City approves 2011 budget
January 7, 2011
The City Council passed the 2011 budget with a 6-1 vote — with Councilman Sonny Putter dissenting — at its Dec. 7 meeting. The budget forecasts a $46,000 surplus for the year.
“I want to commend the staff for working creatively,” Deputy Mayor Steve Buri said at the meeting.
Mayor John Dulcich also said the budget was a success, given that the council and members of city staff were able to balance the budget with virtually no tax hikes nor service cuts.
Although the sentiment for the 2011 budget was largely positive, comments were infused with statements regarding the importance of financial cautiousness in future years.
“Are we the Titanic or are we the Exxon Valdez?” Dulcich asked. “We can’t be sitting in our cabin. We have to be at the helm.”
Councilwoman Carol Simpson emphasized that the city’s financial future will be difficult.
“I don’t think it’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ that we had before,” she said.
However, Putter rejected the budget’s conservative forecast, which does not take into account any new revenue sources or call for property tax hikes that could help fund additional services and projects.
Parks upkeep to be funded next year
December 2, 2010
The City Council amended the 2011 preliminary budget to include $62,000 for parks maintenance, as the budget had previously called for maintenance of the city neighborhood parks to be discontinued.
The amendment was one in a string of more than a dozen approved by the council.
The council also approved a 1 percent property tax hike, although it also voted to reduce storm water fees by about $36 per household. Through the combination, those with homes worth less than about $1.5 million will see a reduction in taxes.
City Hall closed due to snow, but special council meeting still on
November 23, 2010
NEW — 11:20 a.m. Nov. 23, 2010
City Hall is closed today due to snow, but the City Council will still hold its special meeting at 6 p.m. tonight to make amendments to the 2011 budget and possibly adjust the property tax levy rate. The meeting will be in the Council Chambers, 13020 Newcastle Way.
City Manager Rob Wyman said city maintenance workers continuously roamed Newcastle’s streets overnight, using the city’s three trucks armed with snowplows. One trucks broke down during the night, and it is now being repaired.
Roads are being cleared in accordance with the city’s priority map, which you can see here. Wyman said priority one and many two routes are in fair condition, but priority three and four routes have not have mostly not been plowed and are still very slick.
Council to continue budget amendments, address property taxes Nov. 23
November 17, 2010
NEW — 2 p.m. Nov. 17, 2010
The City Council will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Nov. 23 in the Council Chambers, 13020 Newcastle Way, to continue making amendments to the 2011 preliminary budget and decide whether to increase property taxes next year.
The council began making amendments to the budget and held its final public hearing on the matter at its Nov. 16 meeting.
At the Nov. 16 meeting, the council voted to add $62,000 for parks maintenance next year, reduce funding for A Regional Coalition for Housing to $10,000 from $26,000, eliminate the $166,000 skate park project scheduled to be funded in 2012 and change city staff merit raises into noncompounding bonuses.
The Golf Club hosts town hall Thursday
October 27, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. Oct. 26, 2010
The Golf Club at Newcastle, 15500 Six Penny Lane, will host the city’s annual town hall meeting from 7-9 p.m. Thursday in the Saint Andrews Ballroom. It will be free to attend.
Citizens are invited to attend and discuss city issues, as the town hall will include an open-microphone question and answer period as well as electronic polling.
City Council approves budget cuts that create surplus
March 17, 2010
NEW — 1:16 p.m. March 17, 2010
At its regular meeting last night, the City Council approved an $186,000 cut to the operating budget. Through the cut and re-appropriation other city funds, the $364,000 budget deficit has been changed to a $53,000 surplus.
The City Council approved the cuts with a 5-1 vote, with Councilman Sonny Putter dissenting and Deputy Mayor Steve Buri absent.
Interim City Manager Rob Wyman recommended the cuts to the operating budget after being directed by the City Council at the Jan. 12 meeting to cut operating expenses by 3 percent.
City Council approves 2010 budget
December 3, 2009
NEW — 1:20 p.m. Dec. 3, 2009
The City Council approved the 2010 budget with a 4-2 vote Dec. 1.
In the budget, Director of Finance Christine Olson forecasts $6.21 million in general fund operating expenses and $5.85 million in general fund revenue. To account for this difference, the city will draw about $364,000 from its ending fund balance, bringing the ending fund balance to about $1.5 million.
Councilman Sonny Putter, Councilwoman Lisa Jensen, Deputy Mayor Daniel Hubbell and Mayor Ben Varon voted in favor of the budget, while Councilman Steve Buri and Councilwoman Carol Simpson voted against it. Councilwoman Jean Garber was sick and missed the vote.
The city also has $1.5 million in its cumulative reserve fund that may be used with unanimous City Council approval. The City Council has not discussed using these funds.
City hosts second budget hearing Tuesday
November 2, 2009
NEW — 4:55 p.m. Nov. 2, 2009
Newcastle will host the second public hearing regarding the 2010 recommended budget during its City Council meeting at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The meeting will be preceded by a study session at 6 p.m., which will include discussion of the 2010 recommended budget.
