Tweet
Budget may cut museum funding
BY F.M. WIGGINS
STAFF WRITER
Published: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 4:11 AM EDT
PETERSBURG — The museums in the city may be closed on Mondays and January of next year if City Manager B. David Canada’s proposed budget is approved.
Last night, Canada presented his budget to City Council saying there have been significant cuts in many areas including capital improvements, museums and funding for festivals and special events.
“I completed the budget yesterday with revised revenue estimates from the city assessor,” Canada said Tuesday night at the meeting introducing the $93.48 million budget. The proposed budget represents a 3.01 percent increase — $2.76 million — over the current fiscal year’s budget $90.72 million. Those figures, Canada said, do not include state and federal government transfers to the Petersburg Public School System. Including those transfers, the budget totals $132.75 million.
Canada said that while real estate tax revenues are anticipated to increase $716,000 or 3 percent over last year, they’re still about $3 million less than what was anticipated last year at about this time. Real estate tax rates will remain the same at $1.35 per $100 of assessed value. Assessments are expected to increase.
Additionally the city is expecting to lose about $667,000 in personal property revenues, $100,000 in business, professional and occupational license fees and $174,200 in combined building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permit fees. Canada said that the personal property decrease is largely due to the devaluation of sports utility vehicles. The other decreases are from the overall condition of the economy at large.
Canada said that the proposed budget reflects a reduction of $113,160 for Museum and Visitor Services. The reduction is accomplished through the closure of the Carson Visitors Center and the closure of the city’s museums for the month of January or on Mondays or a combination of the two.
“We’re aware of the reality that we all need to tighten our belts more,” said Kevin Kirby, director of tourism for the city. The Berkshire Advisors Inc. efficiency review of the city recommended getting out of the museum business completely and shifting the responsibility for the city’s attractions to non-profits. At the March 3 City Council meeting, Kirby told council that none of the nonprofits in the city are ready, willing or able to accept that responsibility at this time.
Kirby said the city’s museums will work to enhance their visibility through public relations regarding the cuts. He said that the visibility will make sure that residents and visitors still know that the museums are open. He said it still hasn’t been determined whether or not the museums will be closed all of January, all Mondays or a combination of the two.
“We’re going to be looking at the days and times that visitor numbers are lowest,” Kirby said.
The cuts to museums are also accompanied by a reduction in city funding to the Petersburg Area Regional Tourism organization, from $100,000 to $50,000. Canada said the reduction is consistent with those made by other member localities.
The city will also be scaling back Nostalgiafest. Canada said this year the event will be just one day long.
Another area seeing a decrease in funding is schools. The proposed budget includes a transfer of $11.05 million, a decrease of $130,000 in locally generated funds to the schools.
But one area where there aren’t any cuts is in full-time classified employees. Canada emphasized that even with all the cuts, there were none to personnel. While there were no cuts, there were also no pay increases either.
While the city won’t be providing a pay increase to its employees — similar to many other private companies — it is absorbing a portion of the increased cost of health insurance for city employees. The proposed budget document indicates that the city would pay $250,000 toward the portion of increased costs of health insurance.
Canada said that he anticipated council could begin department hearings on April 21 to hear from individual departments about the budget. He said that May 12 the council should make the allocation to the city’s schools, with the final budget approved by June 2.
• F.M. Wiggins may be reached at 732-3456, ext. 3254 or fwiggins@progress-index.com.
Online at: http://progress-index.com/articles/2...31592_top1.txt
BY F.M. WIGGINS
STAFF WRITER
Published: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 4:11 AM EDT
PETERSBURG — The museums in the city may be closed on Mondays and January of next year if City Manager B. David Canada’s proposed budget is approved.
Last night, Canada presented his budget to City Council saying there have been significant cuts in many areas including capital improvements, museums and funding for festivals and special events.
“I completed the budget yesterday with revised revenue estimates from the city assessor,” Canada said Tuesday night at the meeting introducing the $93.48 million budget. The proposed budget represents a 3.01 percent increase — $2.76 million — over the current fiscal year’s budget $90.72 million. Those figures, Canada said, do not include state and federal government transfers to the Petersburg Public School System. Including those transfers, the budget totals $132.75 million.
Canada said that while real estate tax revenues are anticipated to increase $716,000 or 3 percent over last year, they’re still about $3 million less than what was anticipated last year at about this time. Real estate tax rates will remain the same at $1.35 per $100 of assessed value. Assessments are expected to increase.
Additionally the city is expecting to lose about $667,000 in personal property revenues, $100,000 in business, professional and occupational license fees and $174,200 in combined building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permit fees. Canada said that the personal property decrease is largely due to the devaluation of sports utility vehicles. The other decreases are from the overall condition of the economy at large.
Canada said that the proposed budget reflects a reduction of $113,160 for Museum and Visitor Services. The reduction is accomplished through the closure of the Carson Visitors Center and the closure of the city’s museums for the month of January or on Mondays or a combination of the two.
“We’re aware of the reality that we all need to tighten our belts more,” said Kevin Kirby, director of tourism for the city. The Berkshire Advisors Inc. efficiency review of the city recommended getting out of the museum business completely and shifting the responsibility for the city’s attractions to non-profits. At the March 3 City Council meeting, Kirby told council that none of the nonprofits in the city are ready, willing or able to accept that responsibility at this time.
Kirby said the city’s museums will work to enhance their visibility through public relations regarding the cuts. He said that the visibility will make sure that residents and visitors still know that the museums are open. He said it still hasn’t been determined whether or not the museums will be closed all of January, all Mondays or a combination of the two.
“We’re going to be looking at the days and times that visitor numbers are lowest,” Kirby said.
The cuts to museums are also accompanied by a reduction in city funding to the Petersburg Area Regional Tourism organization, from $100,000 to $50,000. Canada said the reduction is consistent with those made by other member localities.
The city will also be scaling back Nostalgiafest. Canada said this year the event will be just one day long.
Another area seeing a decrease in funding is schools. The proposed budget includes a transfer of $11.05 million, a decrease of $130,000 in locally generated funds to the schools.
But one area where there aren’t any cuts is in full-time classified employees. Canada emphasized that even with all the cuts, there were none to personnel. While there were no cuts, there were also no pay increases either.
While the city won’t be providing a pay increase to its employees — similar to many other private companies — it is absorbing a portion of the increased cost of health insurance for city employees. The proposed budget document indicates that the city would pay $250,000 toward the portion of increased costs of health insurance.
Canada said that he anticipated council could begin department hearings on April 21 to hear from individual departments about the budget. He said that May 12 the council should make the allocation to the city’s schools, with the final budget approved by June 2.
• F.M. Wiggins may be reached at 732-3456, ext. 3254 or fwiggins@progress-index.com.
Online at: http://progress-index.com/articles/2...31592_top1.txt