Smaller budget for St. Charles, but residents still will pay more

St. Charles officials Monday night locked in a new budget that reflects several years of cutting costs but also finds the need for residents to give the city more money to balance it.

The city had 352 employees back in the 2007-08 fiscal year. The budget approved by the city council Monday calls for 284 employees, a 19 percent decrease. Last year, city employees worked under a pay freeze; that will no longer be the case.

Nonunion employees and members of the Teamsters’ Union will see 2 percent raises in the new budget. Police officers and sergeants will receive 4 percent raises, as will fire department employees. A new employee contract with IBEW union members is under negotiation.

City officials also boasted of a budget that will keep city utility rates the lowest in the Tri-Cities by about $6 a month. But existing utility bills will gradually become more expensive through rate increases that will begin May 1. The average resident will pay $9.29 per month more for utilities by October under the new budget.

Mayor Don DeWitte said the city is still investigating cost-cutting measures, including a buyout package recently offered to employees. DeWitte highlighted fiscal responsibility by pointing to an operating budget for the coming fiscal year that is $5 million less than the 2007-08 fiscal year budget.

“We will maintain our commitment to the residents of St. Charles, and we will continue to enhance the infrastructure for the future,” DeWitte said.

Indeed, the only questions on the budget related to that future infrastructure.

Failed city council candidate Vanessa Bell-LaSota grilled the city staff on what’s in the budget for the Red Gate Bridge project. The need for the bridge was a campaign issue in all the wards, as some believe the bridge to be a waste of money.

The new budget includes plan to move ahead on the $30 million project. Bell-LaSota’s questions revealed more about how the city plans to come up with that $30 million. City staffers said with money still being collected through a 5-cent property tax levy and outside funds still not completely locked in, the city expects to borrow up to $12 million for the project.

That number reflects the bulk of the expected actual construction costs. The city plans to pay the debt off through that 5-cent levy.