Jamestown   (CSi)  At 6-p.m., Monday the Jamestown City Council held  a PUBLIC HEARING concerning the proposed budget for City General and Special Funds for the fiscal period January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018.  Council Member Brubakken was not present.

From the audience Herbert Schulz commented that a raise in Social Security won’t cover the raise in taxes, noting some residents have limited funds.

The 2018 mill rate will remain the same, with a 4 percent increase in all residential property values and a 5.17 percent increase to commercial property values

An increase in the property tax stems from of the elimination of a state program that reduced property taxes.

The proposed budget includes a 5 percent increase to utility costs for water, sewer and solid waste disposal.

The City Council approved about $1 million in spending cuts or revenue increases in its general fund to meet its reserve fund goal of 25 percent at the end of 2018.

The city budget will deficit spend in 2018.

Mayor Andersen said on Monday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2 that in order to cut expenditures, the city will not replace equipment, and there will be no staff additions.

She pointed out that while the budget has eliminated funding for such entities as the Jamestown Arts Center, and City Beautification that the city is willing to look at possible matching dollars the entities may receive in matching grants.

 

Following the Public Hearing, the SECOND READING: of an Ordinance pertaining to the appropriation of the General and Special Funds for the fiscal year January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018, was approved.

The SECOND READING: of an Ordinance pertaining to the appropriation of the Revenue and Special Funds for the fiscal year January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018 was approved.

The SECOND READING: of an Ordinance pertaining to the appropriation of the Revenue and Special Funds for the fiscal year January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018 was approved.

In the budget,  $748,815 is earmarked for the fire department, $3,091,590 for the police department, Jamestown Civic Center $631,770, General Administration $394,000, street department $1,696,440.

The 2018 budget information is available at Jamestown City Hall.

 

The City Council then directed the City Administrator to notify the County that the City of Jamestown should be exempt from the County Library Levy as the City maintains its own library levy, and to certify the tax levies to the County for the fiscal period January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018.

 

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67, followed by replays.