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Winooski staff outline $3.0M in general-fund reserves, potential uses and grant match needs
Summary
City staff briefed the council on roughly $3.0 million in general-fund reserves and a slate of potential future assignments — from Main Street utility work to a Champlain Mill pedestrian bridge repair — and flagged a potential grant that would require a 20% local match.
City staff told the Winooski City Council Monday that the city’s general-fund reserves total about $3,000,105 and presented a list of potential future assignments that could draw on that balance.
‘‘Currently ... we have $3,000,105.11 in general fund reserves, also known as the operating fund balance,’’ Elaine Wong, city manager, said as she walked council through the reserve-tracking sheet staff maintains.
Staff described a number of possible uses staff have begun tracking, many of which require further scoping and cost estimates before council would be asked to allocate funds. Items on the list include costs tied to undergrounding utilities on Main Street associated with Green Mountain Power (GMP), repairs or eventual replacement of the Champlain Mill pedestrian bridge (ownership between the mill and the city is in dispute), funding for the Burlington-Winooski bridge project, and flood-protection work at the wastewater treatment plant.
‘‘That allocation [for Main Street] is because Green Mountain Power would not have needed to underground their power lines on Main Street just yet ... it is more cost effective to do so while we have the road open for the Main Street revitalization project,’’ Elaine said, adding the timing of payments to GMP could affect pursuit of a grant for that work.
Staff also listed potential smaller items and programmatic needs such as garage cameras and supplemental lighting for the Abenaki Garage, a staffing-model analysis to evaluate internal efficiency, and a possible financing gap for replacement self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighters if a FEMA grant is not awarded.
Councilors asked whether the city had leverage in negotiations with GMP over undergrounding costs; staff said they would follow up with more detail on previously signed agreements and timing. On potential grant opportunities, staff said they would return with further analysis on whether staff capacity and grant conditions (including monitoring and reporting obligations) made an application feasible. Elaine noted one potential grant would require a 20% match from reserves.
Council members also discussed whether to hire outside grant-writing support if staff capacity is limited; staff said they would explore options and report back. Council did not approve any reserve transfers at the meeting; the presentation was informational.
Ending: Staff said they will return with more detailed cost estimates, contract language where relevant and a recommendation before any reserves are committed.
