City officials in Oconto Falls managed to balance a 2014 budget that incorporates three street projects and a new police vehicle but results in only a slight increase in the tax levy.
The City Council on Nov. 19 adopted a budget that calls for $2 million in general fund expenditures, a 1.64 percent or $31,731 increase over last year.
The tax levy for 2014 is $964,146, an increase from last year of $4,146, a change of less than 1 percent.
“There is little waste in the city,” Finance Committee Chairman Marty Coopman said. “We have our budget trimmed down.”
The council presented and approved the budget with no other members of the community present.
A mill rate has not been calculated.
The 2013 levy limit set by the state for Oconto Falls was $982,570. However, the city approved the levy at $960,000, which resulted in a lower limit for 2014 of $964,146.
The assessed value of property in the city grew .5 percent over last year, from $153,153,800 to $153,240,300.
Expenditures are set to increase 2.7 percent for public safety and include the purchase of an SUV Interceptor vehicle. Helping to offset those costs are revenues totaling about $11,150.
The Fire Department expenditures are up $7,164 from last year, or 4.8 percent. Revenues for the department are anticipated to decrease $4,649, a change of 4.4 percent.
The Park and Recreation Department will see expenditures of $57,693 and revenues of almost $33,000. The city is budgeting $14,000 toward new docks at the East Side Beach.
Council members discussed the transfer or $19,000 from the general fund to the capital projects fund for the Street Department. The city plans to apply for the Local Roads Improvement Program, a state reimbursement program administered by the county Highway Department. The city is required to spend a minimum of $59,714 on up to three road projects to qualify for the program, but would be reimbursed $29,857, half that minimum requirement.
“There comes a time when you just gotta do roads,” Alderman Don Osborne said.
The council considered six road resurfacing project bids and voted to accept three: 1,780 feet of Golden Corners Road from County Road CC at a cost of $29,078; 1,450 feet of Maple Avenue from Sheridan Road to the city/town line for $24,520; and 1,050 feet of Farm Road from Main Street to Meadow Road for $35,703.
Total cost of the projects is $89,301. With the reimbursement from the LRIP, the city is responsible for just under $60,000.
Contract fees for the Oconto Falls Area Ambulance Service are down, from $25,398 last year to $25,311. However, the city will also pay a support fee of $14,000, for a total of $39,311. The service agreement is effective Jan. 1 and has been extended from an annual agreement to a three-year agreement to allow for better long-range equipment and personnel planning. The cost of the three-year agreement is subject to change after the first year.
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