City Council hears more budget requests

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The second city budget hearing for the 2008 fiscal year was held Wednesday, May 16.

Jon Sowers of Horizon Human Resource Consulting presented salary study recommendations for city jobs to the council, and the following departments presented their budget requests: Golf Course, Police and Animal Shelter, Water, Sewer, Streets, Building and Airport.

Salary Study Recommendations

After gathering data, Sowers concluded that in benefits, Mountain Home city jobs across the board are strong and fair in comparisons to other cities.

He then offered the council some options in salary changes that included: a kind and levels pay chart, cost of living allowance (COLA) 3 percent increase and step chart.

Golf Course

Brian Rogers, greenskeeper, and Rob Ellis, PGA Golf Professional, presented the golf course budget to the council. They received permission to contact the people storing their golf carts in the big barn about reassigning spots in order to accommodate some of the golf course's carts in that storage area. Rogers and Ellis brought up the idea of a build fund to build a new maintenance facility.

They also requested:

*Increase salaries for seasonal maintenance by $5,000 from $25,000.

*Increase gas and oil line from $13,000 to $18,500.

*Increase telephone line by $300; bringing the request to $4,800.

*Increase repairs and maintenance- equipment line to $10,500; up $500 from last year.

*Increase repairs and maintenance-carts line by $500; bringing it to $3,500.

*Increase repairs and maintenance-buildings and grounds line from $5,700 to $8,000.

*Increase ground maintenance by $500; bringing request to $13,000.

*Increase irrigation maintenance line from $5,000 to $7,000.

*Increase meetings schools and dues line by $2,000; bringing the request to $3,000.

*Increase weed killer and fertilizer line by $3,000; bringing request to $18,000.

*Increase herbicide and pesticide line from $5,000 to $6,000.

*Increase water assessment line by $1,057; bringing request to $3,000.

*Increase tool and supplies line by $500; bringing request to $2,500.

*Request $20,000 for capital outlay. This will include a greens mower at $20,000.

*Added $10,000 to capital outlay request for an awning on the patio at the golf course. Golf Course also would raise money to help pay for the awning.

*Request $5,000 for equipment inventory. This will include:

--weed eater

­--22" lawn mower

--blowers (2)

­--tree chain saw

Police Department

Police Chief Tom Berry presented his 2008 budget requests to the council, noting "salary concerns are my number one priority for funding considerations for the department this year."

* Request $82,932 for two new patrolmen. "The police department has experienced a 27 percent increase in calls for service over last year," said Berry.

*Request $16,680 for new position, which would increase the current part time administrative assistant position to full time and to add one more full-time position.

*Request $41,600 for overtime.

*Request $1,260 for new Life Flight first responder benefit for employees. "The funding for this would have very little impact on the overall city budget and would provide for much needed benefit for our employees," said Berry.

*Decrease fringe-city portion line by $349,413; bringing the request to $57,000.

*Increase postage line from $1,000 to $1,200.

*Increase gas and oil line from $34,000 to $40,000.

*Increase telephone line from $16,000 to $28,000.

*Request $800 for utilities line.

*Increase leased equipment-teletype, etc line by $1,500; bringing the request to $10,500.

*Increase software licensing by $1,000; bringing request to $10,000.

*Decrease repairs and maintenance-building line from $12,600 to $6,200.

*Request $10,500 for janitorial service line.

*Increase uniforms/vests/handcuffs by $3,000; bringing the request to $24,000.

*Increase training line by $2,000; bringing the request to $18,000.

*Increase training from reimbursements line from $15,000 to $18,000.

*Increase repairs and maintenance-radio line from $14,000 to $16,000.

*Decrease photo lab supplies line by $100; bringing the request to $700.

*Increase drug reinforcement/community policing by $1,000; bringing the request to $6,000.

*Request $62,000 for COPS contribution-expenses line, cadet contributions-expenses line and D.A.R.E. contributions line. "Limited on how much money we bring in", said Berry.

