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RESOLUTION R-1920-70: A RESOLUTION OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE NORMAN TAX INCREMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY (TIF) APPROPRIATING $20,400 FROM THE TIF FUND BALANCE TO FUND THE FOUNTAIN SERVICE AGREEMENT AT LEGACY PARK.
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BACKGROUND: The eight acre Legacy Park site construction began in February of 2013 and reached substantial completion on September 16, 2015. Legacy Park includes an amphitheater stage, cover and seating area, a one acre pond with programmable lights and fountains, a promenade walk around the pond, a restroom building, and extensive landscaping, irrigation and pedestrian lighting. Legacy Park includes intricate electrical fountain and light components that operate in a harsh aquatic environment. Due to the aquatic nature of the component locations it is necessary to periodically repair and replace both light and fountain fixtures.
Beginning in 2014 a maintenance fund was established in the amount of $200,000 per year for the purpose of providing landscape and restroom maintenance services along with other necessary repairs at the park. Both the Norman Tax Increment Finance Authority (NTIFA) and UNP property owners contribute to this fund with the city contribution decreasing $25,000 per year and the UNP property owner’s portion increasing $25,000 per year. The fund has a sufficient balance to address current repair needs at the park.
DISCUSSION: Parks staff sought out a proposal for an annual fountain service agreement from Sunbelt Pools, a member of the BuyBoard cooperative. The City of Norman is also a member of the BuyBoard cooperative. Buyboard is a purchasing cooperative designed to streamline the purchasing process and help its members, including various governmental entities, make confident buying decisions. By combining purchasing power, BuyBoard members are able to leverage better pricing from vendors they may already use. Sunbelt Pools is an experienced company with large commercial contract experience. They currently service a number of fountains throughout Oklahoma and North Texas.
On 1 November 2019, the UNP BID Board reviewed this proposal and voted unanimously to recommend approval by the City Council of this service agreement. Regular service and maintenance of the fountains and lighting is required for proper and consistent operation.
The fountain service agreement will include a monthly cleaning of the strainer baskets, power washing and sanitizing of columns, fountain winterization, pump greasing, debris removal, monthly system wide inspections, bi-annual belt replacement on the air compressor, and yearly replacement on the pump tubing. The agreement also calls for a standard service hourly rate of $105 per hour for any work that falls outside of the service agreement.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Norman Tax Increment Finance Authority (NTIFA) approve Resolution R-1920-70 appropriating $20,400 from the UNP TIF Fund Balance - BID (Org 57, Object 29000) to the Legacy Park Maintenance and Repair Services/Other Miscellaneous (Org 57770410, Object 44299) to fund the fountain service agreement at Legacy Park.