MJ:
Middletown spending going down, water rates going up
By Ed Richter
Staff Writer
MIDDLETOWN —
Middletown’s city budget for 2016 and a hike in water rates were approved this week as City Council begins to wrap up 2015 and look ahead to the new year.
Council unanimously approved the 2016 General Fund budget that includes all departments at $27.3 million in 2016, a decrease of $2.9 million, or 9.6 percent, from the nearly $30.2 million budgeted for 2015.
City Manager Doug Adkins said the reason for the reduction in overall spending was due to the de-appropriation of nearly $1 million from the 2015 General Fund budget and returned to the city treasury due to retirements, resignations as well as other savings, transfers and loans. He said the city expects to end 2015 with an estimated balance of just more than $4.83 million.
In addition, the city is also projecting additional revenue in 2016 as several major construction projects are expected to start, which will increase payroll and other taxes. However, the city is not including that in its operational funds because they are one-time additional funds that could reach as much as $2 million over the next several years. City officials are planning to use those one-time funds for a list of deferred maintenance projects and other investments that will be prioritized.
As in past years, the public safety departments utilize more than two-thirds of the overall city budget. In 2016, the public safety budget will see a modest 1.1 percent increase over the 2015 public safety budget. This year’s budget will be $20.2 million, which is up from just more than $20 million or $229,959 this year.
Non-public safety spending increased by 8.5 percent to $8.43 million for 2016, up from $7.76 million in 2015.
The largest funding increases are being programmed for the Community Revitalization, Economic Development and Public Works/Utilities departments. The community revitalization department will see a 16.1 percent increase in its budget to $1.8 million, up from $1.55 million.
Among the highlights of the overall budget for 2016 are:
•Adding three dispatchers that would enable two sworn police officers to return back to patrol.
•Adding a correctional officer.
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•Explore the use of part-time and/or 40-hours fire/EMS personnel.
•Adding a building inspector, two code inspectors and an additional $150,000 for abatement in 2016.
•Allocating $25,000 for for quality of life events, such as fireworks.
•Increased paving of streets, alleys and parking lots done by city crews.
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•A 1 percent cost of living increase for all employees.
•Continuation of the Performance Based Incentive Program which full-time employees will receive $500.
•Converting a part-time sanitarian position to a full-time position in the Health Department
•Additional funding for other professional services for the Health Department to expand services available to the public and assist with the heroin plan implementation.
In a related budgetary matter, water customers in Middletown will see their water rates go up in 2016 and 2017.
City Council Tuesday also approved increasing water rates by 7.5 percent, which would cost a typical residential user an additional $2.22 per month.
Adkins said city water rates are reviewed on a two-year schedule in consideration of operational, maintenance and capital improvement needs and costs of the water system.
According to the annual Oakwood Water and Sewer Rate Survey for southwest Ohio, the city ranks as the 18th lowest out of the 66 communities surveyed as of March 1. City officials said Middletown consistently ranks in the lower half of the surveyed communities.
The rates in the annual survey is based on the usage of 22,000 gallons or 3,0000 cubic feet during a three-month period.
The last time water rates were increased in 2013 with rate increases of 5 percent in 2014 and 2015.
City officials said this year’s water rate increase will also correct an oversight from the 2013 increase that left several rate classes unchanged. Those would include rate classes for private fire line rates, large user rates and senior citizen rates which should have been increased by 5 percent for 2015 but were not.
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