Village aldermen will conduct a virtual public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2021 general operating budget at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 3.
The Village will be casting the meeting via ZOOM, meeting ID 883 8329 8896 with the password 844832.
The public can also call in to the meeting at these numbers using the meeting ID and password:
1-346-248-7799
1-253-215-87 82
1-669-900-6833
1-301-715-8592
1-312-626-6799
1-929-205-6099
The proposed budget was filed on Aug. 6 with a proposed tax rate of $0.5339 per $100 valuation, more than four cents below the current property tax rate of $0.5752 per $100 valuation.
The board will propose the tax rate to be published prior to the final adoption of the tax rate. The proposed rate can be no higher than $0.5339 per $100 evaluation.
Despite the cut in property tax rate, the budget is 15% higher than the current M&O budget. The proposed spending plan includes $442.708.63 for administration costs, including $232,509.05 in administrative personnel services. Development services expenditures are $11,950.74. Public Safety costs are $571,003.58. Of that, $50,000 is for fire services contract with Salado Volunteer Fire Department, $506,453.58 for police department ($392,524.62 for police personnel) and $14,550 for municipal court.
The Parks Department expenditures total $79,550, including $55,000 in capital outlay.
The Street Department expenditures total $273,000, including $157,500 in capital outlay for reconstruction of Salado Plaza Drive.
According to the agenda packet for the meeting, the proposed Fiscal Year 2021 General Fund Operating Budget totals $1,536,780 -up 14.75% from the current fiscal year’s operating budget for the Village of Salado. The proposed spending plan includes $150,000 for reconstruction of Salado Plaza Drive, $25,000 for general street repairs and $15,000 for a preliminary engineering study relating to the possible replacement of the scenic, one-lane Southridge low Water Crossing.
In addition, the proposed General Fund Budget includes $35,000 for maintenance of the new Main Street sidewalks, landscape and decorative streetlights. Also, $70,000 Is allocated for public park improvements including $20,000 for landscape maintenance In Pace Park and Sirena Parks, $50,000 for the construction of a new parking lot In Pace Park and $5,000 for park sign age.
There is no funding allocated for additional personnel or employee pay adjustments.
Funding for the proposed General Fund Budget will come from service revenues, franchise fees, and tax revenues along with a one-time transfer of $65,175 from the General Fund reserves.
A 10% increase in the-Village’s license and permit fees is proposed for the coming fiscal year. This would be the first service fee increase in more than five years.
As for property taxes, a Maintenance & Operation (M&O) Ad Valorem Tax Rate of $0.2020 per $100 property valuation is proposed to help fund Village operations in the coming fiscal year. That compares to the current M&O Ad Valorem Tax Rate of $0.2070 per $100 property valuation.
The wastewater operating budget is $215,920 in expenditures, funded by monthly service fees. Through May of the current fiscal year, the Village has collected $90,390.68 of the $238,115.52 budgeted in monthly service fees.
The debt service budget will total $753,983.50 in expenses, of which $485,000 is bond principal and the remainder is interest. Income for the debt service is budgeted at $690,844.91. The Village will transfer $66,638.59 from the general fund to cover the difference.
The Hotel Occupancy Tax budget will total $227,000 in revenues, the same amount at 2019-2020 budget. Actual HOT revenue through July 2020 has been $97.415 28 .
Personnel services account for almost half of the HOT expenses at $103,554.28 with $61,000 for a director and $23,400 for part-time employees. The director’s position has been vacant since Chadley Hollas left earlier this year.
Other expenditures include the lease of the visitors venter at $18,204, $70,000 in marketing, $21,000 to the Public Arts League and another $10,000 in miscellaneous operating costs.
The village has spent $135,758 in HOT funds through July 2020.