Fire and EMS services focus of Charles City’s $22 million proposed budget for FY2019-2020

With the continuing focus to bring paid Fire and EMS to Charles City, County Administrator Michelle Johnson presented her proposed FY2019-2020 budget to county leaders Tuesday night at the Board of Supervisors monthly meeting.

Johnson presented a budget with general fund revenues pegged in at the amount of $16,817,854 as part of her presentation. In total, the budget comes in at $22,325,831.

The county administrator recommended $1,234,600 be designated for the county’s plan to implement a paid Fire and EMS organization. Of that amount, $1,070,377 would be a local contribution. Those funds would be used to hire two lieutenants, six firefighters, and assist with the purchasing of one ambulance, one fire truck, and providing equipment for day-to-day operations. Approximately 12 cents of every tax dollar will be designated to Fire and EMS.

The general fund is expected to increase to $7,581,105, up $75,354 from the previous year. Reflected in the increase is performance-based raises for employees, totaling $71,994.

The county’s real estate tax rate is expected to remain at the current rate of 76 centers per $100 of assessed value. Among one of the many significant costs that the county will begin payment on is the loan from the library. In the upcoming budget, approximately $309,000 is pegged for the first payment of the new building that is expected to open on June 9.

Charles City schools requested a local contribution of $5,976,788 for the next fiscal year for operations. Under Tuesday night’s budget proposal, Johnson recommended $5,684,893. That amount is equivalent to level funding that the school received last year ($5,504,573) with an additional $180,230.

Social Services asked for a local contribution of $406,124 as part of there $1,231,917 budget request. Of the local ask, Johnson recommended $401,534, a decrease around $5,000.

The county’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is pegged at $817,228 for the upcoming fiscal year. The biggest ticket item on the list is the continuous action of replacing the Kimages Treatment Plant. The project is rolling over from the current year to the next year and will cost $349,250 to complete the process. Other big ticketed items include a $120,000 payment to upgrade emergency radio systems, $100,000 to convert what will be the former Heritage Public Library back into a courtroom, and $65,000 to replace the roof at the Government and Administration Building.

The schools requested a CIP of $1,067,000 for the next fiscal year. The county administrator recommended $790,856. Many of the items on the list that Johnson recommended to be addressed to assist the school revolved around HVAC systems. The replacement of one cooling tower ($105,000) and the purchase of one new school bus ($107,000) were also recommended on the list. In total, the county’s and school’s CIP total $1,608,084.

Supervisors minimized comments at the meeting after the budget presentation, electing to hear from the public prior to their recommendations. The public hearing on the county’s proposed budget will take place on Thursday, May 9, at 6 p.m. at the Charles City Government and Administration building.