West Tawakoni’s First Look At Budget Includes Rate Hike

Next year’s budget will get a look at next week’s meeting of the West Tawakoni City Council and is expected to include an increase in water and sewer rates.

Initial calculations of the budget were included in the council members’ packets at last week’s meeting along with notes from City Administrator Cloy Richards. Richards said in the note, "We have been putting the full court press on budget work for the past couple of weeks, and we have some rough numbers that we will be presenting at the June 23 meeting. Please keep in mind these numbers will change drastically over the next few weeks as the first draft you are receiving has the current salary numbers, current tax rates and current water-sewer-trash rates." He noted that as the council approved changes in the numbers, new calculations would change the totals.

"We will be presenting a water-sewer budget that will propose an increase in water-sewer rates of 2.5 percent and 5 percent," Richards stated. "We are proposing the bulk of the increase will go to funding 75 percent of the salary for the one employee we propose to bring over from the general fund to water-sewer with the balance going into the fund for sewer improvements."

Richards said those funds would go to drainage, culverts, rehab of manholes and capping cleanout pipes. "All of those efforts will reduce the amount of flow into the waste water treatment plant during rains. At normal flow, our waste water treatment plant operates at about 30 percent of our permitted capacity and during rains of 1.5 inches or more, we operate pretty close to capacity and the TCEQ does not like that at all."

The city administrator recognized the lower municipal court income and possible sales tax income decrease as reported last week. "As Mr. Dennis (Councilman Winston Dennis) keeps saying, we went a long way in solving problems last year, and we need to remain vigilant that our expenses do not exceed our income." He also reported that the city is receiving increased revenue from FEC and is receiving quarterly payments instead of annually, which helps with cash flow.

The first budget numbers to which Richards referred reflect a total general fund budget of $665,787.50, down from the $709,852.50 budget for the current fiscal year.

On the revenue side, the tax revenue is budgeted at $195,877.50 or $201,734.23 with a 2.9 percent tax increase, compared to the current budgeted amount of $195,877.50. Income from sales and use tax is projected for next year at $105,000. That compares to this year’s budget amount of $115,000. The municipal court income is projected to drop from this year’s $122,500 to $75,000 next year.

On the expense side of the budget, the municipal court totals are $106,358.14 for this year and drops to $104,358.14 next year. For administration, this year’s amount was $178,871.20, compared to $180,619.84 for the next. The police department expenses this year were budgeted at $224,031.06 and at $228,081.06 for next. Public works was budgeted at $145,937.39 for the current year and $108,404.59 for the next.

For the water and sewer budget, income accounts this year were budgeted at $1,059,721.28. The proposed budget numbers include $1,049,699.50 at current rates; $1,071,999.50 with a 2.50 percent increase; and $1,095,049 with a 5 percent increase.

On the expense side, the current budget of $1,059,719.28 is reduced to $1,050,476.80 in initial projections.

Chief of Police Jack Schultz reported citations for the month of May included defective equipment, 2; dog at large, 1; dog not registered, 1; failure to display drivers license, 3; no valid drivers license, 2; driving while license invalid, 3; failure to change address, 1; and

Failure to surrender out of state drivers license, 1; minor in possession, 1; expired motor vehicle inspection, 7; expired motor vehicle registration, 7; no insurance, 5; no motorcycle endorsement, 1; no trailer registration, 1; no valid drivers license, 2; public intoxication, 3; speeding, 22; stop sign, 4; and unsafe speed, 1.

Arrests included assault family violence, 2; driving while intoxicated, 4; hindering apprehension, 1; and warrants, 16.

Offense reports included assault, 3; credit card abuse, 1; driving while intoxicated, 4; fraud, 1; hindering apprehension, 1; theft, 1; unattended death, 1; and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, 1.

Code Enforcement Officer Mike Kerr reported eight permits issued during May including building, 3; plumbing, 3; and electrical, 2.

Permit fees of $155 included building, $75; plumbing, $20; and occupancy permit fees, $60.

Thirty-two violations included high grass, 10; trash and junk, 5; inoperative vehicles, 3; illegal signs, 5; animal complaints, 6; and animals removed, 3.

Two citations were issued — one for permit violation and one for animal violations.

West Tawakoni Municipal Court Judge Janice Leuze listed 57 citations issued; 37 cleared and 2 reset or extended; failure to appear at court, 20; warrants issued, 3; payment agreements, 2; deferred probation, 12; defensive driving, 2; and community service, 2.

Gross fines totaled $5,592; court costs, $2,695; net fines, $2,895.

West Tawakoni City Park host Rob Butler reported 450 people used the park during the month of May. That number included 80 fishermen. He reported the baseball field was reserved five days a week.