An audience of around 30 gathered at Timmerman Elementary on Thursday evening to ask questions, address concerns and offer input regarding the city commission’s work toward a budget for the 2010 fiscal year.
Faced with a 3 percent drop in assessed property value and a projected 5 percent drop in sales tax collections for 2010, commissioners are trying to find ways to eliminate a $2.2 million deficit while keeping the mill levy flat.
The final draft of the 2010 budget is scheduled to be adopted on Aug. 15.
At Wednesday’s city commission study session, city manager Matt Zimmerman offered recommendations for dealing with the budget, using cuts from the capital improvement plan, departments and various expenses to arrive at a surplus of $13,008.
Some of the proposed cuts include eliminating vacant positions except for a deputy police chief, a city planner and three firefighter-paramedics. Also in the proposal were payments from the city’s health insurance pool in the amount of $292,086 and an assumption that 2 percent of city staff positions would remain vacant throughout the year, amounting to $234,616.
The assumption of a 2 percent vacancy rate drew several questions from audience members who wanted to know how that money would be made up if the estimate turns out to be wrong.
“If we don’t have the turnover, if we don’t have the vacancies to make those numbers happen, then there will be reduction in staff time and hours,” Mayor Jeff Longbine said.
K.B. Thomas asked commissioners about administration fees for the utility fund, and how the city plans to balance the water, sewer and solid waste budgets.
“Our plan to balance the utility funds is a combination of reduction of capital and rate increases,” Longbine said, adding that, together, the increases will amount to about 29 cents per month for the average homeowner.
Phil Dillon asked for clarifications on items in the city’s multi-year fund that are to be paid for from the countywide sales tax voted in last August. Dillon asked commissioners to explain the KLINK outlay in the capital improvement plan — it’s a statewide street rehabilitation program for state highways that run through cities — and about a project involving courtyard bricks.
“It’s not a big item, but where’s the courtyard and how many bricks is that?” Dillon asked.
“The courtyard is at the library,” Longbine said.
Richard Kennison asked the commission to clarify items that were included in the budgets for both 2009 and 2010, such as a rescue boat. Longbine explained that the 2009 capital improvement plan included about $5 million worth of expenses, of which only about $450,000 were funded. Items not funded were carried over to be reconsidered and prioritized for the succeeding year.
“Do you really think that we need to landscape highway entrances?” Kennison asked.
“I think this project’s long overdue,” Longbine said. “It’s something that’s been talked about in this community for a long, long time, probably seven or eight years.” Longbine added that money has been set aside for working on the city’s main entrances.
Kennison also asked about items on the capital improvement plan, such as replacing lighting and sound equipment in the Civic Auditorium.
Evora Wheeler said these projects are important for the community.
“These are extremely important if we want the city to grow,” Wheeler said. “... Sometimes you have to spend money to make money.”
Questions also were brought up about the city’s proposal to cut the taxi subsidy, and how many people that would affect for the city to save $6,500.
“What we’re really looking at, and I want to be perfectly clear, is that we have no desire to take over LCAT,” Commissioner Jim Kessler said. He added that with the city and county working on LCAT, it doesn’t make sense to subsidize two public transportation systems.
“I asked the same question,” Longbine said. “I asked, ‘Why do we have all these little items on here?’”
Zimmerman said that, if added up, the little items amount to a full position. Longbine said it comes down to a choice between laying off an employee or cutting a service not used by many people.
Former county commissioner Marshall Miller asked whether water sales projections for 2010 include the anticipated gain that will come when the Hill’s plant goes online later this year. Kessler said the additional water sales are figured in, and that the commission is trying to remain conservative in its revenue estimates.
It’s proving to be a historically tough budget year, and commissioners are asking for all the input they can get as they try to bring everything together. Longbine encouraged the public to communicate with the commissioners through e-mail.
“My personal philosophy is, I know that each one of you citizens has made adjustments in your budgets or in your spending habits,” Longbine said. “We’ve all made adjustments, and in my opinion it’s unfair for the city not to make those adjustments.”
Comments
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Posted by giggles (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What does this piece of information have to do with this article?
BTW, were you at the budget meeting?
Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SusanS......Following that post you better have some facts or you may be needing a good attorney. :-) I also fail to see what it has to do with the topic.
Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wasn't able to attend the meeting last night....I hope that doesn't disqualify me from asking a question. In the past few months somebody has spent some money renovating the bandstand in Freemont Park. This renovation included
a new sidewalk and a new concrete area surrounding the bandstand presumably for people to set lawnchairs on while attending concerts.
My question is if the city paid for this renovation project.....and if so.... why if they were just planning to kill the band?
Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 7:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
biscuitboy:
The bandstand at Freemont and all the work around it was paid for by the Wayman family from E.S.B.
They have stepped up time and again and deserve the thanks from all of us. Private money, going to the betterment of the town.
Posted by Paccifier (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 8:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is something missing? Giggles & biscuitboy, what post are you reffering to, and who is SusanS? And before you ask, yes, I was at the meeting.
Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 9 p.m. (Suggest removal)
paccifier,
Renegade poster earlier. Comments removed by Staff.
Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 9:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well they aren't saying that, but someone removed what could have been a libel lawsuit in the making that was posted on several threads that had nothing to do with the threads.
Posted by admireed (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 9:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
biscuit buy, the band should be supported by donations, fund raisers. It is a great institution that needs to have a future with private funds like the Granada, arts council, fireworks. Taxes need to be spent on more foundational things.
Posted by reddog (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 9:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i was at the metting and i did not see k b thomas but, i did see k b thomas jr an advocate for citizens rights and fair taxation. mr thomas asked the commission why DOES IT COST 666,000 TO ADMINISTER THE WATER FUND. HE QUISTIONED ONE COMMISSONER WHO AT A STUDY MEETING WHEN HE FIRST CAME ON THE BOARD SAID, THESE ADMINISTRATIVE FESS ARE WAY TO HIGH AND NO BUSSINES COULD AFFORD THIS. HE TOLD THE COMMISSION THAT IF THEY CONTINUE TO CALL THESE UTILITY FUNDS ENTERPRISE FUNDS THEY MUST RUN IT LIKE A BUSSINES. MR THOMAS SAID THAT IF THIS IS NOT THE CASE THEN THE CITY OF EMPORIA IS IMPOSING A CONSEALED TAX ON THE TAXPAYERS WHICH IS A REGRESSIVE TAX ON THE POOREST CLASS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. MR THOMAS ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM. HE ASKED IF THE SYSTEM COULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY AN AVERAGE BUSSINESMAN WHICH WAS PROMISED BY THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER. NO CLEAR CUT ANSWERS WERE GIVEN EXCEPT THAT WHEN YOU GET ON THE COMMISSION THINGS LOOK DIFFERENT, MR THOMAS SAID HE CALLED CITY OF EMPORIA ACCOUNTING AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SAME ACCOUNTING SYSTEM WAS IN PLACE AS IN 1999. THE ANSWER TO THIS WAS THAT THE HARDWARE WAS THE SAME.
Posted by marko (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 9:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe Cheney's wars should be paid for the same way, perhaps a bake sale. Don't even look into the structure of tax credits and grants from government as to the Granada or the Arts or you might have to rethink how those aren't tax funded.
Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 10:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Back to the band and bandstand, I don't think the city want's to kill them, just not fund them. Looks like donations will need to be solicited at the concerts, or tickets sold.
We have also gotten by without a city planner for a while so we could wait on that expense for a year or two or three.
Posted by reddog (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 11:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF OUR BUDGET PROBLEMS ARE THE RESULT OF ALLOWING THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGERS TO REMAIN IN OFFICE TO LONG. LAST YEAR A POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR WHO IS A KEEN OBSERVER OF KANSAS POLITICS SAID THAT CITY AND COUNTY MANAGERS SHOULD NOT BE IN THEIR JOBS MORE THAN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. AFTER THAT, HE SAID, THEY GAIN TO MUCH POWER. THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA FOR COMMISSIONERS ALSO.
Posted by reddog (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 11:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
RAZZEL DAZZEL ACCOUNTING-----AN ERROR DOES NOT BECOME A MISTAKE UNLESS WE REFUSE TO CORRECT IT.
