Council reviews proposed FY 2020 budget

     The Monticello City Council has been busy preparing to approve the Fiscal Year 2020 city budget.

     During the Feb. 4 council meeting, City Administrator Doug Herman reviewed the major changes in the proposed FY 2020 budget with the council.

Revenues

     • The General Fund is set to increase by $133,265, from $1,840,579 to $1,973,844.

     • Monticello Trees Forever will decrease by $10,000. This fund contains $40,000, which Herman felt was enough moving forward.

     • The set-aside funds are proposed this coming fiscal year for a new police car or a new ambulance.

     • The Road Use Tax fund is projected to increase by $30,868, from $444,132 to $475,000.

     • Employee Benefits will increase by $34,736 to cover an assumed 15 percent increase in health insurance costs. (From $422,995 to $457,731.)

     • TIF Revenue will increase by $519,615, from $210,385 to $730,000.

     • The Willow Park Trail line item is budgeted at $60,000 to cover in-coming grants and donations.

     • A $10,000 transfer is being proposed from Hotel/Motel Tax to Park Improvements.

     • The Yard Waste Fees line item is proposed to see $17,500. Herman said the city is proposing a $1 per month fee to be collected on all utility accounts. However, this fee would need to be approved by the passage of an ordinance. Nothing will change until the city defines a yard waste site. The funds will be used for management of the site.

     • The Sixth Street Ditch Loan Proceeds line item is projected to see a $25,000 increase. The Sixth Street Ditch Project is being moved from FY 2019 to FY 2020. This helps to budget for a $325,000 loan. The actual loan amount will depend on project costs.

     Herman said the city engineer has all of the easement necessary for the project.

     “We’re ready for the next step,” he said.

Expenses

     • The police Other Capital Equipment fund is being lowered by $45,350 due to no purchase of a squad car this coming fiscal year.

     • The Roadway/Street Construction fund is decreasing by $140,000, from $150,000 to $10,000. Herman said with the Sixth Street Ditch Project and the N. Sycamore Street Reconstruction Project, no major street projects are expected.

     “The $10,000 would be a more ‘normal’ budget for streets from the General Fund,” said Herman.

     • The street lights fund is increasing by $8,000 to help cover the cost of at least two light fixtures per year.

     • The County Contributions line for such services as Jets and Senior Dining is being increased by $16,796, from $9,800 to $26,596.

     The increase reflects the movement of county services that had previously been supported by Hotel/Motel Tax. Jones County Tourism and the Monticello Chamber’s proposed contributions are planned to stay with Hotel/Motel.

     • The city’s facilities budget will see a proposed increase of $50,000 to cover any improvements proposed inside the Community Building.

     • The Berndes Center Repair/Maintenance fund will increase by $27,000, from $18,000 to $45,000 for the HVAC upgrade.

     • The Parks and Rec mowing fund is proposed to decrease by $9,900, from $45,000 to $35,100.

     Herman said Parks and Rec staff Jacob Oswald and Shannon Poe have been taking over some of the city’s mowing duties. He said there are some options to decrease this line item even more as they take on more mowing projects.

     • The Trees Forever line will increase by $5,000 to help cover the cost of N. Sycamore Street tree plantings following the street project.

     • Hotel/Motel Tax Contributions will increase by $12,000, and $10,000 will be transferred from Hotel/Motel to Park Improvements/Trail.

     • Street Maintenance Contracts will increase by $60,000, from $40,000 to $100,000 for the N. Sycamore Street and Sixth Street Ditch projects.

     • The N. Sycamore Street line item will decrease by $154,000 related to engineer fees spent in FY 2019.

     • However, the N. Chestnut Street Project design fund will see an increase of $51,000.

     • Employees Benefits will increase by $35,334, from $446,055 to $501,389. This represents the 15 percent increase in insurance.

     • The Willow Park/Trail project will increase by $70,000 to reflect grants and donations being spent.

     • The Sixth Street Ditch Project will increase by $100,000, which being transferred from FY 2019 to 2020. A total of $250,000 is budgeted, though, for 2020.

     • $65,000 is being budgeted for the Highway 38 North Sewer Extension Project. The city engineer is working on the final easements, plans, and cost estimate.

     • $60,000 is proposed in the Sanitation Capital Improvement fund to cover the cost of acquiring a yard waste site.

     The city council set a public hearing on the proposed FY 2020 budget for Monday, March 4 at 6 p.m.