HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN-09-042 - Interim Financial Statement - December 31, 2008
REPORT
REPORT TO:
Councillor B. Vrbanovic, Chair, and Members of the Finance
and Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
May 11, 2009
SUBMITTED BY:
Dan Chapman, General Manager of Financial Services and
City Treasurer
PREPARED BY:
Roger LeBrun, Manager of Financial Planning
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
All
DATE OF REPORT:
May 5, 2009
REPORT NO.: FIN-09-042
SUBJECT:
Internal Financial Statements as at December 31, 2008
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Internal Financial Statements as at December 31, 2008 (FIN-09-042) be received for
information;
AND FURTHER THAT staff be directed to implement the budget control measures outlined in
FIN-09-042 effective immediately
BACKGROUND:
This year-end financial report is provided to update Council on City spending and revenues
compared to the 2008 budget and to explain significant variances. The report includes
schedules for Municipal Enterprises and major capital projects as well as supplementary
information related to investment income and tax arrears
REPORT:
Operating Fund – City (Schedule 1)
The City ended the year with a tax-supported operating deficit of $2.457 million which has been
funded by a transfer from the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund in accordance with City policy.
This transfer, along with the anticipated shortfall of investment income in 2009 will significantly
deplete the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund by the end of 2009 (see Appendix A). The deficit is
primarily attributed to the following variances:
Net supplementary taxes were $1.2 million below budget as a result of higher than
anticipated write-offs;
Winter maintenance was $1.7 million higher than budget due to a greater number of
winter events;
The City expensed $0.5 million for costs incurred under the Regional Maintenance
Agreement which were not recoverable from the Region of Waterloo;
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Fringe benefit costs (primarily vacation liability funding) were $0.673 million in excess of
budget; and
Gapping and efficiency recoveries were below budget by $0.38 million.
These negative variances were somewhat offset by the following:
Investment income exceeded budget by $1.1 million as a result of larger general fund
balances and modest increased yields in the short-term portfolio throughout the first part
of 2008; and
Cost containment initiatives in the first quarter of 2008 due to several major snow events
which were forecast to result in an operating deficit.
Building Enterprise (Schedule 2)
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2008 the net revenue in the enterprise was $0.4
million. Any net revenue from the operating fund is transferred to the Building Enterprise
Reserve Fund which funds Building Enterprise capital projects as well as any potential future
deficits in the operating fund resulting from cyclical economic downturns. This year’s net
revenue was very close to budget, primarily as a result lower revenue offset by the delayed hire
of additional building inspectors due to the economic downturn.
Golf Courses (Schedules 3 and 4)
Doon Valley and Rockway Golf Courses fell short of their budget targets for 2008 on a
consolidated basis by approximately $75,000. Course revenue at both courses was negatively
affected by poor weather conditions in April and a wet golfing season. Despite the negative
variance, Rockway continued to make progress towards to paying down the accumulated deficit
related to previous capital investments.
Water Utility and Sanitary Sewer Utility (Schedules 5 and 6)
The Water Utility fell short of budget projections by approximately $511,000, primarily due to
significant rainfall experienced in the summer which resulted in lower water sales. The
operating deficit in the Sanitary Sewer Utility was $1.972 million higher than the amount
budgeted and is attributed to the following:
The water consumption forecast was not achieved during the year, reducing surcharge
revenue in the Sanitary Sewer Utility; and
Increased inflow and infiltration due to high precipitation levels led to an increase in the
cost of sewage processing from the Region of Waterloo.
Gas Utility (Schedule 7)
Gas Delivery and Other Programs posted a positive variance of approximately $1.2 million
despite a decline in margin percentage. The Supply Program posted a negative variance of
approximately $1.5 million, primarily due to increases in commodity costs beyond forecast
amounts.
Gas Delivery and Supply expenses have been revised on a retroactive basis to correct the
accounting for fuel gas (Delivery) and the year-end accrual for unbilled gas deliveries (Supply).
For Gas Delivery, this revision results in a decline in the transfer to the Gas Capital Investment
Reserve Fund in 2008 and, for Gas Supply, the adjustment will be recovered through future
Supply rates.
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Investment Report (Schedule 8)
During 2008, $3.46 million of interest income was earned for the operating fund. The City is
compliant with the requirements of the Investment Policy for both the short-term and long-term
portfolios.
Taxes Receivable (Schedule 9)
Taxes receivable of $20.7 million at December 31, 2008 was approximately $1.9 million higher
than the 2007 year-end balance
Major Capital Projects
The summary of major capital projects budgeted in excess of $2 million will be reported in
conjunction with the 2009 interim reporting cycle.
2009 Deficit Mitigation
In common with other municipalities, the current economic downturn is forecast to have a
financial impact on the Corporation of the City of Kitchener. Some of the components that are
expected to have a substantial impact on the city’s budget in 2009 include reduced investment
income, below-target supplementary tax revenue and higher tax write offs and rebates. In
addition, the City is forecasting increased winter control costs as a result of activity in the first
part of 2009. Of these factors, reduced investment income is anticipated to be the single largest
source of negative variance. While the extent of the deficit for 2009 is not known, it is estimated
that it could be similar to the level experienced in 2008.
Immediate action to address this situation is contemplated as follows:
The Senior Leadership Team recently implemented a series of temporary policies which
are intended as guidelines for decision-making in day-to-day work with the goal of
reducing expenses. They cover areas of controllable spending including staff training
and conferences, meeting and meal expenses, memberships and subscriptions,
overtime and on-call, and advertising, publicity, promotions and printing.
A review of existing capital balances will be undertaken in the near future to identify the
potential to close out unexpended capital balances to the Tax Stabilization Reserve
Fund. Normally these funds would be transferred to the capital pool to fund new capital
projects.
Staff will commence the development of a long-term financial plan to position the City to
respond to the budgetary challenges highlighted by current economic conditions.
These policies and the spending that they affect will be monitored on an ongoing basis by the
City’s Senior Leadership Team to ensure that the corporation is achieving savings in these
areas.Additionally, each division will be investigating all possible cost savings ideas in their
respective area and expenditure control will be a standing item on their staff meeting agendas
over the coming months. Staff will also conduct a more frequent review of their operating
results on an ongoing basis in addition to the interim reporting cycles of May, August and
December in order to monitor and amend discretionary spending where appropriate.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Financial implications are discussed above and detailed in the attached schedules. All amounts
are unaudited and may be subject to adjustment through the audit process.
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COMMUNICATIONS:
Year-end financial information will be provided to citizens through the Annual Report and “Your
Kitchener” subsequent to the release of the audited financial statements in June.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Dan Chapman (General Manager of Financial Services and City
Treasurer)
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Appendix A
Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund
ctual
A
200820092010201120122013
Balance, beginning of year4,7453,938612(880)(1,930)(2,474)
Interest21411818(26)(58)(74)
Transfer from Working Capital Reserve4,705
Transfer from Capital Surplus852
Operating surplus (deficit)(2,457)
Transfer to operating (2,434)(1,997)(1,510)(1,023)(487)0
Investment Income Shortfall(1,447)
Fire collective agreement(1,687)
Balance, end of year3,938612(880)(1,930)(2,474)(2,548)
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