*Decrease bike patrol contributions by $2,000; bringing the request to $5,000.

*Grant Expense-LLEB, $10,000.

*Grant Expense-highway safety, $5,000.

*Increase miscellaneous from $5,000 to $6,000.

*Request $2,500 for equipment replacement.

*Decrease reserve unit by $500; bringing the request to $1,500.

*Increase patrol expense from $5,000 to $6,000.

*Request $140,990 for capital outlay. That will include, in priority order:

--vehicles (3), $78,000

--copy machine, $14,000 or lease one for five years.

--police motorcycles (3), $48,000. Or lease new ones or recondition old ones.

*Request $5,000 for equipment inventory. This will include:

--computers (2), $1,500

--tire spike system (3), $1,500

--protective equipment for tactics training, $2,000.

Animal Shelter

Berry said there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of animals needing shelter in the last year alone. In 2006, there were 1,871 animals sheltered.

*Increase telephone line from $900 to $2,000.

*Increase utilities line by $1, 200; bringing the request to $7,200.

*Decrease repairs and maintenance-building line by $600; bringing request to $4,800.

*Decrease the computer maintenance/software line by $200; bringing request to $300.

*Decrease animal supplies line by $2,000; bringing request to $5,000.

*Increase the veterinarian expense line to $9,000 from $7,000.

*Request $1,500 for equipment outlay.

Water Department

Wayne Shepherd, Public Works Director; Rick Harvel, Street Superintendent and Bill Lago, water/wastewater superintendent presented their budget requests to the city council.

"We're trying to do quality work ourselves, and trying to get contractors to do, too," said Shepherd. "We proceed on the basis that growth is a benefit to the city, but with that it must be controlled."

*Increase postage and processing line by $900; to bring request to $9,400.

*Increase drug testing line by $200; bringing request to $1,100.

*Increase gas and oil line $5,700; bringing request to $24,700.

*Increase telephone line from $7,000 to $9,500.

*Increase repair sand maintenance-equipment line by $1,300; bringing request to $14,000.

*Increase repairs and maintenance-trucks by $1,000; bringing request to $7,000.

*Increase computer maintenance by $3,000; bringing request to $5,500.

*Increase computer support line from $8,000 to $9,000.

*Increase supplies line by $500; bringing request to $3,500.

*Increase chlorine line from $15,000 to $16,500.

*Increase water samples line from $20,000 to $25,000.

*Increase safety program/trench shoring by $500; bringing request to $5,500.

*Request $268,000 for capital outlay. This will include (in order of priority):

--ride control for loader $7,000

--chlorine tablet machines $28,500

--(2) small pick-ups $32,000

--(1) 3/4 ton pick-up $19,000

--message signs $25,000

--build-backhoe $45,000

--build-dump truck $15,000

--build-larger trailer $10,000

--build-track hoe $15,000

--build for loader pay off $15,000

--build for Public Works building $50,000

--payment for caterpillar $6,600.

*Request $1,500 for equipment inventory for a survey total station (split) $1,500.

*Water department projects for the 2008 fiscal year include

--extend 12" water main to Airport from InterTie ($10,000).

--extend 8" water main from South Main to South 10 East ($15,000).

--remove galvanized water main and reconnect water service on new water main ($5,000).

--install or remove and replace at least 10 hydrants in recommended locations ($20,000).

--remove all 4" water line and replace it with 6" or above ($5,000).

--McMurtry Road water line installation from 3rd East to North Haskett ($5,000).

--Remove and replace asbestos water line all over town ($15,000).

Wastewater/Sewer Department

*Increase postage and processing line by $1,300; bringing request to $9,800.

*Increase in gas and oil line from $6,500 to $7,700.

*Increase telephone line from $3,500 and $6,600.

*Increase computer maintenance line from $4,000 to $6,100.

*Increase in supplies line from $2,000 to $3,000.

*Decrease in repairs and maintenance-radio line from $1,500 to $1,000.

