Proposed city budget would mean higher taxes

By: Michelle Leonard , The Farmington Independent

After years of trimming the city’s budget, Farmington City Council members are considering a $1.3 million levy increase for 2012.

At a July 27 budget workshop, council members took a second look at the wish list for 2012. This time, they didn’t try to cut from it. They looked at the needs before them and decided the time had come to plan for the future.

A preliminary budget must be approved by Sept. 15, but this year, council members hope to have the preliminary numbers set far before the deadline. And those numbers, at least, so far, include a tax increase for Farmington residents.

Four of five council members were at last week’s workshop. Council member Julie May was absent.

Saying ‘yes’

The 2011 budget was set at approximately $9.2 million, which is what Farmington finance director Teresa Walters used as her starting point for 2012. With that 2011 budget, council members chose to stall the city’s seal coating road maintenance project for one year, because they could not fund it without affecting taxpayers.

Council members first met to discuss the new budget on July 5. At that time, they agreed to increase the budget by $350,000 to fund seal coating, and added in another $15,000 to cover trail maintenance. The only other addition was $25,000 for a part-time position in the finance department. Those three additions would have increased the tax impact on a $199,800 home by $78.88.

In addition to seal coating and trail maintenance, city staff recommended funding for equipment replacement, park redevelopment, street rehabilitation, computer equipment, fire equipment replacement and building maintenance. Last week, council members agreed it was time to fund those items.

Staff asked for $162,000 to set up a fund to cover equipment replacement - things like new squad cars and fire trucks. In the past, the fire department’s requests for new vehicles have not been funded, but it’s come to a point where the city can no longer ignore those requests, interim city administrator Kevin Schorzman said. While council members were not ready to allocate the full amount, Christy Jo Fogarty asked if $150,000 would be suitable.

Asphalt Seal coating machine

Specifications Compatible with coal tar, acrylic and latex sealer. Does not include the empty 275 gallon tote. 6.5 HP Briggs engine with 2-inch centrifugal seal coating pump with Viton Seals, 45 PSI at spray tip, 225 GPM (gallons per minute), with 1 year manufacturers warranty Five Spray Tips. 50 feet of sealer hose with sealer spray wand. 210 lbs (empty) 48” W, 48” L, 52” H

All these features for such a low price... How can we offer this?

We manufacture, build, assemble and sell hundreds of these units every season. We produce in bulk which keeps our costs down and allows you to pick it up with major savings. 300 gallon metal tanks with sweep agitation blades mostly move the product contents near the outside walls of the storage tank. The heavy paddles usually rotate very slowly and are driven by cumbersome gears, chains, and pulleys. The product near the center of the tank may never even get mixed at all!

To observe this, try this revealing experiment:

First take a can of paint, secondly take a paint stir stick. Now stir the contents using the stir stick only along the inside edge of the paint can slowly. Try to emulate the speed of a paddle moving around the inside of a storage tank What happens to the contents in the center of the paint can? Hardly moves or mixes at all doesn't it?

The re-circulation system that comes with the AK2200 is absolutely amazing. 275 gallons of sealer mixes up in 3 to 4 minutes and ready to apply.