gainesville citizen’s report · in gainesville. their effort culminated with the city...
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Gainesville Citizen’s Report T H E D E F I N I N G M O M E N T
Table of Contents About This Report
This report was prepared by the Communications Office to inform
residents about the City of Gainesville, its operations, services,
programs and financial condition. It is suitable for readers that prefer
an overview or summary of city government activities. The following
pages provide brief descriptive information about your government’s
organizational structure and how that structure relates to the
services provided to Gainesville’s residents. We hope this report will
give you a better understanding of the services provided by the city,
its accomplishments and its overall financial condition. We welcome
your comments and suggestions for improving this report.
Photography
Photographers of varying experience levels participated in the
Seventh Annual Gainesville Photography Contest. Pictures that were
submitted express the growth and vitality of Gainesville as a special
place to live, work and play; photos that depict Gainesville’s physical
and natural beauty. We are pleased to present some of the photos
throughout this report, including the grand prize winner, “Rainy Night
in Gainesville,” by Farol Tomson (shown at left). This photograph
and the other finalists will be on display at City Hall in early 2016.
Additionally, the 2016 printable calendar containing all finalists
can be found on our website at www.cityofgainesville.org. Other
photography contest entries are shown and noted throughout this
report. Other photographs within this report that were not part of
the photography contest were taken by various city staff.
Letter from the City Manager
Letter from the Mayor
Your City, Your Government
Charter Officers
Cost-Effective Governance
Economic Development and Redevelopment
Human Potential
Infrastructure and Transportation
Public Safety
Quality of Life
Financial Information
Advisory Boards and Committees
Contacting the City
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9
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25
27
31
39
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T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
Hello Everyone—
This space is traditionally reserved for the City Manager to share past year successes and offer a preview of the year ahead. I’d like to tell you a story instead. It is about one of many instances that prompted movement from status quo to bold thinking in Gainesville’s city government.
A driver parks a car and attempts to pay the parking meter, but there’s a problem. The meter accepts the payment, but doesn’t work. No problem. The driver decides to call the responsible city agency on a smartphone, but there’s another problem. There is no contact information for the agency on the parking meter. With no way to report the broken meter, and now late for a meeting, the driver leaves the vehicle hoping to return before being ticketed or worse. Great--another satisfied customer of the City of Gainesville, right?
Everyday scenarios similar to the one I just shared play out, perhaps in hundreds of different permutations, but too often ending in frustration with the way public services are delivered to individual citizens. What can we do to reduce frustrating encounters with a city government that is supposed to improve our daily lives?
Frequently they happen because government has not adequately considered the user experience of customers, whether they are trying to report a broken parking meter, apply for a building permit or report a damaged street light. Low quality customer experiences take their toll on municipal government by eroding public confidence and support for needed public services. They hinder opportunities to attract growth and development to our community and ultimately limit our economic competitiveness against peer cities.
In 2015, I was honored to serve as Executive Director for the City of Gainesville’s Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee on Economic Competitiveness (BRACEC) as the committee engaged in a search to answer a single question that has the potential to yield powerful results, “How can Gainesville become more competitive?” The answer is strikingly simple. In 2016 and beyond, Gainesville will design its city government so that it places citizens in the center of everything the city does - all the services we deliver, all the information we collect, all the decisions we make. Ambitious? Yes. Aspirational? Clearly. Attainable? Absolutely!
We are already thinking about ways to shift the organizational culture and mindset to reflect a core value that says this city exists to help its citizens achieve their hopes, dreams and aspirations. It won’t happen overnight, but during the next few weeks, a phased process that includes all city employees will rapid deploy and continue throughout the year as we implement the nine major changes recommended in the BRACEC report.
Please send your comments about this annual report by email to [email protected].
A N T H O N Y L Y O N S
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T H E M A Y O R
Dear Gainesville Citizen,
My fellow City Commissioners and I are pleased to present you with the 2015 Annual Citizen’s Report. George C. Marshall, American General and Nobel Peace Prize Winner said, “Democracy is the most demanding of all forms of government in terms of the energy, imagination, and public spirit required of the individual.” In that same public spirit, this report is sub-mitted to our citizens.
The accomplishments of your city in 2015 are reflected in this report. As you peruse the pages of this report, I hope you will gain a greater appreciation of the expansive array of public services that our dedicated city employees strive to provide daily to our community’s residents and businesses. They have accomplished much good by their past service, but now new chal-lenges and opportunities lie before them as we begin the 2016 calendar.
In last year’s report letter, I pledged, “My commitment is to keep you – the citizen – at the heart of all our policy deci-sions…” In February of last year, I called for the creation of a Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee for Economic Competitive-ness (BRACEC) comprised of 23 community partners and change agents charged with re-imagining economic development in Gainesville. Their effort culminated with the City Commission’s adoption of the final BRACEC report in December 2015. By embracing one very big idea - becoming the most citizen-centric city in the world - the BRACEC report succinctly outlines a nine-point change formula to put you – the citizen – at the heart of all we do. And now begins a defining moment in Gainesville’s history unlike any other!
Our municipal government employees are poised to begin working in concert with citizens, business owners, and commu-nity partners alike to rapidly implement the BRACEC report recommendations. Our goal is not only to uniquely transform the way city government does its business, but more importantly, to put citizens first in all we say and do. The idea is simple and, at the same time, revolutionary.
It is one thing to talk about change as an ideal. It is all-together different to conceive of and implement change in such a way as to turn that ideal into reality. This is the great challenge of this uniquely Gainesville moment! This is the articulation of the energy, imagination and public spirit of which General Marshall spoke.
We are thankful that you have selected our community as your preferred place to live, work and play. I urge you to contin-ue your engagement in this collaborative process of re-imagining what future prosperity in Gainesville will look like. Keep holding us to your highest expectations and we’ll work smarter to fulfill them. That is the way Gainesville maximizes its greatest competitive edge, which remains, the resourcefulness of our citizens!
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he City of Gainesville, Florida is the county seat and the largest city in Alachua County. The city was founded in 1854 and incorporated in 1869. As of September 2015, there are approximately 63.75 square miles of land inside the corporate boundaries of the city. As of August 2015, the city’s population was estimated at 127,955 by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida. Gaines-ville is home to the University of Florida, the state’s leading research institution, and Santa Fe College, a provider of excellent professional and vocational education. Gainesville has one of the largest medical communities in the southeastern United States, and is a center for commerce, art and culture in north central Florida.
Your government has operated under a Commission-Manager form of government since 1927. The City Commission is responsible for enacting the ordinances and resolutions that govern the city. The City Manager, who is appointed by the City Commission, is responsible for the operations and management of all departments of city government, except those controlled by other charter officers. The City Manager implements the policy directives of the City Commission. The current organizational structure is depicted on pages 7-8.
Gainesville provides its residents with a wide variety of municipal services, including police and fire protection, comprehensive land use planning and zoning services, code enforcement and neighborhood improvements. Construction and maintenance of the city’s infrastruc-ture are significant, ongoing services, as well as the planning and oper-ation of the traffic engineering systems. Cultural opportunities, nature trails, parks and recreation improvements (including a championship golf course) help make Gainesville one of the most livable cities in the nation. Gainesville provides refuse removal and recycling services, and
owns and operates a regional transit system that serves the commu-nity, the University of Florida and a portion of Alachua County. The city also provides administrative services to support these activities. These services are accomplished through various departments under the direct supervision and leadership of the City Manager. Gainesville owns and operates regional electric, water, wastewater, natural gas and telecommunication systems. The General Manager of Utilities oversees utility operations.
