Friday, October 02, 2009
1st Take on the Lakewood City Budget for Next Year
My regular readers, both of you, know that my postings tend to pick up around budget time. The budget is hugely important because it creates priorities and pays, with your tax dollars, for city services.
Thanks to careful management, we're not looking at some of the train wrecks in Lakewood that you see in some other cities with their budgets. I'm not sure we're going to have the hyperactive excitement, some of which was stirred by me, that you've seen in past years, as we work on this budget for 2010.
That said, I'm also still making my way through the draft preliminary budget. Rather than keep you in suspense, I thought I would share our city manager's cover letter. It represents a lot of the highlights. I'd normally prefer to digest it and highlight it, but there's just not time and I want to get this to you soon.
Believe me, we will talk more. Questions and feedback welcome. What follows is text from our city manager, Andrew Neiditz. Look for more as we go through several Monday nights of budget hearings. Nothing is settled yet.
And now ... the cover letter:
I (Andrew Neiditz, Lakewood city manager) am pleased to submit a preliminary budget for 2010 that is consistent with the priorities set by the Council, creates further staffing efficiencies, and carefully balances the needs of the City and the capabilities of our financial position.
The fiscal constraints associated with a slowing economy have resulted in budget growth that is essentially flat: the proposed General Fund of $37.1 million is 5 % lower than 2009, due in part to the one-time transfer in 2009 of $2.55 million to the Police station project.
General Fund staffing is reduced overall by 4 FTE, over and above the 13 FTE reduction in 2009. The General Fund would have been further reduced by $480,000 if not for the Department of Justice police grant funds. The overall General Fund reserve, or ending fund balance, is $3.22 million, which is 9.5 % of operating expenses.
The proposed total City budget for 2010 is $86.7 million, which is 6.17 % lower than 2009.
The budget establishes a continued emphasis on economic development activities, including the administration of the OEA (Office of Economic Adjustment) grant of the U. S. Defense Department to study growth impacts associated with our two military bases.
Among the highlights of the 2010 preliminary budget are:
• Establishment of a Community Safety & Resources Team (CSRT) to support the six districts of the City, to include 3 code enforcement officers, 3 neighborhood community service officers (CSO’s), an assistant city attorney, and administrative support. This new initiative is a realignment of current code enforcement and neighborhood mobilization programs; this new interdisciplinary team will be based in City Hall, reporting to a Police lieutenant, and will have direct support from the city manager and the directors of the other operating departments. Its primary mission will be community outreach and mobilization, code enforcement, and emergency management. There will be no net increase in FTE staff positions, but a realignment of positions to increase resources and response capabilities.
• Merger of the City Clerk’s office into the Legal Department in order to increase efficiencies in contract administration, agenda management, public records requests, and other administrative support functions. This will involve a reduction of 2 FTE staff positions, and a reduction of $109,000.
• Transition of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program into Economic Development in order to better reflect the priorities of the City Council for these funds.
• Transition of Human Services into a new department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services to create synergy between senior services, human services, and youth support programs.
• To increase court security and enhance jail alternative programs, a new court compliance officer position is proposed in the Municipal Court budget, to offset police overtime funding and court transport services previously contracted with Pierce County. This is a budget reduction of about $30,000.
• The addition of two streets maintenance tech positions in Public Works to offset more costly Pierce County contract hours; this is a budget savings of about $400,000 over contract costs.
• Implementation of the Tillicum Neighborhood Plan and Woodbrook Business Park Plan.
• Funding for the Tillicum/Woodbrook sewer extension project of $5.9 million for 2010.
• Funding for road improvements, including $5,320,000 for Pacific Highway/Ponders realignment (Gravelly Lake Drive to Bridgeport), $2,360,000 for Bridgeport Way reconstruction (Steilacoom Blvd to 83rd), and $1,440,000 safety improvements for Steilacoom Blvd (Farwest to 87th), federal funding of $500,000 for traffic signal synchronization, and $400,000 for the Lakewood Station Connection Study (pedestrian bridge project).----
Ok, Walter again: So there's a lot to be said on many of these subjects. One thing I will shout out is that I am thrilled at the changes proposed for the block grant program. I've been speaking out for years now that Lakewood has not been spending this money like a lot of other cities spend it. So I think these changes bode well.
Obviously more needs to be said. Thanks for reading this far :) More later.
Forward this post
Thanks to careful management, we're not looking at some of the train wrecks in Lakewood that you see in some other cities with their budgets. I'm not sure we're going to have the hyperactive excitement, some of which was stirred by me, that you've seen in past years, as we work on this budget for 2010.
