HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7455 ft I 'FbRMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7455
14
so To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
April 17, 1990
Subject: DISCONTINUATION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE
Chapter 36 of the City Code permits the City of Fort Worth to locally
enforce the provisions of the states Agriculture Code relating to
weights and measures . This chapter of the code creates the office of
supervision of weights and measures and assign the responsibility to
the director of housing and human services .
The consumer affairs office is primarily responsible for certification
of scales and gasoline pumps within the corporate limits of Fort
Worth . Approximately 6,000 such inspections are made annually and 300
consumer complaints are arbitrated in consumer resolution efforts .
( The Consumer Affairs Office has no legal authority to resolve
consumer complaint ) . The City 's general fund supports the consumer
affairs office . The 1989-90 budget is $197 ,685 with a projected
revenue of $60 ,000 resulting in a net general fund expense of
$137 ,685 . The revenue is generated from the $10 permit fee authorized
in the code . The services provided through the consumer affairs
office are, for the most part , available from the State Department of
Agriculture which provides the weights and measure services in most
cities throughout the state. The state permit is presently $12
annually .
The proposed 90-91 budget requests a funding level of $206 ,267 from
the city 's general fund with a projected revenue of $60 ,000 . The net
cost of the consumer affairs office would be $146 ,267 . The office has
six employees .
In order to make the consumer affairs office self supporting , the
permit fee would need to increase to approximately $34 .38 which would
generate $206 ,280 .
As part of the overall budget strategy the City Manager 's staff has
reviewed many services provided by the general fund . included in
this review is an evaluation of the impact certain reductions will
have on the service level to the citizens of Fort Worth .
The prudent management decision is to eliminate the consumer affairs
office effective June 1 , 1990 . The general fund will realize a
1989-90 fiscal year savings of approximately $65 ,000 and a reduction
of $206,267 for the 1990-91 fiscal year . The June I date will allow
adequate lead time to transition the inspection responsibility to the
state and for the displaced employees to apply for other positions
both within and outside the City of Fort Worth .
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
IW6RMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
4 U0
V
-4
Zx Subject: DISCONTINUATION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE
The City Attorney 's office has reviewed the applicable sections of the
city code and will be preparing the necessary- amendments to allow the
weights and measure responsibility to revert back to the state . It is
the opinion of the City Manager 's staff that the citizens of Fort
Worth will notice no distinguishable difference in the level of
service being provided .
David Ivor
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS