Warsaw City Council approved the 2014 budget on first reading Monday night. Following the public hearing, Council President Diane Quance motioned to approve the budget on first reading, seconded by Charlie Smith, councilman. The salary ordinance must be adopted by Nov. 1, with the adoption hearing Oct. 21. The first reading of the salary ordinance is Oct. 8. The 2014 budget is proposed at $24,684,541. Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said he has solicited line two cuts from department heads, and there may be potential line one cuts. For non-profit budgets, the council approved Warsaw Community Development Corp. receiving $12,600 for operations and $35,000 for facade grants. WCDC originally requested $25,000 for facade grants, but requested an additional $10,000 for alley improvements for the facade grants program. Also approved was the City-County Athletic Complex receiving $31,000; Housing Authority, $30,000; Housing Opportunities of Warsaw, $17,300; Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County, $17,500; and Kosciusko Economic Development Corp., $50,000. Jeff Grose, councilman, said he would like to hear from Kosciusko Area Bus Services on its $28,500 budget proposal and request to purchase two buses. The Warsaw Police Department budget is being proposed at $4,618,260. The department wants to replace four vehicles in 2014 at $26,250 per car. Scott Whitaker, Warsaw police chief, said at 100,000 miles the department looks at the wear and tear of vehicles and keeps a log of mileage. WPD also wants to re-asphalt the department’s parking lot. The street department budget is being proposed at $3,658,282, up from the 2013 budget of $3,472,364. The street department wants to purchase a $55,000 chipper, two one-ton dump trucks for $90,000, and a $10,000 Bobcat. The fire territory operating budget is being proposed at $3,649,923. The department wants to hire two firefighters in 2014. The building and planning department budget for 2014 is being proposed at $523,155, down from the 2013 budget of $572,508. The Warsaw Parks and Recreation budget for 2014 is proposed at $1,980,812. This is a 2.5 percent increase over the 2013 budget. There is $10,000 in the budget to replace high-pressure sodium and metal halide bulbs and fixtures to LED efficient lamps. There also is $14,000 in the budget for replacing the Glover Pavilion roof and $10,000 to seal, coat and stripe Boggs basketball courts. The department also has $30,000 in the budget to replace a 1998 Ford. In the park and recreation non-reverting capital fund, $1,000 is budgeted for professional drawings for ADA restrooms and a kitchen remodel for Nye Youth Cabin. The Oakwood Cemetery 2014 budget is proposed at $575,162. This is a $1,334 increase over the 2013 budget. Machinery and equipment is up $1,321 with a $46,000 Bobcat purchase. The aviation general budget for 2014 is proposed at $751,687. This is a $921 decrease from the 2013 budget. The aviation depreciation budget is proposed at $100,000. There is $75,000 budgeted to lower power lines for a runway extension project. Economic Development Income Tax budget is proposed at $873,000; police law continuing eduction fund is proposed at $17,800; riverboat fund is proposed at $165,000; rainy day fund is proposed at $300,000; the technology park budget is proposed at $40,000; redevelopment general fund is proposed at $61,000; cumulative capital development fund is proposed at $65,000; fire territory equipment replacement fund is proposed at $514,436. Other budgets include redevelopment allocation, $426,000; redevelopment northern tax increment finance district, $2,200.000; redevelopment and Winona tax increment finance district interurban, $38,000; aviation depreciation, $100,000; redevelopment eastern tax increment finance, $200,000; Oakwood Cemetery permanent fund, $75,000; fire pension fund, $293,097; police pension fund, $329,737; and parks and recreation non-reverting capital fund, $33,000.