The city’s financial statements are organized on the basis of funds, each of which is considered a separate accounting entity. Government resources are allocated to, and accounted for, in individual funds. Funds are based upon the purposes for which they are to be spent and the means by which spending activities are controlled. The city’s funds can be divided into three categories: governmental funds, proprietary funds and fiduciary funds. The following pages provide descriptive information about the major services and programs of each city de-partment, as well as an overview of the city’s fund structure and the resources that finance those services and programs.
During fiscal year 2015 (FY15), your City Commission was comprised of six elected commissioners and the elected mayor. Four commis-sioners are elected from single-member districts. The mayor and two at-large commissioners are elected citywide. The City Charter prohibits consecutive service on the City Commission for more than two, three-year terms. A map of the city’s voting districts, as of Sept. 30, 2015, is included on page 6. The City Commission adopts the city’s budget, sets the millage rate and adopts local laws and policies.
Y O u R C I T Y , Y O u R G O v E R N M E N T
he City Commission is ultimately responsible to the residents of Gainesville. The City Commission appoints the city’s six charter offi-cers, whose functions are described on the following pages.
The City Commission previously identified a number of goals at their an-nual strategic planning retreat. Each department has initiatives that help align their department with the City Commission goals. In FY15, your City Commission was committed to the following eight strategic goals:
Y O u R C I T Y , Y O u R G O v E R N M E N T
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• Public Safety,
• Economic Development and Redevelopment,
• Human Potential,
• Governance,
• Infrastructure and Transportation,
• Quality of Life,
• Environment and Energy and
• Community Partnerships.
D I S T R I C T 1
D I S T R I C T 2
D I S T R I C T 3
D I S T R I C T 4
CITY of GAINESVILLE
Voting Districts
Prepared by the Public Works DepartmentMap current as of September 30, 2015
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2
3
4
YOUR CITY COMMISSION
From left: Randy Wells, district 4; Helen Warren, at-large; Craig Carter, district 3; Ed Braddy, mayor; Charles Goston, district 1; Harvey Budd, at-large and Todd Chase, district 2.
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F Y 1 6 A D O P T E D O R G A N I z A T I O N C H A R T
E q u A L O P P O R T u N I T Y D I R E C T O R
G E N E R A L M A N A G E R F O R U T I L I T I E S
C L E R k O F T H E C O M M I S S I O N
C I T Y AT T O R N E Y
C I T Y A u D I T O R
C I T Y M A N A G E R
hires the
G A I N E S V I L L E C I T I z E N S
C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N
elect the
B U D G E T A N D F I N A N C E
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R I S k M A N A G E M E N T
F L E E T M A I N T E N A N C E
C O M M U N I C AT I O N S O F F I C E
F I R E R E S C U E
P A R k S , R E C R E AT I O N
& C U LT U R A L A F F A I R S
P U B L I C W O R k S
A S S I S TA N T C I T Y M A N A G E R
G A I N E S V I L L E P O L I C E
D E P A R T M E N T
A S S I S TA N T C I T Y M A N A G E R
P L A N N I N G & D E v E L O P M E N T
S E R V I C E S
E C O N O M I C D E v E L O P M E N T
& I N N O v AT I O N
F A C I L I T I E S M A N A G E M E N T
N E I G H B O R H O O D I M P R O V E M E N T
H U M A N R E S O U R C E S
A D M I N I S T R AT I V E S E R V I C E S
C O M M u N I T Y R E D E v E L O P M E N T
A G E N C Y
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City Manager
The City Manager is the admin-istrative officer of Gainesville’s city government, responsible for the operation of all departments, except those under the direction of other charter officers. The City Manager’s Office oversees all General Government programs and services; enforces all city laws, ordinances and policies; acts as the purchasing agent for
the city; prepares the budget and performs other duties as assigned by the City Commission. These tasks are accomplished through the selection and supervision of the Assistant City Managers, Administrative Services Direc-tor, Economic Development and Innovation direction, Planning and Development Services Direc-tor and Chief of Police. The two Assistant City Managers oversee assigned operational departments and serve as project managers to specialty teams.
City Attorney
The Office of the City Attorney provides legal counsel to the City Commission, charter offices, all city departments, including Gainesville Regional Utilities, numerous city boards and com-mittees and the Gainesville Com-munity Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to the city in the conduct of its day-to-day business and in the prosecution and defense of legal challenges.
Highlights for FY15
Drafted 79 ordinances and numerous resolutions, including
significant re-writes of existing regulations regarding signs,
towing, availability of alcohol at special events and simulated
gaming establishments.
Worked closely with city staff provide necessary documents to
implement the Empowerment Center project and the reversion of
the U.S. Army Reserve property to the city.
Represented the city in evaluating more than 170 claims and
lawsuits, including the settlement of the city’s cost-recovery claims
against Beazer East, Inc.
Provided legal support to the CRA, including key projects such as
Depot Park, GTEC Redevelopment Plans and the Cade Museum.
C H A R T E R O F F I C E R S & H I G H L I G H T S
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City Auditor
The City Auditor’s Office pro-motes honest, efficient, effective, transparent and fully-accountable government by providing val-ue-added, informationally-rich products to the citizenry, City Commission and city manage-ment. The City Auditor and staff work directly with officials and management to determine areas of the greatest risk in order to apply resources effectively. Highlights for FY15
New City Auditor assumed leadership five months into the fiscal year.
Crafted, obtained approval for and staffed the first Information Technology Auditor position in the
City of Gainesville’s history in order to identify weaknesses and provide information on database
security, application controls and protection of assets.
Implemented an automated solution for voluminous audit work paper documentation. The solution not
only saves a great deal of time and paper resources, but will also tie in with a citywide risk assessment
model being created by the City Auditor’s Office.
Purchased and implemented data analysis software that handles very large sets of data and enables
both high-level and detailed analysis. Pre-written application scripts and analytical tools aid audit
procedures not possible with regular “suite” software applications. Fraud analysis tools are built-in for
ease of use in detecting abnormal patterns of numerical values.
Completed an audit of the Gainesville Regional Utilities invoice approval process for Gainesville
Renewable Energy Center (GREC). Other recommendations were provided to address a lack of
segregation of functions, and fuel purchase oversight issues.
C H A R T E R O F F I C E R S & H I G H L I G H T S
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Clerk of the Commission
The Office of the Clerk of the Commission records meetings, prepares agendas and minutes and provides administrative support to the Mayor and members of the City Commission. The Clerk of the Commission attends all City Commission meetings and serves as parliamentarian during the proceedings. The office maintains the city’s vital records, ordinances and resolutions and is custodian of the city seal. The office also publishes the city’s notice of public meetings, facilitates appointments to the City Commission advisory boards and committees, publishes legal notices, records official documents and provides research for information requests for public records.
The Clerk’s Office continued to administer the Lobbyist Registration Act, which requires lobbyists who communicate with City Commissioners or Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board members to encourage the passage or defeat of any matter presented for a vote before the City Commission or CRA, to register with the office prior to engaging in lobbying. Additionally, the office continued to administer the Domestic Partner Program for the City of Gainesville.
