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OB - 2012-0005 - Approving Recognized Obligation Payment Schedules for the Period of July 1, 2012 Through December 31, 2012RESOLUTION: 2012 -0005 A RESOLUTION OF THE OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE ROSEMEAD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION APPROVING THE RECOGNIZED OBLIGATION PAYMENT SCHEDULES FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY 1, 2012 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2012 WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code section 34179 requires that each Successor Agency have an Oversight Board; and WHEREAS, Section 34177 requires each Successor Agency to prepare a draft Obligation Payment Schedule ( "ROPS ") and section 34180 requires the Oversight Board to approve same; and WHEREAS, Section 34177 provides that each ROPS shall be forward looking to the next six months; and WHEREAS, section 34177 requires that the draft ROPS prepared by the Successor Agency be certified by an external auditor designated by the County Auditor - Controller and then submitted to the Oversight Board for approval, after which it is to be transmitted to the County Auditor - Controller, the State Controller and the State Department of Finance; and WHEREAS, notwithstanding the sequencing contemplated in section 34177, the Department of Finance is requesting the ROPS be considered by the Oversight Board and transmitted as soon as possible; and WHEREAS, the County of Los Angeles has assigned an auditor, but has not indicated when it will complete the external audits of the draft ROPS; and WHEREAS, the County will not make any payments of property taxes to the Successor Agency for use in payment of the obligations listed on the ROPS until the ROPS has been approved by the Oversight Board. Any delay in such payment could impair the Successor Agency's ability to make payments for the enforceable obligations; and WHEREAS, the Successor Agency prepared a draft ROPS for the period July 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012 is attached hereto as Exhibit A. NOW THEREFORE, THE OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO ROSEMEAD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HEREBY RESOLVES: 1. The ROPS for the period July 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012 attached hereto as Exhibit B is hereby approved. Successor Agency staff is directed to provide a copy of this Resolution along with the approved ROPS to the County Auditor - Controller, the State Controller's Office and the State Department of Finance. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 16th day of May 2012. FW � i i Chairperson ATTEST: Matt* w E. l4awkesworth Successor Agency Staff Assistant City Manager HEREBY CERTIFY that the above and foregoing resolution was duly passed and adopted by the Oversight Board for the Successor Agency to the Rosemead Community Development Commission at its special meeting held on the 16 day of May 2012, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAINED: Matth w E. HFaWkesworth Successor Agency Staff Assistant City Manager ROSEMEAD SUCCESSOR AGENCY STAFF REPORT TO: THE HONORABLE CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS FROM: MATTHEW HAWKESWORTH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER DATE: MAY 16, 2012 SUBJECT: UPDATED ROPS SUBMITTAL SUMMARY The Department of Finance (DoF) has returned the ROPS for the period of July to December 2012 with three items that they are specifically opposing. Per the letter (Attachment A) sent to the Successor Agency, the DoF is objecting to the Public Plaza /Rosemead Community Center Construction, the Zapopan Park Renovations and the Sewer System Expansion projects. Based upon the letter, it appears that the DoF did not review all of the items included on the ROPS, but rather took a sampling of the items and has objected to these based upon the sampling. Since the DoF has not taken a look at the ROPS as a whole, it is unclear whether the DoF may object to any other items included in the ROPS; however, it is understood that if these Capital Improvement Projects were rejected, then it is likely that all Capital Improvement Projects would be rejected. Further complicating the ROPS submittal is an email sent by the DoF regarding the County's property tax distributions set for June 1 In this email (Attachment B), the DoF clarifies the position that the County will not distribute any funds to a Successor Agency if the ROPS is not approved by the DoF. In the case of Rosemead, failure to distribute property tax funds would result in the inability to make the required debt service payments on the 2006 and 2010 series bonds. This is a scenario that should avoided if possible, but with the DoF's partial review of the initial ROPS, makes the entire process a bit unclear. Due to the incredibly tight timeframes involved, the Successor Agency is prepared to submit a revised ROPS with the caveat that based upon feedback from the DoF, certain items may be further removed in order to obtain approval. Staff Recommendation: That the Oversight Board approve Resolution 2012 -0005 (Attachment C) approving the Revised ROPS for the period of July through December 2012. BACKGROUND On April 26, 2012, the ROPS, as approved by the Oversight Board, was submitted to the County of Los Angeles, the State Controller and the Department of Finance for review. As allowed under the Health and Safety Code, the DoF utilized their full 13 APPROVED FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: Rosemead Successor Agency Oversight Board May 16, 2012 Page 2 of 3 working day allowance to review the ROPS and request additional information. During the review period a number of contracts and background information was requested by the DoF, and on May 14 a letter was received from the DoF returning the ROPS back to the Successor Agency for reconsideration. Successor Agency staff immediately contacted the DoF for further clarification of their letter in hopes of avoiding a prolonged back - and -forth negotiation with future ROPS submittals. Thus far the DoF staff has been very responsive in listening to our requests although no specific feedback or direction has been provided. The City of Rosemead as the Successor Agency still believes that the Capital Improvement Projects included in the ROPS are Enforceable Obligations; however, due to the looming June 1 St deadline and threats by the State of not releasing any funds, the City also recognizes that this dispute will likely not be resolved by the deadline. In an effort to reach a compromise for the time being, the Successor Agency has requested the ability from the DoF to leave the Capital Improvement Projects on the ROPS without any funding required for the ROPS period of July to December 2012 in hopes that a resolution can be made prior to the next ROPS adoption. The League of California Cities has provided direction from their meetings with the DoF that the DoF has expressed a willingness to entertain such measures while these types of issues are worked through. Additionally, the Successor Agency has not received the Agreed Upon Procedures report that was conducted by a third -party auditor of the County. During the preliminary discussions with the auditor who conducted the review, staff believes that the auditor may very well support the Successor Agency's stance that the projects were clearly defined and obligated as part of the 2010 Bond issuance. Further complicating the ROPS submittal, the DoF has not provided feedback on the remaining items included on the ROPS. More specifically, no determination has been made in regards to the funding for the two low- income senior housing complexes. As previously presented to the Oversight Board, this funding is critical to the ongoing operations of the two sites and any failure to approve funding will likely result in these facilities being turned over to the County's Housing Authority or other housing agency as provided by law. The Successor Agency would like to resubmit the revised ROPS with the senior housing projects still included with the understanding that if the DoF was to reject the ROPS once again on the basis of these projects, the Successor Agency staff could follow the same steps to keep them on the ROPS, but remove funding for the current six month period while a resolution is sought. Staff also believes that based upon the preliminary conversations with the County's third -party auditor, these contracts are valid under the Health and Safety Code requirements. PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process in accordance with the Brown Act. Rosemead Successor Agency Oversight Board May 16, 2012 Page 3 of 3 Prepared by: Matthetnr E. Hawkesworth Assistant City Manager Attachments:A — DoF Letter B — Email from DoF C — Resolution 2012 -0005