Raymond Lee: Greeley’s proposed 2022 budget prioritizes investments in long-term growth, including raises, new positions
By Kelly Ragan
As Interim City Manager Raymond Lee presented the 2022 proposed budget at a city council meeting Tuesday, he had a message: Though the future remains uncertain, the city wants to invest in its people where it can.
Funding hasn’t yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, Lee said, but the city made smart moves to minimize damage, and things look much better than 2020. Going forward amid uncertainty, Lee said the city recommends prioritizing investments that he said are critical to the city’s long-term success.
“That includes investing in employees with cost-of-living increasing, strategic investments in public safety, community vitality and quality of life, mobility, sustainability, and creating a high performing government overall,” Lee said.
The city will continue to monitor economic recovery and make adjustments as necessary, Lee said.
Here’s a snapshot of the city’s proposed 2022 budget, which city council will vote on next month.
City revenue
The big unknown, obviously, is Covid. But according to city staff, even if things go bad, the city is confident it has strong reserves and could withstand economic pullback.
Despite the economic turbulence, the city is still projecting nearly $10 million in revenue growth in the general fund, coming from sales and use taxes, property taxes, and other revenue streams.
The city looks at several indicators to forecast what kind of tax revenue it can expect to bring in over the year, and thus what it can spend.
Those indicators include things like the number of new housing permits issued, jobs added or lost, wage growth, and more.
Here’s snapshot of Greeley’s economic health
Overall employment fell by 4.4% in the past year
Wages grew by 1.6%, however that was lower than inflation, 2.4%
Top 10 industries lost 2,261 jobs in the past year
Top 10 industries expected to add 912 jobs in 2022
City priorities
Lee said at the meeting the city had three main priorities as it developed the budget. Those included:
Restoring services impacted by Covid: reopening city recreation centers and returning programming to the Union Colony Civic Center.
Investing in staff: new positions, new equipment, raises for existing employees
Organizational investments that allow the city to adapt and manage growth: department assessments and staffing adjustments, compensation and class analysis, public safety
New positions proposed in the budget
Public safety: two police officers, a services and administrative division chief
Administration: office of human affairs contract position
Transportation: water quality and regulatory compliance manager, engineering and concrete technician, equipment maintenance mechanic
Water and Sewer: five plant operators, two utility locators, water quality analyst, maintenance mechanic, seasonal labor water meter installation
More organizational investments proposed in the budget
Public safety: salary increases, co-responder agreement (supporting residents in need), upgraded police equipment (body armor, rifle cases, etc.)
Programming and recreation: Return to pre-COVID service levels, Boomerang stormwater construction (required drainage), Emerald Ash Borer tree impact
Administrative: Compensation and classification implementation, small equipment replacement fund, strategic master plan and community needs assessment
Infrastructure: Water and sewer maintenance and equipment, high mountain reservoir maintenance, regional strategic water quality funding
Proposed changes in utility rates
City staff recommended an increase in utility rates Tuesday.
A single-family home can expect their utility rates to increase by $10/month, bumping it up from about $100.30/month to $110.22/month. These increases are being driven primarily by capital improvement projects, such as addressing drainage issues downtown.
City staff said the increase would remain competitive with neighboring communities.
What’s next?
City council and the public will have the chance to learn more about the budget and comment on it in October.
Oct. 5: Public hearing/first reading
Oct. 19: Public hearing/Final adoption