HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-03-20 City Council (23)TO:
City of Palo Alto
C ty Manager’s Report
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT:ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES
DATE:MARCH 20, 2000 CMR:156:00
SUBJECT:APPROVAL OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CORPORATION
REPORT IN BRIEF
On July 13, 1998 Council adopted a resolution establishing itself as the Board of Directors
of the Palo Alto Public Improvement Corporation (PIC). The PIC is a nonprofit corporation
that allows the City to issue Certificates of Participation (COPs) to fund capital
improvements. Currently, the City has two COP bond issues: one for Golf Course
improvements and refinancing and one for Civic Center capital work and refinancing. The
Board of Directors of the Corporation is required to meet at least annually and approve the
financial statements for the Corporation.
CMR: 156:00 Page 1 of 3
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Board of Directors of the Public Improvement Corporation
approve the 1998-1999 Financial Statements for the Public Improvement Corporation.
BACKGROUND
In 1983 and 1998 the City of Palo Alto issued COPs to fund improvements to the Civic
Center and the Golf Course, respectively. COPs are a unique form of financing public
improvements. Technically, investors who purchase COP’s buy a share of a stream of future
lease payments. Investors purchase the certificates, thereby providing the City with funds
in exchange for future lease or principal and interest payments. COPs are not considered a
debt of the City, and are therefore exempt from the California Constitution’s voter
requirements, although they are regulated securities. To utilize COPs, cities must establish
a nonprofit corporation, such as the Public Improvement Corporation. Once the corporation
is formed, the City enters into a formal arrangement whereby the City agrees to lease back
a facility from the corporation and make annual payments through a Trustee to investors.
In order to fund the recent Golf Course improvements, the City issued COPs. At the same
time the Council approved issuing COPs, it approved a resolution that amended the bylaws
of the existing Public Improvement Corporation to establish itself as the Board of Directors
(CMR:296:98). The previous Board of Directors consisted of former City Council members.
This change was implemented to reduce administrative work, expedite the financing process,
and provide flexibility in future, similar financings. Other local governments throughout
- California have a similar structure whereby the Council acts as the Board of Directors.
DISCUSSION
The City Council is required to meet annually as the Board of the PIC. This meeting is
optimally be held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled Council meeting. Once the
Council adjourns, it opens a new meeting as the Board of the PIC to transact business such
as the approval of minutes and reviewing financial statements. If it so chooses, the Council
could adjourn the Board meeting and reconvene for Council business. The Board has no
substantive oversight responsibilities, as it assigns all rights to receive lease payments over
to the Trustee (U.S. Bank Trust) for the benefit of the investors.
The attached financial statements show the financial condition of the Palo Alto Public
Improvement Corporation. All debt service payments have been made on time and all
financial requirements, such as the maintenance of reserves, have been met. At year-end,
June 30, 1999, total outstanding debt (principal and interest) on the COPs equaled $18.08
million. Debt service payments on the Civic Center will be retired in 2011-2012 and on the
Golf Course in 2017-2018.
CMR: 156:00 Page 2 of 3
RESOURCE IMPACT
Approval of the Public Improvement Corporation’s
resource impact.
financial statements will have no
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Approval of the Public Improvement Corporation’s financial statements is consistent with
prior Council policy direction and resolutions.
ENVIRONMENTALREVIEW
This is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A:City of Palo Alto Public Improvement Corporation Financial.
Statements for the Years Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998
PREPARED BY:Joe Saccio, Manager of Investments and Debt
APPROVED BY:
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
CMR:156:00 Page 3 of 3
ATTACHMENT A
CITY OF PALO ALTO
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED
JUNE 30, 1999 AND 1998
CITY OF PALO ALTO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1999 AND 1998
Table of Contents
Independent Auditor’s Report ...................................................................................................................1
Component Unit Financial Statements:
Combined Balance Sheets ...............................................................: ..........................................................2
Combined Statemems of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances
Debt Service Fund .............................................................................................................................3
Notes to Financial Statements .....................................................................................................................4
AAZE &SS 0 CIA TES
ACCOUNTANCY CORPORATION
1670 Riviera Avenue. Suite 100
Walnut Creek, California 94596
(925) 930-0902 ¯ FAX (925) 930-0135
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT
The Honorable Mayor and
Members of the City Council of the
City of Palo Alto, California
We have audited the accompanying component unit financial statements of the Palo Alto Public
Improvement Corporation, a component unit of the City of Palo Alto, as of and for the years ended June 30,
1999 mad 1998 as listed in the Table of Contents. These financial statements are the responsibility of the
City’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our
audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require
that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance as to whether the financial statements are
free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining on a test basis evidence suppol"ting the amounts
and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used
and sigaaificant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the financial statements referred to above present only
the Corporation and are not intended to present fairly the financial position of the City and the results of its
operations and the cash flows of i.ts proprietary fund types in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.
