Town Proposes $8.4 Million Budget

December 2, 2009

 

By JoAn Bjarko

 

The Wellington

 

Adoption of the 2010 town budget is on the agenda for the Dec. 8 board meeting. If approved, the town proposes to spend about $8.4 million next year for operating town government and capital improvements.

 

“It’s fairly conservative,” said Wellington (Colorado) town administrator Larry Lorentzen. “There are no large capital projects.” Despite hold-the-line budgeting practices, Wellington will dig deeper into its fund balances to run town government in 2010. Fund balances, or reserves, are expected to total $7.2 million at the end of this year. Next year’s budget shows the fund balances dropping to about $3.4 million.

 

For the past several years, Wellington has budgeted $2 million to purchase additional water resources. That money was not spent this year, and it is included again in the upcoming budget.

 

Town officials have been interviewing potential consultants to begin design of Buffalo Creek Park on the west side of Wellington. About $135,000 is allocated for the design contract, which does not include any physical improvements to the park. Town leaders are hoping to pull together a variety of grants to help fund about $3 million of construction at Buffalo Creek Park. The number of town employees remains the same in next year’s budget. Employees will receive no salary increases unless they qualify for a merit increase of up to 2 percent.

 

Wellington will pay 3.8 percent more for its employee health insurance programs, according to finance director Mike Cummins. The town was able to keep the premiums at that level by increasing each employee’s deductible to $3,000. The deductible this year is $2,000. To offset the extra cost to employees, the town will match up to $500 of an employee’s contribution to a health savings account. The town this year matched up to $250.

 

The 2010 budget sets aside $8,000 for incentives to attract new businesses. Incentives are generally offered as reductions to water and sewer tap fees.

 

The budget also makes $4,000 available for promotional activities for economic development. That fund is generally used by the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce.

 

The budget hearing starts at 7:30 p.m. in the boardroom at the Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Ave. Copies of the proposed budget are available at town hall.