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| City passes basic budget |
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| Minimal expenditures for major projects |
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By Holly M. Gill
A basic budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year, with "minimal expenditures for major projects," was passed by the Madras City Council June 23.
Noting that the $18 million budget includes normal salary increases and no personnel layoffs, City Administrator Mike Morgan commented, "We should be able to sustain the current status for the next 29 months, which is saying something given the current economy."
Although the adopted budget of $17,999,129 is down 23 percent from last year's final budget of $23,645,441, that's not because of any cutbacks, according to finance director Brenda Black.
Instead, the smaller budget is a result of the completion of several big-ticket projects, including the construction and additions around the South Wastewater Treatment Plant, the expansion of Sahalee Park, and the upsizing of the Ninth Street culvert.
"It's very conservative and tight because of the economy," she said. "Building is down, therefore our SDCs (system development charges) are not coming in, and so the capital projects that are on our list are on hold, because we don't have the funds to do them."
The tax rate will remain $4.1262 per $1,000 of valuation. "The rate always stays the same," Black said. "What changes is the assessed values." This year, the city expects property taxes to generate $1,100,567, down 4.1 percent from the past year.
The majority of the property taxes -- 95 percent -- goes to support the police department, with the remaining 5 percent going to parks.
Because public safety is a top priority, Morgan pointed out that the city will add one officer for the coming year, going from 10 to 11. The police department will have 13 employees -- up one from the past year, and up four from 2004.
"From my perspective, we have high quality officers, we are continuing to grow the police force, and it will be the City Council that will let us know when we reach the `right' ratio of officers to population," Morgan said in his budget message.
Despite the addition of one officer, the total number of city employees will remain at 36, since a vacant position in the Community Development Department was not filled.
During the upcoming year, the city expects to complete the B Street pedestrian project, build the Heavy Aircraft and Engine Maintenance Facility at the airport, pursue grants for streets, utilities and trails, and decide whether or not to build a new police station/city hall on property the city owns surrounding Friendship Park, Morgan noted.
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