As discussed in Note 5 to the financial statements, the City has assessed the impact of the Y2K issue on its
operations and is now in the process of renovating or replacing, as necessary, the computer applications and
business processes to provide for continued services in the new mille~mium. An assessment of the
preparedness of external entities that interface with the City. is also ongoing. There can be no assurance that
there will not be material adverse effect on the City if its actions and/or those of related third palsies fail to
address all significant issues in a timely mariner.
In our opinion, the financial statements refen’ed to above present fairly in all material respects the financial
position of the Palo Alto Public Improvement Corporation as of June 30. 1999 and 1998. and the results of
its operations for the years then ended, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
October 1, 1999
A Professional Corporation
PALO ALTO PUBLIC IM:PROVEMENT CORPORATION
COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS
ALL FUND TYPES AND ACCOUNT GROUP
JUNE 30, 1999
WITH COMPARATIVE AMOUNTS FOR .rUNE 30, 1998
ASSETS
Casll aM investments held by trustee (Note 3)
Interest receivable
Investment in lease to City of Palo Alto (Note 4)
Amount available in debt service fund
Amount to be provided for retirement
of general long teen debt
Total Assets
GO VER_NMENTAL AC COUNT
FUND TYPE GROUP
Capital General
Debt Service Projects Long Term Debt
$1,578,205 $638,970
18,I75 2,192
12,480,000
$14,076,380 $641,162
$1,596,380
10,883,620
$12,480,000
LIABILITI:ES
Deferred revenue
1992 Certificates of Participation (Note 4)
1998 Certilicates of Participation (Note 4)
Total Liabilities
FUND BALANCES
$12,480,000
12,480,000
$4,730,000
7,750,000
TOTALS
(Memorandum Only)
1999 1998
Reserved for:
Debt service
Capital projects
Encumbrances
Umeserved~ designated for:
Um’ealized gain on investments
1,596,380
$171,588
469,574
Total Fund Balances
Total Liabilities and Fund Equit3~
1,596,380 641,162
$14,076,380 $~41 162
$2,217,175 $793,521
20,367 t8,022
12,480,000 5,215,000
1,59~,380 811,543
10,883~620 4,403 457
$27,197,542 $11,241,543
$12,480,000 $5,215,000
4,730,000 5,215,000
7,750,000
12,480,000 24,960,000 10430,000
$12,480,000
See accompany~ag notes to ~inaacial statements
1,596,380
171,588
4~9,574
810,118
!,425
2,237,542 811,543
$27,197,542 $11,241 543
PALO ALTO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION
COM]3INED STATEMENTS OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES
AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES
GOVERNMENTAL FUND TYPES
FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1999 AND 1998
REVENUES
Lease receipts from City of Palo Alto:
Principal
Interest
Interest from cash and investments
Total Revenues
EXPENDITURES
Debt service:
Principal repayment
Interest and fiscal agent charges
Capital projects
Total Expenditnres
EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER .(UNDER)
EXPENDITURES
OTHER FINANCING SOURCES AND (USES)
Proceeds from long term debt (Note 4)
Payment to Golf Course Corporation (Note 4)
Total Other Financing Sources (Uses)
EXCESS OF REVENUES AND OTHER
FINANCING SOURCES (USES)
OVER(UNDER) EXPENDITURES
Ftmd balances at beginning of year
Fund balances at end of year
Debt Service Capital Projects
$485,000
508,494
74,787
1,068,281
$109,027
109.027
485,000
701,407
1,186,407
5.842,276
5,842,276
(118,127)(5,733,249)
Totals
1999 1998
$485,000 $460,000
508,494 333,526
183,814 48,253
1,177,308 841,779
485,000 460,000,
701,407 356,445
5,842,276
7.028,683 816.445
(5,851,376) " 25,334
1,375,589 6,374,411 7,750,000
(472,625)(472,625)
902,964 6.374,411 7,277,375
784,837 641,162
811,543
$1.596.380 $641.162
See accompanying no~sto financialst~ements
1,425.999 25,334
811.543 786.209
$2,237.542 $811.543
CITY OF PALO ALTO PUBLIC IXVIPROVEMENT CORPORATION
Notes to Financial Statements
NOTE
A.
NOTE
A.
1 - DESCRIPTION OF REPORTING ENTITY
General Description
The Palo Alto Public Improvement Corporation (the Corporation) was incorporated in-
September 1983 under the General Nonprofit Corporation Law of the State of California to
acquire, construct and lease capital improvement projects. The Corporation is exempt from
federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Corporation
provides financing of public capital improvements for the City through the issuance of Certificates
of Participation (COPs), a form of debt which allows investors to participate in a stream of future
lease payments. Proceeds from the COPs are used to construct projects which are leased to the City
for lease payments which are sufficient in timing and amount to meet the debt service
requirements of the COPs.
The Corporation is an integral part of the City of Palo Alto. It primarily services the City and its
governing body is composed of the City Council. Therefore, the financial data of the Corporation
has also been included as a blended component unit within the City’s comprehensive annual
financial report for the year ended June 30, 1999.
2- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [
Fund Accounting
In oi:der to ensure proper identification of individual revenue sources and the expenditures made
fi’om those revenues the accounts of the Corporation are organized on the basis of individual funds
mad account groups, each of which is considered a separate accounting entity. The operations of
each fund are accounted for with a separate set of self balancing accounts that~ comprise its assets,
liabilities, fund equity, revenues and expenditures. The Corporation resources are accounted for in
these individual funds based on the purposes for which they are to be spent and the means by which
spending activities are controlled.
In the financial statements, these funds are grouped into the governmental fund types below:
Debt Service Funds - These funds are used to account for the accumulation of financial resources
for the payment of general long-term debt principal, interest, and related costs. As with all
governmental funds, debt service funds are accounted for on a spending or financial flow
measurement focus which means that current assets and current liabilities are generally included on
its balance sheet. The repot"ted fund balance represents net current assets, which is considered only
to be a measure of m,ailabIe spendable resources. Governmental fund operating statements
present a summary of sources and uses of ca,ailable spendable resources during a period by
presenting increases and decreases in net current assets.
CITY OF PALO ALTO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION
Notes to Financial Statements
NOTE
,, C.
Do
2- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICI~ES (Continued)
General Long-Term Debt Account Groups are used to account for long-term obligations of the
Corporation. Because of their spending measurement focus, governmental funds exclude fixed
assets and noncurrent liabilities. Instead, these assets and liabilities are reported in the-General
Fixed Assets Account Group and the General Long-Term Debt Account Group. These account
groups measure only financial position; they are not funds and they do not measure results of
operations. They maintain accounting control over governmental fund fixed assets and long-term
debt.
Basis of Accounting
Basis of accounting refers to when revenues and expenditures are recognized in the accounts and
reported in the financial statements, regardless of the measurement focus applied. All
governmental funds are accounted for using the modified accrual basis of accounting. These fund
revenues are recognized when they become measurable and available as net current assets.
Measurable means the amount of the transaction can be determined and available means the
amount is collectible within the current period or soon enough thereafter (generally sixty days) to
be used to pay liabilities of the current period. Amounts which could not be measured or were not
available were not accrued as revenue in the current fiscal year.
Expenditures are also generally recognized under the modified accrual basis of-accounting. An
exception to this rule is principal and interest on general long-term debt, which is not recognized by
debt service funds until it is due.
Investment in Lease to City of Palo Alto and Deferred Revenue
Investment in lease to City of Palo Alto and deferred revenue reflect the present value of remaining
future lease payments. Since lease paylnents are not available to fund cun’ent operations, the
Investment in Lease to City of Palo Alto has been offset by deferred revenue. As lease revenues are
received, both the investment and deferred revenue balances are reduced.
"Totals ~emorandum Only)"
Columns on the accompanying financial statements captioned "Totals (Melnorandum Only)" do
not present consolidated financial information. They are not necessary for a fair presentation of the"
financial statements, but are presented only to facilitate additional financial analysis.
CITY OF PALO ALTO PIYBLIC I1V[PROVEMENT CORPORATION
Notes to Financial Statements
NOTE 3 - CASH AND INVESTMENTS I-IELD BY TRUSTEE
A Trustee under the provisions of the Corporation’s COP issues holds and invests all the
Corporation’s cash. The Corporation’s investments are categorized below to give an indication-
of the level of credit risk assumed by the Corporation at June 30, 1999. Category 1 includes
investments that are insured or registered or for which the securities a~e held by the Corporation
or its agent in the Corporation’s name. Category 2 includes uninsured and unregistered
investments for which the securities are held by the counterpa~-ty’s trust department or agent in
the Corporation’s name. Category 3 includes uninsured and unregistered investments for which
the securities are held by the counterparty, or are held by the counterparty’s trust department or
agent but not in the Corporation’s name. Pooled investments are not categorized because of their
pooled, rather than individual, nature.
