Moses Lake City Council passes $76.7 million 2019 budget

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake city council members have passed a $76.7 million budget for 2019.

The total budget is $10.7 million, or 16.1 percent more than the 2018 expenditure budget. Revenues are estimated to be $67.9 million, a bump up of $7.1 million, or 11.7 percent, from the city’s 2018 budget revenue of $60.8 million.

“Overall, the proposed 2019 Budget is balanced within available resources, and is prudent and responsive to council and community core priorities. It addresses the city’s public safety challenges, economic development efforts, infrastructure maintenance, and quality of life considerations. At this point in time, the budget is balanced without the need to borrow any new debt,” reads a memo from City Manager John Williams to the council.

The 2019 general fund balance has been set at $25.6 million, a $2.8 million, 8.7 percent increase from 2018. The city is assuming revenue growth in the general fund via property taxes, which are predicted to increase by a 1 percent inflation adjustment and 1 percent of new construction projects. The city is also expecting to receive $6.7 million by the end of the year from sales tax.

The budget includes a total of nine new staff additions: one public information officer, two school resource officers, one police officer for the Moses Lake Police Department’s K-9 program, three firefighter/paramedics, one parks maintenance technician and one wastewater collection foreman.

The budget also includes a total of $3,730,000 for street projects, $4,465,000 for water capital projects, $2,480,000 for wastewater capital projects, $1,208,800 for fleet vehicle management, $307,000 for building maintenance, $267,000 for parks and recreation improvements and $500,000 for architectural fees for work done on the Larson Recreation Center replacement project, which is funded by the city’s lodging tax and paid out of the Parks and Recreation Improvement Capital Fund.

The 2019 budget passed through the council in unanimous vote.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at rbyrd@columbiabasinherald.com.