New budget provides for improvements

May 27—Massive funding increases for street improvements and more money than ever for economic development and water and sewer lines are part of Muskogee's Fiscal Year 2024 city budget.

The budget, approved earlier this week by the Muskogee City Council, includes $99,419,726 in expenses.

"This, combined with our economic development money, puts us over $100 million for the budget for the first time," Muskogee City Manager Mike Miller said, adding that $1.5 million was allocated for economic development.

Just under $14 million was allocated for street improvements.

Miller said that's "probably the largest amount we've spent in any fiscal year."

"We already have the northwest and southwest zones bid out and we'll have the southeast zone bid out shortly," Miller said.

Miller said storm drainage has its biggest budget ever at $3.1 million. Projects include drainage basins on Smith Ferry Road and Denver Street, improvements along Country Club Road, storm sewer improvements along Third Street and work along West Okmulgee Avenue and at Martin Luther King and 12th streets. The budget also includes FEMA money for the Meadows neighborhood in south Muskogee.

More money than ever, $1.5 million, was allocated for Economic Development, which oversees downtown development, retail recruitment and contracting with Port of Muskogee for industrial development, Miller said.

Of this, $900,000 will go for operations, which includes port of Muskogee, Main Street Muskogee, events at Muskogee Civic Center and contract services; $600,000 is for an opportunity account, used to fund incentives and current projects, such as the Urban Renewal Area on Shawnee Bypass and property the city owns at U.S. 69 and Shawnee, Miller said.

Capital funding for Muskogee Police include $1 million for new vehicle purchases. Money also was allocated for tactical equipment and vests.

Capital funding for Muskogee Fire includes bunker gear and radios.

Miller said a special projects fund includes more than $1 million in housing incentives.

"Our housing incentives are to assist in the cost of providing infrastructure for housing developments, such as streets, water, sewer and stormwater," he said. "These agreements are based on specific development needs."

The city allocated $1.5 million for community development, which includes housing rehabilitation and demolition of dilapidated structures.

Money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes $2 million in funds, plus a $2 million match from the City of Muskogee Foundation for raw water line assessments, high-service pump replacements at the water plant and improvements for the Haskell booster pump. Another is $6.5 million was set aside for other projects including $225,000 for John T. Griffin Water/sewer and the $325,000 for a splash pad at Langston Park.

Personnel — including police officers, firefighters and public works crews — take up 69 percent of budget expenses. The city has 436 full-time employees, including 296 in police, fire and public works. Money was set aside for salary increases, Miller said.

Parks improvements include parking spaces at Rotary Park. The city also plans to convert a tennis court at Spaulding Park into a pickle ball court, raising expenditures for that park from approximately $85,000 to $166,000.

Also, $200,000 was allocated for a facility for E-sports — video games played in an organized, competitive environment. No plans have been made on where the facility would be or what it would feature, city spokeswoman Tera Shows said.

The budget's increased expenses also reflect inflation, including utilities and credit card fees, Miller said.

"We want to keep our expenses less than revenue, be conservative on our projections so we budget for good surprises, fund our strategic initiatives first, if we have an extra dollar," Miller said.

Revenues for fiscal year 2024 were projected at $128,684,241. Miller said numbers have gone up due to increased economic activity.

The city of Muskogee reported a 4.8 percent increase in sales tax revenue from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2022 — from $27.29 million to $28.59 million, Shows said. Final sales tax revenue figures for 2023 will not be available until the end of the fiscal year June 30, she said.

"But our totals through 11 months almost match last year's full fiscal year numbers," Shows said.

FY2024 Budget

—REVENUE: $128,684,241.

—EXPENSES: $99,419,726.

2023 Budget

—REVENUE: $117,855,014.

—EXPENSES: $90,536,720.

FY2022 Budget

—REVENUE: $109,562,222.

—EXPENSES: $79,621,240.

See the full City of Muskogee budget online by going to https://files.muskogeeonline.org/Adopted%20Budget%20FY24%20newest.pdf