On Monday, City Council approved the annual budget and finalized water, sewer, and solid waste rates, among other items.
The Finance Director and Interim City Manager gave a presentation on the proposed budget. After discussion, it was approved on a 5-2 vote. A later motion passed unanimously to have staff prepare the data that some felt was missing from the budget that would have allowed them to vote yes.
No new service cuts are expected, but some capital projects were deferred to keep a balanced budget.
The Capital Improvements Plan through 2030 was approved. There was some discussion on how it needs to improve in the future.
The amount charged per unit of water increased by 10%. The Ready to Serve charge remains unchanged. Such a large increase is needed to cover the costs of lead service line replacements. The state has mandated we replace all those lines but has given us no funding for this exceptionally expensive project.
Solid waste fees will remain unchanged.
Building permits for projects $50,000 and under will no longer require a bond. This will make the process more efficient for homeowners, contractors, and staff.
Authorization was given to apply for a planning grant for a public space at Dorothea and Coolidge. The DDA will pay the City's match for the grant if awarded. Once the city has plans written up, the plans can be used to apply for additional grants to help fund implementation.
Andrews Hooper Pavlik was granted a three to five-year contract to perform the city's annual audit.
The city's building official shared the Community Development Department's "Homeowner's Guide to Permits." This gives an overview of how building permits work in Berkley. The most important takeaway is to contact the department if you have any questions. They want to help you do it right.
The meeting packet.
