Page 139 - City of Watauga FY22 Adopted Budget

BUDGET-OVERVIEW

This fund was created in FY2017-2018 to comply with SB1087 and to account for a 1%
PEG (public, educational or governmental) fee received from Cable Providers operating
in the City. Revenue estimates are conservative. Fees are estimated to be $30,000 for
FY2021-2022. Expenditures are budgeted at $36,000 this fiscal year for capital projects.
Expenditures can only be spent on capital items for the local access channel as described
by federal law. Estimated ending fund balance is $73,152.

Municipal Court Revenue Funds

Revenues for the Security Fund, Technology Fund, Truancy Prevention, and Jury Fund
come from a $4.90, $4.00, $5.00, and $0.10 fee, respectively, on each citation for which
there is a conviction. Thus, as citations fluctuate up or down, these revenues are
increased or decreased. For FY2021-2022, forecasted revenues are $49,200 for all of
these funds combined.

For each municipal court fund, funds can be used for only specific purposes that are
outlined under the provisions of the Code of Criminal procedures or changes under
Senate Bill 346. Expenses are for technology improvements for the Court office, a portion
of the Juvenile Case Manager salary and upgraded ticket writers. The total budget for
this year is $50,580, leaving combined fund balances of $235,449.

Traffic Safety Fund

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In June 2019, legislation passed by the 86 Texas Legislature (House Bill 1631) affected
cities that have automatic photographic enforcement programs. The City’s contract was
terminated June 1, 2019 when the law to ban photo enforcement programs became
effective. In FY2020-2021, the City used the remaining fund reserve balance to fund the
traffic safety program and expenses in the amount of $350,000 were incorporated into
the General Fund budget this budget year. The Birdville Independent School District and
Keller Independent School District will cover the school crossing guard program in
FY2021 and beyond.

Grant Funds

In FY2019-2020, the City received a Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response
(SAFER) Grant Award that provides for 75% funding of six Fire/EMS positions for the first
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2 years of the grant, and 35% of funding for the 3 year of the grant. The SAFER Grant
Fund, is estimated to recognize $271,000 in revenues and expenditures this fiscal year.
In February 2022, the grant funding reduces to 35%, thus increasing the general fund
portion of funding for these positions.

The City received a CARES Act Grant for reimbursement of COVID-19 response
expenditures in the amount of $1,307,350 that was expended in fiscal years 2019-2020
and 2020-2021. The City earned and expended all of the funds by December 31, 2020,
as outlined in the CARES Act funding guidelines.

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