including the home of the Stardust Foundationand the Stardust Entrepreneurial Institute, which was dedicated thispast summer.

The committed partners have acquired many of the buildings alongState Street for redevelopment. The first phase entails restoration of thebuilding facades that will blend with the many existing buildings in the

downtown area. Renovations at 2 State Street are complete, and therehabilitation of 117 Genesee Street continues. The second phase willinclude the renovation of the ground floor storefront spaces for retail,food, entertainment and service uses. The upper floors will be renovatedfor apartments and offices.


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Comprehensive Plan

Comprehensive PlanPioneering a Sustainable Future

Adopted by the City Council in January

Starting with revisions to the ZoningOrdinance

Thank you Stardust Foundation

Notes: In January of 2010, the City Council adopted the new Comprehensive

Plan, completing a process begun in November of 2008. The ComprehensivePlan process included public sessions to discuss the topic What is yourVision for the City of Auburn?

Well-attended Community Focus Meetings were then held in early 2009 todiscuss Housing and Neighborhoods, Downtown and the Arts, the OwascoRiver, and Business Development.

In addition to the community meetings, the Comprehensive Plan AdvisoryCommittee (CPAC), a diverse group of City residents that represent many

areas of interest throughout the City, met on a regular basis to provide inputand direction to staff and our consultant. The resultant document wasrecommended to the Auburn Planning Board, which held its own publichearing for the Comprehensive Plan on November 4, 2009. After itsapproval, and recommendations, the City Council took up the Plan andbegan a process of accepting additional public input, which resulted inchanges in the following topical areas:

1. The protection of historic signs and architectural elements

2. Discouraging pole signs throughout the City, except for the C-3Highway Commercial areas, and areas to be designated at a laterdate.

City Staff is now set to move forward with the projects and recommendationscontained in the Plan, starting with revisions to the Zoning Ordinance. TheCity appreciates the partnership of the Stardust Foundation, which provideda large matching grant for the Comprehensive Plan.


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Comprehensive Energy and Sustainable Development Master Plan:

Energy Projects:Comprehensive Sustainable Energy Plan

Adopted June 19, 2009 by the City Focus on topics in:

Alternative Energy and Conservation Transportation, Parks and Recreation and

Open Spaces Housing, Codes and Policies, Public

Spaces Solid Waste Management Agriculture and Food Waste

Management Water and Storm Water Management Healthy Schools

Business and Economic Development

Notes: On June 19, 2009, the City of Auburn approved and adopted anEnergy Master Plan with the goal to make significant contributions toenergy conservation, resource management and environmentalawareness within the City of Auburn and Cayuga County. The plan willserve as both a long-term vision and blueprint for the Cityssustainability efforts and will focus on topics in the following areas:

Alternative Energy and Conservation

Transportation, Parks and Recreation and Open Spaces

Housing, Codes and Policies, Public Spaces

Solid Waste Management

Agriculture and Food Waste Management

Water and Storm Water Management

Healthy Schools

Business and Economic Development

Within each of the above focus areas, priority projects, timeframes andpotential funding sources have been identified. As you will see, we havealready started implementing some specific projects.


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Auburn Bio-Energy Facility

Energy Projects:Auburn Bio-energy Facility

Notes: The goal of the Auburn Bio-Energy Facility is to supply the City of

Auburn with a portion of its electricity needs, generate revenue and spureconomic development at the Citys Technology Park. The Bio-EnergyFacility has three primary components:

1) Integration of the Citys existing Landfill Gas Collection and DeliverySystem with the Landfill Gas to Electric Generation Facility;

2) Production of electric power and steam heat from three generatorsfueled by the landfill methane gas; and

3) Production of biogas from an anaerobic digester.

Phase I has been completed. Construction of the Landfill Gas to ElectricGeneration Facility started in the Fall of 2009 and commercial operation ofthe facility is in the start-up phase. It is estimated that this project will savethe City $350,000 per year in electricity costs at the Wastewater TreatmentPlant. The City of Auburn secured $2,581,477 in grants from NY StateEnergy & Research Development Authority & US Dept. of Energy for thisportion of the project.

Phase II will focus on the construction of an Anaerobic Digester. The digesterwill process municipal sludge to produce biogas that will help power thegenerators. The City is actively working on an updated engineering study forthe Project, as well as pursuing Grant funding. This second phase of theProject is estimated to save the City approximately $550,000 per year insludge hauling fees.


