Smithville Aldermen Poised to Pass New City Budget with 25 Cent Property Tax Increase

June 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

City leaders are poised to raise Smithville property taxes for the 2019-20 fiscal year.

The proposed increase is 25 cents per $100 of assessed value. If approved, the new city tax rate would be 89 cents, up from the 64 cents taxpayers currently pay.

The Smithville Mayor and Aldermen will meet in special session Monday night, June 10 at 5:30 p.m. at city hall to adopt on first reading a new budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year and to set the new property tax rate for the year beginning July 1.

A work session was held Monday night following the monthly city council meeting to hash out what extras are to be included in the new spending plan.

The largest project on the table is a new police department building. The proposed 7,805 square foot structure would be built on property donated to the city on the north side of the city hall/fire department complex at Don Cantrell Street.

The cost of the new facility could be as much as two million dollars to be funded either on a long term note or bond issue. From the start date of construction, projections are the building could be completed possibly within one year.

The mayor and aldermen recently met with Wayne Oakley of Studio Oakley Architects, LLC who submitted a bid to design the new police department building for the city at $105,000 which has been included in the new budget.

Regardless of the proposed police department project, the city’s general fund is expected to finish the 2019-20 fiscal year in the red without new revenue according to Janice Plemmons Jackson, the city’s financial advisor. Current deficit projections are at about $200,000 or just over $300,000 if the city adds the engineering costs for the police department building.

Although the municipality has water/sewer and general fund surpluses totaling several millions of dollars, city leaders say the government can’t continually dip into those surpluses to operate.
By increasing the tax rate by 25 cents, the city is expected to generate $350,000 in new revenue which could get it out of the red and possibly create a small surplus by the end of 2020 without additional significant spending.

The water and sewer fund may also be a problem down the road.

Although water and sewer rates were last increased in 2017 the revenue is not keeping pace with expenditures which may force city leaders to take another look at them next year (2020-21). The city’s water and sewer fund is projected to be in the red by $205,147 this year and $323,833 by June 30, 2020. Under state law, if a utility continues to operate at a loss for more than two years and doesn’t address it, the state has the authority to force rate increases to make it solvent.

City water customers currently pay $7.25 per thousand gallons of usage. Rates for customers outside the city limits are $10.88 per thousand. City sewer customers pay $6.75 per thousand gallons.

Water tap fee increases have been included in the new budget for customers both inside and outside the city.

A 2% pay raise has been figured into the budget for city employees who have topped out on the wage scale and funds for employee disability insurance coverage to help protect city employees from loss of income in the event they are unable to work for a period of time due to illness, injury, or accident while off the job. Capital outlay expenditures total more than $600,000, much of which includes grants for airport easements and clearing and sidewalk improvements. Plans are to purchase two used police cars and a 16 foot flat bed trailer for the fire department.

Capital outlay expenses for the water and sewer include the purchase of a Kubota trackhoe, trailer, diesel truck, 9 foot dump body, camera system for leak detection, and engineering fees and sewer rehab project construction costs. The city has applied for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant to help fund the sewer rehab project.

June 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Youth ages 17 and younger may now swim FREE on Sunday’s at the Smithville Municipal Swimming Pool.

The aldermen gave their approval during Monday night’s monthly meeting at the suggestion of Mayor Josh Miller.

The pool is open Sundays from 1 until 5 p.m.

“The swimming pool and golf course have really been doing well this year. A lot of people have been turning out. I spoke with Jeania Cawthorn the manager of the pool about maybe allowing kids to swim free on Sundays. That would be for ages 17 and younger. She agreed with that and I think that would turn more people out and be something extra for the kids,” said Mayor Miller.

City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson said Sunday is typically the slowest day at the pool but by allowing kids to swim free the city might bring in more revenue on concessions.

City officials got the idea for a regular free swim day after the huge turnout on the pool’s opening day of the season when kids could swim free by bringing their report card. It was first suggested that the city waive the $2.00 admission per child for the remainder of the season but Mayor Miller said Cawthorn felt the response might be too overwhelming for the pool staff to handle.

The Pool is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. until school re-opens. Admission is $2.00 per person. Youth ages 17 and younger may swim free on Sunday.

Meanwhile, in other business the aldermen adopted on second and final reading an ordinance to annex property on South Congress Boulevard owned by the Outreach Baptist Church where a new sanctuary is being built.

Randall Pedigo was also hired as a city employee in the sanitation department.

By: Dwayne Page

Cute and cuddly!

The WJLE/DeKalb Animal Coalition featured “Pet of the Week” is Gilbert

“Gilbert is a 7 week old shepherd mix puppy. He is great with everybody and will follow you around. He plays great with his neighbors. Gilbert is just a great puppy. Come on down and meet him,” said Shelter Director Megan Moore.

For more information call 615-597-1363.

The shelter, located at 186 Transfer Station Road behind Tenneco Automotive, is open Thursday and Friday from noon until 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon.

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