That said, I'm also still making my way through the draft preliminary budget. Rather than keep you in suspense, I thought I would share our city manager's cover letter. It represents a lot of the highlights. I'd normally prefer to digest it and highlight it, but there's just not time and I want to get this to you soon.
Believe me, we will talk more. Questions and feedback welcome. What follows is text from our city manager, Andrew Neiditz. Look for more as we go through several Monday nights of budget hearings. Nothing is settled yet.
And now ... the cover letter:
I (Andrew Neiditz, Lakewood city manager) am pleased to submit a preliminary budget for 2010 that is consistent with the priorities set by the Council, creates further staffing efficiencies, and carefully balances the needs of the City and the capabilities of our financial position.
The fiscal constraints associated with a slowing economy have resulted in budget growth that is essentially flat: the proposed General Fund of $37.1 million is 5 % lower than 2009, due in part to the one-time transfer in 2009 of $2.55 million to the Police station project.
General Fund staffing is reduced overall by 4 FTE, over and above the 13 FTE reduction in 2009. The General Fund would have been further reduced by $480,000 if not for the Department of Justice police grant funds. The overall General Fund reserve, or ending fund balance, is $3.22 million, which is 9.5 % of operating expenses.
The proposed total City budget for 2010 is $86.7 million, which is 6.17 % lower than 2009.
The budget establishes a continued emphasis on economic development activities, including the administration of the OEA (Office of Economic Adjustment) grant of the U. S. Defense Department to study growth impacts associated with our two military bases.
Among the highlights of the 2010 preliminary budget are:
• Establishment of a Community Safety & Resources Team (CSRT) to support the six districts of the City, to include 3 code enforcement officers, 3 neighborhood community service officers (CSO’s), an assistant city attorney, and administrative support. This new initiative is a realignment of current code enforcement and neighborhood mobilization programs; this new interdisciplinary team will be based in City Hall, reporting to a Police lieutenant, and will have direct support from the city manager and the directors of the other operating departments. Its primary mission will be community outreach and mobilization, code enforcement, and emergency management. There will be no net increase in FTE staff positions, but a realignment of positions to increase resources and response capabilities.
• Merger of the City Clerk’s office into the Legal Department in order to increase efficiencies in contract administration, agenda management, public records requests, and other administrative support functions. This will involve a reduction of 2 FTE staff positions, and a reduction of $109,000.
• Transition of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program into Economic Development in order to better reflect the priorities of the City Council for these funds.
• Transition of Human Services into a new department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services to create synergy between senior services, human services, and youth support programs.
• To increase court security and enhance jail alternative programs, a new court compliance officer position is proposed in the Municipal Court budget, to offset police overtime funding and court transport services previously contracted with Pierce County. This is a budget reduction of about $30,000.
• The addition of two streets maintenance tech positions in Public Works to offset more costly Pierce County contract hours; this is a budget savings of about $400,000 over contract costs.
• Implementation of the Tillicum Neighborhood Plan and Woodbrook Business Park Plan.
• Funding for the Tillicum/Woodbrook sewer extension project of $5.9 million for 2010.
• Funding for road improvements, including $5,320,000 for Pacific Highway/Ponders realignment (Gravelly Lake Drive to Bridgeport), $2,360,000 for Bridgeport Way reconstruction (Steilacoom Blvd to 83rd), and $1,440,000 safety improvements for Steilacoom Blvd (Farwest to 87th), federal funding of $500,000 for traffic signal synchronization, and $400,000 for the Lakewood Station Connection Study (pedestrian bridge project).----
Ok, Walter again: So there's a lot to be said on many of these subjects. One thing I will shout out is that I am thrilled at the changes proposed for the block grant program. I've been speaking out for years now that Lakewood has not been spending this money like a lot of other cities spend it. So I think these changes bode well.
Obviously more needs to be said. Thanks for reading this far :) More later.
Supporting the Troops and Their Families
How about everyone in Lakewood buy and wear one of these pins? As you may know, Lakewood has an official and special relationship with the 4-2 Stryker Brigade from Fort Lewis. The Dragoon Raiders Soldier and Family Fund is selling pins to help support soldiers, spouses and children during deployment. These are available by mail order, though I'm betting some businesspeople in Lakewood will volunteer to sell them as this program grows. This is a great way to show support for our troops and their families.
Click here for the link to order these pins.
