City Council Gets First Look at Budget

The proposed fiscal year 2012 budget for the city of Johns Creek was introduced to the City Council at the Aug. 15 work session. The balanced budget calls for $53,357,172. The council meets today at 5 p.m. at City Hall for a work session devoted to the budget.

The 2012 operating budget of $45.1 million is slightly less than the 2011 operating budget of $45.2 million, which was 1.3 percent lower than 2010. Police and fire departments constitute 44 percent, or nearly half of the spending, about $19.1 million.

The budget anticipates revenue of $16.1 million from real and personal property taxes and $15.9 million from sales taxes. Insurance premium tax is budgeted at $3.2 million, with business and occupation tax at $1.67 million and franchise fees set at $4.16 million. With businesses seemingly on the uptick in Johns Creek, the city has budgeted $769,400 for building and trades permits.

Though the city experienced a decline in tax revenues for a third consecutive year, Mayor Mike Bodker said he expects that the city will make up for it by running efficiently. 

Johns Creek has plans to improve infrastructure, including road and park improvements, with $2,387,618 budgeted for capital projects. 

Construction is also slated for Newtown Park for a pavilion and rest rooms, budgeted to cost about $160,000. The city is also planning to build a playground at Ocee Park that should cost about $50,000.

Resurfacing and road improvements will be a major factor in the upcoming budget, with the proceeds from grants helping to offset some of the city’s use of its own resources on these projects. For example, road improvements are planned for the intersection at Jones Bridge and Waters Road.

Ivan Figueroa, City Council Post 4 representative, said, “I am excited to see a mechanism included to pave roads inside subdivisions.”

“The city manager is proposing to take out a $5 million short term loan to pay for this project to get the worse roads paved,” he added.

Figueroa, who has been pushing for this measure for five years, said roads in deplorable conditions touch the lives of every resident in Johns Creek.

The E-911 fund, which represents the city’s ChatComm, has increased in the 2012 budget from $495,548 in 2011 to $582,552. Recreation will also see an increase in proposed expenditures from $1,154,565 to about $1.5 million. Administrative services will see a big decrease from $1,036,000 in the adopted 2011 budget to $331,125 in the proposed 2012 budget.

The proposed budget also includes merit and cost of living adjustments for employees of Johns Creek. Replacement of eight patrol vehicles, at a cost of $320,000, is slated for fiscal year 2012. Other expenditures have remained fairly constant in departments such as the City Council, finance, communication and public relations, as well as community development.

The budget could be up for a City Council vote on Sept. 12.