MONROE - The Finance and Taxation Committee took a step toward setting the 2013 city budget Tuesday, July 3.
The committee sent a five-year capital plan, along with the recommended 2013 capital amount to be levied, to the Common Council for approval. The proposed levy amount for capital projects and purchases is $754,380 - the same as budgeted for 2012.
Reid Stangel, committee chairman, made the motion, which was seconded by Louis Armstrong, and it carried with Brook Bauman's vote. Tyler Schultz voted against the motion.
Schultz said he was not against the capital plan or the 2013 capital amount, only the need for the council to approve it at this time.
"I think the plan is OK to approve, but I don't think we had to approve to send it to council," he said. "It's still early in the budget process."
The council could see the proposed plan and 2013 levy amount as early as Tuesday, July 17. If the council approves the plan, a council vote would also be needed to make changes to the plan.
The five-year capital plan lays out projects and purchases anticipated and requested by department heads. It prioritizes and details each project, accounts for their individual costs and displays them in one document. Department heads have routinely set aside capital for future projects, and the $180,000 accumulated in their capital funds is applied to the appropriate projects.
The capital to be levied for 2013 is the aggregate of the top priority projects, as determined by the city administrator and department heads.
Another $640,000 of requested projects will be postponed or financed by means other than a tax levy. For instance, City Administrator Phil Rath is recommending $420,000 for a street reconstruction in 2013 be financed by bonds, because streets have a long life span.
Rath assured the committee that the plan can be reassessed and changed, as needs change, but that it should anticipate a lot of the coming needs and, with funds accumulating, prepare the city for large costs.
"The reason for having a plan is to forecast those things out," Rath said.
If the Common Council votes to approve the overall plan and sets the 2013 capital amount, department heads would also gain assurance that accumulated funds will not be shifted around, he added.
The city levied $750,380 and used $426,950 from the city fund balance to reach the required $1.18 million for the 2012 capital budget.
The committee's next steps, expected sometime this month, are to review the departments' projected revenues and proposed fee structure and to take a look at spending from the first six months of 2012.
The committee sent a five-year capital plan, along with the recommended 2013 capital amount to be levied, to the Common Council for approval. The proposed levy amount for capital projects and purchases is $754,380 - the same as budgeted for 2012.
Reid Stangel, committee chairman, made the motion, which was seconded by Louis Armstrong, and it carried with Brook Bauman's vote. Tyler Schultz voted against the motion.
Schultz said he was not against the capital plan or the 2013 capital amount, only the need for the council to approve it at this time.
"I think the plan is OK to approve, but I don't think we had to approve to send it to council," he said. "It's still early in the budget process."
The council could see the proposed plan and 2013 levy amount as early as Tuesday, July 17. If the council approves the plan, a council vote would also be needed to make changes to the plan.
The five-year capital plan lays out projects and purchases anticipated and requested by department heads. It prioritizes and details each project, accounts for their individual costs and displays them in one document. Department heads have routinely set aside capital for future projects, and the $180,000 accumulated in their capital funds is applied to the appropriate projects.
The capital to be levied for 2013 is the aggregate of the top priority projects, as determined by the city administrator and department heads.
Another $640,000 of requested projects will be postponed or financed by means other than a tax levy. For instance, City Administrator Phil Rath is recommending $420,000 for a street reconstruction in 2013 be financed by bonds, because streets have a long life span.
Rath assured the committee that the plan can be reassessed and changed, as needs change, but that it should anticipate a lot of the coming needs and, with funds accumulating, prepare the city for large costs.
"The reason for having a plan is to forecast those things out," Rath said.
If the Common Council votes to approve the overall plan and sets the 2013 capital amount, department heads would also gain assurance that accumulated funds will not be shifted around, he added.
The city levied $750,380 and used $426,950 from the city fund balance to reach the required $1.18 million for the 2012 capital budget.
The committee's next steps, expected sometime this month, are to review the departments' projected revenues and proposed fee structure and to take a look at spending from the first six months of 2012.