Highlights for FY15
Held community viewing and discussion, with more than 60
attendees, exploring different racial communities and the effect
of social conditions on a population’s health, including how some
communities are improving their lives/health.
Led two study circles via the Dismantling Racism Initiative, where
diverse citizens engaged in conversations regarding race which
resulted in a call to action.
Investigated internal and external complaints of discrimination,
and continued to provide diversity training to the entire City of
Gainesville workforce.
Developed an Affirmative Action Plan targeting recruitment of
minorities and women for employment.
Participated in the “Wheelchaired for a Day” event, where
the former interim Equal Opportunity Director accepted the
“Wheelchaired for a Day” challenge, relying on a wheelchair for
mobility for a 24-hour period.
Conducted the “Dessert & Dialogue” discussion series on interracial
social interactions with more than 30 participants in attendance.
Equal Opportunity Director
The Office of Equal Opportunity ensures equal opportunity/equal access to employment, housing, public accommodations and credit within the Gainesville city limits without regard to an individual’s sex, race, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, color, age, disability or gender identity, and works to ensure the city’s workforce is diverse and well-trained. The Office of Equal Opportunity works to promote equality and opportunity, ensuring all residents, employees and visitors to the City of Gainesville have access to, and are able to enjoy, all that Gainesville has to offer, and investigates discriminatory complaints and sees to the enforcement of equal opportunity laws and policies.
C H A R T E R O F F I C E R S & H I G H L I G H T S
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General Manager for Utilities
The General Manager for Utili-ties is in charge of overseeing the operations of the city’s utilities system, Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU). GRU provides safe, reliable, competitive-ly-priced utility services in an environmentally reliable manner. Currently, GRU provides electric, natural gas, water, wastewater and telecommunications services to more than 93,000 residen-tial and business customers. The GRU Board of Directors is comprised of the Gainesville City Commission, and a portion of GRU’s revenues is transferred to the city’s general fund to support city services such as public safety and parks.
Highlights for FY15
Sweetwater Wetlands Park, a
joint project with the Public
Works Department, opened in
May 2015. The park recycles
treated wastewater to restore
more than 1,300 acres of
wetlands by re-establishing
the natural sheetflow of water
onto Paynes Prairie Preserve
State Park from Sweetwater
Branch. With a 3.5-mile walking
path, the park allows visitors to
walk along the berms that form
the enhancement wetland and
features an outdoor classroom
for educational visits.
Since October, GRU’s Low-
income Energy Efficiency
Program (LEEP) has
provided much-needed home
improvements to 123 customers.
LEEP has met its goals of
reducing energy use, lowering
utility bills for customers and
improving comfort of living
to 1,317 customers since its
inception in 2007.
The South Energy Center (SEC)
was expanded in order to serve
the increased energy demand
in lieu of the construction of
UF Health’s cardiovascular and
neuromedicine towers. The
expansion provides four-eight
MW of power and additional
services to the new facility, all
within the SEC’s existing facility
footprint.
GRU has seen $2.4 million in
savings following actions taken
in connection with the energy
supply contract dispute with
Gainesville Renewable Energy
Center. Following the issuance
of new bonds, GRU customers
will benefit from savings valued
at about $1.7 million. The bond
refund will result in savings of
$780,000 this fiscal year and
additional future savings.
GRUCom Fiber Optic
Communications partnered with
Alachua County government
to provide new computers
with Wi-Fi access to the city’s
Eastside Community Center.
The new digital access will
give students an opportunity
to remain connected as
schools move toward more
computerized learning.
C H A R T E R O F F I C E R S & H I G H L I G H T S
C O S T - E F F E C T I V E G O V E R N A N C E
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Administrative Services
The Administrative Services Department coordinates the strategic planning activities for the City of Gainesville, provides oversight to the departments of Budget & Finance and Risk Management and manages the contractual arrangement with GRU to provide information technology services to General Government.
Highlights for FY15
Coordinated and implemented 311GNV, a web and mobile reporting
system, which allows citizens to identify issues, such as potholes
and graffiti, around the city.
Hosted a telephone town meeting with more than 2,300
participants.
Continued offering ProClub wellness incentives to employees and
retirees and implemented the addition of covered spouses to the
program, helping to control the trajectory of health care costs.
Treated more than 8,700 employees through Employee Health
Services, 950 for acute care through our Nurse Practitioner, and
more than 1,000 through our Injury and Prevention Specialist;
saving approximately $400,000 in external medical costs.
Completed capital improvement projects of items to improve work
space and efficiency.
Communications Office
The Communications Office is responsible for coordinating General Government communications and promotional activities. Responsibilities include information and education programs; broadcast and maintenance of Community 12TV, the local government cable television channel; comprehensive communications activities; management of internal communications programs; content management of the city’s social media pages and main internal and external websites; development of electronic media outreach and public education initiatives.
Highlights for FY15
Provided live meeting broadcast coverage; produced public service
announcements and produced original television programs for
Community 12TV. The office also provided telecasts of event replays
on Community 12TV and online via video Web streaming
technology.
Offered the 16th and 17th sessions of Gainesville 101: City of
Gainesville Citizens’ Academy, registering 67 residents for the
course. The office also teamed up with the School Board of Alachua
County and hosted City Government Week for the ninth consecutive
year, giving 25 fifth graders the opportunity to learn about
Gainesville’s municipal government. Private citizens and the State
Attorney’s Office generously raised money to provide a charter tour
bus for the students and their chaperones.
Maintained the city’s official social media presence, utilizing
websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. The office
continues to increase its social media audience and now reaches
more than 41,000 followers. In FY15, more than one million people
were reached via social media, giving citizens another way to reach
out to city staff and another way to learn about what is happening in
their city.
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Facilities Management
The Facilities Management Department is responsible for administration, repair, maintenance, custodial services, capital projects and construction management services in more than 100 city-owned buildings.
Highlights for FY15
Renovations and repairs
continue on facilities for the
Empowerment Center homeless
shelter, including food service
improvements and equipment,
laundry, restrooms, dormitories,
training space and painting/roof
repairs.
Hurricane protective window
shutters have been installed at
the Senior Recreation Center,
with Phase II continuing in 2016.
Westside Pool storage building
roof was replaced.
Two HVAC units were replaced
at the Hippodrome Theatre.
The department continues to
reduce the city carbon footprint
by installing energy efficiency
upgrades including LED lighting,
high-efficiency HVAC systems
and natural gas heat in many
facilities.
Added hearing aid listening
loops in the City Hall basement
and in the GRACE Marketplace
Chapel, which will assist citizens
using hearing aids.
Collaborated with PRCA to
install an accessible pathway
and signage at the Albert “Ray”
Massey Park (Westside Park),
connecting the parking lot to the
playground and restrooms that
are located on the south side of
the park.
Human Resources
The Human Resources/Organizational Development (HR/OD) Department supports the foundation of the City of Gainesville — the people who serve our citizens, by optimizing the effectiveness of City of Gainesville employees: to recruit, develop and retain talent; to align the workforce with the goals of the City Commission and to implement programs that enhance communication and collaboration between those individuals and departments.
C O S T - E F F E C T I V E G O V E R N A N C E
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Highlights for FY15
Staffing Services processed more than 17,000 applications and
filled 321 positions, including new hires, promotions and transfers.
