As expected, the Madison City Council adopted its budget for the upcoming fiscal year following a June 28 public hearing, the last of three such hearings that began June 12. The new financial plan includes rate increases for Madison water and sewer services.
The budget for 2023-24 projects General Fund expenditures of $5,640,353 – more than $800,000 less than the previous year – and a total budget of $22,937,516.
The largest General Fund expenditure is, as always, the Madison Police Department with total cost of $1,824,105 but that figure is $121,845 lower than last year’s budget.
However, the Madison Fire Department will cost $57,515 more with General Fund expenditures of $398,690.
Revenue from property taxes is slated to increase this year by $225,000 for a total of $1,825,000, but a tax hike is not anticipated.
A comprehensive community survey to be conducted over the coming year was included in the budget to gauge what residents and taxpayers want out of their city government in the years to come.
Madison’s department managers were tasked with creating a plan that justifies the spending level being requested for the new budget.
According to City Manager John Klimm, a workshop held earlier this year with input from a consulting firm indicated that the present schedule of fees for water and sewer services would not cover capital costs going into the future.
Klimm said that while it is not easy to support a fee increase, the city is following the recommendations of the consultant in a “modest way.”
Water rates residential
• 0-4,000 gallons — $6.46
• 4,000 to 8,000 — $6.72
• 8,000-plus — $7.24
Water rates commercial
• 0-10,000 gallons — $6.68
• 10,0001-plus gallons — $6.94 Also, an evaluation of the city’s compensation plan for employees revealed that pay for numerous positions in Madison needed to be increased.
The evaluation included an analysis of compensation for employees of other Georgia cities, including Eatonton, Greensboro, Adairsville, Covington, Social Circle and Watkinsville.
In addition, council voted to extend Klimm’s contract as city manager through 2030.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Fred Perriman and city council members bid farewell to City Attorney Jimmy Carter who was chosen for the post in 2018 when Joe Reitman departed.
Carter will be replaced by Jay Crowley of the Powell & Edwards legal team. Perriman said Carter had been an asset to the city of Madison.
“You never cut us short, you always went above and beyond,” Perriman said.