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Posted May 15, 2008

The City Budget

The City Commission has started budget hearings for 2009. They will be meeting with department heads to formulate a final proposed 2009 budget. That budget will be filed with the County Clerk by August 25, 2008 and will be implemented beginning January 1, 2009.

The City staff has been working since January to come up with a budget that meets the needs of the community and keeps property taxes in check. This year for the first time the City held district budget hearings prior to the start of the department head meetings. Approximately 30 citizens attended the meetings and expressed opinions on various expenditures in the City budget. The most common theme was to keep property taxes down.

The proposed budget presented to the City Commission fulfills all of the City’s obligations and meets the demand of lowering property taxes. Unfortunately, all of the numbers are tentative since we will not have final property valuation estimates until July. Based on projections, the City could reduce the mill levy one mill by making a number of cuts. Some of the cuts include four police officer positions (two vacant), one meter reader (vacant), and several part-time positions in Recreation, Parks and the Arts. It would include eliminating the Fire Marshall position, a records clerk (vacant) in Police, three Parks Maintenance Laborers (vacant), one Inspector in Codes, and several other vacant positions. The people in positions recommended for elimination would be moved to other vacant positions where possible. The City would be eliminating travel and training for all city staff. There would be no department head salary adjustments in 2009. We would defer maintenance on several items, including painting the swimming pool.

There are fee proposals included in the proposed 2009 budget. These include increasing the Sanitation fee by $2.00 per month and implementing a storm water fee of $2.50 per month. There is an automatic water fee adjustment each August based on the cost of living rate for the previous 12 months.

Theses reductions and increases in fees are not something the City staff like to propose. That is why we continually look for new revenue sources through grants, state and federal aid and from user charges.

Reviewing and adopting the City’s budget is one of the most important policy decisions made by the City Commission each year. Input from citizens is vitally important to insure a high level of service and a low property tax rate.

The Department Head team completed a review of the book Good to Great recently. In the book, the author talks about having frank, honest discussions without making them personal. That is what the staff and City Commission are faced with. They must have a frank discussion about all city services, joint city/county services and partnerships. I hope each of you will help by providing input on where the City Commission should focus for 2009.

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