In addition to the capital outlay budget covered last week in this newspaper, the City of Watonga has also approved its regular annual budget. According to RS Meacham, the city’s accounting firm, the budget was built to carry out the plan of city council to increase investment in the city and its infrastructure with the end goal of improving economic development and the quality of life for the residents.
The city coffers hold 260 days cash for the general fund and 274 days cash for light and water. This is how long the city could operate in the event of loss of income.
The income side of the ledger is based on 90% of the income from last year and includes the 1-cent sales tax collection. The numbers also include a 2% increase in water, sewer and trash rates and a 1% increase in electric rates.
General fund revenue is broken out into sales tax receipts, at $1,727,216; other taxes at $112,729; service receipts at $343,561; court income at slightly over $50,000; 522 receipts – associated with the emergency medical services – at $240,000; miscellaneous receipts at $315,000; and ambulance collections at $70,987. It also includes $1.5 million from light and water transfers as well as ambulance fees paid to light and water of $90,000 kicked into the general fund. This brings the revenues to $4,449,545.
The budget notations show personnel costs at about 75% of the general fund budget; this represents a 2% decrease from the last fiscal year. Personnel – which includes payroll and benefits – accounts for 29% of the light and water budget, a 23% decrease from the year prior, which represents the outsourcing of garbage collection.
Delving deeper into the general fund, revenues are estimated at $4,449,545. Its expected expenditures include $372,049 in personnel, $124,589 in managerial costs, and $26,472 personnel in the city treasurer's office. The city attorney fees are budgeted at $50,000, down from the $64,122 from the last fiscal year. Municipal court costs are estimated at $25,000. The police department is expected to cost $772,281, with the fire department coming in at $403,061. Emergency medical services are anticipated at $543,650 and code enforcement at $94,025. These figures include personnel costs as well as materials, supplies and additional services and charges.
The street department shows expenditures of $562,730; however that includes $140,000 in capital expenses such as street overlay.
The library expenses are shown at $269,421, while the park departments’ are $254,212. The airport shows expected other services and charges at $50,000.
The total general fund expenditures are anticipated to run $4,357,490. This shows the city general fund with an annual income of $92,053. The beginning balance of $2.5 million added in brings the ending balance to around $2.61 million.
The next segment of the city budget, the enterprise funds, will be examined in greater detail in upcoming editions of the Watonga Republican.