Local News – Friday, June 24th, 2022
The City of Salem Utilities Committee met Tuesday evening at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Chairman Kyle Williams discussed the need for the city to reduce expenses as well as find ways to increase revenues to make a balanced budget for fiscal year 2022-2023. Next years proposed budget shows the city at a deficit of $3.5 million before city department supervisors and staff were able to find additional ways to cut costs and have lowered the deficit to $1.9 million. If the utility committee does not propose a new electric rate for the alderman to consider, the yearly automatic increase from the electric supplier will go into effect in July at a rate of 34%. The committee approved asking the alderman to raise the utility rates 24% with a monthly $10 service availability fee for residences that will sunset and go away after one year; and $15 for commercial businesses that will also sunset and go away after one year. This will bring in enough revenue to cover the proposed budget shortfall and put funds in the electric reserve. The committee also discussed additional ways to raise future revenue including asking the voters to approve a sales use tax that would impose a tax on all online orders. This tax could be earmarked for public safety to fund the police department which is currently 42% of the total general fund expenses. The aldermen will discuss this proposal being placed on the August ballot at the next aldermen meeting.
The City of Salem Finance Committee met Wednesday evening to review the proposed 2022-2023 budget. Finance Director Stacey Houston and City Administrator Ray Walden presented updated figures from previous meetings based upon the utility meeting recommendations from Tuesday night and other recognized revenues and expenses that came in that still shows a projected deficit of over $900,000. The budget includes no raises in the upcoming year that will save about $125,000, a reduction in city staff from 61 to 57 saving about $109,000, a change in wearing apparel policy that will save $2,900 and the reviewing and renegotiating of contracts that will save another $69,000. Some funds like the water fund and the sewer fund, will have to use reserves to balance for the year end or have to borrow money from another fund to balance for the next fiscal year to balance. Those two funds will be reviewed by the utility committee to possibly adjust rates to cover the losses incurred. Chairperson Kala Sisco wanted the finance committee to review the documents and bring any questions or suggestions on the 2022-23 proposed budget to the next Finance Committee which will be held this afternoon at 12:00 noon at the Salem Community Center @the Armory located at 1200 West Rolla Road in Salem. The meeting is open to the public.
Join Echo Bluff State Parks team members on Saturday evening at 8:00 to listen to The Current River Band, sponsored by the Betty Lea Lodge, at the outdoor amphitheater. The band just wants to have some fun and play some music. Join them for a night of fun and laughter. Echo Bluff State Park is located at 35244 Echo Bluff Drive in Eminence. For more information, call 573-751-5211. This event is being held in conjunction with the National Park Trust’s Kids to Parks Day. For more information, visit mostateparks.com.
The City of Salem would like to thank its electric customers. Last week the city issued a PEAK ALERT asking our citizens to help by conserving energy where possible. You responded and cut back and thanks to your efforts, the city avoided a new Peak Power Event on that day!
The Salem Community Choir will be performing this Sunday afternoon at 2:00 on the courthouse lawn. Lemonade and cookies will be served by the Cosmopolitan Club of Salem. There is no cost to attend!
The University of Missouri Extension’s Woodland Steward program will host a workshop with a twilight tour on Monday and Tuesday demonstrating woodland management practices according to University of Missouri Extension natural resources specialist Sarah Havens. The program begins with a virtual session on woodland management tools from via Zoom, Monday evening from 7:00 until 9:00. Tuesday evening, participants will meet in person from 6:00 until 8:30 at the MU Wurdack Extension and Education Center in Cook Station for a tour of recent examples of forest management practices. The $25 fee includes a light meal prior to the tour. Missouri has 15 million acres of privately owned forestland, and management on the private acres is just as important as on public lands as good forest management on private lands benefits wildlife and forest health in the state. You can register for the workshop at muext.us/WoodlandWorkshop2022.