The Wayland City Council Monday night decided to table action on the proposed fiscal year 2017-18 budget until Monday morning, June 26.
The delay was caused essentially by council members saying they hadn’t had enough time to review it.
Councilwoman Jennifer Antel said, “I haven’t had a chance to look at it until two minutes ago. I can’t approve something I haven’t seen.”
City Manager Tim McLean said despite the late arrival of the printed budget, it was “the most streamlined and and efficient process I’ve been involved in. We have a balanced budget without sacrificing services.”
He noted that city department heads met with a committee of three city council members, himself and City Finance Director Cheri Parrish to hammer out an agreement.
Councilwoman Lisa Banas, who was one of the committee members said she was impressed with the willingness of the department heads to work things out.
“I was appreciative of the departments heads for going back and telling us ‘We’ll see what we can do,'” she said.
Councilman Rick Mathis, another member of the committee pointed out that this budget included a surplus from the previous fiscal year, which will be returned to the general fund, adding to the fund balance.
Indeed, McLean reported a windfall of almost $21,000 that boosts the proposed fund balance to $1.311 million. Revenues are expected to be $2,404,561 and expenditures $2,3
83,572. However, this budget stands as not yet approved. The budget must be decided by midnight Friday, June 30.
McLean added that the overall budget of the city, including departments, is for $4,836,579.
Antel asserted, and Mathis agreed, that surpluses should be used to help with city street projects and purchases of equipment.
Mathis once again talked about how the city, like other local governments, has been getting less and less every year in state aid revenue and commended city officials for keeping a positive budget position regardless.
Parrish said the proposed 2017-18 budget includes a Headlee Amendment rollback of $652, which Mayor Tim Bala said would translate into a rebate of about 30 cents per homeowner. The Headlee Amendment, passed in a state-wide ballot initiative in 1978, rolls back a municipality’s millage rate whenever property values increase at a higher percentage than the rate of inflation. Thus, the City of Wayland’s tax rate was lowered by 0.0066 mill.
In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the City Council:
• Reported that a special committee still is working on coming to agreement between the city and Keith Nickels and Josh Otto, potential developers of property at the corner of 133rd Avenue and Reno Drive at a price of $20,000. Local businessman Bruce Schwartz asked about the progress of the talks and was told by Mathis that the $20,000 price has been agreed to, but the terms are still being negotiated.
• Tentatively approved a contract for $278,680.45 with Langlois & Sons for resurfacing work on 133rd Avenue and small patches on North Main, South Main and West Superior streets. City Engineer Mickey Bittner estimated the project would cost would be $300,000, so city officials were pleased with the announcement. Meanwhile, work is progressing on the East Maple Street project.
• Received a request from Amanda Merren, Geneva Drive, to develop an ordinance to permit raising chickens within the city limits. Merren noted that the townships of Dorr, Leighton, Hopkins and Martin have such ordinances and Wayland is just about the only city in this area that doesn’t permit the practice.
PHOTO: City Finance Director Cheri Parrish
Chickens inside city limits? Fine. But hopefully any ordinance will mandate no roosters please.
The citizens of Wayland should be very alert to budgets after the debacle of selling land for $51,700 less per acre than what was listed (listed at $52,500 per acre, sold for $796 per acre) – that could have provided revenue to fund projects – such as paving the horrible roads and helping to pay down debt.
I hope the voters remember that the next time any present City Council members come up for re-election. Since the vote to accept the outrageous and insulting bid was accepted unanimously (with the exception of Rose, who was absent), all of the council and mayor should be replaced. It is time for change.