City Faces $170 Million Plus in Needs
Town Halls Set For Residents Input
Financial Challenges, City's Ability to Provide Services Among Topics Posed
January 20, 2008
By: Dave Rogers
Financial challenges faced by the City of Bay City amounting to more than $170 million will be big news in the first few months of this year, and concerned residents will have many opportunities to weigh in.
First comes five Town Hall meetings in February, then five year financial forecast sessions Feb. 25, Mar. 10 and 24. The first session also will feature presentation of the audit by Rehman Robson.
The city for the past few years has been looking at how to pay for:
an estimated $90 million in street repairs,
$13 million in sidewalk replacement,
$25 million in unfunded pension liabilities,
$26 million in unfunded medical benefit liabilities, and
$19 million in police and fire employees accrued liabilities.
By eliminating 67 city employees between fiscal years 2003 and 2008, the city manager has been able to save an estimated $5 million. Plans are being discussed how to trim more jobs in the future without affecting services to residents.
But there are many unaddressed issues, including a demand for arbitration by out-city water customers dating back to 2005, increased wholesale power costs, the need to fund the unfunded liabilities and proposed reorganization of the fire department and establishment of a central fire station on the west side.
Increased contributions to the pension and health care funds have begun to chip away at those huge liabilities but cut into budgets for services and payroll. The 2008 budget includes a 5 percent contribution for the General Fund and Street Fund and a 10 percent contribution for other funds.
Other issues hanging fire include establishment of an ombudsman, development of Uptown at RiversEdge, disposal of city-owned property and business attraction/retention and expansion efforts.
Perhaps the biggest need is for street replacement, the manager has said. While the design life of streets is 25-30 years, many city streets are up to 60 years old, he said.
City residents have five more opportunities next month to give input to City Manager Robert Belleman.
The manager states: "The purpose of the Town Hall Meetings is to highlight our successes in 2007, present information on our challenges and opportunities and to solicit feedback on budget priorities, city services and the quality of life in our community."
Illustrating the multi-faceted dilemmas faced by the city is this statement in the manager's 2006-2007 goals statement: "We are faced with a serious decision within the street fund in trying to strike a balance between maintaining and improving the streets and balancing the budget."
New Town Hall meetings are set on the following dates and at various locations around the city:
Monday, Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m., St. Hyacinth Field House, 1515 Cass Ave.;
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m., Visitation Church parish hall, 1104 State St.;
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m., Bay County Community Center, 800 John F. Kennedy Drive;
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 4 p.m., City Hall Commission Chambers, 301 Washington Ave.;
Thursday, Feb. 21, 7:30 a.m., City Hall Commission Chambers, 301 Washington Ave.
During January 2007, the manager facilitated five Town Hall meetings.
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"During these meetings I was able to share some of the specific information about the financial challenges the City of Bay City has faced, and some of the implications those challenges may have on our ability to provide services," said the manager in his general information memo dated Jan. 18.
"Likewise, I was able to open up the floor to any of the residents in attendance to ask questions of myself, city staff or any of the city commissioners who were in attendance.
"I believe the Town Hall meetings were a positive, proactive forum for the city to share information with its concerned citizens. Likewise, I believe this forum should be continued as well as other opportunities to share information with the general public."
The manager also noted in his memo that the city clerk reports a 19 percent turnout, or 4,591 registered voters, at the Presidential Primary on Tuesday, Jan. 15.###