REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Fred A. Wilson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Travis K. Hopkins, PE, Director of Public Works
Subject:
title
Approve the West Orange County Water Board (WOCWB) proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2019-20, including the City of Huntington Beach’s share of $487,937
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Statement of Issue:
The City is a member of the West Orange County Water Board (WOCWB), a Joint Powers Authority. The WOCWB is currently preparing the FY 2019-20 proposed budget. The Board requests that each member agency review and approve the budget prior to the beginning of the new fiscal year.
Financial Impact:
The City’s share of the WOCWB’s FY 2019-20 total proposed budget of $649,000 is $487,937. This amount is made up of $69,564 for the annual operating budget and $418,373 to cover the City’s share of the debt service payments for the Orange County Transportation Authority’s (OCTA) OC-35 Pipeline Realignment Project loan. The FY 2019-20 proposed operating budget will be included in the Water Fund (506), account 50685801.67655. The debt service portion will be included in the Water Master Plan Fund (507), account 50785201.67655.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
Approve the WOCWB FY 2019-20 proposed operating and debt budget amount of $649,000.
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve the FY 2019-20 WOCWB budget and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
The WOCWB is a Joint Powers Authority comprised of the Cities of Garden Grove, Seal Beach, Westminster and Huntington Beach, who own and operate the OC-9 and OC-35 pipelines for the purpose of purchasing imported water from the Municipal Water District of Orange County and transporting it to the Joint Powers cities. Huntington Beach owns 56.1 percent of the system. The WOCWB is governed by five elected officials from each of the Joint Powers agencies. Council members Jill Hardy and Mike Posey represent the City of Huntington Beach.
The General Manager of the WOCWB (City of Huntington Beach Public Works Utilities Manager) submits a proposed budget to the Board for review in January and approval in April of each year. Huntington Beach Utilities Division staff have prepared the proposed budget. The proposed operating budget for Fiscal Year 2019-20 is $124,000. This includes funding for general operations and maintenance, electricity and administrative costs (legal, insurance and audit fees).
Also included is $25,000 for the design of two Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) for the SCADA system and $20,000 for vault refurbishment. The City’s share of the operating budget is $69,564.
Funds for debt service for the OC-35 pipeline realignment project loan repayment in the amount of $525,000 are also included in the WOCWB proposed budget. The WOCWB negotiated a reimbursement agreement in FY 17-18 (amended in FY 18-19) with OCTA to finance the construction of the project. The reimbursement agreement is a 10-year low interest rate loan for $5,995,334. The Cities of Garden Grove and Westminster have paid their share of the loan; Huntington Beach and Seal Beach are still paying their respective shares of the loan. The City of Huntington Beach share of the debt service for FY 2019-20 is $418,373, which includes a small contingency as the loan is based on the State Surplus Money Investment Fund (SMIF) rate, which is adjustable on a quarterly basis.
The total amount of the City of Huntington Beach’s share of the FY 2019-20 proposed WOCWB budget is $487,937.
Environmental Status:
Not applicable
Strategic Plan Goal:
Strengthen economic and financial sustainability
Attachment(s):
1. West Orange County Water Board Proposed Fiscal Year 2019-20 Budget.