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The Fiscal Year 2024-2025 City Budget has passed in its second reading following several amendments.

The proposed budget first introduced in a special call meeting on June 3 has no specific changes from the previous year’s, excepting the adjustments of salary for cost of living and the adjustment of insurance prices, according to City Finance Director Sue Wilson.

Alderman Daniel Berry proposed several amendments. The first two were motions regarding moving certain budget items to what he called “a contingency fund,” which referred to two previous motions regarding a study session to determine the specific uses of hotel-motel tax funds and non-profit funding.

The first motion amended the budget by moving certain accounts to a contingency fund until the board approves a formal process for the hotel-motel tax. The second was like it, but it was specifically for the moving of the non-profit funds to a contingency fund until such a process could be established by the board.

Both of these amendments were passed. The first motion passed five to two, with Mayor Ray Knowis and Alderman Derick Mann in opposition. The second motion passed five to two as well, with the same in opposition.

Berry then proposed some specific changes to the Aquatics section of the Parks and Recreation budget, though he said he wasn’t going to make an amendment about the changes. He wanted to see if the rest of the board was interested in what he suggested.

He thanked the Parks and Recreation Director J.P. Kraft, and Aquatics Director Josh Cole for working hard and providing him with further information.

The main proposal he had was to change the current hours of the daily operation schedule.

“Currently, we’re open from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., ten hours,” said Berry. He proposed cutting two hours off of the daily schedule, which would mean hours would be from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

“By reducing the number of hours, we’re looking at roughly $57,355 a year that we can save, just on the employee side of it,” he said.

Alderman Kurt Glick disagreed with Berry, saying “When you’re looking at cutting the Aquatics staff, that is really one of the only variable costs out there at the swimming pool. All of the other costs are fixed costs. When you’re cutting back on the usage of it, the cost per hour will go up.”

Berry responded that they didn’t have real numbers yet on what it would actually look like.

Kraft said “It’s worth noting that our budget day is based on every day is sunny and 85–we do not have 80 days of sunny, 85 degree weather. So at 6 p.m., if it’s raining, we’re gonna close. But at 6 p.m. –if it’s sunny–we need to stay open to recoup the cost of being open. Every day that we’re open, we have an opportunity.”

He went on to say that the city spent “roughly $4 million” to renovate the pools.

“While it does cost the $57,000 that you mentioned here, we can make that back in concession sales, if we close, we can’t make anything,” he said.

Berry countered “but we aren’t making that money.” He said they weren’t making money back, because every year, the pools were underfunded.

“That’s correct,” said Kraft, “the numbers that are in this report (which he provided to Berry) are not in the budget. It would take way more money than they give me to run this pool every day for 80 days with 12 guards. It’s very seldom that we’re at full staff, these numbers are our worst-case scenarios.”

Berry attempted to respond, but was reminded by Glick that he had the floor.

“I think you misunderstood my point,” said Glick. He explained that he wasn’t discussing revenue costs, he was discussing having a high fixed cost. “When you reduce the variable cost, and reduce the hours, your per hour cost is going to increase.”

There was further back and forth discussion from the board, but the issue, which Berry reiterated wasn’t an amendment, was not voted on.

“We either have to raise taxes, or we have to find some things in our budget that we have to cut,” he said.

Also discussed was the potential of cutting a percentage from the budget. Berry made a motion to cut 2% from the proposed budget. During the discussion, it was proposed to be 1% instead of 2%.

Finance Director Wilson said “We are preserving pay and benefits, so when you talk about cutting 1% off the operating area is $183,000. And we didn’t give people much more this year, so you’re really looking at probably programs. What is the standard that citizens are going to expect on that?”

She explained that she sent Berry a list of things that could be cut to meet the 2% reduction, and items listed included city events like the Soap Box Derby and the Rock Creek Concert, along with the reducing of mowing in the parks and the use of forestry equipment. After further discussion, Berry rescinded his motion.

There were no further amendments, so the board voted on the amended original motion. Berry made the motion, Glick seconded. The motion passed six to one, with Mann in opposition.