Staffing Services is currently working to utilize the LEAN approach
to process improvement as they work to reduce the time it takes to
fill vacancies.
Learning and Development continued to manage the second
year of the two-year Emerging Leaders Development Program, a
comprehensive development program that will equip high potential
employees with the skills and knowledge needed to compete for
future leadership opportunities.
The Classification and Compensation Division continued their
support in the testing and implementation of upgrades to the human
resources, payroll and finance systems.
HR Administration/Labor Relations secured agreement with the
Police Benevolent Association (PBA) and International Association
of Firefighters, District Chiefs Unit (IAFF-DC) on new, three-year
labor contracts.
Learning and Development also continued to expand its innovation
efforts by earning a black belt in the LEAN process improvement
methodology.
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Community Redevelopment Agency
The Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) helps un-derserved regions attract private investment through community initia-tives and partnerships, competitive economic development incentives and improved public infrastructure. The CRA targets redevelopment efforts in four core, urban areas (Downtown, Eastside, Fifth Avenue/ Pleasant Street and College Park/University Heights). The CRA is devoted to helping Gainesville achieve its full potential as a vibrant, diverse community.
Highlights for FY15
Began construction on the Bo Diddley Plaza renovation in spring
2015. On-going improvements include installing a gently-trickling
water wall, informational kiosk, green room for performers and a
second café space. The plaza will reopen in March 2016.
Expanded the paint program to include downtown and the Porters
Community. This was due to the program’s success helping
homeowners fix up properties in the Pleasant Street/Fifth Avenue
and Eastside districts. The program encourages residents to refresh
the exterior of their homes and beautify their neighborhoods by
providing applicants with vouchers for up to $500 in painting
supplies.
E C O N O M I C D E v E L O P M E N T & R E D E v E L O P M E N T
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Broke ground on CRA’s Phase II of Depot Park. This phase of
construction is anticipated to take approximately one year—the
32-acre park will open to the public in fall 2016. Anchored by the
rehabilitated historic Depot Building and the planned Cade Museum
for Creativity & Invention, Depot Park will tie together our city’s
past and future. Its football field-sized children’s playground,
bustling restaurants/shops and beautiful nature trails will be a
regional draw and a hallmark for the whole community. The CRA has
also worked on extensive technical studies to catalyze development
in the adjoining Power District.
Progressed on construction planning and design for the future
Heartwood neighborhood near the GTEC master campus. The new
neighborhood will provide attractive, affordable homes and relaxing
community space for families in close proximity to local schools.
Completed construction on the Southwest Fifth Avenue Porters
Community project. The CRA completed construction on a 0.4-
mile sidewalk and eight-foot-tall monuments that showcase the
community’s rich heritage. This project has improved neighborhood
accessibility and connectivity.
Moved forward with construction documents for the A. Quinn Jones
Museum’s interior buildout. This up-and-coming cultural center is
named after the legendary, local educator who led Lincoln High
School to become the second accredited African-American high
school in the state in 1926. This eagerly-awaited educational space
will open to the public in fall 2016.
Double Stranded by Chris Lindamood, finalist in the Seventh Annual Gainesville Photography Contest
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Economic Development and Innovation
The Economic Development and Innovation Department facilitates economic development opportunities citywide, with an emphasis on building the area’s innovation economy. The department coordinates economic development activities with private industry and local part-ners and will direct efforts at the creation/retention of jobs and a broad-ening of the city’s tax base. In addition, the department is tasked with working with other city departments to ensure a transparent, consistent and predictable regulatory regime that is hospitable to the growth and development of private industry.
Highlights for FY15
Provided facilitative assistance to multiple individuals/entities
seeking development approval by the city through the mechanism
of the First-Step Process and GRU project meetings.
Assisted individuals seeking to start a business within the city by
providing technical assistance, referrals to partner small business
development agencies or information regarding the city’s business
licensing process.
Managed relationship with the Florida Institute for the
Commercialization of Public Research in order to assist in growing
Gainesville entities that are not funded via university research
funding.
Worked internally with various city staff and with developer and
agents on a contract for purchasing lot no. 10 and the proposed
development of a mixed-use hotel and conference center.
Worked jointly with the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
on a number of public policy committees, as well as the Council for
Economic Outreach in attracting outside private industry through
City Commission processing of the state’s qualified target industry
(QTI) incentive.
Worked on regulatory reform issues regarding the platforms for
transportation networking companies and food trucks.
E C O N O M I C D E v E L O P M E N T & R E D E v E L O P M E N T
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Planning and
Development Services
Planning and Development Ser-vices is comprised of the Plan-ning and the Building Inspection Departments. Planning is respon-sible for all current and long-range city planning, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Historic Preserva-tion Program. The department works to facilitate urban develop-ment and redevelopment city-wide, while striving to enhance efficiencies, customer service, and our built environment. Building Inspection promotes public safety in construction activities by en-forcing applicable building, elec-trical, plumbing, mechanical, fire prevention and life safety codes citywide. The department also manages the First-Step Develop-ment Assistance Center, which is designed to provide a convenient on-stop location for review of applicable code requirements or prospective projects.
Highlights for FY15
Processed, conducted plan
review for and issued 8,137
building and life safety permits
in fiscal year 2015. The total
valuation of construction
activity permitted within
the city was an impressive
$247,291,705.
Conducted 28,596 field
inspections for compliance
with the Florida Building Code,
NFPA and local ordinances.
Conducted 141 First-Step
development assistance
meetings to coordinate staff,
inform and guide prospective
applicants through the
development process
Facilitated the City
Commission’s adoption of a
comprehensive update to the
city’s Land Development Code,
which has not been updated in
23 years. Many of the review
and approval processes
described within the code will
be streamlined as a part of
this update. At the same time,
the Land Development Code
update will create eight new
zoning districts, called transect
zones, that are designed to
apply within the areas around
downtown Gainesville and the
University of Florida.
Facilitated the City
Commission’s adoption of
the Blue Ribbon Advisory
Committee on Economic
Competitiveness (BRACEC).
The charge of this task
force was to create a more
competitive Gainesville and to
become more citizen-centered.
This initiative is the first in the
nation to address city
government as a whole.
BRACEC has completed
hundreds of hours of interviews,
discovery, research and held
several retreats in search of
the information and resources
needed to complete this
mission. They solicited the
international design firm, IDEO,
to complete an eight week
interactive and collaborative
project that assisted in
information mining, prototyping
design concepts and ultimately
assisted in making final
recommendations based on
their findings.
kicked off a project to
implement a software platform
called Project Dox, to make
the Development and Review
process paperless. Project Dox
will enhance customer service
by allowing the submission
of plans electronically, thus
reducing the amount of
money the customer spends
on printing. It will reduce
the time of the overall plan
review process by eliminating
the step of separating and
delivering plans to other
departments. Most importantly,
the software provides a new
level of communication and
transparency that is a critical
component of internal and
external customer satisfaction.
Housing & Community Development
The Housing and Community Development Division (HCD) provides housing and community development opportunities by providing leadership in the preservation, revitalization and improvement of neighborhoods for the benefit of citizenry of Gainesville. The HCD provides Gainesville with a broad range of programs, such as housing, community development, public services, public infrastructure and neighborhood planning.
