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ELKINS -- Elkins City Council has approved a $5.5 million budget for the upcoming 2020-2021 fiscal year.
The total budget agreed upon by council members was $5,565,114, an increase of just $1,240 from the current fiscal year budget.
Police department expenditures for the upcoming year are projected at $1,281,307, to fund salaries, maintenance of vehicles and equipment, travel, uniforms and other costs.
Also included in the budget is $845,000 in projected expenditures for the fire department, $305,796 for parks and recreation and $95,250 for the visitors bureau.
The budget increase of just $1,281,307 "was not surprising because budgets… really don't change a whole lot year to year," said Sutton Stokes, external affairs specialist for the City. The exception to this was the budget increase seen in the last fiscal year, which utilized revenue from the 1% sales tax.
In the 2020-2021 fiscal year, revenues from that same sales tax are projected to reach $1 million. The tax was put in place July 1, 2018.
With this line of revenue, as well as others within the General Fund, the city projects $517,570 in spending to improve and maintain City Hall. A total of $85,000 will be put toward maintenance and $124,400 is set aside for contracted services, including potential improvements to the City Hall parking lot. The City has also budgeted $142,650 for the Phil Gainer Community Center.
Beautification of the city includes streetscaping and maintenance of the flowers planted around town throughout the summer. The projected expenditures for these projects combined totals $83,100.
Like the previous fiscal year, the 2020-2021 budget includes $50,000 for demolition expenses, so the city can continue to restore dilapidated properties, and $25,000 for a matching grant fund. Additionally, the city projects $135,200 in expenditures for outside contributions.
"In general, outside contributions are the City's term for funds that are provided to organizations that are not under the City's control," said Stokes. "The City feels like these are worthwhile services that city residents benefit from."
Though council had previously discussed the implementation of two new positions for an urban landscaper and a second code enforcement officer, these positions were not included in the 2020-2021 budget.
"There's clearly going to be an impact on the City revenues, just like so many business revenues, as a result of coronavirus. There's going to be a decrease in B&O tax and in sales tax. For example, many businesses are closed for an unknown amount of time," said Stokes. "It's anyone's guess what that impact is going to look like."