Council approves balanced budget
CALEXICO – The
City Council recently approved a balanced general fund budget for fiscal year 2020-21, marking the first time in about five years that the city had done so.
The notable milestone was made possible by an inclusive budget process that in recent months had sought the input of all city departments, finance advisory commissioners and elected officials, said Assistant City Manager Miguel Figueroa.
The balanced budget, unanimously approved during the council’s June 3 regular meeting, authorized expenditures of about $108 million, which consists of $47 million in operating expenditures and a $61 million capital improvement program.
Its general fund is expected to generate about $16.4 million, with its corresponding expenditures projected to be about $17.2 million for the coming fiscal year.
Though general fund expenditures are anticipated to outpace revenue by about $828,000, the city is offsetting that amount by deferring the allocation of about $493,000 in anticipated revenue, and about $1.3 million in revenue requests.
“Once the city’s economy is fully reinstated, all other revenue sources will increase,” Figueroa stated in an email. “The city looks to be conservative in our projections, so we stay true to the current economic conditions.”
Once pandemic-related restrictions are eased, the city is anticipating it will generate an additional $250,000 in sales tax, $143,000 in program revenues, and $100,000 from a Measure H transfer, the adopted budget stated.
Over the past few months, department heads had provided the council with presentations that highlighted their respective revenue, expenditures and “wish list” as part of the budget process.
Though the adopted budget authorized the sole hire of an engineering technician for the city’s water, wastewater and capital improvement program, some council members had expressed support for the expedited hiring of additional personnel for other departments.
“I understand that all the department have needs, but if you ask me which department appears to be the most depleted, I would say that is public works,” said Mayor Bill Hodge during the meeting.
Hodge specifically called for the hiring of a project coordinator for the department, and was told by Finance Department Director Karla Lobatos that the position was included in the budget but not funded on account of a shortage of revenue.
Public Works Department manager Liliana Falomir also urged the council to consider finding a way to fund the project coordinator’s position. The department has about $60 million in capital improvement projects slated for the coming fiscal year, of which 90 percent is expected to be done by the department, Falomir said.
“I think we prioritize and make that our first goal to fill that particular position,” said Councilmember Luis Pacheco in response.
The project coordinator’s position, as well as others within the department, are eligible to have 80 percent of their salary funded by enterprise funds, which are generated by fees associated with certain city services such as water and wastewater treatment.
City Manager David Dale said that if the city was somehow able to secure the remaining 20 percent needed to compensate such a new hire, it could be done.
“It’s really not a big hit to the general fund,” Dale said during the June 3 meeting.
The approved budget also included a five-year fund projection that shows a path to achieving an 8 percent (one month) operating reserve over the next five years.
In the weeks prior to the council’s unanimous approval of the proposed budget, department heads had gone before the council to make presentations and share their wish lists.
A steady increase in the Calexico Fire Department’s calls for service over the past five years prompted Chief Diego Favila to request the hiring of additional firefighters.
National standards call for the employment of 1.5 firefighters per 1,000 residents, a figure that the department’s current 24 firefighters falls short of. Its shortterm goal is to employ 30.
“In a perfect world, we would have 60 firefighters working here,” Favila said during the council’s May 13 meeting.
During that same meeting, Police Department Chief Gonzalo Gerardo also presented his case for additional hires, including a public safety dispatcher, as well as officers to fill the department’s current three vacancies.
The replacement of outdated equipment such as patrol vehicles, bullet proof vests, computers and copiers and scanners appeared high on his list, too.
Currently, the department is researching patrol vehicles to determine a good fit for its operations, leasing options and a reasonable price. The previous purchase of four patrol vehicle raised concerns when costly issues arose with their suspension and brakes.
“We’re not going to make that mistake again,” Gerardo said.
The project coordinator’s position, as well as others within the department, are eligible to have 80 percent of their salary funded by enterprise funds, which are generated by fees associated with certain city services such as water and wastewater treatment.
City Manager David Dale said that if the city was somehow able to secure the remaining 20 percent needed to compensate such a new hire, it could be done.
“It’s really not a big hit to the general fund,” Dale said during the June 3 meeting.
The approved budget also included a fiveyear fund projection that shows a path to achieving an 8 percent (one month) operating reserve over the next five years.
In the weeks prior to the council’s unanimous approval of the proposed budget, department heads had gone before the council to make presentations and share their wish lists.
A steady increase in the Calexico Fire Department’s calls for service over the past five years prompted Chief Diego Favila to request the hiring of additional firefighters.
National standards call for the employment of 1.5 firefighters per 1,000 residents, a figure that the department’s current 24 firefighters falls short of. Its short-term goal is to employ 30.
“In a perfect world we would have 60 firefighters working here,” Favila said during the council’s May 13 meeting.
During that same meeting, Police Department Chief Gonzalo Gerardo also presented his case for additional hires, including a public safety dispatcher, as well as officers to fill the department’s current three vacancies.
The replacement of outdated equipment such as patrol vehicles, bullet proof vests, computers and copiers and scanners appeared high on his list, too.
Currently, the department is researching patrol vehicles to determine a good fit for its operations, leasing options and a reasonable price. The previous purchase of four patrol vehicle raised concerns when costly issues arose with their suspension and brakes.
“We’re not going to make that mistake again,” Gerardo said.