Clearlake >> Just before the traditional fiscal year wrapped up, the Clearlake City Council approved a budget covering the next fiscal year.
Even with the small coffer of $8.65 million, Clearlake still looks forward to adding more projects and completing some of the ones already started. The city has been in the process of changing its image since the new Strategic Plan was put in place. City officials set goals as the staff continues clean up projects. Already this year, 133 abandoned vehicles have been cleared from city streets.
City Manager Greg Folsom said they will be making a full announcement of future goals and what they have accomplished so far at the State of the City address on August 30 at the Community Center. Some of these highlights from this last fiscal year include new ordinances, the passing of specific measures to create revenue and putting in place the Strategic Plan.
“These past two years have been the start up for projects and getting all the processes done for those,” Folsom said. “These next two years is when the community will actually start seeing the changes done around the city.”
Clearlake, much like other areas in the county, has suffered through economic difficulties and is short staffed. This continues to hamper the city’s ability to accomplish some projects.
In addtion, although the budget is balanced, the city must still look to grow reserve funds.
Clearlake Finance Director Chris Becnel said this upcoming fiscal year budget does make some contributions to the city reserves and does focus on a lot of improvements the city targeted.
“The highlights of the budget is that it is balanced and provides contributions to reserves again this year, further refines and focuses the efforts of the city to make improvements and this is a transitional budget,” Becnel said.
This is a transitional budget, he added, because it will push to continue the city’s efforts in helping solve a lot of the issues or complications they are currently facing. $6.17 million of the budget will be used for Capital Projects, some of these include more fixations of roads and repaving, continuations of clean ups and abatement, some park improvements and the filling of city positions.
The city will also continue to look for new sources of revenue to continue fixing community issues and stick to the Strategic Plan that is in place.
