6.2. SR 06-19-2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Long-term Financial Planning As part of a yearly budget process, the City Council reviews the updated Financial Management Plan. The Financial Management Plan provides a long-range forecast that brings together future expenditures, revenues, and development of the City. The Council has been diligent in maintaining a level tax rate. This plan provides the information needed to develop in a manner that will sustain or expand City services while keeping the property taxes stable. Department heads take part in this process to estimate staff additions, service levels, and capital needs for the next ten years. In addition, the City Council continually reviews cash flow analysis and long-term planning as part of the comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) process. The CIP is a 5-year planning tool that forecasts the City's capital needs based on the City's long-range plans, goals, and policies. Relevant Financial Policies The City Council has adopted several Financial Management Policies and continually monitors and updates the policies. The Financial Management Policies include: revenues, property taxes, investments, purchasing, financial reporting, reserves, fund balance, capital investment, and debt policies. The City's policy on fund balance states that the City will maintain an unassigned fund balance of not less than 40-45% of budgeted general fund operating expenditures. The percentage of unassigned fund balance at December 31, 2016 is 45%. Since property tax payments are received by the City in two installments in July and December, the City needs adequate cash reserves for cash flow in order to avoid short-term borrowing to finance operations. Changes in state law over the past several years have resulted in funding changes for both schools and local governments. Replacements of Market Value Homestead Credits (MVHC) with the Market Value Exclusion (MVE) program and Local Government Aids (LGA) program have resulted in revenue losses to the City. Due to the uncertainty in receiving the aid from the state, the LGA and MVHC revenues are not included in the 2016 General Fund budget. The City does not expect in the short-term to see LGA and MVHC amounts restored to previous year's levels. Major Initiatives The City completed the long-term strategic plan of the Gravel Mining Area Study to shape the future of this highly developable 2,600-acre segment along US Highway 169 that runs through the City. In 2016, the City also completed the master planning process for the William H. Houlton Conservation Area and Bailey Point Nature Preserve, and formed a task force to evaluate and plan for future needs of the city's aging facilities. In addition, Elk River's Northstar Station continues to have the largest ridership numbers along the rail line that runs from Minneapolis to Big Lake. Awards and Acknowledgements The Government Finance Officers Association of the United Stated and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Elk River for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. This was the 27th consecutive year that the City has received this prestigious award. In order to be awarded a Certificate of Achievement, a government must publish an easily readable and efficiently organized Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. This report must satisfy both accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and applicable legal requirements. (3)