Economic funds commission’s focus

By Robert Barron Staff Writer

September 05, 2008 01:15 am

— City Manager Eric Benson outlined Tuesday several ways the city could provide additional money to boost economic development funding.
His suggestions came during a discussion in Enid City Commission’s study session.
Under a proposal — originally made by Jon Blanken-ship, executive director of Greater Enid Cham-ber of Com-merce and chairman of Enid/Gar-field Coun-ty Develop-ment Al-liance — being studied by the city, the economic development budget would be doubled, two staff members added to focus on adding and retaining quality jobs in the Enid region and a dedicated revenue stream for business and job recruitment be created.
Benson made five suggestions about how the city could come up with the additional funds, including some he said probably are not what the commission will want to do.
Benson said the most likely scenario will be to take money from the general fund budget.
“The most logical way is probably to look at the budget and take it from the general fund,” he said. “We have a robust general fund.”
Another option would be to take the franchise fee Suddenlink pays to provide cable television service in Enid. That totals $400,000, but Benson said using that money would eliminate funding for PEGASYS, Enid’s public-access television station. However, interim Finance Director Joan Riley said the city financed PEGASYS from the general fund budget this year, rather than from the franchise fee.
Another idea, Benson said, would be to take money now going to pay for utilities at Mark Price Arena. That amounts to about $250,000 a year.
Benson also mentioned a utility surcharge. A charge of $5 for the 20,000 Enid utility customers would create $100,000 a year. Benson said a utility surcharge may not be a direction the commission wants to go, but he believed he should place all alternatives on the table.
Benson also suggested the city has an excess number of parks and possibly could sell some. Doing that, though, would be a one-time source of income.
Blankenship said an increase in revenue is good, but Ponca City has a $1 million economic development budget, and Stillwater has a budget of about $800,000. He stressed the need to increase economic development staff.
“We need to staff up on the job recruitment portion,” he said.
No votes are taken in study sessions, and city officials will continue to pursue the proposals.
Enid’s economic development efforts currently are funded in a three-tiered approach. Enid/Garfield County Devel-opment Alliance’s operating budget is $140,000 a year, with the county providing $40,000, the city providing $50,000 and private donors providing $50,000.
One thing that will change immediately for the city is the purchase of workers’ compensation judgments by Enid Municipal Authority. Currently, such judgments are placed on the property tax rolls, with money borrowed from a local bank to pay off what the city owes, then the city pays back the bank over three years at an interest rate of 9 percent. That interest rate is better than the authority currently is receiving on many investments, according to city officials, and the city auditor suggested Enid Municipal Authority purchase the workers’ compensation judgments to take advantage of the higher interest rate. City Attorney Carol Lahman said the law allows the city to make the change without a vote.
During their regular meeting, commissioners approved a much-discussed ordinance changing the way residential parking is done. Code Development Officer Chris Bauer said the ordinance allows residents to use gravel to upgrade their driveways if those driveways currently are dirt or gravel.
City officials previously had discussed requiring concrete or asphalt be used. Retaining walls also will be required.
The meetings were moved from Tuesday to Thursday because of the Labor Day holiday.