The Burlington City Council heard its last major budget presentations Thursday night, opening the door for the council to start making adjustments.
The budget they have to tweak currently brings no property tax increase. Staff in all departments are only maintained, with the exception being the addition of a new full time garbage collector.
The coming discussion will echo last year's talks. The current budget doesn't reflect requested additional police officers. It also does not offer specific new monies to cover coming costs in keeping police officers and firefighters added in the last year. The budget must be finalized Feb. 9.
The last two budget presentations came from parks and recreation and public works. Planned parks projects rely mostly on outside funding and Starker Trust fund money. Three capital improvement projects — trail maintenance, a park lawn mower and a brush chipper — are getting a combined total of $105,000.
Aforementioned outside funding is planned for a new playground in Dankwardt Park as well as resurfacing tennis courts in both Dankwardt and Crapo parks. A few other projects are contingent on grant money being awarded.
Sewer work is expected to start under Edwin and Gladys White Park this spring, with the actual park overhaul occurring in late summer or early fall.
RecPlex revenues are down in this budget, widening the deficit.
"We were funding the RecPlex at $35,000 to $40,000 a year for several years," said City Manager Jim Ferneau. "This current budget year we have $75,000 allocated from hotel/motel tax to cover operating deficit. In the proposed (fiscal year) 2019 budget we have $120,000."
The Public Works budget has more ground to cover, from street improvements to flood wall equipment.
A Burlington Manor property payment soon coming to the city could be used to fund projects such as a parking lot on land leased from Burlington Northern Santa Fe. The new lot and lease will only be considered if a residential development comes to fruition downtown. It would cost $650,000.
A potential $1.2 million Roosevelt Avenue upgrade will be discussed further down the line, depending on how U.S. 61 upgrades increase traffic. The project isn't a go yet, but is likely an inevitability further down the road. It would entail laying optic cables down the stretch of road to make traffic lights adapt to traffic better.
Depot improvements are coming with more costs. Because the city now has so much more to maintain, building maintenance is rising about $15,000.
Leaks in the 17-year-old roof at Burlington Public Works means staff sees a need to replace it. It's a big roof with several levels. The budget is $272,750.
An eastbound lane's car sensors used to control traffic lights at the intersection of Division Street and Central Avenue are broken. Repairs are planned with a $19,550 budget.
Staff want to buy a telehandler to aid in raising and lowering flood wall panels. The $70,000 piece of equipment would also help move flood barriers, which will still be needed until the wall is complete.