2020-2021 Popular Annual Financial Report Page Page 3 Page 5 Page 8 Page 10 Page 12 Community Profile 2020-2021 Financial Overview Net Position Property Taxes Awards & Community Page 2 Town of Fountain Hills Welcome The Town of Fountain Hills is pleased to present its Popular Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021. This report is intended to present an accessible overview of the Town’s financial position and policies, and its commitment to providing responsive services and programs in a fiscally responsible manner. We share with you details of how the Town’s revenue is generated, where the dollars are spent, and how the local economy impacts Fountain Hills’ overall financial status. Above all, our goal is to provide you with an opportunity to better understand the many financial aspects that affect your local government. The financial information provided here is drawn from detailed information found within the fiscal year 2020-2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). The financial statements were prepared in conformance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP) and audited by an independent accounting firm, receiving an unmodified (or clean) opinion. The numbers contained within the ACFR were obtained by employing the basis of accounting as prescribed by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). While the numbers in this Popular Annual Financial Report come from an audited source, they are presented in an abridged, unaudited non-GAAP format. Citizens who wish to review audited GAAP-basis financial statements can refer to the Town’s 2020-2021 ACFR, which is available on the Financial Reports & Budgets page of the Town’s website at www.fountainhillsaz.gov. Members of the Finance Division, and staff across the organization, are proud to serve this fine community. We hope that the 20202021 Popular Annual Financial Report serves its purpose and helps assure you that every effort is made to manage the community’s resources wisely and for the benefit of all. David Pock, CPA, CGFM Finance Director 2020-2021 Popular Annual Financial Report Page 3 Community Profile The Town of Fountain Hills is a master planned community established in 1970 by McCulloch Properties (now MCO Properties, Inc.). Prior to 1970, the area was a cattle ranch and was part of one of the largest land and cattle holdings in Arizona. The land was purchased by Robert McCulloch in the late 1960s and the community was designed by Charles Wood, Jr. (designer of Disneyland in southern California). The centerpiece of Fountain Hills is one of the world's tallest man-made fountains, a focal point that attracts thousands of visitors each year. Located on 13,006 acres of land, Fountain Hills is surrounded by the McDowell Mountains and Scottsdale on the west, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation on the east, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community on the south, and by the McDowell Mountain Regional Park on the north. The elevation is 1,520 feet at the fountain, 2,460 feet at the Adero Canyon Trailhead, and is approximately 500 feet above Phoenix. Over the past thirty years, Fountain Hills has grown from 10,030 residents to a town of 23,820 in 2020. On June 5, 2006, the Town of Fountain Hills became twenty square miles and about ten percent larger by annexing 1,300 acres of State Trust Land. The process to annex the State Trust Land occurred over a two and one-half year period and development of the land will begin during the years to come. Annexing this property into the Town ensures that its future development will be of the highest quality under Town standards, such as the cut-and-fill ordinance and strict zoning regulations. The Town offers a wide range of living accommodations, from small condominium complexes to large custom homes. Fountain Hills also offers recreational and cultural programs and services that contribute to a high quality of life for its residents. The community consists of primarily residential property and open space; of the total 20.32 square miles of land, only 2.5% of the total is zoned commercial and/or industrial, 23.3% is preserved as open space and 51.0% is residential. The Town of Fountain Hills is an Arizona Municipal Corporation, acting as a general law town as prescribed in the Arizona Revised Statutes. The Town was incorporated on December 5, 1989, with the governmental and administrative affairs of the Town operating under the Council-Manager form of government. The Mayor is a member of the Town Council who is directly elected by the voters for a two-year term and chairs the Town Council meetings. The members of the Council are elected at large and serve four-year overlapping terms. The Town Council is responsible for the adoption of local ordinances, budget adoption, appointment of residents to citizen advisory committees and hiring the Town Manager. The Town Manager is responsible for implementation of the policies of the Town Council and overall