Marble Falls Council puts forward $32 million budget, lower tax rate, fee breaks for most
By Glynis Crawford Smith
The Highlander
Public hearings Tuesday, Aug. 15, unveiled a final proposed budget based on a tax rate slightly lower than the effective rate and including proposed utility fee increases lower than anticipated for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 in the City of Marble Falls.
Finance Director Margie Cardenas presented a budget for programs and services of $32 million with general fund expenditures of $10.404 million.
According to the council decision Aug. 1, Cardenas and her staff based the budget on an ad valorem tax rate of .6340, or 63.4 cents per $100,000, lower than the current rate of .6483. Nonetheless, the rate will apply to a certified tax valuation that has risen about eight percent to $726 million for an increase.
Combined with a healthy but conservative projection of a 4.5 percent increase the city's staple revenue, sales tax, available funds should grow $622,880 and add to the goal of general fund balance growth from the current $1.697 million this year to $1.770 million in the next.
The breakdown of the proposed tax rate is .3982 for the interest and sinking fund (I&S), 63 percent of the total and .2358 for maintenance and operations (M&O), 37 percent of the total .6340. Continually increasing the amount devoted to M&O is another city goal.
Something added to the budget since the last reviews of expenditures in July budget workshops was a special package pickup for Marble Fall Fire Rescue response. The $40,000 pickup is the first purchase out of a vehicle replacement fund established by the council four years previous. Regular replacement to the fund at $10,000 should ensure that the fund continues to grow, Cardenas said.
As previously proposed the budget includes funding for two more patrol officers for the Marble Falls Police Department and two full-time maintenance technicians for the Parks & Recreation Department. But City Manager Mike Hodge said staff was in the process of comparing the cost of contracted services to additions to the park service team.
During the public hearing on amendments to water and sewer fees, Cardenas told the council that the city does need to continue some rate increase in light of its $7.6 million in bonds being expended on water and waste water systems renovation. The increase was an average of 12 percent last year for both water and sewer.
The good news is that no increase has been recommended for sewer service and increases to water service would average only about a 3.2 percent overall.
“We have three tiers of service and about 80 percent of our customers fall in the two lower tiers,” she noted. “The middle tier (11,000-30,000 gallons per month) may see an increase of around $1.66 per month. Customers in the lower tier (up to 10,000 gallons per month), 83 cents.
In a presentation by Carlton Schwab, president and CEO of the Texas Economic Development Council, the Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation (MFEDC) received high praise.
“I am not blowing smoke when I say you could be a model for how other cities should do (economic development), he said.
Schwab laid success in diversification of development, in large part, to the MFEDC Executive Director Christian Fletcher, but he did not overlook the role of the council in appoint adept board members and letting them do their job.
In other action, the council appointed Jeanne Emerson, former Burnet County Commissioners Court coordinator and tourism director, to the Hotel Motel Tax Advisory Committee, and they approved rezoning of a 76.26 tract of land south of Lake Marble Falls for planned development.
Russell Roper, president of Ellison Roper Land Corporation, was on hand to answer questions before the property was approved for rezoning from an Agriculture Base District (AG) to a Planned Development District (PDD) with base zoning for a Condo-Townhouse Base District (R-3 Zone) and General Commercial Base District (C-3 Zone).
Roper said the corporation was seeking the change for the property north of Rocky Road on the west side of US 281, not for their development, but on behalf of a potential buyer.
The meeting opened with the presentation of the 2017 Community Pride Awards.
Market on H received the new Commercial Community Pride Award, accepted by Stuart and Rebecca Nunnally, developers of the complex on the corner of Avenue H and Second Street.
“What a welcoming view for people driving in to Marble Falls,” said Mayor John Packer.
“The development would not fit in a community that did not have a city council with vision,” returned Stuart.
The Residential Community Award was presented by Packer to Council Member William “Dee” Haddock, a resident of the recipient neighborhood, the Loma Vista Subdivision. One of his neighbors in the established subdivision south of Nature Heights, Bobbette Boyd, had made the nomination but could not be present.
“Residents of Loma Lane take pride in the neighborhood they live in and work hard to ensure their street is kept neat, clean and safe for everyone to enjoy,” she said in her nomination. “They strive to promote community involvement and showcase their memorable character.
