Streets and sidewalks are back in the city’s proposed budget.
A new draft of the 2008 Emporia budget presented late Wednesday night would restore the city’s $300,000 street replacement program and $100,000 sidewalk program.
It would also raise property taxes by 1.524 mills — or about $16 on a $100,000 home — adding $226,768 to the general fund.
The changes were part of a written proposal by Commissioner Bobbie Agler, who was unable to attend Wednesday’s city commission meeting because of a death in the family.
Agler also asked the city staff to drop a proposed fire service fee and restore the city’s payments to its health insurance fund, both of which were done.
Commissioner Jim Kessler said the proposal was in line with what he was hearing from the public: keep taxes down but not at the expense of needed infrastructure.
“I think we should move ahead with this,” he said. The budget comes up for a vote on Wednesday.
The latest, and possibly the last, draft of the city’s general fund shows a total of $2,387,334 in cuts and $547,140 in new revenue. That includes one revenue source the city has wanted for a while: about $155,000 from Lyon County to help share ambulance costs.
The county’s share of the ambulance had not been approved by the Lyon County Commission as of Wednesday. City Manager Matt Zimmerman said he had been told by county commissioners that approval would probably come Thursday.
The city also found $38,352 in savings when liability insurance bids came in lower than expected. And at the urging of Kessler, another $35,000 in commodities — office supplies, gasoline and the like — was trimmed from the budget. In an earlier draft, city staff already had cut $120,000.
“I think we’ve shown that public that we listened to them,” Kessler said. “We’re going to be expected to watch our paper clips.”
He did ask whether some of the street money could be put into a postponed $120,000 storm sewer project for Morningside and Oxford drives. Chuck Hanna, a resident of the neighborhood, has repeatedly asked the city to correct flooding problems there.
It could be done, Zimmerman said, but the commission would have to decide what its priorities were.
“Are three blocks in three different sectors of town worth one home owner’s serious flooding problems?” Zimmerman asked. “That’s what you’re asking me.”
The project had been part of the 2008 capital improvement program, most of which was cut to balance the budget. A lot of needed projects were in that list, Zimmerman said, but they couldn’t all be funded.
“We’d need 25 mills to do all of it,” he said. “We’re not going to get 25 mills. It really is down to which needed projects get the money and which 20 needed projects don’t get the money.”
The commission, including Kessler, decided the storm water project could wait a little longer for other funding sources to become available, such as a proposed storm water utility fee or an increase in the sales tax.
Commissioner Jeff Longbine praised Zimmerman and the city staff for their hard work, but urged them not to let up.
“I’m realistic enough to know that Matt hasn’t been on the job long enough to look in all the corners,” he said. “I’m happy with what we’ve got, but I would challenge Matt and the staff to continue to look for savings in ’08.”
“We will do so,” Zimmerman said. “Even in ’07, we will do so.”
This year’s budget process saw heavy public involvement through phone calls, e-mail and especially participation at the city’s four public forums. Mayor Julie Johnson said the comments had been valuable to the commission and that she felt the sessions had been educational for the public as well.
“Now, when do we start to do it again on the ’09 budget?” Kessler asked with a gleam in his eye.
“You would say that,” Johnson laughed.
In an earlier city meeting, the commission:
• Voted to rezone 49 acres in the northwest corner of Logan Avenue and County Road M-5 from agricultural to light industrial. The land will be part of the Hill’s Pet Nutrition plant.
• Voted to issue up to $600,000 of bonds to build a new 12,100 square-foot hangar at the airport, which will be leased by Allen Wise. He will pay a total of $486,000 over the nine-year lease after which he will have the option to renew the lease each year. The city accepted the low bid from Hastco to build the hangar for $576,792.
• Will close the Jones Aquatic Center on Aug. 26, about a week before its traditional Labor Day closing date. Assistant City Manager Mark McAnarney said that once school starts, fewer swimmers show up and it becomes harder to get concessions staff and lifeguards. He estimated that the city could save $750 a day by keeping the pool closed.
• Rezoned the northwest corner of 12th Avenue and Industrial Road from light industrial to general commercial. The site, a former Pepsi warehouse, will be the new home of Emporia Fitness.
• Accepted a $136,798 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for a wind cone project at the airport.
• Awarded its property, crime and liability insurance bid to Cassell-Brooke Insurance for $130,101 and its boiler and airline coverage to the Insurance Planning Center at $6.968. The bid is for one year with options to renew in 2008 and 2009.
• Agreed to spend $10,500 for Qrep software, used to create accounting reports.
• Revamped the E911 telephone tax used to pay for the emergency phone system. Instead of charging a 2 percent tax on access lines, the city will charge a flat 50 cents per access line per month.
• Held a brief public hearing on the budget. No comments were offered.
• Recognized Robert Fry, a member of the Emporia Municipal Band since its founding in 1941.
• Proclaimed Aug. 25 “ALS Awareness Day.”
Latest draft of the
2008 general fund
Overall
New positions eliminated $527,935
Postponed projects
and purchases $1,553,923
Cuts in city operations
and programs $273,991
Total cuts $2,355,849
Revenue added
Increase in property tax $226,768
County ambulance fees $155,000
Industrial sales tax fund
billed for city time $63,847
Part of guest tax moved
back to general fund $54,000
Increase in golfing fees $26,150
Eliminate bulk discount
on airplane fuel sales $11,375
Implement park rental fees $10,000
Total new revenue $547,140
What’s new?
• Property tax could go up by 1.524 mills
• County might pay $155,000 in ambulance funding
• Street replacement back in budget ($300,000)
• Sidewalk repair/replacement back to full level ($100,000)
• Liability insurance costs are down this year ($38,352)
• Office supplies and other commodities are being trimmed further ($35,000)
• The fire service fee was dropped.
• The cuts to health insurance and workers’ compensation were dropped.
• As in the third draft, the band and taxi program are at half funding. The fireworks show is still unfunded.