management of the Town through approximately 62 FTE employees. The Presiding Judge, Town Attorney and Town Prosecutor are under the direction of the Town Council. This Popular Annual Financial Report is also available on the Financial Reports & Budgets page of www.fountainhillsaz.gov. Page 4 Town of Fountain Hills Town Government The Town provides or administers a full range of services including public safety (law enforcement, fire, animal control); development services (code enforcement, planning and zoning); public works (including construction and maintenance of streets and infrastructure); municipal court; recreational activities; community center; senior services and cultural events. The Town does not maintain or operate any utilities or other operations that would require the establishment of enterprise funds. The financial reporting entity (the Town) includes all the funds of the primary government (i.e., the Town of Fountain Hills as legally defined) as well as all of its component units. The component units consist of legally separate entities for which the primary government is financially accountable. Blended component units, although legally separate entities, are, in substance, part of the primary government’s operations and are included as part of the primary government. Accordingly, the Cottonwoods Maintenance District, the Eagle Mountain Community Facilities District, and the Fountain Hills Municipal Property Corporation are included in the financial report of the Town. The annual budget serves as the foundation for the Town of Fountain Hills’ financial planning and control. The Town Council formally adopts the budget and appropriates funding for the General Fund, Excise Tax Funds, Special Revenue Funds, Debt Service Funds, and Capital Projects Funds. Therefore, these funds have appropriated budgets. On or before the second Town Council meeting in April, the Town Manager submits to the Town Council a proposed budget for the fiscal year commencing the following July 1st. The budget includes proposed expendi- tures and the means of financing them. The Town Council is then required to hold public hearings on the proposed budget and to adopt a final budget by June 30, the close of the Town’s fiscal year. The budget is legally enacted through passage of a resolution and is prepared by fund and department. The resolution sets the limit for total expenditures during the fiscal year. The Town Manager may authorize transfers within a department, including those within personnel and from operating capital to services or supplies. Additional expenditures may be authorized for expenditures directly necessitated by a natural or man-made disaster as prescribed in the State Constitution, Article 9, Section 20. 2020-2021 Popular Annual Financial Report Page 5 2020-2021 Financial Overview In this section, we present an overview of monies in and monies out for the Town of Fountain Hills for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021. MONIES IN As a governmental entity, the Town uses fund accounting that is segregated for specific activities. Governmental funds are used to account for tax supported activities, and the Town receives the funding it needs to provide services to the community from a variety of sources. The table to the right presents a summary of governmental revenues by primary type for the three past fiscal years. Online sales tax collections and intergovernmental revenues contributed to an overall increase in revenues of $816,885, or 5.2%, compared to 2020. REVENUE TYPE DEFINITIONS  Taxes: Sales - the Town charges a local sales tax of 2.9% on most goods purchased in the Town. This tax is in addition to the State of Arizona rate of 5.6% and the Maricopa County rate of 0.7%, for a total sales tax rate of 9.2%. Property - the Town does not assess a pr imar y pr oper ty tax. A secondar y property tax may be assessed for debt repayment of voter approved bonds. If no bonds are outstanding, the secondary property tax is not assessed. Franchise - r evenue r eceived fr om utility (telecommunications) companies for the right to operate within the Town.  Licenses and Permits - includes building per mit fees, business license fees, fir e inspec- tions, etc..  Leases and Rents - r ental fees for use of the Town facilities as well as fees fr om leases for wireless communication towers.  Intergovernmental - these ar e r evenues r eceived fr om other gover nments or entities, including state shared sales tax, state shared income tax, fire insurance premium tax, vehicle license tax, federal grants, and state grants.  Charges for Services - these are revenues received from services and/or programs provided by the Town such as recreation programs.  Other - these are revenues that do not fit under another classification.  Fines and Forfeitures - these ar e r evenues r eceived fr om cour t fines.  Investment Earnings - revenue received from interest on invested monies. Page 6 Town of Fountain Hills 2020-2021 Financial Overview - continued MONIES OUT The three-year comparison, shown in the table below, includes the Town’s operational expenditures by function. Overall, 2021 total Governmental Fund expenditures were more than those of 2020 by $1,299,837, or +4.9%. The Town contracts for law enforcement and fire and emergency medical services—these contracts include automatic negotiated increases which are reflected in the Public Safety category and which makes up 32.5% of total FY 2021 Government Funds. Debt Service Expenditures includes the annual principal and Debt Service interest payment for outstanding 9.0% Culture & bonds. The Town did not have any Recreation 9.9% outstanding town-wide debt in FY 2020-21. The final outstanding Public Works Capital Outlay bonds for Eagle Mountain CFD 22.9% 10.3% were paid during the fiscal year. The Debit Service expenditures shown below include that debt reGeneral tirement. Capital Outlay increased Government due, in large part, to completion of 12.4% Public Safety projects carried over from FY 2019 32.5% -20 and a new major project in FY 2020-21, the Panorama Storm Development Drain Improvement. Services 3.0% Governmental Funds Three Year Expenditures Summary by Type Expenditures 2021 General Government $ 3,620,293 Development Services 954,667 Public Safety 8,906,428 Public Works 6,321,814 Culture and Recreation 2,726,748 Debt Service 407,544 Capital Outlay 4,758,067 Total Expenditures $ 27,695,561 2020 $ 3,280,191 797,513 8,566,058 6,046,298 2,609,842 2,379,299 2,716,523 2019 $ 3,147,063 858,957 7,880,668 6,295,989 2,845,027 2,760,471 4,487,854 $ 26,395,724 $ 28,276,029 2020-2021 Popular Annual Financial Report Page 7 2020-21 Financial Overview - continued Expenditures from Operating Funds* Last Five Fiscal Years (In Millions) * Includes general fund, public art fund, and vehicle replacement fund EXPENDITURE TYPE DEFINITIONS  General Government - functions serving Town operations as a whole, including: Town Council, Town Manager, Town Clerk, Finance, Administrative Services, Information Technology, Town Attorney, and Town Prosecutor.  Public Safety - contracted services for Law Enforcement and Fire and Emergency Medical Services departments.  Public Works - represents the Street and Facilities divisions, including Engineering.  Culture and Recreation - encompasses the services, programs and facilities provided by Parks & Recreation, Community Center and Senior Services.  Development Services - includes Planning, Building Safety, Code Compliance, and Mapping and Graphics divisions.  Capital Outlay - expenditures on the Town’s Capital Improvement Program projects and Facilities Replacement.  Debt Service - principal, interest, and other related costs affiliated with the Town’s issuance of debt to support various capital improvement activities. Page 8 Town of Fountain Hills Net Position The Statement of Net Position presents information on all of the Town’s assets and liabilities, with the difference between the two reported as net position. Over time, increases and decreases in net position may serve as a useful indicator of whether the financial position of the Town is improving or deteriorating. Net position is broken-down into three categories: Net Investment in Capital Assets, Restricted, and Unrestricted. These categories focus on the accessibility of the underlying assets. ASSETS r epr esent what Statement of Net Position the Town owns. Current 2021 2020 and other assets include ASSETS cash, investments, and Current and Other Assets $ 25,980,153 $ 23,329,463 receivables (money due Capital Assets, net 103,822,185 104,404,331 to the Town). Capital as- Total Assets 129,802,338 127,733,794 sets are land, buildings, LIABILITIES infrastructure, vehicles, Current and Other Liabilities 1,861,024 3,338,678 machinery, and equip- Long-Term Liabilities 190,600 236,576 ment. Capital assets are Total Liabilities 2,051,624 3,575,254 either non-depreciable (land, art, and construc- NET POSITION 103,822,185 104,004,331 tion in progress) or de- Net Investment in Capital Assets Restricted 2,610,178 2,766,041 preciable (all other capiUnrestricted 21,318,351 17,388,168 tal assets). These assets are shown net of accumuTotal Net Position $ 127,750,714 $ 124,158,540 lated depreciation. 2019 $ 20,419,804 107,559,746 127,979,550 3,661,199 631,777 4,292,976 104,781,328 3,646,449 15,258,797 $ 123,686,574 LIABILITIES represent what the Town owes. Current and other liabilities consist of payables (money due from the Town) that are due within one year. Long-term liabilities represent debt that the Town must pay back over multiple years. If any portion of longterm debt is due within one year, that portion is reported in current liabilities. NET POSITION is the r esidual amount r emaining after liabilities ar e subtracted from assets. The changes reported in net position may be used to evaluate the Town’s financial condition; however, attention should be paid to the movement within categories as well. The Town’s largest category (81%) reflects investment in