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Sludge Handling Facility Enclosure Project

Energy Projects:Sludge Handling Facility Enclosure

Notes: This past summer, the City of Auburn sludge incinerator at thewastewater treatment plant became inoperable and was closedindefinitely. As a temporary alternative until the municipal digestercould be constructed, the City has been transporting its dewateredsludge to the Ontario County landfill. In order to continue this type ofoperation through the winter months, the City constructed a heatedsludge handling enclosure located on the north side of the treatmentplant. This handling facility allowed the City to save over $1 million in

costs needed to repair the incinerator and will serve as the DECrequired secondary or emergency handling facility when the digester isbuilt.


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Auburn Municipal Power Agency

Energy Projects:Auburn Municipal Power Agency

Public Ref #1 passed: City can bond up to

$10 Mil for municipal energy projects Exploring the feasibility of drilling for

natural gas on City-owned properties

Working with the NYPA to identify and

develop solar projects

Issued an RFP for developing the existing

hydroelectric facility at Mill Street Dam

Awarded a contract for the development,

marketing and sale of carbon credits

Notes: We have a Municipal Power Agency, and they have been very

busy. In 2009, the public voted to support Public Referendum #1allowing the City of Auburn to bond up to $10 million to implementmunicipal energy projects. Some of these are:

Exploring the feasibility of drilling for natural gas on City-ownedproperties near the landfill.

Working with the NY Power Authority to identify and developsolar projects.

Issued an RFP for developing the existing hydroelectric facility atMill Street Dam with future hydroelectric development to occur atthe Dunn & McCarthy site. A development firm has been selected.This will be a public/private partnership that will help createeconomic development by offering low cost power.

Issued an RFP and awarded a contract to Cantor CO2e for thedevelopment, marketing and sale of carbon credits resulting from

the Landfill Gas to Electric Generation Facility Project. Thepotential annual revenue to the City for the sale of carbon credits isapproximately $300,000/year.


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Auburn Beautification Commission

Auburn BeautificationCommission

Notes: The Auburn Beautification Commission (ABC), initiated in 2007as a City Commission, is now a not-for-profit 501-c-3 charitablecorporation dedicated to making the City of Auburn a more beautifulplace to live. ABC is a membership organization using member dues andgrants to execute beautification projects throughout the City. Annualcitywide beautification projects include the Art-Around-AuburnCompetition, and in partnership with the Auburn BID, the hangingflower baskets displayed yearly in Downtown Auburn.


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Auburn Beautification Commission

Auburn BeautificationCommission

Projects for this Summer Expand Flowering Hanging Basket

program in Downtown

Implement an Adopt-A-Park

program

Osborne Park on Grover Street

City Hall Gazebo

Notes: This past summer, the ABC partnered with City ParksDepartment Staff and Cornell Cooperative Extension to design andimplement a butterfly/ hummingbird education garden at Hoopes Park.For the summer of 2010, the ABC is looking to expand the hangingflower basket program and implement an Adopt-A-Park program. Thisprogram will encourage local business owners to adopt-a-park or greenspace to improve and provide general upkeep. A couple, alreadyidentified projects include Osborne Park on Grover Street, and the City

Hall Gazebo, which has been adopted by Dickman Farms. Members ofABC and its corporate sponsors are truly Making Auburn Beautiful,one flower at a time.


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June 6, 2009 Founders Day

Founders Day Celebration:June 6, 2009

William H.

Seward

50th

Anniversary of Alaskan StatehoodKeynote Speaker Sarah Palin

Notes: The City of Auburn held its first annual Founders Day event onSaturday, June 6, 2009. Founders Day is an annual festival celebratingthe City of Auburn and some of its most influential citizens. Each year,the event will encompass a different theme. For 2009, the City celebratedthe 50th anniversary of the statehood of Alaska and enjoyed hostingGovernor Sarah Palin and her family as the event keynote speaker.


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Historys Hometown

Historic & Cultural Sites Commission:Auburn is Historys Hometown

Notes: In building upon Founders Day and embracing our history andculture, the City adopted the Historys Hometown logo created by theHistoric Sites Commission, and which is displayed on the Citys Website.This site is most often the first stop on the Internet for visitorsresearching Auburn, New York.


