Public Works optimistic
CHENEY – Budget presentations from different city departments were heard during the Nov. 14 council session.
Public Works Director Todd Ableman broke down the budgets for different areas in public works.
For the department wide application of enterprise funds were named, Ableman shared that they are working with $30,695,100, and that 65 % of that is applied to wastewater.
14 % goes to water, nine percent for solid waste, and another nine percent goes into transportation.
The application of expenditures for the same amount is broken down so 63 % goes to capital costs, 14 % going for operations and maintenance, 10 % for salaries and benefits with another 10 % going to the end balance.
Another chart showing applications of funds in the amount of $30,503,700 was shown to have 65 % allocated for grants and intergovernmental needs. 21 % is allocated for service charges, and 10 % for the beginning fund.
With revenues over $30 million and expenses only running approximately $27 million, the public works department is in the green moving into 2024.
Capital expenses did increase substantially over the past year, but revenues have also been drastically increasing.
According to Ableman, the administrative revenues and expenditures have been right on point since 2009. He also shared that the overall administration budget which sits at $472,000. $464,800 goes straight to administration, while $74,900 goes for supplies and services.
Administrative costs include things such as GIS mapping, customer service, purchases, one call processing, work order processing and more.
Street department revenues are considerably higher than expenditures also. According to Ableman, the ending fund balance is showed revenues of $616,800 and expenses of $472,000. This means $284,800 was left in the ending fund, and $118,000 of that goes to emergency reserve funds, leaving $166,800 as the ending balance.
He then went on to describe that building and planning budget wasn’t quite in the same standing.
Due to a decrease in permit and inspection activity, the revenues are noted as being considerably lower than expenditures.
In terms of transportation, the city has accomplished a couple of big projects with more in the works for 2024.
As part of the 2023 street preservation project, the city finished updates to Mike McKeehan Way and at the intersection of 2nd and State Route 904.
Also as part of the TIB preservation project, there were updates worked in to Clay St, running from 4th to 6th.
Part of 6th St. was also improved, the section running from Clay St. to N. 2nd.
Next year, public works hopes to work on 2nd, N. 9th, and Alki streets. Elm St. is also on the agenda, but that is dependent on possible grant funds.
The city is also looking to put in a traffic circle at Betz and N. 6th. The design is set to be completed by April 2024 with construction scheduled to begin in June. They city will also be striping approximately 15 miles of arterial streets and 3.5 miles of department of transportation roads. They have budgeted this for $30,000. Sign repair and replacement will also take place, and more may potentially be damaged through Winter.
Ableman said the city manages 2,480 signs, and each sign is expected to last seven to 10 years. Many get damaged in crashes through the Winter, and some get knocked down by waves of snow from snow plows so some don’t last that long.
Ableman said the water department balance is in the green as well.
With a beginning balance of $706,200, the city looks to add $3,614,900 in revenues to that. They expect to spend $1,198,500 on operations and maintenance, and another $1,641,600 will to to capital and depreciation.
This leaves the ending fund at $809,100, and $441,525 will go to the emergency reserve fund leaving an end balance of $367,575.
The solid waste numbers are also in the positive according to the graphs Ableman presented.
With $1,022,900 in beginning cash, the city is looking at over $1.63 million is revenue. Expected costs for operations and maintenance will run $1.61 million, and another $72,500 will go to capital and depreciation.
The ending fund will sit at $965,900 and the emergency reserves are $404,725, leaving an ending balance of $561,175.
Wastewater is where most of the activity happens in the city, and they expect to add $19,401,400 to the beginning balance of $650,400.
Operations and maintenance along with capital projects and depreciation will use most of those funds, and leave an ending balance of $540,300.
Ableman also showed a graph of Cheney rates, comparing them to other towns in the region.
When adding the water rates, the wastewater rates, and the solid waste rates Cheney utility users are charged less than the other five municipalities in the graph. Towns studied include Cheney, Medical Lake, Airway Heights, Liberty Lake, Spokane (in the city), and Spokane (out of city limits).
Total monthly utility costs for Cheney sit at $76.87, whereas Medical Lake charges $82.92 for the same services. Airway Heights utilities are the highest at $130.54 per month.
Matthew graduated from West Virginia University-Parkersburg in 2011 with a journalism degree. He's an award-winning photographer and enjoys writing stories about people.
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