Fire Dept., Airport, HR Present Budgets To Warsaw Council
August 17, 2021 at 2:26 a.m.
Fire Dept., Airport, HR Present Budgets To Warsaw Council
By David [email protected]
“Your fire territory was organized in 2009. The Council’s been very strong behind it. The Territory board has been very strong behind it. And we applaud that,” Wilson said before listing the many jobs of his firefighters. “It’s their budget, it’s their funding. I’m just a presenter to you.”
The Fire Territory’s operating budget for 2022 is proposed at $5,521,806, an increase of 23.22% over the 2021 budget of $4,481,259. It does include $474,831 for pension, which for 2021 only was offset by excess funds in the pension fund.
The budget also was prepared for the replacement of an individual on “B” shift and three new hires, one for each shift. Money from the American Rescue Plan funds could potentially help fund the positions as part of a new mental health initiative, but that $200,000 will be up to the Council. Mayor Joe Thallemer said they’ve been working on the initiative for over a year.
Later, at the end of the budget presentations, WWFT Board member, former firefighter and city taxpayer Brandon Schmitt commented about the need for more manpower at the fire department. He referenced a July house fire in Warsaw where one firefighter went into a burning building without support present yet because people were yelling that there were children in the home. A man was rescued from the fire by a second fire crew that showed up.
“We’re running short. B shift, specifically, is running short. Has been for quite a while. We have another guy on B shift that is going to retire in a year. We’ve got to get those guys there,” Schmitt said, in part.
Wilson’s second budget he presented was the Fire Territory Hazardous Materials Response Fund, which comes from money received by the Territory responding to hazardous spills. For 2022, it’s proposed at $3,800.
The Equipment Replacement Fund has a proposed 2022 budget of $462,600, a decrease of 59.51% from 2021’s budget of $1,142,600. The biggest drop was in repairs and maintenance as plans for repairing fire station No. 2 changed. No fire apparatus is planned to be purchased in 2022.
The last budget Wilson presented was for the Fire Pension Fund, which is determined by law. It pays for four retirees and four dependents. For 2022, it is $272,422.
Airport Manager Nick King presented his two budgets, the same as he presented to the Board of Aviation Commissioners Aug. 10.
His proposed General Aviation fund for 2022 is $1,224,074, an increase of 20.81% over 2021’s budget of $1,013,206. His Aviation Depreciation fund, which comes from fuel sales at the airport, is proposed for 2022 at $310,000 and will be used toward the airport’s 5% share of the power line lowering project. Another $80,000 from the General Aviation also will go toward the project.
Human Resource Director Jennifer Whitaker only had one budget to present to the Council. Her General HR budget for 2022 is proposed at $231,082, a decrease of $29,213 from her 2021 budget of $260,295. The decrease is because her administrative assistant was moved to the mayor’s office and budget.
City Planner Justin Taylor also had only one budget to present, the Building & Planning fund. It is proposed at $841,104 for 2022, a 3% increase from the 2021 budget of $811,910.
Community Economic and Development Director Jeremy Skinner presented seven proposed budgets for 2022. He also presented the budgets to the Redevelopment Commission earlier this month.
For the Warsaw Technology Park, the proposed budget is $1,217,000; Redevelopment General, $315,000; Northern Residential TIF, $150,000; Southern Residential TIF, $70,000; Redevelopment Allocation, $723,500; Redevelopment Northern TIF, $3,874,098; and Winona Interurban, $25,000.
The public hearing on all the city departments’ budgets will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 20.
Thallemer began the budget presentations with some good news/bad news.
“Some of the things we’re facing this year, with property taxes, obviously; wages are a big issue, and certainly trying to accommodate the increase in wages that have occurred because of the demand in the work force, not just here in the city, but everywhere. So, obviously, that’s going to be a pressure point on our budget,” he said.
The city has “enjoyed” a $37 million increased in its assessed valuation, he said, which doesn’t get the city any more levy but it does potentially impact the tax rate by about 3 cents. “Because of the broader assessed value, our taxpayers pay approximately 3 cents less because of the increase in AV,” he explained.
However, countering that is a levy increase. Thallemer said, “The state allows us about a 4.2% increase, and looking at that, with our new assessed value, that increases the rate about 7 cents. That’s just levy growth from last year that we’re permitted, about 7 cents. About 3 cents of that will be offset by an expanded AV,” he said.
In 2020, Thallemer continued, “We had about $151 million of an increase AV. Last year was about 44. This year was about $37 million. That’s still a pretty good number. As we grow the AV, we reduce that rate, and that’s one of the good things about our growth.”
An increase in AV requires more diligence in the city’s service, he said, which needs to be offset with supplemental revenue. Revenue is still an issue for the city.
“Given that, we do have some good news about our health insurance. Made aware this week that, when we planned for about a 12% increase in the health insurance, it looks like our rate is excellent. It’ll be decreased.”
