'06 storm still buffeting Provo budget

PROVO — The supercell thunderstorm that pummeled Provo on Aug. 1 is still picking the city's pockets.

The city's golf course has spent $5,500 so far on seed, sand, sod and fertilizer to replace the ugly divots taken by the storm, but much, much more is needed.

The Reserve at East Bay asked the City Council Tuesday night to set aside another $24,000 for top soil, seed and sod in the near future.

Then there's the matter of the netting around the driving range, which absorbed shots that cost $25,510 to repair.

The good news? A balmy fiscal year left Provo flush with funds to pay for Mother Nature's few moments of fury six months ago.

The city's surplus cash has made it much more palatable to swallow the $700,000 the Energy Department received in November to pay for its portion of storm damage. That money came from the surplus money in Provo's energy fund.

Now the golf course needs more than $82,000 and the Parks and Recreation Department another $102,000.

The money for that $184,000 would come from a huge surplus in the capital improvement fund. Provo's portion of last year's sales-tax revenues was large enough to put the city's surplus funds beyond the state allowed limit. The City Council transferred a $1.9 million overage from the general fund to the general capital improvement fund — with the intent of spending it on some long needed improvements.

Some now appears headed to cover the storm damage, though some money may come back to the city through insurance claims, city finance director John Borget said.

Mayor Lewis Billings estimated that the storm cost a total of $13.2 million. Much of that was incurred by private property owners as the storm cut a swath from northwestern Provo through the city to the southeast, where the golf course lies.

The council agreed to schedule a vote on the appropriations for the March 6 council meeting.

The golf course opened last week during the unseasonably warm weather. The netting was repaired then, Borget said.

The most expensive items in the latest round of funding requests are the 42 destroyed trees ($84,000). Stump disposal for the trees cost more than $2,200.

The City Council also agreed in a 4-3 vote Tuesday night to be a conduit issuer for a revenue bond that will help the Freedom Academy charter school get a lower interest rate for bonds of up to $12.5 million to build a new school in Provo.

The city will not be responsible if the school defaults on the loan.

The school plans to build on the site of the old Geneva Steel Recreation Association Park at about 1350 West and 900 North.

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