*Increase tools and supplies line from $2,000 to $2,500.

*Increase manhole rings and covers line from $2,000 to $3,000.

*Request $221,500 for capital outlay. This will include:

--replace C112 gas detectors $5,500

--replace propeller meter at app site $5,000

--6" trash pump $20,000

--(1) small pick-up truck $16,000

--message sign $25,000

--build for storage shed $10,000

--mower $15,000

--mule or 4-wheeler with dump bed $10,000

--build-track hoe $15,000

--build-Public Works building $50,000.

­­­--payment on caterpillar $6,600.

Collections:

--camera for collection system $20,000

--point repair system $6,000

--winch $6,500

--nozzle kit $6,000

--wireless remote for boom and throttle control $5,000

*Request $6,500 for equipment inventory. This will include;

--replace spectophometer $3,000

--computer for weather station $800

--survey total station (split) $1,500

­--trash pump $500

*Wastewater/Sewer projects for the 2008 fiscal year:

--sewer line rehab in area #2 point repairs $19,000.

-- sewer line rehab in area #2 point repairs $21,000.

-- sewer line rehab in area #3 point repairs $3,600.

-- sewer line rehab in area #4 point repairs $4,900.

-- sewer line rehab in area #5 point repairs $4,800.

--sewer line replacement project on North 14th East from American Legion Boulevard, south 1600 ft. $300,000.

Street Department

The Street Department requests are in order by priority.

*Request $575,000 for capital outlay. This will include:

--Build new street shop, $350,000. Shepherd said, "things are scattered throughout the yard and at the old shop."

--Ten wheel dump truck with snow pow and sander, $150,000.

--Public office complex, $25,000.

--Replace sander, $20,000.

--(1) Ton dually truck, $20,000.

--Variable message board, $10,000. According to the Street Department, this board would be used to transmit messages to the traveling public on specific road hazards, and would be used in case of emergency situations to inform the public on where to go and what they should do.

*Request $70,000 for two new maintenance positions.

*Request $6,500 for equipment inventory. This will include:

--Signpost installer, $5,000. This tool drills holes in the sidewalk and drives in the pole bases. The one in use is over 18 years old.

--Survey station (shared cost), $6,500. This unit would be shared and used by all public works departments.

*Increase grant match by $7,000; bringing the request to $14,000.

*Increase right of way improvement-sidewalks line from $16,000 to $18,000.

*Increase telephone line by $2,500; bringing the request to $5,000.

*Increase uniform maintenance line from $2,500 to $3,500.

*Increase repairs and maintenance-trucks by $3,000; bringing the request to $10,000.

*Increase snow removal line by $20,000; bringing the request to $25,000.

*Increase supplies line from $1,000 to $1,500.

*Request $1,000 for storm water maintenance-planning.

*Increase immunizations/testing line from $200 to $300.

*Increase safety program line from $1,000 to $1,500.

*Increase tools and supplies line by $3,000; bringing the request to $7,000.

The following budget requests were not prioritized.

*Increase equipment lease-grader line by $5,208; bringing the request to $25,000.

*Increase meetings school and dues line from $1,000 to $2,000.

*Reduce radio maintenance line by $1,000; bringing the request to $1,000.

Building Department

*Increase postage line from $600 to $1,500.

*Increase telephone line by $2,000; bringing the request to $3,500.

*Increase supplies line from $2,500 to $4,000.

*Request $25,000 for capital outlay, to include 1/4 share of the Public Works office cost.

*Request $3,400 for equipment inventory. This will include;

--Computer (1), $1,900.

--Reflectorless survey total station (1/3 share), $1,500.

Airport

*Increase telephone line from $500 to $600.

*Increase repairs and maintenance-buildings and ground line from $5,000 to $12,000.

*Request $5,000 for professional fees line.

*Request grant match for $10,000.

*Request $28,000 for capital outlay. This will include:

--Terminal improvements, $5,000.

--Build for jet fuel tank, $25,000.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: