The City Council held its third and final budget workshop on May 14, 2024 and finalized its discussions about the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget, which covers the period from July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025. The items that Council previously added to the “Parking Lot” to discuss, and the decisions Council made during this meeting, are listed below. The recording of the workshop is available on the SPC-TV Vimeo page: https://vimeo.com/946634839
On June 11, 2024, voters will decide the fate of the School budget in the referendum. On June 25, 2024, Council will give final approval to the City portion of the budget. The budget the Council will vote on requires a total tax rate increase of 6% (accounts for both the City and School budgets).
Of the funds that taxpayers will pay to the City in FYF25, 61% will go to the School Department, 4% will go to the Cumberland County, and 35% will support Municipal operations.
Here is the list of the Fiscal Year 2025 “Parking Lot” items and decisions City Council made during the May 14 Budget workshop:
- City Council: Eliminate Contractual Services (-$60,350) – Outcome: Eliminated $50,000 for permitting study but retained the other misc. funds.
- City Council: Eliminate Human Rights Commission (-$15,000) – Outcome: Did not eliminate funding.
- Fire Department: Add Five New Positions/Decrease OT +$451,017 – Outcome: Did not add five positions, but asked staff to explore leveraging TIF funds and use offset funds to add EMS/LT position at $105,758.
- Economic Development: Eliminate Economic Development Associate Position (-$108,541) – Outcome: Did not eliminate funding.
- Economic Development: Add Intern +$10,000 – Outcome: Did not add funding.
- Code Enforcement: Add Asst. Code Enforcement Officer Position +$118,577 – Outcome: Added funding for this position.
- Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront: Reduce Harbor Commission (-$58,000) – Outcome: Reduced Harbor Commission by $34,000.
- Sustainability: Eliminate Sustainable Transportation Coordinator Position (-$97,925) – Outcome: Did not eliminate funding.
- Planning: Add Crosstown Connector Preliminary Design & Environmental Impact Study (CIP) +$200,000 – Outcome: Added CIP funding.
- Planning: Add Traffic Impact Fee Study +$75,000 – Outcome: Added funding.
- Planning: Outcome: Council added $75,000 from for a Sewer Impact Fee Study to be funded from the Water Resource Protection Department.
- Planning: Move Resilience Overlay Zone Consultant from CIP to Operating Budget $0 – Outcome: Did not move to operating budget.
- Facilities: Reduce Hourly Wages (-$50,000) – Outcome: Did not reduce.
- Facilities: Reduce Facilities Design Services (-$4,000,000) – Outcome: Did not reduce.
- Facilities: Add Community Center HVAC +$250,000 – Outcome: Added funding.
- Facilities: Add Community Center Boiler $60,000 – Outcome: Project was already in the recommended CIP.
- Executive: Add Grant Manager Position +$125,000 – Outcome: Did not add funding.
- Contingency: Reduce Contingency (-$10,000) – Outcome: Reduced funding.
- Parks, Recreation and Waterfront – Outcome: Council added funding of +$125,000 for Wainwright Baseball Field drainage.