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ARPA To Support Municipal Building, WWTP Projects
Buena Vista City Council is beginning its budget planning process in a better fiscal position than it’s been in years.
“We’re in a fairly comfortable position,” commented Todd Jones, a member of Council’s finance committee, at last Thursday’s City Council meeting. “Unlike other scary Marches we’ve been through [in previous years].”
In a narrative that accompanied a draft budget for fiscal year 2024-25 that he presented to City Council earlier this month, City Manager Jason Tyree pointed to two factors that have improved the city’s finances – the golf course settlement and funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to support infrastructure expenditures.
“… this year is the first time the golf course will not appear on our audit and/or our budget. We no longer have any fiscal responsibility for any items associated with Vista Links,” wrote Tyree in a message to Council that prefaced the budget.
Not having to financially support the golf course any longer frees up city money for operations and capital investments in infrastructure, the latter of which is also being supported by ARPA funding. The city has about $3.3 million remaining in unspent ARPA money.A big chunk of the ARPA money will likely go toward a major upgrade to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The city is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to secure grants and low-interest loans for this project. An increase in the city’s sewer rates will be needed for the city to be eligible for this financial assistance, though the exact amount of an increase is not yet known.
Other infrastructure improvements being eyed include rehabilitation work to the Municipal Building. An elevator and disability-accessible restrooms are planned, as is a reconfiguration of the general district courtroom that also serves as City Council’s chambers. Paving of city streets is resuming after a hiatus of many years that was due to the fiscal constraints from the golf course finances.
The draft budget calls for city employees to be given 5 percent pay raises. Also included is a request for half a dozen new police officer positions that would mostly be funded through grants that the police department is aggressively pursuing.
No tax increases are proposed in the draft budget, though Tyree alludes to reassessments that are ongoing and will be completed this spring and reflected in the December tax bills. It is anticipated that property values will have increased significantly since the last reassessments were conducted four years ago but those numbers have not yet been released. City residents will be receiving reassessment notices in the mail later this spring.
“Due to the potential increase [in property values], we may recommend later in the budget process a reduction in the real estate tax rate,” wrote Tyree in his budget narrative. “However, we would like to use any surplus budget funds for long-awaited capital improvements to our existing infrastructure.”
The draft budget includes level funding for the schools – $2,293,803. The city has not yet received a funding request from the School Board.
Proposed expenditures of $16,653,323 are called for in the draft budget, which would be an increase of $180,369, or 7.5 percent, over this year. City Council will be holding budget work sessions in coming weeks, though none have yet been scheduled.
