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Holmen could consider putting off purchasing a new police car and charging nonresidents more to participate in recreation programs to help offset losses in state aid.
At a Finance and Personnel Committee meeting Tuesday, Village Administrator Catherine Schmit said next year the village will receive $37,000 less in state shared revenue than it did this year. Looking forward to the 2010 village budget, she said, putting off purchasing a new squad car would nearly offset the difference.
A new police cruiser would cost more than $20,000, and the cost of outfitting it would bring the total closer to $30,000.
“I’d hate to have to do that,” she said.
Some municipalities, including Holmen, replace police cars on a annual or bi-annual rotating basis. This practice is based on the theory that trading cars in while the value is still high saves money over the long term.
Holmen’s Finance and Personnel and Parks and Recreation committees have the same membership, prompting Schmit at the meeting to recommend the latter committee consider evaluating its programs for the coming budget.
“In the past we’ve gotten donations from the townships for the pool and parks and recreation and in the last couple of years we’ve gotten nothing,” Schmit said. She said the village may want to consider evaluating and potentially eliminating recreation programs where participation is entirely, or almost entirely, nonresidents.
Schmit said she’s already requested that village department heads submit their proposals for new hires and capital projects for the upcoming year, as a way to keep the lid on spending.
Other bad news from Madison — that landfill tipping fees will nearly double with the new state budget — has left municipalities that provide garbage services with two options. “Either we absorb it or we look at increasing fees for garbage pick-up,” Schmit said.
“I know budgeting is going to take some soul searching this year,” said committee member Neal Forde.
The village is in the midst of a community-wide property revaluation, and the results won’t known be until fall. Without those figures, officials will not be able determine the total levy and consequently how to budget within levy limit constraints.
Schmit reported that the village’s cash reserves were very healthy and its overall fiscal health going into 2010 is sound. While some government agencies and private businesses are looking at layoffs and furloughs to balance the books, Holmen might be immune to that need.
“I don’t think we’re in a position where we have to worry about those type of things,” Schmit said.
Schmit also reported getting a number of calls from residents regarding a public fire protection fee on quarterly water bills. Schmit likened the fee to stormwater utility fees in that it has always been charged, but didn’t appear as a separate line item until after the Public Service Commission approval the switch in March.
“Most people are not seeing a real change,” she said.
The individual charges are based on meter size. Because some town residents are served by village hydrants, through the joint fire department, Schmit said she plans to contact the PSC about the possibility of charging towns, or town residents, the public fire protection fee as well.
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