DATE: February 12, 2015
TO: Board of Mayor and Aldermen
FROM: Eric Stuckey, City Administrator
Vernon Gerth, ACA Community & Economic Development
Lisa Clayton, Parks Department
Todd Snackenberg, City Arborist
SUBJECT:
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Proposal of Amending the Tree Bank Ordinance
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Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information to the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) concerning proposed changes to the existing Tree Bank Ordinance.
Background
On January 26, 2015, the Tree Commission discussed a proposal from the Parks Department to amend the Tree Bank Ordinance to permit a portion of Tree Bank funds to be used to purchase equipment for the City's Tree Crew and/or fund staff for the Tree Crew. Currently, there are three part-time workers on the Tree Crew. In the upcoming budget, The Parks Department will request two of the three part-time Tree Worker positions be replaced with two full-time positions, with the one part-time position retained to create a three-person crew.
The current Tree Bank Ordinance states:
Financial Impact
The Parks Department will request two of the three part-time Tree Worker positions be replaced with two full-time positions, with the one part-time position retained for the three-man crew. The difference in salary and benefits is estimated to be $16,000 per year ($8,000 each) for the two full-time workers. The Parks Department proposes that Tree Bank funds be used to partially fund the $16,000 difference. Designating 35% (approximately $17,665) should be sufficient which is recommended by the Tree Commission. Skip Heibert, Tree Commissioner moved to recommend to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen that 35% of Tree Bank average receipts, not to exceed $20,000 annually, be allocated to partially fund two (2) full-time Tree Crew workers in the Parks Department. Seconded by Michael Johnson. Motion carried unanimously.
Recommendation
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Staff recommends changing the current Tree Ordinance to accommodate additional funding and allow the change to take place parallel to the approval timeframe of the 2016 fiscal year budget process.