CC 07/12/2021 Minutes (Budget Workshop)

Home Browse Search

CASSELBERRY CITY COMMISSION Minutes of July 12, 2021 — Budget Workshop Page 2 of 4 3. ROLL CALL The City Clerk called the roll of Elected Officials. All were present, except for Commissioner Albritton. Mayor Henson announced for the record that Commissioner Albritton was unable to attend the Budget Workshop due to illness. 4. REVIEW AND DISCUSS PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 Presentation: City Manager Randy Newlon recognized Finance Department staff for their preparation of the proposed budget, and also thanked department directors and key staff members for their input. He expressed appreciation to all those who were present and had made themselves available for questions from the City Commission, if needed. He then gave a PowerPoint presentation covering in detail the projected revenues and proposed expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2022 City Budget including revenue and expenditure comparisons, personnel related matters, debt service, and proposed capital improvements program projects. The total proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022 is $79,418,536, representing an overall reduction of approximately $3,277,164 or 3.96% from the adopted budget for FY 2021 of $82,695,700. Debt service is proposed to be $5,720,457, a 7.25% increase due mainly to the strong capital investments currently underway and the loans being taken out to fund those improvements. The proposed budget includes an approximate 5.1% increase in salaries effective January 1, 2022 which would apply to all general employees and directors bort would not apply to the City Commission and the City Manager. The proposed salary increase would consist of a 3.2% structural market adjustment and a 2% Mid -point Compression Prevention Salary Adjustment (MCPSA) which together would average about 5.1% for each employee. Sworn officers would receive a 5% increase in accordance with the Police Union contract. Total staffing was increased from 215 to 217 which included 210 full-time and 7 part-time employees. The City Manager requested that the millage rate be set at 2.9990 mills for FY 2022. He explained that there would also be a separate voted debt millage rate (voted debt service) of .2251 mills for FY 2022 that would need to be set by the City Commission, which was associated with the issuance of the voter approved General Obligation Bonds to renovate, improve and construct parks and recreation facilities. Discussion: Discussion ensued after the presentation regarding various aspects of the proposed budget and related subjects, including: investment in infrastructure and current and upcoming capital projects; the proposed approximate 5.1% salary increase for general employees and how it was calculated based on results of an in-house pay study and the need to take a proactive approach to ]seep pace with the market, retain employees, increase employee morale, account for inflation, and make incremental adjustments to attain the new minimum wage by the prescribed deadline; potential sales tax and LOGT (Local Option Gas Tax) revenues; water rates; concerns about the projection for six years of negative budget; and options for the millage rate for 2022. Each of the Commissioners expressed support for setting the millage rate for Fiscal Year 2022 at the current rate of 2.9990 mills.