City budget includes spending growth

More police and firefighters, significant raises for city employees and renovation and expansion of the Daniel Boone City Building are all part of a $213 million city budget for fiscal year 2007 that was proposed by City Manager Bill Watkins on Friday morning.

The budget, which would represent an 8.4 percent increase in spending over the current year, also reflects higher utility rates that would boost the average residential customer’s monthly bill by $8.09. It projects total revenue of $317.5 million, a jump of 17.8 percent from fiscal year 2006, much of which would come from an anticipated bond issue and from grants.

Watkins is proposing the city add 27.5 full-time employees to its roster. That includes two police officers and three firefighters.

Columbia Police Department Chief Randy Boehm said one of the new officers will be assigned to the East District, which includes East Campus and downtown, and the other to the West District, which he described as the busiest in the city.

“We initially asked for five (new officers),” Boehm said. “But we’re pleased to get what we can get.”

Representatives of the Columbia Fire Department did not return phone calls from the Missourian.

The budget also calls for eight new workers in the Water and Light Department, one each in the Parks and Recreation and Health and Environment departments, and 10.5 new positions in the Public Works Department.

Watkins would also create five positions, including a network security systems analyst and a risk management/safety specialist, who would study how to keep insurance premiums down.

While there are no new or higher taxes in the budget, the impact of the budget on Columbia residents would be significant. Fees for water, sewer, refuse removal and electricity would all go up.

Water and Light Director Dan Dasho said water rates are rising because of added personnel and an expansion of the water treatment plant that voters approved in 2003. Market forces, he said, are driving the need for higher electric bills. Water and Light is paying more for energy and is passing the extra cost to customers. Columbia is not alone in that, Dasho said.

“Everybody around us is seeing the same thing,” he said.

Dennie Pendergrass, chief of operations for the Public Works Department, said the rise in refuse removal fees, the first since 2003, will help cover the costs of an extra truck and crew made necessary by Columbia’s growth. Public Works is also beginning to replace vehicles in its fleet, including some as old as 20 years.

Watkins chose to include in the budget a $6 million renovation and $13.4 million expansion of the Boone Building. While council members are leaning toward approving the project, some Columbia residents are calling for a public vote. Watkins recounted a time when chunks of the basement ceiling fell onto city employees’ desks.

Among the significant street projects are the reconstruction of Brown School Road from Range Line Street to the extension of Providence Road — $4.25 million and the reconstruction and widening of Scott Boulevard from Brookview Terrace to Rollins Street — $5.83 million. The budget also reflects the city’s plans to funnel $4 million worth of federal money toward pedways and sidewalks and to spend $700,000 worth of parks sales tax money on youth athletic fields.

The City Council plans to review the budget with department

heads during work sessions on Aug. 14, 17 and 18 and hold public hearings at its Aug. 21, Sept. 5 and Sept. 18 meetings. The new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.