ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT Date: July 14, 1995 TO: Vancouver City Council FROM: General Manager, Corporate Services SUBJECT: 1995 Operating Budget - June Budget Review RECOMMENDATION THAT Council approve the adjustments to the 1995 Operating Budget as proposed in this report. GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS The General Manager of Corporate Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing. COUNCIL POLICY Council has instructed the Director of Finance to report on the status of the City's Operating Budget as of June 30 and September 30 of each budget year. PURPOSE In accordance with Council s standing instructions, the following report reviews the status of the 1995 Operating Budget as of June 30, 1995. DISCUSSION The intent of June Budget Review is to generally focus on budget adjustments that are necessary because of factors external to departmental budgets which have arisen since the Operating Budget was approved in May. Departments are expected to operate within their budget allocations approved by Council and, where specific funding problems arise, are expected to find the means to address them within those budgets. In cases where alternative means of addressing these problems have been exhausted, adjustments are normally referred to Council at September Budget Review.Finance staff have reviewed the 1995 Operating Budget and have identified no significant items that require action at this time, with the exception of the recommendation related to Contingency Reserve discussed below. We will continue to monitor departmental activities leading to the September Budget Review. CONTINGENCY RESERVE FUNDING The Operating Budget provided a general provision in Contingency Reserve of $1,082,100, which is lower than the amount provided in previous budget years. To date, the combination of approvals by the City Manager ($32,700) and by City Council ($811,300) has reduced the available funding to $238,100. In addition, there are outstanding and pending items totalling $361,000 which represent potential draws against this balance. Several of these pending items will be before Council prior to the September Budget Review, which is the next opportunity to add funding to Contingency Reserve. It is possible at this time to supplement the general provision in Contingency Reserve by $298,600. This funding has become available since the Operating Budget was approved and represents additional revenue in the form of receipts-in-lieu of taxes from BC Gas Inc. under Section 398 of the Vancouver Charter. Addition of these funds to Contingency Reserve will ensure that funding is available to deal with pending and emergent items over the next several months. * * * * *