MANSFIELD — Nobody had a keener interest Wednesday night in Mansfield’s proposed 2024 temporary spending plan than two people sitting in the back row of the audience.
That would be Jodie Perry and Kelly Blankenship, who will take over as the city’s mayor and finance director, respectively, in January.
The duo in attendance at City Council heard some good revenue news from outgoing Finance Director Linn Steward, who said income tax revenues for 2023 were exceeding projected figures.
“Our income tax estimate, we were able to increase that almost $2.4 million as compared to the 2023 final budget. Income tax has been coming in very good, especially withholding and net profit,” Steward said in explaining her final spending plan to local lawmakers.
Steward, in her 12th and final year as finance director, highlighted several areas of the proposed temporary plan. Council must approve a temporary plan by Dec. 31 and a final budget by the end of March.
The council that votes on the temporary plan will look dramatically different from the council that approves the final plan during the first quarter of 2024.
There were will be two new members on council come January and a little bit of seat-shuffling, as well, moves that include a shift in control of council.
Cynthia Daley will take over as the 4th Ward representative and Deborah Mount in the 6th Ward, based on Tuesday’s election results. Council met a day later than normal due to the election.
Current council President David Falquette will swap seats with At-large Councilman Phil Scott, also based on the Nov. 7 election. Under Mansfield’s charter, the council president only votes in the event of tie.
That gives Republicans control of the legislative body in January, holding the 1st Ward, 3rd Ward, 6th Ward and both At-large seats.
Democrats will hold the 2nd Ward and 4th Ward.
5th Ward Councilman Aurelio Diaz is an independent.
Steward said all department and fund requests for 2024 were granted, though only the police and fire department were allotted capital outlay for reoccurring items.
“The general fund appropriations are up about $321,000, primarily due to contractual salary and benefit increases. The budget increases were offset by estimated revenue in the amount of $1.1 million. And capital outlay appropriations are not included in the 2024 (general fund) temporary budget,” Steward said.
She said street fund appropriations are up about $330,000, primarily due to increases in capital expenditures. “They have about $730,000 appropriated for capital,” Steward said.
The finance director said planned spending for safety forces is up about $1.2 million, again due to contractual salary and benefit increases. She said those budget increases are offset by estimated revenue increases.
Steward said she included $203,000 in the safety forces spending plan for reoccurring capital expenses in 2024.
In the water fund, Steward said appropriations are up about $5 million, largely due to capital expenditures.
“Estimated (water) revenues are up $1.7 million and that’s due to the new ready-to-use fee, mostly,” Steward said.
She said the water fund has $4.3 million in capital, including phase three of the water treatment plant improvement project.
“The Main Street waterline replacement project capital was cut $1.4 million in order for that fund to have some unappropriated balance,” Steward said.
She said appropriations in the sewer fund are down about $2.4 million, primarily due to decreases in the Third Street culvert replacement project.
“That’ll probably be finished. And we were able to reduce the appropriations for that,” Steward said, adding the sewer fund has almost $2.9 million in capital spending.
“That’s for the North Lake Park bridge replacement project, the Main Street sewer upgrade and the State Route 42 drain projects. Capital was cut $1.3 million in the sewer fund in order to have some appropriated balance going into next year,” Steward said.
Steward said the plan calls for a 7 percent increase in employee health insurance, as approved by the health insurance committee.
“Our third party administrator recommended a 12 percent increase. So we’re probably gonna have to dip into the reserve for this year. We’re going to have a shortage this year. And then going into next year, it’s possible there’d be a shortage because that 12 percent increase wasn’t implemented, at least with the temporary budget.
“So that might need to be something to be looked at in the final budget,” she said.
Council is scheduled to conduct three readings on the temporary plan before voting on it Dec. 19.
Current 4th Ward Councilman Alomar Davenport, the chair of council’s finance committee, said he would invite at least the police, fire, water and engineering departments to attend the next meeting on Nov. 21.
In past years, the finance committee chairman has called in all departments to go over budgets. Davenport said that would not be the plan this time.
“Our actual final budget will be the new administration’s budget. It will be Mayor Perry’s budget, not Mayor Thinker’s budget. We’ll have a new finance director. We’ll also have the new finance (committee) chair.
“So I wanted to give that new administration, that new finance committee, the opportunity to scrutinize and look at that budget and then speak with the new administration in regard to it,” Davenport said.
At-large Councilwoman Stephanie Zader agreed.
“I think that it’s a good idea to allow them the opportunity if they feel necessary. But I do tend to agree with you where we’re going to be redoing (the budget) soon. The incoming mayor has the opportunity to write their budget the way they see fit.
“I’m not saying that they’re going to disagree, we don’t want to assume. But I think that it makes sense what you’re doing,” Zader said.
