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Finance director outlines reporting changes; sewer master plan, well rehab and Adventure Oasis demo flagged
Summary
The city’s new finance director introduced herself to the Public Utility Advisory Board, proposed simpler visual financial reports, and municipal services staff updated the board on a sewer master-plan study, a sole-source well rehabilitation contract and likely demolition of Adventure Oasis.
Melissa Cabrera, the city’s new finance director, introduced herself to the Public Utility Advisory Board and told members she wants to tailor financial reports to be clearer and more visual for board review.
"I am Melissa Cabrera. I am the city's new finance director. I've been here since January," Cabrera said, and she asked the board whether the current financial packet provides the information members want and offered to produce simplified visual dashboards in coming meetings.
Cabrera and staff said the current packet mirrors the city’s audited financial statements but does not always break fund balance into encumbered funds, planned capital projects and reserves; staff offered to provide those breakdowns and a more visual report soon. "We could take that fund balance number and break that down into what was already encumbered, what was already, spoke planned capital projects that hadn't yet been encumbered," a finance staff member said.
Municipal services staff updated the board that the city has begun a sanitary-sewer master-plan study that will re-evaluate whether the city should build a second wastewater treatment plant on the east side of town. Staff said roughly 10% of the city’s sewage currently goes to the city’s Rock Creek plant and the remainder flows to Little Blue Valley Sewer District; the study will compare costs of building a new plant versus continuing to pay Little Blue.
Staff also told the board to expect a sole-source request for well-rehabilitation work at the water plant because vendors in the region have not competed historically; the vendor identified for that work is Lane. Finally, municipal services staff said Adventure Oasis — a closed water-recreation facility — is likely to be demolished; staff estimated roughly $1 million in capital would be required to reopen the facility.
Board members asked clarifying questions about report formats and the timing of studies; staff said cost-of-service studies for sewer are underway and the water cost-of-service study is budgeted and expected to begin before the end of the fiscal year.
