Geneva council to delve into major budgets Monday

Geneva aldermen will discuss the proposed 2012-13 general fund budget and the utilities budget at a committee of the whole meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 22 S. First St.

The budget is available online in the meeting packet at geneva.il.us/agendas/cowpacket.pdf.

There will be a public hearing on the budget in April, and the council will vote on the finalized budget April 16. The new fiscal year starts May 1.

The proposed budget projects revenue of $15.22 million in the general fund, including collecting $4.44 million in property taxes, $5.03 million in sales taxes and $1.16 million in telecommunications taxes.

It calls for spending $15.17 million, or about $320,000 more than it projects spending in the current fiscal year.

The general fund pays for most of the operations of the city administration’s office; the engineering, economic development, community development, police and fire departments; the streets division; fleet maintenance; and the costs of the city council.

Capital improvement projects include an addition to the parking deck near the train station; a $180,000 program to train firefighters in swift-water rescue, as the federal government has now designated the Fox River as such; $28,000 for parkway trees to replace those killed by the emerald ash borer; building a $200,000 parking lot on Campbell Street east of Third Street; a $30,000 internal control audit, focusing on the review of charge accounts; and $400,000 for design work related to the planned reconstruction of East State Street, from the river to Kirk Road. The police department has also requested $9,000 for a new digital speed display unit, and $32,000 for a new squad car. It would replace a 5-year-old Ford with 141,000 miles on it.

For the river training, the fire department has applied for a federal Homeland Security grant. If it comes through, it would pay 90 percent of the cost.

Metra will pay for the extra level on the parking deck.

In the electric fund, the city projects revenue of $35.01 million, of which $33.45 million comes from the sale of electricity. It proposes spending $35.76 million.

The water/wastewater fund expects to raise $7.86 million, $7.45 million of which comes from the sale of water and wastewater treatment. It anticipates expenditures of $8.475 million, including $410,000 for repainting the insides and outsides of two water towers.

The council last week discussed special funds budgets, including those of its commissions and the cemeteries.