The city of Emporia’s budget for 2023 is now set.
Commissioners approved adoption of the 23 budget and five-year budget during their regular action meeting Wednesday morning. The final budget comes with a final mill levy of 43.8 mills an increase of one mill over the previous proposal of 42.8 mills.
The budget’s grand total, encompassing 17 funds, comes to just over $68 million.
Commissioners Becky Smith, Danny Giefer and Susan Brinkman voted in favor of the budget while commissioners Jamie Sauder and Erren Harter voted against. Commissioner Brinkman stated during the meeting she was in favor of a mill increase but not as high as 45 mills which was the maximum level set previously.
Brinkman says there is no denying the city’s need to be more competitive when it comes to areas such as wages, however, she says there is a limit to what would be fiscally responsible, hence her support of just a one mill increase.
Commissioner Sauder says he did not vote against the budget because he is against an increase, but rather because he felt the one-mill increase is not sufficient to meet the most pressing needs of the community.
Before approving the budget, commissioners also voted unanimously to exceed the revenue-neutral rate.
In separate business, commissioners also approved the authorization of general obligation bonds to fund a sewer main project on South Arundel and awarded a bid to Burlington Construction for concrete work on the David Traylor Zoo’s parking lot.
During the commission’s study meeting, commissioners began conversations on a potential update to both fire stations #1 and #2. With both facilities beginning to show their age, specifically, station #1 which was constructed in the 1940s, Emporia Fire Chief Brandon Beck says it is time to make some significant changes.
During Wednesday’s meeting, commissioners discussed the possibility of constructing a new fire station one to replace the current facility at 120 E. 5th Ave. and renovating fire station #2, located at 1415 Industrial Road. Beck says if this plan were to move forward the new station one facility would be a “ground up” project.
Another possibility would be the creation of a third fire station somewhere within the city limits, however, Beck says that would be a long-term solution — roughly a ten-year project — that would not quell current concerns. A committee has been formed to consider any and all options to address the current spacing issues with more information likely to come before commissioners within the next 30 days.
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 11 am inside of the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
