Budgets reflect better economy

All four cities were scheduled to adopt budgets earlier in September. The fiscal year for all of them begins Oct. 1.

Grapevine

City trims tax, raises rates

Grapevine homeowners and residents will see a slight property tax reduction and an increase in water and sewer rates, under the city budget for 2013-2014.

The operating budget adopted Sept. 10 comes to $151.3 million, compared to the adopted operating budget of $148.8 million for 2012-13.

The proposed 18 percent combined water/wastewater increase pushes the average residential bill from about $64 a month to about $75 a month.

According to a city review, rates have not been adjusted since 2002.

City staff members said water and wastewater costs are going up, and aging systems need repair.

The 2014 budget includes a slight drop in property tax, from about $0.3457 to $0.3425 per $100 of assessed valuation. The city was required to have public hearings on the change because even the lowered tax is expected to generate more revenue than last year, because of a larger tax base and increases in valuation.

McGrane told the City Council in August that the additional $215,000 will "give us some flexibility during the year—sales tax right now is not setting the world on fire."

He said city businesses have not begun to recover from the effects of the DFW Connector road project, which was finished in late August.

Additions to the city include four full-time jobs, three of them in the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and new part-time lifeguards at the renovated Dove Waterpark.

Also included: 3 percent merit pay increases for general employees; a 5 percent step increase for public safety employees; and a one-time lump sum payment of up to 3 percent for employees at the top of their pay grades.

While last year's budget provided for several quality of life projects in parks, this year's focus is on two big construction projects: the expansion of the city Community Activities Center and a new public safety building, both to be constructed with bond issue money approved by voters.

"The staff is pretty much dedicated to the two big buildings this year," said City Manager Bruno Rumbelow.

The city also is allocating nearly $3 million to quality of life projects that range from lighting to playgrounds.

The planned budget for Main Street holiday decorations, at $150,000, roughly doubles the previous year's budget. The total for Christmas Capital expenses is $252,844.

To learn more about the city budget, find it the documents online at www.grapevinetexas.gov.

Southlake

Budget focuses on public safety

The overall proposed budget in Southlake for 2014 comes to $84.8 million, up from the amended 2013 budget of $82.4 million.

The largest portion of the city's general fund—43 percent of $34.5 million—goes to public safety.

Nine school resource officers have been added, so that one is stationed at every campus in the Carroll ISD. Staffing also is included for the new DPS North fire station and training facility, 12 firefighters and a firing range master.

The new fire station will significantly cut response times to emergencies in north Southlake, and departments from all across the area are expected to use the training rooms, auditorium and firing range.

"We are able to provide these increased services—significant increased services—at the same time we're giving back some money to this community through the homestead exemption," Mayor John Terrell told City Manager Shana Yelverton during a budget presentation in August. "When we look at it holistically, it's a very good budget."

Homeowners who have not done so in the past can file for a 3 percent homestead exemption—in effect now and previously in 2009—that would become a permanent tax reduction under the new proposed budget.

The exemption shaves about $15,000 off the value of a home assessed at $508,534, the average price in Southlake this year, resulting in a city property tax bill of about $2,279. Without the exemption, the bill for the same home would be about $2,349.

The property tax rate of $0.462 per $100 of assessed valuation would stay the same for the 11th year in a row, but it wouldgenerate about $600,000 more because of new construction and increased property values.

The budget also includes design of a new Community Recreation Center, with construction expected to start in late 2014. The city plans to pay for that phase with money already on hand.

Also included: $1 million for painting the inside of one water storage tank and the outside of another.

The proposed budget accounts for promotions of four fire lieutenants to battalion chief and a conversion of a part-time IT position to full-time, partly offset by a full-time employee dropping to part-time.

Employee pay increases of 2 percent are included, as are adjustments as part of a new compensation system.

A new Economic Development Investment Fund containing $600,000 is proposed, but City Council decisions on policy are needed before any of it is spent.

The 2013-14 budget was scheduled for approval at a City Council meeting on Sept. 17.

Find it online at www.cityofsouthlake.com.

Westlake

Tax rate stays stable

The town of Westlake's $31.5 million proposed budget, which includes the Westlake Academy annual budget, adds a fire lieutenant, a human services generalist and makes a clerk full-time, with no new taxes.

The budget also proposes spending $338,950 on the first phase of an update to the town's comprehensive plan.

Managing growth through the plan is key for the town of about 1,000, which sits on the Hwy. 114 corridor between the Alliance and DFW International airports.

Two large projects—Granada, an 84-lot subdivision and Entrada, a mixed-use development—have been approved in the past year.

Capital projects include $7.8 million for the Westlake Academy expansion, $1.1 million for FM 1938 streetscaping and $390,940 for landscaping on the Hwy. 114/170 expansion project, according to the budget presented at an Aug. 26 town council meeting.

The town last year issued $9.5 million in bonds for the academy expansion and for a ground storage tank. Westlake Academy is a charter school operated by the town.

The city expects to collect about $1.3 million in property tax revenue and keep the tax rate at about $0.15684 per $100 of assessed valuation.

The Town Council was expected to adopt the proposed budget at its Sept. 16 meeting. Find it at www.westlake-tx.org.

Colleyville

New capital projects plan added

The city this year has a five-year comprehensive Capital Improvements Program for the first time ever.

"It's the most important thing about the budget," City Manager Jennifer Fadden said. "We have had plans previously to invest in our infrastructure but never anything comprehensive where we've looked holistically at all the city's infrastructure needs."

Overall, the proposed budget totals about $37.3 million, compared to the adopted 2013 budget of $35.9 million. Some of the increase comes as debt is being repaid, Fadden said.

Also, property values are rebounding in Colleyville and the city expects to collect more sales tax in 2014 as Whole Foods Market and surrounding businesses open at Colleyville Downs at Glade Road and Colleyville Boulevard.

The Capital Improvement Program has $27 million budgeted for various street rehab and repair projects, including reconstruction of Kingston Estates roads; the expansion of Glade Road; and roundabouts at Jackson Avenue and Cheek Sparger Road, as well as Bedford and Cheek Sparger.

Funding for the CIP projects comes from state, county and city sources, including a $1.6 million transfer from the general fund.

The property tax rate in the proposed budget stays stable at $0.3559 per $100 of assessed valuation, but homeowners could see their tax bills rise because of increases in valuation.

The proposed budget also calls for adding three firefighters/paramedics, a police officer, a construction inspector, a plans examiner, a property room clerk, a part-time building inspector and an assistant librarian.

Pay adjustments to bring some salaries up to competitive amounts also are in the proposed budget as the city begins a new compensation and classification system. Merit increases of up to 5 percent also are included.

The City Council was scheduled to approve the budget at its Sept. 17 meeting. Find it online at www.colleyville.com.