Sales tax revenue flattens out

The property tax request for the city basically remains the same for next year but city sales tax revenue has flattened out, according to the proposed 2009-10 budget unveiled Monday night at the McCook City Council meeting.

Property taxes the city expects to collect are $923,000 for the 2009-10 year, slightly less than the $923,558 in the 2008-09 budget.

Sales tax revenue has fallen from last year, with $660,000 predicted for next year, down from $990,000 projected in 2008-09.

See clarification here.

City staff and the city council will discuss the budget again, at a workshop scheduled for Monday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers in Memorial Auditorium. At this meeting, expenses of the Police Department will be discussed, (McCook Police Chief Ike Brown could not attend Monday's meeting) along with the budget for the McCook Economic Development Corp. and the enterprise funds of water, sewer, recycling and trash collection.

Operating costs for the city were presented to the council Monday night and the McCook City Manager commended department heads for keeping a tight rein on expenses.

Of the 17 city departments, nine have budgets that are lower than last year. Some of those departments -- civil defense and parks -- were lower due to decreased capital improvements or purchases.

Budgets for 2009-10 compared to 2008-09 and departmental requests included in the budget for capital improvement projects plus other expenses/reserves are:

FIRE: $708,847 for 2009-10, $846,866 last year; requests: six sets of bunker gear, $7,000; replace roof at airport firestation, $16,650. McCook City Fire Chief Marc Harpham said requests for services continue to rise each year but that the city fire department has an ample reserve of volunteer firefighters that can help out for night calls. The department has been successful in obtaining $700,000 in federal grants in the past seven years, with a few grants still pending.

AMBULANCE: $135,725 for 2009-10, $75,150 last year; requests: three power cots to lift patients, FEMA grant at $40,000 plus city five percent match at $2,000; two laptops, $8,000.

CIVIL DEFENSE: $9,430 for 2009-10, $48,980 last year. The new sirens at West 11th and at Gemini Court are working well and give the city more than 100 percent coverage, Harpham said.

STREETS: $832,501 for 2009-10, $902,980 last year; requests: Walmart sidewalk (inner loop trail), $28,000; snow plow, $7,000; one replacement pickup, $21,000; street sweeper, four year finance, $30,000. Public Works Director Kyle Potthoff said snow removal expenses were decreased by $6,000 due to averages over the past three years and vehicle expense by $16,500, figuring fuel at $3.50 per gallon. Mosquito control was increased for additional chemical costs.

STREET LIGHTS: $110,900 for 2009-10, $110,850 last year

CEMETERY: $170,224 in 2009-10, $143,520 last year: requests: reserve for future land acquisition for cemetery expansion, $20,000; mower replacement, $21,000;

PARKS: $185,081 for 2009-10, $236,063 last year; requests: mower replacement, $15,000; aerator/fountain in Barnett Park, $7,000

BALL PARKS: $98,429 for 2009-10, $139,471 last year; requests: mower replacement, $15,000. Instead of purchasing turf infield conditioner this year for the Jaycee Ball Complex to improve drainage of the fields, the center of the fields were crowned and that significantly reduced saturation problems, Potthoff said. The department is still looking at several options for turf conditioner for next year.

BUILDING AND ZONING: $49,885 for 2009-10, $43,720 last year. Increase is due to the building inspector now working four days a week instead of three, said City Manager Kurt Fritsch

LIBRARY: $286,313 for 2009-10, $288,479 last year; requests: basement carpet replacement, $10,000; exterior maintenance and upgrade, $3,000. Library Director Patty Hall said more have been visiting the library's Web site since a link to Nebraska Overdrive was installed, where patrons can download books for free. Internet usage at the library's computers continue to climb but some who were using the computers also had outstanding library fines. A new policy implemented in January requires that those who use the computers must have a current library card with no fines and that forced many people to finally pay up, she said. $34,500 was budgeted for books and periodicals this year, a decrease from $35,500 from last year.

SENIOR CENTER: $331,513 for 2009-10, $329,939 last year; requests: fire suppression system, $6,000. Senior Center Director Sue Chipman said the department received economic stimulus funds for a mini van, that will be used in addition to the current larger bus that can pick up passengers who use wheelchairs.

POOL: $89,120 for 2009-10, $93,400 last year. The pool will be repainted using $30,000 in city sales tax revenue, a carry-over from last year.

AIRPORT: $134,247 for 2009-10, $132,063 last year; requests: line stripping system to paint runways, $10,000.

ADMINSTRATION: $460,809 for 2009-10, $441,610 last year

PUBLICITY: $10,600 in 2009-10, $9,850 last year; requests upgrade to Christmas lights, $3,000

COUNCIL: $471,000 for 2009-10, $485,600 last year; $45,000 for demolition costs