City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2024-00476 2/27/2024 Consent Item 7.
Budgetary Adjustment: Public Works - Maintenance Services - Urban Forestry Department ID (15001811)
File ID: 2024-00476
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Pass a Resolution authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee for a one-time increase for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24 to the expenditure budget for the Urban Forestry section of Public Works - Maintenance Services Division (15001811) by transferring $500,000 (Fund 2232) from available fund balance in the Citywide Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District (L&L).
Contact: Kevin Wasson, Operations General Supervisor, (916) 808-8074, [email protected]; Jose Sanchez, Streets Manager, (916) 808-2254, [email protected], Department of Public Works Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The City's Urban Forestry section in the Public Works Department is responsible for ongoing maintenance of City-managed trees to prevent disease and hazards and respond to emergency issues. The section is funded with Lighting and Landscaping Assessment fees for its operations. Additionally, funding must cover vehicles, fuel, vehicle repairs, water and drainage fees, responses to 311 calls, and various required administrative activities. The City relies on a combination of City staff and contractors to respond to these requests. It is necessary to provide preventative maintenance through pruning over 1,000 trees monthly on average to stay consistent with industry standards for a seven-year pruning cycle. This helps identify and prevent tree damage and reduce City liability.
With a 29% vacancy rate within the Urban Forestry section, in order to respond to ongoing work and scheduled maintenance, this Section has incurred additional overtime costs and use of contract staff
File ID: 2024-00476 2/27/2024 Consent Item 7.
that will exceed its budget at current rates. The Department continues to make efforts to recruit and fill positions, including hiring trainees, so is seeking one-time additional funding to address these issues.
Staff is seeking City Council approval for a one-time transfer of $500,000 (Fund 2232) from the available fund balance within the Citywide Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District (L&L) to the Urban Forestry section of Public Works - Maintenance Services Division (15001811). This additional amount is necessary to cover the operational needs of the Urban Forestry section for the remainder of FY 2023/24.
Policy Considerations: This project is consistent with the following General Plan policy:
ER 3.1.2 Manage and Enhance the City’s Tree Canopy - The City shall continue to plant new trees, ensure new developments have sufficient right-of-way width for tree plantings, manage and care for all publicly owned trees, and work to retain healthy trees.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The current proposal involves funding for public tree pruning and care services. These activities are categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (h) “maintenance of existing landscaping, native growth, and water supply reservoirs.”
Sustainability: The current request supports the ongoing health and safety of the urban forest.
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: During the review of the second-quarter budget projections, staff identified an anticipated shortfall in the Urban Forestry operating budget. This shortfall is attributed to unanticipated increases to service and supply costs, along with heightened efforts to reduce the prune backlog. The requested amount is $500,000 (Fund 2232). Staff anticipates this to be a one- time transfer, expecting to fill vacant positions and catch up on the pruning backlog, thereby reducing contractor costs.
If this request is not granted, the Urban Forestry section may have to reduce contractor pruning services, potentially limiting opportunities to address tree health and hazards and increasing City liability.
Financial Considerations: There is sufficient available fund balance in the Citywide Landscaping
File ID: 2024-00476 2/27/2024 Consent Item 7.
and Lighting Assessment District (L&L) to cover the one time transfer of $500,000 (Fund 2232).
Funding for the successive fiscal years shall be subject to funding availability in the adopted budgets for each of the applicable fiscal years.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-XXXX
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
February 27, 2024
Budgetary Adjustment: Public Works Maintenance Services Division – Urban Forestry Department ID (15001811)
BACKGROUND
A. The City's Urban Forestry section in the Public Works Department is responsible for ongoing maintenance of City managed trees to prevent disease and hazards and responding to emergency issues.
B. Due to increased costs, a budget augmentation from available fund balance in the Citywide Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District (L&L) in the amount of $500,000 (Fund 2232) to Public Works – Maintenance Services – Urban Forestry Department ID (15001811) will support continued scheduled pruning efforts and other necessary activities.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to transfer $500,000 (Fund 2232) from the available fund balance in the Citywide Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District (L&L) to Public Works – Maintenance Services – Urban Forestry Department ID (15001811).