Public budget hearing slated for Nov. 14
By Kellen Olshefski
SLN Staff
The City of Elkhorn Common Council was presented with copies of City Administrator Sam Tapson’s transmittal letter and proposed 2017 budget at the Oct. 17 meeting.
Tapson said councilmembers will meet for several budget sessions in the coming weeks to discuss questions or concerns about the budget and have a finalized budget prepared for a Nov. 14 public hearing.
Tapson went over several highlights from the budget Monday night.
Tapson said the all-inclusive, proposed budget amounts to about $43 million. He said this year’s proposed tax levy sits at about $4.8 million, down about a half percent from last year.
He said that key items in the 2017 budget include the addition of two full-time employees to the Department of Public Works and a $170,000 direct levy to the City’s vehicle replacement fund. In addition, the city is looking at a $300,000 surplus from the closing of tax incremental district 3, two-thirds of which would be designated to the vehicle replacement and a third of which would go to the City’s Community Development Fund.
Looking at some future considerations, Tapson said there’s one key thing the council needs to think about prior to finalizing this year’s budget: fire and EMS staffing.
According to Tapson, right now might be the time to rethink when the city pulls the trigger on a plan to beef up staffing for Elkhorn emergency services.
At this time, Tapson said the city could redirect money from the city’s vehicle replacement fund towards a staffing contract, the first step in the city’s plan.
However, without jumping to a decision, he said, councilmembers need to consider not only where the greater need lies but also the sustainability of a staffing program and where the money would come from in future budgets.
“Now is the time if the desire is there,” he said. “We have an option to address staffing a year earlier.
“Give it some thought … I think that has to get to the top of the list of considerations.”