At June 30, 1999 the Corporation’s investments were recorded at market value and comprised the
following:
Category 2 Investments:
U.S. Agency obligations
Pooled Investments (non Categorized):
California Arbitrage Management Program
Mutual funds
1999
$755,175
738,564
723,436
1998
$760,800
32,721
Total cash and investments held by trustee $2,217,175 $793,52t
No
The Trustee is only permitted to invest in US Agency securities, US dollar denominated deposit
accounts, federal funds, banker’s acceptances, mutual funds, money market accounts, pre-funded
municipal obligations, written repurchase agreement, and the California Arbitrage Management
Program. Investments are purchased and held in the name of the Trustee on behalf of the
Corporation and are held to maturity to match with payments required under the COP issue.
Investments Carrying Value
The Corporation’s investments are carried at fair value instead of cost, as required by generally
accepted accounting principles. The Corporation adjusts the carrying value of its investments to
reflect their fair value at each fiscal year end, and it includes the effects of these adjustments in
income for that fiscal year.
CITY OF PALO ALTO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION
Notes to Financial Statements
INOTE 4 -INVESTMENT IN LEASE AND CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION
In 1992, the Corporation issued $7,670,000 principal amount of 1992 Civic Center Project
Certificates of Participation (Civic Center COPs) to refinance 1983 Project Costs consisting of
the assembly of a third elevator and seismic restructuring of the Civic Center and to finance
additional improvements consisting of the structural retrofitting of the police headquarters and a
portion of the Civic Center for sprinkler system fire prevention facilities. These improvements
have been pledged as collateral under a lease agreement with the City which provides lease
payments to be used to pay deb~ service on the Civic Center COPs. Upon retirement of the Civic
Center COPs and related interest, the lease agreement terminates and title to the improvements
reverts to the City.
The Civic Center COPs bear interest at 3.6% to 6.7% and are due serially each March 1 until 2003.
Interest payments are due semi-annually on March 1 and September 1. A $1,345,000 6.5% term
bond will be due March 1, 2005, and a second 6.7% term bond in the mnount of $1,130,000 will be
due March 1, 2012.
The Civic Center COPs maturing on or after March 1, 2001 may be prepaid on any payment date
beginning March 1, 2001 at par plus 2%. The prepayment price decreases one percent each year
until March 1, 2003, at which time the bonds may be prepaid at par.
In August 1998, the Corporation issued the Golf Course Capital Improvements and
Refinancing Project Certificates of Participation, Series 1998 in the amount of $7,750,000 to
refund the 1978 Golf Course Lease Revenue Bonds issued by the City through the Palo Alto Golf
Course Corporation, and to finance various improvements at the Palo Alto Public Golf Course,
including upgrading five fairways and various traps, trees and greens, constructing new storm
drain facilities, replacing the existing irrigation system, upgrading the driving range, and
installing new cart paths. Under the terms of the 1998 COPs, the Corporation transferred
$472,625 to an agent for the Golf Course Corporation which used the funds to retire 1978 Bonds.
The COPs are payable and secured by lease revenues received by the Public Improvement
Corporation from a.ny City General Fund revenue source. Principal and interest are payable semi-
annually each March 1 and September 1 beginning in 1999. ¯
CITY OF PALO ALTO PUBLIC I1VIPROVEMENT CORPORATION
Notes to Financial Statements I
NOTE 4 -]2NVESTMENT IN LEASE AND CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION (Continued) ]
Future ann~al debt service on the COPs is expected to be provided by the lease receipts discussed
above, and equaled the following:
For the Year Ended June 30:Amount
2000 $1,500,271
2001 1,525,271
2002 1,521,146
2003 1,518,996
2004 1,366,751
Thereat~er 10,648,680
Total debt service 18,081,115
Less amount representing interest 5,601,115
Principal $12,480,000
_NOTE
The Bond documents requires a Trustee to hold a portion of proceeds in a reserve fund for debt
service purposes only. At June 30, 1999, the Trustee held $1,578,205 reserved, as discussed in
Note 3.
5 - YEAR 2000 CO1VIPLIANCE ]
Like other entities around the world, the City of Palo Alto could be adversely affected if the
computer systems it uses and those used by significant vendors, etc., do not properly process and
calculate date-related information and data. This is commonly known as the "Year 2000 Issue."
The City conducted a study of its computer systems to evaluate the Year 2000 viability of the
various systerns and to determine which might need to be replaced or modified. As a result of this
study and further evaluation, the City has determined which systems are to be replaced or modified
and this work is in process. Testing and validation of the systems is expected to be completed on
time.
The City has made inquires of its significant vendors, the majority of whom have indicated they do
not expect to experience any interruption of operations.
Because of the unprecedented nature of the Year 2000 issue, its effects and the success of related
remediation efforts will not be fully determinable until the year 2000 and thereafter. Management
cannot assure that the City is or will be fully Year 2000 ready, that the Cit?"s remediation efforts
will be successful in whole or in part, or that parties with whom the City does business with will be
Year 2000 ready.