Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara wrapped up a sometimes tumultuous city budget season Tuesday by providing a recommendation summarizing concerns council members had about the 2024-25 budget.
Based on prior City Council discussions, she suggested: removing all fee increases except for water and sewer rate increases; removing all one-time expenses to the tune of $353,000; restoring funding for road maintenance that had been reduced; removing an increase in funding for Partners in Prevention; and removing $125,000 for a litter pick-up contract with House of Disciples and replacing it with $50,000 for a yet-to-be determined litter program.
“This is what I felt council had provided instruction on,” Ishihara said.
Removing all the proposed fee increases means there are cuts that have to come out of the budget, she said. Also, she said the council would have to determine later how to provide for litter pickup.
In the end, though, the City Council followed her direction — except for choosing to leave the funding proposal for Partners in Prevention intact. That decision leaves about $88,000 in the budget in new funding for the Aspire Mentoring program. The money is related to new federal requirements to make full-time employees out of contract employees who help coordinate the program.
That decision came Tuesday after nine people in a packed City Council chamber spoke in support of the program, recounting their experiences as mentors and mentees and the differences they have seen the Aspire Mentoring Program make in people’s lives.
Laura Hill, the city’s grant and human services director, said that increase in funding would be provided by 44.35% from the general fund, 22.94% from grants and 32.71% in funding from the Friends of Partners in Prevention.
Some council members previously had questioned that proposed funding increase. One of them, District 5 Councilwoman Michelle Gamboa, led the motion Tuesday to leave the funding for Partners in Prevention in the budget.
On Tuesday, she thanked the people who volunteer with Partners in Prevention.
“In my comments last week, I did not mean to have any a detrimental impact,” she said.
District 1 Councilman Derrick Conley said he wans to support the Aspire Mentoring Program and learn more about how it operates
“We know the future is our kids, and we’re not going to neglect that,” he said.
District 3 Councilman Wray Wade is the council liaison to Partners in Prevention.
“I was a young kid growing up in South Longview and benefited strongly from mentors,” he said. “To the staff, to the volunteers, please continue to work with our youth, continue to please mentor them. We all need that.”
The City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday to approved city fees and charges, including water and sewer rate increases, as well as the 2024-25 city budget. The budget includes a general fund of $95.4 million, which includes the police and fire departments, library, parks and streets. The total budget, which includes enterprise funds such as water and sewer, and debt service, is about $215.3 million.
District 2 Councilwoman Shannon Moore cast the lone vote against the items.
With the vote, water rates on Oct. 1 will increase from $10.50 a month to $10.71 for 2,000 gallons. Each additional 1,000 gallons will cost $2.78, compared with $2.65 in the current budget.
Sewer rates will increase from $12.40 for up to 2,000 gallons to $12.65. Each additional 1,000 gallons will cost $4.15 compared with $3.95 in the current budget.
Ishihara called for adopting the water and sewer rate increase so that planned capital improvement project could take place in those utility systems.
Public Works Director Dwayne Archer described increased costs in the utility system, including chemicals, energy, mechanical supplies and sludge removal. He also explained that without the fee increases, the city wouldn’t be able to tackle a planned $1.9 million in projects: paint the 1-million gallon High Street elevated storage tower, something that has been put off since the work was recommended in 2017; and the replacement and enlargement of seven water and sewer mains.
“If you don’t invest in that infrastructure, then you start to see failures,” he said.
The City Council on Wednesday morning adopted the 2024-25 tax rate of 56.19 cents per $100 valuation. While that tax rate is unchanged from this budget year, it will generate $315,293 in additional revenue compared with the current year because of higher property values.
Also on Tuesday, the City Council met in closed session, without taking action afterward, to “discuss and deliberate the evaluation and duties of the City Manager as they relate to staffing issues and personnel.”
Conley and Moore had asked for the agenda item.
Former Councilman Tommy Finklea cautioned them earlier during Tuesday’s meeting.
“I saw something on the agenda tonight that kind of caught my eye ..., “ he said, referring to the closed session item. He noted City Manager Rolin McPhee’s 24-year-tenure with the city.
“Shannon, Derrick, I respect both of you,” he said, but he questioned that move considering the short time they’ve been on the council. Both were elected in May.
“Derrick, this is not the road you want to go down. This is not the way you want to get into your time as an elected official, Shannon,” Finklea said
