City Manager Greg Burris was front and center for two separate budget discussions at the May 2 City Council meeting.
Burris announced that the proposed fiscal 2011-2012 budget, which features $297 million in revenues and expenditures, is available for public viewing online at
www.springfield.mo.gov, and he discussed uses for an additional $1.5 million coming to the city in unexpected fiscal 2010/2011 revenue.
Burris said the city is now forecasting that it will receive an extra $500,000 in sales tax revenue by the end of June, and it expects an additional $1 million from City Utilities in “payment in lieu of taxes.”
“We didn’t budget enough for electric PILOTS,” Burris said, adding that revenue from increases implemented with the start of the Southwest 2 power plant brought in more money than expected. In his explanation to council, Burris said the fiscal 2011 budget was conservative when it was finalized in March 2010.
The ordinance received its first reading Monday night and should be voted on at the May 16 meeting. It calls for this fiscal year’s budget to be amended and for the following one-time expenditures to be added:
- 13 new Police/Fire vehicles;
- crime-scene van and Public Works’ single aerial truck;
- two water-rescue vehicles;
- information systems software and the design plans for a consolidated information systems office;
- information systems infrastructure upgrades and network connection;
- stream nozzles for the fire department; and
- in-car cameras for police vehicles.
Assistant Fire Chief David Pennington said the department is considering more fuel-efficient options with its vehicle purchases. He also said the new nozzles would be greatly appreciated.
“The technology we’re using is from the 1970s,” Pennington said, noting there are more than 90 nozzles in the fleet and that the current ones are inefficient and hard to repair. “Ultimately, the new nozzles would be safer for our guys to use.”
Burris said the proposed fiscal 2012 budget would be explored at four upcoming council workshop sessions, which would take place at council luncheons on May 10 and May 17, as well as in evening sessions on May 12 and May 19.
Springfield City Council can be e-mailed at
citycouncil@springfieldmo.gov.
Burris said the nearly 5 percent increase in the proposed fiscal 2012 budget, which begins July 1 and runs through June 30, 2012, should allow for merit pay increases for key personnel, and the city’s hiring freeze would be relaxed.
The budget plans for $900,000 in merit pay increases, and it sets aside $327,000 for $1,000 increases for employees at the last step of their pay grade.
“We’re not out of the woods, yet. We can’t afford across-the-board raises,” Burris said.
The proposed budget jumped to $297 million in fiscal 2012 from $283 million in the current budget year. The general fund is up to $70.3 million from $67 million in 2011.
According to the budget summary, 78 positions remain vacant in the city. Burris said some of these would be filled, while others would never be.
The proposed budget also would reinstate the wellness program - which was eliminated in the fiscal 2010 budget - at a cost of $50,000.
The general fund comprises 24 percent of the city’s overall budget in fiscal 2012, while grants comprise 6 percent; internal service, 3 percent; enterprise funds, 22 percent; special revenue, 33 percent; debt service, 7 percent; and capital project amounts to 5 percent of the budget.
For more information, read the May 9 print edition of the Springfield Business Journal.[[In-content Ad]]
