Waynesboro City Council work session slated for Thursday

By Jimmy LaRoue

Published: May 14, 2008

The Waynesboro City Council will hold a budget work session Thursday at 6 p.m. in the council chambers of the Charles T. Yancey Municipal Building.

The water, sewer and garbage funds for fiscal year 2009 will be on the agenda, and the council will receive an update on the water/sewer capital improvement projects.

The water fund is slated for a 36.6 percent increase ($939,489) to $3.5 million. Major contributors to that include:

· Six additional staff members (minimum) to operate and maintain a Virginia Department of Health-mandated water treatment plant to open in November 2008.

· Operational expenses associated with a new facility

· Increased materials and supplies associated with performance measures for hydrant and service line replacements as well as four identified areas for line size increase.

· Capital outlay for heavy equipment purchases for WTP road maintenance, snow removal and line installation. Capital purchases for the establishment of a parts inventory for the new WTP and leak detection equipment.

· Increased debt service due to full P&I amortization.

The sewer fund would incorporate a 9.6 percent increase ($362,088) to $4.1 million. The increased costs include:

· Additional staff wages and benefits

· Increased depreciation expense associated with new infrastructure through completion of infiltration and inflow projects

· Pipe and ancillary materials for performance measures associated with line maintenance

· Two replacement pumps and one replacement generator at pump stations

· Contribution to a debt service reserve to level fund reduced debt service due to the retirement of one loan

The garbage fund has a 1.3 percent increase ($13,900) to $1.1 million.

The City Council schedule calls for a tax rate ordinance to be adopted - and a budget ordinance introduced - at its May 22 budget work session. The council on Monday introduced a tax rate ordinance, which included a real estate tax rate of 70 cents per $100 assessed value, which is unchanged from the current rate. City Manager Doug Walker proposed a 74 cent tax rate with a $41 million budget.