Fiscal Note
On March 23, 2020, the Mayor issued an Emergency Proclamation based on the increasing transmission of the COVID-19 disease within the City of Madison. To help agencies respond rapidly to this emergency through reallocation of budget authority to areas of greatest need, the proposed resolution increases the threshold for transfers between major objects of expenditure and capital projects from $5,000 under the current budget resolution language to $50,000 for operating budget transfers and $250,000 for capital budget transfers. The proposed resolution maintains the current procedure that authorizes the Finance Director to make intra-department transfers and the Mayor to make inter-department transfers.
This resolution will not result in any net increase in city appropriations.
Title
SUBSITUTE - Authorizing departments to transfer to other departments up to $50,000 from the operating budget and up to $250,000 from the capital budget in response to the COVID-19 emergency
Body
WHEREAS, on March 23, 2020, pursuant to Madison General Ordinance Section 3.19, the Mayor issued an Emergency Proclamation, based on the increasing transmission of COVID-19 within the City of Madison; and
WHEREAS, on March 24, 2020, the Governor of Wisconsin issued Emergency Order #12 ordering individuals to remain home except for Essential Travel; and
WHEREAS, as part of the Governor’s Order all Nonessential Businesses are required to close;
WHEREAS, the closure of numerous businesses throughout the City has the potential to have significant negative financial impact on residents; and
WHEREAS, in response the COVID-19 pandemic there is an urgent need for departments to transfer funds to support departments addressing the necessary emergency operational response.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the expenditures within departments for the various major objects of expenditure and capital projects shall not exceed the amounts specified for such purposes as shown in the budget on file as authorized under the budget resolution (RES-19-00755) in the office of the City Clerk; provided, however, that effective immediately the Finance Director is authorized to approve intradepartmental transfers of unencumbered balances of up to $50,000 from the Operating Budget and up to $250,000 from the Capital Budget, and the Mayor is authorized to approve interdepartmental transfers of up to $50,000 from the Operating Budget and up to $250,000 from the Capital Budget for the remainder of the calendar year.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff will report back on any actions taken under this authority at the next Finance Committee meeting.
Be it FINALLY Resolved that the authority of the Finance Director to approve intradepartmental transfers of unencumbered balances of up to $50,000 from the Operating Budget and up to $250,000 from the Capital Budget,and of the Mayor to approve interdepartmental transfers of up to $50,000 from the Operating Budget and up to $250,000 from the Capital Budget shall be in effect until June 2, 2020.