Batavia begins debate on proposed 2015 budget
In the grand scheme of a proposed $102.3 million budget, the idea of whether or not to charge a higher monthly fee for curbside brush pickup may seem like small potatoes.
But it was one of the topics Batavia aldermen discussed at length Thursday night during their first workshop on the 2015 budget.
Batavia anticipates spending $41,000 more for brush pickup in 2015 than it did this year.
Alderman Alan Wolff suggested raising the monthly fee for brush pickup. Utility customers pay $3 a month for the service, but that does not cover the entire cost.
Alderman Lisa Clark, however, suggested maybe the city should eliminate brush pickup rather than raising the fee. She wanted to know how many households use it.
"I know people who use brush pickup love it and would be disappointed if we took it away. But those (brush and leaf pickup) are luxury items. Those are items we can live without," she said.
Alderman Michael O'Brien said people would likely illegally burn the brush, and public works director Gary Holm said that of the two items, it's harder for people to dispose of brush. Leaves can be mulched, composted or disposed of in yard-waste bags, he said.
The proposed budget includes expenditures for all funds. The electric fund will, as usual, account for about 51 percent of the spending, due to buying power for the utility's customers.
Operations-related property taxes would stay the same, at $6.25 million. The amount collected to pay off debt will decrease by about $317,000.
In December, the city will repay the last of the money it owes for the 1996-97 remodeling of the Batavia Government Center, which expanded the police department. Proposed spending includes $565,000 on work for the center, including $250,000 for new windows.
The budget calls for 4.5 percent more spending on wages, including adding one position in administration and allowing for any increases in wages due to new contracts to be signed next year with five unions.
The city expects to spend $25,000 less on contracted forestry and tree service and $42,000 less on double-time pay, compared to the projected spending on such items for fiscal year 2014.
The rebuilding and remodeling of Houston Street, from Batavia to Island avenues, would have $2.7 million set aside for it.
Property taxes will make up about 25 percent of the revenue for the general fund; sales taxes, 35 percent.
The general fund is what pays for the operations of the administrative, police, fire and streets divisions and departments. The budget calls for spending $40,000 more for road salt and de-icer chemicals than the city has in 2014.
The proposed budget may be viewed at cityofbatavia.net. Aldermen will discuss it again at 7 p.m. Nov. 13. The fiscal year begins Jan. 1.