Hayden lines up priorities

HAYDEN — As Hayden’s fiscal year 2019 budget process picks up steam, what changes should city taxpayers anticipate?

Hayden has a track record of increasing property levies by the state maximum of 3 percent per year, city administrator Brett Boyer said Thursday. The FY19 increase would transfer $41,728 more from city residents’ pockets to the city coffers. In addition, new construction property taxes will bring in another $33,218, down $1,762 from last year.

Boyer said thanks to increasing popularity of city recreational programs, he penciled in a $12,000 increase from that revenue source. However, franchise fees dropped by an offsetting $12,000. City services will also bring in an additional $16,608. Thanks to a change in how the city handles credit card transaction fees, the city saved $32,012 in banking fees, Boyer said.

Leftover money from FY18 in the amount of $321,914 will be used to pay for one-time expenses, Boyer said. Boyer has recommended that the city purchase a grader for $156,700, and a loader for $116,250, that the city has leased for years and that are cheaper than buying new, he explained.

Another one-time expense is for new software. Boyer said the city’s “current software is inadequate and not fully functional.” Right now the city’s financial records (accounts payable, receivables, payroll, etc.) and building and planning records are stuck in departmental silos. Human resources documents are limited to Excel spreadsheets, and recordkeeping is stuck with some documents that can be scanned and made searchable, and some that can’t be. He wants to upgrade to a full document management system to better serve the community.

“Our goal with the building module is for full interface for submittal and tracking to be done online,” Boyer said. The FY19 budget proposes $100,000 for data conversion and technical help to convert to the new software.

The city currently pays the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office approximately $278,000 for its law enforcement coverage. At this point, the city pays for four officers, one of which is a school resource officer whose costs the city splits evenly with the Coeur d’Alene School District, Boyer said. The city does not have 24-hour per day law enforcement coverage, but hopes to address that problem with a levy override later this year that would fund more police coverage.

Street maintenance costs will rise from $350,000 to $370,000, Boyer said. However, that’s far below what the city needs to really keep up with the 75 lane miles of roads it handles, he added. The city will also spend $54,500 in traffic light upgrades.

Boyer anticipates a 14 percent increase in employee health care costs through Regence, which amounts to an extra $64,100 the city needs to shell out. Boyer handled the oft-contentious topic of city salaries by presenting the City Council several options at its June 26 meeting. Options range from a 2 percent pay raise, costing city taxpayers $39,672, to a 3.5 percent pay raise, costing $68,426. In context, the pay raises are small compared to the 4.56 nationwide increase in wages and 4.2 percent rise in pay statewide, Boyer explained. He recommended a 2.5 percent cost of living allowance increase plus a 1 percent merit raise. The city has alternated over the last decade between no raises and raises of 3 percent or less. Last year some employees got 3 percent raises while others got no raise at all, Boyer said.

The city plans on doing a road improvement project on Hayden Avenue from Government Way to U.S. 95, with costs shared with the Hayden Urban Renewal Agency. The city has paid $800,000 as its share, funded by impact fees, Boyer said.

“The project will improve one of our main entryways into the city by widening the road at points, fixing turn lanes and adding sidewalks, bike lanes, and safer access points and street trees,” Boyer said.

Hayden also has $1.2 million of impact fee money budgeted to do roundabout improvements at Honeysuckle Avenue and Ramsey Road.

Preservation of the barn at Stoddard Park will cost $75,000. In partnership with Little League, the city will also begin design for 10 acres near Croffoot Park. The FY19 budget includes $100,000 for a parking lot expansion at Finucane Park, Boyer added.

A minor change to the H2 lift station near Walmart will cost the city $70,000.

The city will update its transportation plan, comprehensive plan, sewer master plan, and do a sewer rate study in FY19, he added.

The budget won’t be finalized for two more months. Boyer awaits input on city staff benefits and salaries at the July 10 City Council meeting, and the budget won’t be scheduled for a public hearing until August.

Boyer said the best way to weigh in on the proposed budget is to “attend any of the meetings on the budget to hear the discussions, and then specifically attend the public hearing where the council will take public comment on Aug. 28 at 5 p.m.”

He also invited residents to call with any questions they may have for him or city finance officer Sandee Rudy. To contact City Hall, call 208-772-4411 or email: bboyer@cityofhaydenid.us or srudy@cityofhaydenid.us