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2009 Road Program (completed)

Hoopes Park paved pathways, Casey Park entrance, FalconPark Improvements, Market Street, Teller Avenue, SenecaParkway, McIntosh Drive, Washington Street, Murray StreetExtension, Hamilton Avenue, Quill Avenue, Oak S treet, ParkAvenue, NorthMarvine Avenue, Lansing Street, Logan Street,North Hoopes Avenue, North Lewis Street, Ketchell Street,Cross Street, Nelson Street

Street Improvements:2009 City Road Program

Market Street Hoopes Park Paths

Since 2007, the City has doubled its budget for street and sidewalkimprovements. The Hoopes Park pathways were reconstructed alongwith those projects shown here and on the following slide.

2009 Sidewalk Programs (completed)

Sidewalk Improvements:

Columbus Street Area through the Revolving LoanSidewalk Program

Tuxill Sq., Logan St.; and Elizabeth St. with CDBGSidewalk Program funds

Genesee Elamentary School area with CDBG-R

Sidewalk curb ramps through the City Sidewalk,Curb and Handicapped Ramp Program


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Landfill Cells #3 & #4

City Landfill:Cell 3 and Cell 4

Notes: Cell 3 at the City Landfill had 17 new vertical extraction wellsinstalled to capture methane gas created by decomposition. Thismethane will be drawn off, compressed and sent to the Landfill Gas toElectric Generation Facility located at the Wastewater Treatment Plantfor the generation of electricity to power the plant.

Because of this landfill gas-to-energy effort, the City has attracted a newTechnology Park Industrial business, which would use all the heat and

some of the excess electricity from the Electric Generation Facility.When completed, the proposed business would bring between 15-20 newfull time jobs in addition to a number of service jobs to the area.

The new Cell 4 at the City Landfill, a 9.5 acre, $6 million addition, hasbeen accepting waste since 2009 and is estimated to provide anadditional 9 years of service to our facility. The facility serves bothcommercial and residential customers from throughout central New

York.


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Veterans Memorial Park

City Parks:Veteran's Memorial Park

Notes: The City has worked for over three years with the VeteransMemorial Park Committee, to bring to pass the new Veterans MemorialPark, which was officially dedicated on June 14, 2009. Improvementsduring this past year included a new stage area for the White Cross, warmemorials, retaining wall, brick pavers, and sod work. There is a planbefore Memorial Day to erect a new monument entrance sign in front ofthe Park. After the Memorial Day Parade, there will be a ceremony atthe Park that includes the placing of wreathes.


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Casey Park / Falcon Park

City Parks:Casey Park & Falcon Park

Notes: Senator Michael Nozzolio secured a $200,000 grant torehabilitate the Casey Park Pool and Recreational Complex, which hasbeen renamed the Oropallo Recreation Complex. Improvementsincluded a new pool liner and filter equipment and new rubber flooringin the lobby area and locker rooms. The City also received a $10,000grant from Assemblyman Gary Finch towards facility improvements atCasey Park. The City formed a partnership with the YMCA to runsummer programming at Casey Park, which proved to be very

successful. For the first time, artificial turf was procured and installedon the ice rink floor for indoor lacrosse and soccer; further increasingthe use of the Facility.

Senator Nozzolio was also able to secure $42,000 in funding forimprovements at Falcon Park, which included new fencing surroundingthe ball field and improved grading and drainage along the dugouts. Wehave televised a number of games for the past two years.


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Hoopes Park and Clifford Park

City Parks:Hoopes Park and Clifford Park

Hoopes Park Ice-skating at Hoopes Park, in the

evenings and weekends

Concert series continues this

summer on Tuesdays and Thursdays

starting on July 6, 2010

Clifford Park

New playground equipment

Tennis courts will be resurface

Notes: During the winter, the City continued its re-introduction of ice-skating at Hoopes Park, in the evenings and weekends. The Cityspopular concert series continues this summer on Tuesdays andThursdays starting on July 6, 2010 and running through August 31,2010.

New playground equipment was installed at Clifford Park during thesummer, and the tennis courts will be resurfaced as soon as weather

permits.