He said that is a big deal and the first time he could remember where the city’s health insurance premiums will go down.
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“Your fire territory was organized in 2009. The Council’s been very strong behind it. The Territory board has been very strong behind it. And we applaud that,” Wilson said before listing the many jobs of his firefighters. “It’s their budget, it’s their funding. I’m just a presenter to you.”
The Fire Territory’s operating budget for 2022 is proposed at $5,521,806, an increase of 23.22% over the 2021 budget of $4,481,259. It does include $474,831 for pension, which for 2021 only was offset by excess funds in the pension fund.
The budget also was prepared for the replacement of an individual on “B” shift and three new hires, one for each shift. Money from the American Rescue Plan funds could potentially help fund the positions as part of a new mental health initiative, but that $200,000 will be up to the Council. Mayor Joe Thallemer said they’ve been working on the initiative for over a year.
Later, at the end of the budget presentations, WWFT Board member, former firefighter and city taxpayer Brandon Schmitt commented about the need for more manpower at the fire department. He referenced a July house fire in Warsaw where one firefighter went into a burning building without support present yet because people were yelling that there were children in the home. A man was rescued from the fire by a second fire crew that showed up.
“We’re running short. B shift, specifically, is running short. Has been for quite a while. We have another guy on B shift that is going to retire in a year. We’ve got to get those guys there,” Schmitt said, in part.
Wilson’s second budget he presented was the Fire Territory Hazardous Materials Response Fund, which comes from money received by the Territory responding to hazardous spills. For 2022, it’s proposed at $3,800.
The Equipment Replacement Fund has a proposed 2022 budget of $462,600, a decrease of 59.51% from 2021’s budget of $1,142,600. The biggest drop was in repairs and maintenance as plans for repairing fire station No. 2 changed. No fire apparatus is planned to be purchased in 2022.
The last budget Wilson presented was for the Fire Pension Fund, which is determined by law. It pays for four retirees and four dependents. For 2022, it is $272,422.
Airport Manager Nick King presented his two budgets, the same as he presented to the Board of Aviation Commissioners Aug. 10.
His proposed General Aviation fund for 2022 is $1,224,074, an increase of 20.81% over 2021’s budget of $1,013,206. His Aviation Depreciation fund, which comes from fuel sales at the airport, is proposed for 2022 at $310,000 and will be used toward the airport’s 5% share of the power line lowering project. Another $80,000 from the General Aviation also will go toward the project.
Human Resource Director Jennifer Whitaker only had one budget to present to the Council. Her General HR budget for 2022 is proposed at $231,082, a decrease of $29,213 from her 2021 budget of $260,295. The decrease is because her administrative assistant was moved to the mayor’s office and budget.
City Planner Justin Taylor also had only one budget to present, the Building & Planning fund. It is proposed at $841,104 for 2022, a 3% increase from the 2021 budget of $811,910.
Community Economic and Development Director Jeremy Skinner presented seven proposed budgets for 2022. He also presented the budgets to the Redevelopment Commission earlier this month.
For the Warsaw Technology Park, the proposed budget is $1,217,000; Redevelopment General, $315,000; Northern Residential TIF, $150,000; Southern Residential TIF, $70,000; Redevelopment Allocation, $723,500; Redevelopment Northern TIF, $3,874,098; and Winona Interurban, $25,000.
The public hearing on all the city departments’ budgets will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 20.
Thallemer began the budget presentations with some good news/bad news.
“Some of the things we’re facing this year, with property taxes, obviously; wages are a big issue, and certainly trying to accommodate the increase in wages that have occurred because of the demand in the work force, not just here in the city, but everywhere. So, obviously, that’s going to be a pressure point on our budget,” he said.
The city has “enjoyed” a $37 million increased in its assessed valuation, he said, which doesn’t get the city any more levy but it does potentially impact the tax rate by about 3 cents. “Because of the broader assessed value, our taxpayers pay approximately 3 cents less because of the increase in AV,” he explained.
However, countering that is a levy increase. Thallemer said, “The state allows us about a 4.2% increase, and looking at that, with our new assessed value, that increases the rate about 7 cents. That’s just levy growth from last year that we’re permitted, about 7 cents. About 3 cents of that will be offset by an expanded AV,” he said.
In 2020, Thallemer continued, “We had about $151 million of an increase AV. Last year was about 44. This year was about $37 million. That’s still a pretty good number. As we grow the AV, we reduce that rate, and that’s one of the good things about our growth.”
An increase in AV requires more diligence in the city’s service, he said, which needs to be offset with supplemental revenue. Revenue is still an issue for the city.
“Given that, we do have some good news about our health insurance. Made aware this week that, when we planned for about a 12% increase in the health insurance, it looks like our rate is excellent. It’ll be decreased.”
He said that is a big deal and the first time he could remember where the city’s health insurance premiums will go down.
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