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October 10, 2023
<br />
<br />Next Steps Following Council Action:
<br />
<br /> The Finance Departments for the City and Schools will complete the necessary
<br />budget adjustments.
<br />
<br />Motion by Mr. Barnes, and seconded by Dr. Whitaker, to adopt the following
<br />ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote:
<br />
<br />“ORDINANCE TO RE-APPROPRIATE UNEXPENDED FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF
<br />$7,875,856 FROM THE FY 2023 PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS GENERAL FUND
<br />BUDGET TO THE FY 2024 PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS GENERAL FUND
<br />BUDGET.”
<br />
<br />
<br />Ayes: Barnes, Hugel, Lucas-Burke, Moody, Tillage, Whitaker, Glover
<br />Nays: None
<br />
<br />23 - 328 - Adoption of an ordinance accepting the return of unexpended funding
<br />from the FY 2023 PPS General Fund Budget in the amount of $9,000,000 and
<br />appropriating all of said funds to the FY 2024 City General Fund Budget and
<br />transferring them to the School Projects category of the FY 2024 City Capital
<br />Improvement Fund Budget.
<br />
<br />Background:
<br />
<br /> Portsmouth Public Schools identified $11,175,499 in funding that was appropriated
<br />to the FY 2023 PPS General Fund budget but not encumbered prior to July 1, 2023.
<br />
<br /> By letter to the Interim City Manager dated September 21, 2023, Superintendent
<br />Bracy requested that $2,175,499 of this total be reappropriated to PPS to provide an
<br />employee retention bonus. In accordance with this request, a separate ordinance is being
<br />presented for Council consideration to appropriate this amount to the FY 2024 PPS
<br />General Fund for the said bonuses. The same ordinance appropriates an additional
<br />$5,700,361 in encumbered but unexpended funds to the FY 2024 PPS General Fund for
<br />a total of $7,875,856.
<br />
<br /> In addition, the Superintendent requested that Council authorize the use of the
<br />remaining $9,000,000 of the unencumbered $11,175,499 to convert the DAC Center to a
<br />CTE Center.
<br />
<br />Discussion:
<br />
<br /> City policy is to appropriate funding for school capital projects into the City Capital
<br />
<br />Improvement Fund budget.
<br />
<br /> City staff does not object to the provision of the $9,000,000 for school capital
<br />projects, but believes a portion of the money would be better used for existing or planned
<br />PPS projects that are not fully funded, to include some combination of: Waters Middle
<br />School Chiller Replacement, Manor High School Chiller Replacement, Cradock Middle
<br />School HVAC Upgrades, Churchland Middle School HVAC Upgrades, Douglas Park
<br />Elementary School HVAC Upgrades, Waters Middle School Door and Window
<br />Replacement, Hodges Manor Elementary School Roof Replacement, Churchland
<br />Academy Roof Replacement, SH Clarke Parking Lot Expansion, Waters Middle School
<br />
<br />ADA Bathroom Renovations, and Cradock Middle School ADA Bathroom Renovations.
<br />
<br /> At the September 26, 2023 City Council meeting, Council requested by consensus
<br />th
<br />that the October 10 agenda include an ordinance appropriating the unencumbered
<br />
<br />$9,000,000 for the CTE Center.
<br />
<br /> Accordingly, the ordinance presented for Council consideration appropriates the
<br />$9,000,000 to the City CIP for the CTE Center. However, a substitute ordinance
<br />appropriating the funding for the alternative projects listed above instead of the CTE
<br />
<br />Center will be available should Council determine that is how it desires to proceed.
<br />
<br />Financial Impact:
<br />
<br /> Funding in the amount of $9,000,000 will be appropriated for school capital
<br />projects.
<br />
<br />Staff Recommends:
<br />
<br />
<br /> Adoption of the ordinance.
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