WM passes $19 million 2017 budget

WM passes $19 million 2017 budget

PD, FD garner biggest portion of increases over ‘ 16

news@theeveningtimes.com

West Memphis City Council passed a $19 million city budget during the first meeting of the new year on Jan. 5.

The budget had been presented to the City Council for a month of consideration and hearings leading up to the approval. The Council passed a revised version during the Thursday meeting. Department heads presented flat spending plans for the council to consider. This year’s budget was set at $19,205,975 up almost $300,000 from the 18,938,924 spent in 2016.

The lion’s share of the increases were reflected in two of the city’s biggest departments — the WMPD and the WMFD. Police and Fire department payroll accounted for most of the increases.

Budget Committee chairman, Councilman Tracy Catt explained the six-figure bump. The chairman indicated after all the budget hearing revisions the bigger bottom line had to expand to make prescribed step pay increases.

“After all the revisions to the general fund, it came out to about a $300,000 net increase,” said Catt.

The Police Department salaries and benefits showed a $200,000, increase while the Fire Department pay package rose $79,000. The police department re-opened its own police academy in 2016, graduating seven new officers this fall who are now serving the city.

“The Police Department has many new officers, and so a lot of that is step increases,” said Catt. “It shows a $104,000 increase in police salaries, and then you throw in retirement and commensurate benefits.

Most of that is step increases because of a lot of new officers over there.”

Catt said City Treasurer Frank Martin projected a conservative revenue increase with some comfortable elbow room with the bigger budget.

“I think it’s conservative; I think there is still a little fluff in that,” said Catt.

State auditors flagged the city over its budget ap- proval last year. Catt told city council all the i’s were dotted and t’s crossed with the process this year.

“It was presented to council ahead of time for consideration, then went through the budget committee,” said Catt. “It went through all the hearings, the city treasurer made all the adjustments, provided the revenue increase comes in its $296,000 over last year.”

The city council unanimously approved the budget resolution without additional discussion.

By John Rech