lakeport >> City Council members approve the next fiscal year budget with a surplus of $60,000 in general funds and a positive outlook to make the city better.
City Manager Margaret Silveira said this coming fiscal year is a year to finish projects, where last year was one for starting them. The reason for the surplus in the general fund is to have a reserve for any other repairs that might come from the recent flood damages.
“Some of the funds that we could’ve spent on projects we want to set aside because we have to front the money and then wait for FEMA to reimburse us so that could be up to a year and that was a big challenge for this fiscal year,” Silveira said.
Some of the positive things from last year were the completion of the water and sewer projects, the Main Street Project, some road projects and the filling of some empty positions. For this coming fiscal year, the city is looking to do more street repairs, incorporating solar power to cut cost, replacing patrol cars and introducing wifi to the downtown area.
“Last fiscal year was a year of capital projects and next fiscal year will be one of project completions will be our focus, completing everything that had been started,” Silveira said. “With that, there is a strong emphasis on our people in recruiting and retaining the best workers our community can afford.”
Lakeport Mayor Stacey Mattina said she is pleased and amazed at all the work that has gone in the city and how much brighter everything is starting to seem.
“We have gotten so much done and there is a new sense of vibrancy in Lakeport,” Mattina said. “We look to move away from the traditional concept of ‘city customer’ to one of ‘city citizen’.”
Nick Walker, Finance Director of Lakeport who put the budget report together, said the total amount the city has to work with for the budget is around $13 million.
47 percent of those funds will be used in the general funds.
“We are expecting a surplus from the current fiscal year of about $100,000,” Walker said. “Once the books have been closed and the numbers have been audited we will bring that surplus to the council and get their wishes on whether or not we should add additional projects to the current year or put that money aside for storm repair projects.”
The fiscal year will begin on July 1 and the city will look to make more focus on projects they want to complete or work on first.
