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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Operations Committee - 01/05/2016 OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES January 5, 2016 Committee Members Present: Les Thomas, Chair, Dana Ralph and Bill Boyce. The meeting was called to order by Les Thomas at 4:00 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL. 2. CHANGE TO AGENDA. There were no changes to the agenda. 3. APPROVAL OF THE CHECK SUMMARY REPORT DATED 11/16/2015 THRU 11/30/2015 AND 12/1/2015 THRU 12/15/2015. B. Boyce moved to approve the check summary report dated 11/16/2015 through 11/30/2015 and 12/1/15 through 12/15/15. D. Ralph seconded the motion, which passed 3-0. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES DATED DECEMBER 1, 2015. D. Ralph moved to approve the Operations Committee minutes dated December 1, 2015. B. Boyce seconded the motion, which passed 3-0. 5. RIVERBEND RESTAURANT UPDATE. Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Jeff Watling provided updates to the tenant recruitment and selection process, changes to the interior and exterior, as well as the type of business that will be a perfect match for the new restaurant at the Riverbend Golf Complex. Updates highlighted by Mr. Watling include:  The Restaurant Group Inc., consultant, performed extensive marketing and outreach for the restaurant’s new tenant recruitment process during this past fall.  The successful joint effort between the consultant and the City were able to narrow the list down to three candidates and is presently working on a lease agreement with the strongest, final candidate, Des Moines’ Scotch and Vine.  Lease agreement negotiations between the City Attorney’s Office and Scotch and Vine will include updated and defined information to: the basis of fees for rent, utilities, and triple net which is often a charge that tenants have; and hours of operation including cart service, especially city expectations during peak season.  Extensive work is being done to the interior to promote an inviting, more modern open floor plan and, through a state grant, updates to the HVAC system.  Exterior changes will include a texture and color change to make it more visible to passing traffic. The target date to open the restaurant is early April 2016. Operations Committee Minutes January 5, 2016 Page: 2 6. NOVEMBER FINANCIAL REPORT. Finance Director Aaron BeMiller informed members that, as in previous months, the City’s finances are in line with what has been discussed in earlier reports. General fund revenues are coming in above budget at about 4.1 percent while general fund expenditures are coming in slightly under budget by about $315,000. That results in a 2015 ending fund balance of about $10,880,000 or about 12.5 percent of expenditures, which puts the City well above the 10 percent goal. The 2015 revenues are on the same path as what previous months have shown. Sales tax is 9 percent higher than the budgeted amount, coming in at $1.5 million, and increases in miscellaneous revenue at about 26 percent higher, which is mostly due to some interest revenues as well as the difference of the school resource officer. 7. DIRECTOR’S REPORT. Mr. BeMiller reported about the overage in the non-departmental expenses of the general fund overview of the previously discussed November report. The overage is not impacting the overall general fund but the estimate includes planned, one-time strategic transfers of available monies out of the general fund. The transfer is in preparation to the much discussed fiscal cliff that is nearing mid-2020. The final topic Mr. BeMiller talked about was members at the last Public Works Committee approved the use of $410,000 of street funds that will be returned from the LID funds. The transferred funds will be a match to grant monies for the Kent Kangley improvements project. The meeting was adjourned at 4:24 p.m. by Les Thomas. J. Hays Jennifer Hays Operations Committee Secretary