Sandy Springs projects $6 million increase for General Fund budget

Council member John Paulson questioned when City Manager Eden Freeman may bring strategies to save on fitness insurance costs for the city Provided by Sandy Springs The Sandy Springs City Council heard on May the first presentation of a million FY General Fund budget that s million more than its current budget City Manager Eden Freeman announced the city continues to stay conservative in its revenue projections and in its expenditures We unfailingly overestimate our expenditures and underestimate our revenues so that we are better prepared for coping with budgeting pressures that may occur during the year Freeman explained It is unfailingly my goal to never come back to you during the year and say Whoops we need more money The budget Freeman presented includes a million debt issuance to replace fire stations No and No and make an addition to station No She disclosed the capital budget included million for the station three addition Fire Station No is located in Atlanta at Wieuca Road NE two-tenths of a mile south of Sandy Springs city limits Sandy Springs firefighters stationed there responded to incidents to Atlanta addresses or percent of the calls in Freeman stated that was two percent higher than in In only seven percent of station four s calls were to Atlanta addresses or incidents The budget includes a renovation for the Racquet Center and a subsidy for the Performing Arts Center for Signature Events which include Sparkle Sandy Springs the City Green Live concert series and the concerts in the Heritage Amphitheater Related stories Neighborhood turns out for Fire Station No grand opening Neighbors donate gas grill to new Fire Station No Freeman announced the staff projects medical insurance for employees will cost million more in than this fiscal year reaching million Councilman John Paulson noted the soundness insurance increase was a notable jump He solicited Freeman when she might bring a proposal to the council to try to save on these costs Freeman declared a healthcare and benefits administrator position was included in the Human Tools Department budget That position is going to be critical for us as we continue evaluating moving towards a self-funded model Freeman declared I ve already had one meeting with our soundness insurance broker and I anticipate because our fitness insurance definitely doesn t start until January of each year we ll be coming back to you Freeman announced since the fitness insurance plan runs on the calendar year a self-funded wellness insurance proposal will be presented that could start in January Capital projects for the city s Constituents Works Department include million for its pavement campaign million for stormwater capital improvements million for improvements at Morgan Falls Athletic Complex and million for Trail Segment C construction That segment is part of the Springway Trail system and will run from Roswell Road to Morgan Falls Overlook Park along Morgan Falls Road Freeman disclosed the budget projects adding seven full-time staff members with one additional employee each in the finance human support facilities management police and fleet management departments The Performing Arts Center would add two employees Sandy Springs would have a total of employees funded in the budget The city council will hold the first of two residents hearings on its budget proposal at p m on June The final hearing will be on June after which the council is expected to vote to adopt the budget The post Sandy Springs projects million increase for General Fund budget appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta