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Groveport slicing and dicing its 2010 budget
(by Rick Palsgrove, Southeast Editor - November 24, 2009)
By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
Groveport village officials are looking to slice another $495,000 from the proposed 2010 budget to head off a potential shortfall in 2011.
Under the original proposed 2010 budget, Finance Director Ken Salak projected 2010 general fund appropriations of $10.9 million, leaving only a carry over of $505,400 for 2011.
"If we only carry over $505,400 to 2011 we will end 2011 in the red and would have to take drastic cuts," said Salak. "We need a more substantial carry over."
Village Administrator Steve Morris asked Groveport Village Council at its Nov. 16 committee of the whole meeting to give him and Salak a specific dollar figure council wants to carry over to 2011.
"Then we will go back and revisit the proposed 2010 budget and present you with new figures," said Morris.
Councilman Shawn Cleary, who said he is "concerned about 2011," suggested the village budget for a $1 million carry over at the end of 2010 and the rest of council agreed.
"We could have a bunch of unknowns out there that could hit us in the head," said Councilman Ed Rarey about the funding pinch.
To reach a target of $1 million to be carried over from 2010 to 2011 will require officials to plunge back into the proposed 2010 budget and cut out another $495,000. Salak and Morris indicated they will look at each department for potential cuts to revise the budget. They will present the revised 2010 budget at council's Dec. 14 meeting.
Go Groveport could be spared the ax
The village's annual $20,000 contribution to the civic organization Go Groveport was slated to be cut under the originally proposed 2010 budget.
However, at council's Nov. 23 meeting, council members Rarey and Donna Drury made impassioned pleas for the restoration of funding to the organization.
Drury said the organization is made up of several parts: Go Groveport, Bierberg Mercantile (a small business start up), Adopt A Family, Groveport Madison Center for Human Needs, and a small scholarship program.
"All of this will most likely be gone if they lose this funding," said Drury. "That would be a tragedy because they help so many families."
"I'm pleased with their work in the community and have seen first hand the excellent work they do," added Rarey. "We need to take a close look at this. I don't want to see them fail and I don't want to be a part of them going down."
Mayor Lance Westcamp suggested council discuss the Go Groveport funding further at its Dec. 14 meeting.
Other potential cuts
The originally proposed 2010 budget included reductions in most departments' operating expenses and these will be probed for deeper cuts for the revised 2010 budget.
Still in place is $4,700 in funding for the arts festival; $10,075 for Apple Butter Day; and $24,000 for Independence Day.
Other items up for discussion that could be cut or reduced included:
•Eliminating the inclusion of Madison Township residents in the village's senior transportation program and transporting only village senior residents. This could reduce the cost of the program from $216,900 to around $150,000 to $175,000.
•Councilman Ed Dildine proposed suspending, for one year, the village's annual $25,000 donation to Motts Military Museum. To do so would require an ordinance by council.
•Considering raising employee contributions to the health care insurance program.
•Prioritizing all full time and part-time employee positions for review.
Limited capital project funding
The proposed 2010 budget is light on potential capital projects with only $1.4 million up for consideration.
These include: $875,755 for the Lesleh Avenue reconstruction; $99,500 for Lesleh Avenue engineering; $200,000 for the downtown Town Center soil remediation at the northeast corner of Main and Front streets; $80,000 for an upgrade to the village's computer server; $50,000 for the municipal building roof; $50,000 for floor repairs at the recreation center; $40,000 for repairs to the Log House; and smaller ticket items for repairs to the recreation center entrance and Town Hall windows, pool painting, painting the municipal building, and upgrading the municipal building security.
| Comments (1) |
On November 23, 2009 wildbluestreak said:
seems the golf course could use real management. fees should be hiked.
would someone look at that maintenance budget! hh what are you doing to spend that kind of money?
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