At the June 4 City Council meeting the City Council adopted a balanced 2007-2008 Operating Budget. Belvedere continues to be in the enviable position of self-reliance. We do not rely exclusively on Federal, State, or other non-local revenue sources to provide high-quality services to the community. We do not face budget deficits that would force us to consider tax increases or reductions in services. We consistently budget revenues conservatively and expenditures prudently. We do so while still providing services at the highest and best level.

The 2007-08 Budget is balanced without any significant changes to fees, assessments, or taxes. During Fiscal Year 2007-08, we will receive General Fund revenues totaling more than $4.3 million and will expend $3.79 million in General Fund expenditures. This leaves a projected year-end positive balance of $3.35 million (after transfers to other funds). In terms of total revenue projected for all Funds, we estimate $6.8 million. Total expenditures for all funds are projected at $7.3 million.

It is anticipated that the General Fund will generate an estimated $4.3 million in current year revenues. This amount is approximately $100,000 less than the estimated actual revenues that will be received by the end of FY 2006-07 and $358,000 more than the FY 2006-07 approved budget. The decrease in General Fund revenue predictions is directly related to the conservative estimating of revenues from Planning & Building Penalties. Staff consistently takes a conservative approach to estimating these types of revenues as it is often difficult to predict the level of construction activity and commercial sales. Additionally, the City routinely receives unanticipated revenues related to the Educational Reimbursement Augmentation Fund (ERAF) and Vehicle License Fee (VLF) shifts at the State level. Staff does not budget for unpredictable ERAF revenues and other State budgetary allocations, reversals, and/or revenue exchanges. These are unpredictable revenue sources that are dependent on State budget action. However, it is important to note that for ERAF, we received $270,000 in 2004-05, $240,000 in 2005-06, and $265,000 in 2006-07. The potential exists for it to be received again in the 2007-08 year and receipt will leave the City in a more positive fiscal position at year-end.

Expenditures for the operating departments in the General Fund will increase $283,000 over what we spent last year. The majority of this increase is due to the initiation of a General Plan Update within the Planning & Building Budget. This process will encompass more than one Fiscal Year and will involve the hiring of various consultants to compile data and conduct environmental reviews. Outside of the General Plan Update, departmental budgets will remain relatively flat.

For the Fire Fund, Measure C was passed by the residents in 2004 authorizing the adjustment of the City's appropriations limit for the next four fiscal years in order to allow taxes already approved to be spent on fire protection and emergency medical services. For FY 2007-08, revenue from Measure C is anticipated to generate $603,897, up 4.5% over the prior fiscal year. Without this revenue, the City would be required to expend this amount in addition to the current subsidy from the General Fund Reserve depleting the Reserve fund's current balance in its entirety within 4 years. In 2008, the City will again return to the voters for authorization to extend the appropriations limit adjustment for another 4 years - the maximum amount of time under State law.

Even with this increase, the revenues continue to fall significantly short of what is required to fully fund the cost of services provided by the Tiburon Fire Protection District. The total required budget is $959,593. A General Fund transfer of $355,996 is included in the budget to augment the fund for the year.

For the Capital Improvement Fund, there will be revenues totaling $1.8 million in FY 2007-08. This includes a conservative estimate of Road Impact Fee revenue - $150,000, $400,000 from State Proposition 1B Bond Revenue, and $1,270,000 for San Rafael Avenue & Lower Belvedere Utility Undergrounding Districts. Funding for the Districts come through assessment district bond sales.

Capital Improvement expenditures in FY 2007-08 total $2.48 million. As mentioned above, $1,270,000 will be spent on undergrounding districts. Approximately $508,000 will be spent on various street and road projects to include spot repairs, slurry projects, and other projects as recommended by the Traffic Safety Committee, to include the pavement overlay of San Rafael Avenue. Drainage projects for the coming year total $187,500 and include storm drain repairs at 120 San Rafael Avenue, Hilarita Circle, and Community Road. Park and Open Space projects total $100,500 and include improvements to the slope at Community Park and design for improvements to the San Rafael Avenue Seawall & Pathway. Lane improvements include improvements to the Harry B. Allen Stairs at $30,000. Community Building improvements include repairs/replacement for the Community Center partition; and design phase for renovations to the City Hall Council Chambers. Lastly, 2007-08 expenditures include miscellaneous projects such as preparatory improvements for the County-wide I-NET program, identification/use of a corporate storage facility, and a disaster preparedness and recovery project allocation to be used on an as needed basis ($200,000).

In summary, recommended expenditures total $7.3 million and combined available revenue and fund carryovers total $12.9 million. As the budget is currently proposed, it is anticipated that the General Fund balance at the end of FY 2007-08 will total $3.4 million. At the conclusion of Fiscal Year 2007-08, the Capital Improvement Fund balance will be stable at $1.9 million with $876,408 earmarked for street and road improvements through the Road Impact Fee. We are allocating $488,000 of Road Impact Fees toward 2007-08 projects.

Each year, City staff attempts to develop a budget that balances community priorities, identified revenue sources, and fiscal conservativeness to ensure that the City's fiscal independence continues. Key staff members consistently provide the input necessary to develop a successful budget. These staff members include, City Engineer/Assistant City Manager Bob Branz, Police Chief Mark Campbell, Planning Manager Pierce Macdonald, Building Official Lee Braun, Public Works Superintendent Scott Derdenger, and Deputy City Clerk Leslie Carpentiers. Special recognition is always due to Finance Office Becky Eastman who coordinates a very successful budget process. Belvedere is fortunate to have such professional and dedicated staff all of whom recognize the uniqueness of the community and feel as strong about preserving Belvedere as someone who has lived here all their life.

