Project Concern Minibus ContracCITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
June 12, 2001
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FY 2001 Project Concern Minibus Contract
Acting Economic Development Director Pam Myhre is recommending increasing the
FY 01 Purchase of Service Agreement with Project Concern for minibus service from
$195,000 to $21.3,000.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Pamela Myhre, Acting Economic Development Director
KeyLine Transit
2401 Central Avenue
Dubuque, Iowa 52,001-3302
(319) 589-4196
May 10, 2001
TO:
FR:
Subject:
Michael C. Van Millgen
Pamela Myhre, Acting Economic Development Director
FY 2001 Project Concern Minibus Contract
Purpose
The purpose of this memo is to recommend a funding increase in the contract
limit for the FY 2001 Purchase of Service Agreement with Project Concern
covering minibus services.
Background
On March 15, 2001 the Project Concern Finance Committee met with Transit
Division Manager Mark Munson to discuss a projected shortfall in the FY 01
Purchase of Service Agreement for minibus services. After that meeting, Project
Concern Executive Director Steve Jacobs provided a written request to increase
the FY 01 contract limit by $36,000 from $195,000 to $231,000. Upon review of
the justifications for the increase with City Administrative Services Manager
Pauline Joyce, it was determined that $18,900 of the requested increase was
justified at this time (see attached memo dated April 18, 2001). The increase
would cover unexpected increases in health insurance premiums, minibus
vehicle maintenance and fuel costs. It was agreed that the FY 01 contract limit
would be reviewed after actual expenses are determined at the close of the
contract year June 30, 2001.
Recommendation
I would recommend increasing the FY 01 Purchase of Service Agreement with
Project Concern for minibus service from $195 000 to $213,000. If approved, this
increase would have no budget impact as overage would be covered from
savings in personnel due to a vacancy in the transit maintenance activity. I would
further recommend that the purchase of service agreement be reviewed again at
the close of FY 01 to determine if any further adjustments need to be
considered.
Prepared by:
Mark Munson, Transit Division Manager
Serv/ce People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork
Cet~tTa! Ay enLle
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-3302
5894196
April 18, 2001
TO:
FR:
Subject:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Mark Munson, Transit Division Manager
Request to increase Project Concern FY 2001 Minibus contract
Attached please find copies of the request I received from Steve Jacobs to
raise the FY 2001 minibus contract limit by $36,000 as well as a copy of my
recommended response. The current contract limit is for $195,000. The limit
last year was set at $198,000 and then later increased to $201,000 after
the agency's audit was complete.
Pauline Joyce and I have reviewed the request and justifications and agreed
that $18,900 of the original request seems justified at this time. Additional
expenses could be justified after the books are closed at the end of the
contract year, however it is our recommendation that only known expenses
be considered at this time, and that efforts to reduce or contain costs should
be attempted by the agency before any additional funds are al!ocated to the
0ontract.
Please review my draft response to Project Concern, and advise if you have
any questions, concerns or wish to add anything to the memo. Thank you.
KeyLine Transit
2401 Central Avenue.
Dubuque, Iowa 520~1-3302
(319) 589~96
April 18, 2001
Ms. Vickie Burkle
Finance Committee Chair - Project Concern, Inc.
c/o Honcamp Krueger Co.
2345 JFK Road
Dubuque, IA 52002
RE: FY 2001 Project Concern Minibus Contract
Dear Ms. Burkle,
On April 6, 2001, t received a written request from Project Concern
Executive Director Steve Jacobs relative to the current year minibus contract
between the agency and the City of Dubuque. The request (copy attached)
was for $36,000 additional city funding over the current contract limit of
$195,000 for an adjusted contract limit of $231,000. The request asks that
an additional $11,500 be added to the contract limit calculations for FY
2002.
As I stated in my meeting with the Project Concern Finance Committee
March 15, 2001, the agency to needed to provide specific justifications for
any increase requested. I have reviewed Steve's request and justifications
with City Administrative Services Manager Pauline Joyce, and would forward
a request to the City Manager to immediately increase the contract limit
$18,900 as follows:
Health Insurance
The increase health insurance expense from the increase in premiums for a
total of $8200.
Maintenance and Parts
The increased maintenance and parts from approved purchases of wheelchair
restraint replacements and aging equipment for a total of $4000.
Fuel Costs
The increased fuel costs due to higher gas prices at the pump and
underestimate of overall fuel consumption for a total of $6700.
Service People Integrity Respor~ibility Irmovation T~tmwork
I have visited with Jim at O'Connor Brooks and he said the payroll
adjustment figures from FY 2000 audit are no longer current and that any
payroll adjustments for FY 2001 shouM be determined at the end of the
fiscal year.
The (;6000 difference between the current contract limit of $195,000 and
last year's actual expense of $201,000 is included in the requested $36,000
increase although no specific explanation for the increase is provided. The
fact that staff and administrative costs are down (;2600 from last year
would suggest more justification for the increase is needed.
As I've stated in my previous conversations, it is the City's position that the
agency is responsible for the health insurance benefits awarded a driver who
filed and won a grievance over agency scheduling practices. The contract
sets an overall contract limit and does not define the wage and benefits of
Project Concern's drivers operating under the minibus. That responsibility is
placed with the agency's management.
also reco'nmena that any changes in the :Y 2002 contract be considered
after the :Y 2001 contract year is completed and actual expenses
determined.
Steve has said that serwce reductions would be necessary To make up for
any portion of the $36 000 request not funded by the City of Dubueue. This
obviously requires more specific information before any change could De
considered, however I would review and consider any non-ADA service
changes oresented by tine agency. Bear in mind however that all ADA
mandated service must be maintained and cannot be reduced for the purpose
of meeting a budget shortfall.
