08/16/11 Residents of Plymouth got their first look at Mayor Senter’s 2012 budget Monday evening. Next year’s budget is $732,364 higher or an overall increase of 7.19% than the 2011 budget. The proposed budget is $10,921,233.
Monday night Mayor Mark Senter and members of the Common Council had the opportunity to review the proposed budget which includes up to a 3% salary increase for city employees.
Many departments show increases in their 2012 budgets including the Storm Sewer with an increase of 1.15%, the Building Commissioner has an increase of 30.38% for a new vehicle, the Law Department’s increase is at 8.14% including additional funds for recodification, and the Mayor’s budget with a 10.83% increase which includes an additional $10,000 for a new City’s website that he hopes will be more promotion of the city and not just informational.
The Plymouth Police Department has an increase from last year of 5.56% caused by a huge increase in maintenance contracts for 800 megahertz radios and 3 new desktop computers. The City Fire Department shows an increase of 2.87% mainly in medical supplies and 3 mobile computers to increase the CAD capabilities. The City Garage and Warehouse fund showed an increase of 2.07% in personal serviced for the salary increases.
Other city budgets showed increases from the 2011 budgets including Motor Vehicle Highway with a 8.12% which includes anew single axel dump truck at $135,000. Park and Recreation Superintendent Mike Hite explained increases in the budget for next year. The 4.30% increase includes a new scheduling software program, a broom for the John Deer mower, the federal mandate requiring a handicap lift for the pool at a cost of $7,200 and $12,00 to repair the pump at the pool.
The Aviation fund shows a 5.55% increase in next year’s budget Clerk Treasurer Toni Hutchings noted that this operating budget has not had a tax rate for the past two years and won’t need one next year.
The City’s Cumulative Capital Development Fund has a huge increase of 190.34%. The increase includes appropriations for the airport. There is $40,000 of local money for terminal building and hanger improvements, and funds for the corporate apron reconstruction, installations of an AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System) and engineering for phase 1 reconstruction of the runway, hanger and taxiway. Clerk Hutchings explained that she has appropriated all funding for the projects although all have substantial federal and state money.
Several City budgets stayed the same including animal welfare at $29,125…the same rate since 2006 and City lights and power at $210.000 again the same since 2006. Law Enforcement Continuing Education stayed the same at $15,000 as did the Cum Capital Improvement fund at $25,000.
A few department actually had decreases to their 2012 budgets including the Financial Boart and Clerk Treasurer, Sanitation Department, City Properties, Cemetery, Aviation Rotary, and a 100% decrease in the Riverboat Wagering Tax fund.
City Council members are expected to approve the 2012 budget on first reading on September 26th and second and third readings on October 24th.
