BROOKINGS – The Brookings City Council will take another look at funding for outside agencies during a study session beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the City & County Government Center. The regular meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
Follow the money
The council has been grappling with the proposed 2020 budget and debating whether to increase funding to certain outside agencies, particularly the Brookings Area Transit Authority.
City Manager Paul Briseno has pointed out the 2020 budget is now balanced. At the meeting Aug. 13, Councilor Dan Hansen said the council members need to decide where the money will come from and not delegate that decision to city staff.
The council will look at the 3B or pillow tax funded agencies, such as the Convention and Visitor Bureau, Economic Development, South Dakota State University’s Performing Arts Center II, the Chamber, Downtown, Downtown music event, Downtown Grant – Acceleration Program, Brookings Health System, SDSU Student Visitor Promotion, and promotion of the city. These were funded at $1,016,500 in 2019. The requested funding is $985,135, and the 2020 budget recommends $871,513.
The Care Council is a new program and recommended 2020 funding for 21 agencies. These were funded at $1.8 million in 2019. The requested funding is $1.76 million, and the recommended 2020 budget is $1.61 million.
Those agencies include the University Research Park, school district, BATA, BATA grant match-bus, Boys & Girls Club capital improvement, Boys & Girls Club, Brookings Regional Humane Society, Brookings Arts Council, Arts Commission, East Central Behavioral Health, Brookings Domestic Abuse Shelter, Fourth of July fireworks display, affiliated organizations, Humanities Council, Brookings Area Community Band, Safe Ride, Brookings Farmers Market, Brookings County Youth Mentoring, Brookings Empowerment Project, Crime Stoppers, and Drug Court.
Three organizations, East Central Behavioral Health, Humanities Council and Drug Court, received no funding in 2019. They are recommended to receive a total of $24,500 in 2020.
The Boys & Girls Club Capital Improvement received $100,000 in 2019; it is budgeted to receive no funding in 2020.
Most of the organizations are set to see an increase or decrease in funding of $5,000 or less, with many seeing a difference of $1,000 or less.
There are some exceptions.
BATA was funded at $80,000 in 2019 and requested $125,000 in 2020. The Care Council recommended funding the full amount, but BATA so far is budgeted at $85,000 in 2020.
The Fourth of July fireworks display was funded at $15,000 in 2019 and requested the same for 2020. The Care Council recommended no funding, but the proposed budget has $15,000 in 2020.
Affiliated organizations received $14,000 in 2019 and requested $43,000 in 2020. The Care Council recommended $8,000 in funding, and there is $4,000 budgeted in 2020.
Action items
The council will consider rezoning a parcel located at the intersection of 25th Avenue and the Highway 14 bypass from an R-1A single-family district to an R-1B single-family district; and then a conditional use permit to establish the property as a two-family dwelling in a residence R-1B single-family district.
An amendment to the fence regulations is being proposed. The amendment will treat double frontage residential lots located on collector streets the same as double frontage residential lots on arterial streets.
The council will consider a proposal to modify the interest rates and payment schedule of the Series 2014A bonds that will result in reduced debt services to the city.
“Given current favorable interest rates, the city and its financial adviser recently engaged with banks to analyze its current capital structure and explore ways to improve,” according to a memo by Erick Rangel, chief financial officer.
“The city’s interest cost will be reduced by an estimated $323,000 in the next 15 years which improves the city’s cash flow and capital structure. The estimated Net Present Value of this savings is $275,000,” according to Rangel’s memo.
In other business Tuesday, the council will:
• Hear a department presentation on the Brookings Public Library;
• Hear the CFO’s second quarter report;
• Hear a city progress report by the assistant to the city manager;
• Consider changing the name of Blue Bell Drive to East Blue Bell Drive due to concerns about the 911 emergency response services.
Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.
