Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Bellevue cuts $100,000 from budget

Street repairs and water system upgrades on hold


By TONY EVANS
Express Staff Writer

The city of Bellevue approved a draft budget for 2008-2009 last week, which reflects a $100,000 shortfall in revenue projections. Upgrades to the municipal water system and road repairs are among the services, which will be curtailed as a result of a lagging economy.

A Wall Street Journal front page article last week reported that the "stumbling US economy" has caused states to reduce spending and cut jobs in order to close a projected $40 billion shortfall in the current fiscal year.

Bellevue administrator Tom Blanchard said state revenues for the city dropped $23,000 this year, with an additional drop of $10,000 in lease franchise fees expected from Idaho Power Company for utility lines. He also said fees collected from building permit applications, annexation fees and planning and zoning reviews dropped $56,000.

All told, the city will reduce expenditures from $1.5 million in 2007-2008 to $1.4 million in 2008-2009.

"We don't see the building climate changing any time soon," said Blanchard. "State revenues are staying flat, but our operating expenses are increasing."

City Councilwoman Tammy Eaton said $27,000 the city hoped to spend on chip-seal road repairs will have to wait for better economic times. She also said that $57,000 the city planned to spend on man-hours associated with upgrading the water supply system has been cut from the city expenses.

Some of those funds were earmarked to increase water flows to Bellevue Elementary School to meet insurance company standards for water flows associated with fire-fighting needs. Blanchard said the upgrade to the school was not urgent.

"The council has implemented an internal study of workforce hours in order to establish 'best management practices' that could save the city payroll expenses in the future," Eaton said.

The city was able to contribute only $12,000 out of a total request for $67,000 for the county wide, E-911 emergency dispatch system.

The Parks department budget was cut by $5,000, The Museum budget by $2,000 and the Fire Department budget by $2,000.

In other Bellevue News:

· City council is exploring methods for permanently blocking traffic from Cedar Street between 6th and 7th Streets.

· Nine stop signs will be installed on Second Avenue between Ash and Chestnut Streets along he bike path. One stop sign at Ridge View Street and Muldoon Canyon Road will be removed. About 45 other stop sign locations are being considered by the city council within the city. The public is welcome to provide input and feedback on the stop sign location process.

Call city hall at 788-2128 for more information.




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