During a recent budget workshop, the Temple City Council requested City Manager David Blackburn free up funding for the extra cars using funds from the city’s information and technology department. Those funds were originally meant for projects related to its municipal wireless broadband network.
The planned projects, involving public/private partnerships, have proven to not be successful in other areas, Blackburn said.
“The projects were not viable based on market conditions,” Blackburn told the council.
He is expected to shift $270,000 of the money toward the five additional police cars. The city traditionally provided funding for 10 cars, but a budget made tight by fuel costs prompted the proposed cutback.
The 2009 budget could also see changes in solid waste collection that would include a $1.25 increase in the monthly fee, keep the two-day-a-week garbage pickup and establish a fee for each bulk pickup. Brush pickup costs would remain embedded in the regular solid waste fee.
The change would end the two-day window for brush pickup and recreate the city’s original two-week pickup schedule.
The city manager included changes in the 2009 budget for solid waste pickup since that department is the heaviest user of fuel with 34 percent usage out of the more than $2 million allocated for fuel.
The city will approve a 75-cent increase to the drainage fund, making it $2.75, with future increases to be considered in future budgets.
Blackburn recommended the city forge ahead on Temple Fire and Rescue construction projects such as Stations One and Eight as part of a nearly $14 million bond package passed by voters in May.
He based the need to move quickly on increasing costs of construction, which he said, is approaching a 12 percent increase per year.
“With construction costs escalating at the rate that they appear to be escalating in, I am moving in the direction that we should construct the facilities that we have money authorized for as quickly as possible,” he said.
Blackburn added that could mean Station Eight could be built before it is fully staffed. He said since the department training facility and Emergency Operations Center would be on the site, the station would not be unused. Initial plans called for Station Eight to be built in 2011, when it would be fully staffed.
The budget could significantly reduce funding toward updating the Frank W. Mayborn Civic and Convention Center.
Filed in July, the preliminary budget recommended $2.7 million for upgrades for the center, which was constructed in 1982. The funding could have come from the hotel/motel tax and tax money.
The city manager recommended the 2009 budget, including funding of $733,890 existing from hotel/motel taxes, be used for the most needed items including a kitchen upgrade, new carpet, repainting and new lighting.
Items not funded include replacement moveable walls in the main hall, new ceilings and new entrance doors to the main hall.
Temple Mayor Bill Jones III said it is possible that future improvements to the center could come via a general obligation bond election.
“I see this as much more of a strategic decision,” he said. “We’ll always have to maintain it and we will always have to upgrade it. I think it’s too soon to make a decision on this now.”
Traffic signals will be part of the 2009 budget. Blackburn said the capital improvement plan has four signals funded, three of which are in place.
Because of pending Texas Department of Transportation work on the intersection of FM 317 and Tarver Road, the new budget will likely hold off on that signal and instead fund a signal at the intersection of Lowe’s Road and Marlandwood Road.
Remaining dollars would go toward a light at FM 93 and South Fifth Street if additional funding becomes available later.
