Geneva works on 2024 budget
Nov. 9—GENEVA — City Council, department heads and administrators spent four hours sifting through the 2024 proposed budget on Tuesday morning in council chambers.
Council members heard a detailed description of the $11.2 million budget department by department.
The city finance meeting tradition goes back many years and allows council members to review the process.
Geneva Finance Director Traci Welch answered questions and provided a sense of each department's budget specifics.
She projected revenues to be $10.02 million with a a projected carryover from 2023 making up the difference.
"It's what we refer to as a tight budget but, it is also a budget that will enable us to [in some areas] enhance our operations and improve our efficiencies of service," Geneva City Manager Joseph Varckette said in opening statements.
"All the projects we have lined up for 2024 are in the budget," Varckette said.
Welch and Varckette said the budget projections can always change but they attempt to create the budget with the worst possible financial conditions in mind.
"It is a living, breathing and fluid [document]," Varckette said.
Council members were able to ask questions regarding specific aspects of the budget. Council member Bill Baker asked a question about a debt of $655,000. Welch said the amount would be paid off over time as a new bank loan would be negotiated by 2025.
"The bank tells us how many years they can go [with a new loan]," Welch said.
The police budget included a large amount of potential overtime in case the city is not able to hire all the officers it needs. Varckette said police chief Camper and administrators are reviewing the department to make it a positive place to work, but many municipalities are struggling to keep officers.
Geneva Fire Chief David Shook explained his request for a full-time administrative clerk. He said the present clerk has been doing the job for more than 20 years free of charge, but that arrangement may not continue due to health considerations.
Council members and administrators praised her work over the years.
"She refused to accept any payment," he said.
Welch detailed her request to name an administrative assistant and change the status of two employees from secretaries to two financial clerks. Varckette said the changes are needed because of the excellent performance of the department.
"Everyone is working so well that this adjustment is so well warranted," Varckette said.
He also discussed his hope of hiring a contractual grant writer and eventually a full-time city employee to handle the task."Ultimately this person will pay for themselves," Varckette said.
Outgoing council member Philip Cordova said he believes the city should look at increasing council pay, presently $250 a month, to attract more potential candidates. He suggested starting the process now for an increase in 2028.
Welch asked council members to bring any change requests, or questions, to her before the planned first budget reading next Monday.
If the first reading is passed next week Varckette hopes to pass the budget by emergency at the second November meeting so it will be ready to go before Dec. 1 so employees can be paid Jan. 1.
Baker asked administrators if $100,000 was enough for paving projects. Geneva Street Department Superintendent Tim Bittner said every department could use more money, but a lot goes into paving decisions and he felt the money was appropriate.
Welch also discussed the importance of creating capital improvement accounts that are funded. She said city leaders hope to fine tune that process next year.