The scheduling policy of non-ADA service on the minibus will 3e the sole
topic of discussion at the next Operations Input Committee 10:00 A.M. April
25, 2001 in room 100 at the NICC building downtown. I believe this would
be an excellent forum to discuss such a 'hatter.
Please advise should you require further in this regard. Thank you.
Sincerely,
CC:
Michael C. Van Miliigen, City Manager
Pauline Joyce, Administrative Services Manager
~505 STOH~;~AH J~OAD SUIT[ #5 - I)UBUOU~ iA 5~002-521~ · (~1~) 5~-;~g~O - (~1 g) 5;~-bg~2 f~x
TO:
FROM:
RE:
Mark Munson, ~Transit Manager .
Steve Jacobs
Minibus Excess Cost Reimbursement
The contract proposal given in October 1999 for Fiscal year 2001 was in error for
several reasons. It was presumed that significant service changes would be
implemented during the contract period of FY2001~Carter Gobles had already made
recomg:]_~ndations including doubling the ride fare for Minibus riders and restructuring
servici.~dt was also premised on the benefit of the inclusion of sophisticated ITS
equipment. These changes could have significantly increased revenues (ride fare
increase) and reduced driver costs by increasing productivity. Both of these fa/~ors
would have caused a net reduction in the billed amount to the City of DubuquL~lt Was
very premature and inaccurate to assume that Project Concern could implement any of
these changes unilaterally during the contract year FY2001.
The significant changes in service in FY2001 have been
> a reductior in subscription services (ARC) and increase in demand resoonse
services (these decreased productivity)
> a significant change in the scheduling of return rides (this increased productivity)
> significant increase in the number of individuals using Minibus (25% increase in
persons. 11% increase in rides,
January_ Statistics
FY99 FY00 FY01 chg °/~hg
RIDES 23994 23896 26616 2720
MILES 77595 80234 84914
HOURS 6813 7255 7197
11.4%
4680 5.8%
-58 -0.8%
increased significantly, but caused little increase in service cost. It se~ate
to compare actual costs in FY2000 with 3rojected actual costs f~:~r--PY2001. Based on
this the following changes account for the expected c_~nges.
~>' Health benefitS- projected increase of $11,605over FY2000 Union grievance
resulted in two a~itional drivers being awarded health benefits in February 2000. This
resulted fro~..Ck'iY4000 service~.hourdncrease~-FY200~ required in order to ~rovide
service as required by the existing contract. This cost the Agency an additional $3400.
In late May 2000, we received notice from our carrier tl~ health insurance premiums
would increase more than 50%. This increase cost tht~C, gency an additional $8200.
(~> Fuel costs- projected $6700 increase over FY 2000. Fuel costs went
up
dramatically in Spring and Summer 2000. There is an addi~iqnal 8000 vehicle miles
projected as well.
~> Maintenance and Par[s- increased $4000 over FY2000. $1000 cost
unbudgeted
was the replacement of wheelchair restraints approved by Keyline in January 2001.
Vehicles continue to age. They now have an average odometer reading of nearly
90,0Q0.. Yhes¢ are lnP,000-mile yehicles No clcar,.pattern of ma r~tenance prob ems
¥oluntc~r Opportunit~ (enter - (hild (~r~ i~sourcc & l~fcrrdl · ~¢nior (ircuit · ~inibu~
The net total affect was an increase in total productivity. The resulting service hours
are largely the same as last year. Service miles increased about 6%. Ridershie
has been determined.
(~> O'Connor Brooks predicts that the audited final billing for FY2001 will show a
net increase of ~$6000 for payroll costs resulting from accrual-based reporting of payroll
costs. These are essentially costs originally billed in June 2000 but later adjusted
as expenses affecting FY2001. No bill has been created to reflect that change. The
exact figure cannot be determined until after the close of the fiscal year as a part of the
auditing process.
The projected cost increase for theSe four items totals $28,308. All other staff costs are
down $1800 from FY2000. Ail other administrative costs are also down $800 from
FY2000.
~ Based on these projections, we believe the contract for fiscal year 2001 will cost nearly
$ 30,000 more than the contract for FY2000. The final billing to City of Dubuque for
FY2000 was about $201,000. We respectfully request that the contract limit for Minibus
t~in FY2001 be raised to $ 231,000. This amount exceeds the existing contract
($195,000) by¢S36-00
We also ask that the billed maximum for FY2002 be increased based on these adjusted
costs.
Adjusted City Cost FY2001 $231,000 (ddership increased 10%)
Projected Cost increase 5% for FY2002 ' $242,500
Adjustment for six month contract ~$~_21,25~00
This adiusted amount does not include any administrative fee for services transferred in
January 2002. That fiqure is a separate matter and, as vet, uncertain~
Sincerely,,.-~-..
Executive D~¢~ctor
PS
Concerninq the projected net cost increase from the anticipated FY2001 audit: These
will not be determined until July 2001. For many years, the audited financial statement
for Minibus has shown net variances from the internal financial statements $300-$1000.
These modest variances, both shortfall and surplus, were accepted as immaterial.
However, in FY2000. in the last month of the contract, we projected going over budget
nearly $10,000. This being substantial, we looked closely at the impact of the audit
adjustments. The City of Dubuque withheld paymentf(:~is bill pending audit analysis
of its appropriateness. The preliminary audit suggesf~u=~¢$6000 of this cost pertained to
expenses for FY2001 rather than FY2000. Consequently it is a current year cost not
presently reflected in any existing billings.