ORANGE — The fiscal year for the City of Orange begins Oct. 1, 2012 and goes until Sept. 30, 2013. The work for the city council and mayor began with the first workshop July 19.

The city uses the line item type of budget preparation. This makes for a very detailed accounting of each revenue and liability source by category. It shows a detailed history covering the past two years. Such attention to detail makes budgeting easier to use and discuss.

The first budget workshop package also included definitions of 14 terms that are necessary to understand how the budget is calculated and identifies specific rates and taxes that are a part of the city’s income and expenditures.

At the present time the city is in negotiations with various industrial entities in regard to the Industrial District Contract, or IDC. The IDC is an agreement with a company to continue extraterritorial status and immunity from annexation, based on lawful terms and consideration that each party agrees to.

The General Fund Budget will show a deficit until the IDC agreements are reached with the various industries and their taxes can be added to the line item budget.

An expenditure this coming year will be the purchase of seven new police vehicles. Vehicles are rotated out of service on a three year basis. This year the department is projecting a cost of $161,497 for the new vehicles. The department has in possession one of the new Dodge Charger cars and new police edition Ford Explorer SUV. They will evaluate for a period of time to determine which vehicle best fits the needs of the department. The purchase price of the vehicles is for the full police package. The department will transfer the radios and laptop computers into the new vehicles.

Repairs needed to the roof of the control room at the Cooper’s Gully pump station, paint and minor repairs are needed at Fire Station #3, and some leaks and rotten wood need to be replaced at City Hall, along with some new paint. The projection for these costs is $90,850.  

The Park Department is requesting slightly over $160,000 to replace playground equipment, replace an aging utility truck, and buy a new slope mower. The slope mower has a boom that is adjustable and makes it possible to mow ditches, rights of way, and other uneven areas in the city parks.

To do the needed repairs to several streets as scheduled the Street and Drainage Department is asking for $250,000. This is an estimated amount based on current material and labor prices.

In addition to other projected expenditures, the Water Operations Department is asking for $100,000 to replace existing water meters in the rear of some residences in Roselawn with radio read meters. These meters can be read remotely without the meter readers having to go into the yards at the rear of the homes. There are approximately 700 meters already on the list to be changed out to the new radio read meters.

There are a few personnel changes that are proposed. A retired employee at the library was replaced by promoting an entry level employee into the higher position. The position vacated by the promotion will not be replaced at this time. In the Police Department, a part time custodian position became vacant. Chief Lane Martin asked that the position not be filled and that instead a full-time file clerk be hired. The new position will free up detectives and patrol officers from having to do work that could be done by a clerk and allow them to remain on their street duties. There would be a $21, 467.76 differences after the custodian position salary is deducted out of the file clerk salary.

Several items were presented by City Manager Shawn Oubre after the departmental requests had been itemized. Oubre emphasized that these items are not included in the budget; they are for the council to consider. If the council agrees to add these items, then the cost would be added to the 2013 budget.

The city has been approached about extending the hours of operation, programs, and months that the Natatorium is open for use by the public. The 250,000 gallon pool is open in warm months, April thru October. The annual budget for the Natatorium is $75,452. The city charges $2 for resident and $4 for non-resident use.

Natural gas is used to heat the water to a range of 84-86 degrees. If the Natatorium was opened in cool months there would be an increase in the use of natural gas to heat the water. The area around the pool is not heated. If the pool was opened in the cooler months a heating system would have to be installed.  To add heaters in the walkway areas would cost an estimated $25,000. A first “best guess” estimate is that to operate the Natatorium would be an increase of $44,879 to $60,048 annually. This would be added to the budget of $75,452 for the current year.

The Natatorium staff conducted a survey during the week of June 25, 2012 and July 1, 2012 to determine usage. During this week there were 207 in the morning adult swim and 140 in the afternoon open swim. The revenue collected was $694. This was summertime usage and it is believed that during the school term the afternoon usage would be less if the hours were extended.

The Orange Youth Baseball Softball League has approached the city about building a covered pavilion at the park, along with some other improvements. The pavilion would be over a cement slab, have lighting, and contain four permanent picnic tables. Projected cost is $33,163 for the requested items.

A request was received for a police substation. This is only a point for discussion at this time. There is no determination of location, size of building, or staffing. The city owns land in various locations that could be used for the substation. Projected cost could approach $150,000.

Tax rates, cost increases of services, the very important IDC are items that remained to be discussed in detail. The council will be conducting a number of workshops in the future as the budget process continues.

The next scheduled City Council meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m Tuesday, July 24, 2012 in the council meeting room at the Orange Public Library.