Keizertimes., May 08, 2020, Page 9, Image 9

MAY 8, 2020, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9
City budget talks begin Monday
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Despite the ongoing pan-
demic, government agencies
still have budgets to balance.
The City of Keizer’s budget
talks will kick of next week
with two online meetings.
The Keizer budget com-
mittee will meet via telecon-
ference May 11 and 12 at 6
p.m. It will be streamed live on
the KeizerTV Youtube chan-
nel.
Until a few weeks ago, the
city’s budget was stable if not
rosy in comparison to some
recent years, the COVID-19
crisis has changed the math –
at least slightly.
“The city is experiencing
an immediate drop in discre-
tionary revenues associated
with the Event Center as well
as municipal court as residents
are being encouraged to stay
home and not gather in large
groups,” said City Manager
Chris Eppley, in a statement at-
tached to the proposed budget.
“The immediate impact is ex-
pected to last through the fi rst
quarter of Fiscal Year 2020-21
however long term impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic is
yet to be determined.”
Overall operating revenues
are expected to remain rel-
atively stable, but annual in-
creases in property taxes might
only cover continuing declines
in franchise fees collected for
telephone and cable television
services.
Water and stormwater rates
are intentionally being held at
the current rates to ease the
burden on residents during the
economic downturn resulting
from the pandemic. Sewer
rates, which are controlled by
Salem, are expected to increase
by roughly 2 percent.
Personnel costs, including
wages, insurance and pensions,
will increase by approximately
Boucher Jewelers celebrates all mothers during
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Mother’s Day is
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2 percent. Capital improve-
ment projects are expected
to increase by 11 percent, the
result of needed ADA im-
provements along River Road
North and a major Public
Works project involving re-
alignment of a drainage pipe
in west Keizer.
Those interested in funding
for special projects or efforts
that provide for the commu-
nity are invited to offer testi-
mony or submit it in writing
to City Record Tracy Davis,
DavisT@keizer.org.
Two areas that might prove
contentious are the parks and
police fess attached to the
monthly city services bill.
Both fees are currently set at
$4, but are reviewed annually.
In a March meeting, City
Finance Director Tim Wood
presented members of the
budget committee with a pro-
posal to begin increasing the
police fee at a rate that would
make it more of a “sustainabil-
ity” fee than one used to pay
for the police offi cers the fee
was originally designed to hire.
City staff fl oated the idea of
raising the police services fee
from $4 per month to $5.33
a month in the 2020-21 fi scal
year. The increase would gen-
erate an additional $226,000.
However, the fee growth
would not stop there. In 2021,
the fee would climb to $7.39
per month and, by 2025, the
fee might nearly triple to
$11.93 per month. City offi -
cials were aware that the fee
would likely need to increase
over time when it was put in
place, but some at the meeting
appeared caught off guard by
the exponential fee growth
projections.
Keizer Police Chief John
Teague said residents should
expect more from the higher
fee.
“I don’t think people
should just acquiesce to the
higher fees,” Teague said. “We
should prove that we are de-
serving.”
Keizer Police Department
recently instituted a citizens
academy and was discussing
adding fi ngerprinting service
as one way to add value to the
community.
The parks fee is projected
to remain at $4 per for the
foreseeable future. That fee
has paid for widened pathways
throughout Keizer’s 19 parks, a
new playground at Meadows
Park, a portion of the bath-
rooms at Keizer Rapids Park,
the rehabilitation of Carlson
Skate Park, a new sports court
at Willamette Manor Park,
two new employees and new
equipment among thousands
of other dollars in improve-
ments.
At the March meeting,
Councilor Kim Freeman
asked that both police and
parks offi cials prepare a one-
sheet report showing what the
fees have accomplished so far.
“I would also like to see a
report on what would happen
if the parks fee was decreased
to make up for the increase in
the police fee,” Freeman said.
KT on vacation
Submitted photo
Bob and Colleen Busch took their Keizertimes on a visit to
Philadelphia, Penn., to visit family in February 2020. Daughter
Trina snapped the picture and grandson Miles was along
for the ride. You too can have your photo in the Keizertimes.
Simply take the paper to your destination, snap a picture with
you and your group holding it, and send the photo along with
everyone’s fi rst and last names to kt@keizertimes.com.
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