MANSFIELD — A strong finish to 2022 in terms of revenue allowed Mayor Tim Theaker and Finance Director Linn Steward to present an improved final spending plan for 2023.
The duo, who entered office together, are in their 12th and final years of office, prevented by city charter from seeking re-election.
That meant Tuesday evening was the final time for the two to submit the city’s final appropriations budget, a fact Steward noted in her presentation to City Council regarding changes made since lawmakers approved the temporary plan in December.
“I just wanted to take a moment to recognize this milestone,” Steward said. “This is the final, final budget for the mayor and myself. So we made it through the 12 years.”
The plan includes general fund expenditures of $34,360,544 — an increase of $632,690 over the temporary plan.
It also includes adding $240,950 to the city’s budget stabilization fund, pumping that carryover to $5,421,698, Steward said.
She said the city was also able to appropriate additional funds for capital expenses and increased contractual obligations in the final plan.
It’s a far cry from the financial straits Theaker and Steward assumed in 2010.
The city was placed under fiscal watch by the state auditor’s office in December 2009 and fiscal emergency in August 2010. It didn’t emerge until July 2014 after a series of painful cost-cutting moves, including layoffs, and financial enhancements.
Steward, who has cautioned council in recent years to slow down spending to match revenues, praised the work of many in compiling the final spending plan.
Council is scheduled to vote on the budget on March 21.
“I want to say a special thank you to Mayor Theaker, (Public Works) Director (David) Remy, (city) engineer (Bob) Bianchi and (Human Resources) Director (Sharon) May for getting us all the information for the changes and answering all our requests and doing it in a timely manner,” Steward said.
“I also want to thank my staff and all the department heads through the whole budget process.
“It went pretty good this year. I want to talk about the income tax revenue and I’m talking actual numbers here. We brought in $2.7 million more in 2022 than in 2021.
“So that really helped make the final budget positive for this year,” Steward said.
The finance director highlighted changes from the temporary spending plan, including:
— firefighter salary and benefit appropriations increased by $575,245 now that contract negotiations are complete with the International Association of Firefighters Local 266. This includes retroactive pay for 2022. Firefighters received a 4.5 percent pay increase for the first year of the three-year contract, retroactive to April 1, 2022. They will receive a 4 percent increase in 2023 and 3.5 percent in 2024.
— appropriations for overtime in the fire department were reduced by $200,000 since the number of budgeted firefighters is at 93.
— appropriations for four police officers were moved to the COPS Hiring Grant fund due to recent changes in the grant fund. Steward said the total number of budgeted police officer positions is 87 with five paid from the grant fund.
— an increase in capital outlay for the police department ($225,000), the fire department ($225,000) and communications center ($20,000).
— appropriations for road salt were moved to the motor vehicle license tax fund because “there was enough cash and estimated income for it to handle all of the salt (needs) for 2023,” Steward said. She said the move freed up money in the street fund.
— capital outlay requests in the street fund totaling $455,000 were fully funded.
— an additional $452,100 was appropriated in the water fund for the Clear Fork Dam Seepage Mitigation Project, which is in addition to $1 million approved for the project in American Rescue Plan Act funds.
— all other capital outlay and improvement projects from the water fund were not funded. Steward said these items may be appropriated later as revenues come in from recently approved water rate increases.
— appropriations were decreased in the sewer fund primarily due to budget reductions as the waste water treatment plant and for improvements to the Third Street culvert replacement project. Capital outlay requests totaling $5,640,200 remain in the final sewer fund budget.
— an additional $150,000 was appropriated for capital in the fund for Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport.
— an additional $35,000 was allocated for capital in the repair garage fund.
— an additional $70,000 was allocated for capital in the information technology fund.
Alomar Davenport, 4th Ward councilman and chair of the finance committee, said he saw “no glaring issues” with the final budget.
“I think you guys put together a very comprehensive budget here. I do appreciate you getting capital into several departments that we have spoken about, those departments that constantly have things just pop up and then they have to come to Council to find their money,” Davenport said.
“We do appreciate the administration finding dollars for those expenditures — those unseen, unexpected expenditures,” he said.
At the end of the finance committee meeting, Theaker thanked Steward and her team.
“They have worked diligently to get this in and have been very, very helpful in guiding us through this. I really want to thank her and her team for doing this,” the mayor said.
Also on Tuesday, City Council:
— approved a resolution honoring assistant finance director Sue Johnson, who is retiring, effective April 3, after 31 years of work in the public sector. Johnson has worked for the City of Mansfield since 2019.
— approved a resolution urging Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and state lawmakers to restore the Local Government Fund to pre-recession levels. In 2011, the state’s leaders reduced the LGF by 50 percent. The resolution says the reductions have resulted in a net loss of $23,993,573 for the City of Mansfield in the last 12 years.
— approved a request to spend $125,970 for the city’s share of an Ohio Dept. of Transportation project to replace a culvert under Home Road on Park Avenue West (Ohio 430) within city limits.
— approved a requested 10-year lease agreement with Modern Avionics and Maintenance, Inc., for Hanger 532 at Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport. The agreement calls for annual payments of $4,950.
— approved the acceptance of a national Police Athletic League youth mentoring sub-grant in the amount of $28,800. The grant provides a portion of the personnel costs associated with the local PAL director. It also provides funds for community service projects with local youth.
— approved a 10-year vending agreement and lease-of-space agreement with Richland Newhope Industries, Inc., for cafeteria operations inside the Municipal Building. The city doesn’t charge Newhope rent for the space.
— discussed during a public affairs committee meeting the city’s plan for $1.3 million in Community Development Block Grant funds, as well as $747,443 in Home Investment Partnership Program money.
— heard a presentation from Mansfield-Richland County Public Library Chris May about the library’s efforts to obtain voter approval May 2 for the renewal of its 10-year, 3.9-mill property tax levy.
