The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

 

Published December 17, 2014

Lake Ozark budget will top $9.3 million for 2015

By Jeff Thompson
LAKE OZARK - The proposed 2015 city budget - approved by the Board of Aldermen last Tuesday night - projects revenues of approximately $.9.7 million with expenditures set at $9.3 million.

City Administrator Dave Van Dee stated the budget reflects the city’s continued progress towards its improved financial performance and responsibilities.

Van Dee noted that the city’s reserves continue to grow for all of its operational funds including general, capital improvements, transportation, water, sewer, TIFs and NIDs.

Although the budget does not include everything that was requested by the department managers, Van Dee stated the Budget Committee members will have quarterly meetings to review the city’s financial progress.

Requests that were not filled at the beginning of the budget year will be re-examined by committee members.

“... (W)hen funds are available they will support adding items to the budget as part of our midyear and end-of-year Fiscal Year 2015 budget amendments,” Van Dee said in a report to the board.

The city administrator also praised the success the city has experienced with its’ end-of-the-year financial findings.

“Essentially I am pleased to report that we are ending the Fiscal Year 2014 budget without the use of any cash carryover funds which is a significant accomplishment in comparison to prior years,” Van Dee said.

He also pointed out the efforts of both elected officials and city employees towards a brighter fiscal future.

“I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the city staff and the board in helping to achieve a year-end budget balance,” Van Dee said. “Everyone continues to be committed to working together and the outcome shows that we are making progress towards financial stability.”

City Treasurer Linda Gardner-Goos agreed.

“As always Dave (Van Dee) and the department heads have done a great job balancing the 2014 year-end budget and projecting our 2015 budget needs,” Gardner-Goos stated in a report to the board.

Like Van Dee, Gardner-Goos also commended the Budget Committee members for their efforts.

“The Budget Committee has done an excellent job reviewing and understanding both budgets (2014 and 2015) and they are asking all the right questions,” she said.

Individual fund highlights for 2015 include:
* General Fund - A wage increase of about three percent (with limited exceptions) for all employee wages after completing a successful annual performance review; $45,614 for the City Hall-Police Department lease; replacing two police vehicles prior to the end of 2015; and the purchase of a real estate module for the city’s Incode software system.
* Sewer Fund - A $205,000 transfer to administration to defer admin costs; the purchase of two replacement vehicles and asset management software (with similar actions to be taken in the Water Fund).

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