Mayoral Notes: Public hearing on proposed budget

By CHARLENE LOVETT
By Charlene Lovett

On Wednesday, June 17, the Claremont City Council met to finalize its changes to City Manager Ed Morris’s proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2021. It was the final step before presenting the proposed budget to the public for input. That hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24. Once the city council has heard from the public, it will consider making further adjustments and then vote to adopt the FY21 budget.

Given the budget affects every Claremont resident, it is very important that the council hears from the community. This proposed budget reflects the council’s goals of revitalizing downtown Claremont, addressing neighborhood blight and improving infrastructure. However, hearing from the public will ensure that the proposed budget not only reflects those goals, but also aligns with the community’s needs.

In general terms, the proposed budget reflects a gain in city assessed valuation, accounts for the possibility of lower revenue from the state, holds the line on operating expenses, maintains current staffing levels, increases funding for roads, and invests in capital improvement projects. By using nearly $690,000 from fund balance, it accomplishes all of this without raising the tax rate. In fact, it lowers the city’s portion of the tax rate by approximately nine cents.

Here are some of the highlights of the proposed budget:

Assessing services

For more than two years the city tried and failed to hire a chief assessor, a critical position in accounting for the fiscal health of the city. In order to resolve this and successfully complete a revaluation of the city in 2019, the city contracted for these services. It proved to be a successful and cost-effective approach, providing the Assessing Office with the expertise and manpower needed to improve productivity and achieve better results. The proposed FY21 budget provides for the continuation of those services.

Planning and development

The budget not only reflects a fully staffed department, but also proposes a bond to complete the downtown revitalization project. By having both code enforcement positions filled, the department will have the manpower necessary to better address neighborhood blight. With $200,000 already invested in the previous two budgets towards the engineering of the revitalization project, it is hoped that the city can continue moving forward on this project. Should the vote to bond for this fail, a discussion will ensue regarding the $150,000 needed to complete the engineering and design phase of the project.

Streets and roads

The proposed budget includes replacement of vehicles that have become too costly to maintain and $650,000 for paving roads. By replacing a dump truck and frontend loader, savings will be realized as repair costs now exceed the cost of leasing. In the previous budget, $450,000 was allocated for roads. This proposed budget provides for an additional $200,000, representing the largest allocation for paving roads in many years.

Cemetery

The proposed budget includes the funding necessary to fix the pillars and wrought iron gates at the Pleasant Street Cemetery, gifted to the city by Mr. Moody in the early 20th century. Rather than raise the funding needed through taxes, $8,000 will be transferred from the Cemetery Capital Reserve Fund.

While this proposed budget does not provide funding for positions cut in previous budgetary cycles, the council recognizes the need to examine current staffing levels to determine if they adequately meet the community’s needs. Therefore, it directed Morris to pursue a staffing study. Such a study will provide the information needed to know what staffing is necessary to accomplish our goals and how best to allocate available funds.

Your input on Wednesday, June 24, during the public hearing of the FY21 proposed budget is important. If you cannot attend the meeting that evening, please consider writing your councilor in advance. We look forward to hearing from you.

Charlene Lovett is the mayor of Claremont and a 22-year Army veteran. She welcomes your feedback. Please email questions, comments or concerns to her at [email protected].