capital assets (land, buildings, infrastructure, vehicles, machinery and equipment), less any outstanding related debt used to acquire those assets. The restricted category (2%) of the Town’s net position represents resources that must be used for specific purposes. These legal restrictions are imposed by outside entities such as federal or state governments. An example of such a restriction is the State’s requirement that revenues from the gasoline tax be used only for expenditure on street projects. Portions of net assets are also restricted to pay debt service and fund capital projects. The remaining 17% is unrestricted as to use. 2020-2021 Popular Annual Financial Report Page 9 Fund Accounting Fund Balance State and local governFund Balances ments, such as the as of June 30, 2021 Town, employ a system called fund accounting. This system groups assets and liabilities acGeneral Fund cording to the purpose 63.7% for which they are to be used. Each grouping, or Non-Major fund, operates as a sepaGovernmental rate self-balancing set Funds of accounts. The Gen13.0% eral Fund is the chief Capital Projects operating fund of the Fund HURF 18.5% Town and accounts for 4.8% 63.7% of the total fund balance. Capital project funds account for the acquisition or construction of major capital facilities, as well as facilities replacement. Other purposes can be determined by reviewing the fund balances of the individual funds. The fund balance is an important component of fiscal planning and factors into the Town’s debt rating. The Town’s debt rating (Aa2 as rated by Moody’s) has been maintained due to the Town Council’s commitment to fund on-going services with on-going revenues. Page 10 Town of Fountain Hills Property Taxes One of the biggest bills residents Taxes for a $300,000 Home face each year is tied to the property they own. Property tax in FounTotal Property Tax = $2,163 tain Hills is collected by the Maricopa County Treasurer, and is based on the property’s value (ad Maricopa valorem) as determined by the County Maricopa County Assessor. As 20% the charts indicate, the Town govSanitary ernment did not receive any of the District town-wide property taxes paid in 13% Education FY 2020-21 since there were no 60% Other outstanding town-wide bonds for 7% the fiscal year. Property taxes colTown of lected by the County Treasurer Fountain went to support other separate enHills tities within the Town, including 0% Fountain Hills Unified School District, Fountain Hills Sanitary District, and various Maricopa County districts. The Town did receive $427,387 or 1.4% of total revenues from residents of the Eagle Mountain Community Facilities District (EMCFD) for outstanding bonds payable. These funds were used to retire all of those bonds in FY 2020-21. Property taxes are calculated by Maricopa County using the assessed value of all property located within the Town. For residential property, the tax is calculated using 10% of the assessed valuation of the real property, dividing by 100 and multiplying by the total tax rate (currently $7.2105). For example, a residential property with an assessed value of $300,000 would pay approximately $2,163 in taxes ($300,000 x 10% divided by 100 x $7.2105). 2020-2021 Popular Annual Financial Report Page 11 Capital Investments HOW CAPITAL INVESTMENTS ARE FUNDED The Town’s capital outlay consists of investments in our roads, equipment, public facilities, and parks. Every year, the Town prepares and adopts an on-going Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan that provides for an annual amount of infrastructure improvement projects. Town Council and staff review and update the plan each year as part of the budget process. The projects are funded using a combination of grants and existing funds. DEBT POLICY The Town’s Debt Policy provides a set of criteria to help determine when it is best to fund capital projects using existing revenues, issuing bonds and/or seeking loans. The Town had an Aa2 bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service for its last issue of general obligation bonds. This rating allows the Town to receive very competitive interest rates when issuing debt. The town had no remaining bonds payable at year end. REPAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING DEBT The repayment of debt is funded using either secondary property taxes or revenues (see definitions below). The Town did not charge a secondary property tax for FY 2020-2021 because there was no outstanding town-wide debt. DEBT MARGIN The State imposes certain debt limitations of 20% and 6% of the net assessed secondary valuation of the Town. For projects involving water, sewer, artificial lighting, parks, open space, recreation facility improvements, public safety, law enforcement, fire and emergency facilities, and street and transportation facilities, the Town can issue General Obligation (GO) bonds up to 20% of that valuation. For any other general purpose improvements, the Town may issue bonds up to the 