Highlights for FY15
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME
Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program funding was awarded
in the amount of $1,850,064 to 23 nonprofit agencies and three
city departments to provide housing programs, code enforcement
services, senior services, youth programs and more.
An average of 3,047 low- to moderate-income persons benefited
from public service programs that provided housing, child abuse
prevention programs, homeless emergency shelter assistance
and more.
Assisted 217 low- to moderate-income households through
the city’s comprehensive housing program, including the
Homeowner Rehabilitation Program, the Down Payment
Assistance Program and the Housing Counseling Program.
The Community Grant Program awarded $110,920 in small grants
to 38 local nonprofit organizations with support services such as
nutritional programs, temporary housing, utility payments, youth
activities and senior programs.
The city continued to collaborate with Alachua County, UF Health,
North Florida Medical Center, St. Francis House and several other
nonprofit organizations to manage the Medical Respite Care
Program for homeless residents. This program is jointly funded by
the City of Gainesville and Alachua County, and allows homeless
persons discharged from the hospital to recover in a safe, sanitary,
restful environment, rather than “on the street.”
In partnership with Alachua County, the Emergency Shelter Services
Program provided $33,653 to assist homeless persons: the Cold
Night Shelter Program provided temporary shelter and other
support services when the temperatures dropped below 45 degrees,
and, during the summer, 212 bottles of insect repellent/sunscreen
were distributed to homeless persons at Dignity Village due to
circumstances that threatened their physical health and welfare.
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H u M A N P O T E N T I A L
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Regional Transit System (RTS)
Highlights for FY15
Opened the silver LEED-certified Corrine Brown Transit Facility
in November 2014. The benefits of the new facility include safety
enhancements, energy-efficiencies, more bus maintenance bays, a
body and paint shop and room for future growth. RTS can expand
its fleet to 200 buses and grow its workforce to 450 people.
The $39 million facility was funded through competitive grant
processes.
Provided more than 10 million passenger trips for the fourth year
in a row. This makes RTS the top transit agency in Florida when
comparing trips to area population.
Secured budgetary funding for a one-year pilot program to
provide holiday service on all major holidays except Thanksgiving
and Christmas Day. Select routes will run between 7:30 a.m. and
5:30 p.m. on holidays, including Black Friday and Christmas Eve.
Began studying alternative fuels and associated costs for its fleet.
This includes compressed natural gas (CNG) and completely
electric buses.
I N F R A S T R U C T U R E & T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
23
Bus Stop Reflection by Donna McCraw, honorable mention in the Seventh Annual Gainesville Photography Contest, and is also on the cover of this report
24
Public Works
The Public Works Department is responsible for all transportation and stormwater services and infrastructure owned by the City of Gainesville. In addition, the department maintains and operates traffic signal infrastructure throughout Alachua County, and is responsible for selected facilities as determined by maintenance agreements with the county and the State of Florida. The department also provides solid waste services and transportation services through the Regional Transit System, the top transit service provider in Florida in ridership per capita, and the Traffic Management System. The department strives for excellence in all areas of service and at all levels of the organization. Currently, several practices and programs are recognized as models including most recently the Clean Water Partnership nominated as a best practice by Sustainable Florida.
Highlights for FY15
Completed the Main Street Streetscape project, replacing failing
concrete sidewalks with decorative brick pavers on Main Street
between South First and Second Avenues and other smaller
locations. The project also included street furniture, bicycle racks,
drainage improvements and Low Impact Development stormwater
treatment.
Completed the rail-trail landscaping project, which included the
planting of about 70 trees and decorative groundcover along
the Sixth Street Rail-Trail between Northwest Fourth Street and
Northwest 16th Avenue.
Completed the Southwest Second Street connection project,
where approximately 250 feet between Depot and Southwest
Sixth Avenues was unpaved, resulting in two dead end streets.
This project connected the streets with a path for pedestrians
and bicyclists. The project will include Low Impact Development
landscaped stormwater treatment basin.
Installed several bike racks throughout the downtown area to
promote accessibility and encourage higher levels of cycling.
Bicycle parking is an essential component in promoting cycling as
an alternative mode of transportation.
Traffic Operations deployed arterial travel time sensors using
Bluetooth technology and color-coded many of the most frequently
traveled arterials in Gainesville, compared it to the speed limit
and historical travel speeds. This tool was initially used to assist
Traffic Management System operators to look at particular areas
of congestion, verify with cameras if there were incidents, and
disseminate information to the public on congested areas. Traffic
Operations made this map public and mobile-friendly, so it may be
used as a pre-trip planning tool to avoid congested areas.
Conducted an evaluation of lighting conditions in areas around
the University of Florida campus, downtown and the Duval
neighborhood. Several corridors were identified for improvement in
areas of high pedestrian activity. The project includes replacement
of existing lights with LED and installation of new LED fixtures
to enhance lighting conditions and safety. The first corridor was
completed in September 2015.
Installed high visibility crosswalks, in conjunction with sidewalk
and ADA improvements, at several locations. Pedestrian-activated
flashing lights were installed along Northeast Eighth Avenue to
enhance visibility and facilitate access to pedestrians.
Completed the Payne’s Prairie Sheetflow Project, which has since
been named Sweetwater Wetlands Park. The initial public facilities
allow daily visits by the public so they can enjoy a brief exposure
to “wild Florida,” and learn about the water treatment process
surrounding them. This first phase of the park demonstrates the City
of Gainesville’s commitment to responsible resource management in
its planning, constructing and outreach for the facility.
25
Gainesville Fire Rescue
This year, Gainesville Fire Rescue’s (GFR) efforts have focused on professional development for emerging leaders in GFR and on recruiting a diverse candidate group for incoming firefighters who will become the next generation of fire service leaders. In addition to responding to emergencies, GFR worked diligently throughout the year to reduce risks to the Gainesville community through fire safety inspections, public education, car seat installations, smoke detector installations, bicycle and pedestrian safety instruction and community safety demonstrations.
Highlights for FY15
Activated the GFR Facebook page in July and implemented a
written comment card for customers without internet access.
Began educating the community about the value of residential fire
sprinkler systems, including a side-by-side live-burn demonstration
of two rooms; one protected by a sprinkler and one not protected.
Developed a mentorship-cadet program to provide professional
guidance for potential firefighter candidates.
Provided more than 21,500 unit responses and reached more than
13,500 children with safety information.
P U B L I C S A F E T Y
Gainesville Police Department
The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) plays a crucial role in maintaining the quality of life that helps secure Gainesville’s reputation as the place to live, work and play in north central Florida. An essential component of GPD’s role is to reduce crime so that city residents, businesses and visitors to our community feel Gainesville is a safe and nurturing environment in which to live and achieve their goals.
Highlights for FY15
Instituted policing with the 3 Cs in mind:
compassion, consistency and constitutional.
GPD protects the community and enforces the
law with compassion. Officers are consistent in
their enforcement efforts; their actions are the
same in every area of the city from east to west
Gainesville. GPD officers and staff enforce the
law, while respecting individual rights granted
under the U.S. Constitution.
Used a three-pronged approach to identify and
reduce gang violence: prevention, intervention
and suppression.
Made changes to policy that requires officer to
issue juvenile civil citations to youth offenders
under most circumstances. The change came
as part of GPD’s continued disproportionate
minority contact (DMC) efforts. If an officer
decides not to issue a citation, they must consult
with a supervisor prior to making a physical
arrest. The policy change is meant to give
officers another enforcement tool instead of
making juvenile arrests, thereby preventing our
young people from entering the criminal justice
system for minor offenses.
