On Monday, September 20, the Blue Springs City Council voted to adopt the Fiscal Year 2021-22 annual budget of $83,531,171. The new budget will go into effect October 1, 2021.
The 2021-22 budget focuses on delivering and enhancing important City services, improving our City’s infrastructure and parks system and taking care of the City’s employees.
The Council has increased funding to improve the City’s streets by allocating an additional $4 million to the City’s Street Pavement Maintenance Program – increasing the funding to $6.8 million in 2021-2022. The budget also includes $1.6 million for Jefferson Street Road improvements and $1.1 million for improvements to Wyatt Road. Other infrastructure funding includes $406,000 for the sixth year of the sidewalk maintenance program and $2.9 million for water and sewer system improvements.
“Improving the conditions of our City’s streets has been a top-priority for our residents for the last several years,” said Mayor Carson Ross. “This year we were able to put an additional $4 million to get a jump-start on street improvements. We hope that we will continue to find ways to increase funding for much-needed street improvements in the future.”
Additionally, the 2021-22 budget continues with the fifth full year of projects from the ½-cent Parks Sales Tax. This budget cycle completes the original 2017 Parks Sales Tax projects and includes $8.2 million for projects including the Blue Springs Park restrooms, Young Park restrooms, Hidden Valley Park Soccer parking lot, Hidden Valley concession building roof replacement, Woods Chapel Park playground renovation, and the Blue Springs Aquatic Center construction documents.
The 2021-22 budget also incorporates several measures to recruit and sustain a dedicated work-force, including increasing the starting full-time salary to $15/hour, adjustments to subsequent salaries that result from the change in the starting pay and the implementation of the LAGERS L-6 retirement plan for employees.
This budget includes five additional full-time positions, including an economic development manager, a sergeant, a dispatcher, an administrative assistant, and two part-time dispatchers.
“When developing the 2021 budget we took a very conservative approach due to the uncertainty of the pandemic,” said Acting City Administrator Christine Cates. “However, with 16 months of data and information behind us, we are in a better position to forecast revenues. We will continue to monitor and navigate these life-changing events in order to provide safe spaces for our employee team members and customers, while still providing important services and programs throughout the community.”
Additional 2021-22 Budget Highlights:
· Continued emphasis on employee health and wellness to minimize impact of insurance premium increases.
· Participation in the regional Household Hazardous Waste program.
· $35,000 for Downtown Alive! From the Hotel/Motel Tax Fund.
· Public Safety Sales Tax – new sergeant and additional dispatchers.
The full 2021-2022 Annual Budget, is available on the City’s website at www.bluespringsgov.com.