PRAIRIE GROVE -- The city's 2019 budget includes money for two new police officers, three new firefighters, new parking lots, a walking trail at Muddy Fork Park, completion of the new library and drainage improvements on Viney Grove Road.
Prairie Grove City Council approved the 2019 budget at its Dec. 17 meeting.
The budget for the general fund projects about $2.4 million in expenses for administration, police, fire, library, district court and parks and recreation.
Projected revenues for the general fund include about $340,000 from property taxes, $589,000 from the county sales tax, $268,000 from franchise taxes, $192,000 from District Court fees/fines and $178,000 from parks and library operations.
Budgeted expenses for 2019 for the general fund include $465,000 for salaries, $190,000 for construction costs to renovate the new library, $97,000 for utilities/telephone and $55,000 for legal expenses.
The general fund budget in 2019 will not include payroll for the police and fire departments. For 2019 and future years, the city will have a separate fire/police payroll account for salaries and benefits. Money in this account will include revenue collected from a new .50-percent sales tax approved by voters in November specifically designated for police and fire salaries.
The City Council passed a resolution at its December meeting to open a fire/police payroll bank account.
For 2019, the city projects to receive $995,060 in revenue for the fire/police payroll account. This includes $135,000 from the .50-percent sales tax, $707,282 in money transferred from the general fund to the payroll account, $84,778 from the school district for the school resource officer and $68,000 from the drug task force.
Projected expenses for the fire/police payroll account are $839,903 for salaries, plus benefits, payroll taxes and retirement.
The new police officers and firefighters will not be hired until July, after the city has started receiving revenue from the new sales tax.
Along with new police officers and firefighters, the budget also includes money to hire an employee who eventually will replace Larry Oelrich, director of public works and administrative services. Oelrich, who has been with the city of Prairie Grove for more than 39 years, has announced he plans to retire around August 2020. His replacement will start in August or September 2019 and train with Oelrich for about a year.
Oelrich said the title and job description of the new position has yet to be determined.
The water department's budget shows almost $2.9 million in revenue and $2.8 million in expenses. Projected revenues are $1 million in water sales and $1.1 million in sewer sales. Expenses include $315,000 for water purchases, $509,000 for bond payments, $470,000 for salaries.
The street fund projects to receive $680,550 in revenue in 2019 with $1 million in expenses. Revenue includes $332,000 from the county 1-percent sales tax and $211,000 from state turnback funds. Expenses include $162,000 for salaries, $450,000 for drainage improvements, $160,000 for repairs and maintenance, $90,000 for sidewalk construction.
The city's 2019 sanitation budget projects $515,240 in revenue and $500,154 in expenses. The city projects to take in $462,000 in sanitation fees and $40,000 from trash bag sales. Expenses in the budget include $142,000 in salaries, $105,000 for landfill fees and $40,000 to purchase bags.
Other action taken Dec. 17,
• City Council placed a cell tower ordinance on first reading and placed an ordinance to amend animal redemption fees on first reading. The animal fee ordinance would reduce redemption fees if the owner agrees to microchip their pet.
• The Council voted to eliminate the fee for a burn permit, though a person still will be required to get a burn permit from the fire department.
• Amended building permit fees to add a $50 permit fee for reroofs. This requires all contractors to apply for a permit before roofing or reroofing and show proof of contractor's license, bond and insurance. It also requires the roofing job to have three inspections by the city during construction.
General News on 12/26/2018