Emporia City Commissioners will have several budget-related options to consider when they convene Wednesday morning.
City staff will present commissioners with multiple options to help address workforce shortages across city departments. According to a news release from City Communications Director Christine Johnson, 12 percent of the city’s full-time positions are vacant including 16 public safety positions.
Among the options to be presented will be an alteration to the city’s health insurance share to make it more competitive. Commissioners may also consider a one-time 4 percent wage increase to act as a bridge to a salary study the city is planning to contract out late this fall.
A total of five options will be presented.
*Option One: includes base appropriate expenses, revenue projections, and changes to the city’s share of health insurance premium. Currently, the share of the health insurance premium is 90/10 for single coverage and 55/45 for family coverage. Option One would change the share to 95/5 for single coverage and 80/20 for family coverage.
*Option Two: includes base appropriate expenses, revenue projections, change of health insurance premium share, as well as a 4% pay increase for all employees effective immediately.
*Option Three: includes base appropriate expenses, revenue projections, change of health insurance premium share, 4% pay increase for all employees and a 2.5 mil increase in 2023. This option would increase property tax an average of $28.75 per year on a $100,000 home. Choosing this option would decrease the deficit over five years by $500,000 in comparison to Option Two.
*Option Four: includes base appropriate expenses, revenue projections, change of health insurance premium share, 4% pay increase for all employees and a 2.5 mil increase in 2023. However, this option assumes only 98% of expenditures to be spent.
*Option Five: includes base appropriate expenses, revenue projections, change of health insurance premium share, 4% pay increase for all employees, a 2.5 mil increase in 2023, assumes only 98% of expenditures to be spent, and considers future year mil increases to maintain 15% reserves.
