Bowling Green will be adding personnel to the police department in 2024 but will not be purchasing new ambulances.
The city’s finance committee on Thursday approved the 2024 operating budget. It will be discussed and voted on at Monday’s council meeting.
“I believe this budget demonstrates our understanding of our most basic responsibilities as civic leaders. …” said Mayor Aspacher.
Accomplishments realized in 2023 include the new city building, the West Wooster Street project, the roundabout on East Wooster Street and the residential paving program, said city Administrator Lori Tretter.
Revenue in 2024 is projected at $20,054,628, with income tax collections growing by 3.5%.
General fund expenses are estimated at $20,692,189.
Two police officers will be added; four were requested. The division currently employs 41 officers, the same employment level in 2008 and expenses for overtime are increasing.
Other new positions that will be funded in 2024 include a sustainability coordinator and a code compliance officer.
Not funded were requests for an administrative assistant for parks and rec and four equipment operators for public works.
“There certainly was justification for all of these requests but balancing the budget means sometimes saying no,” Tretter said.
The city will use $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to pave Pearl Street from Wintergarden Road to Church Street, and Sand Ridge Road from Wintergarden Road to South Maple Street.
These are going to be expensive projects, but the need is critical, Tretter said.
Additional street work in 2024 includes a pedestrian hybrid beacon at the Wooster and Maple streets intersection. Funding also has been included for a safety study at the intersection of Gypsy Lane and Sand Ridge roads.
Planning will start for a shared use path on Brim Road in 2026 as well as a roundabout at Brim and Bishop roads in 2027. A Safe Routes to School program is in the planning phase.
Budget requests included a record number of recommendations for facility updates. Those that will be funded include a new roof on the Pearl Street fire station, new windows on the west side of the police station and painting of light poles downtown.
Tretter said deferred maintenance is exceeding the ability for funding and the city is feeling some strain as capital needs and the inability to adequately fund all items could begin to impact operational effectiveness.
Funding requests that were turned down included masonry restoration at the police department, fence painting at Oak Grove Cemetery, rental registration and inspection software for the planning department, two new ambulances, and gutter guards for the Veteran’s Building and Nature Center.
An interactive budget will be posted on the city’s website in the new year – all 413 pages.
Committee member Greg Robinette said when the budgets for 2022 and 2023 were reviewed, each represented “a reasonable response to economic reality and challenges … compounded by the aftermath of 2020.”
This budget does that as well and provides for the continuation of city services at the level that our citizens expect, he said.
“The 2024 budget is again a solid financial budget for the City of Bowling Green,” Tretter said.
It balances today’s needs with what is coming, she said.