Click below to download a flyer for Bob Branz's Retirement Party! The event will be held at the SFYC on Wednesday, June 13 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The cost is $30 per person - Please RSVP by June 7 to 435-8908.

This year is the 10th season of the Concerts-in-the-Park. In the past nine years, over thirty concerts have entertained residents of the Tiburon Peninsula. Concert programs would not have been possible without the generous financial support of the community, the Belvedere Community Foundation, the William and Gretchen Kimball Fund, local businesses, and the City.

The 2007 Summer Series has been set and will culminate with a spectacular concert event in conjunction with the annual Labor Day Parade on Sunday, September 2. Concerts are held on Sunday afternoons from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The following is a schedule of events for the 2007 Summer Series:

• Sunday, June 17 - West African Highlife Band
• Sunday, July 15 - Natural Gas Jazz Band
• Sunday, August 5 - San Francisco Adler Fellows Opera
• Sunday, September 2 - Labor Day Special Event Concert

As special thank you goes out to the many volunteers and members of the 2007 Concerts-in-the-Park Committee: Anne Butler, Nancy Cappelloni, Christina Decker, Tina Dewey, Ginny Doyle, Jack Doyle, Roger Felton, Nena Hart, Maureen Johnson, Cissy Kirrane, and Petey Stein.

The Tiburon Classic Car Show is a community celebration of classic and historic automobiles, displayed along the beautiful waterfront park in downtown Tiburon. This year the event will benefit the Belvedere-Tiburon Library as well as other local charities.

Saturday, June 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. come join the fun! The event is FREE and open to the public thanks to the generous sponsorships of The Lodge at Tiburon, Tamalpias Bank, Knight's Hardware, and Questi Romeo. The event is a non-profit event presented by the Tiburon Classic Car Show Committee and the Belvedere-Tiburon Rotary.

After the show there will be an Awards Dinner at The Lodge at Tiburon beginning at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $50 per person. The Guest Speaker is Brian Douglas. Brian is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Marin Motoring. You're invited!

Tuesday, September 11 has been reserved at Stone Tree Golf Club for the Annual Belvedere-Tiburon Open. The 2007 tournament beneficiary will be Belvedere-Tiburon Recreation. Mark your calendar for this great annual event attended by more than 130 Belvedere & Tiburon residents that enjoy golf and supporting local organizations!

Recently there has been some press coverage of the proposed rate increase by Sanitary District No. 5 for Belvedere sewer fees. As many in the community recall, Sanitary District No. 5 annexed Belvedere's sewer system in 2005 under a complex agreement negotiated over several years. At the time of the annexation and pursuant to the agreement, the City transferred $750,000 in sewer fund reserve balances to Sanitary District No. 5 to be used solely for the Belvedere collection system. The City also transferred all rights and responsibility for the sewer lines, easements, infrastructure, and debt.

While there were several prerequisites to the annexation, the two most important items that were fully supported and enjoined by both the District and the City were the Financial Feasibility Study and the Sewer Condition and Inspection Report.

The Bartle Wells & Associates independent April 2004 Financial Feasibility Study examined the City and District finances, the fiscal feasibility of merger, revenue and expenditure projections, and the overall financial feasibility of the annexation. Both the District and the City participated fully in the Study. The Study concluded that from a financial perspective, the annexation of the City's service area into the District was financial sound. Prior to annexation, the City was required to raise the sewer collection rates to a "full cost of operation" cost. The City did so in 2005, in consultation with Sanitary District No. 5, by setting the rate at $890 to fund all operational, maintenance, capital costs, and debt service requirements for the Belvedere Sewer System following annexation to District No. 5. It was determined that initially, the Belvedere System would constitute a "special fee zone" within the larger district to enable it to continue levying a higher sewer service charge. After 5 years, the sewer service charge was to move toward district-wide parity.

The second important item undertaken by the City, in consultation with Sanitary District No. 5, was the Sanitary Sewer System Analysis. The Study was conducted by Harris & Associates, a consultant the District used later for analysis of their own system. The Study conducted a line by line analysis of the City's system. A closed-circuit video camera was used to determine the exact condition of lines. Analysis of pumping stations, trunk lines, collector lines, and other items was completed. The Study produced a summary of current conditions and projected recommendations for improvement. The Study, its results, and the criteria used to evaluate the system were developed by the City and the District. The Study concluded that while there were areas in need of improvement, overall the City's system was in good physical condition. Sanitary District No. 5 was involved in the development of evaluative criteria, review of the results, and had access to all video information prior to annexation.

The City will be responding formally to the District in regard to the proposed rate increase. However, Sanitary District No. 5 is a separate legal entity over which the City does not have regulatory or rate control. The City encourages your participation in regard to the rate increase and encourages your attendance at the Sanitary District Board public hearing to discuss its proposed Belvedere zone rate increase at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6 at Tiburon Town Hall at 1505 Tiburon Blvd.

• June 19 - Planning Commission
• July 9 - City Council Meeting
• July 10 - Parks & Open Space Meeting
• July 17 - Planning Commission

• 6/1 to 6/7 at 314 San Rafael for Debris Box
• 5/31 to 6/7 at 55 Peninsula for Debris Box
• 5/26 to 6/7 at 135 Bayview for Materials
• 6/4 to 6/8 at 125 Belvedere for Debris Box & Generator
• 6/11 to 6/11 at 50 Bella Vista for Pool Plastering Equipment
• 6/18 to 6/24 at 425 Golden Gate for Materials Setup
• 6/1 to 7/26 at 27 Bellevue for Staging

Road Closures coming up in the coming week(s) include:

• None Planned