Washington City Council members, by a 7-1 vote, approved an ordinance this week formally adopting a new city budget for the 2012 fiscal year.
Mark Hidritch was the only member voting no. He did not give a reason for his no vote.
The ordinance was adopted with little discussion. Members held a public hearing on the spending plan last month.
The new budget, which takes effect Monday, Oct. 1, includes a 2.5 percent cost-of-living pay increase along with funds for 1 percent merit pay raises for employees.
Other highlights of the new budget include:
An anticipated 5 percent increase in health insurance premiums;
A $100,000 transfer to the city’s vehicle and equipment replacement fund;
An anticipated 4 percent increase in revenue from water sales due to switching over to more efficient meters; and
A 16 percent increase in revenue from refuse collection fees due to scheduled rate increases that are being phased in over three years.
The “balanced” budget includes reserve funds in an amount that would cover regular city operations for three months in the event of an emergency.
The overall reserve funds of $33,121,040 is not all cash but also includes the values of all the city’s physical assets such as buildings, roads and other infrastructure.
The proposed new budget projects total spending of $48,199,000 and revenue of $70,913,320, which includes $33,121,040 in anticipated reserves in all funds and new revenue of $29,709,885. Also included in that total is $8,082,395 from other financing sources.
Following are the proposed expenditures/expenses by category:
General Fund, $9,832,845;
Library Fund, $496,375;
Volunteer Fire Fund, $590,080;
Capital Improvement Sales Tax Fund, $3,498,910;
Transportation Sales Tax Fund, $7,455,995;
Water Fund, $1,793,315;
Sewage Treatment Fund, $4,248,305;
Solid Waste Fund, $4,354,250;
Debt Service Funds, $3,057,700;
Agency Funds, $4,253,330; and
Other financing uses, $8,072,395.
Following is a breakdown of the various department budgets in the general fund:
Administration, $799,990;
Tourism and Front Street properties, $127,050;
Senior Center operations, $46,700;
Municipal Court, $35,840;
Communications, $846,195;
Police Department, $2,589,090;
Finance, $528,225;
Economic/Community Development, $136,175;
Engineering, $646,080;
Street Department, $1,547,130;
Building and Maintenance, $255,985;
Information Technology, $491,950;
Parks and Recreation, $1,260, 645;
Aquatic Center, $229,190; and
Airport, $162,100.
