Memorandum 12-132 Funding for Homer High School Track Additives

MEMORANDUM 12-132
TO: Mayor Hornaday and Homer City Council
FROM: Walt Wrede
DATE: August 22, 2012
SUBJECT: Ordinance 12-41 / Funding for H.S. Track

Ordinance 12-41, if adopted, would appropriate $60,000 from the General Fund Reserves to provide funding for several additive alternatives included in the bidding documents for the High School track project. This ordinance was introduced at the August 13 Council meeting and is scheduled for public hearing and second reading on September 10. You will recall that I sponsored this ordinance in order to get it on the table so that Council could discuss it and take action if it deemed that to be appropriate.
Since this ordinance was introduced, new information has become available. I have learned from the Borough, via Assembly Member Bill Smith, that the project is too far along at this point to incorporate the additive alternatives. So, the money originally requested is no longer needed. Mayor Navarre expressed his appreciation to the Council for considering this appropriation. He also wanted you to know that he hopes to attain additional funding for artificial turf at the H.S. football field from the Legislature this coming year. He said that a local match is always helpful when talking with the Legislature about capital projects and suggested that as an alternative, the Council could consider a local match for that project as part of its normal budget approval process this fall.
RECOMMENDATION: Vote Ordinance 12-41 down.