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Demolitions

Demolitions:Residential & Old Municipal Garage

Notes: Through the efforts of the Department of Public Works,Engineering, Planning, and Code Enforcement, three residentialproperties and the old Municipal Garage, adjacent to the FireDepartment, were demolished. That space will be developed intoadditional parking and landscaping for the Market Street area.


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Auburn Police Department

Public Safety:Auburn Police Department

Image by:The Citizen

Notes: As part of a grant, tasers were secured by the Auburn PoliceDepartment, and issued to line Police Officers. While controversial,these tasers were deployed as of January 1st, 2010, in order to provideprotection to Officers, and an option for less violent contact betweenOfficers and the public. The City has also finished modernizing theelectronic parking meters throughout downtown.


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Auburn Fire Department

Public Safety:Auburn Fire Department

Notes: The Fire Department continues to implement the 6-year vehiclereplacement plan established in 2007. In 2008, a new ladder truck wasdelivered to the City, and in 2009, two Pumper Trucks entered the fleet.

The savings generated from the geothermal project, completed at thePolice & Fire Facility in 2008 resulted in the procurement of newwindows, as well as new overhead doors.

In addition, the Fire Department has received a Grant, secured bySenator Michael Nozzolio, in the amount of $35,000 for the purchase ofa command vehicle.


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Finance CAFR

Finance: CAFR

Recently the City received ourauditors report for the FY 08 09,where the firm acknowledged that the

City of Auburn was among the best

financially managed.

Certificate of Achievement for

Excellence in Financial Reporting

Thank you Lisa Green

Notes:

Now to get back to Financial Matters

Especially in these difficult economic times, it is important to note thatthe Citys financial house is in order. Recently the City received ourauditors report for the Fiscal Year 2008 2009, where the firmacknowledged that of the 40 municipalities that the firm audited, the

City of Auburn was among the best financially managed. The City ofAuburn has again been awarded the Certificate of Achievement forExcellence in Financial Reporting for its Comprehensive AnnualFinancial Report (CAFR). This is the eleventh consecutive year forwinning this prestigious award, which is given by the GovernmentFinance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA)to those government units whose financial reports achieve the higheststandards in government accounting.


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FY 2009-2010 Budget

City Budget Expectations:For the upcoming FY 2010 - 2011

It is not my habit, nor do I wish to start now, to blame the State for theactions our City, like other cities mentioned previously, must take toremain fiscally responsible, and maintain the core services that arerequired and expected by our Citizens. Individuals can only read thepaper and judge for themselves what problems the State has, and predictwith certainty, that the trickledown method of State fiscal solvency, willbe very much in vogue. To that end, the City of Auburn has been workingon a FY 2010 2011 Budget which will continue the consolidated programsadvanced in the last three years, develop more energy efficient and cost-effective programs for service delivery, while looking at the elimination ofothers.

As many of you know, we are still in the throws of Union negotiations withthe Police Officers Local and CSEA, the results of which are stillunknowns, but will impact the Budget process. That being said, I wouldlike to take this opportunity to thank both the Assistant Fire ChiefsAssociation and the Professional Firefighters Local who recognized thefinancial constraints of the City, and settled contracts which were fair andin the best interests of all parties. It was actually a pleasure to work withthem.

The City of Auburn has enjoyed four years without any property taxincreases. The reasoning behind this was based on Citizen expectations - - -make every cut you can before looking at tax increases as an answer to ourfiscal problems. Well, we have not only picked the low-hanging fruit butwe are already halfway up the tree! The decisions that the City must makein the future will of necessity, be harder and more controversial.


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Recently, a local County Executive put forth the notion that we must learnto do LESS WITH LESS, rather than cling to the notion that doing MOREWITH LESS is still attainable. While I agree in concept that this change ofattitude is necessary, let us not forget that there is still a great dealindividuals can do for themselves that they once relied upon government todo. For example, two years ago we initiated the bagged leaf program,which freed up crews and equipment for other tasks previously notaccomplished. Last year we compressed the trash pick-up schedule to freeup Mondays for neighborhood clean-up efforts. The City actually lookedcleaner, with less expenditure of tax dollars.

In the future, individual and family structured self-reliance andneighborhood-oriented initiatives will be key in maintaining the quality of

life expectations that we once looked to government to achieve.

Thank you

Thank You

State of the City

Auburn, New York

March 25, 2010

2010 state of the city

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