By Susan Bromley
Staff Writer
Ortonville- The village council unanimously approved at their June 22 meeting the 2015-16 budget, with matching revenues and expenditures of $730,825.
The budget will leave the village with a projected ending general fund balance of $432,558.85, or 62 percent, a slight decrease from the existing fund balance of $461,094.71.
‘We’re in really good shape,? said Village Manager John Lyons. ‘We covered things we needed, we’re getting road work done, and I’m very happy with the budget.?
The village will use some of the healthy fund balance for road improvements in the coming year, including milling and resurfacing of Cedar Street, paving projects on both Sherman Court and Village Court, and a lane extension on Oakwood Road from Bueche’s Food World to Cedar Street. The extension will result in increased safety for both motorists and pedestrians. In total, the road improvements are expected to cost approximately $120,000.
Additionally, $25,000 of the budget has been appropriated for an investigation of drainage on Mill Street, where water is causing damage to the road. A new computer server will also be purchased for use at the village offices, at a cost of $2,500.
Finally, while there will be no wage increases for village employees, they will receive adjustments to their benefit plans, including vacation days and an increase in bereavement leave from three days to five. Village council members will receive an increase from the current $35 pay for each meeting they attend to $55 per meeting, and the village council president’s meeting pay will increase from $55 to $75.
Resident Karen Sleva called for lower wages and more transparency in village government at the meeting.
‘I’ve never heard of 5-day bereavement,? she said. ‘Find savings in the wages and salaries budget. The village residents are in dire need of tax relief.?
According to the 2015-16 budget, the full-time village manager receives salary and wages of $51,000; the part-time clerk and part-time treasurer receive a combined $51,000 in salaries and wages; $40,000 is allocated for the Department of Public Works supervisor wages, with another $7,000 to be appropriated for overtime wages; and $43,000 is allocated for part-time DPW workers, with an additional $4,500 for overtime.
Lyons noted that employees did not request nor receive a raise and the budget was maintained with a levy of 8.0 mills. Councilmember Debbie Baker added that the council has the ability to levy 9.356 mills, but chooses not to levy the maximum in an effort to keep taxes lower.
Councilmember Liz Waters defended the increase in meeting pay.
‘We used to have two meetings per month,? she said. ‘Meetings are longer now. We actually cut the pay for meetings in half (by going to only one meeting per month). We are not out of line compared to other municipalities.?