Athens City Manager Philip Rodriguez presented an End of Year update hitting the highlights of the FY 2016 budget for the Athens City Council Monday, October 10.

1. FY 2016 BUDGET
End of Year Status Update

2. Looking Back…
• Unchanged Tax Rate for FY 2016
• Concerted focus on core services (infrastructure, public safety,
streets, water, wastewater, development, parks)
• Re-conditioning of one elevated storage and one ground storage
tank, other water and wastewater improvements (5 year old TCEQ
violations)
• New General Fund Budgeted Reserve of $1.8+ Million for the
first time in City history
• Zero increased debt – All new capital items purchased with cash
(pay-as-you-go)

3. Looking Back…
• Creation of Utility Operating Reserve and Capital Reserve
• Refinanced old debt saving Athens taxpayers about $414,000
over the next decade
• Reorganization of service delivery for better efficiency &
effectiveness
• Addition of new staff members across General Fund & Utility
Fund departments
• New pay scale was implemented in to include pay and
promotional equity in all Departments
• Demolition of Old Henderson County Hospital

4. GENERAL FUND
Budget Implementation Items

5. Legal
■ Legal fees increased to accommodate current
projects and annexations
• Legal projects – 100% (excluding annexations)
• Annexations – 0% (postponed mid-year pending TCEQ water/sewer
projects)

6. Finance & Technology
■ New computer server budgeted for City Hall to replace six-
year old server
• 100% Complete
■ Vehicle Allowance equity increase
• 100% Complete

7. City Secretary
■ All advertising re-allocated to City Secretary, excluding
Personnel & Civil Service
• 100% Complete
■ New position to support grants, finance, customer service
and general administration
• 100% Complete
■ Inclusion of vehicle allowance
• 100% Complete

8. Facilities
■ Remodel of facilities in support of re-organization and
relocation of certain staff
• 98% Complete – Pending final punch list at EOC

9. Community Development
■ New position to support city management and assist in
external service areas including program development for
parks and recreation
• 100% Complete
■ Increase of Aid to Other Organizations to Cain Center and
Keep Athens Beautiful
• 100% Complete

10. Development Services
■ New Chief Building Official position
• Policy Change; 100% Complete
■ New position relating to planning or engineering
• 100% Complete

11. Public Health
■ Department eliminated; Code Enforcement and Animal
Control to Code Enforcement Division under Police, and field
staff to Parks
• 100% Complete

12. Streets
■ Street program increased 87.5% over last year to $375,000
• 100% Complete
■ New compact track loader
• 100% Complete
■ New 2 ½-ton dump truck
• 100% Complete

13. Parks
■ Personnel moved from Public Health
• 100% Complete
■ New bat wing mower
• 100% Complete
■ New 100+hp cabbed, 4WD tractor
• 100% Complete

14. Parks (Cont.)
■ Parks improvements at Coleman and Cain Parks
• 100% Complete
■ Improvements to the Texan Theater
• 100% Complete for FY 2016 appropriations (project next steps
pending Council direction / action)

15. Fleet Maintenance
■ New 18,000 lb. truck lift
• 100% Complete

16. Fire & Rescue
■ Promotion pay equity adjustments
• 100% Complete
■ Addition of three inspectors
• 100% Complete

17. Fire & Rescue (Cont.)
■ Electrical shorelines for charging apparatus
• 100% Complete
■ New generators at both fire stations
• 100% Complete

18. Code Enforcement
■ Public health staff moved to Code Enforcement Division,
joining Animal Control
• 100% Complete
■ Increase for demolition of substandard properties
• 100% Complete

19. Municipal Court
■ Court process audit to increase efficiencies
• 100% Complete
■ Remodeling of City Hall
• 100% Complete

20. Police Administration
■ New oversight of Code Enforcement Division
• 100% Complete

21. Criminal Investigations
■ Promotion pay equity adjustments
• 100% Complete
■ New vehicle
• 100% Complete

22. Patrol Division
■ Promotion pay equity adjustments
• 100% Complete
■ New patrol vehicles (4) and all related equipment
• 100% Complete
■ Replacement of video server for in-car video systems
• 100% Complete

23. Non-departmental
■ Inclusion of disposal site roll off and related fees
• 100% Complete

24. UTILITY FUND
Budget Implementation Items

25. Utility Administration
■ Addition of Development Services Clerk
• 100% Complete (re-titled Development Coordinator)

26. Water Production
■ New Vehicle
• 100% Complete
■ Recondition one Elevated Storage Tank
• 100% Complete
■ Re-build filter pump #1
• 100% Complete

27. Line Maintenance
■ Inclusion of expedited implementation of AMR meters
for Route 10
• 90% Complete (estimated to be complete, October, 2016)
■ New 1-ton crew trucks (2)
• 75% Complete (delivery October, 2016)
■ Replacement of galvanized pipe in various locations
• 100% Complete for FY 2016 allocations

28. Line Maintenance, (Cont.)
■ Replacement of sewer main along Cayuga
• 40% Complete (in engineering phase; ongoing into FY 2017)
■ Replacement of water main along S. Palestine
• 40% Complete (in engineering phase; ongoing into FY 2017)
■ Additional line replacement in various locations as
needed
• 100% Complete for FY 2016 allocations

29. Wastewater Treatment
■ Replacement of pump at Hurley lift station
• 100% Complete
■ New lift pumps at West plant (2)
• 100% Complete
■ New Truck
• 100% Complete

30. Wastewater Treatment
■ New Mower
• 100% Complete
■ New Tractor
• 100% Complete

31. Non-departmental
■ Inclusion of operating and capital reserve of $380,000
($90,000 water, $90,000 wastewater, $200,000 AMWA)
• 100% Complete

32. OTHER FUNDS
Budget Implementation Items

33. Water/Sewer 2004 Bond
■ Inclusion of water line improvements not completed in FY
2015 Budget - S. Prairieville / E. Clinton / Park Drive
• Engineering plans recently completed; pending legal approval /
negotiations with engineer – moving to FY 2017
■ Inclusion of Ground Storage Tanks reconditioning
• 100% Complete

34. Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund
■ Operating transfer to General Fund for improvements
at Texan Theater and new Visitor’s Center
• 100% Complete; Policy Change
■ Operating transfer to General Fund for partial funding
of Coleman & Cain Parks Improvements
• 100% Complete
■ Increase in part-time salaries for Tourism Center and
new Visitor’s Center
• Policy change

35. Airport Fund
■ Operating transfer to General Fund to help defray costs of
services rendered
• 100% Complete
■ Inclusion of local matching funds to Airport RAMP Grant
• 100% Complete

36. Airport Grant Fund
■ RAMP Grant of $100,000 to assist with maintenance at
Airport
• 100% Complete

37. Supplemental
Appropriations
■ Adjustment for Texan Theatre Sign 50% Complete (project ongoing)
■ Adjustment for website design 50% Complete (pending development of content)
■ Adjustment for partial reroofing at the Cain Center Policy change
■ Adjustment for purchase of Fire & Recue boat 100% Complete
■ Adjustment for Coleman Park project 100% Complete
■ Adjustment for City Manager’s evaluation 100% Complete
■ Adjustment for South 19 Elevated Storage Tank 100% Complete
■ Adjustment for Lane Street Ground Storage Tank 100% Complete
■ Adjustment for restroom improvements to Collection Site building 100% Complete

38. FY 2016 BUDGET
End of Year Status Update