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City likely to add new positions, increase water rate
By Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com
The city anticipates an even budget for the coming fiscal year, despite a decrease in water and wastewater funds due to hiked water rates.
City Manager Jason Gray outlined for the city council the city's proposed fiscal year 2013 budget Tuesday at a public hearing. The city proposes that both FY 2013 revenues and expenditures will be about $89.8 million each.
Those numbers would reflect about a $1.1 million (1.2 percent) increase in both compared to this year's budget.
The coming fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through next September. About 51 percent of general fund revenues are expected to come from property taxes, 18 percent from sales taxes, 15 percent from franchises, and the rest from licenses and fees, charges and fines, transfers and miscellaneous sources.
Police and fire expenses are expected to account for almost half of FY 2013 general fund expenditures, with general government (19 percent), public works (11 percent), parks and library (11 percent) and transfers (4 percent) to account for the rest.
The city staff recommends spending about half of the anticipated $3 million in savings from this year's budget on additional police vehicles, refurbishing a fire truck, two ambulances, school zone remote flashers, ballpark lighting, a street sweeper and Gateway project expenses.
Under the proposed budget, the city would add 17 full-time positions and one part-time position, including: a human resources manager; two systems integrators to the Information Technology (IT) department; a crime scene technician, property room public safety officer and two police officers to the police department; three firefighters/paramedics; and seven library employees.
"What these seven people allow us to do is extend the hours for the John and Judy Gay Library to be consistent with the library operating hours downtown," Gray said, referencing the Roy and Helen Hall Memorial Library. "We see a very large volume of patrons, programs and materials going through the John and Judy Gay Library, and I think this will be one of those areas there is a large bang for the buck."
Gray again mentioned that the city's property tax rate has remained constant, at about $0.59 per $100 valuation, since 2008, with annual taxes paid for the average home varying by only about $20 in that time.
"While we've seen some growth over the past five years, the average home value has remained pretty steady," he said.
Gray then disclosed less-even projections regarding the water and wastewater fund, for which expenditures could outweigh revenues by about $426,000 this coming year if the city purchases what Gray said was needed equipment.
Such equipment could include more water meters and dump trucks, a mini excavator and a truck and trailer for wastewater collection. The city also plans to replace multiple trucks for the Meter Services, Water Distribution, Surface Water Drainage and Environmental Services departments.
"We really haven't purchased much for additional equipment from the water and wastewater fund over the past couple of years, as those budgets continue to be tight," he told the council. "In this particular year, we want to make sure that we're able to fund the departments with the equipment that they need to get the job done in an efficient and effective manner."
Gray and his staff have proposed a 2.5 percent increase in the city's water rate this year because they expect the water/wastewater fund balance to continue to decrease as the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) charges member cities more for water.
Partly because it plans to build a $300 million pipeline to try to keep zebra mussels out of Lake Lavon, McKinney's main water source, the NTMWD is expected to raise its rates by about 9 percent this coming year - a decision with which council members have taken issue.
"They decide how much money they want to spend, they divide that number by how many gallons of water they're going to be able to sell, and they charge us that amount," District 4 Councilman Ray Ricchi said of the district. "I don't think they've participated in the recession like most of our citizens have."
Ricchi said that he thinks even with the proposed pipeline, "You're not stopping the zebra mussels."
At-large Councilman Roger Harris echoed Ricchi's concern, and added that the cost of water will likely be 400 percent higher in the 2020s than it was in 2009. Both council members asked that the council hold a work session later this month during which they could speak with NTMWD officials about the district's budget process.
"Most people believe zebra mussels are going to be in Lake Lavon no matter what, anyway," Harris said. "I would hate for us to spend $300 million without hearing out what we need to hear to stand by the 400 percent price increase that's going to be passed on to our citizens."
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