News
City Council adopts 2012-13 budget
Monday, 24 September 2012 by Matthew Girard
The Belton City Council finished the FY 2012-13 budget process on Tuesday night as the council approved ordinances adopting the budget and the Ad Valorem Tax Rate of $0.06598.
"We really appreciate the leadership of the council and going through the process," City Manager Sam Listi said. "It can be time consuming and arduous at times, but we appreciate their commitment to prudent budget principals. The tax rate is one that is reasonable and it's a slight adjustment from last year that we feel is manageable."
Assistant City Manager and Finance Director Cristy Daniell reported the city's projected revenue at $20 million and projected expenditures at $21 million. The city's total appraised value was at $1.1 billion with the taxable value at $792,650,868.
The Ad Valorem Tax Rate of $0.06598 is an increase of the current rate of $0.6550.
"It will allow us, in terms of the city, to continue maintenance and planning for the future," Listi said.
The council also approved an ordinance adopting the Strategic Plan Update for 2013-18.
The council also addressed the West 9th Avenue Extension and Overpass construction project.
With the council's approval on Tuesday, Listi will execute Amendment No. 2 to the agreement with Kasberg, Patrick & Associates for their professional services for an additional $347,587 for additional surveys, testing and contract administration.
The additional money for noise survey revisions, right of way surveys, contract administration, geotechnical testing, construction surveys and structural engineering bring the project to a total of $939,503.
So far, the city has secured $750,000 through federal funding and has set aside $400,000 for the project.
Listi said executing the amendment allows for the city to keep all of its federal funding for the project.
"We have spent a substantial portion of it, but not quite all of it at this point in time," Listi said of the $750,000. "As the government is trying to locate and find additional money, they want to have all the dollars committed by Sept. 30.
"We talked with TxDOT about eligible expenses and they identified components of the project once the project gets bid and constructed. We identified and got bids on those items and along with the $400,000 the city has set aside, and were able to make a report to TxDOT that said that all of the $750,000 is committed. Our goal is to not loose a penny of those funds because it is such an important project for us."
In other business, the council appointed members to the Youth Advisory Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission.
Kendra Emerson, Montana Minnis, Lauren Hutchens, Grace Hutchinson, Bharath Lavendra, Nishanth Lavendra, Austin Perry, Emily Street and Samantha Waggoner were sworn for the YAC. Emerson was appointed as the YAC Chair.
The council also appointed and re-appointed members to the HPC. The reappointed members are Jack Folsom, Larry Guess and Berneta Peeples, and the two new members are Randy Stumberg and Nelson Hutchinson.
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