by Logan Gruber
operations@thenewsleaders.com
The proposed 2016 budget for St. Joseph still isn’t quite where the city council would like to see it.
The council received a presentation on the first draft of the budget at the Aug. 17 meeting, and the second draft at the Aug. 31 meeting.
The current proposed budget can be adjusted lower or higher until the Sept. 21 council meeting when a final decision would need to be made. After that point, it can only be adjusted lower. It shows an increase of 1.813 percent over 2015 in the operational budget, and an increase of 3.475 percent in the debt-service budget.
According to the report, the operational budget includes personnel costs, repair and maintenance, and capital. The debt-service budget is obligations the city has from previously issued bonds.
Every department of the city saw an increase in its operational budget from 2015 to 2016. At the Aug. 17 meeting, staff was asked to find ways to reduce the operational budget for 2016. One way staff found to do that was to reduce the amount of money budgeted for future capital improvements. The city typically budgets a certain amount each year for particular capital improvements, and then after a number of years, the amounts are added together to make one big purchase. The staff was able to cut $20,000 from the police, administrative and public-works capital improvements, and an additional $51,500 from the Economic Development Authority’s capital improvements. An additional $32,470 in savings was found in the 2015 fire fund.
Council member Bob Loso said he would like to see the budget cut by another 10 percent, or approximately $150,000. While Loso didn’t have any specific ideas at the moment, he said he would look the budget over and see if he can find a way to drop it.
St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens said the salary and benefits for the proposed Community Development director and additional police officers would pretty much make up the $150,000 Loso is looking for.
Council member Matt Killam suggested it was possible the council could choose to hire the Community Development director in the middle of the year instead of the beginning to save on half of the salary and benefits. Weyrens said that was an option.
The city council plans to have staff rework the budget and will discuss it again at the Sept. 21 meeting.
