FINANCE COMMITTEE
COG Building – Forum Room
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
8:30 AM

AGENDA
 

1.                  CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Graham will convene the meeting.

2.                  CITIZENS COMMENTS

Members of the public are invited to comment on any items not already on the agenda (five minutes per person time limit please). Comments relating to specific items on the agenda should be deferred to that point in the meeting.

3.                  APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Enclosed is a copy of the minutes from the May 20, 2008 meeting.

4.                  4.            CONCORD PUBLIC FINANCE

During its May 20, 2008 meeting the Finance Committee discussed correspondence submitted by Concord Public Finance requesting an additional $4,000 to cover the “extensive work” required for the preparation of the Official Statement/bond disclosure documents which was not needed, as well as the Company’s travel expenses of $712.15. As background information for the Committee, enclosed are copies of the April 18, 2007 COG/Concord Public Finance, the April 25, 2008 request for supplemental payment, and a June 5, 2008 email correspondence from Concord addressing the questions below.

The Committee approved the payment of the travel expenses, but asked for additional information on the $4,000 request, with the following questions in mind:

1.         How was it this additional work not included in the scope of the original proposal?

2.         In light of the increased cost, was the additional work authorized by a COG before taking place?

3.         Was there an understanding that this work would represent an additional cost at the outset of the process?

The Parks and Recreation Agency Director and the Executive Director will be present to discuss the request, and provide further information, in order to assist the Committee with making a final decision.  Concord Public Finance will also be available via conference call.

The following is a summary of the closing costs for the funding of the pool renewal projects.

POOL LOAN BALANCE

June 4, 2008

5.            PARK FOREST POOL RENEWAL

The Parks and Recreation Director will provide an update on the status of the Park Forest Community Pool renewal project. Bids for the renewal of the Park Forest Community Pool will be opened on June 8, 2008 at 12:00 Noon in the forum room of the Centre Region COG building The Centre Regional Recreation Authority (CRRA) will take action on the bids during its June 17, 2008 meeting at 12:15 in the forum room of the Centre Region COG building. The bids will be in the form of four contracts: general, plumbing, electrical and swimming pool. Twenty contractors purchased bid documents.

Depending on the bid amounts, the CRRA may consider the following motion for each one of the four construction contracts:

“That the Authority accept the bid for the  ________________ (General, Plumbing, Electrical or Swimming Pool) contract from ___________________________________________  in the total amount of $______________________ including the specified add / deduct alternates, and authorize the Officers to execute the contract documents pending the approval of the Solicitor and PA DCNR.”

Should the bid amounts be at or below the anticipated budget the CRRA will take action to award the bids. In the event major revisions to the project scope are necessary to meet the budget, input from the COG Ad Hoc Regional Park Committee will be sought during its June 19, 2008 meeting; and, then a Special Meeting of the Authority will be called prior to July 1, 2008.

After the bids are awarded a Cash Flow Schedule will be prepared.                

                $3,200,000.00                 Maximum Project Cost for Park Forest Pool              

                -    350,000.00                  Less State Grant for Park Forest Pool

                  5,400,000.00                  Maximum Project Cost for Welch Pool       

                -    400,000.00                  Less State Grant for Welch Pool – Pending

                 $7,850,000.00                        

                The Pool Capital Fund Balance of January 1, 2008 is            $258,708           

This item is presented for informational purposes only and does not require action by the Finance Committee.

6.            2009 COG PROGRAM PLAN

COG staff is preparing a draft of the 2009 COG Program Plan to share with the Finance Committee during its July 8, 2008 meeting.  The Executive Director will provide an update on this process, and comments from the Finance Committee regarding potential budgetary or programmatic changes are welcomed.

Some of the changes that will be proposed are:

o       Purchase of new and additional fire apparatus.

o       Elimination of Fiscal Coordinator Position and creation of a Finance Director Position in the Office of Administration (see below).

o       If approved by the General Forum, eliminating the payment to Penn State University for emergency management services and providing for a full-time Centre Region Emergency Management Coordinator.

o       Conduct an evaluation of the organizational and operational needs of the Centre Region Code Administration Agency,

o       Provided for a 10% contingency fund in the Planning Agency; this threshold would be reached over a three year period.

o       Adding one full-time Parks Caretaker position and a part-time Staff Assistant for the Parks Maintenance Program.

7.            COG FISCAL COORDINATOR/FINANCE DIRECTOR DISCUSSION

The Executive Director will lead a discussion about the potential for the creation of a COG Finance Director as part of the 2009 Budget process.   Comments from the Finance Committee regarding this possibility or other suggestions to address current and future fiscal needs of the COG are welcomed.

The Executive Director proposes to work with municipal Finance Director to develop a job description for the position and to identify a recruitment process and pay range.

8.            MONTHLY REPORTS

In accordance with the process for Finance Committee oversight of COG Vouchers, copies of the April voucher report were distributed with the Committee’s May 20, 2008 agenda packet.  To proceed, the Committee should consider the following motion:

“That the Finance Committee approve the April 2008 voucher report for the Centre Region COG.”

During the next month the Committee should review the copies of the May 2008 COG voucher report that were distributed with this agenda packet.  Action on the May voucher report will occur at the Committee’s July 2008 meeting.  If the Committee has any questions about the items in the voucher report, please let Brooks know as soon as possible, so that the information can be researched prior to the next Committee meeting.

9.            ADJOURNMENT