CITY
MANAGER, FRANK SOUKUP
TEL: (620) 532-3111
FAX: (620) 532-2147
P.O.
CITY MANAGER REPORT: January 4, 2010
Final Electric Rate Ordinance: The city commission approved a rate increase on Electric Usage for Residential, Commercial and General Service Customer Groups. The overall effect of the rate change will increase the customer bills approximately eight percent (8%) overall. The Large Power Customer Group rate was not increased.
The new rate structure will be effective for usage incurred after January 1, 2010.
Looking Back in 2009: The city completed several major projects during 2009, which included placing ground asphalt on several streets and then sealing the streets with a slurry seal. The city contracted for sewer line cleaning and inspection via camera on the lines. Several lines in the southwest part of the city were found to be defective and will require repair and possibly replacement. The line cleaning is an ongoing preventive maintenance tool the city has adopted to provide the residents good service.
The city also accomplished the
installation of the new street lighting on
A walking path, five (5) feet wide and approximately 6,000 feet long was installed around the west side of Riverside Park. The walking path was funded by a gift from the Bob Wunsch Family, along with a grant from the Sunflower Foundation.
Looking Ahead in 2010: The city strives to continue with improvements to the infrastructure, including streets and the continued maintenance on the sewer lines. The improvements are being completed as funding allows, which may mean only small projects are completed in any given year.
The city is designing a remodel of the office space in city hall. The office space has not been upgraded for many years and the remodel is anticipated to make the reception and office area more user friendly than the current configuration of the space. The design will add a commission meeting room on the lower level, which will increase the accessibility to commission meetings. The meeting room then will be available for additional meetings conducted for the public. The remodeling costs will be paid from a reserve account the city established and over the past five (5) years has been funding as the budget allowed.
2010 Budget: The General Fund Budget, which funds the General Administration, Police, Emergency Medical Services, Streets, Parks and Cemetery is starting the year with a good cash balance. Although the year is starting with a good cash balance, several major revenue sources will bear close scrutiny, those being the Interest Income and Sales Tax Revenue. The low interest rates now being paid on investments has decreased the expected revenue from previous years, however, the city did take the lower interest rates into consideration during the budget process, therefore, the lower revenue should not affect the overall General Fund Budget. The preliminary assessment of the 2010 General Fund Budget indicates that the city should not experience any major revenue shortfalls, therefore, will not be required to make any dramatic spending cuts. Fortunately, the city does NOT rely on state revenues as does the school district, which has faced numerous funding cuts, and likely will face additional funding cuts in the next state budget cycle.
Revenue Funds: Water, Electric and Waste Water: The city has increased the rate structure for the three funds over the last three years. As city manager, I recommended to the city commission the increases necessary to fund the maintenance and operations of the funds. I review the funding requirements annually, and if necessary, make the appropriate recommendation to the city commission on whether there is a need to increase rates, or as an alternative, reduce expenses. The current status of the three funds show adequate funding for the current year and probably for the following year without any additional increases, unless unforeseen circumstances arise.