TEG
Thursday, August 18, 2016
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W a g o n e r
New Superintendent ready to go
Q
With the start of the school
year just around the corner,
how are you feeling now that
things are so close to kicking off?
By John Robinson
[email protected]
Editor’s Note: Today marks the official start of the
2016-2017 school year for Emporia Public Schools,
I feel — I don’t want to use the
the first year under new Superintendent Kevin Case.
word confident — but calm is
Gazette staff sat down with Case to discuss his tranthe right word. I feel good about
sition to the district, his plans for the future and his
where we’re at and I think having
thoughts on the state of education in Emporia. This Case
the opportunity to be here with
is the first part of that discussion, where Case discusses his transition and gives a brief outlook on the the transition days has allowed me to be more reyear. Tomorrow’s Gazette will have part two, in which laxed in how I’ve approached the beginning of the
Case discusses the challenges — both long- and shortPlease see School, Page 8
term — facing the district as well as its future.
A
ry students gear up for
Timmerman Elementa
r.
the 2016-17 school yea
the first day of
City Commissioners adopt 2017 budget
with a 1 mill increase
By Mary Ann Redeker
[email protected]
Emporia City Commissioners
took the final step in the adoption
of the 2017 budget Wednesday evening in the Municipal Court Room.
The action session saw multiple
items, but most notable was the
adoption of the budget, which is
based on a 1 mill increase.
With no public comment, the
budget passed with a vote of 4-1.
“We have a great city staff — especially the finance department —
which works really hard to bring
us a tight and tuned city budget,”
Mayor Rob Gilligan said. “The city
commission gets to sit down and
we are talking the very small details — with a little shaving here
and there, a change in a few decisions, a few different ideas that we
explore through. We made a very
comfortable decision with a 4-1
vote, which is pretty common.”
Steve Harmon was the lone
commissioner to vote against the
adoption.
“It was not about the expense
items as I think staff did an excellent job keeping expenses to a minimum,” Harmon said. “It had to do
with revenue. I think we had an option to adjust our economic development funding to 2014 rates, and
that would have kept our mill levy
flat. It was something the rest of
the commission was not comfortable with, but I think with all of the
other mill increases, it would have
been nice to keep ours flat.”
Gilligan said the 1 mill increase
was due to a new ambulance purchase, an increase in staff, payroll
and payroll growth and cost increases over time.
“I won’t speak for Commissioner Harmon, but I know his
preference was to not go up one
mill,” Gilligan said. “That’s probably where the vote was, but he
also understands that between
VOL. 125, NO. 41
Hinojosa
arrested on
suspicion of
aggravated
battery
Special to The Gazette
Mary Ann Redeker/Gazette
Emporia City Commissioners look over the final version of the 2017 budget at their action session
Wednesday evening in the Municipal Court room. The budget, based on a 1 mill increase, was passed
with a 4 - 1 vote.
the extra payroll we will have in
five years, that we are realizing
almost $150,000 each year for
the next four years that we have
to cover and the addition of an
ambulance plus six extra crew
members. We’re seeing an increase in cost of $800,000 in our
general fund. One mill generates
$150,000 of it, which means we’ve
cut roughly $750,000 elsewhere
to cover that expense.”
The adopted budget encompasses 14 funds in the total
amount of $43,403,734. The general fund budget is $19,867,434.
Both amounts exclude the unallocated expenses in the general fund.
The total budget is up $846,048
— or 1.95 percent from 2016 —
and the general fund is up $824,863
from 2016 — or 4.15 percent.
The overall mill increased 1
percent, with the ad valorem tax
increased for the general fund by
3.742 mills and decreased by 2.742
in the bond and interest fund.
The city is maintaining all existing programs and is adding a third
ambulance and staff. Expenses for
the commissioners’ 2-year goals
which are in the budget include
continuing the 5-year financial
planning process and economic
development funds to support five
local entities.
The general fund budget has
continued funding for a long-term
placement program on several
types of equipment, including portable and mobile radios, and emergency equipment for the fire department, including defibrillators.
Capital projects funded from
the multi-year include ongoing
street rehabilitation, civic building improvements and a public
works building roof. The multiyear fund will make improvements ranging from improving
the holding pens and sidewalks at
the zoo to ADA improvements to
the Civic Auditorium.
Funding for capital expenses
in the 2017 budget with the general and multi-year funds totals
$2,923,900. No changes in water
or solid waste rates are anticipated
for 2017, but the city will begin to
review sewer rates in September
and October.
Capital expenses in the water
and sewer funds, such as for water
main repairs, replacement of lift
station No. 9, as well as the design
phase of the wastewater treatment
plant improvements, will total
more than $2 million in 2017.
Employees are also scheduled
to receive a 2.5 percent merit/cola
raise next year.
The official adopted budget
is required by state law to have a
maximum cash carryover of 5 percent of eligible expenses, so staff
added unal