Created the Duval Initiative after hearing of
increased violent crime in the eastside Duval
neighborhood. GPD achieved a working
collaboration with the residents living in the
Duval area to help improve the quality of life
and ultimately reduce violent crime in the area.
The initiative is a work in progress that has been
positively received by citizens living in the area.
Unveiled an online reporting system which allows
citizens to complete basic police reports on the
Internet. The online reporting system is used for
minor crimes where limited suspect information
exists and no follow-up is necessary.
Arrested 21 men for soliciting sex from young
teenagers in Operation Panther. GPD’s Internet
Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) led
the week-long operation that used specially
trained detectives with personas of 13-15 year old
girls and boys.
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q u A L I T Y O F L I F E
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department
The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is the keeper and host of the places where nature, recreation and culture meet, offering memorable experiences for all, by providing and maintaining the natural, recreational and cultural facilities and programs that make Gainesville a great place to live, work and visit; and that help sustain the city economically, socially and environmentally. The goal is to make each experience in Gainesville’s parks and facilities as enjoyable as possible so that visitors will come back again and again.
Administration/Support Services Highlights for FY15
Established its own 501(c)(3) non-profit organization as a public
charity and is now eligible to apply for private foundation funding
not available to governmental entities. The new Gainesville Arts &
Parks Foundation (GAP) will help “Bridge the GAP” in funding for
PRCA.
Expanded department-wide marketing efforts in 2015, and
supported almost 100 departmental press releases, designed 722
pieces of marketing materials such as posters, rack cards, fliers, ads
and newsletters, both printed and electronic. The PRCA Web pages
received more than 196,546 hits and reached more than 2,466,262
on the department’s social media sites.
Recruited volunteers who provided 28,569 hours of volunteer
services valued at $578,896.
Nature Operations Highlights for FY15
Hosted more than 310,000 visitors to the city’s nature parks,
including Sweetwater Wetlands Park which opened on the weekends
in May 2015, and began offering public tours each Saturday in July
2015. Sweetwater Wetlands Parks expanded to seven days a week in
October 2015.
Hosted the first annual Great Invader Raider Rally (formerly Great
Air Potato Round-up) in January at 22 sites around the City of
Gainesville, where volunteers removed more than 15,000 pounds of
air potatoes and other invasive, exotic vegetation from Gainesville’s
natural areas and greenways.
Maintained the tree planting program, which included 179 tree
sponsor trees, 465 city-maintained trees and 50 giveaway trees;
planted 479 trees; and celebrated 31 years as a Tree City USA.
Secured the planting of more than 200 mitigation trees for tree
removal permits to replenish Gainesville’s urban forest and paid
$2,750 to the city’s tree mitigation fund.
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Recreation Highlights for FY15
Enhanced community connections to natural and cultural resources
by providing programming led by Environmental Education leaders
to nearly 7,000 citizens.
Provided diversified educational, physical and social programs and
events with Foundations Academy after-school and summer camp
programs to more than 1,000 children in grades 1-8.
Entered into a partnership with the University of Florida Athletic
Association to renovate the diving boards and dive tower at
Westside Pool at no cost to the city.
Experienced all-time high attendance at the three city pools, with
attendance increasing six percent.
Hosted the eighth annual Summer Heatwave Program, a program
designed to educate and develop at-risk youth into positive citizens
and teach them life lessons, using inspirational speakers, hands-on
activities and individual and group discussions.
Raised more than $7,000 for the newly created Andrew Mickle Swim
Scholarship, which provides youth swim lessons in east Gainesville.
Cultural Affairs Highlights for FY15
Developed the 352ArtsRoadmap: A Cultural Plan for Gainesville and
Alachua County, which was adopted by the City Commission in July.
Drew an estimated 80,000 visitors to the 2014 Downtown Festival &
Art Show, which ranked no. 14 on Sunshine Artist Magazine’s “200
Best” list of fine art festivals in the nation.
Hosted 54,000 attendees at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire,
58 percent of which were from outside Alachua County, helping
stimulate the local economy.
Brought in more than 6,000 attendees to Jest Fest! at the historic
Thomas Center to see a number of the world’s great circus-comedy-
variety artists.
Presented a dozen Jewel Box Concerts at the Thomas Center that
featured national and international touring artists of great renown.
Presented 11 featured exhibitions at the Thomas Center Galleries
including The Heart of A Culture: The Santos of Xavier Colón
(featuring the work of Puerto Rico’s Young Artisan of the Year) and the
world premiere of Inside Outside: the spectacular world of mr. eddy.
Launched a prototype urban mural project by Italian urban artist 2501
(Jacopo Ceccerelli) on the :08 Seconds building on University Avenue.
q u A L I T Y O F L I F E
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Code Enforcement
The Code Enforcement Division’s goal is to maintain a safe community and preserve quality of life and property values. The division works to achieve this by gaining voluntary compliance through a process of education, outreach and enforcement. Code enforcement officers can be found throughout the city responding to issues submitted by con-cerned individuals or proactively patrolling neighborhoods.
Highlights for FY15
The City Commission approved the use of a Special Magistrate for
Code Enforcement and Charles “Chip” koval served as the city’s first
Special Magistrate.
Investigated approximately 3,700 violations of the city’s code of
ordinances. Nearly 26 percent of those were identified proactively,
and 71 percent were resolved by voluntary compliance.
Three dangerous buildings were abated, and five properties with
hazardous conditions were remediated.
Participated in the implementation of 311GNV to improve the level
of communication with citizens and Code Enforcement.
Ironwood Golf Course Highlights for FY15
Offered a monthly calendar of specials and various pricing
options, which provided visitor flexibility, and online
registration, which made setting up tee times simple and
convenient.
Brought in two golf boards, which is similar to a surfboard
on wheels that allows golfers to “surf the turf” instead of
riding in a conventional golf cart, for customers to enjoy.
Ironwood Golf Course is the first course in Gainesville to
offer the boards.
Park Operations Highlights for FY15
Performed ADA upgrades to the restrooms at kiwanis
Challenge Park, and completed the installation of a new
accessible pathway at Albert “Ray” Massey Park, connecting
the parking lot to the playground, pavilion and restrooms.
Converted existing walking trails to recycled concrete at
TB McPherson Park, Possum Creek Park and Albert “Ray”
Massey Park.
Installed 30 new waste and recycle stations at Possum Creek
Park, kiwanis Challenge Park, Lincoln Park and Greentree
Park.
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32
F I N A N C I A L I N F O R M A T I O N
Financial Highlights of the Year
At the end of the current fiscal
year, the unassigned fund
balance in the General Fund
was $17,392,965 (figure 1). he financial information presented here is summarized and does not substitute for the city’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The CAFR details the city’s financial position and operating activities for each year in conformity with governmental accounting principles. This report, by its summary nature, is not intended to conform to generally accepted accounting principles and associated reporting standards set forth by applicable governing bodies. Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), a major component of our organization, issues a separate report in compliance with its bond requirements. GRU financial information is not included in this report. The financial information presented in this report also excludes the city’s component units, Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency and Gainesville Enterprise Zone Development Agency.
