While the final numbers are still in the works, Emporia City Manager Trey Cocking noted Wednesday the city is likely to see a flat, if not decreased, mill levy with the 2024 budget.
Cocking’s comments followed the city commission’s initial conversations on the 2024 capital improvement projects list of requests during its regular study meeting Wednesday afternoon. According to current plans, the city will be committing roughly $3.5 million in general and multi-year fund dollars to those projects as well as more than $20 million in bond and interest funds.
Cocking says the list of CIP projects is split evenly between both new development projects and traditional updates around the city.
Additional projects will include updated fire stations and potential of updates to many of the city’s brick roads, however, those plans are still in the early discussion phase. Regardless of what the final plans look like, Cocking says it is safe to say the city will not have to increase its mill levy for the coming fiscal year.
The conversation on CIP projects Wednesday afternoon followed the annual comprehensive 2022 audit report delivered by Michael Keenan of Hood and Associates.
The audit once again gave the city a “clean bill of health” financially with Keenan noting the city’s longstanding history of being a recipient of the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The city has received the award for the past 37 years and Keenan noted during Wednesday’s meeting he highly expects that streak will continue for another year based on the recent report.
City Treasurer Janet Harouff noted she was very proud of her staff for the work they do each year when it comes to reporting.
In other matters Wednesday commissioners also approved the issuance of $14 million in taxable industrial revenue bonds (IRB) for S&S Quality Meats LLC, approved appointments to the Multi-Use Path Planning (MUPP) Board and approved the levying of transient guest tax and membership of the Convention and Visitors Advisory Board.
Mayor Susan Brinkman also issued a proclamation recognizing the month of June as Pride Month in Emporia to members and allies of the local LGBTQ+ community.
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, July 5 at 11 am inside of the municipal courtroom at White Auditorium for its regular slate of meetings.
