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Seminole’s 2009 budget takes shape
Edmunds says initial figures would result in the elimination of 10 positions
By BOB McCLURE
Article published on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 |
SEMINOLE – The city’s proposed 2008-09 budget is shaping up well but will likely result in the elimination of 10 jobs, City Manager Frank Edmunds said at a May 6 City Council workshop.
Edmunds didn’t discuss any specific numbers but said the draft budget is balanced and will not result in any noticeable service reductions for residents.
Edmunds and Director of Administration Harry Kyne have been working different scenarios on revenue projections for fiscal year 2009 while keeping a close watch on revenue decreases for the current budget year.
“Nothing has come to our attention that alarms us concerning the current budget,” said Edmunds. “Revenues are down and we’re monitoring it closely.
“The 2009 budget is in draft form, we’ve made modifications and I’m reviewing with Harry (Kyne) possible revenues. It’s in draft form but it’s balanced.”
Edmunds and Kyne are awaiting ad valorem tax revenue projections from the county in mid-May.
“That’s when we get figures we can rely on,” said Edmunds. “The final figures will be given to us around the end of June. The good news is it’s a balanced budget with the estimated revenue.”
Edmunds said the budget for the city’s capital improvement projects would be presented at the May 27 City Council meeting. The operational budget would follow at the end of June and budget analysis would begin in July.
Councilor Peter Hofstra asked if the draft budget included an increase for law enforcement services by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and if Pinellas County plans to tap into an additional $1 million in fire district reserves.
Edmunds said the draft budget included a 5 percent increase for law enforcement services “and with my preliminary discussions with the sheriff’s office we’re pretty close.”
The city is paying the sheriff’s office $1.67 million in fiscal year 2008, which is a 6.8 percent increase over the previous year. A 5 percent increase in 2009 would boost the figure to $1.75 million.
Edmunds said he had not heard yet if the county plans to release the additional $1 million in fire district reserves but expects it to do so. A decision is expected in July.
On another issue, Edmunds explained that a large 2007 surplus allowed city officials to allocate $500,000 into the city’s emergency fund and another $500,000 into the undesignated fund for future costs. Interest from both funds goes into the emergency fund, which would be used to fund city operations following a hurricane or a similar disaster.
When queried by Councilor John Counts, Edmunds said the city’s goal is to sustain itself for up to three months when the city would be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“We currently have five weeks at $1.5 million per week from all sources available,” said Kyne. “If we get our normal disbursement from the county for fire protection, we should be able to work through it. But in the event we don’t, we’re taking measures to make sure we’re covered.”
Those measures include lines of credit with two major national banks, Kyne said.
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Article published on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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