Emporia city commissioners have a tough job ahead of them as they continue to work on the city’s budget for fiscal year 2010.
Commissioners spent Tuesday morning looking at the second draft of the utility funds to find ways to balance the water, sewer and solid waste budgets.
The water fund has been hit hard by the city’s sharp decrease in water sales, and commissioners heard a number of recommendations for how to mitigate those losses and keep the utility funds balanced.
In 2007, the city raised sewer rates 30 percent to avoid an operating deficit and to build reserves to pay for capital improvements instead of bonding projects out. Water rates also were raised, but the drop in water sales has eliminated what gains there might have been.
City Manager Matt Zimmerman said it is difficult to keep the three utility funds separate because of their relationship to each other, and recommended a mix of solutions to balance them.
Zimmerman proposed a 19 percent increase in water rates, a 19 percent decrease in sewer rates and a 16 percent increase in solid waste rates. The result would be an increase of about 29 cents per month for the average homeowner, Zimmerman said.
He also proposed reducing a total of four jobs from the water fund — three of them currently vacant, with one employee set to retire.
Zimmerman also proposed cutting water main repairs on Whildin Street and Neosho Street, while keeping the water main replacement on Commercial Street before the 2011 KLINK resurfacing project there.
Commissioners expressed concerns about the proposed changes.
“If we decrease sewer rates, then are we abandoning our policy of setting up our rate structure to build up funds to pay for needed improvements?” Commissioner Julie Johnson asked.
“It is not my intention to abandon that strategy,” Zimmerman said. “It’s my intention, based on the decisions the commission’s made the last two years as we’ve seen water sales going down, to try and limit the increase to the minimum necessary by offsetting some costs, and that’s starting to build reserves while also setting the rates sufficient to meet our 20 percent reserve.”
Mayor Jeff Longbine asked what the effect of eliminating positions would be on the water department.
“I’m not saying I’m opposed to staff reductions, in fact I think they probably are going to have to be done, but I would like to know what you feel like would be the net effect on services is going to be and how we’re going to handle the reduction of staff,” Longbine said.
City Clerk Susan Mendoza said eliminating one meter reader position could lead to a cut in hours staff would be available for service calls.
“We would still be able to do that from 8 to 5 the first half of the month, and then the second half we’d be limited to two hours, 3 to 5, because we’re reading meters all that time,” Mendoza said. “It would have an effect on the maintenance work we do. ...”
Mendoza added that the problems might be mitigated if the meter reading schedule were spread out across the month instead of being packed into two weeks.
“We’re too top-heavy for the first half of the month, so my goal before the first of next year is to get the reading schedules evened out,” she said. “If we could accomplish that, I think our service would go back to what it is currently.”
Commissioners reached a consensus on the recommendations, but stressed that they needed to look at the utility funds in conjunction with the general fund before any definite changes are made.
“I agree we gotta do something, somewhere,” Commissioner Bob Agler said.
In other business, commissioners discussed repair options for the 18th Avenue culvert west of Merchant Street. Heavy rains have washed out parts of the culvert, and on inspecting the erosion, city staff found a number of other problems, including the sidewalk being undercut.
City Engineer Mike Novak presented two repair options: a temporary fix, costing $6,400 and lasting 5 to 10 years or a permanent fix costing $70,000 and lasting 40 to 50 years.
Discussion among the commissioners revolved around short-term patch work versus long-term repairs.
The long-term fix could be paid for out of the special street fund by leaving two vacant positions unfilled, Zimmerman said.
“If we went with the $70,000, your recommendation is to not fill the special street positions that are open, which is going to affect our ability to repair potholes, take care of street sweeping, those type of things, and at this point I think those positions might be more important than the long-term fix,” Longbine said.
Currently there are six street employees, not including the open positions.
The commissioners ultimately reached a consensus to pursue the cheaper option.
spectator (anonymous) says...
...affect our ability to repair potholes,..."? The city repairs potholes? Where?
July 22, 2009 at 6:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Frogger hated potholes. He wouldn't last long in Emporia.
July 22, 2009 at 6:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
builderboy (anonymous) says...
just curious how many commerical business's in emporia get free water, or discounted water rates over regular homeowners?? Is the rule still in place that steve commons set up, that if my "tank has been running " that I can get the city to forgive the upswing in my monthly rate?
July 22, 2009 at 10:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
free water for businesses?
Why am I paying 184.00 a month? Nobody told me.
July 23, 2009 at 12:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
YY4U has a neat tip on how to get free water.
July 23, 2009 at 12:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefootin (anonymous) says...
I've been practicing my fence climbing skills, soon i'll be ready to start digging :)
July 23, 2009 at 9:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
The City and County Commissioners call their budget proposals the CIP ( Capitol Improvement Plan ) .
I am wondering how many of the Commissioners actually know what the term Capitol Improvement pretains to.
July 23, 2009 at 10:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )