Proposed Monroe budget would save money and raise fees

Published 8:57 pm Monday, December 1, 2014

MONROE — Since he took office in January, the mayor here has had his sights set on balancing the city’s budget for 2015 and beyond.

Geoffrey Thomas immediately went to work, looking at the city’s spending to find ways to reverse a deficit in the 2014 budget. The mayor directed staff to make sure their departments’ expenses fell below revenue. The day after he took office, Thomas eliminated the economic development manager position.

Now the proposed 2015 budget is expected to have a $6,000 positive balance at the end of the year. But Monroe residents are facing water and sewer rate hikes next year.

People can express their opinions on the proposed 2015 budget at a City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The council is expected to read the ordinance to adopt the budget at the meeting, with a vote scheduled for Dec. 9.

The budget calls for a sewer rate increase of 14 percent in 2015 to pay for system improvements.

The proposed 2015 budget also raises water rates by 4.4 percent. Thomas said the increase is needed because the city of Everett is charging Monroe more for water.

There are no other tax or fee increases planned for 2015.

Revenue is expected to be helped in 2015 by the new Walmart store at N. Kelsey Street and Chain Lake Road. The retailer is expected to collect about $300,000 in sales tax revenue for the city in 2015, Thomas said.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the big-box store is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. The new Walmart, combined with the improving economy, are expected bump city revenue by about 10 percent in 2015.

The 2015 budget also reduces expenditures by about 5 percent from 2014. That’s without digging further into the city’s emergency reserves or contingency fund, which have a balance of more than $400,000.

“We’ve been very careful about structuring the budget,” Thomas said. “I want to make certain we have a five-year plan that is sustainable.”

The reduction came, in part, from the city’s elimination of the economic development manager. That saved about $126,000 a year. Thomas said he now works closely with the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and local businesses to continue fostering economic growth.

“We’re still doing our best to do a lot of that kind of work,” he said.

Monroe plans to save more money by replacing the vacant deputy city clerk position with a part-time person. The city is also delaying the hiring of a new parks maintenance worker until May.

The combined changes are expected to save $332,314 in personnel costs for 2015.

As in 2014, all jobs that become vacant in 2015 will be evaluated for need before hiring a new person, Thomas said.

City staff members, with the exception of managers, are to receive cost-of-living increases in 2015. Managers will have performance evaluations and receive raises based on merit.

“Those are not automatic,” Thomas said.

There are no additions to city services planned in 2015. The parks department is down one maintenance worker, but the city plans to replace that employee before outdoor work picks up this spring.

Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.