City looks at upcoming budget priorities

The Gatesville City Council reviewed budget goals for the 2022-23 fiscal year during its July 12 meeting, with a list of nine priority items to consider.

"This is to look at what we currently provide to determine if it is about right, not enough or too much," said City Manager Bill Parry. "We will also look at the number of employees needed, and prevention of attrition.

Goals listed include:

* Maintaining current levels of service with a balanced budget; adopting an ad valorem tax rate sufficient to fund service-level requirements.

* Ensuring employees are adequately compensated to prevent large-scale attrition.

* Executing the council-approved Capital Improvement Plan.

* Executing the Lovers Lane water and sewer project, funded by the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recover Fund (CLFRF).

* Deciding on a CLFRF-funded infrastructure project for the 2024 fiscal year.

* Maximizing grant funding to improve city infrastructure and community resources. This includes planning for a new police station, pursuing a USDA facilities grant upon demolition of the rotunda nursing home building and finalizing an alternate project for replacement of Faunt Le Roy Park with FEMA grant funding.

* Implementing 2020 comprehensive plan short term strategies.

* Paying for an engineering assessment of the 1904 Leon River Bridge and deciding its future.

* Continuing to align the city's financial processes with Government Finance Officers Association best practices.

Among items to be considered is the possibility of hiring two additional patrol officers for the Gatesville Police Department as well as a narcotics detective. There would also be a reduction of five school resource officers from GPD as the Gatesville Independent School District forms its own police force.

Parry said he is in favor of the staffing increases for the police department.

"It makes absolute sense to me," he said. "You want to make sure you don't have terrible morale."

He noted that staff shortages reduced the weekend time off for officers.

Also to be considered is hiring a full-time custodian.

There are several items included in the 2023 Capital Improvement Plan, but they will not be funded until approved by the Council.

These items include:

* Replacing three 2014-2015 Chevy Tahoes used by the police department at an estimated cost of $175,306.

* Purchasing a sheepsfoot roller for the street department for $120,000.

* Replacing an engine used by the Gatesville Fire Department for $712,500. Much of this cost will be covered by a state grant.

* Replacing the Automated Weather Observing System at the Gatesville Municipal Airport for $150,000 - 75% of the cost will be paid by the state.

* Replacing water/sewer lines on Mills, Barnes and Mary streets for $778,385.

* Replacing a 10-inch water trunk line at Lovers Lane for $1,372,300, funded by CFLRF and American Recovery Plan Act resources.

* Replacing a manhole at Wal-Mart for $60,000.

* Rehabilitating the Wood Creek lift station for $35,734.

* Replacing filter media at the water plant for $720,000.

* Paying engineering costs of $64,000 for a 10-inch trunk line for water distribution.