Junction City hears first reading of new budget
Junction City’s 2021-22 fiscal year budget shows an increase of more than $58,000 in revenues and $25,000 in expenditures than in this year’s budget, according to the first reading of its budget ordinance during last week’s regular meeting.
The budget shows the city should receive $989,000 in revenues for the next fiscal year, compared to $930,850 that was budgeted for this fiscal year. The increase is due mostly from increases in the occupational and municipal insurance taxes. Other revenue increases should come from franchise fees, cemetery fund and ABC revenues.
Revenue will decrease by $7,300 due to the city no longer receiving rent from the community center (which as been demolished), an upstairs apartment at city hall and park rental, said City Clerk Susan Music.
Expenditures for 2021-22 fiscal year increased for a total of $419,110 compared to $393.660 for this fiscal year.
Expenditures increased dramatically from $66,000 to $132,000, due making payments on the new city hall building, where the finishing touches are still being worked on, Music said.
Also, the cost for utilities increased from $60,000 to $85,000, Music said. “We have additional utility bills that the system can’t regulate or adjust for the new building.”
However, expenditures decreased from $35,000 for contractual services to just $1,000 and from $5,000 to $500 for building repairs and maintenance. Music said the decreases in spending is because, “We don’t anticipate any repairs to the new building for quite a while.”
And the city’s reserve fund decreased from $41,040 to $20,690 so that payments can be made semiannually.
The Junction City Police Department budget is set for $223,250 in expenditures and the city’s fire department budget for expenditures is $59,740.
The Cemetery Fund expenditure dropped to $5,000 for the upcoming fiscal year, compared to $35,000 this year. Music said the difference was because capital outlay this year was for mowers, weed eaters, and repairs for the cemetery shelter. There was even money set aside for a partial payment on a vehicle “if needed” she added.
The municipal aid and expenditures increased $60,000, for a total of $196,900. The line item contractual service went from $5,000 to $65,000. Music said the increase account for municipal aid funds were “to pay for street blacktopping.”
In other business:
• The council discussed the need to repave April Drive, Jones Lane and part of Lucas Street.
• Magistrate Ron Short asked the council to consider making a donation to the Gathering Place senior citizens center to help pay for meals that are delivered to some Junction City senior residents.