City Holds Public Hearing On 2010 Budget Reductions
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The budget adoption is set for Oct. 13.
During Monday's council meeting, council members scrutinized larger-ticket items on the budget.
Council President Joe Thallemer said the council last year requested department heads come up with areas it could reduce its budget by 5 percent in case it was needed.[[In-content Ad]]"It's always a stab in the dark, we don't know what the assessed valuation or distributions will be or if we will be able to even sustain the budget," Thallemer said.
The council voted in favor of flat lining all salaries and setting a hiring freeze at its Sept. 21 meeting. Thallemer said the council will most likely suggest flat lining non-profit budgets to last year's budget figures.
The council reviewed proposed bigger-ticket items the street department, cemetery, parks department and police department are requesting to purchase in 2010.
Thallemer said the council is not going to negate the items, but would like to keep the items upfront in discussions. He said if budgets need to be reduced, the department's requested items for purchasing may be cut.
The street department is requesting to purchase an excavator. Warsaw Street Superintendent Lacy Francis said the excavator is 18 years old, and the parts are not available anymore. Francis said he has received a $125,000 quote to purchase the excavator.
The department also is requesting to purchase a Bobcat. It would be added to the three Bobcats the department currently has. The Bobcat is at least 14 years old and is used for snow removal.
Oakwood Cemetery Sexton Hal Heagy is requesting the cemetery purchase a dump truck.
"The dump truck we currently have is 29 years old, and I want to trade it in," Heagy said.
Heagy said the truck bed twists when it is full of dirt, and employees have to get out on the passenger side instead of the driver's side.
Warsaw Parks Superintendent Jon Garber said the department is requesting to purchase a backhoe, rubber safety mats for Richardson-Dubois Park and update its five-year comprehensive master plan.
Garber said the backhoe dates back to 1987, and is used for snow removal of city-owned parking lots and residents driveways.
"I didn't realize there was that much use for the backhoe, and I appreciate being made aware of that," Thallemer said.
Garber said rubber safety mats at Richardson-Dubois Park were recommended by an insurance company for safety reasons.
He said the department is requesting to update its five-year comprehensive plan because it hasn't been updated since 1992. He said with residents requesting splash pads and dog parks, a master plan could be used as a tool for planning.
Warsaw Police Department is requesting to purchase three new police vehicles.
WPD Chief Perry Hunter said the department will receive $20,000 in motor vehicle highway funds, of which $1,000 can be used to purchase one vehicle.
The estimated amount for each unit is $20,833.
"We're trying to stay ahead of the mileage factor, and some years we have only purchased one squad car," Hunter said.
Thallemer said he is looking at the annual rotation of police vehicles, and trying to decide if the department can get by with replacing two instead of three vehicles each year.
Grose thanked the department heads for their work on the budget, and said the council has tried to stay lean on the budget.
"The public is always telling me don't buy new things and everyone is cutting back, but they don't talk about a 29-year-old dump truck or vehicles having high mileage," Grose said. "The bottom line is in a multi-million dollar budget, I think we are serving the public when we say we are doing everything we can to save funds and do whatever we can to hold back on purchases."
If a storm comes, the city will try to be in line to do the best it can for the taxpayers and city employees, according to Grose.
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The budget adoption is set for Oct. 13.
During Monday's council meeting, council members scrutinized larger-ticket items on the budget.
Council President Joe Thallemer said the council last year requested department heads come up with areas it could reduce its budget by 5 percent in case it was needed.[[In-content Ad]]"It's always a stab in the dark, we don't know what the assessed valuation or distributions will be or if we will be able to even sustain the budget," Thallemer said.
The council voted in favor of flat lining all salaries and setting a hiring freeze at its Sept. 21 meeting. Thallemer said the council will most likely suggest flat lining non-profit budgets to last year's budget figures.
The council reviewed proposed bigger-ticket items the street department, cemetery, parks department and police department are requesting to purchase in 2010.
Thallemer said the council is not going to negate the items, but would like to keep the items upfront in discussions. He said if budgets need to be reduced, the department's requested items for purchasing may be cut.
The street department is requesting to purchase an excavator. Warsaw Street Superintendent Lacy Francis said the excavator is 18 years old, and the parts are not available anymore. Francis said he has received a $125,000 quote to purchase the excavator.
The department also is requesting to purchase a Bobcat. It would be added to the three Bobcats the department currently has. The Bobcat is at least 14 years old and is used for snow removal.
Oakwood Cemetery Sexton Hal Heagy is requesting the cemetery purchase a dump truck.
"The dump truck we currently have is 29 years old, and I want to trade it in," Heagy said.
Heagy said the truck bed twists when it is full of dirt, and employees have to get out on the passenger side instead of the driver's side.
Warsaw Parks Superintendent Jon Garber said the department is requesting to purchase a backhoe, rubber safety mats for Richardson-Dubois Park and update its five-year comprehensive master plan.
Garber said the backhoe dates back to 1987, and is used for snow removal of city-owned parking lots and residents driveways.
"I didn't realize there was that much use for the backhoe, and I appreciate being made aware of that," Thallemer said.
Garber said rubber safety mats at Richardson-Dubois Park were recommended by an insurance company for safety reasons.
He said the department is requesting to update its five-year comprehensive plan because it hasn't been updated since 1992. He said with residents requesting splash pads and dog parks, a master plan could be used as a tool for planning.
Warsaw Police Department is requesting to purchase three new police vehicles.
WPD Chief Perry Hunter said the department will receive $20,000 in motor vehicle highway funds, of which $1,000 can be used to purchase one vehicle.
The estimated amount for each unit is $20,833.
"We're trying to stay ahead of the mileage factor, and some years we have only purchased one squad car," Hunter said.
Thallemer said he is looking at the annual rotation of police vehicles, and trying to decide if the department can get by with replacing two instead of three vehicles each year.
Grose thanked the department heads for their work on the budget, and said the council has tried to stay lean on the budget.
"The public is always telling me don't buy new things and everyone is cutting back, but they don't talk about a 29-year-old dump truck or vehicles having high mileage," Grose said. "The bottom line is in a multi-million dollar budget, I think we are serving the public when we say we are doing everything we can to save funds and do whatever we can to hold back on purchases."
If a storm comes, the city will try to be in line to do the best it can for the taxpayers and city employees, according to Grose.
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