At the conclusion of the May 14, 2018 City Council meeting, Councilmember Yakawich sponsored a Council Initiative to direct staff to prepare a resolution that would reserve $15,000 of FY 2018 Council Contingency for the USS Billings commissioning event. Council Contingency is budgeted at $65,000 each year and the Council may use it for emergencies or to take advantage of opportunities that weren't foreseen when the Council approved that year's budget.  The Contingency account has a FY 2018 balance of $19,494.  The Council's custom has been to adopt a resolution that approves the designated expense and moves the funds to the proper operating account.  Since there may not be a contract in place by the end of the fiscal year, the attached resolution requires staff to encumber the funds for the FY 2018 budget year, or if accounting rules prohibit it, to re-budget the funds in FY 2019.  That would increase the Council Contingency to $80,000 on a one-time basis. 

City Council may:

• Approve the resolution that directs staff to reserve $15,000 Council Contingency for the 2019 USS Billings commissioning, or;
• Disapprove the resolution, 

There are sufficient funds in the FY 2018 Council Contingency account to pay for this expense. This is a small part of an effort to raise $100,000-$150,000 for the entire event and associated costs.  Sme of the proposed uses for the funding, per Councilman Yakawich, are as follows:
Host the USS Billings Crew to Billings in 2018
Preparation to purchase coins, tee shirts, hats to be used for fundraising.
Other Draft Budget Ideas: Goal $150K
Events and costs to plan for USS Billings Commissioning:
#1 Thursday: 2019 Committee Reception 100-150 people $20 per person
#2 Friday: 2019 Breakfast 200-300 $15 per person
#3 Friday: 2019 Chairman Reception/Dinner 300-500 $50 per person
Gifts for Crew of 70 $100 per person
Note: excess money would be given to scholarship USS Billings youth and fund any additional needs for the crew.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve a Resolution reserving $15,000 of FY 2018 Council Contingency account funds for the 2019 USS Billings commissioning event, or to re-budget the funds in the FY 2019 budget, if necessary.