CITY HOLDS BUDGET PLANNING WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY

  

The City held their first of several workshops to discuss the 2021-2022 budget at the Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library Wednesday evening.  Chief Appraiser for the County, Dyann White, led off the meeting.  She explained that her office is currently working to get all of the properties in the county up to 100% of their market value.  City manager James Fisher then went through the city budget for 2022.  The city operates on a fiscal year starting in October.  25% of the budget of just over 75 million dollars is made up of personnel.  Council member Atwood Kenjura asked if this is normal for a city our size.  Fisher explained:

The city is planning on hiring 12 fulltime positions for 2022, including 3 new firefighters.  The new firefighters will make a total of 6 on duty at any given time at the current fire station.  It is interesting to note that there is no money budgeted in 2022 for a new fire station though.

Fisher said that the city can no longer wait on FEMA for the Lake Somerville Intake Structure repair.  The city has been waiting since 2019 for an answer from FEMA if they will fund the 3 million dollar repair.  The city has budgeted for the repair and water rates will see an increase as a result.  Fisher said they are looking at decreasing the property tax rate for the city though.  Last year, the overall tax rate for the city was .5040.  That is planned to drop 2 cents to .4840 per $100 valuation.

The next budget meeting for the city is scheduled for next Wednesday, July 21 at the Library at 4:30 PM.  The city then plans to hold 2 Town Hall meetings to explain the budget and the issuance of certificates of obligation. Those Town Halls are scheduled for August 11th and the 24th at 6:00 PM at the Library.