Batavia budget tweaked, ready for vote Monday

Batavia residents won’t pay more for leaf and brush pickup next year under a revised proposed city budget.

The city will figure out another way to absorb an expected $68,000 increase in the program’s cost some other way, according to a presentation this week by administrator Bill McGrath.

It is one of several tweaks to the $95.6 million 2014 budget, which the council will vote on Monday.

City staff have recommended delaying the purchase of a small $135,000 bucket truck for the Electrical Department. The current truck has been repaired, again, and “fingers crossed,” the city could get another year out of it, said public works director Gary Holm. If the truck breaks down again and the repairs are deemed too expensive relative to its value, the city can rent a truck, he said.

City officials are concerned about the increasing cost of the electricity the city buys and the volatility of those prices. The budget assumes raising electric rates about 10 percent.

Alderman Steve Vasilion has suggested the council add another $1 million from reserves to the rate stabilization program. In 2009, the council authorized city workers to spend up to $2 million as needed to stabilize the purchase power factor rates customers see on their utility bills. The rates change from month to month. So far, the city has spent about $1 million on stabilization.

The budget also includes already-approved rate increases for water and sewer service.