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Hearings set for city's $35 million proposed budget
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
The city's fiscal year 2009-10 budget includes a total $8 million in capital expenses for a long-awaited gas regulator station, and a wastewater treatment plant.
In a 5 to 2 vote, the Willcox City Council adopted the fiscal year 2009-10 budget, totaling $35,212,134, at its June 15 meeting.
"The tentative budget covers all of the operations in any of the funds managed by the city, including the general fund, the HURF (streets) fund, the grant and special revenue funds, the debt service fund, the capital improvements fund; the gas, water, sewer, and refuse utilities, and the fireman's pension fund," said Ruth Graham, the city's finance director.
"In addition to the operating needs of the city, this budget includes capital expenses for a gas regulator station at an estimated cost of $3 million, as well as a wastewater treatment plant at an estimated cost of $5 million," she said.
It also includes anticipated grant revenues and expenses, Graham added.
In his June 17 budget message to the council, City Manager Pat McCourt explained that this is the first budget he has been involved in for the City of Willcox.
"The last time I did a budget in Arizona was about 19 years ago," said McCourt, adding that, "I have some high levels of anxiety concerning the proposed budget," which is "further heightened by the economic turmoil at both the national and state levels."
The city receives 26.7 percent of the general fund revenue, as well as 28.9 percent of the streets fund, from state-shared revenue, he told the council.
"The state is increasingly being forced to take more drastic steps to remain afloat," said McCourt, adding that during fiscal year 2009, the city's share of state revenues dropped.
"I believe that in Arizona, the economic recovery will lag the rest of the nation and it is likely that the state will have to resort to more drastic measures to stay afloat. These will ultimately affect the revenue sources received the city," he said.
"While the city has sufficient reserves to continue to provide the current level of services, if the state shared revenue continues to shrink and the economies of the nation and the state do not improve significantly in the next 12 months, then the city will find it very difficult to maintain the current levels of service to the citizens," McCourt told the council.
"The city's local revenue sources have not been dramatically impacted by the current economic situation," said McCourt.
"The underlying economy of the area is farming and ranching, both relatively stable economic areas," he said.
"The city was not deeply involved in the housing growth surge that was occurring throughout the state, and therefore has not had the dramatic downturns felt in other parts of the state."
"The budget set forth for fiscal year 2010 is a conservative budget," McCourt explained.
"Capital spending is constrained, personnel are frozen, and no new programs are proposed. The city is facing challenges in the enterprise areas."
Solid Waste Fund
"The solid waste fund needs to have rates adjusted to compensate for the cost of living adjustments to the contractor and to the Cochise County Solid Waste District," McCourt said.
"Further, the city must devise plans to answer the question of the recycling program and how, why, if, and when the city will pursue this avenue. This may place additional upward pressure on the ratepayers of the city's solid waste program."
Sewer Fund
McCourt explained that a second enterprise area that needs major work is the sewer fund; the city is under "Notification of Violation" from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) concerning the discharges from the wastewater treatment plant.
Gas Utility Fund
"The gas utility has problems now, furthermore it does not have the ability to expand and serve the currently incorporated and undeveloped areas of the city," he said. "The city must make decisions on what, how, and why; and if the city wishes to deliver services within the city and how the city should respond to address the needs" of current and future citizens.
McCourt expects that as the fiscal year unfolds, he will find he left items out of the budget, "due to my lack of experience in the City of Willcox," he said.
"I anticipate that as services from other levels of government dry up, there will be an increasing demand placed upon the city to satisfy the needs and wants of the community," said McCourt, adding that as the individuals and organizations served by the city "increasingly find their personal situations becoming more difficult, they will look to the city to solve or relieve their difficulties."
"The next few years will be very challenging for the city as it struggles to maintain the service levels the citizens expect, respond to the desires of the citizens, and build for the future," he said. "We, the council, the citizens, the staff, and I will accept, meet and exceed these challenges."
There will be public hearings on the budget Monday, July 20, and Monday, Aug. 3, both at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, 300 W. Rex Allen Drive.
All members of the public are invited to attend.
Those wishing to comment but unable to attend the public hearing may make written comments until 4 p.m. on the day of the public hearing, in the Office of the City Clerk at 101 S. Railroad Ave., Suite B.
In a 5 to 2 vote, the Willcox City Council adopted the fiscal year 2009-10 budget, totaling $35,212,134, at its June 15 meeting.
"The tentative budget covers all of the operations in any of the funds managed by the city, including the general fund, the HURF (streets) fund, the grant and special revenue funds, the debt service fund, the capital improvements fund; the gas, water, sewer, and refuse utilities, and the fireman's pension fund," said Ruth Graham, the city's finance director.
"In addition to the operating needs of the city, this budget includes capital expenses for a gas regulator station at an estimated cost of $3 million, as well as a wastewater treatment plant at an estimated cost of $5 million," she said.
It also includes anticipated grant revenues and expenses, Graham added.
In his June 17 budget message to the council, City Manager Pat McCourt explained that this is the first budget he has been involved in for the City of Willcox.
"The last time I did a budget in Arizona was about 19 years ago," said McCourt, adding that, "I have some high levels of anxiety concerning the proposed budget," which is "further heightened by the economic turmoil at both the national and state levels."
The city receives 26.7 percent of the general fund revenue, as well as 28.9 percent of the streets fund, from state-shared revenue, he told the council.
"The state is increasingly being forced to take more drastic steps to remain afloat," said McCourt, adding that during fiscal year 2009, the city's share of state revenues dropped.
"I believe that in Arizona, the economic recovery will lag the rest of the nation and it is likely that the state will have to resort to more drastic measures to stay afloat. These will ultimately affect the revenue sources received the city," he said.
"While the city has sufficient reserves to continue to provide the current level of services, if the state shared revenue continues to shrink and the economies of the nation and the state do not improve significantly in the next 12 months, then the city will find it very difficult to maintain the current levels of service to the citizens," McCourt told the council.
"The city's local revenue sources have not been dramatically impacted by the current economic situation," said McCourt.
"The underlying economy of the area is farming and ranching, both relatively stable economic areas," he said.
"The city was not deeply involved in the housing growth surge that was occurring throughout the state, and therefore has not had the dramatic downturns felt in other parts of the state."
"The budget set forth for fiscal year 2010 is a conservative budget," McCourt explained.
"Capital spending is constrained, personnel are frozen, and no new programs are proposed. The city is facing challenges in the enterprise areas."
"The solid waste fund needs to have rates adjusted to compensate for the cost of living adjustments to the contractor and to the Cochise County Solid Waste District," McCourt said.
"Further, the city must devise plans to answer the question of the recycling program and how, why, if, and when the city will pursue this avenue. This may place additional upward pressure on the ratepayers of the city's solid waste program."
McCourt explained that a second enterprise area that needs major work is the sewer fund; the city is under "Notification of Violation" from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) concerning the discharges from the wastewater treatment plant.
"The gas utility has problems now, furthermore it does not have the ability to expand and serve the currently incorporated and undeveloped areas of the city," he said. "The city must make decisions on what, how, and why; and if the city wishes to deliver services within the city and how the city should respond to address the needs" of current and future citizens.
McCourt expects that as the fiscal year unfolds, he will find he left items out of the budget, "due to my lack of experience in the City of Willcox," he said.
"I anticipate that as services from other levels of government dry up, there will be an increasing demand placed upon the city to satisfy the needs and wants of the community," said McCourt, adding that as the individuals and organizations served by the city "increasingly find their personal situations becoming more difficult, they will look to the city to solve or relieve their difficulties."
"The next few years will be very challenging for the city as it struggles to maintain the service levels the citizens expect, respond to the desires of the citizens, and build for the future," he said. "We, the council, the citizens, the staff, and I will accept, meet and exceed these challenges."
There will be public hearings on the budget Monday, July 20, and Monday, Aug. 3, both at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, 300 W. Rex Allen Drive.
All members of the public are invited to attend.
Those wishing to comment but unable to attend the public hearing may make written comments until 4 p.m. on the day of the public hearing, in the Office of the City Clerk at 101 S. Railroad Ave., Suite B.
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