City Adopts Deficit Budget

Most all employees for the city of Trenton will be seeing an increase in salaries next year after members of the city council approved budgets for both the city and Trenton Municipal Utilities at a meeting on Monday night.
The city budget was approved on a 7-1 vote with Brad Chumbley voting no. That budget shows a $765,295 deficit with general revenues anticipated at $2,747,714 while general expenditures listed at $3,048,009, leaving a $300,295 deficit before other factors are added in. The city will be transferring in another $235,000 in revenues for roads, but taking out another $700,000 as the initial payment for an asphalt plant the city plans to purchase (see sidebar). As a result, the city anticipates ending the 2018-19 fiscal year with just $1,017,703, compared to the $1,784,998 the city estimates will be the ending balance when the 2017-18 budget year concludes on April 30.
Third Ward Councilman Travis Elbert, who serves as chairman of the finance committee, said that even with the projected reduction in the city’s fund balance over the coming year, he didn’t feel the council “was putting the city in jeopardy.” He called the $700,000 initial expenditure for the asphalt plant one that would be good for the city in the long run.
Chumbley said he was not opposed to the budget overall, but was concerned about some of the larger expenditures that are being paid off over time – in particular the asphalt plant. He said he did not like seeing the city “having this much debt at one time,” adding he felt it put a burden on citizens in the future.
The TMU budget was approved on a vote of 5-3 with Chumbley, Larry Porter and David Mlika opposed. The budget, which received little discussion, shows revenue surpluses in all three areas (electric, water and wastewater) after depreciation, with electric projecting a $167,790 surplus while water is expected to have a surplus of $39,806 and wastewater a surplus of $683,171, for a total of $890,767. The revenue portion of the budget includes scheduled increases in utility rates, which would go into effect with the May billing. Electric rates will be seeing a 3 percent increase while water rates will be going up 8.5 percent. Wastewater rates are scheduled for a 26 percent increase, however, that rate may be delayed or revised.
Elbert noted that even with employee raises on the utility side, TMU will see a $178,000 reduction in its payroll during the next year.
Hourly employees were given a 50-cent per hour increase while salaried employees making less than $50,000 were given a $1,040 a year bump, which council members said was close to what the 50-cent increase would equate for hourly employees. Exceptions to that number were TMU Comptroller Rosetta Marsh, who saw her salary go up by $2,000 to $49,448, while TMU Wastewater Supervisor Bob Hutchinson received an increase of $2,081 to $50,216. The hourly wage for TMU accounts assistant Debbie Anderson saw an 81-cent increase due to an increase in duties.
Other administrative personnel receiving the $1,040 increase, and their new salary, include City Clerk Cindy Simpson, $50,721; Fire Chief Brandon Gibler, $44,645; Street Supervisor Martin Schieb, $50,340; Code Enforcement Officer/Airport Supervisor Donnie Vandevender, $38,340; Water Production Supervisor Steve Reid, $49,946; Water Distribution Supervisor Kenny Ricketts, $49,635; and Electric Distribution Supervisor Mark Newton, $57,340.
The two individuals whose salaries are over $50,000, City Administrator/TMU Director Ron Urton and Police Chief Tommy Wright, did not receive an increase with their salaries remaining at $85,000 and $67,220, respectively. One-half of Urton’s salary is paid from the city budget while the other half is paid by TMU.
There were several capital project items approved as part of the budget, with city projects totaling $1,099,563. Police Department projects total $24,100 (including a police car lease payment and utility vehicle payment) while fire department projects are listed at $22,886 (including an energy grant payment). Street Department capital projects total $947,789 (including the $700,000 for the asphalt plant along with payments for an asphalt paver and trailer and replacement of wheel loader) and $23,500 for non-department expenses (sidewalk and demolition programs).
The city and TMU budgets both include a $20,000 expenditure which has been earmarked for the North Central Missouri Development Alliance to provide economic development services for the city.
The entire budget is available for public viewing at city hall.
In other business, the council approved an ordinance approving an agreement with Larkin, Lamp, Rynearson Inc. for engineering services to eliminate three water line crossings on Ninth Street in preparation for the road to be overlayed. The cost was listed at $23,800.
The council also voted to move ahead with developing an agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation, detailing maintenance responsibilities of Highway 6 through the city of Trenton as well as right-of-way areas the state owns within the city of Trenton. The agreement would also outline costs involved associated with changes being proposed, including the city taking over some MoDOT right of way within the city limits as well as MoDOT making repairs to city right of way areas. The agreement would be brought back to the council for consideration at a future meeting.
Austin Hibner of MoDOT appeared before the council and told members that the proposed overlay of Highway 6 through the city has been pushed back a year due to an emergency project on Interstate 29. The Highway 6 overlay project is now expected to be part of the 2020 project list. He said the movement does the city and state more time to hammer out a final agreement, but suggested that the city move as soon as possible in case the state is able to move the project back into the 2019 list.
Prior to swearing in new council members, results of the April 3 election were certified and several reports from department heads and council members were heard. Highlights included arrival of the new ladder truck this week, with an open house planned for the public once the truck is ready for official use; completion of taser recertification by police officers and firearms training at the end of the month; the Guns and Hoses fundraiser between the police and fire departments on Saturday, May 19; milling of some city streets to start on Wednesday (the list appears in the briefly column on the front page); a meeting on April 18 for the public to hear from the engineer and land appraiser involved in the 17th Street Bridge replacement project, with the city beginning talks with those owning property on which right of way is needed; and the start of painting the city’s two water towers.
Members of the council recognized Allan Quilty, who was attending his last meeting. Quilty thanked city officials, employees and his fellow council members for the assistance provided to him while a councilman. He said he was proud to represent the citizens of the first ward.
The oath of office was administered to recently-elected council members William Lewis Fisher, first ward; Chumbley, second ward; David Mlika, third ward; and Larry Crawford, fourth ward. Travis Elbert was elected president pro-tem of the council and Brandon Gibler was appointed as fire chief. It was suggested by Councilman Glenn Briggs the city consider changing the annual appointment of the fire chief to a permanent appointment, with a new chief being named only when needed.
Approval was given to the lone bid received for mowing six city-owned lots as well as the Ridgeway front of the city cemetery. The bid of $345 from A+ Enterprises of Trenton (Dustin Etter) was the same as last year.
Council committee and board liaison appointments were decided by council members, with the chairman of each committee to be determined when those committees hold their first meeting. The list of appointments include:
Finance – Porter, Chumbley Elbert and Crawford.
Administrative – Briggs, Fisher, Mlika and Jennifer Hottes.
Economic Development – Fisher, Elbert, Mlika and Hottes.
Utility Committee – will be made up of the chairmen of the other three committees.
Planning and Zoning – Mlika.
Public Safety – Briggs and Hottes.
Tree Committee – Chumbley.
Airport Advisory Board - Hottes.
Domestic Violence Board - Hottes.
Park Board – Chumbley.
Public Works – Elbert and Crawford.
Extension Council – Briggs.
Building and Nuisance – Mlika.
Animal Shelter – Fisher.