Franklin — and a number of other area communities — traditionally approves a temporary budget until an amended official certificate of estimated resources based on actual balances is received from the county budget commission. The process, which is authorized under Ohio law, enables a community to have a more accurate budget after it closes out the previous year.
State law requires the community to approve a permanent budget by March 31.
According to its 2016 final budget, the city operated an overall budget of nearly $24.11 million that also included a general fund budget of more than $10.7 million. Last year, the city’s temporary budget projected just under $24 million in all funds that included about $9.35 million in general fund spending.
In its 2017 temporary budget, city officials are projecting a total budget of $24.69 million in all funds that includes about $9.2 million in general fund spending.
The 2017 budget also outlines capital purchases and improvements for the coming year as well as pay increases for personnel.
Of the $9.19 million general fund budget, police services is about $3.77 million or 41 percent of the budget that includes an 8 percent increase.
Funding for the Municipal Court and Probation will see a 16 percent increase in spending from the general fund to nearly $1.22 million as the probation department has grown due to the drug probation docket and the first full-year of its operations. That spending represents about about 13 percent of the general fund budget.
Transfers from other funds into the general fund represent $2.28 million or 25 percent of the general fund budget. All other general fund operation spending will be about $1.92 million or 21 percent of the general fund budget.
Pay increases are in the budget for 2017 — 3 percent to each of the three police unions; 3 percent for the public works and secretarial unions; and 2.5 percent for the Fire/EMS union. All of the pay increases are required by contract.
Among the planned spending for 2017 are the purchase of three newly equipped police cruisers; a new dump truck; replacing an ambulance; air conditioning for the upper level of the police station; remodelling of the fire station; $200,000 for the summer paving program; $48,000 for a mini excavator; and city matches for three Issue 2 projects are funded in the budget. Through the court’s special projects fund about $60,000 will be used for an improved sound system and scanners for the courtroom.
The Issue 2 projects include the $1.07 million Riley Boulevard repaving project with a city match of $343,715; the improvements to Stadia Drive that is expected to cost $101,215 with a city match of $52,000; and the Hemlock Street improvements that is expected to cost $232,500 with a city match of $116,000.
About the Author
