Last week, Mayor Carrie Tergin unveiled her draft 2016 fiscal year budget, which is now in the hands of the Jefferson City Council. The council is continuing to meet twice a week to discuss the proposed budget and make any changes before giving it final approval before the new fiscal year starts Nov. 1.
The mayor's roughly $30 million general fund draft budget includes a number of changes from the current fiscal year, including purchasing or leasing new police vehicles and funding the fire training officer position.
The News Tribune has taken a close look at the draft 2016 general fund budget to detail the major changes as they currently stand. The major changes and expected economic impact are:
Police: $283,626
The draft budget includes the purchase of two new unmarked police vehicles at a cost of $26,921 each to replace 10-year-old vehicles that show signs of rust and have mechanical issues. According to the requests, the two existing vehicles have 101,349 miles and 72,450 miles.
It also includes leasing six new standard police vehicles at a cost of $27,964 each to replace two 2012 vehicles with more than 100,000 miles on each, three 2009 vehicles with more than 80,000 miles on each, and one 2010 vehicle with more than 95,000 miles on it.
The draft budget also includes $62,000 for training and education costs of police personnel.
Salary increase: $283,000
The mayor's draft budget includes a 2 percent across-the-board pay increase for all full-time city employees, as well as part-time employees with benefits, which is estimated to cost $283,000 for the general fund. If enterprise funds, which are self-sustaining funds such as parks, wastewater and parking are included, the proposed increase would cost $382,000 citywide.
Health insurance: $167,463
The draft budget assumes an 8 percent increase in health insurance costs, estimating an increase of $167,463 for the general fund and $226,974 for all city funds.
Fire: $159,205
The draft budget includes funding for a fire training officer at a cost of $80,064 to the general fund. The position was eliminated after budget cuts in 2013 led to the last training officer retiring early. The fire training officer had been responsible for coordinating training, keeping records, tracking professional standards and maintaining personnel certification, coordinating fleet management, operating as health and safety officer and overall operational administrative duties.
The budget also includes partial funding for fire station repairs. Though the department has outlined roughly $160,000 in immediate facility needs, staff requested $95,000 for the 2016 budget to address multiple facility needs. Tergin's budget includes $37,141 for fire station repairs in 2016.
The mayor's budget also would lease a new command vehicle at a cost of $42,000 to be used by the on-duty department shift commander. The department's request notes a new command vehicle has been requested for three straight budget years.
Public Works: $118,000
The draft budget includes $28,000 for an inspection vehicle in the Engineering Division to replace a 10-year-old truck with more than 100,000 miles on it. A second replacement inspection vehicle also was requested to replace a 10-year-old truck with more than 100,000 miles on it, however the mayor's draft budget has alternatively funded that request by transferring an available vehicle from the Planning and Protective Services Department at no cost.
In the Street Division, the draft budget includes $55,000 for a new pothole patch truck to replace a 2003 model with more than 160,000 miles on it. Another $35,000 is included to refurbish an existing single-axle snow plow, which staff hopes will extend the life of the vehicle for another five years.
Planning and Protective Services: $53,720
The draft budget includes $1,000 increase for dues and publications in the Building Inspection Division, which the request states is necessary to cross-train inspectors and increase their certification levels. It also includes $1,700 for 12 shirts and one light-to-medium weight jacket for each inspector in the Building Inspection Division.
Inspectors in the Property Maintenance Division also would receive new shirts in the draft budget, as it includes another $1,700 for 12 shirts and one light-to-medium weight jacket for each inspector. Another $1,700 is allocated for shirts and jackets for inspectors in the Environmental Health Division.
The mayor's budget also partially funds an increase to the residential incentive program. Though the request was for an additional $45,000, Tergin's budget includes a $10,000 increase to the Old Town residential incentive program, bringing its total city funding to $55,000. The program provides assistance to those buying homes in Old Town and the east side for certain properties.
The draft budget includes $2,250 for recycling educational mailers, which was funded in the current budget through a grant.
It also includes $125,000 for consultants to update the metropolitan transportation plan, though 80 percent of that is covered through a grant and 5 percent is covered by the county. The city's actual cost for the consultants is $18,750.
A new planner for the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization also is included in the draft budget at a cost of $65,153, though a federal grant covers 80 percent of the cost, leaving the city responsible for $14,620. The new position will primarily assist with comprehensive planning activities, transit planning and performance-based planning and programming.
Human Resources: $28,660
Though the Human Resources Department requested the reinstatement of a full-time administrative assistant at a cost of roughly $49,000, the draft budget includes funding for two part-time positions in the department at a total cost of $28,660. Besides the obvious cost savings, City Administrator Steve Crowell said hiring two part-time assistants allows for more flexibility in work load and assignments.
The department's request for a full-time assistant stated it was "severely understaffed" and noted a human resources department in a city the size of Jefferson City should have five full-time employees, while the department operates with 2.3 employees currently.
City clerk: $27,500
The draft budget includes $62,500 for election expenses, which is an increase of $27,500 from 2015. City officials anticipate putting the next five-year installment of the half-cent capital improvement sales tax on the ballot next year, most likely in August.
Non-departmental: $2,000
Tergin also included a $2,000 increase to the Cultural Arts Commission, bringing the total level of funding for the commission from $6,000 to $8,000. According to a letter from Lucia Kincheloe, chair of the Cultural Arts Commission, the increase in funds will allow the commission to receive a grant from the Missouri Art Council that underwrites activities that coordinate and promote resident participation, support and involvement in arts activities, such as the Art Strolls, youth acting and music camps, and Thursday Night Live.
Tergin's draft also included $15,000 for improvements at the old Missouri State Penitentiary, which would be matched by the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau. However, the City Council opted to remove that item from the general fund late last week and directed staff to instead fund the improvements from the capital improvement sales tax funds.
A letter from CVB Executive Director Diane Gillespie said the improvements would include new or additional lighting in Housing Unit 1, 3 and 4 and noted the project would require approval from the state.
Law: $137
The draft 2016 budget includes a raise for the city's part-time, no benefit court bailiff that would bring his pay from $18.50 per hour to $19, which would cost about $137 more to the general fund.
Animal Control: $0
The Animal Control Division, which falls under the Police Department, requested a new vehicle to replace a 10-year-old vehicle with more than 135,000 miles on it at an estimated cost of $24,153. Tergin's draft budget, however, has alternatively funded that request by transferring an available vehicle from the Planning and Protective Services Department at no cost.
Related documents:
Proposed Jefferson City budget changes for 2016
Other articles in this series:
Mayor's budget includes leasing police vehicles instead of outright purchase