Certain presentations of financial data also exclude other General Government funds, as described in each schedule or graph. Some statistical information is derived from the city’s Financial and Operating Plan (annual budget). The budget, the Citizen’s Report and the CAFR have received awards for outstanding financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association. The documents are available on the city’s website.
2 0 1 5 2 0 1 4
2.49 1.99
17.40
2.751.49
14.52
N O N S P E N D A B L E
A S S I G N E D
U N A S S I G N E D
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G E N E R A L F U N D - F U N D B A L A N C E as of Sept. 30, 2015 and 2014
(Figure 1)
33
G E N E R A L F U N D - R E V E N U E S & E X P E N D I T U R E S
Revenues by Source:
Taxes:
Real Property, Net
Utility Taxes
Local Telecom Services Tax
Other Taxes
Licenses and Permits
Intergovernmental:
State Revenue Sharing
Half-cent Sales Tax
Other Intergovernmental
Charges for Services:
Fire Assessment
Indirect Costs
Other Charges for Services
Fines and Forfeitures
Miscellaneous Revenues
Transfers from Other Funds:
From Utility
From General Government
Total Revenues
Expenditures by Department:
Neighborhood Improvement
Economic Development
Planning & Development Services
Administrative Services
City Commission
Clerk of the Commission
City Manager
City Auditor
City Attorney
Information Technologies
Budget & Finance
Equal Opportunity
Public Works
Police
Fire
Combined Communications Center
Facilities Management
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs
Human Resources
Risk Management
Communications
Non Departmental
Transfers to Debt Service Funds
Transfers to Other Funds
Total Expenditures
Excess of Revenues
Over/(Under) Expenditures
Fund Balance, Oct. 1
Fund Balance, Sept. 30
$24,472,496
10,172,216
4,199,316
1,864,784
939,582
3,173,629
6,988,460
2,297,919
5,246,708
5,519,915
3,697,998
1,602,358
1,715,303
34,892,425
772,170
$107,555,279
$22,530,748
10,412,699
4,431,329
1,767,215
950,644
2,904,795
6,672,508
2,270,488
5,220,848
5,269,321
3,207,937
1,360,068
1,911,866
37,316,841
546,670
$106,773,977
$1,356,561
178,532
1,489,443
386,555
401,763
612,405
877,083
505,977
1,530,123
2,029,700
2,492,196
582,483
9,367,262
31,737,801
16,377,405
3,871,934
1,991,319
7,288,428
1,200,277
6,697
398,402
3,061,824
9,138,492
7,574,161
104,456,823
3,098,456
18,767,991
$21,866,447
$1,178,341
174,680
1,587,875
375,293
370,560
594,786
908,324
492,393
1,512,396
1,888,717
2,568,277
665,829
9,771,484
31,686,133
17,001,008
4,077,690
1,994,975
6,958,555
1,077,882
6,633
369,204
3,244,494
11,191,798
5,449,122
105,146,449
1,627,528
17,140,463
$18,767,991
20142015 2015 2014
as of Sept. 30, 2015 and 2014
(Table 1)
General Fund revenues exceeded expenditures for
the fiscal year by $3,098,456 (table 1).
The city’s total bonded debt
(excluding debt belonging to GRU)
increased by $8.4 million or 6.6 percent
during the current fiscal year (table 3).
B O N D E D L O N G - T E R M L I A B I L I T I E S - G E N E R A L G O v E R N M E N T
as of Sept. 30, 2015 and 2014
G E N E R A L F U N D - B A L A N C E S H E E T as of Sept. 30, 2015 and 2014
2015 2014Assets
Cash and Investments $20,183,407 $7,964,073
Other Assets 8,929,741 14,849,826
Total Assets 29,113,148 22,813,899
Liabilities
Accounts Payable & Accrued Payroll 1,866,772 3,123,974
Other Liabilities 5,379,929 921,934
Total Liabilities 7,246,701 4,045,908
Fund Balance
Nonspendable
Inventories 47,637 13,250
Long-term Receivables
LifeQuest and PC Loans 98,254 162,974
CRA Notes 2,341,677 2,577,274
Assigned 1,985,914 1,494,098
Unassigned 17,392,965 14,520,395
Total Fund Balance $21,866,447 $18,767,991
(Table 2)
34
(Table 3)
2015 2014
Increase
(Decrease)
Governmental Activities:
Revenue Bonds $57,332,220 $47,307,220 $10,025,000
Pension Obligation Bonds 77,579,156 79,230,933 (1,651,777)
Governmental Activity Bonded Long-Term Liabilities $134,911,376 $126,538,153
$8,373,223
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C U R R E N T & C A P I T A L A S S E T S
Current Assets are highly liquid and include cash, investments, inventories and receivables.
Capital Assets (table 4 and figure 2) are the city’s long-term investments in land, buildings, equipment, improvements, infrastructure and construction in progress. The stated values represent the original cost less an amount for accumulated depreciation. While current assets are available to finance regular city operations, capital assets are not.
Governmental Activities Business-type Activities * Total
2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014
Land $32,972,163 $32,906,986 $7,314,253 $7,279,223 $40,286,416 $40,186,209
Buildings 49,724,024 51,649,358 40,491,247 5,953,583 90,215,271 57,602,941
Improvements 9,300,729 9,454,893 1,908,238 2,001,636 11,208,967 11,456,529
Machinery and Equipment 13,724,690 10,961,495 18,635,355 18,090,331 32,360,045 29,051,826
Infrastructure 77,104,401 78,021,991 22,117,519 11,891,638 99,221,920 89,913,629
Construction in Progress 26,200,936 27,499,708 5,324,213 48,123,679 31,525,149 75,623,387
Total $209,026,943 $210,494,431 $95,790,825 $93,340,090 $304,817,768 $303,834,521
G E N E R A L G O V E R N M E N T C A P I T A L A S S E T S *
as of Sept. 30, 2015 and 2014 (Net Depreciation) *excluding GRU
Financial Reporting
This financial summary and
history is based upon a
condensed view of the city’s
assets and liabilities for only
the General Fund of the city at
a specific point in time, Sept.
30, 2015, which was the end of
the city’s fiscal year (table 2).
(Table 4)
(Figure 2)
Buildings
90.2 M
Improvements
11.2 M
Machinery & Equipment
32.4 M
Infrastructure
99.2 M
Infrastructure
31.5 M
Land
40.2 M
Economic Outlook
The economic landscape in Gainesville continues to be dominated by the government sector. Many jobs in Gainesville are provided by federal, state or local government. This reliance on jobs from outside the private sector tends to modify Gainesville’s reaction to external economic stimuli, such that the local economy grows less rapidly than others during boom periods, but also suffers less during economic declines. The unemployment rate has decreased to 4.5 percent as of September 2015. This rate is lower than the state’s unemployment rate of 5.2 percent at the same point in time.
Governmental Funds
Governmental Funds are accounting segregations of city activities that are budgetarily oriented and not business-type activities. The following are the city’s governmental fund types.
The General Fund reflects the majority of the financial activity of departments within city government. Taxes, user fees and transfers from other city departments (including GRU) make up the majority of funding sources.
Special Revenue Funds are used to account for specific revenue sources that are restricted to expenditures for specified purposes. The sources of these funds include federal and state grants. These monies are normally spent over an extended period of time and are reflected on the financial statements until the programs are completed.
Debt Service Funds are used to account for receipt and payment of general long-term debt proceeds, principal and interest. The city typically issues bonds in order to finance capital projects.
Capital Projects Funds account for financial resources to be used for the acquisition or construction of major facilities or improvements (figure 3). Capital projects are projects which include the installation, construction or major repair and maintenance of the city’s infrastructure. These can include construction, buildings (fire stations, operation centers, etc.), parks, drainage improvements, paving new streets, resurfacing paved streets, sidewalk installation and more, typically costing $25,000 or more. The sources of these funds are usually General Fund transfers, gas tax, federal and state grants and debt issues. The city maintains a five-year Capital Improvement Plan, which was adopted by the City Commission for 2013 through 2017.
Equipment & Computers
2.9 M
36
E C O N O M I C O U T L O O k & F U N D S
Roads & Drainage
5.4 M
Recreation Facilities & Equipment
1.6 M
New Construction & Renovations
0.8 M
C A P I T A L P R O J E C T S - F I S C A L Y E A R 2 0 1 5
General Government Expenditures in Capital Projects Funds
(Figure 3)
37
Fiduciary Funds
Fiduciary Funds are used to account for resources held for the benefit of parties outside the government. These funds are not available as sources for the city’s own programs. The city’s fiduciary fund type includes Pension, Disability and Other Post Employment Benefit (OPEB) Trust Funds. The trust fund net assets totaled just over $587.5 million on Sept. 30, 2015. They experienced decreases in net assets during FY15 due to a slight market down turn at the end of the fiscal year.
Debt Administration
The city’s required principal and interest payments on outstanding debt were remitted timely and in full during fiscal year 2015. The city’s total bonded long-term liabilities at the end of the current fiscal year were $134.9 million, which excludes all debt belonging to the utility (table 3). The city has approximately $6.5 million of this debt due during FY16.
Component units
The Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency and the Gainesville Enterprise Zone Development Agency were created by ordinance of the city to carry out community redevelopment within the city of Gainesville. The City Commission appoints the boards of these organizations and approves their budgets. The Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency’s purpose is to correct blighting influences through construction of enhancements to public places and land. Improving derelict buildings helps to create an environment conducive to private investment. The Gainesville Enterprise Zone Development Agency targets areas for economic revitalization. It offers financial incentives to businesses to encourage private investment and to increase employment opportunity for the areas’ residents. Three non-contiguous business districts within the City of Gainesville make up the zone.
Proprietary Funds
Proprietary Funds are used to account for the government’s ongoing organizations and activities that are similar to those often found in the private sector. They are divided into two main categories: Enterprise and Internal Services.
Enterprise Funds are self-supporting activities that provide service to the public on a user-charge basis. They are financed and operated in the same way private businesses operate. The mission of these entities is to provide goods and/or services to the public, while covering the cost of operations. Any profits are invested back into the entity for capital maintenance and acquisition.
Internal Service Funds are used to give an accounting for activities provided by one governmental fund to other governmental funds. The charges for those services are designed for cost recovery only.
F U N D S
38
20.5
23.3 23.1 23.225.0
23.122.1 22.4
24.5 24.5
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
25
20
15
10
5
0
4.93554.8509
4.2544 4.25444.3936
4.2544 4.25444.4946 4.578 4.5079
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
5
4
3
2
1
0
MI
LL
AG
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AT
ES
$ M
IL
LI
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S
P R O P E R T Y T A X R E V E N U E & M I L L A G E R A T E T R E N D S
39
Advisory Boards and Committees
City of Gainesville Advisory Boards and Committees: The boards are comprised of citizens with an interest, or expertise, in a specific issue or program. They advise and are appointed by the Gainesville City Commission. Volunteering countless hours, the diverse citizenry of our Citizen Advisory Boards and Committees provide valued input, insight and assistance to staff and the City Commission in addressing important issues to our city. The following is a listing of current Citi-zen Advisory Boards and Committees. You can learn about the duties of these boards and committees, as well as any current openings, on our website.
Art in Public Places Trust (5 members: 3 city, 2 county)
Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Board (12 members: 4 city, 4 county, 4 MTPO)
Board of Adjustment (5 members: City residency required)
Board of Trustees of the Consolidated Police Officers’ and Firefighters’ Retirement Plan (5 members: City residency required for the two appointed by the City Commission)
Citizens’ Advisory Committee for Community Development (15 members)
City Beautification Board (15 members)
City Plan Board (7 members: City residency required)
Development Review Board (7 members: City residency required)
Fire Safety Board of Adjustment (5 members)
Gainesville Energy Advisory Committee (9 members)
Gainesville Enterprise zone Development Agency (8 members)
Gainesville Housing Authority (5 members)
Gainesville Human Rights Board (7 members: City residency required)
Gainesville/Alachua County Cultural Affairs Board(15 members: 10 city, 5 county)
Gainesville/Alachua County Regional Airport Authority (9 members 5 city, 1 county, 3 governor)
Historic Preservation Board(9 members: City residency required)
Nature Centers Commission(12 members)
Pension Review Committee(5 members: Successful investment and advisory experience required)
Public Recreation and Parks Board(9 members)
A D V I S O R Y B O A R D S
40
Regional Transit System Advisory Board(9 members: 6 city, 3 county. City residency required for city appointees)
State Housing Initiatives Partnership (11 members: City residency required) Student Community Relations Advisory Board (7 members: City residency required)
Tree Advisory Board (5 members)
Tree Board of Appeals (3 members)
Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Citizen Advisory Boards:
To the extent possible, members of each redevelopment advisory board should reside or work in the area. Members are appointed by the Community Redevelopment Agency board.
College Park/University Heights Redevelopment Advisory Board (9 members)
Downtown Redevelopment Advisory Board (7 members)
Eastside Redevelopment Advisory Board (7 members)
Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street Redevelopment Advisory Board (7 members)
A D V I S O R Y B O A R D S
41
If you would like more
information about city services,
please contact the appropriate
department. For numbers not
listed, please call the city’s
main line at 352-334-5000 or
visit www.cityofgainesville.org.
Persons with disabilities
who require assistance to
participate in City Commission
meetings should notify the
Equal Opportunity Office at
334-5051 or call the TDD line at
334-2069 at least 48 hours in
advance.
Assistant City Managers
334-5010
Budget & Finance
334-5054
Building Inspection
Department
334-5050
City Attorney
334-5011
City Auditor
334-5020
City Commission
334-5016
City Manager
334-5010
Clerk of the Commission
334-5015
Code Enforcement
334-5030
Communications Office
334-5017
Community Redevelopment
Agency
334-2205
www.gainesvillecra.com
Economic Development
& Innovation
393-8614
Fire Rescue
334-5078
Gainesville Regional Utilities
334-3400
www.gru.com
Housing & Community
Development
334-5026
Human Resources
334-5077
Ironwood Golf Course
334-3120
Office of Equal Opportunity
334-5051
Parks, Recreation
& Cultural Affairs
334-5067
Planning Department
334-5023
Police Department
334-2400
www.gainesvillepd.org
Public Works
334-5070
Regional Transit System
334-2600
www.go-rts.com
Solid Waste
334-2330
Traffic Operations
393-8155
C O N T A C T I N G T H E C I T Y O F G A I N E S V I L L E
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Communications OfficePO Box 490, Box 6
Gainesville, FL 32627
www.cityofgainesville.org