2024 city budget figures dominate council discussion

It was a numbers game for the Greencastle City Council at its September meeting.

Numbers dominated the discussion as the Council took unanimous action on first reading for ordinances dealing with the 2024 city budget, 2024 appropriations and tax rate, salaries of city employees and salaries of elected officials.

According to Ordinance 2023-4 for appropriations and tax rates for 2024, the adopted city budget will be $11,398,252 with a tax levy of $4,354,736 and an adopted tax rate of $1.7370 per $100 assessed valuation. The city General Fund will total $5,595,086 with $2,356,200 to be raised via tax levy at a $0.9525 tax rate.

The city also reports $4,549,101 in home-rule funds that are not reviewed by the DLGF (Department of Local Government and Finance), which includes $2,327,461 in unspent American Recovery Plan (ARP) Coronavirus recovery funds and $2,044,290 in Public Safety LOIT (Local Option Income Tax) funds.

Mayor Bill Dory noted that some of the ARP funds are expected to be used on the Toddson Drive sewer project. After that money is spent, the fund will drop off city ledgers.

During a public hearing on the 2024 budget, during which not a soul from the public offered comment at City Hall, Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar addressed some interesting aspects of the document:

• The budget “really hasn’t changed much this year,” she said, with the exception of an increase in the allotment for Rural Transit Services from $15,000 to $30,00 and a bump in the contribution to the Putnam County Humane Society to $11,000. Both are to be paid out of EDIT (Economic Development Income Tax) funds.

• The 2024 assessed valuation “has been understated on all funds,” Dunbar said, meaning that when and if a higher assessed valuation is certified, the tax rate will go down accordingly.

• The city will end 2023 with “really good cash reserves,” the clerk noted, adding that no accounts are in the negative.

• Five percent across-the-board raises are proposed for all city employees, including the City Council.

• Up to $1,000 may be paid as bonuses to city employees, to be granted upon determination by the City Council and mayor.

• The city will pay $1,000 to each employee’s HSA account on a semi-annual basis if the employee is enrolled in the city health insurance benefit.

• City insurance costs will only see a 2.1 percent increase as a result of recent bidding.

• The city will be paying more in PERF (Public Employee Retirement Fund) contributions for police and fire employees.

The biggest change in the salary ordinance, Dunbar said, is in the Utility Department where the city has been encouraging employees to get more certifications, which results in pay increases.

“The more training they get, the more money they get,” Dunbar simplified.

Mayor Dory, noting that the city has a number of longtime employees becoming eligible for retirement, used a sports metaphor in saying, “We’re trying to build up the bench.”

Ordinance 2023-6, which sets the salaries for elected officials for 2024, listed the proposed pay for the mayor at $79,094; city clerk-treasurer, $75,425; and the seven Council members at $8,736 each for a total of $61,753.

Big numbers were also apparent in the approval of claims as proposed by Councilman Dave Murray.

With $2.7 million in claims before him awaiting approval, Murray noted that “in my almost eight years on the Council, this is the largest check we’ve written” in reference to a $1.5 million check approved for Miller Pipeline on the Albin Pond Road project.

Mayor Dory advised that $700,000 of that Miller Pipeline total comes from a $700,000 state grant for the work.

In other business, the City Council:

• Passed Resolution 2023-14, adopting the Putnam County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan as presented by Putnam County Planner Lisa Zeiner. Passage of the measure will help the city maintain eligibility for disaster funding, the mayor pointed out.

• Approved a 5 p.m.-to-dark Sept. 30 (rain date of Oct. 1) street closure for the 15th annual neighborhood party for residents of the Highridge-Highwood area near McKim Observatory.

• Heard Council members Murray and Veronica Pejril commend Police Chief Chris Jones for his department’s work in defusing a potentially serious situation near the site of the Greencastle Music Fest in late August. Police actions potentially “saved lives and kept the show going,” Jones was told. A member of the steering committee for the annual event, Murray said “every year we worry about safety,” adding that it was reassuring to see the actions taken to avoid a dangerous situation.

• Heard Chief Jones report that Officer Angela Taylor and K9 Ziva, a “very outgoing” 2-1/2-year-old German shepherd being trained for tracking and narcotics detection, are progressing well toward certification.”Training is going to take a little while,” Jones said. “We look forward to getting her certified and getting them out there.”

• Heard Park Director Greg Ruark report that pickleball activity is “growing leaps and bounds” and may soon necessitate an expansion of the courts at Robe-Ann Park. He suggested four more courts could be added to the east end of the tennis courts/pickleball area where a patio is set to be installed to accommodate waiting players and tournament participants.

• Heard Mayor Dory report that the Locust Street project is essentially complete with the exception of installation of street lights and planting of trees, which is expected to occur during the November-December dormancy period.

• Heard the mayor note that delivery of a new generator, part of the OCRA grant-funded project for the water plant, has been delayed from December to next May.

• Heard Councilor Stacie Langdon report the third annual Community Connect event is planned for Saturday, Oct. 7 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The Giving Tree registration will be taking place during the event. Everyone who attends will get a free lunch, Langdon noted.

Mayor Dory, Clerk-Treasurer Dunbar and Councilors Murray, Langdon and Pejril were joined for the September session at City Hall by Councilmen Russell Harvey and Cody Eckert. Councilman Darrel Thomas was absent.

The next regular meeting of the City Council is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12 at City Hall.