Minutes 03/31/2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 31, 2014 At a Called Meeting of the City Council on Monday, March 31, 2014, there were present: Mayor Kenneth I. Wright, Vice Mayor Paige D. Cherry, William E. Moody, Jr., *Marlene W. Randall, Elizabeth M. Psimas, Danny W. Meeks, City Manager John L. Rowe, Jr. 14 - 127 -The following call for the meeting was read: "Please attend a Called Meeting of the City Council to be held in the City Council Chamber, 801 Crawford Street, 6:00 p. m., Monday, March 31, 2014 for the purpose of the proposed Operating and Capital Improvement Plan Budgets. In addition, you may consider a motion to go into a Closed Meeting. By order of the Mayor." 14 - 128 -The following item was discussed in Public Work Session: 1. Presentation of Proposed Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Plan by John L. Rowe, Jr., City Manager This is my Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Proposed Operating and Capital Improvement (CIP) Budget that I am submitting to you for your consideration. I am very happy to report that for the second year in a row we have balanced this budget without increasing the real estate tax rate, the personal property tax rate, the utility rate, stormwater rate, or the solid waste collection fee. In developing this budget, we attempted to match the community needs and our organizational necessities to our considerable financial limitations. This budget is driven by several key goals: • Continued cost of living raises for our employees and retirees • Addressing our regional and contractual obligations (Hampton Roads Transit, Hampton Roads Regional Jail, etc.) • Maintaining adequate funding for education • Support for healthy community initiatives • The need to increase recreational programs and services • The stewardship of our natural resources and environment • Maintaining our current property tax rates and utility rates As with the last budget, this budget includes bold initiatives that are forward thinking and which will position the City for a financially stronger future. This proposed budget also does the following: • Maintains core municipal services • Invests in our employees and our community • Implements three bold new initiatives: o Partnering with the Schools to provide more recreational facilities and programs for our citizens