Claxton finalizes details for FY 2018 budget ahead of vote

The Claxton City Council held a public hearing for the FY 2018 budget ahead of their regular council meeting on Monday night as the City continues to mend financial woes and progress down the path of financial stability.

No one from the public attended the hearing for the purposes of posing questions, but council members and Mayor Branch used the hearing as an opportunity to discuss final numbers with department heads and interim city administrator Carter Crawford.

The City is set to vote on the $5,783,817 budget on Monday, June 19. Copies of the complete budget are available at City Hall while highlights from the budget are below.

TOTAL PROPOSED FY 2018 OPERATING BUDGET: $5,783,817

• General Fund Budget – $1,895,475
  • $88,149 for the governing body
  • $105,711 for financial administration
  • $1,047,827 for police
  • $183,599 for fire
  • $6,834 for animal control
  • $390,541 for highway and streets
  • $44,364 for other government services
  • $8,150 for Veteran’s Community Center
  • $1,500 for Memorial Park
  • $3,800 for Building Inspection
  • $15,000 for Airport Authority
• Special Transportation Fund – $61,358
• 2011 SPLOST Fund
  • $158,282 in revenues
  • $143,000 in expenditures
  • Leaves $15,282 balance
• 2017 SPLOST Fund
  • $46,500
• Water & Sewer Fund – $1,289,000
• Natural Gas Fund – $1,921,400

Budget Assumptions as reported by Mr. Crawford:

• Ad valorem tax millage rate will not increase
• Residential sanitation fees will decrease by $1.25 per month
• Commercial dumpster fees will increase by approximately 10% per month
• Water and sewer rates will NOT increase
• Natural gas rates will follow market pricing
• An utility account establishment fee in the amount of $15.00 will be charged for establishing a new utility customer account. This amount is non-refundable.
• The City fire fee will not increase
• $61,358 will be budgeted for TIA-LMIG projects
• $143,000 of SPLOST funds will be used for capital equipment purchases and utility structure repairs
• LOST Fund collections will be below 2017 budget
• Capital purchases will equal $143,000
  • SPLOST – $88,000
  • GMA Lease/Purchase – $55,000
• $8,900 has been added to the budget to update the City Code of Ordinances
• An Animal Control budget in the amount of $6,834 is included in the budget
• The following new funds have been added to the budget:
  • Sanitation Fund
  • 2011 SPLOST Fund
  • 2017 SPLOST Fund
  • TIA – LMIG Fund
• A $73,424 repayment will be paid toward 20-year GEGA loan
• The City will follow adopted sound financial policies
• All proprietary funds will be self-supporting
• The City’s full-time employee staff will increase by 2 – Accounting/Purchasing Specialist & Utility Laborer I
• A 1.25% performance pay increase will be given to qualified full-time City employees beginning January 1, 2018
• $8,000 is added to the Fire Department budget to pay for a state-mandated cancer coverage premium for all City firefighters – employee and volunteer
• Funds have been included to promote the current Assistant City Clerk to City Clerk effective July 1, 2017
• The City’s 2018 budget will be adopted and accounted for using generally accepted Accounting Principals
• The City’s 2018 FY Budget will be balanced as required by law