The Town of Fountain Hills will be unveiling its proposed 2014-15 fiscal year budget to the public this week during an open house session prior to the regular Town Council meeting Thursday, April …
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The Town of Fountain Hills will be unveiling its proposed 2014-15 fiscal year budget to the public this week during an open house session prior to the regular Town Council meeting Thursday, April 17.
The session begins at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers at Town Hall. Staff will be available to answer questions from the public related to the proposed budget.
Overall the budget plan totals $44.5 million including $22.7 in capital expenses, which encompasses the $8.2 million bond approved for the Saguaro Boulevard reconstruction.
The General Fund budget proposal is $13.6 million compared with roughly $13.1 for the current fiscal year.
Items budgeted from Special Revenue Funds total about $6 million.
Other capital projects that show up in the budget include $4.4 million for Shea Boulevard improvements (mostly grant funded); $2.5 million for Fire Station No. 2 relocation (from CIP fund); $1.7 million for park improvements (CIP fund); $1.6 million for wash channeling flood abatement (grant funding); $1.5 million for Avenue of the Fountains median improvements (excise tax fund).
Town Manager Ken Buchanan said the budget’s objective is to operate the town with sustainable services for residents. He said the only personnel change proposed for the year is to increase the position of volunteer coordinator from part-time to full-time.
Moving forward on the budget, the council has scheduled three workshop sessions for Monday through Wednesday, April 28-30.
The budget has been placed on the agenda for the May 1 regular council session for tentative approval. This action sets a cap on the total for the budget, which will be finalized following a public hearing Thursday, June 5.
At its regular session at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, the Town Council has mostly routine business including a public hearing and consideration of placement of a cellular transmission town disguised as a saguaro cactus. That tower is to be placed in the Eagle Mountain subdivision near the Inn at Eagle Mountain. It will be placed near a similar facility.
The council will consider appointing one person to fill a vacancy on the Planning and Zoning Commission. They will be completing a term that ends in September this year.
The Public Art Committee is asking the Town Council to consider accepting the donation of two new art sculptures and a change to the placement of one previously approved.
