By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Work on the St. Joseph City budget continues.
City Manager Mike Schumacher says while the city fiscal year ends June 30th, he wants city officials to look beyond year-to-year needs.
“You cannot look at budget as a 12-month exercise,” Schumacher tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “While legislatively, a 12-month budget is adopted, in the background, you really need to have a five and, ideally, a 10-year view. Because you know when fire trucks are two million dollars a pop you better have a strategy before it just shows up in front of you to buy it, because we don’t have two million dollars sitting somewhere.”
Schumacher, relatively new to the job, says the city has a good budget process in place. He says his staff sits down with department heads to discuss their needs, then examines expected income to devise the correct amount devoted to each city department.
Schumacher says city sets aside 20% in reserve, because the city must be prepared to weather an economic downturn and still serve the public.
“When you dial 9-1-1, you expect someone to answer the phone and someone to come,” Schumacher says. “So, we absolutely have to maintain services regardless of any external factors. It’s just not an option.”
Schumacher says the city is fighting inflation just like everyone else.
“Same thing folks are facing at home. We are no different,” Schumacher says. “While our customers may be going to the grocery store to buy a dozen eggs and going, holy smokes, look what eggs cost. We’re doing the same thing; except we’re buying a whole lot of stuff across the entire spectrum.”
Schumacher says sometimes purchases must be delayed.
The St. Joseph city fiscal year ends June 30th, with the new budget beginning July 1st.
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