Posted by Paccifier (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 3:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
reddog; are you trying to impress us with finding your CAPS LOCK key? Some of our budget problems might just be the result of a downturn in the economy, and late arriving new sales tax receipts, in case you didn't notice. Frankly, it probably takes a city manager a couple years to learn the city to start with. One political science professor is just one in a big anonymous flock- got his name? And, in case you didn't notice, there weren't that many running for commission last time to have a decent choice other than the ones running for re-election. At least the present City/County Commissioners and Manager are willing to sit down in front of everyone and talk rather than hiding. AND ALL SAID WITH OUT YELLING BY THE CAPS LOCK KEY
Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 4:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My quetion as to the funding of the renovation work at the bandstand was a sincere one......and Steve....as usual....gave me a clear answer. It was not intended to be necessarily an endorsement for continued city funding of the band. In that regard however, I have in the past questioned the quickness with which the city commission always throws the band on the fire of budget cuts. The same is true of taxi subsidies and fireworks displays.....when in reality the total budget savings by cutting all three is only $21,500.00. That's less than one months salery for our esteemed city manager and city engineer....but I'm sure it brings more pleasure to more people than the two of them combined :-)
Private funding would however....in the long run.....probably is the best way to go. And from the band's perspective might be more reliable. Imust also agree with marko however that throwing out the Granada as an example of private funding completely ignores the government grant money that was used to make the project possible.
But that ommission is not an uncommon error in these discussion any more than tax breaks and farm subsidies are by never being considered a form of corporate and business welfare.
Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 4:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
By the way......Thank You Wayman family for your kind support :-)
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As I have said before and for many years now. The problem with dealing with a city commission and budget is the fact that there are those certain citizans and factions in Emporia that have their certain ideas on what the city or I guess I should say what they want and these citizans seem to have a particular hold or power over what the City of Emporia and the City Commission approves in the way of spending, this may also be true when it comes to the Countys spending also.
A perfect example of this is the multimillion dollar court house.
My understanding on that project was, a certain judge felt he wanted a new fancier office and court room and one way or another a new court house was going to be built, whether the citizens voted for it or not ! Apparantely justice cannot be served or dispenced, unless you have a brand new courthouse, courtroom or judges office !
Such is the way of politics, policy and decision making in the good old USA .
There is a term used for this kind of policy and decision making when it comes to budgets and spending. Its called " Sausage Making politics. "
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
After attending two of the budget hearings, I am thoroughly convincd that the City Commissioners and County Commissioners, really don' t want any input from the citizens on what is absolutely necessary expenditures and what isn' t absolutely necessary expenditures.
I mean after all they have various committees that make recomendations to the Commissioners and the persons who serve on these committees are the persons that have the ear and minds of the Commissioners in the first place, therefore these people are the true power and decision makers of the city as well as certain private, influencial citizens of Emporia and these people are the real ones every other citizen of Emporia are battling with on budget matters or any other matter, not just the City or County Commissioners.
I still believe that there are non essential expenditures in the city budget, that are not needed at this particular time. But getting these items cut from the budget will be next to impossible to accomplish. Because certain people want certain things.
Posted by reddog (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
methusla that was an excellant blog and i could not agree more. as a matter of fact i am serving on a committee and this one person last week said, we dont need any more people on this committee and that told me she and her cronies want to dominate the agenda.
Posted by YY4U (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Paccifier, What does a City Manager do? I mean other than decorate his office, ogle his secretary and cash his pay check.
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 2:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
reddog
I was talking to Jeff before the meeting started and he indicated to me he wished more people would apply to serve on committees. I told him I would consider applying to serve on a committee but I told him if I made it onto a committee it may make for very interesting and active discussions in the committee meetings, especeally if I would serve on a budget committee !
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 3:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am not sure whether there is such a thing as a budget committee! If not, I believe that there should be one !
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 3:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I also plan on attending the next budget hearing, as I have more expenditures that need justified to me as to the necessity of the expenditures.
So if you are some one who likes to see sparks and possibly fire works at a public hearing, you may want to attend the next budget hearing.
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 3:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
reddog
Could the initials of the person who is on your committe you refer to possibly EW ?
Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on August 2, 2009 at 7:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
methusla;
Be careful ole friend. Remember smoking and fireworks have both been banned in the city limits.
It is time for people to start thinking about fund-raising for next years city band concerts and fireworks/ twin rivers fund. You can never start to early.
An aside to city staff, (Zimmerman), 1 way to cut the funding for the fireworks display, Forget the GPS marking and spraypainting of parking places at next years display, and only have a regular shift of police on duty for traffic control. we small town "hicks" can figure it out.
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