City Council balancing budget for FY23

BONNERS FERRY — Bonners Ferry City Council has balanced the general fund budget for fiscal year 2023 while planning for inflation and giving staff a raise.

City Council members discussed the city budget June 28, including adjustments for inflation, while debating a raise for staff to counterbalance rising inflation.

Looking over the 2022 and 2023 budgets, council members discussed whether city staff should receive a 3% wage increase or a dollar-per-hour raise. Council members were in favor of a dollar over a percentage increase since it would better help staff members who make less per hour.

Mayor Dick Staples said that a 75-cent increase would be preferable to a dollar, since it would not result in adding to the deficit in the general budget. The general budget for 2023 already has a $7,456.05 deficit. A $1 increase would raise that deficit to around $13,000.

The council decided to withhold a vote until they could meet with the department heads in a special council meeting on July 5.

After rerunning the numbers and making cuts to other departments in the general fund, the proposed budget is balanced, Lisa Ailport, city administrator said.

Since the city has invested in equipment, such as a new snow loader through the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds, city staff predict that snow removal practices will be more efficient and have decreased the budget 20%.

Councilman Ron Smith said that through the ARPA dollars, the city has been able to cut down the overall budget.

Other cuts include being more scheduled in police shifts in order to cut down on overtime. The Bonners Ferry Police Department will maintain 20-hour, seven-days-a-week coverage.

Another cut could be not extending the pool season beyond August. Ailport said staff is looking into funding options and grants to cover the expenses of a longer swimming season. The extended season last year after Labor Day was due to grant funding, Ailport said.

She added that the pool sees little use in June as the weather is still warming up and the more families use the facility in August before school starts back up.

Department heads preferred a dollar increase to staff wages rather than a percentage increase which has been done in the past.

Bonners Ferry Police Chief Brian Zimmerman said a dollar increase is preferred by employees since they know their raise amount upfront rather than going over a percentage.

Ailport said this year has been an effective budget season with department heads working together to see where cuts can be made and where staff can be more efficient.

“Everyone at the table in general funds understands that when we ask for more we are taxing more,” Ailport said.

With the taxpayer in mind, she said this is what made the department heads look at where they could be more efficient.

Council and staff are still reviewing the general and utilities fund budgets for the next fiscal year. The budgets are being prepared for publication and will go through another workshop and a public hearing prior to adoption.

The next regular city council meeting is scheduled for July 19 at 6 p.m.