Politics & Government

Revenues Down in New Sandy Springs Budget

The budget includes savings and spending from the changeover of city services, from CH2M Hill to multiple contractors.

City Manager John McDonough presented the Mayor and City Council with the fiscal year 2012 budget, on Tuesday.

It was the third budget session since May 3, in which the City Manager presented priorities for the new fiscal year.  

The budget includes savings and spending from the changeover of city services, from CH2M Hill to multiple contractors. That mixed with increased costs in one area or lower revenues in another, sparked back and forth debate among Council members.

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Total revenues are down $5,365,093 in FY2012.

“I’m looking at the expense side of this budget because our revenues are down…” said Karen McEnerny. “…There’s a great opportunity for expense creep.”

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Council member John Paulson suggested holding a budget session in October to see how the financials pan out.

“You are going to know so much more about the first three months of this year; about what’s unanticipated that has shown up,” he said. “And we will know then about a lot of these boobie traps that we’re worried about.”

Highlights of the budget are below.

  • A decline in operating revenue of $5,365,093.
  • Increased fuel costs of $427,000.
  • Increased general liability insurance costs of $200,000.
  • General government services contracts of $10,126,294, represents the new city contracts.
  • Assumption of subcontractor agreements, $5,133,882.
  • E-911 Center operation subsidy of $900,000. McDonough said this includes nine months of Dunwoody being a part of ChatComm.
  • Continued EMS subsidy for enhanced service, $450,000. McDonough said this investment improves EMS response time from 12 to 8 minutes.
  • Funding for Downtown Master Plan, $300,000. This is planned for an area surrounding the Target property.
  • Funding for Economic Development Study of $150,000.  McDonough said, “That would be for the purpose of developing stake holders and interested parties in the business community. A strategic plan for development would serve as the blueprint for how we would move forward with an economic development program in Sandy Springs.”
  • Funding for Research and Development/Economic Development Fund, $500,000. A portion of the $7 million savings from the new contracts is dedicated to investment opportunities.
  •  Continued funding for CIP-T/P/F programs [transportation, parks and facilities], $8,625,000.
  • Continued funding for City Hall project, $5,500,000.
  • Continued funding for Police Fleet Replacement Program of $703,000. 
  • Funding for Community Events and Recycling of $100,000.
  • Funding for Stormwater Management Program of $2,500,000. This is an increase from $1,800,000 in 2011.
  • Funding for Traffic Calming Policy, $200,000.
  • Transition Contingency $1,150,000. “[This is] based upon some of the uncertainties of making the change from the master contract last year…If we don’t spend it, we will have it available later in the year to re-invest in any priorities,” McDonough said.

Other items in the budget include the promotion of Grants Administrator Eden Freeman to Assistant City Manager.

The Municipal Court budget decreased by $487,772.

Because FY2011 included the special election, the new budget for the City Clerk’s office decreased by $275,000.

Litigation costs increased the City Attorney budget by $175,000 to $808,000.

For a complete look at the new budget visit the City of Sandy Springs website.


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