Investing in watershed services: a case for local government investment

1. Investing in watershed services: a case for local government investment Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project

2. Our Purpose: A Business Case QUESTION: • What is the problem we are trying to solve? ANSWER: • Minimize fire and flood risks to neighborhoods and businesses. • Reduce vulnerability of Flagstaff’s municipal water supplies. • Protect public safety and economic vitality. City of Flagstaff

3. Our Project - What Municipal bond project, backed by secondary property taxes, will finance up to $10 million to support planning and implementation of forest health and water supply protection projects on 14,446 acres of U.S. Forest Service and State lands primarily outside Flagstaff city limits. City of Flagstaff

4. Our Purpose: A Business Case FIRE • Suppression costs • Loss of property • Damage to: • utility lines • infrastructure • Personnel costs • Public health impacts City of Flagstaff

5. Our Purpose: A Business Case FLOOD • Public health and safety • Damage to: • private property • infrastructure City of Flagstaff

6. Our Purpose: A Business Case City of Flagstaff

7. Our Purpose: A Business Case • Impacts to Viewshed • Loss in sales tax revenue • Impacts to tourism • Decrease in property values

8. Our Purpose: A Business Case

9. Our Purpose: A Business Case WATER SUPPLY • New Wells - $22 Million • Pre-Treatment Sedimentation basin - $5 million • Dredging Lake Mary - $15-45 million • Time to bring on-line – Unknown • Utility Lines to Wells City of Flagstaff

10. Our Purpose: A Business Case OTHER CONDITIONS • Community Awareness of Risk and Restoration Effectiveness • Community Leadership in Forest Restoration • Hardy Fire, Woody Fire: very different results • Retirement of Existing Debt • Lands not scheduled for Treatment • Federal and State funding is uncertain City of Flagstaff

11. Our Approach: Value Added • Our Approach was based on value added • Leverage City Funds and Federal Funds • Gain Greater Control of Risk to City • Treatments outside of city limits but the consequences are ours. • When disaster strikes in city, Fed and State Aid, but City manages. • Influence/Be Involved in Planning Process City of Flagstaff

12. Our Approach – Value Added • Accelerate High Risk/ Low USFS Priority Parcels in 4FRI • steep • difficult to access • complex environmental analysis • not enough federal funds available (weak ROI based on USFS model) City of Flagstaff

13. Our Approach – Value Added Why Local funding for Federal Land? What about the equity? • Life is unfair; or • We’ve been benefiting from others City of Flagstaff

14. Our Approach – Value Added • Continue Existing Secondary Property Tax ($10M max) • Special Bond Authorization • An effective financing tool • Allows the City to complete the work sooner than revenue generation • An effective tool to help minimize risk - If this is not done quickly the cost and risk to the City will significantly increase City of Flagstaff

15. Our Project - What Municipal bond project, backed by secondary property taxes, will finance up to $10 million to support planning and implementation of forest health and water supply protection projects on 14,446 acres of U.S. Forest Service and State lands primarily outside Flagstaff city limits. City of Flagstaff

16. Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project 74% voter approval City of Flagstaff

17. Kevin Burke City Manager – City of Flagstaff www.flagstaffwatershedprotection.org 928-213-2078 kburke@flagstaffaz.gov