|
i86
<br />
<br />April 10, 1979
<br />
<br /> 79-111 - The f¢llowing ordinance approved on first reading at the regular meeting
<br />March 27, 1979, was taken up and read:
<br />
<br />"AN ORDINANCE TO APPROPRIATE $13,000 FROM THE CAPTTAI IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR
<br />LIGHTS ON THE ATHLETIC FIELD AT CHURCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND TENNIS COURTS
<br />AT WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL,"
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Early and seconded by Mr. Barnes, the
<br />following vote:
<br />
<br /> Ayes: Barnes, Early, Elliott, Gray, Holley,
<br /> Nays: None
<br />
<br /> following
<br />
<br />The
<br />
<br /> ordinance was
<br />
<br /> Oast
<br />reports from the City Manager were presented:
<br />
<br />of
<br />
<br />adopted, and by the
<br />
<br /> 79-119 "Consideration of an ordinance on first reading to appropriate funds necessary
<br />for operation of the City government for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1979 and ending
<br />on June 30, 1980.
<br />
<br /> This appropriation will provide t.he .necessary funds for the City to operate du~ing the
<br />fiscal year begmnning on July 1, 1979. On April 3, 1979 a Public Conference on the budgets
<br />was held in the City Council Chambers. At that time, the City Manager briefed the City Council
<br />on the proposed budgets. This ordinance reflects the recommendations made during these dis-
<br />cussions in reference to each of the operating budgets. Attached for your information is a
<br />letter from the Municipal Finance Commission outlining their recommendation that the recommend~
<br />budget, as proposed, be adopted. The City Manager recommends adoption on first reading.
<br />
<br />The following letter from the Municipal Finance Commission was received:
<br />
<br /> "On March 20, 1979, the Municipal Finance Commission met to review and consider a rough
<br />draft of the City Manager's Proposed Operating Budget for the Fiscal Year 1979-80. After
<br />considerable discussion and revmew, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend to the City
<br />Council that the budget be approved as recommended by the City~:Manager.
<br />
<br />Several of the key features of the budget as recommended are as follows:
<br />
<br /> (1) a reductmon mn the tax rate from $1.30 to $1.28 per $t00 assessed valuation. On a
<br />city-wide basis, assessments are up 9.3 percent, and coupled with the tax rate reduction, the
<br />tax levy is estimated to be increasedLby 7.6 perc'ent over the current year (adjusted to exclud
<br />new property additions). It was pointed out to the Commission that each cent of the tax rate
<br />produces approximately $110,000.
<br />
<br /> (2) a recommended increase of S cents per 1,000 gallons in the water rate, to be effactiw
<br />September 1, 1979. The last water rate increasewwas put into effect on July 1, 1974. The
<br />reconunended increase ms necessary at this time for the continued operation of the waterssys~em
<br />on a sound financial basis. This increase will prevent.a reduction in the utilization For
<br />operations of the utility fund's retained earnings. On an annualized basis, the 5-cents
<br />increase will produce approximately $400,000 new revenue to the utility system. Based on a
<br />consumption of 20,000 gallons per month, the additional cost of the increase to the average
<br />residential customer mn Portsmouth will be $1.00 per quarter.
<br />
<br /> (3) an increase in incinerator rates from $5.50 to $6.75 per ton. This
<br />produce approximately $35,000 revenue, and is based on the increased cost of
<br />maintenance. This charge will nor affect residential refuse customers.
<br />
<br />increase will
<br />incinerator
<br />
<br /> (4) an increase in parking rates. The Commission referred this matter to the Portsmouth
<br />Parking Authority for a determination of how the rate increase would be applied, and when
<br />during 1979-80.
<br />
<br /> (S) an average 6.7 percent wage and salary increase for employees covered by the City's
<br />Pay and Classification Plan.
<br />
<br /> (6) appropriation for use by the City Council of a contingency of $2,010,000. At this
<br />level, all of the unappropriated fund balance of $4.02 million is appropriated in the 1979-80
<br />budget -- half of it used to balance the budget and the other half reserved for contingencies.
<br />
<br /> (7) an increase of 7.6 percent in the School appropriation. The recommended level of
<br />funding for the. School System is $27,,424,000. This level of funding will requmre an increase
<br />in local funding (excluding sales tax returned) of ~830,160, which is an increase of 8.6% in
<br />the local funding, which would go to $10,477,177 for 1979-80.
<br />
<br /> The total recommended General Fund budget stands at $64.9 million, which includes the
<br />aforementioned Council contingency line item of $2,010,000. Adjusting for this item from the
<br />total recommended budget, the General Fund reflects an increase of 7.6 percent over the fiscal
<br />1978-79 level of operations. The Commission felt this level of funding for the 1979-80 fiscal
<br />year to be very appropriate, and it was by a unanimous vote that the Commissmon acted to re-
<br />commend to the City Council~adoption of the City Manager's Proposed 1979-80 Operating Budget."
<br />
<br />The following letter from the City Manager was received:
<br />
<br />d
<br />
<br />
<br />
|