6% limit. The Town’s available debt margin is $118.7 million in the 20% capacity and $35.6 million in the 6% capacity. The Town is currently not using any of its 20% capacity or 6% capacity since the remaining $400,000 in outstanding EMCFD bond principal was paid before June 30, 2021. DEBT TYPE DEFINITIONS General Obligation Bonds - long-term debt that is repaid from the Town’s assessment of a secondary property tax. Revenue Bonds - long-term debt that is repaid from a pledged Town revenue stream (i.e., Transaction Privilege Tax, Highway User Revenue Fund, etc.). Page 12 Town of Fountain Hills Awards & Community One of the many features that make the Town of Fountain Hills so unique is the vast municipally-owned public art collection. More than 150 pieces of art comprise the collection that is located throughout the Town for all to enjoy. The collection includes sculptures, bronzes, murals, paintings, photography, and more. The Fountain Hills Cultural and Civic Association offers regularly scheduled art walks to introduce the collection to residents and visitors. Fountain Hills has dedicated itself to providing award-winning community service programs for residents of all ages. With numerous parks, fields, courts, meeting rooms, and conference facilities, everyone is sure to find an activity that is right for them. The Town also hosts various special events throughout the year, including celebrations for St. Patrick’s Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The Town of Fountain Hills encourages involvement in government through volunteerism. Many community members volunteer their time and efforts to the Town of Fountain Hills and thereby enrich the community every day. Volunteers work within the Town to reduce the cost of delivering services to its residents all while having fun, meeting others and enjoying new challenges. Annually, Volunteers are recognized at the Volunteer of the Year Awards Ceremony. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Town of Fountain Hills for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020. This was the 25th consecutive year that the government has received this prestigious award. In addition, the GFOA recognized the Town for its June 30, 2020 submission of its Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR). The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for preparation of state and local government popular reports. The requirements are based on an evaluation of creativity, presentation, understandability, and reader appeal. This award is for the Town’s eighth submission of its PAFR. Finally, the Town also received the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its annual budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020. In order to qualify for the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, the government’s budget document was judged to be proficient in several categories, including as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications device. This is the 19th consecutive year that the Town has received the award. 2020-2021 Popular Annual Financial Report Page 13 Awards & Community - continued The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada has given an Award for Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Town of Fountain Hills, Arizona for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020. Page 14 Town of Fountain Hills Town of Fountain Hills, Arizona TOWN COUNCIL Mayor Ginny Dickey Vice Mayor Alan Magazine Councilmember Peggy McMahon Councilmember Sharon Grzybowski Councilmember Mike Scharnow Councilmember David Spelich Councilmember Gerry Friedel This Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) is intended to summarize the financial information appearing in the fiscal year 2020-2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). Both of these reports, as well as other useful financial information, can be found by visiting the Town’s Financial Reports & Budgets page of www.fountainhillsaz.gov. TOWN MANAGER Grady E. Miller DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS Deputy Town Manager David Trimble Finance Director David Pock Community Services Director Rachael Goodwin Development Services Director John Wesley Economic Development Director James Smith Public Works Director Justin Weldy Town Clerk Elizabeth Klein Fire Chief Captain David Ott, Rural Metro Corporation District Commander Captain Larry Kratzer, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office District Commander Presiding Judge Robert Melton Town Prosecutor Mark Iacovino The Law Offices of Mark Iacovino Town Attorney Aaron Arnson, Pierce Coleman PLLC TOWN HALL 16705 E. Avenue of the Fountains Fountain Hills, Arizona 85268 Arizona Legislature—District 23 U.S. Congress—District 6 -facebook.com/townoffountainhills -twitter.com/fhazgov -linkedin.com/company/town-of-fountain-hills Telephone: 480-816-5100 Fax: 480-837-3145 Website: www.fountainhillsaz.gov 2020-2021 Popular Annual Financial Report Page 15 Notes