Airway Heights City Council votes to approve 2018 budget

After multiple readings and public hearings of the 2018 budget, the Airway Heights City Council approved to adopt it on Dec. 4. Overall, the city is currently sitting in a good place financially going into the new fiscal year, according to City Manager Albert Tripp at one of the meetings.

The ending fund balance sits at $21.9 million for the city heading into 2018. The city also has a current expense fund at $2.29 million after all the estimated revenues and proposed expenditures.

According to the budget, the water and sewer fund is expecting to spend around $5.6 million while bringing in $5.7 million, for a surplus of about $100,000.

The city will spend an estimated $10.23 million on enterprise funds, which includes the water and sewer sections of the budget, and will end the year with around $10.42 million.

Another big chunk of the budget is at the special revenue funds. Airway Heights spends around $1.88 million while ending with an estimated $2.8 million.

Part of the special revenue spending is the street fund which is expected to bring in around $427,727. The city also is estimating to spend $441,398 and a surplus $91,383.

The other notable part in the special revenue is the park reserve fund which is expecting to spend $300,000 and bring in $31,034.

The budget also includes a casino impact reserve fund, where the city will end with $85,015 after spending and revenues along with the Kalispel Impact Mitigation, with Airway Heights ending 2018 with $19,962 from it.

The one other big part of the budget is the capital projects fund, which includes spending $9.8 million on the aquatic and fitness center.

In law enforcement, the city is set to spend $2.52 million along with $1.05 million for the fire department.

Airway Heights is expecting to receive around $5.22 million in taxes during 2018 and $55,600 in licenses and permits. Another big positive for the city is the intergovernmental revenues, bringing in $154,717 during the year.

Airway Heights 2018 budget at a glance

Fund Est. Revenues Prop. Expenses

Streets $472,727 $441,398

Water/Sewer $5,720,756 $5,660,818

Aquatic and

Fitness Center $3,255,000 $9,800,000

Law Enforcement $10,960 $2,521,999

Fire Department $124,369 $1,050,479

Taxes $5,229,745 --

Kalispel Impact

Mitigation $180,250 $169,800

Casino Impact

Reserve $374,400 $374,250

Grace Pohl can be reached at [email protected].