The city will search for funds to purchase playground equipment for Wilcox Park in 2017.
The Medical Lake City Council got a preview of the city's 2017 budget at a workshop before its Sept. 20 meeting.
For the city of Medical Lake, this year's budget resembles ones from previous years - a couple of expenses and consistent revenues.
"When you don't have a lot of money coming in, you tend to not spend more than what you get," City Administrator Doug Ross said in a Sept. 22 interview.
Ross and Mayor John Higgins held the workshop as a way to give council the city's priorities for the budget, as well as hear their feedback and ideas they may have.
One of the major expenses for next year is the replacement of half of the Fire Department's self-contained breathing apparatus, which Ross said will cost around $100,000. The city plans to replace the rest of the equipment next year.
"That will probably take a good chunk of the general fund balance," Ross said.
In public safety, the city will once again contract with the Spokane County Sheriff's Office for policing services.
Another priority for next year's budget is hiring a new finance director to replace Jennifer Hough, who left the city in July. Ross said if the city promotes an office employee to the position, it will have to backfill the vacant position.
"We're also working on getting staff proficient with the new software and so far they are doing a great job," he added.
As for streets, Ross said the city received grant money to do three overlays next year. He added that the city does not anticipate purchasing new equipment for the street department. One of the bigger purchases the city made last year was for a used road grader for $157,615.
"The road grader has been a concern for the last 15 years," Ross said. The city also replaced the equipment that was lost in an April fire that burned the maintenance shop.
Ross said the water/sewer department is also looking good and he does not anticipate any rate increases next year. He added that there was some progress between Medical Lake and the city of Spokane for an intertie for emergency water services.
"They have a draft agreement and we are waiting for them to get it to us," Ross said.
The city might also encourage more residents to sign up for curbside compost services, and eventually phase out the compost trailer. While curbside recycling is mandatory in the city, residents have the option to subscribe to curbside composting for $14 a month.
"Curbside compost would not be a mandatory subscription," Ross said. "As for the compost trailer, citizens are paying tipping fees, but people who live outside of the city are using it when they shouldn't."
Like water and sewer rates, Ross does not anticipate a rate change for garbage.
For Parks and Recreation, Ross said staff is planning to do some work at Wilcox Park, which includes seeking grant funding for new playground equipment. The city is also looking at fixing the trail signs in the parks. Ross said the city might partner with the public library or other groups to accomplish this.
"Fixing the trail signs was on almost every council member's list of goals," Ross said.
Higgins added that he would like to partner with the Medical Lake School District and to show movies in the high school auditorium.
On a positive note, Ross said the city recently paid off one of its Public Works Trust Fund loans for the water reservoir and the transmission main from the Craig Road/State Route 902 well. At the end of 2017, they will pay off the loan that covered a portion of the construction of the wastewater treatment and water reclamation plant.
Higgins will present the budget to the council and the public in November.
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
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